Pokemon: A New Path

Chapter 371: Farfetch’d and Onion Garden

Chapter 371: Farfetch’d and Onion GardenThe scorching sun cast its golden light over the ranch, and the air carried the warm embrace of a summer breeze.

Naoki stood beside Glastrier's stable, enjoying the refreshing coolness of the shade. His gaze was fixed on a Farfetch'd darting between wooden training dummies in the pasture.

The Farfetch'd held its signature leek firmly in its right wing, its eyes narrowed in concentration. Every fiber of its being was focused.

With a deep breath, it began its routine.

It stepped forward—stance firm, movements calculated. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a streak of white light, rushing forward with precision and power.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

A series of rapid strikes echoed through the ranch. The once-standing wooden dummies, already worn from countless training sessions, split cleanly in half, each piece falling to the ground.

As the streak of light faded, Farfetch'd came to a halt, its back turned to the shattered remains of the dummies. It sheathed its leek as if it were a blade, every motion deliberate, exuding the aura of a seasoned swordsman.

Naoki couldn't contain his amazement.

"Pah-pah-pah!"

He clapped enthusiastically. "Your swordsmanship is getting better and better!"

'Could it be', Naoki wondered, 'that in its continuous cycles of practice and reevaluation, Farfetch'd had reached a deeper understanding of its techniques?' He was struck by the thought: '

Farfetch'd turned to face Naoki, its expression proud yet humble, and nodded slightly. "Farfetch'd ."

It then glanced at the leek in its wing, its demeanor shifting to one of frustration and contemplation.

Naoki noticed this change immediately and raised an eyebrow curiously. "Something wrong with your leek?"

As any seasoned trainer knew, the leek was an integral part of a Farfetch'd's identity and survival. Wild Farfetch'd were known to guard their leeks fiercely, battling other Pokémon over the best ones. A sturdy leek could last years, while weaker ones withered quickly, often leading to fierce competition among wild Farfetch'd.

Farfetch'd waved its leek and responded with a soft "Farfetch'd ," but its dissatisfaction was evident.

Naoki studied the Pokémon closely. Over time, this Farfetch'd had undergone significant changes since arriving at the ranch. Proper nutrition and rigorous training had made it stronger and larger than ever before. However, this growth had rendered its once-reliable leek inadequate—too small, too fragile, like a child's toy in the hands of an adult.

Naoki couldn't help but wonder:

After lunch, Farfetch'd approached Naoki with a determined look in its eyes. Clearly, it had something important to say.

Naoki grabbed a piece of translation seed crisp, popped it into his mouth, and listened attentively as Farfetch'd began to speak.

"Farfetch'd !" (Naoki, I'm leaving!)

Naoki blinked in surprise but quickly realized what this was about.

Farfetch'd continued, its voice steady and resolute: "Farfetch'd, Farfetch'd !" (This leek isn't suitable for me anymore. I need to go out into the world and find one that fits. Thank you for everything you've done for me.)

Naoki's heart sank, though he tried not to show it. "You're leaving to find a better leek?"

Farfetch'd nodded, its expression serious.

Naoki hesitated, then asked, "Don't you want to stay and keep training? There are still advanced sword techniques you could master."

Farfetch'd shook its head. "Farfetch'd ." (I've tried many times, but those techniques don't resonate with me. Perhaps that kind of power isn't meant for me.)

It paused, then added, "Farfetch'd, Farfetch'd ." (But I've made incredible progress in perfecting my own techniques. I've taken them to a level I never thought possible.)

Naoki sighed. He had seen this coming, yet hearing it still stung. "I see…"

Looking at the Farfetch'd standing before him, so resolute and ready to venture into the unknown, Naoki felt a pang of sadness. He had grown attached to this determined Pokémon.

After a moment of silence, he asked, "Do you even know where to find a suitable leek?"

Farfetch'd tilted its head slightly. "Farfetch'd." (I'll figure it out. A Farfetch'd always knows where to look for what it needs.)

Naoki couldn't help but smile at its confidence. Yet, an idea suddenly struck him.

"What if…" Naoki began, "what if I grow a leek garden here on the ranch? I can plant seeds and grow a variety of leeks for you to choose from. That way, you wouldn't need to leave."

Farfetch'd blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard by the suggestion. "Farfetch'd?" 'I that possible?'

Naoki nodded confidently. "Of course! I might even be able to cultivate a special variety of leeks—ones that are tougher and more powerful than anything you could find in the wild."

Hearing this, Farfetch'd looked genuinely moved. But there was also a flicker of doubt in its eyes. Why was Naoki doing so much for it? Why was he being so kind?

"Quack?" (Why?) Farfetch'd asked, tilting its head in confusion.

Naoki caught its unspoken question and smiled warmly. "Because I want you to stay here on the ranch with us. If I grow leeks for you, you won't have to venture out into the forest to

Naoki clarified, "It's the process of trimming the wool off a Wooloo. If their wool grows too long, it can get uncomfortable for them, so we need to cut it back regularly. With your swordsmanship, I think you'd be perfect for the job."

Farfetch'd blinked as it processed this, imagining a group of fluffy Wooloo in its mind. It nodded confidently. "Farfetch'd." (I can do that.)

"Really?" Naoki was surprised by its enthusiasm.

