Pokemon: A New Path

"So many festivals, it sounds really exciting!" Naoki's heart was stirred with excitement as Ivan described the town's vibrant festival life.

Ivan glanced around and then mentioned, "It seems you don't have a horse Pokémon yet! Without one, you won't be able to participate in the horse racing event."

Naoki paused. "..."

He couldn't just conjure a horse Pokémon out of thin air!

Horse-type Pokémon were rare, and they weren't commonly found around the town. Pokémon like Rapidash and Zebstrika roamed the vast open grasslands, far from the town's terrain. The heavy Mudsdale lived in the foothills, and it was unlikely he'd encounter one in this environment.

As for the other horse Pokémon, only the Galar region's Spectrier and Glastrier came to mind, but they were hardly options. Naoki couldn't exactly ride Koraidon to Galar to challenge the Calyrex for a Pokémon!

Ivan seemed to realize the predicament too and offered a sheepish smile. "If you don't have a horse, we can always just watch the race together from the stands!"

Naoki shrugged. "We'll see when the time comes!"

Who knows? Maybe he'd get lucky and stumble upon a horse Pokémon in the nearby hills.

"Yeah!" Ivan nodded, then, remembering he had more work to do, bid Naoki farewell and left the ranch.

As Ivan's figure disappeared in the distance, Naoki found himself deep in thought.

Today was February 21st, meaning there were only a couple of days left until the Spring Cattle and Sheep Judging Competition. The ranch's only cattle and sheep Pokémon were his Gogoat and the newly raised Miltank.

The Miltank, having just arrived, hadn't been at the ranch long enough for its coat to develop a shiny, healthy gloss.

With this in mind, Naoki headed to the sheepfold to check on the three Gogoat, who were lounging on the ground.

In comparison, the Gogoat's fur was in excellent condition. Their long periods of leisurely grazing and rich nutrition had resulted in a strong, healthy mental state and beautifully maintained fur. The wool was soft, smooth, and felt almost velvety to the touch.

'These guys are definitely the best candidates for the competition,' Naoki thought, smiling.

With a confident nod, Naoki made his decision. "Alright, it's decided—you three will be representing the ranch! Perform well and bring home first place for me!"

The Gogoat blinked in confusion. "Baa...?"

But Naoki was already walking away, heading to the barn to check on Miltank.

...

The ranch had become even more lively with the addition of three large Miltank. Two of them were brought over from town by Naoki later, giving the original Miltank some company and alleviating its loneliness.

These three Miltank provided a substantial amount of Moo Moo Milk each day. Coupled with the goat milk from his Gogoat and the rock salt from his Nacli, the ranch's daily income had become quite substantial.

Naoki had big plans for the money he was earning. He wanted to install air conditioners in his home, the chicken coop, the Pokémon House, and the salt house. That way, when the scorching summer arrived, he and his Pokémon could relax in the cool air, eating watermelon and enjoying the comforts of modern life.

The Miltank wouldn't have to suffer in the heat either; they could stay comfortably in their nests, munching on feed without a care.

With the ranch's economic crisis temporarily resolved, Naoki found himself with more time on his hands, which he used to explore new culinary creations.

That afternoon, he took a trip to town and returned with a bounty of new ingredients and kitchen utensils, including an oven and frying pans, eager to show off his cooking skills.

Today, he planned to create a new dish using the oven.

In the kitchen, Naoki laid out all the necessary tools and ingredients: an egg beater, the oven, eggs, high-gluten flour, sugar, milk, butter, and honey.

The eggs were fresh from his own hens, the milk was produced by his Miltank, and the honey was gathered by his diligent Combee.

Everything was set, and Naoki got to work.

Just then, Alcremie came bouncing over, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Alcremie!" it called out happily.

"Do you want to help?" Naoki asked, smiling down at the eager Pokémon.

"Alcremie!" Alcremie nodded enthusiastically, its love for making desserts evident.

"Alright, let's do this together!" Naoki agreed with a grin.

He was about to start making the cake base, and with some help from Alcremie, and by adding some fresh whipped cream from his Alcremie, he was confident they could whip up a delicious caramel cream cake.

But before moving on to the caramel cream cake, Naoki focused on the dessert he had originally planned to make.

He carefully mixed high-gluten flour, eggs, milk, and sugar until the ingredients were evenly blended. Then, he added yeast to the mixture and kneaded it into a smooth dough. Covering the dough with plastic wrap, he set it aside to rest for 30 minutes.

After the dough had rested, Naoki took it out and placed it on the work surface, switching to kneading mode. As he worked the dough, he gradually incorporated softened butter, ensuring the texture was just right.

Once the dough was ready, he shaped it into small buns, spread a layer of sweet filling over each, and placed them in the oven to bake.

Soon, with a satisfying "ding," neat rows of honey buns emerged from the oven.

As soon as the oven door was opened, a rich aroma of milk and honey wafted through the kitchen, making Naoki's mouth water.

The honey buns had a golden, crispy crust, but the real treat was inside—soft, fluffy, and with a tender texture that melted in your mouth, each bite bursting with the sweetness of honey.

"Yeah, perfect!" Naoki exclaimed, pleased with the result.

He handed one of the buns to Alcremie, who eagerly accepted it with a cheerful "Mree!" Then he bit into one himself, savoring the delicious flavor. As he enjoyed the treat, Naoki decided to check the information on the bread.

[Honey Bun (A-)]: This bread is made with ingredients such as sweet honey and Moo Moo Milk. The rich aroma of honey will also attract the attention of some Bear Pokémon.

Effect: Bear Explosion. After eating, Bear Pokémon will enter a state of inspiration. In this state, their comprehension ability is improved. This effect is limited to Bear Pokémon.

Additional effect: Greatly increases the favorability of Bear Pokémon.

Evaluation: A delicious little bread with a thick layer of sweetness, perfectly blending the flavors of honey, eggs, flour, and milk. It is a very good type of bread.

"Not bad at all," Naoki thought, impressed by the bread's effects.

He immediately thought of a particular Bear Pokémon he knew—the mischievous little Teddiursa that often visited the ranch. The thought of the cub brought a smile to his face, but then his expression grew more serious.

'Come to think of it,' Naoki realized, 'I haven't seen Teddiursa in several days.'

It had been almost five days since the little bear last visited the ranch.

"Could something have happened to it?" Naoki wondered, worry creeping in. He walked out of the kitchen, standing under the eaves as he gazed toward the mountain behind the ranch.

Not far off, Butterfree was busy collecting nectar. Remembering how Butterfree often flew around the pasture, Naoki called it over.

"Butterfree, have you seen Teddiursa in the past few days? Has it come to the ranch?"

"Mmmmm..." Butterfree shook its head slightly. It hadn't seen the little bear.

"All right," Naoki murmured, his concern growing.

Countless possibilities flashed through his mind: 'Was Teddiursa captured by a passing trainer? Did it fall off a cliff and can't get back up? Or maybe it's in danger'?

Naoki's thoughts swirled with worry as he tried to figure out what could have happened to the little bear.