The trio walked down a small wooded trail tucked behind the guild. The deeper they went, the more peaceful it became.
Sunlight filtered gently through the leafy canopy above. Morning mist still clung to the air, giving the forest a dreamy, golden shimmer. The whole place looked like it belonged in a painting.
Before Naoki could get too caught up in the beauty, Treecko veered left and emerged from the trees.
What lay beyond made Naoki stop in his tracks.
He stepped out into a hidden valley, lush, vibrant, and absolutely breathtaking.
The grass was soft and emerald green, scattered with colorful flowers in full bloom. A gentle stream wound its way through the land, the water burbling softly as it passed. In the distance, a sprawling golden field shimmered in the sunlight.
It was the Pokémon's farmland. A tall wooden windmill stood nearby, its massive blades slowly turning with the breeze.
But none of that was what shocked Naoki the most.
Right in the middle of the open field stood a cozy two-story cottage, designed in a warm, rustic style straight out of a dream.
A house.
Naoki blinked in disbelief. "What… what is this…?"
"Chafu~" Treecko chirped again, standing proudly in front of the house.
It walked up to the front door and gestured for Naoki to go inside.
Naoki gently pushed the door open. He'd intended to knock, but found it slightly ajar. The door creaked softly as it swung open under his hand.
What greeted him on the other side took his breath away.
A huge crowd of Pokémon stood waiting inside, eyes wide and filled with joy.
"Mee!"
"Awoo!"
"Luc~!"
"Chaa!"
"Rooaaar!"
Wigglytuff, Tatsugiri, Chansey, Arboliva, Milotic, Charizard, Venusaur, even Mewtwo was there, calmly watching from the side. Among them were also some Pokémon Naoki didn't recognize, probably invited from other worlds.
It seemed like every Pokémon on the World Tree had gathered here for this moment, their gazes fixed on him.
Naoki blinked, stunned. "This is...?"
The first Tatsugiri jumped up, chirping excitedly. "Mee!" (This is the house we built for you, Naoki!)
The second added with equal enthusiasm, "Mee!" (So you can move to the World Tree and live here with us in the future!)
The third Tatsugiri chimed in to finish, "Mee!" (That's right! It's all ready for you!)
Naoki stood there, speechless. Their message was clear.
This house, this beautiful, peaceful home nestled at the edge of the World Tree, was a gift. Built just for him. A promise that when he was ready to retire from his life at the ranch, he would always have a place here. A place with his Pokémon.
The emotion caught up with him. After a long pause, he asked softly, "Why… why did you all decide to build me a house here?"
Treecko stepped forward, smiling up at him. "Chafu~" (Because you've done so much for us. We want to be with you forever. And if you have a house here, you can live with us, always.)
Naoki felt warmth bloom in his chest. A smile spread across his face as he knelt down and gently patted Treecko's head.
"I see. Thank you, everyone… truly. This is the most thoughtful gift I've ever received. And when the time comes, I'll definitely move in and live here with you all."
Whether that day came in decades or sooner, it didn't matter. One day, he would leave behind the worries of the outside world and settle here, in this home built by the Pokémon he loved.
"Agas~"
Koraidon, standing beside him, let out a low, nostalgic hum.
It remembered. Back when it was still a Cyclizar… it had never lived to see the day Naoki moved to the World Tree.
Would things be different this time?
Would it get to witness that peaceful future?
"Agas…"
Koraidon's gaze softened.
It understood all too well that changing the past would inevitably change the future.
Had it never fallen into the time machine, had it not traveled to the past, it might not exist here today.
And if it ever told Naoki the truth, what really happened back then, Naoki would surely stop it from happening.
But if that happened… then Koraidon might vanish from this time entirely.
But... Koraidon still wanted to stay by Naoki's side just a little longer.
It wanted to see Naoki's child grow up. It wanted to move to the World Tree with them and live together in peace and warmth.
That thought made Koraidon's heart ache.
It had already made up its mind that it would never let its past self, the little Cyclizar, experience that kind of thing again.
Which is why now, at this very moment, Koraidon silently made a decision.
Once everything was settled, once it was certain that the future was safe, it would tell Naoki everything.
And if, after that, it vanished...
That was okay.
Because somewhere out there, its past self would still exist. Still be with Naoki. Still grow up alongside Naoki's child. And still live that quiet life on the World Tree that it had dreamed about for so long.
—
By the time Naoki returned to the ranch from the World Tree, it was already 11 a.m.
While preparing lunch for the Pokémon, he asked his Rotom Phone to read out the latest headlines from around the world.
"Frontline update! A giant over three meters tall was discovered wandering in Asaka City in the Kalos region. Experts believe this man may be a surviving ancient human, possibly frozen during the Great Ice Age and only recently thawed in the modern era. Unfortunately, the individual has since disappeared."
