Birthday Gift

Naoki stood on the floating island, watching Giratina, who was still soundly asleep not far away.

Suddenly, Giratina groggily opened its eyes.

The first thing it noticed was Naoki standing across from it.

Still half-asleep and clearly still feeling the effects of the beer, Giratina slurred its speech: "You...you finally remembered to come back!"

Naoki: "..."

He stared at Giratina with suspicion. 'Why does it sound like that?'

Naoki had tasks to complete, and he couldn't just stay in the Reverse World all day. Not to mention, he still felt weak after drinking that poisonous mushroom soup.

Looking at the grumpy Giratina, Naoki asked, exasperated, "Did you drink the entire barrel of beer?"

"Beer...beer?" Giratina squinted, trying to recall with its foggy, intoxicated mind.

Then it suddenly sprang up and shouted, "Delicious!"

Naoki: "..."

Giratina, now towering over Naoki, smirked and in a commanding tone said, "Send me a few more barrels, or I'll drag you in here and lock you up forever!"

Naoki: "..."

Giratina leaned in closer, drunkenly saying, "Foolish...human, why don't you...speak? You...dare ignore me!"

As it said this, Giratina's aura flared dangerously, as though it was about to unleash its wrath and crush Naoki in an instant.

But just before it could act, it hesitated.

Giratina plopped back down and rested its massive head on its thick forelimbs. "Forget... Forget it. If I crush you, no one will talk to me anymore."

Naoki sighed, standing there speechless. Thinking of Giratina's legend and how it was once banished to the Distortion World, he felt a pang of sympathy. He was about to say something when he heard the dragon muttering again:

"Although you're just a small, insignificant human, at least you're not as arrogant as the others... timid though, zZZ..."

Looking at Giratina falling back into a drunken slumber, Naoki's patience wore thin. He felt like cursing under his breath but restrained himself.

'Timid, am I?' he thought. 'Just wait until I come back with Koraidon and the complete form of Calyrex riding Glastrier! I'll make this grumpy dragon work on the ranch like a farmhand!'

With a playful shake of his fist towards the snoring Giratina, Naoki called out to Indeedee to fetch some Pecha juice to help detoxify the dragon.

After Mewtwo and his crew had left, life on the ranch quickly returned to its peaceful routine.

At five in the afternoon, Zack arrived to drive the large truck to the ranch for goods collection.

They loaded up several barrels of Moomoo milk and goat milk onto the truck, and Naoki invited Zack to join him in checking out the new beer that was brewing in the cellar.

Standing in front of the brand-new house, Zack paused, gazing up at the building in admiration.

He looked at the new house, then at the old wooden house not far away, and couldn't help but sigh:

"Wow, you've really turned this ranch into something special!"

Naoki glanced at the group of Pokémon around him and smiled knowingly: "This isn't just my doing."

Hearing this, Zack looked at the Pokémon on the ranch and added, "You all did great! To be honest, when Mayor Thomas and I first saw you, you were so skinny, we were worried about whether you'd be able to handle the work on the ranch."

Hearing those words, Naoki couldn't help but think back to how things were when he first arrived.

With a happy chuckle, he asked, "And what about now?"

Zack replied, "Turns out we were worried for nothing. Now you're as strong as a Tauros!"

Naoki thought about the Tauros from the Paldea region, especially the black ones, and couldn't help but defend himself: "It's not that exaggerated."

"Hahaha!" Zack burst out laughing. He then looked at the stubble on Naoki's chin and teased, "You should shave that beard properly, or you'll look like you're in your thirties, and girls your age will start calling you 'uncle' on the street."

Naoki sighed, "To be honest, that's already happened before."

It was during the summer. He'd spent a lot of time working outside on the farm, so his skin had tanned, and a bit of a beard had grown. When he went to the market to buy vegetables one day, he hadn't shaved, and a girl of about sixteen or seventeen called him "uncle."

Zack gave him an "I told you so" look, causing Cyclizar and Koraidon to burst into laughter.

After their chat, the two headed to the cellar, where Zack, being the professional, checked the quality of the beer.

Naoki stood by, patiently waiting for Zack to give his evaluation and price.

"Hmm, the fermentation's solid, the aroma is rich with a natural oak flavor." Zack took a glass and sipped, tasting carefully. "A nice blend of rich malt with the bitterness of the hops. It's smooth and refreshing, with a clean aftertaste. Very well done!"

However, Zack's face showed a hint of regret. "The only downside is that the fermentation time was a bit short. If it had been left to age longer, the beer would fetch a higher price and taste even better."

