Not Being a Trainer This Time

Naoki looked at Rayquaza with a complicated expression.

Seemingly afraid of being overheard by Rayquaza, Alcremie jumped onto Naoki’s shoulder and began to whisper to him.

”Mawa! Mawa!” (Rayquaza is so unfortunate! It always lives up in the sky and only eats hard stones when it’s hungry. Naoki, let’s make a delicious cream cake for Rayquaza together!)

Naoki: ”...”

He wanted to explain that Rayquaza’s food wasn’t stones, but rather the energy from meteorites.

But looking at Alcremie’s eager eyes, Naoki simply couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

His Alcremie was really just too kind.

”Alright, you all wait here, I’ll make it for you,” Naoki said.

”Mawa!” Alcremie cheered excitedly.

They had plenty of cream left at home, so Alcremie didn’t need to help.

Naoki let Alcremie continue to play while he returned to the room to start making the cream cake.

Eevee sneaked over as well.

Naoki was cracking eggs when Eevee ran to his leg, calling out expectantly:

”Bui! Bui?” (Naoki! Can I evolve into a Dragon-type Pokemon?)

Naoki was taken aback for a second, somewhat unsure he had heard correctly: ”What did you say? A Dragon-type Pokemon?”

Eevee nodded vigorously: ”Bui!” (Yes! Like the great hero Rayquaza!)

Naoki understood. Eevee was captivated by the story of Rayquaza saving the world? It didn’t want to evolve into a Fairy Eevee that fights off evil dragons, but rather a more powerful Dragon Eevee.

But the problem was, a Dragon Eevee didn’t even exist!

As of the time he had crossed over, GF still hadn’t released a Dragon-type Eevee.

Even if Eevee could evolve into a Dragon Eevee, he didn’t know how it would be done.

After briefly thinking it over, Naoki shook his head and said: ”I’m afraid not, because as of now, this world doesn’t have a Dragon Eevee.”

”Bui...” Eevee looked disappointed.

Naoki consoled it: ”Don’t be sad.”

Eevee lifted its head to look at him.

Naoki smiled and said: ”As long as you have the heart of a hero, no matter what you evolve into, you can save the world and protect others.”

”Fairy Eevee can, Leafeon can, Espeon can, even if you don’t evolve, you can still protect others.”

”Bui...” Eevee looked adorably dumbfounded.

After a moment, it seemed to understand, nodding excitedly: ”Bui!” (I understand!)

With that, Eevee dashed out the door.

”This kid...”

Naoki smiled helplessly, then focused on baking the dessert for Rayquaza.

Time passed second by second. He didn’t know how long he was at it, but with a light ding, the fragrant cream cake was freshly baked.

The cream, as pure white as mutton-fat jade, was adorned with a few bright red cherries. Cutting it open revealed the soft golden cake inside. The cake had two layers, filled with fruit in the middle to enhance its flavor and texture.

Naoki cut the cream cake into several pieces, then grabbed some poffins, juice, milk, and other foods from the refrigerator to bring to Snorlax Park.

Upon his arrival, the Pokemon erupted in joyous calls.

Naoki sensed Rayquaza’s gaze on him.

He also heard Ogerpon happily introducing him to Rayquaza.

”Bonnie bonnie!” (Rayquaza, this is Naoki! He’s the one who told us about you saving the world!)

Naoki: ”...”

He swore he was only telling a story about a Dragon-type Pokemon to share with Dragonite and the others.

Upon hearing Ogerpon’s words, Rayquaza looked over again and then, opening its mouth, let out a deep growl.

Naoki heard it say, ”Not bad!”

Naoki was a bit surprised, was Rayquaza complimenting him?

He placed the freshly made food on the picnic cloth and said to the gathered Pokemon: ”Enjoy!”

The Pokemon cheered joyously.

Naoki stood nearby for a moment, hearing Dragonite and the others ask Rayquaza a series of questions.

