Warm Hearts, Cold Nights

"The taste of happiness…"

Naoki raised his eyebrows, lifted the bowl of soup, and took a careful sip. 

The flavors of various crops blended harmoniously in the rich broth. Combined with the lively, festive atmosphere around him, the warmth of the soup spread through him. It was as if each spoonful captured the spirit of the harvest season. 

Naoki glanced around. 

A young girl was feeding her Pokémon, a toddler nestled happily in their parent's arms, and a peculiar man gulped down his soup in hearty slurps. 

This was, without a doubt, the most vibrant day of the year—everyone gathered together, celebrating the bounty of the season. 

"What a wonderful and peaceful life," Naoki mused, his heart warmed by the scene. He turned to look at his family of Pokémon, feeling content. 

The Indeedee siblings sat on a bench nearby, munching on the Pokémon snacks provided by the town. The younger sister nibbled delicately, her expressions shifting between delight and distaste as she silently evaluated each bite. 

Meanwhile, Pawmot, donning a red cape like a small hero, entertained a crowd of local Pokémon. They watched with admiration as Pawmot struck a dramatic pose and performed an exaggerated superhero leap, drawing gasps of excitement. 

The Gogoat trio stood lazily by, basking in the attention of several curious children. 

"Wait, this milk comes from them?" one boy asked, wide-eyed, after learning the goats supplied the milk in town. 

Tentatively, the boy reached out to stroke a Gogoat's soft fur. 

"It's so fluffy!" he whispered in amazement, prompting his friends to gather closer, their eyes shining with wonder. 

Pleased with the attention, the Gogoat released grass energy from their bodies, conjuring a shimmering field of grass that blended reality with illusion. 

The children gasped in unison, their disbelief turning to awe. "This is amazing!" they exclaimed. 

Watching the scene unfold, Naoki chuckled softly. "Seems like Gogoats are the stars of the show." 

"Gah~," Koraidon murmured with a low, amused growl, standing contently by his side. 

...

Later that afternoon, around two o'clock, the autumn Thanksgiving celebration came to a close.

The townsfolk, full from the feast, began to head home. Naoki exchanged farewells with Mayor Thomas before gathering his Pokémon and returning to the ranch. 

The season was shifting toward winter, and the days were getting colder, but the weather that evening was still pleasant. With the temperature lingering just above 20 degrees Celsius and the sun casting its gentle warmth, it was the perfect end to a memorable day. 

Not long after returning to the ranch, Naoki heard cheerful commotion outside. 

Curious, he stepped out to find a group of children from town, each accompanied by their Pokémon companions, eagerly approaching with bags in hand. 

Among them was Daiki, the boy Naoki met earlier that day. By his side trotted a playful Rockruff with bright blue eyes, its tail wagging happily. 

When Daiki spotted Naoki, his face lit up, and he excitedly held out a small bag wrapped in ribbon and oil paper. 

"Mr. Naoki! I've come to trade pumpkin cookies with you!" 

Naoki chuckled warmly. "Alright!" He turned toward the Indeedee siblings. "Could you bring out the pumpkin cookies we prepared earlier?" 

The siblings quickly returned with the cookies, handing one to Daiki in exchange for his offering. 

The boy shyly accepted the treat, murmuring, "Thank you!" 

Beside him, Rockruff barked enthusiastically: "Ruff! Ruff!" 

"Mr. Naoki, we're here too!" another child called out, waving eagerly. On her head sat a cheerful Milcery, swaying with the movement. 

Naoki smiled. "Don't worry, everyone will get a cookie!" 

He continued exchanging cookies with the children, who happily thanked him once their turn came. Watching their delighted faces, Naoki couldn't help but feel a warm sense of joy. 

He noticed Daiki standing nearby, an eager glimmer in his eyes. Raising an eyebrow playfully, Naoki asked, "Would you all like to visit the ranch?" 

The children responded with an enthusiastic chorus of, "Yes!" 

Naoki grinned. "Alright then, follow me!" 

He led the group through the ranch, first stopping by the Gogoat pen, where he explained the ecology of Gogoat. 

Next, he took them to the Pokémon House, where the children learned about Moo Moo Milk production and marveled at the well-organized setup. 

From there, Naoki guided them to the glass greenhouse, where he explained how his Combee trio collected nectar to produce honey. 

Finally, they descended into the underground caves, where Naoki introduced the children to the hardworking Diglett and Naclstack. He described how Diglett help cultivate the soil, while Naclstack produce nutritious rock salt, essential for the farm's operations. 

Each time Naoki spoke, the children responded with awe, their eyes wide with excitement. 

