At the Paldea League Headquarters, Chief's Office
Geeta sat comfortably in her chair, fingers interlocked and a smile she couldn't hide lighting up her face.
"Oh-ho-ho-ho!"
Standing beside her, Rika winced slightly at the sudden burst of laughter.
"Chief, please stop grinning like that."
"Rika, did you see it? They're getting married!" Geeta beamed, clearly delighted. "And after they get married, they'll probably have a baby. No, wait, just one? Definitely not enough. At least two!"
Rika: "…"
The Chief had clearly gone off the deep end.
"No, no, I have to prepare a big gift for them," Geeta said firmly, already imagining what it could be.
Just then, she received a reply from Naoki.
[Naoki: Of course.]
"He agreed! Wonderful!" Geeta clapped her hands together. "We'll go together, okay?"
"Sure," Rika sighed, already preparing herself for the chaos.
Meanwhile, at the ranch.
Naoki had just finished replying to Geeta's message when another call came in from Professor Sada.
As always, Professor Sada appeared as composed and confident as ever in the video chat. She offered Naoki a kind smile.
"I saw your post," she said. "Looks like you've found your other half. Congratulations!"
Naoki nodded with a smile. "The wedding will probably be in early March next year. Do you think you and Professor Turo will be able to come?"
"Hm…" Professor Sada considered for a moment, then nodded. "Can't say for sure just yet, but if we're free, we'll definitely be there."
"Alright. I'll be looking forward to seeing you," Naoki said.
Professor Sada seemed like she wanted to say something else, but a loud voice called out to her from off-screen.
Turning briefly, she sighed. "Looks like something's come up. I'll talk to you later. But for now, congratulations again!"
"Thank you!" Naoki smiled.
As the call ended, new messages began pouring in one after another.
Professor Oak sent his blessings, assuring Naoki he'd definitely be there.
Steven Stone, ever the gentleman, confirmed he'd attend as well.
Even Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion herself, sent a warm message saying she'd be honored to come.
And from across the sea in Galar, Leon promised to send an especially grand wedding gift.
It wasn't just the famous trainers either. Naoki also received messages from younger friends.
Ash, Arven, and Nemona all reached out with excitement.
Arven sent his congratulations first. Smiling, Naoki replied:
[Naoki: Professor Sada might be there too. You can come along with her. If she can't make it, I'll have Koraidon pick you up. There'll be lots of trainers your age here. It'll be fun!]
[Arven: Thank you!]
Naoki chuckled at his cheerful response and turned to check his next set of messages.
Nemona's came in fast and frantic. She was shocked, completely blindsided by the news, and immediately fired off several questions.
[Nemona: Wait wait wait! You're getting married?! What about our battles?! Will you still be able to accept challenges after you're married?!]
Naoki blinked, a little confused by the concern.
He replied cautiously.
[Naoki: I mean, I might not have as much time after I'm married, but… if it's you, Nemona, I'd still be happy to battle.]
Nemona read the message and practically lit up with joy.
Yes! That was all she needed to hear!
She made up her mind then and there: she'd challenge Naoki on his wedding day.
That was how she'd celebrate, by battling the strongest trainer she knew and giving him a wedding gift in her own way.
...
Elsewhere, in a mansion in the Unova region.
Former Champion Alder stared at his phone in disbelief.
"Naoki's getting married?!"
That kid?! Already?!
He nearly dropped the device. "At least give me time to prepare myself mentally!"
After the initial surprise, Alder broke into a wide grin, a bright smile spreading across his face.
"Well, I've been wondering what to do with this egg anyway," he said with a laugh. "Looks like I've found the perfect reason to give it away, as a wedding gift for Naoki!"
But then he paused.
Wait a second…
Naoki already had so many Pokémon around him. Would he even have time to raise another one?
Alder furrowed his brow in thought.
It didn't feel right to just hand over another Pokémon he might not have the time or space to raise properly. That wouldn't be fair to the Pokémon inside the egg.
Then, after a long silence, inspiration struck.
Naoki's getting married now… that means his child might be born within a year!