Questions like, ”Rayquaza, do you always live in the sky?”, ”Are there lots of stars up there?”, ”Do you eat the moon, Rayquaza?”

Rayquaza answered them all simply.

”Yes, I always live in the sky.”, ”Stars? There are many, they are outside this planet.”, ”I don’t eat the moon, it’s too large.”

Every time Rayquaza answered, a Pokemon would gaze at it dreamily and say, ”Rayquaza, you’re amazing!”

Getting such praise, Rayquaza was visibly pleased, relaxing entirely while savoring food it had never tasted and chatting with these adoring Pokemon.

Naoki was beginning to feel drowsy from listening; the Pokemon’s questions were way too innocent.

Eventually, he decided to head home, leaving the impromptu party in peace.

The gathering lasted until the afternoon.

Just before dusk, Rayquaza, amidst farewells from Dragonite and the others, left the ranch and soared into the sky.

It was over.

Naoki withdrew his gaze from the sky, feeling a sigh of relief, turning to Dragonite to ask:

”What made you think of calling Rayquaza over?”

Dragonite looked innocent: ”Awoo.” (Because everyone wanted to meet Rayquaza!)

Naoki: ”...”

Oh well, Pokemon aren’t human, after all, and when Rayquaza entrusted its Dragon Scale to Dragonite, it probably wasn’t just being polite.

Dragonite really can go to it when needed; now it seems even when it’s not needed, it can still go.

”Alright, then,” Naoki took a deep breath, just about to return indoors for dinner when he felt a familiar gust of wind.

He looked up to see Rayquaza returning.

In its Dragon Claw was a ”star” emitting a yellow glow.

Rayquaza landed in the middle of the ranch, giving the ”star” to a few Pokemon before turning around to shoot into the clouds.

This time, it had really left.

Seeing Dragonite holding the star in its Dragon Claw, Naoki felt bewildered.

Dragonite and the few Pokemon shared his confusion.

But quickly, Naoki realized.

This was Rayquaza’s return gift for the gathering!

Since a Pokemon had earlier asked about stars, Rayquaza had plucked a star for them.

Yet Naoki couldn’t help but be at a loss for words — that wasn’t an actual star!

That damn thing was a Minior, a Yellow Core Minior!

Minior, the Meteor Pokemon.

Shaped like a shining star, born in the stratosphere, residing in the ozone layer, a Pokemon born from mutations of nano particles, it survives by absorbing surrounding dust particles, serving as food for stronger Pokemon.

And that stronger Pokemon was probably Rayquaza, living in the ozone layer...

Thinking about this, Naoki felt a turmoil of emotions.

But soon, he had no time for such thoughts.

The glow on the Yellow Minior was starting to fade.

This was a trait of these Pokemon; if their core remained exposed for too long, they would vanish, disappearing completely from this world.

Watching this Minior about to dissipate, Naoki hurriedly returned to his room to grab a new Poke Ball and caught it inside.

The Poke Ball shook a few times, then fell silent.

”Awoo?” Seeing what Naoki did, the few Pokemon in front of him looked puzzled.

Naoki explained to them: ”That’s not a star, it’s a Pokemon called Minior.”

”Without its shell, it can’t be exposed to the air for long, or it will disappear and lose its life. Only in a Poke Ball can it survive.”

Hearing this, Dragonite was shocked.

The stars in the sky were Pokemon?!

Just then, the sound of a vehicle approaching reached them.

Naoki turned to see Zack driving onto the ranch.

He had just parked when he jumped out, wide-eyed and staring in shock at the sky above the ranch.

”Did something just fly out of the ranch?!”

”...Yes,” Naoki replied succinctly, ”It was a Pokemon, visiting the ranch.”

”I see...” Zack recalled the dark silhouette he had seen on the road, murmuring, ”It scared me. I’ve never seen a Pokemon like that before. It’s fine, as long as it’s fine.”