After hanging up the phone, Naoki immediately made his way to Kosaji Town.

  When he arrived, Rachel was busy anizing food iore. Upon seeing Naoki, she quickly set aside her work and led him to where the Tropius was bei.

  "The Tropius is currently staying at our ranch," Rachel expined as they walked. "But it seems really down. It's been feeling lonely ever si got separated from its flock."

  Naoki nodded in uanding as Rachel tinued.

  Tropius, like many other Pokémon, has unique migratory habits. These Grass and Flying-type Pokémoive to tropical jungles, particurly in the Alion, where they are abundant. However, smaller poputions of Tropius also live in ions, adapting to their enviros.

  The migration patterns of Tropius are fasating. Every wihey fe flocks and migrate to warmer southern regions, much like swallows. They only return north when the weather bees more temperate.

  After passing through a patch of withered, yellow grassnd, Naoki finally spotted the Tropius by a small ke.

  In person, Tropius was evehan Naoki imagined, standing over two meters tall. Its brownish-gray body resembled a coastal ut tree, with a long neck, sturdy legs, and three broad, leafy fronds sprouting from its head. Its back bore four massive, leaf-like wings that it used to fly.

  The most eye-catg feature, however, was the cluster of banana-like fruits hanging from its neck.

  "This is Tropius. Mr. Naoki, have you seen one up close before?" Rachel asked.

  Naoki shook his head. "Not up close. I've only seen one from a dista Casseroya Lake."

  Casseroya Lake, with its abundant water, lush vegetation, and fresh air, was a favored spot for Tropius to thrive.

  "I see!" Rachel replied with a nod. She tinued, "You know, Tropius also be raised on ranches."

  She gestured toward the fruit hanging from its neck. "These fruits grow twice a year. I've tasted them before, and they're incredibly sweet and delicious. In the Alion, children oftehe fruit from Tropius' necks as snacks. In fact, the fruit is so popur there that several Tropius breeding farms have beeablished."

  She paused before adding, "That said, due to Padia's cooler climate, Tropius fruits here aren't as sweet as the ones in Alo."

  Naoki listened ily, his gaze fixed on the majestion. "Tropius is enormous!" he remarked, marveling at its size, parable to an elephant.

  Rachel chuckled. "Don't worry, Mr. Naoki! Tropius are incredibly gentle by nature. Even wild Tropius are known to willingly share the fruit from their necks with people in need."

  To demonstrate, Rachel approached the Tropius aly stroked its legs. "It's alright, Tropius," she said soothingly. "We've found a kind trainer who's willing to care for you. This gentleman right here."

  The Tropius looked toward Naoki with a saze, clearly still longing for its flock.

  Naoki took a step closer, raising a hand in a friendly wave. "Hello, Tropius. I'm Naoki, and I run a ranch. If you'd like, you're wele to spend the winter with us. We'll take good care of you."

  Naoki couldn't help but think, 'It's a shame Tropius isn't a Dragon-type Pokémon; otherwise, the power on trol would work on it.'

  Hearing his words, Tropius raised its long ned gazed at him with curious eyes. It saw a kind human smiling warmly in its dire.

  Rachel, standing beside Tropius, nodded in agreement. "Yes, Mr. Naoki is a very kind man. His ranch is home to many different Pokémon. If you spend the wihere, you won't feel lonely at all."

  "Troo-pius…" Tropius let out a low, somewhat mencholy cry but eventually nodded, signifying its agreement to go to the ranch with Naoki.

  It didn't have many other options. With its injured wing, it couldn't fly south with the rest of its flock. Watg them leave while it stayed behind had been a heartbreaking experience.

  Seeing Tropius agree, Naoki smiled warmly. "Great! Let's head baow. The Pokémon at the ranch are looking forward to meeting you!"

  Naoki wasn't exaggerating. Before leaving, several Pokémon—Alcremie, Gholdengo, and Ogerpon—had eagerly asked where he was going. When Naoki expined about Tropius, they became excited upon hearing about a Pokémon that grew sweet fruits on its neck. The thought of meeting Tropius had them waitihusiastically at home for its arrival.

  Hearing that other Pokémon were excited to meet it, Tropius seemed touched. Its mood lifted slightly, and it let out a deep, resonant cry, then fpped its rge wings and moved closer to Naoki.

  Naoki was momentarily surprised by Tropius's gesture. "Wait… are you askio ride on your back?" he asked incredulously.

  "Tropii!"

  The rge Pokémon nodded, l itself slightly to make it easier for him to climb on.

  Seeing this, Naoki smiled and didn't hesitate. He recalled the Cyclizar to its Poké Ball and carefully climbed onto Tropius's back.

  Waving goodbye to Rachel, Naoki and Tropius prepared to depart.

  Rachel, her face lighting up with joy, called out, "Take care, Tropius! Live happily at the ranch!"

  "Tropiii!"

  The Pokémon responded gratefully, its tone warm. It lowered its ned offered Rachel the bananas growing around its —a gesture of thanks to the person who had saved and cared for it.

