Naoki looked at the school of Wishiwashi that had been leading him through the seabed.

  The eyes of the tiny Wishiwashi shimmered with moisture, giving them an endearing, pitiful look. Their naturally pearanly enhaheir charm, making them irresistibly cute.

  Reag into his pocket, Naoki pulled out the st bottle of Moomoo Milk, twisted off the cap, and poured the creamy liquid into the surrounding water.

  The Wishiwashi lit up with delight, eagerly darting forward to drink the milk, their tails wagging iement as they swirled around the milky cloud.

  Watg the adorable se unfold, Naoki's heart warmed, and a thought struck him. "Wishiwashi," he began with a smile, "would you like to e back with me and live in my home?"

  The school of Wishiwashi paused their feasting to g Naoki, their tiny bodies f a wavering circle ier.

  "In my territory, no Pokémon will harm you. I'll teach you how to grow seaweed in the seabed so you'll always have plenty to eat. You'll never have to go hungry again."

  The Wishiwashi exged looks, their tiny eyes sparkling with trust and curiosity. After a moment, they wiggled their fins in agreement, their delighted chirps carrying through the water.

  Grinning, Naoki pulled out a Poké Ball, gently tapping it to one of the Wishiwashi. The tiny Pokémon disappeared into the ball with a soft fsh, signaling a successful capture. But as he gnced around, Naoki realized the sheer number of Wishiwashi was staggering—there were easily over a hundred of them, far more than he had Poké Balls for.

  Scratg his head in thought, Naoki addressed the school. "Wait here for a moment. I'll figure something out."

  He swam to the surface, where Koraidon shing idly in the shallows. The sound of water breaking caught the Pokémon's attention, and it turned, paddling quickly toward Naoki.

  "Raao?" Koraidoed him curiously, tilting its head.

  Naoki reached out and patted its head. Pulling out his Rotom Phone, Naoki dialed the Calyrex's number. After expining his pn to the psychion, he waited as the Calyrex used its teleportation powers to arrive at the bea an instant.

  "Thank you for ing so quickly!" Naoki said, nodding respectfully. "Could you help me transport these Wishiwashi tonite Isnd? It would be the perfeew home for them."

  Without a word, Calyrex nodded and activated its superpowers. In a fsh of shimmering light, Naoki, Koraidon, Slowking, and the entire school of Wishiwashi found themselves transported tonite Isnd.

  The Dragonites lounging on the beach blinked in fusion at their sudden arrival. They quickly rexed upnizing Naoki, greeting him warmly.

  "Hey, everyone!" Naoki waved with a grin before turning to the nearby sea.

  Calyrex released the school of Wishiwashi into the water, watg as they darted through the waves, chirping happily.

  Jumping into the shallow waters, Naoki addressed the school. "From now on, this is your home. There's no danger here, so you live freely and without worry!"

  The school of Wishiwashi surveyed the surroundings, their small eyes darting around the serene, crystal-clear waters. They saw no predators lurking, firming what Naoki had told them—this was indeed a safe haven.

  With the absence of dahe school of Wishiwashi noticed the abundance of lush water pnts and seaweed growing on the seabed. The verdant expanse was a feast for their eyes, brimming with sustenance.

  Is this paradise? The tiny Pokémon seemed to think so, their expressions lighting up with joy.

  "For now, feel free to explore," Naoki said with a chuckle. "I still have some work to do, but I'll be back ter to teach you how to cultivate seaweed and create an uer farm."

  The school of Wishiwashi chirped in agreement, nodding eagerly. They quickly ahemselves into a group, swimming off to explore the unfamiliar yet weling waters.

  Before leaving, Naoki turo the Dragonite resting on the isnd's sandy shores and gave them a firm instru. "Be kind to our new friends. No hunting or sg them, okay?"

  The Dragonites, who already had a bounty of fish and berries to feast on, heir uanding.

  "We've got more than enough to eat," their soft, pyful roars seemed to vey.

  "I trust you all," Naoki said with a smile, patting the heads of the Dragonites.

