"Quack!"

  In the onion garden, Farfetch’d darted excitedly through the t "onion forest," with the green stalks reag over two meters high.

  For a Pokémon known for its calm demeanor, it was uo tain its excitement.

  This aradise—the dreamnd Farfetch’d had always imagined! If only it had been born here, it mused, life would have been perfect.

  But it quickly snapped out of its daydream, its eyes narrowing with vigince. Farfetch’d darted its gaze around the garden, wary of potential rivals.

  After all, in the wild, Farfetch’d often cshed with one another over the best leeks. This onion garden, with its gigantic green stalks, was too tempting a prize to leave unguarded.

  To its relief, it found no rival Farfetch’d nearby. Instead, it saw Naoki standing at the edge of the onion garden, quietly .

  "Farfetch’d !"

  Farfetch’d cried excitedly. It strue of the giant onions with the smaller leek in its hand, as if to show Naoki just how magnifit these crops were.

  Naoki smiled. "Calm down," he said. "They won’t be ready to harvest until tomorrow. You’ll have to wait just a bit longer."

  Farfetch’d paused. It had already waited nearly a month for this, so one more day wouldn’t hurt. Taking a deep breath, it suppressed its excitement and nodded.

  "Farfetch’d !" Uood!

  At that moment, a group of yellow-feathered Psyducks waddled over from the nearby riverbank.

  The onion garden had been pnted close to the water, and the Psyducks lived oher side of the river. They often wandered over out of curiosity.

  Farfetch’d stiffened, eyeing the newers suspiciously.

  Naoki noticed and expined, "Don’t worry. These Psyducks are Water-types. They do onions, nor do they use them. They’re probably just here to py."

  Hearing this, Farfetch’d rexed slightly, though it kept a cautious eye on the Psyducks.

  The Psyducks wandered into the onion garden, their dull eyes sing the forest of stalks. They seemed fasated by the sheer size of the crops, occasionally looking up through the gaps at the opy above.

  One of the Psyducks waddled closer to Farfetch’d, its webbed feet spping against the ground. It stopped in front of the onion-wielding Pokémon, tilted its head, and stared bnkly.

  Farfetch’d recoiled slightly. "Quack!"

  The Psyduck blinked. "Quack?"

  What followed was an enigmativersation of quacks and clucks, inprehensible to a themselves.

  Naoki, watg the se, simply shook his head. 'Whatever. These onions won’t be ready until tomorrow. We’ll talk more about this then.'

  He waved goodbye to the Pokémon and headed off to the warehouse to prepare the day’s shipments of fresh produd milk.

  Later in the Day

  By the time Naoki finished loading the goods, Zack arrived at the ran his truck. Together, they transferred the crates into the vehicle.

  As they worked, Zack mentioned, "The fireworks festival is ing up soon. Don’t fet to attend—it’ll be a good time!"

  Naoki smiled. "Of course. I’ll take the Pokémon to experie as well. It’ll be a fun outing."

  He was especially eager to show the festival to the newer residents of the ranch, such as Ogerpon, Eevee, Farfetch’d, and Slugma.

  Ohe truck was loaded, Zack climbed into the cab and leaned out the window. "Alright, I’m off!"

  Naoki waved as Zack drove away.

  Zack’s life was a busy oraveliween rural ranches and bustling towns daily to distribute fresh produce. His stops at the ranch were always brief, but his cheerful demeanor never wavered.

  ...

  After dinner, Naoki settled on the sofa, watg the weather forecast for the ing days.

  OV s, a cheerful weather reporter in uniform poio variions on a map of Paldea.

  "It’s expected that thuorms will begin tonight in parts of the northwest," the reporter announced. "Residents are advised to prepare accly."

  Meanwhile, the southeast region, where Kosaji Town was located, would remain sunny, with high temperatures tinuing.

  Naoki’s gaze shifted to the area marked for thuorms. To his surprise, Kosaji Town was among the affected regions.

  "A thuorm..."

  After handing the remote to Calyrex, Naoki got up a outside to collect the clothes drying on the line.

  Sure enough, it began rainihat night.

  Raindrops drummed against the windows, apanied by fshes of lightning and the deafening roar of thunder.

  Pawmot and Eevee pressed themselves against the gss, their wide eyes staring out at the dark, stormy world beyond. The windowpane blurred from the rain streaks, muting the view into a sray.

  “Pawmot…”

  “Eevee…”

  The storm outside was wild and intimidating, but within the house, there was a warm, tranquil atmosphere.