In that case, why not give the egg to Naoki's future child instead?
The timing would be perfect. The little Larvesta inside could grow up alongside the child, forming a lifelong bond.
Feeling proud of the idea, Alder turned to his partner, Volcarona, and said, "Don't worry, I'll make sure this one finds a worthy trainer. Do you remember Naoki?"
Volcarona gave a gentle nod, its wings softly fluttering in the glow of the lantern-lit room. Of course it remembered. That human had once saved its life and left a deep impression.
Alder smiled warmly. "He's getting married. I'm thinking of giving this egg to his kid, when the time comes. With Naoki guiding them, that child is sure to grow into an amazing Trainer!"
Volcarona let out a soft, melodic cry, clearly moved and happy. Entrusting its offspring to the child of the man who had once helped it… there was no better home.
Alder chuckled. "Then it's settled!"
There was no need to rush. After all, the egg had just been laid yesterday. It would be a long while before it was ready to hatch.
...
Although the wedding was still half a year away, planning such an important event was anything but simple.
There were a million things to arrange, including choosing the venue, planning the guest list, organizing food tables for both humans and Pokémon, designing the layout of the reception, and even selecting the wedding outfits in advance.
Naoki had no experience with any of this.
Thankfully, the residents of Kosaji Town and nearby farms eagerly pitched in to help. With everyone's support, it took only a month to get everything sorted.
Once the preparations were done, a team of local staff would take care of the rest. All Naoki and Iono had to do was show up on the big day.
Returning home afterward, Naoki felt a wave of reflection wash over him.
The customs of the Pokémon world were truly different from the life he'd known before, different in a good way.
For one, the couple's relatives weren't divided into rigid "bride" and "groom" sides. And when it came to marrying their child, the parents didn't care much about academic degrees or job titles.
What mattered most was the person's heart, their strength of character, and, this being the Pokémon world, their skill and responsibility as a Trainer.
Naoki gave Iono a call and smiled when she picked up. "I've wrapped up everything on my end!"
"Hehe, thanks for all your hard work! I'm finished too," Iono replied, though her voice sounded a little tired. "Time's moving so slowly… There are still five months left…"
Naoki laughed. "Don't worry. Time flies faster than you think! It's already October, which means the League Calendar flips to 202 in just two more months. You've been busy lately, right?"
The League Conference was approaching fast, and Trainers all across the region were rushing to earn their final Gym Badges. Business at the ranch had slowed considerably since most challengers were focused on the gyms.
"Yeah, it's been a bit hectic," Iono admitted. "But it's fine! I'll get a proper break next month!"
Her voice brightened as she added, "Ah, someone's here to challenge the gym, gotta run! I'll call you later, okay? Bye!"
"Alright. Talk to you soon."
No sooner had Naoki hung up than his Rotom Phone buzzed with a new message.
[Mewtwo: Come to the World Tree.]
Naoki blinked in surprise.
Was something wrong?
He quickly messaged Mewtwo to ask for details, but Mewtwo only repeated the request.
[Mewtwo: Just come.]
Naoki sighed. "Cryptic as always…"
He stood up and turned to Koraidon. "Let's go. Something's up at the World Tree."
"Raao!" Koraidon responded, immediately bounding after him.
Together, they passed through the Distortion World and arrived at the summit of the World Tree.
As soon as Naoki stepped out onto the platform, something felt off.
Very off.
The entire headquarters of the Expedition Guild was eerily silent. Not a single Pokémon could be seen.
Even the usually bustling Tatsugiri Sushi Bar was completely empty.
"What's going on…?" Naoki muttered, narrowing his eyes.
He pulled out his Rotom Phone and tried to contact Mewtwo again.
Before he could press send, a Treecko popped out from behind a corner.
"Chafu!" it chirped, waving cheerfully.
"Treecko? Where is everyone?" Naoki asked quickly.
Treecko didn't answer. Instead, it turned and motioned for him to follow.
"Chafu!"
Naoki exhaled a bit, relieved. At least that meant no one was hurt.
He nodded and followed Treecko.
...
Bonus @3000 $tonks
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