  The Wishiwashi would maintain the seaweed, ensuring it thrived. As they had small appetites, they wouldn't deplete the supply. Any surplus algae would serve as food for on fish, and in turn, the Dragonites could enjoy the delicious fish. It erfectly banced ecosystem Naoki was envisioning.

  With his task onite Isnd plete, Naoki took Slowking and a few other Pokémon aboard the World Tree Elevator. They asded through the massive, aree.

  Throughout the journey, Slowking's wise gaze wandered, as if lost ihought. It wasn't until they arrived at the tranquil ke he top of the tree that Slowking finally focused.

  Naoki pulled out a handful of Transtion Seed Crisps and munched on them. "Alright, Slowking, you uand me now?" he asked, his voice hopeful.

  Slowking turs gaze toward him and nodded. "I . Hello, Naoki."

  It worked! Naoki let out a relieved breath, his shoulders rexing.

  "Great! Now, you expin something?" he tinued. "Earlier, her I nor the other Pokémon could uand what you were saying. you speak human nguage? Or even standard Pokémon nguage?"

  Slowking tilted its Shellder-ed head thoughtfully. "I don't know human nguage," it admitted. "I speak Pokémon nguage, but the nguage you heard earlier was one I created myself."

  Naoki blinked. "You… made your own nguage?"

  Slowking gave a slow, sage-like nod.

  Naoki sighed with amused disbelief. 'Of course. Why wouldn't a Pokémon with such a high IQ i its own nguage right after evolving?'

  He took another calming breath. "You should already know where you are, right?"

  Slowking looked around, its serene eyes taking in the lush surroundings of the World Tree's interior. Finally, its gaze rested o opy above. "If I'm not mistaken," it began, "this is inside a colossal tree."

  "That's correct," Naoki said, nodding. "This is the World Tree—a pce brimming with natural energy. I pn to establish a guild here, a pce where Pokémon live peacefully and tribute to an ecosystem built on harmony."

  Slowking listetentively, its calm demeanor never faltering.

  Naoki smiled. "I invited you here because I believe you'd be a perfect fit to help mahe store I pn to open as part of the guild. What do you think?"

  Naoki smiled patiently. "It should be easy for you, Slowking, with yh IQ, to open a shop or even cook like humans."

  Slowking, however, looked troubled. "I'm sorry, but I don't know how to run a store... I'm just a Slowking."

  Naoki: "…"

  It seemed Slowking wasn't ied in running a shop. This ued reaade Naoki resider.

  He sighed and gave up on the idea of having Slowking maavern. "That's fine. You stay here at the World Tree and take it easy."

  Naoki realized he'd o task his expedition team with finding an uru or another Pokémon passionate about cooking and managing a shop.

  Slowking looked apologetic. "This is quite troubling... I feel bad for disappointing you."

  "It's no big deal," Naoki reassured it warmly. "Don't overthink it. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to. Just having you here makes me happy."

  For Naoki, watg Pokémon live peacefully and py freely on his farm and the World Tree was joy enough, even if they didn't take on specific roles.

  "Thank you, Naoki," Slowking said gratefully. "Please give me some time to think. There are mysteries in my mind that I haven't unraveled yet, and they weigh heavily on me. I want to explore ways to resolve them."

  Naoki's curiosity iqued. "Mysteries? What mysteries are troubling you?"

  Slowking gazed upward thoughtfully and answered, "Why is the sky blue? Why was this p born? What is the meaning of our existence? Why 't the past be ged? Who am I? Where am I? What should I do?"

  Naoki: "…"

  Slowkied, this time more distressed, "These questions are truly vexing!"

  Naoki decided not to delve into such existential matters. "Those are profound questions, Slowking. I'm afraid they're beyond my uanding. I'm just a simple person, not a philosopher."

  Leaving Slowking to its ptions by the ke, Naoki bid it farewell. The Pokémon remained motionless, staring at the sky and p the mysteries of life.

  Before long, other Pokémon—like Tropius, Milotic, Dragonite, and Arboliva—noticed Slowking's strange behavior. They gathered around, curious about what it was doing.

  Treecko, looking puzzled, chirped, "Treee?" (What's it doing?)