Naoki, curious, asked, "Aging? How long does it need?"

Zack explained, "That depends. Take wine, for example. Normally, it takes about 20 days to ferment naturally."

"Depending on the winemaker's intention and the wine's style, aging can range from a few months to several years."

"But it's not that wine must be aged to be good. It's really up to personal taste. Some people prefer wine that's aged for several years, while others enjoy it fresh."

"Of course," Zack continued, "aged wine tends to sell for a much higher price than wine that's been simply fermented."

Zack said a lot, but Naoki's mind fixated on one thing—' aged wine sells for a higher price!'

"It just so happens there's a lot of fruit in the orchard," Naoki thought to himself. "After selling this batch of beer, I could make some fruit wine."

At this moment, Zack finished his inspection and gave the final verdict. "3,000 Poke Dollars per liter. It's a bit off-season for beer, so the market price is lower right now. In summer, you could probably get even more."

'3,000 Poke Dollars per liter...' Naoki began calculating in his mind.

The specifications of each oak barrel were three liters, and with thirty oak barrels in the cellar, that meant this batch of beer could be sold for about 270,000 Poke Dollars.

Compared to the income from selling Moo Moo Milk, the profit from brewing beer was substantial.

Naoki nodded, satisfied with the price.

He had gathered a large amount of hops last summer, so after selling this batch of beer, he could make use of the stored hops for future brews.

"If we save up a bit more, we can build another greenhouse," Naoki thought to himself.

Seeing him agree, Zack added, "Alright then, I'll come by tomorrow to pick up the batch! It's getting late, and the truck's already loaded with goods."

"Sounds good."

Naoki had no issue with that.

After confirming the time for Zack's return, the truck drove off.

It was evening, and the lake shimmered under the colorful clouds as Dragonites and Dragonairs happily flew towards Dragonite Island with their day's pay.

After waving them off, Naoki set about finishing up the day's chores.

With Pawmot's help, they herded the hens back into the coop and secured the doors and windows.

He filled the milk tank's trough with fresh grass and berries and topped off Glaceon's water bowl.

Then he went to the field to pick a big pumpkin. The weather was getting colder, so Naoki planned to make a pot of rock sugar pumpkin porridge to warm himself and the Cyclizar.

Speaking of Cyclizar.

Naoki suddenly remembered something.

He went back to his bedroom and flipped through his calendar. Sure enough, there was a mark on the August 20th column.

"Just as I thought—Cyclizar's birthday is coming up soon!" 

Naoki returned to the kitchen, processing the pumpkin while keeping an eye on the yawning Cyclizar lounging in the living room.

Cyclizar's birthday was important, but there was another thing on his mind.

It was a special dessert he'd made before—a unique dish that only worked on a Pokémon's birthday.

If he recalled correctly, the effect of the cake was called "Birthday Gift." 

Its special effect was that when given to a Pokémon on their birthday, it would provide a blessing, permanently boosting one of their stats: HP, Attack, Special Attack, Speed, Defense, or Special Defense.

Naoki was eager to see how this would play out.

But with a few days left until Cyclizar's birthday, he would just have to wait patiently.

...

After dinner, Sister Indeedee went to wash the dishes, while Naoki curled up on the sofa with a few Pokémon to watch TV.

It was the weekend, and with the tavern closed, they all stayed at home, enjoying the cozy atmosphere.

The warm light in the living room made the space feel inviting, and the TV was showing tomorrow's weather forecast.

The female host, dressed in formal attire, read from the script on the screen: "Due to a cold front, some areas in northwest Paldea are expected to experience rainfall at midnight tonight. Citizens are advised to prepare in advance and ensure doors and windows are securely closed."

Hearing this, Brother Indeedee quietly got up and checked all the doors and windows, making sure everything was properly shut.

Naoki remained lazily curled up on the sofa, leaning against the furry Pawmot, playfully pinching its soft paw pads.

This was his favorite time of the day.

The ranch work was done, and while the world outside was shrouded in darkness, with gusts of cold wind likely, the house was brightly lit, warm, and filled with comfort.

The Pokémon gathered around, snuggling up with him on the sofa, much like kittens huddling together for warmth on a winter's night.

On the wooden coffee table in front of him were the snacks and milk each Pokémon loved, along with a cup of steaming black tea for Naoki.

The old-fashioned TV broadcasted news programs from the Paldea region, providing a glimpse into the outside world.

They always watched the weather forecast first, and after knowing what to expect for the next day, they'd switch to the news.

This was how they stayed connected to what was happening beyond their cozy ranch life.

