Pokemon: A New Path

Chapter 153: The emergency action of the hero expedition team!

 n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

As dusk settled over the ranch, the three challengers, now thoroughly worn out, bid farewell to Naoki. Their bodies showed signs of fatigue, but their spirits were lifted.

"Goodbye, Mr. Naoki! Thank you so much for your help today! We'll be back if we get the chance!" they said as they waved.

Naoki gave them a casual wave. "Take care!"

From the way they looked, it seemed they had learned a great deal from the day's challenges. Satisfied, the three of them departed.

Naoki turned back to check on his Gogoat. After expending all their built-up energy, the three Gogoat seemed content, relaxed, and rested.

Seeing Naoki approach, the Gogoat greeted him with cheerful bleats.

"Mea!"

Naoki smiled. "It's okay, you can keep resting!"

As he made his way back to the house, he thought about the situation with his Gogoat. Whether through battling or dancing, both activities helped them release energy, but the effect was always temporary.

The real challenge lay in finding a longer-lasting solution. If Gogoat could be compared to a balloon filled with water-where the water represented the Grass-type energy within them- then expanding the capacity of the balloon would allow them to hold more energy without needing to release it so frequently.

Naoki knew that if he wanted his Gogoat to stop needing daily battles to expend energy, he'd need to improve their physical strength and expand the amount of energy they could store. The only proven methods for this in the world of Pokémon were rigorous training and intense battles.

"It would be nice if I could prepare some dishes to help them build their strength," Naoki mused. The special fried rock salt and soil he made for Nacli worked wonders for the Rock- type Pokémon, enhancing their strength, but unfortunately, it had no effect on Grass-types like Gogoat.

By now, the day was winding down, and Pokémon that had spent the day frolicking outside were returning to their nests. Koraidon lay by Naoki's bed, lazily wagging its tail, while Cyclizar and Dragonite stood by the refrigerator, greedily gulping down glasses of tree sap juice.

Naoki turned his attention to preparing dinner for everyone. As the warm light from the stove flickered, the smell of sizzling food filled the air.

Smoke curled out of the chimney, rising high into the evening sky, while the soft orange glow of the setting sun streamed through the window. The entire room was bathed in a warm, tranquil atmosphere.

While cooking, Naoki's mind drifted to thoughts of Teddiursa and Mew. It had been nearly half a month since he had last heard from them. He wondered where they were and how they were faring.

From the messages they had sent and the Pokémon that delivered their updates, Naoki guessed there was a 70% chance that the two were somewhere in either the Kanto or Johto regions.

Those regions were far from Paldea and given the time difference, while it was evening here, it was likely late at night over there.

He imagined that Teddiursa and Mew were fast asleep, perhaps tucked away under a great tree, using Mew's powers to create a cozy hideout. The two small, furry Pokémon likely slept soundly, nestled in each other's warmth.

Dinner was ready, and the sky outside had turned completely dark. Naoki, along with his Pokémon companions, began enjoying their meal together.

...

Meanwhile, far away in the Kanto region, just as Naoki had predicted, it was already late at night. Waves crashed against the rocky cliffs below, and the vast, deep sea stretched endlessly into the horizon.

The weather wasn't ideal. The sky was starless, shrouded in darkness, and the only light in the area came from a lone lighthouse perched on the cliff's edge.

Mew and Teddiursa were sitting leisurely atop the lighthouse.

A few days earlier, they had traveled to this place. A word from the local Pokémon said that every late night, a mysterious figure appeared on the sea, wandering nearby.

This unknown creature, always shrouded in fog, was massive-like a sea monster-and let out eerie, lonely cries.

A Kingler living by the sea was especially frightened by it. One day, it learned about the recently famous Hero Expedition Team-an adventurous pair of Pokémon known for helping those in need.

The expedition team, consisting of Mew and Teddiursa, was said to have arrived in the area, and so Kingler sought their help to investigate the mysterious figure.

Always eager for an adventure, Mew and Teddiursa accepted the mission and stationed themselves atop the lighthouse, waiting for the mysterious Pokémon to appear.

Just then, they noticed three sneaky figures below.

It was none other than Team Rocket-Jessie, James, and Meowth-sneaking toward the lighthouse. The trio, oblivious to the fact that they were being watched, were clearly up to no

good.

Jessie, crouching as she led the way, was already daydreaming, "There must be so many valuable things inside this lighthouse!"

James, walking beside her, nodded excitedly. "Maybe there are rare Pokémon here, and we can catch them all!"

Meowth chimed in with a grin, "Then we'll hand 'em over to the Boss, get promoted, and hit the jackpot, Meowth!"

Mew, observing the trio, tilted its head curiously. "Mew?"

Teddiursa, however, narrowed its eyes. Having been harassed by Meowth in a previous encounter in the city, it wasn't too fond of Pokémon like Meowth.

What Mew and Teddiursa hadn't expected was that Meowth could actually speak human language! The discovery left the two Pokémon even more puzzled.

However, their curiosity was interrupted as a thin layer of mist began to rise over the sea.

Mew suddenly became alert, sensing something. It turned, along with Teddiursa, to see a massive dark shadow approaching from the distant waters.

The figure was far larger than anything they had imagined.

Even though Mew and Teddiursa had been waiting for this, the sheer size of the shadow still

took them by surprise.

"Mew!" (It's so big!)

The figure, cloaked in the darkness of the night, was surrounded by a thick fog, making it impossible to discern any specific details.

At the same time, Team Rocket, who had been sneaking around below, also noticed the

shadow.

They, too, were stunned, but Jessie quickly saw an opportunity.

"If we catch this thing and deliver it to the boss," she said, her eyes gleaming with ambition.

"Brilliant idea!" James clapped his hands in agreement.

"Let's do it, meow!" Meowth chimed in excitedly.

As soon as the figure reached the coastline, Team Rocket sprang into action, sending out their Pokémon to attack the shadow.

But their reckless actions only served to anger the massive creature. With terrifying power, it swatted Team Rocket and their Pokémon away with ease, sending them flying into the

distance.

"We're blasting off agaaaaain!" they cried as they disappeared into the night sky.

The force of the creature's retaliation was so immense that the lighthouse Mew and Teddiursa had been perched on began to crumble. Most of the structure was destroyed in the

process.

Mew's eyes flashed with determination, and it quickly used its psychic powers to lift itself and Teddiursa into the air, just in time to avoid being caught in the destruction.

Then, the black shadow let out a sorrowful, haunting cry. It slowly turned and began

retreating back into the sea.

As the fog lifted slightly, Teddiursa's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of the creature's form

through the mist.

"Ursa" ('Is that... a Dragonite?') Teddiursa was shocked.

"Ursa!" (How can it be so huge?!)