  Tropius shook its head. "Tropii…" (No idea.)

  After some time, the group dispersed, returning to their usual activities, while Slowking climbed onte rock, sat cross-legged, and resumed its deep thoughts.

  Sometime ter, three Treecko passed by the rock carrying berries ed in leaves. Oreecko examis bundle and sighed, "Treec…" (It's a shame—these berries have rotted from beioo long. What a waste. I wish we had a way to preserve them.)

  The Treecko didn't notice Slowking sitting above them as they rested against the rock.

  The problem stemmed from the orchard's abundahe three Treeckinally po send more berries to the Dragonites. However, Naoki, ed about the Pokémon not having enough food, had pnted extensive groves onite Isnd.

  Thus, the excess fruits were stored iree holes, but the fruits at the bottom had already begun to rot.

  The Treecko were deeply troubled by the wasted berries.

  Suddenly, a calm voice broke the silence from behind them.

  "If you're worried about the berries going bad, you dry them in the sun to make dried fruit, ferment them into juice or fruit wine, or even turn them into berry dy. That way, the berries be stored for much longer without spoiling."

  Startled, the three Treeckos jumped up and spun around. There, sitting cross-legged on a rge rock was Slowking, looking serene and wise.

  The Treecko stared, wide-eyed. "Treec?!" (Is that true?! But how does Slowking know all this?)

  As if reading their thoughts, Slowking smiled faintly and expined, "I just figured it out."

  The Treecko were awestruck. They exged amazed gheir disbelief giving way to admiration.

  One of them, clearly the most ed about the fruit, stepped forward and asked eagerly, "Treec?" (How do we make dried fruit, juice, wine, or dy from the berries?)

  Slowking gazed upward, as though p the mysteries of the world. "The sun. With suffit sunlight, the fruits be dried into dried fruit," it expined sagely.

  The Treecko followed Slowking's gaze, but all they saw was the strange sky above the World Tree—there was no sun here, only scattered floating isnds casting fragmented shadows.

  Determio test Slowking's suggestion, the Treecko rushed off to find Arboliva, hoping it could help.

  Arboliva listeo their pn, thought for a moment, ahe Treecko to a nearby Sunflowers, whose petals glowed with radiant sunlight.

  "Arboliva." (This should work.)

  The Treecko carefully id the berries he Sunflower, watg as its warmth began to dry the fruit. They worked diligently, inspired by Slowking's wisdom.

  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it was nearly noon.

  Naoki, humming a cheerful tune, headed into the kit to prepare lunch. As he passed through the barnyard, he noticed Cyclizar lying on the ground, looking uncharacteristically downcast.

  "Cyclizar?" Naoki called out, ed.

  The Pokémon lifted its head slightly to look at him, then lowered it again with a soft groan.

  "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Naoki approached, kneeling beside Cyclizar. He reached out to touch its forehead, but it didn't seem to be physically ill.

  "Gaaao..." Cyclizar sighed and y back down, its body slumped in visible deje.

  From a distance, Koraidon watched the se quietly, its pierg eyes uanding Cyclizar's feelings. Yet, it made no move to interfere, leaving Naoki to sole his panion.

  "Strange... You're not sick," Naoki murmured, puzzled.

  Cyclizar shook its head weakly. It wasn't a matter of illness—it was the weight of its owions.

  Naoki frowhen softened his tone. " you tell me what's been b you?"

  "Gaaao..." Cyclizar shook its head again, unwilling or uo share. It felt useless, no longer able to tribute meaningfully to the ranch or to Naoki.

  Memories of the past began to surfa Cyclizar's mind. It remembered the day Naoki first arrived at the ranch, just a boy sent to live there after losing his family.

  The town's mayor, Thomas, had approached Cyclizar before Naoki's arrival. "Little Cyclizar," Thomas had said gently, "the ranch will soon have a new owner. He's a lonely child, having lost his parents and grandfather. He has no o. Please, apany him and bring some light to his life."

  When Cyclizar heard those words, it couldn't help but feel pity for the human boy.

  The kied Pokémon agreed without hesitation. It wao go to the ranch, to apany Naoki, and bee his most capable assistant.

