Not Being a Trainer This Time

”So, your request is to make sure the Trainer only knows about one Pokemon of yours, is that right?”

In the living room, Naoki sat on the sofa alongside Koraidon, looking across at Sprigatito and asked, unsure.

Sprigatito leisurely licked its paw and nodded, ”Meow-ha!” (That’s right!)

Witnessing this scene, Koraidon beside him was a bit speechless.

”Ah-gah-sizzle...” (I feel you asked the wrong person...)

It thought to itself that Naoki hadn’t found the answer to this problem yet.

Naoki: ”...”

Indeed, what Koraidon said was completely correct.

He often encountered situations where Pokemons got jealous of each other!

Sprigatito looked at the big Pokemon next to it, ”Meow-ha?” (What?)

”Nothing, ha ha!” Naoki hurriedly jested, covering Koraidon’s mouth.

Sprigatito’s little face immediately filled with suspicion.

”Meow-ha...?” (Can you really help here?)

”Even I’m not sure, I can only try to think of a few solutions for you.” Naoki said.

Sprigatito looked at Naoki, ”Meow-ha?” (What solutions?)

Naoki began to help it come up with ideas.

”For instance, you need to be proactive, bravely express your feelings to the Trainer, or offer your Helping Hand when he needs it. Maybe this way, he’ll find you to be a smart and thoughtful Pokemon and like you more.” Naoki suggested.

But speaking of which, Sprigatito is known among all Pokemons for its mercurial temperament and jealousy.

If the Trainer favors other Pokemons besides it, then Sprigatito is very likely to throw a tantrum.

Then it’ll sulk, ignore the Trainer, refuse to follow orders; in more serious cases, it might even run away from home.

Hearing this, Sprigatito showed a pensive expression on its face.

”Meow-ha?” (Will the Trainer only like me as the only Pokemon then?) it asked.

Koraidon nearby looked full of words yet stopped short.

Naoki couldn’t guarantee: ”Not necessarily, but your Trainer might like you more, far beyond other Pokemons.”

Sprigatito thought seriously for a while, then spoke: ”Meow-ha!” (Got it! I’m going to try it, and if it succeeds, I’ll send you my treasure!)

Having said this, without waiting for Naoki’s response, Sprigatito jumped off the sofa, ran outside, and swiftly vanished into the grass.

Naoki slightly sighed in his heart.

Fortunately, he didn’t have Pokemons as possessive as Sprigatito at home.

”Ah-gah-sizzle...”

Watching Sprigatito go off, Koraidon pondered for a while.

It turned its head towards Naoki and suddenly asked, ”Ah-gah-sizzle?”

Through the Translation Nuts Cake, Naoki immediately understood what Koraidon was asking.

It was asking: Who is Naoki’s favorite Pokemon?

Naoki: ”...”

He displayed a polite smile: ”I equally like all of you.”

However, this wasn’t the answer Koraidon was looking for.

”Ah-gah-sizzle...” It pushed further, ”Ah-gah-sizzle?” (Which Pokemon does Naoki like more then?)

”Equally liked.” Naoki still didn’t change his answer.

Seeing this, Koraidon changed its line of questioning.

”Ah-gah-sizzle?” (Does Naoki like Cyclizar?)

”Of course.” Hearing Koraidon’s mention of Cyclizar, although a bit surprised, Naoki explained: ”For a Human Trainer, the first Pokemon in life is always meaningful, and Cyclizar was the first Pokemon I encountered here.”

”Before you came to the ranch, it was Cyclizar that accompanied me in work. During that time, the ranch was poor, and I had no money. Cyclizar didn’t disdain me, squishing with me in a shabby little log cabin every night to Sleep.”

Koraidon instantly caught the meaning in Naoki’s words.

It didn’t know what to feel at the moment.

If you talk about jealousy, it had been through such a thing before because it was Cyclizar.

If it didn’t feel anything, that’s not possible either, for it is now both Cyclizar and isn’t Cyclizar.

Koraidon felt both happy and jealous.

Happy that Cyclizar is immensely significant to Naoki.

Jealous that the Cyclizar Naoki talked about isn’t the present one but the one from the past.

Borrowing words from Slowking, it felt quite complicated.

Watching Koraidon daydream, Naoki continued:

”However, each of you Pokemon to me is different, just like in human society within a family, there are fathers, mothers, and children. Every person herein is essential for the family, it’s everyone together that defines a family.”

”Ah-gah-sizzle... What a complex matter.”

Koraidon only felt its head spinning, drooped its head, and eventually decided to give up thinking, lie down on the soft grass basking in the sun, watching white clouds float across the sky.

As for Naoki, he turned to the kitchen and began to prepare today’s lunch for the Pokemons.

Slugma, living in the heating pipes, obediently crawled over, ready to help Naoki cook and boil rice.

Seeing Slugma approach automatically, Naoki crouched down, feeding it Berry and Pokeblock.

Slugma was in a great mood, couldn’t help but use Lava Plume to express its happiness at the moment.

”Boom boom!”

Two streams of white smoke plumed out from the chimney, sending a few wild Squawkabilly resting on the rooftop fleeing.