  The wooden floor was yered with soft carpets, and several plush Pokémos y scattered near Naoki’s bed. Beh the cozy glow of the room’s warm lights, Naoki sat beside Koraidon, sharpening its cws with care.

  Koraidon closed its eyes, a look of serene te on its face.

  Gng toward the window, Naoki noticed the anxious expressions of Pawmot and Eevee. He offered some advice. "If the storm frightens you, you close the curtains. That way, you won’t have to look outside."

  “Pawmot!”

  Pawmot puffed up its chest, insisting it wasn’t scared. However, notig the nervousness on Eevee’s face, it scampered over to the windoulled the curtains shut with a quick hop.

  Relieved, Eevee rao the bed and leaped onto the covers. “Eevee!” it cried, the sound carrying a tone of determination, as if trying to boost its ce.

  Naoki chuckled as he finished sharpening Koraidon’s cws. He gave the dragon an affeate pat on the head, then climbed into bed himself.

  “Eevee,” he asked gently, stroking its soft fur, “did you face storms like this back when you lived in the mountains?”

  “Eevee…” the Pokémon replied with a hesitant nod.

  When Eevee lived alone in the wild, it would always seek shelter in a hollow tree during storms. The rainy nights were cold, dark, and terrifying, filled with the distant cries of aggressive Pokémon prowling through the woods.

  Sensing Eevee’s lingering fear, Naoki forted it with soothing strokes along its back. “You’re safe here. The ranch is your home now. There’s nothing to fear on rainy nights anymore.”

  “Eevee…” The little Pokémon pressed closer, rubbing its head affeately against Naoki’s arm.

  Over time, Eevee had grown to love life on the ranch. It had made many new friends and ehe delicious Poffins and juiaoki prepared.

  It adored Naoki. To Eevee, he was the ki human in the world, and the ranch was the happiest pce it had ever known.

  At that moment, Eevee’s heart swelled with affe and gratitude, reag aional peak.

  Then, all at once, a dazzling light burst forth from its small body, illuminating the entire room.

  Naoki froze in surprise, watg as the radiant energy swirled around Eevee, iwining with the night’s atmosphere. The raw power of emotion transformed into a brilliant force that enveloped the little Pokémon, reshaping it.

  Uhe brilliant glow, Eevee’s form began to shift, its silhouette stretg and morphing into a nee.

  Naoki’s breath caught. “Evolution?”

  The light finally dimmed, revealing a sleek bon with luminous blue rings glowing faintly on its forehead, tail, and ears.

  It was a Shiny Umbreon—a radiant Moonlight Pokémon standing fidently before him.

  For a moment, Naoki simply stared, stunned.

  After evolving, Umbreon’s demeanor shifted slightly. Its yellow eyes gazed at Naoki with a calm, calg expression, exuding a unique air of mystery.

  It reminded Naoki of a hunter cloaked in shadows.

  “Umbreon?” Naoki called softly, testing the waters.

  Umbreon’s sleek form responded with a faint smile, its voice low yet filled with unmistakable affe.

  “Umbree~”

  Umbreon gnced down at its transformed body, taking in the glowing blue rings ad its sleek fur. However, the realization soon daw hadn’t evolved into Sylveon, as it had inally hoped, but instead had bee Umbreon.

  A flicker of disappoi crossed its face.

  Notig this, Naoki quickly leaned down to fort it. “It’s okay! Umbreon is just as amazing. You’re still incredible.”

  The evolution didn’t surprise Naoki; Eevee’s geistability ofteed in ued outes. Though not Sylveon, Umbreon’s shiny form was undeniably striking.

  The glowing blue ried a faint luminesce, their eerie beauty giving Umbreon a captivating and mysterious presence.

  Naoki gently touched one of the glowing rings. “G’s going to be so surprised when it sees you tomorrow,” he said with a chuckle.

  Sure enough, the m, Gerged from its icy cave only to freeze in its tracks at the sight of Umbreon.

  The newly evolved Pokémon bou with a leap. “Umbree!”

  G blinked in shock, turning its head toward Naoki as if seeking firmation. “Bu-yi?”

  Naoki smiled warmly. “It’s Eevee! It evolved into Umbreon st night.”

  Umbreon nodded slightly, its calm demeanor reinf Naoki’s words.

  “Bu…” G hesitated for a moment before accepting this ued reality.

  It began cirg Umbreon, its curious eyes sing every detail of the dark-furred Pokémon. Umbreon, serene as ever, stood still, allowing G to i it.