For example, Naranja Academy was holding another school competition, and a trainer managed to turn the tide of battle due to his unexpected Terastal attribute. A large-scale event was being held in a certain place, and news like this was often featured in broadcasts.

The antennas in Paldea occasionally picked up the news from other regions, like Professor Oak's Pokémon lectures in the Johto region.

Although Pokémon like Koraidon and the others couldn't fully understand human programs, they still sat and watched with Naoki.

Whenever this happened, Naoki would wonder, 'Do the Pokémon also enjoy the cozy, relaxing atmosphere as much as he does?'

Naoki turned to look at his Pokémon.

The Cyclizar lay comfortably on the soft carpet, resting with its eyes closed.

The Alcremie was perched on the coffee table, surrounded by a pile of puddings and buns, swaying leisurely.

Naoki was using Pawmot as a pillow, finding comfort in its softness.

After Sister Indeedee finished washing the dishes, she joined them on the sofa to watch TV.

Her brother stood nearby like a loyal butler, always ready to assist when needed.

As for Koraidon...

Naoki noticed Koraidon staring at him.

When Koraidon realized it had been caught staring, instead of looking away in embarrassment, its eyes lit up, and it looked quite happy.

Naoki looked back at Koraidon, feeling a sense of warmth.

At that moment, he imagined that if Koraidon were a big dog, it would probably be wagging its tail enthusiastically.

The thought made Naoki chuckle to himself.

This Pokémon, Koraidon, was really quite adorable!

"I wonder what Miraidon would be like in this kind of situation," Naoki mused, thinking of Miraidon's personality in the game.

Perhaps Miraidon would turn its head away, acting all cool and aloof, pretending not to care?

But honestly, Naoki preferred the type of Pokémon like Koraidon—passionate, straightforward, and always eager to express itself. The kind of Pokémon that would run up and lick you with affection at the slightest hint of attention was more endearing to him than a tsundere Pokémon like Miraidon.

Naoki felt that if he kept watching, Koraidon might just pounce on him and start licking him.

Quickly turning his gaze back to the TV, Naoki glanced at Koraidon out of the corner of his eye. Sure enough, when Koraidon saw Naoki looking away, it immediately dropped its head, looking a bit dejected.

Naoki sighed internally and thought for a moment, then decided to stretch out on the sofa. He rested his head on Pawmot's fluffy body and casually draped his legs over Koraidon.

Sure enough, Koraidon perked up instantly, wagging its imaginary tail in delight. 

"Yup, just like a big, affectionate dog," Naoki thought with a smile.

Later that night, the rain finally arrived, just as the weather report had predicted. The steady patter of autumn rain drummed against the roof, and a slight chill crept in, signaling the changing season. Naoki was half-awakened by the sound, but feeling warm and cozy with Pawmot beside him, he simply yawned, turned over, and drifted back to sleep.

By the time morning rolled around, the rain was still falling, and the sky remained a gloomy shade of gray. Naoki stood under the eaves, watching the raindrops dance down from the roof. It didn't look like he'd be able to go out today.

Even the Gogoat in the pen were quiet, content to stay inside their shelter, nibbling on hay.

Just then, Dragonites and Dragonairs came flying in through the rain, making their way to the ranch as they always did.

Naoki blinked, unsure what to say at first.

As a kind-hearted farmer, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. "You know, when the weather's bad, you don't have to come in. You can take a break on Dragonite Island and come back after the rain stops."

But the wild Dragonites and Dragonairs both widened their eyes in shock, clearly not on board with the idea.

"Ouch!" the wild Dragonites protested, its voice full of determination.

Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Really? But it's pouring outside—wouldn't it be better to rest?"

Dragonites and dragonairs shook their heads vigorously. 

"Ouch!" (No way! If we don't come in, we'll miss out on the tasty Poffins!)

Naoki stared at them for a moment, speechless.

'See? It wasn't that he overworked them—they just wanted to work! Who could say no to that kind of enthusiasm?'

But then again, for strong Pokémon like Dragonite and Dragonair, a bit of rain was no big deal.

Naoki sighed and gave in with a smile. "Alright, alright, as long as you're happy to work in this weather."

"Ouch!" they both cheered happily, grabbing their delivery bags filled with fresh milk bottles from Naoki and flying off toward town as if the rain wasn't even there.

As he watched them go, a sudden thought popped into Naoki's head, and he chuckled to himself. Maybe he should print something like "Dragon Express—Mission Accomplished!" on the bags for Dragonite. It would definitely suit them.