Naoki blinked. "...Next."
Rotom flipped to the next bulletin.
"Breaking news from Sinnoh! An evil plot has finally been stopped! An extremist group known as Team Galactic recently collaborated with a notorious Pokémon Hunter syndicate in an attempt to control the Legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia, and destroy the world!"
"Fortunately, their plans were thwarted by a mysterious hero who chose to remain anonymous. Team Galactic has now been completely disbanded, its leaders arrested, and the Pokémon Hunter Organization has also been shut down thanks to the efforts of Officer Jenny and Interpol! The perpetrators face life imprisonment on a remote sea prison!"
Naoki paused mid-slice. "Huh?"
He hadn't expected that update. With all the wedding prep lately, he'd nearly forgotten about Team Galactic.
"Is Cyrus arrested too?" he asked, quickly turning back to Rotom.
"Reporting, Rotom!" the Rotom Phone chirped. "According to inside sources, Team Galactic's leader fell into a space-time rift while attempting to seize control of Dialga and Palkia. He vanished without a trace!"
Naoki frowned. So Cyrus had fallen into a space-time rift?
It sounded just like what happened in the anime. Even in the more recent episodes of Pokémon Journeys, there was still no closure on Cyrus. He'd disappeared into some unknown dimension... just like now.
It was a terrifying place, a space where the laws of time and space twisted and collapsed in on themselves. Anyone unlucky enough to fall in might be torn apart by dimensional turbulence—or worse, hurled into another world entirely.
"What about the Pokémon Hunter Organization?" he asked next.
Rotom answered crisply. "All members of the Pokémon Hunter syndicate have been captured! Their top agent, Hunter J, perished when her airship crashed into Lake Valor during an attempt to capture the Lake Guardians. The rest of the hunters were rounded up by Officer Jenny and Interpol. The Sinnoh region is now officially free of criminal organizations!"
Naoki let out a long breath.
"That's great to hear..."
Now that Sinnoh was peaceful again, that meant something important: the Dragonite route to the Sinnoh region can be unlocked.
[Naoki Ranch Announcement] Dear guests, starting today, we are officially launching delivery service to the Sinnoh region! All Trainers in Sinnoh can now place orders through our online store. With Dragonite Express, your items will arrive within just one hour, guaranteeing maximum freshness and quality of ingredients!
After confirming the downfall of Team Galactic and the Pokémon Hunter Syndicate, Naoki shared the exciting announcement through both the official Pokémon Shopping App and the Pokémon Forum that same afternoon.
The post immediately caused a sensation among fans and followers of Naoki Ranch.
What? Naoki Ranch is now delivering to Sinnoh?!
That's amazing!
Trainers across the Sinnoh region were ecstatic. Without hesitation, they flooded the Pokémon Shopping App and rushed to Naoki's store to start placing orders in droves.
Fresh Life Goat Milk, Moo Moo Milk, premium Rock Salt, giant Paldean Apples? Yes please!
Sure, Sinnoh had similar products, but the real hype wasn't just about the items themselves. It was about the delivery service. Specifically, the Dragonite Express.
Many Sinnoh residents had never seen a Dragonite in person before. The idea that one could order a product and have a Dragonite personally deliver it to their doorstep? That alone was worth the purchase.
Well, to be fair… Sinnoh really didn't have Life Goat Milk or that amazing Garganacl's Rock Salt. So those were a huge draw too.
Within thirty minutes of the announcement, Sinnoh-based orders exploded.
And within the hour, some customers had already received their purchases, delivered by none other than Dragonite!
Excited customers quickly pulled out their phones to take photos with the delivery Dragonite. The internet was soon flooded with selfies and videos of cheerful Trainers alongside the rare and gentle Dragon Pokémon.
Many of these customers rushed to social media to show off their new goodies and, more importantly, their encounter with Dragonite.
Trainers in Hoenn and Paldea, who had gotten used to Dragonite Express weeks ago, weren't impressed.
Some of them even jokingly commented, "Look at those newbies acting like they've never seen Dragonite before!"
Meanwhile, Trainers in Unova, Kanto, Johto, Kalos, and other regions were completely losing their minds with jealousy.
Why does Sinnoh get delivery now? Why not us?
Desperate to unlock Dragonite Express in their own regions, curious fans began researching Naoki Ranch's delivery patterns. They combed through every announcement and timeline, trying to uncover a hidden logic.
To their surprise, they found a few clues.
The very next morning, a detailed forum post appeared titled:
[Investigating the Pattern Behind Naoki Ranch's Delivery Expansion]
"I'm sure many of you have been wondering why Naoki Ranch opens delivery service to certain regions at specific times. At first glance, it might seem random, but I believe there's a deeper pattern here. From Hoenn to Sinnoh, the signs reveal a connection. A chilling one, even..."