"Wow!" they exclaimed repeatedly, captivated by everything they saw and heard. 

One little girl sighed dreamily. "When I grow up, I want to be a rancher just like Mr. Naoki! I want to raise lots of Pokémon and live with them!" 

Naoki smiled at her. "That's a wonderful dream, but being a rancher can be hard work." 

Another boy shook his head confidently. "I'm not afraid! My mom says I'm strong! And Rockruff will help me too!" 

Rockruff barked in agreement: "Ruff, ruff!" 

Naoki chuckled. "That's the spirit!" He looked around at the other children. "What about the rest of you? What are your dreams for the future?" 

Many of the children, now enamored with the ranch life, eagerly declared that they also wanted to become ranchers. 

Only Daiki stood quietly to the side, a look of determination shining in his eyes. 

Naoki turned to him with a kind smile. "What about you, Daiki? What's your dream?" 

With a firm voice and bright, hopeful eyes, Daiki declared, "I want to become a trainer as great as Mr. Naoki!" 

Naoki blinked, momentarily taken aback by the sincerity in the boy's voice.

Naoki: "…"

The other children stared at Daiki in surprise. "Huh? Mr. Naoki is a Pokémon Trainer?" 

Daiki tilted his head in confusion as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Didn't you realize? Mr. Naoki commands a whole army of Dragonites! If he can make so many Dragonites listen to him, he has to be incredibly strong!" 

"Wow!" 

The kids nodded knowingly, their expressions saying, "Ohhh, now I get it."

"That's amazing!" 

"Even stronger than the Champion!" 

"For sure!" 

Naoki: "…" 

'I swear to Arceus, I'm really not.'

Naoki gave the children a polite smile. "The Champion of Paldea is the strongest trainer around, and she's also a very charismatic person." 

At this, the kids' focus instantly shifted. 

One boy asked excitedly, "Wait, Mr. Naoki, you know the Champion?" 

Naoki thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I guess you could say we've met." 

The boy's eyes widened. "Did you battle her? Could your Dragonite army beat her Pokémon?" 

Naoki sighed with a good-natured grin. "It's not quite that dramatic. I don't have an army of Dragonites—just three." 

Daiki furrowed his brow in confusion. "But Mr. Naoki, I saw five Dratini on your ranch! And they'll all evolve into Dragonite someday, right?" 

Another girl chimed in, counting on her fingers. "So… five Dratini plus three Dragonite makes eight Dragonite! Wow, that's awesome!" 

Another boy added enthusiastically, "I saw a movie where a trainer used five Dragonites to defeat a whole villainous country! They won the battle with just those five!" 

"And Mr. Naoki has eight! You could totally take over a city and become king!" 

Naoki chuckled and shook his head. "This is a time of peace. If you tried something like that, Officer Jenny would come for you." 

The children giggled, and the boy gave a thoughtful nod. "Yeah, that's true." 

Before anyone realized it, the sun was dipping low on the horizon, and Zack pulled up in his truck to collect the goods. 

Naoki ruffled a boy's hair with a smile. "Alright, kids. It's getting late. Time to head home." 

The children groaned in disappointment but quickly gathered their things. 

"Bye, Mr. Naoki! Bye, Cyclizar! Bye, Koraidon! Bye, Dragonite!" 

"Gah~" 

"Raao~" 

Several Pokémon waved back enthusiastically as the children skipped away toward town. 

Watching them go, Naoki felt a twinge of concern. "Dragonite, can you go with them and make sure they get home safely?" 

Dragonite nodded with a soft hum. "Awoo~" 

Zack chuckled, watching the scene unfold. "You're quite the hit with the kids, huh?" 

Naoki smiled warmly. "They're good kids. Who wouldn't like well-behaved children?" 

Zack laughed. "Good kids always win people over." He handed Naoki a small envelope. "Here's your payment—48,000 Poke Dollars for today's goods." 

Naoki reached out, taking the envelope from Zack. Together, they loaded the remaining goods into the truck.

"See you next time!" Zack called, settling into the driver's seat and giving Naoki a cheerful wave through the window before driving away.

Naoki watched until the truck disappeared down the road, a soft smile on his face. Then, he turned and headed back inside, joining sister Indeedee, to help prepare dinner.

Not long after, Dragonite returned to the ranch, gliding down gracefully and landing with a satisfied hum.

Naoki looked up from the stove. "Did everything go smoothly?"

Dragonite nodded enthusiastically. "Awoo~!" 

"Good to hear." Naoki smiled. "Thanks for your help. Go rest up; dinner will be ready soon."

That evening, Naoki prepared an unusually lavish meal. 

