"So, what you want… is for your traio only pay attention to you and no other Pokémon?"

  In the living room, Naoki sat on the sofa with Koraidon, his arms resting on his p as he looked across at the Sprigatito sitting in front of him.

  The little Grass-type Pokémon leisurely licked its paw before nodding firmly. "Spiri!" (That's right!)

  Hearing this, Koraidon, who had been watg silently, let out a deep, rumbling sound.

  "Raao…" (I feel like you're asking the wrong person…)

  Koraidon wasn't wrong.

  Naoki: "…"

  Yes. This was absolutely the wrong person to ask.

  He himself had way too many Pokémon who got jealous of each other!

  Sprigatito tilted its head at Koraidon's rea. "Spiri?" (What's wrong?)

  "Nothing, haha!" Naoki quickly covered for Koraidon's ent with an awkward ugh.

  However, Sprigatito remained skeptical, narrowing its eyes.

  "Spiri…?" ( you really help me?)

  "I'm not sure," Naoki admitted. "But I try to think of some solutions for you."

  Sprigatito's ears twitched. "Spiri?" (Like what?)

  Naoki sidered for a moment before his advice.

  "For starters, you should be more proactive. Don't just wait around—express how you feel to your trainer! Be there when they need help. Maybe that way, they'll think you're smart and reliable, and naturally, they'll start paying more attention to you."

  However, as he spoke, he recalled a crucial fact—Sprigatito, much like most feline Pokémon, was notoriously indepe, easily jealous, and proo sulking.

  If its traiarted giving more attention to another Pokémon, there was a good ce Sprigatito would get moody, ignore ands, or, in the worst-case sario… run away from home.

  Hearing Naoki's words, Sprigatito fell into deep thought.

  "Spiri?" (If I do that… will my trainer only care about me?)

  Koraidon, who had been sitting beside Naoki this whole time, let out a quiet huff. It looked as if it had something to say but was hesitating.

  Naoki, oher hand, hesitated for a different reason.

  He wasn't going to lie to the little Sprigatito, but he also couldn't make empty promises.

  "Not necessarily," he said holy. "But your trainer might start appreciating you more than before."

  Sprigatito took a moment to digest that.

  Then, suddenly, it brightened up. "Spiri-ha!" (I got it! I'll try it first! If it works, I'll give you my treasure!)

  Before Naoki could even respond, Sprigatito leaped off the sofa, dashed out the door, and disappeared into the bushes.

  Naoki sighed in relief.

  At least he wouldn't have to deal with another overly possessive Pokémon in his home.

  However…

  "Raao…"

  Koraidon watched Sprigatito vanish into the distahen suddenly turs head toward Naoki. Its expression was unreadable.

  A moment ter, it rumbled, "Raao?"

  Rotom Phone quickly transted: [Who is your favorite Pokémon, Naoki?]

  Naoki: "…"

  A polite, ral smile spread across his face. "I like all of you equally."

  Koraidon narrowed its eyes.

  "Raao…?" (Really? Then… who do you like more?)

  "I like all of you the same," Naoki repeated firmly.

  Seeing that Naoki was dodging the question, Koraidon ged tactics.

  "Raao?" (Do you like Cyclizar?)

  Naoki blinked in mild surprise but answered without hesitation, "Of course."

  He g Koraidon and added, "For a traiheir first Pokémon is always special. And Cyclizar was the first Pokémon I met when I arrived in this region."

  Naoki's voice softened with nostalgia.

  "Back then, before the ranch became what it is today, it was just the two of us. I had nothing—no money, no stable home—just a rundown that barely kept out the rain. But Cyclizar stayed by my side. Cyclizar never left, evehings were tough."

  "Cyclizar slept beside me every night in that old, drafty house, just to keep me warm."

  A quiet breeze passed through the room.

  Koraidon listeo Naoki's words in silence.

  It didn't know how to feel.

  This warmth… this weight of emotions… It was the same feeling it had experienced before when it was just a Cyclizar—when it first met Naoki.

  It was impossible to say Koraidon didn't feel anything deep down.

  Because right now… it was both a Cyclizar and not a Cyclizar.

  It had evolved—transded its former self—yet at its core, it was still the same Pokémon that had once followed Naoki through thid thin.

  So, it felt both happiness… and jealousy.

  The happiness came from knowing just how muaoki cherished that Cyclizar.

  The jealousy?

  It came from the fact that the Cyclizar in Naoki's memories—the one he spoke about so fondly—was not Koraidon as it was now, but the past version of itself.

  Seeing Koraidon lost in thought, Naoki tinued,

  "But you know, each of you Pokémon means something different to me—like how every family member has a unique role. A father, a mother, siblings… Eae pys an important part. Because everyone is together, we call it a family."

  "Raao…" (So..plicated.)

  Koraidon's head started to spin from all this talk about family dynamics.

  In the end, it decided to abandohinking altogether and simply flopped onto the soft grass, stretg out fortably. It gazed up at the sky, watg white clouds drift zily overhead.