  At first, things were fine, but then Koraidon arrived. Back then, Cyclizar didn't think much of it—aside from feeling a little intimidated by the formidable Pokémon.

  Initially, Koraidon seemed hostile toward Cyclizar, as if it disliked the idea of sharing Naoki's attention. Naoki worked hard to recile the two Pokémon, and over time, Koraidon became less aggressive and even started to accept Cyclizar.

  Eventually, Koraido a step further, taking the initiative to teach Cyclizar some new moves.

  But with Koraidon around, Naoki began to need Cyclizar's help less and less.

  Koraidon was so capable.

  It could fly, run at incredible speeds, and even swim across deep waters.

  Not only that, but Koraidon was also adept at farm work—digging holes to pnt berry trees, harvesting crops, and assisting with other chores on the ranch.

  By parison, Cyclizar felt clumsy and ie.

  It couldn't run as fast, couldn't fly, aainly couldn't swim.

  Sometimes, Cyclizar found itself envying Koraidon. It admired Koraidon's strength aility, wishing it could be just as capable and helpful to Naoki.

  Initially, Cyclizar resolved to train harder, to bee stronger, and prove its worth. But over time, those feelings were overshadowed by self-doubt. No matter how hard it tried, Koraidon's presence made it feel irrelevant.

  What was the point of its efforts when Koraidon was always by Naoki's side? Naoki didn't seem to s prote anymore—or even its presence.

  These flig emotions—its affe for Naoki and its feelings of inadequacy—twisted together, weighing heavily on Cyclizar's heart.

  Eventually, the emotional burden became too much. Cyclizar fell ill.

  This made Naoki deeply anxious.

  Cyclizar became listless, lyihe firepce from m till night without moving. It no lorained or respoo Naoki's questions.

  At first, Naoki tried feeding Cyclizar some Life Goat Milk, but it showed no improvement.

  Desperate, Naoki sought help from Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests. But even Calyrex, with its vast knowledge, could only shake its head and say there was nothing it could do.

  Naoki's wrew, and several of Cyclizar's friends on the ranch—Alcremie, G, Ogerpon, Pawmot, and Dragoried to fort it. But no matter what they did, nothing seemed to help.

  Even Naoki's Dragon Powers couldn't pee the wall Cyclizar had built around its heart.

  Cyclizar had shut itself off from everyone.

  Determio find answers, Naoki brought Cyclizar to the town's Pokémoer for a thh examination.

  When Nurse Joy emerged from the treatment room, her expression was serious.

  Naoki's heart sank.

  Nurse Joy handed him the results and expined, "Cyclizar is in poor mental health, and it's starting to affect its physical dition. Has it been refusing to eat tely?"

  Naoki nodded. Cyclizar hadn't touched the food he'd prepared for days.

  Nurse Joy tinued, "There's no physical ailment. What we're seeing here is a deep emotional issue—a 'knot' in Cyclizar's heart. It seems trapped in its thoughts and uo move past them."

  A knot in its heart? Naoki was stunned. He racked his brain, trying to recall anything that might have caused Cyclizar pain. He had always tried his best to care for every Pokémon on the ranch, making sure none of them felt ed.

  Nurse Jarded him with a kind but serious expression. "Mr. Naoki, Cyclizar cares about you deeply. But it's also distang itself from you. Whatever is troubling it, I believe it's tied to its feelings for you."

  Naoki felt a heavy weight settle over him.

  What could have happeo make Cyclizar feel this way?

  After returning to the ranaoki was called away by Pawmot's parents. Two roosters had gotten into a fight and fallen into the river.

  Naoki sighed, turning to Cyclizar. "Wait here for a while. I'll be back soon, and then I'll make you something o eat."

  Cyclizar y on the grass, eyes half-closed, still as dejected as ever.

  It watched Naoki leave with Pawmot's parents to deal with the roosters, then shut its eyes again.

  But before it could drift off pletely, a shadow loomed over it.

  Cyclizar caught a familiar st and cracked its eyes open.

  Against the sunlight stood Koraidon, its imposing figure casting a long shadow over Cyclizar.