  Naoki watched this exge and nodded approvingly. 'It's such a kind and polite Tropius,' he thought to himself.

  Just as he was about to express his admiration aloud, Naoki noticed something astonishing. The bananas that Tropius had given to Rachel had already regrown on its neck.

  Startled, Naoki blinked in disbelief.

  Naoki furrowed his brow in fusion. 'Wait a minute—don't the fruits on Tropius's neck ripen only twice a year?'

  But then, something clicked in his mind, and he suddenly uood.

  "This Tropius has the Harvest ability!" he excimed inwardly.

  Harvest, a hidden ability of Tropius, grants it the ce tee ed berries with a 50% der normal ditions and a 100% sunny days. This realization expined everything.

  Rachel, holding the freshly grown fruit, quickly caught on as well. "So your ability is Harvest!" she said, turning to Tropius with a bright smile. Then, looking back at Naoki, she added, "Mr. Naoki, Tropius with the Harvest ability are known for being very productive!"

  She tinued enthusiastically, "They vert their body's energy, water, and sunlight into nutrients to accelerate fruit regrowth. That's why the fruit you saw just regrew so quickly! But," she crified, "this ability only be used on a short period of time. After activating, Tropius needs some time to recover its energy before it regrow fruit again."

  Hearing her expnation, Naoki houghtfully. 'That makes perfect sense', he mused. A Tropius with the Harvest ability seemed like the ideal addition to his ranch.

  What surprised him even more, however, was Rachel's knowledge on the subject. He vividly remembered when he first met her—a shy and soft-spoken girl. Now, two years ter, Rachel had grown into a fident and cheerful young woman.

  "You're amazing, Rachel! You even know about Pokémon abilities like Harvest," Naoki praised her with genuine admiration.

  Rachel blushed slightly, rubbing the back of her neck. "My grandfather taught me a lot! I'm pnning to bee a Pokémon breeder iure, so he's been sharing all sorts of Pokémoed knowledge with me."

  "A Pokémon breeder?" Naoki smiled warmly. "That's a wonderful goal. Keep it up, Rachel!"

  She nodded firmly, her fidenwavering. "I will! Thank you, Mr. Naoki."

  After their brief chat, Tropius fpped its broad, leafy wings and rose into the air. Naoki pointed in the dire of his ranch, and Tropius, with a determined nod, flew off in that dire.

  While Tropius wasn't as fast as Dragos spacious back made the ride incredibly stable, almost like sitting on an elephant.

  Before long, Naoki and Tropius the ranch. A group of Pokémon was already gathered, eagerly awaiting their arrival.

  As soon as Tropius touched down, the Pokémon rushed over excitedly, surrounding them.

  Naoki gestured toward Tropius and introduced it with a smile. "Everyohis is Tropius. Tropius, these are the Pokémon I told you about earlier!"

  Tropius, t over the crowd, looked at the diverse Pokémon curiously.

  Alcremie, Gholdengo, Ogerpon, and others all chimed in with enthusiastic weles. Their warmth seemed to lift Tropius's spirits even more.

  Seeing their friendliness, Tropius couldn't help but let out a happy cry, its leafy wings swayily. "Tropius~!"

  The step was finding the perfect pce for Tropius to stay on the ranch.

  The weather was getting colder by the day. As a Grass and Flying-type Pokémon, Tropius had a severe weako Id was just as vulnerable to the cold as Cyclizar. This recisely why Tropius and its kind migrated south in rge groups before winter arrived.

  Naoki sidered the options. The ranch during winter clearly wasn't suitable for Tropius. After some thought, he knew just the pce.

  He rode Tropius across the ke at the rand ehe Reverse World, leading the Pokémon to the Sky Isnd where the World Tree stood tall.

  This isnd had been cultivated with sunflowers that emitted both light and warmth. Frass-type Pokémon like Tropius, this enviro erfect. Here, they could photosynthesize freely to replenish their energy, even in the depths of winter.

  The World Tree itself had grown tremendously, t over 100 meters high. Even Tropius, with its impressive two-meter frame, looked small beside it. Thankfully, the Reverse World had infinite space, so there was no about overcrowding.

  Tropius stared at the t tree is eyes wide with surprise. "Tropius~!" it excimed, its tone filled with wonder.

  "This is the World Tree," Naoki expined with a smile.

  He then approached the nearby Pokémon. The Gogoats lounging peacefully beh the World Tree and Arboliva, whose form had grer and more vibrant thanks to the abundant natural energy here, greeted him warmly. Naoki patted their heads and introduced the new arrival.

  "This is Tropius. If everything goes well, it'll be staying with you from now on," he said.

  The Gogoats, as rexed ale as ever, weled Tropius with warm gestures. Arboliva, standing majestically on the Sky Isnd and resembling an enormous olive tree, opes eyes. Its gaze met Tropius's, and it offered a soft, graceful wele.

  Tropius observed its new panions curiously. It was drawn to the goats, sensing an unusually rich Grass-type energy radiating from them. Its surprise was evident. This wasn't something it had ever felt from the Gogoat Pokémon it had entered around Casseroya Lake.