Fried steak, mushroom-stewed chicken, fresh sandwiches, silky milk pudding, fruit cake, savory poffins, tender ribs, hearty pumpkin soup, and warm pumpkin cookies—it was a feast designed to delight every Pokémon. 

The dining table was abuzz with joy as the Pokémon dug into their favorite dishes. Watching them enjoy the food brought Naoki a deep sense of contentment. He leaned back, enjoying the peaceful scene, his heart filled with gratitude.

After dinner, Naoki's thoughts drifted back to the children's earlier questions. Curiosity sparked within him, and he decided to ask Dragonite something that had been on his mind.

He found the big orange dragon lounging contentedly by the fireplace and knelt down beside it. "Hey, Dragonite. Do you hibernate in the winter?"

Dragonite tilted its head, blinking with wide, curious eyes.

"Awoo?" 

Naoki chuckled softly. "You know, hibernation—when Pokémon sleep through the cold season?"

He explained further, "Some Pokémon stock up on food before winter and then hide in warm caves, sleeping until spring returns."

Dragonite's large eyes sparkled with understanding, and it gave a little nod. "Awoo!" 

Naoki smiled. "So, do you hibernate?" 

Dragonite puffed its chest slightly, giving an amused hum.

"Ooooh~!"

'Some Dragonites do, but it's not really a big deal for us. We can manage either way.'

Since Dragonite Island is located in the middle of the ocean, the climate remains mild even during winter, and the sea is teeming with small fish, ensuring the Dragonites never need to worry about food. 

Hearing this, Naoki nodded thoughtfully. 

Later, he found two wild Dragonites preparing to take Poffins and five Dragonair back to Dragonite Island. 

"Tomorrow marks the start of winter," Naoki said, "The weather will get colder, and there may be snow. If the cold gets too harsh, take a break on the island and wait for the weather to improve before returning." 

The Dragonites and five Dragonair puffed out their chests and shook their heads confidently—they weren't afraid of the cold! 

Naoki could only sigh in amusement. "Alright then. Take care on your way back." 

With a playful wave of their claws, the Dragonites took flight, the five Dragonair following close behind. They soared toward Dragonite Island, vanishing into the sky in no time. 

Watching them disappear, Naoki couldn't help but feel grateful that most of the Dragonites on the island retained their sense of independence. Otherwise, if they were all as food-motivated as these few, his ranch would have been overwhelmed a long time ago. 

As he mused about dragons, Naoki remembered there was another one on his ranch. With that thought, he grabbed a basket of pumpkin cookies and headed toward the lake where the five Dragonair usually stayed. 

He coughed and called out: "Giratina, are you here?" 

There was no response. 

"Guess not," Naoki muttered. 

Since he had eaten all the strange mushrooms that once allowed him to glimpse the Distortion World, his connection with Giratina had faded. And with the forest fire that ravaged the back mountain, poisonous mushrooms had become scarce. 

Naoki figured Giratina might have grown bored and wandered off. The ghostly dragon didn't tend to stay in one place for long. Just as Naoki was about to leave, the lake rippled, and a swirling, purple vortex emerged on the water's surface. 

Naoki blinked in surprise. "Back already?" 

Naoki was slightly stunned, then threw the basket in his hand into the vortex.

The purple vortex gradually disappeared.

Naoki smiled softly and returned to the house.

By now, night had fallen, and the cozy warmth of the living room greeted him. Because of the holiday, the Pokémon Tavern is closed for one day and the Indeedee siblings are staying at home.

The brother Indeedee was sweeping the floor, while his sister was heating water for tea. 

Naoki called them over and said, "I'll be leaving soon on a long trip. It might take two weeks or more before I return. Can I trust you two to manage the house while I'm gone?" 

Cyclizar lying near the fireplace perked up at the mention of a trip, eyes wide with excitement. 

Naoki chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll take you with me this time." 

"Gaao!" Cyclizar chirped happily, wagging its tail. 

The Indeedee siblings nodded confidently. "Ai~eh!" they chimed in unison, assuring Naoki they'd take good care of everything. 

"Thank you," Naoki smiled warmly, ruffling the younger Indeedee's hair affectionately. 

Her brother, however, stiffened awkwardly, his face turning a deep shade of red. Amused, Naoki gave his head a playful pat as well. 

"Well then, get some rest," Naoki said with a grin. "I'll finish up here." 

Still flustered, the siblings nodded and shuffled off to their room. 

After ensuring the water had boiled, Naoki poured it into a thermos, turned off the fire, and settled in for the night. 

As he lay in bed, the soothing hum of the ranch surrounded him, with the soft snoring of Pawmot keeping him company.