  Watg the two Pokémon i, Naoki felt a deep sense of satisfa.

  "Great! Two Eeveelutions down," he thought.

  By m, the rain had dwio a drizzle, though the clouds still lingered.

  Farfetch’d, however, could barely tain its excitement. The oversized onions in the field were finally ready for harvest, and it couldn’t wait to cim its neon.

  With an amused sigh, Naoki asked Koraidon for help.

  “Let’s clear the skies,” Naoki said, patting its neck.

  Koraidon’s Sunny Day ability activated, and in seds, the clouds parted, repced by a vibrant blue sky and warm golden sunlight.

  Naoki and Farfetch’d made their way to the onion garden.

  Standing before the t onions, Naoki hesitated. “Are you sure you handle onions this big?” he asked, gesturing to the oversized vegetables.

  “Farfetch’d!” The duon quacked fidently, its determination shining through.

  “These are the ultimate onions,” its gaze seemed to say. “With one of these, I’ll be unstoppable!”

  Naoki sighed. “Alright then.”

  The rain had left the garden damp, and the green onions glistened with droplets of water. Naoki approached one of the tallest onions, nearly as tall as himself, and began digging it up. After ing the roots of mud and trimming the leaves, he ha to Farfetch’d.

  Farfetch’d didn’t hesitate. It tossed its old leek into its beak, swallowing it whole in a single gulp, before striding toward the massive onion with purpose.

  Stretg its wings wide, it grasped the thick stem of the super onion with a mighty pull.

  The moment it wielded the massive leek, Farfetch’d transformed. It swung the oversized onion experimentally, its movements smooth yet powerful, as though testing the weight and bance of the neon.

  After a series of impressive flourishes, Farfetch’d struck a pose, resting the super onion on its shoulder like a seasoned warrior with a greatsword.

  Farfetch’d seemed to have undergone a signifit transformation, ohat felt remi of the regional variant from Gar. It gripped the massive Super Onion fidently, as though it had already decided to make this its neon of choice.

  Naoki watched with fasation as Farfetch’d carried the oversized green onion out of the garden and into the training area filled with wooden dummies.

  “How does it feel?” Naoki asked thoughtfully. “ you still use your usual sword teiques?”

  “Farfetch’d!”

  Farfetch’d nodded with determination.

  The bird steadied itself, holding the giant onion tightly in its wings, and focused ily on the dummies ahead. Taking a deep breath, it unleashed its signature move, the One-Word Ssh.

  A brilliant fsh of light apahe strike, and when the dust settled, all the wooden dummies had been sliced ly in half.

  Naoki’s jaw dropped slightly. The raw power behind Farfetch’d’s move was undeniable.

  “Just as I thought,” Naoki murmured to himself. “The power of your teiques has increased with this neon.”

  However, as he observed more closely, he noticed something ing. Farfetch’d was breathing heavily, clearly fatigued after delivering just orike. The Super Onion was evidently much heavier than its previous on, making it far more taxing to wield.

  “Why don’t you try holding the onion with both hands?” Naoki suggested. “It might be easier to manage.”

  Farfetch’d paused, sidering the advice, and then adjusted its grip, holding the Super Onion with both wings.

  Watg the ge, Naoki’s mind filled with vivid imagery. A swordsman holding their bde with both hands… Iaido… powerful upward sshes…

  The possibilities were endless. Naoki couldn’t help but imagieag Farfetch’d a variety of teiques: sweeping sshes, vertical strikes, overhead smashes, and even moves like a true greatsword user.

  With its neon, Farfetch’d could adapt its fighting style depending ouation, choosiween the finesse of a katana or the raw power of a broadsword.

  However, as Farfetch’d attempted a feard swings with the Super Onion, it became clear that this transition wouldn’t be easy. Its movements were uncoordinated, and the sheer weight of the on was too much for its current strength.

  Naoki sighed, quickly shelving his dreams of teag advaeiques for the time being. “Your strength and stamina aren’t quite there yet to hahis on properly,” he pointed out gently.

  Farfetch’d stopped swinging and lowered the Super Onion, looking at it with a mixture of frustration and longing. It could feel the immeential of the on but wasn’t yet capable of unleashing it fully.

  “You feel it, don’t you?” Naoki said, watg the bird closely.

  “Quack…” Farfetch’d nodded, its expression serious.

  “Then here’s what you o do,” Naoki tinued. “Starting today, yoing to train your strength until you hahis Super Onion like it’s a part of you!”