Farfetch'd puffed out its chest and patted itself with its free wing. "Farfetch'd!" (Leave it to me!)

...

Naoki turned off the truck and stepped out with Farfetch'd at his side.

When he turned around, he was greeted by the sight of Dragonite, Cyclizar, Ogerpon, and Butterfree standing in a neat row, looking like children waiting to confess their misdeeds.

Naoki's stern expression softened slightly. He popped a piece of translation seed crisp into his mouth, walked toward them, and asked, "Do you all know what you did wrong?"

Dragonite lowered its head, its eyes filled with guilt, and mumbled: "Awoo…" (I shouldn't have run off without permission.)

Naoki sighed and turned to Cyclizar. "And you?"

Cyclizar straightened slightly and replied, "Gaaao." (You shouldn't do dangerous things without thinking it through.)

Naoki then shifted his gaze to Ogerpon and Butterfree.

Butterfree flitted nervously, its antennae twitching. "Fwee…" (I messed up.)

Ogerpon looked at Naoki's expression, trying to gauge his mood before speaking carefully. "Pon… Pon-Pon!" (We know we were wrong, Naoki! Please don't be mad! We won't ever do it again!)

Naoki placed a hand on her forehead, shaking his head in exasperation.

"I'm not mad because you went out," he said.

The Pokémon looked up at him in surprise, their eyes widening.

Naoki continued, his tone firm but understanding. "The problem is that you snuck out without telling anyone. You must let me know before you leave the ranch. For example, if you'd told me you wanted to visit Dragonite Island to play with the other Dragonite, I would've let you go. In fact, I'd even pack snacks for you to share with them."

"But if you leave without telling anyone, it makes everyone worry. Do you understand?"

Seeing that Naoki wasn't truly angry, the Pokémon nodded earnestly, signaling their understanding.

Naoki waved a hand, dismissing their worries. "Alright, I'm sure you're all starving after being out all night. Go find your siblings and ask them to get you something to eat."

"Awooo!" Dragonite cheered, rushing forward to hug Naoki before bounding off happily.

But just as it reached the edge of the pasture, it stopped abruptly, as if remembering something. Turning back, it rummaged through its small bag and retrieved an object, hurrying back to Naoki with excitement.

Curious, Naoki extended his hand, and Dragonite carefully placed something into his palm.

"What's this?" Naoki asked, tilting his head.

He looked down to find a jet-black scale resting in his hand. The scale shimmered faintly with a mystical luster, its surface cold and smooth to the touch, yet hard as steel.

Dragonite hopped excitedly, explaining, "Awooooooo!" (It's the scale Rayquaza gave us! Rayquaza said we can use it to call for it, and it'll come play with us!)

Naoki froze, staring at Dragonite in disbelief. "Wait, what did you just say?" he asked, his voice tinged with shock.

Dragonite blinked innocently, tilting its head before repeating its explanation with the same enthusiasm.

Naoki's heart pounded as he processed the words. He stared at the shimmering scale in his palm, unable to contain his amazement. "This… this is a scale from Rayquaza? You actually found it?"

Ogerpon exclaimed excitedly, "Poni-Poni!" (Rayquaza is such an amazing Pokémon! It talked to us for a long time and even showed us its special moves that it used to defeat Groudon and Kyogre!)

Cyclizar's face lit up with admiration. "Gaaao!" (Yeah!)

Butterfree fluttered enthusiastically and nodded. "Freifreei!" (That's right!)

Naoki stood there, speechless. "…"

His first thought was,

But then another thought struck him, filling him with awe at Dragonite's incredible luck. First, Dragonite had stumbled across Kyogre in its underwater lair. Then, after hearing about Rayquaza's legendary feats, it had gone to find the Sky Pokémon and somehow established a bond with it.

Naoki's mind wandered, contemplating the possibilities.

Suddenly intrigued, Naoki turned to Dragonite and said, "How about I tell you the legend of Arceus next? Maybe you can go and find Arceus too!"

Dragonite tilted its head, clearly perplexed. "Awoo…" (What?)

Naoki quickly shook his head, chuckling at the absurdity. "No, no, Arceus is probably still asleep in another dimension."

Naoki pondered, thinking of the legends surrounding the Rainbow Hero and the majestic sea guardian. The idea of Dragonite forming connections with them felt like a dream, albeit an unrealistic one.

As his gaze fell back on the dragon scale in his hand, Naoki recalled the feathers of Zapdos and Lugia he'd once seen. An amusing, albeit questionable, idea popped into his head:

However, as he looked at Dragonite, he quickly dismissed the notion. This scale wasn't just a material object; it was a tangible symbol of Dragonite's newfound bond with Rayquaza. Destroying it for a culinary experiment felt wrong.

Besides, Rayquaza had specifically mentioned that the scale could be used to summon it. Naoki couldn't help but imagine what would happen if Rayquaza found out its token of friendship had been turned into seasoning.

Naoki shuddered at the thought. After a moment of deliberation, he handed the dragon scale back to Dragonite with a firm instruction. "Keep this safe. It's important."

Dragonite accepted it carefully, cradling the scale in its claws. "Awooo?" (Really?)

Naoki's lips curled into a mischievous grin as an amusing thought crossed his mind. "Oh, and next time you run into Kyogre, if it decides to pick a fight again, you can use this scale to call Rayquaza for backup."

.....

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