"The taste of happiness…"

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

  The fvors of various crops blended harmoniously in the rich broth. bined 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 gnced around.

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

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

  "What a wonderful and peaceful life," Naoki mused, his heart warmed by the se. He turo look at his family of Pokémon, feeling tent.

  The Indeedee siblings sat on a benearby, mung on the Pokémon snacks provided by the town. The younger sister nibbled delicately, her expressions shiftiween delight and distaste as she silently evaluated each bite.

  Meanwhile, Pawmot, donning a red cape like a small hero, eained 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 zily by, basking iention of several curious children.

  "Wait, this milk es 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, juring a shimmering field of grass that blended reality with illusion.

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

  Watg the se unfold, Naoki chuckled softly. "Seems like Gogoats are the stars of the show."

  "Gah~," Koraidon murmured with a low, amused growl, standing tently 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 exged farewells with Mayor Thomas befathering his Pokémon aurning to the ranbsp;

  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 perfed to a memorable day.

  Not long after returning to the ranaoki heard cheerful otion outside.

  Curious, he stepped out to find a group of children from town, each apanied by their Pokémon panions, eagerly approag with bags in hand.

  Among them was Daiki, the boy Naoki met earlier that day. By his side trotted a pyful 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 ed in ribbon and oil paper.

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

  Naoki chuckled warmly. "Alright!" He turoward the Indeedee siblings. "Could y out the pumpkin cookies we prepared earlier?"

  The siblings quickly returned with the cookies, handing oo Daiki in exge for his .

  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 tinued exging cookies with the children, who happily thanked him oheir turn came. Watg 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 pyfully, Naoki asked, "Would you all like to visit the ranch?"

  The children responded with ahusiastic chorus of, "Yes!"

  Naoki grinned. "Alright then, follow me!"

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

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

  From there, Naoki guided them to the gss greenhouse, where he expined how his bee trio collected ar to produce honey.

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

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

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

  Otle 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 be hard work."

  Another boy shook his head fidently. "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 decred that they also wao bee ranchers.

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

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

  With a firm void bright, hopeful eyes, Daiki decred, "I want to bee a trainer as great as Mr. Naoki!"

  Naoki blinked, momentarily taken aback by the siy 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 fusion as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Didn't you realize? Mr. Naoki ands a whole army onites! If he 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 strohan 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 strorainer 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 onites—just three."

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

  Anirl chimed in, ting 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 Dragoo defeat a whole vilinous try! They wotle with just those five!"

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

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

  The children groaned in disappoi but quickly gathered their things.

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

  "Gah~"

  "Raao~"

  Several Pokémon waved bathusiastically as the children skipped away toward town.

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

  Dragonite nodded with a soft hum. "Awoo~"

  Zack chuckled, watg the se 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 ughed. "Good kids always win people over." He handed Naoki a small envelope. "Here's your payment—48,000 Poke Dolrs for today's goods."

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

  "See you ime!" 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. Theurned and headed baside, joining sister Indeedee, to help prepare dinner.

  Not long after, Dragouro the ranch, gliding down gracefully and nding 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 vish meal.

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

  The dining table was abuzz with joy as the Pokémon dug into their favorite dishes. Watg them enjoy the foht Naoki a deep sense of te. He leaned back, enjoying the peaceful se, 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 e dragon lounging tentedly by the firepd k down beside it. "Hey, Dragonite. Do you hibernate in the winter?"

  Dragoilted its head, blinking with wide, curious eyes.

  "Awoo?"

  Naoki chuckled softly. "You know, hibernation—when Pokémohrough the cold season?"

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

  Dragonite's rge eyes sparkled with uanding, 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 maher way.'

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

  Hearing this, Naoki houghtfully.

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

  "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 isnd and wait for the weather to improve before returning."

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

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

  With a pyful wave of their cws, the Dragoook flight, the five Dragonair following close behind. They soared toward Dragonite Isnd, vanishing into the sky in no time.

  Watg them disappear, Naoki couldn't help but feel grateful that most of the Dragonites on the isaiheir sense of independeherwise, 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 ke 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 e with Giratina had faded. And with the forest fire that ravaged the back mountain, poisonous mushrooms had bee scarbsp;

  Naoki figured Giratina might have grown bored and wandered off. The ghostly dragon didn't tend to stay in one pce for long. Just as Naoki was about to leave, the ke rippled, and a swirling, purple vortex emerged oer's surfabsp;

  Naoki blinked in surprise. "Back already?"

  Naoki was slightly stuhen threw the basket in his hand into the vortex.

  The purple vortex gradually disappeared.

  Naoki smiled softly auro 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. I trust you two to mahe house while I'm gone?"

  Cyclizar lyihe firepce 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 fidently. "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 affeately.

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

  "Well the 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, aled in for the night.

  As he y ihe soothing hum of the ranch surrounded him, with the soft sn of Pawmot keeping him pany.