  'This pce is incredible!' Tropius thought, impressed.

  Naoki instructed the Gogoats and Oliva to take good care of their new panion, and with his task plete, he prepared to head back to the ranch. The sun was beginning to set, and he o start dinner for the Pokémon.

  Just as he was about to leave, a fai familiar voice echoed from the neighb Sky Isnd.

  Giratina stirred from its resting pd called out, its toinged with exasperation. "You're being more and more casual."

  Naoki froze for a moment, feeling a slight chill that had nothing to do with the weather. He turowards the massive Legendary Pokémon, a sheepish smile.

  Giratina grumbled internally. 'This is my territory! How dare he e and go so freely without sulting me first!'

  "…"

  Naoki suddenly remembered that the Reverse World was home to a certain temperamental dragon.

  Looking at Giratina, he said, "Don't you ever feel lonely living here all by yourself? You should really sider making some friends."

  Giratina's eyes narrowed at the ent. If it got this upset over a harmless remark, Naoki wondered how oh he could ever vince Giratina to accept a Rotom Phone iure. The poor Rotom would likely be thteo fun properly around the Legendary Pokémon.

  Of course, Giratina would never admit to feeling lonely. Instead, it let out a thunderous roar to mask its true emotions.

  "Lonely?! Me?! Don't be ridiculous! I've lived like this for tens of thousands of years—I don't need anyone!" Giratina decred, its voice ced with indignation.

  Despite its bluster, there was an odd familiarity and warmth in the way Giratina looked at Naoki.

  Naoki, unsure of Giratina's mood, decided to take a gamble. He floated closer to Flower Sky Isending his hand toward the legendary Pokémon.

  "Let me try something," Naoki said.

  Giratina regarded him with suspi, but before it could reaaoki activated his Dragon Power.

  A warm, soothing energy surged through Giratina's massive form, causing its goldeo widen in shock.

  "Bold human! What have you done?!" Giratina demahough its torayed a mix of fusion and wonder.

  Naoki smiled as he gently ran his hand along Giratina's sleek, shadowy scales. "I'm thanking you. This is a power I retly awake's especially effective with Dragon-type Pokémon. And since you're a Dragon-type, I thought I'd give it a try."

  He carefully massaged Giratina, eling the calming energy. Despite its initial protests, Giratiually rexed uhe touch, its tensioing away.

  When the massage ended, Giratina looked almost dazed, as if it had just woken from a pleasant dream.

  "Fine. You may go. Since you've been so siderate, I'll overlook your intrusion today," Giratina said, trying to maintain an air of dignity despite its evident satisfa.

  Naoki stifled a chuckle. 'So even Legendary Pokémon 't resist a good massage.'

  Although his Dragon Power wasn't strong enough to make Giratina any more powerful, it was heartening to know it could help win the Pokémon's favor.

  With a respectful bow, Naoki said goodbye and made his way back to the ranch.

  .....

  The snowfall in the Alliance dar year 199 came earlier than expected.

  By the m, delicate snowfkes were floating down from the gray sky, bing the world in white.

  Thankfully, Naoki had prepared the ranch well in advance.

  The bee and Butterfree were relocated to the warm gss greenhouse. The Gogoats and Arboliva were sent to the World Tree on Sky Isnd, while the Miltanks cozied up in the Pokémon House. The Garganacl retreated to their underground caves, shielded from the chill.

  Naoki also moved the Wooloo into the Pokémon House alongside the Miltanks and invited Snorx into the living room, where it sprawled tentedly on the floor.

  With heavy snow falling outside, there was no work to be done. Naoki decided to take the rare opportunity to rex at home with his Pokémon.

  Inside, Slugma kept the house warm by elihrough vents. Pawmot floated by one of the vents, feeding fruits to the Slugma.

  The Eevees, with their thick winter coats, pyed rambunctiously in the room. Some were perched on Snorx's belly, chatting happily, while others stared out the window at the falling snow, their little faces pressed against the gss.

  Cyclizar and Koraidon y by the firepce, basking in the warmth. Nearby, the sibling Indeedee teo their tasks, ensuring everything was in order.

  Meanwhile, Calyrex sat on the sofa, watg TV with a regal air. Ogerpon and Gholdengo occupied themselves on the sed floor, sharing Ogerpon's old mask.

  Farfetch'd rested nearby, its precious leek held close. Dragonite, having worked tirelessly throughout the year, had bee back tonite Isnd with a bag of treats as its year-end bonus.

  Naoki lounged on the sofa, fiddling with his Rotom Phorying to coax the Rotom io chat with him.

  Outside, the heavy snow created a serene, frosty ndscape. Suddenly, the skies were pierced by the figure of a Zapdos cutting through the stormy clouds.

  On its back were two small Pokémon: Teddiursa and Mew.

  As the ranch came into view, their faces lit up with anticipation. 'Home at st,' they thought, eager to reuh Naoki and the rest of their friends.