  Naoki chuckled before turning back toward the house.

  It was time to start preparing lunch for the Pokémon.

  As he ehe kit, the familiar bubbling sound of molten magma echoed from the heating pipes. Slugma emerged, its molten body glowing faintly as it slithered across the floor, ready to assist Naoki with starting the fire.

  Naoki smiled at the Pokémon's diligence.

  "You're always so reliable."

  Squatting down, he grabbed a few berries and energy cubes from the ter, them to Slugma. The little Lava Pokémon's eyes gleamed as it accepted the treat, its body pulsing warmly iement.

  Two small bursts of white smoke suddenly puffed out from its vents with a whoosh—startling a flock of Chatots that had beeing on the rooftop. With loud, indignant squawks, the birds scattered into the sky.

  Naoki let out a small ugh. "Alright, alright, eat up."

  Using a metal tool, he carefully removed the charred fruit cores that had burned inside Slugma's molten body.

  As he worked, a thought crossed his mind.

  Looking at the slightly cramped ventition ducts, he suddenly asked,

  "Hey, would you be ied in living over at the World Tree instead?"

  Slugma, halfway through chewing a berry, froze.

  "Sluu?" (Huh?)

  Naoki expined, "I mean, this pce is kind of small. You're always moving through the pipes every day—it must feel a little suffog, right?"

  pared to the vast, open space of the World Tree, this little kit ve almost unfair to Slugma.

  Especially now that the World Tree had flourished. So many Pokémon had moved there already, yet Slugma remained behind, fio this tiny er of the ranch.

  Besides… with the house's air ditioning and firepces w perfectly fi wasn't like they needed a livier anymore.

  Naoki half-expected Slugma to immediately leap at the opportunity.

  But to his surprise—

  "Sluu!"

  Slugma shook its head firmly.

  "You want to stay here?" Naoki asked in surprise.

  "Sluu!"

  Naoki furrowed his brows. "Why? The World Tree has so much more space, and plenty of Pokémon would love to be your friend."

  "Slu!"

  At that moment, Naoki's Rotom Pho up and automatically transted Slugma's response.

  "Slugma says: 'Because Naoki and Pawmot are here, I want to stay too.'"

  "Slu~"

  Slugma nodded happily, firming its words.

  Naoki blinked, a little taken aback. Then, slowly, his lips curved into a warm smile.

  "I see. The's stay here together."

  "Sluu~!"

  The fmes inside Slugma's molten body crackled even more vibrantly.

  Satisfied, Naoki turned back to his cooking, chopping up fresh ingredients while Slugma curled up nearby, exhaling small puffs of steam in te.

  He switched his Rotom Phoo flight mode, letting it float to the side and automatically py the noon news from the Paldea region.

  Just as he was stirring the pot—

  His phone buzzed with an ining message.

  [Iono]: Hey, hey! Have you eate?

  Naoki's hands paused. The moment he saw her name, his heart skipped a beat.

  Immediately, his mind fshed back to what Indeedee had said to him a while ago. Suppressing a plicated feeling, he replied while still stirring the food.

  [Gold King]: Almost. What's up? What's got you messagi this hour?

  Iono's reply came almost instantly.

  [Iono]: Uhhh… mostly, I wao ask if you're free in Juhere's gonna be a SUPER luxurious summer festival in Levincia City and—

  [Iono]: Well, I felt kinda bad for making you take care of me st time, so I wanna invite you and Koraidon over for a day! My treat! ????

  Naoki stared at the message.

  She was inviting him and Koraidon… to Levincia City's Summer Festival?

  If it weren't for Indeedee's previous implications, Naoki wouldn't have thought too much about it.

  For a moment, Naoki hesitated.

  'Could it be… that what Indeedee had said was actually true?'

  Did Iono… have a crush on him?

  "No, no way," he dismissed the thought almost immediately.

  It would be way too embarrassing if he had just misread the situation.

  Imagining himself assuming she liked him—only for it to turn out that she didn't—was enough to make him ge. He would just look like some ordinary guy getting ahead of himself.

  So, after a brief moment of ption, Naoki decided to py it safe and act as if nothing had happened. He calcuted the timing and was about to agree to Iono's invitation.

  But then he paused.

  e to think of it, he probably wouldn't be free in June.

  By then, the World Tree would be fully matured, and he had to work with Giratina awo to relocate it into the sky.

  Not only that, but based oel Steven had shared, the Hoenn region's crisis was expected to unfold around that time.

  He o remain at the ranch, keeping an eye ouation in case Steven required his help.

  With all of that in mind, Naoki typed out his response.

  [Gold King]: June is going to be a busy time at the ranch. The crops will need harvesting, and with the seasons ging, I have to prepare seeds for autumn pnting in advance.

  A reply came almost instantly.

  [Iono]: Ah… what a shame! There's gonna be a huge fireworks festival in Levincia, and the Gym's closing for the day. I wao invite you and Koraidon to e watch! ??

  Fireworks festival?

  Naoki raised an eyebrow.

  [Gold King]: There's actually going to be a fireworks show here in Kosaji too. People will gather at the beach that night to celebrate the end of summer. Is this some kind of tradition across Paldea?

  [Iono]: Yeah, pretty much! A lot of coastal cities throw festivals this time of year. Are you taking Koraidon and the others to the one in Kosaji?

  [Gold King]: Of course. But a small-towival probably won't be as lively as a big-city event like Levincia's.

  [Iono]: Ugh, I wish I could go somewhere quieter! The Levincia beach gets insanely crowded. Last year, even my Bellibolt and I got stu the crowd! I don't wanna deal with that again. Looks like I'll be spending another b holiday at home… ??

  Reading that, Naoki chuckled. He could almost picture Iono sulking dramatically.

  After a moment of thought, he replied:

  [Gold King]: If you're that bored, why not e to Kosaji's festival instead? It's not as crowded, so you won't have to fight your way through people.

  Iono's response came in record time.

  [Iono]: Eh?! Wait, really?!

  [Gold King]: Sure. The more, the merrier.

  Iono's reply was just as direct.

  [Iono]: OKAY!! Then I'm definitely ing!!

  Naoki simply responded with an "OK."

  After that, Iono seemed to get busy, ing up the versation with a quick goodbye before logging off. Now left alone, Naoki's thoughts shifted back to the Hoenn situation.

  If Steven was reag out to him for assistahen things in Hoenn must have escated beyond what even the Champion could handle.

  That meant the only way to stop what was ing…

  The modern world had long siered the I Age.

  For a rge-scale event like this, there would definitely be trainers, reporters, and thrill-seekers rushing to dot everything.

  Naoki really didn't want to risk exposing his identity.

  If he was caught on camera, his face could go viral ht.

  And the hing he knew—every eager trainer who had ever heard his name would be showing up at the ranch, demanding a battle.

  If Calyrex and Giratina took a, there was no doubt about it, the entire world would know that both Legendary Pokémon were at Naoki's ranch, alongside him.

  And when that happened…

  The peaceful sanctuary he had built would be pletely overrun by eager trainers, reporters, and fanatics.

  The ranch would be razed to the ground by overwhelming crowds.

  Naoki wasn't afraid of people. But the idea of losing the peaceful, stable life he had built for his Pokémon… That was what ed him.

  After a moment of ption, aruck him.

  To protect the sanctuary of the ranch, he o take precautions.

  He had to disguise himself.

  That way, no one could associate his everyday identity—the ordinary, mild-mannered rancher Naoki—with the masked savior who would intervene in Hoenn's crisis.

  Not only would this ensure his Pokémon could tinue living undisturbed, but it would also keep unsavory groups from setting their sights on them.

  Groups like Team Rocket and Team Gactic.

  Sure, Naoki wasn't afraid of them. But dealing with their relentless schemes would be incredibly annoying.

  So, how would he do it?

  He had a perfect example to reference.

  There was already a Pokémon at his ranch that excelled in masking its identity.

  Just like Zoroark, he o craft a persona—

  A masked hero who would step forward in times of disaster.

  And without the mask?

  He would remain nothing more than a simple rancher.

  Unless someone inside his cirbsp;revealed the truth, no one would ever ect the two identities.

  After all, it had worked before—

  Bziken Mask, aka Meyer, was the loving father of Clemont and Bonnie and the owner of aronics shop.

  But secretly? He was the masked hero who fought against Team Fre.

  And then there rofessor Kukui.

  By day, he rofessor and teacher at the Pokémon School.

  But at night? He transformed into the Masked Royal, battling fiercely itle Royal Dome.

  With his deade, Naoki o himself. Whenever he left the ranch, he would wear a mask.

  A simple yet effective disguise. Now, he just needed someoo make one for him.

  …But why go to an outsider when he had someone far more capable at home?

  Meith its unparalleled crafting abilities, it was the perfebsp;Pokémon for the job.

  After lunaoki grabbed his Rotom Phone and opened a video call with Mewtwo.

  The s flickered for a moment before the Pokémon appeared.

  "What is it?" Mewtwo's voice was deep, its pierg gaze watg him through the s.

  Naoki smiled. "I need your help with something."

  Mewtwo remained silent, waiting.

  Without wasting time, Naoki expined his pn.

  When he fihe s was quiet for a long moment.

  Finally, Mewtwo spoke.

  "…I see."

  A thoughtful pause.

  Then—

  "I do it, but I'll need materials."

  Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Materials?"

  Mewtwo nodded.

  "When I built my castle on the Isnd, I attempted to create objects purely with psychiergy."

  "But I failed."

  Mewtwo's expression darkened slightly.

  "I am unsure if it was due to my ck of power at the time, or if some other unknown force prevented me from shaping raw matter into solid form."

  "In the end, I was forced to use Team Rocket's abandoned facilities as my building materials."

  Its gaze sharpened.

  "However… creating something as simple as a mask? That is well within my abilities."

  ...

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