Pokemon: A New Path

Chapter 277: Hide-and-Seek in the Snow



On November 14, in the year 198 of the Alliance Calendar, the Paldea region experienced its first heavy snowfall of the season.

The snow fell steadily for a full day and night. When it finally stopped, a breathtaking winter wonderland stretched as far as the eye could see.

As soon as the snow ceased, the Pokémon, curious and excited to explore, asked Naoki to help them tie on scarves for warmth. Naoki obliged, and soon, with scarves wrapped around them, a large group of Pokémon burst out the door and into the snow.

In an instant, the untouched snow was dotted with small, plum blossom-shaped footprints.

Right in the middle of the commotion was Pawmot, who, filled with excitement, accidentally tripped over a rock hidden under the snow. With a soft "plop," he tumbled face-first, leaving an imprint shaped like his body in the snow.

Seeing this, the other Pokémon paused and gathered around to make sure Pawmot was okay. Pawmot, covered in snow and looking a bit dazed, grinned and let out a cheerful "Pamo..."

Naoki and Arven followed behind, smiling as they watched the scene unfold. "Take it easy!" Naoki called out.

"Pamo!" Pawmot replied with a happy bark, quickly scrambling up from the snow.

Seeing his enthusiasm, the other Pokémon joined in, laughing and playing, running through the snow like children experiencing it for the first time.

Beside Arven stood Mabosstiff, watching the lively scene with a hint of longing in his eyes. Naoki noticed this and encouraged, "Mabosstiff, you're welcome to join them!"

"Woof?" Mabosstiff looked up, surprised.

Arven gently patted his head, smiling. "Go on and play with everyone! I'll be right here, don't worry."

With an excited bark, Mabosstiff's eyes lit up.

Naoki then called over Alcremie, asking her to play alongside Mabosstiff.

The cheerful and lively Alcremie agreed happily, leading Mabosstiff over to join the others.

Watching Mabosstiff, Naoki turned to Arven and asked gently, "Has Mabosstiff always been with you?"

Arven replied sincerely, "I've never really been alone. Mabosstiff has been there for me all along. My parents gave him to me. He's been by my side ever since I was born."

Hearing this, Naoki nodded, thinking to himself that it made sense. No wonder, in the game, Arven had traveled across Paldea in search of a cure for Mabosstiff.

A child like Arven must be deeply sentimental.

"Have you always lived in Mesagoza?" Naoki asked.

Arven replied honestly, "Not always. Sometimes my parents would take me to the Area Zero Research Lab, and I'd stay there for a while."

"I see!" Naoki paused, then suddenly remembered something. "By the way, you'll be ten next year, won't you?"

Arven looked over, surprised. "How did you know?"

"Don't you remember? The professor mentioned it last time you came here," Naoki said with a smile.

Arven thought back and, after a moment, recalled it.

Naoki continued, "So, what are your plans for next year? Will you set out as a Pokémon Trainer, or maybe attend Paldea Academy?"

"I... I'm not very good at Pokémon battles," Arven admitted hesitantly, "and I'm not really sure what I want to do."

Naoki paused, holding back a grin. Here was Arven, who, in the game, could battle with six Pokémon above level 60-claiming he wasn't very good at battling! What would he be like if he actually tried?

But Naoki also remembered that Arven's true dream wasn't to become a powerful Trainer; he wanted to become a chef who could create nutritious meals to invigorate Pokémon.

Was this what they called "a chef who can also battle"?

Suppressing a laugh, Naoki encouraged him, "If you're uncertain, you could try Paldea Academy. Maybe you'll find your answer there."

"Yeah!" Arven nodded earnestly.

By this time, the Pokémon playing in the snow had begun building snowmen under the leadership of Koraidon. However, Koraidon's technique left something to be desired-its snowman had a giant head and a tiny body.

Seeing this, Naoki approached with Arven, chuckling. "To do this right, the snowball on top shouldn't be too big..."

As he was speaking, an image of Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests, popped into his mind.

Naoki paused, then quickly changed his approach. "Or actually, it can be big! You could even make snowmen that look like different Pokémon."

"Agh-gah!" Koraidon seemed to catch on immediately.

It began to enthusiastically scoop snow with its large paws.

The other Pokémon joined in, and soon, a series of strange, uniquely shaped snowmen dotted the snowy field.

Naoki sighed, amused, but gave in with a smile. "Well, they're Pokémon after all. You can't expect perfection."

Naoki looked around the snowy landscape, his gaze falling on the Indeedees nearby. An idea sparked in his mind as he remembered a beautiful hedge maze he had once seen at a grand estate, where Pokémon played hide-and-seek within its winding paths.

A thought struck him—what if he created a small ice maze here for the Pokémon to explore?

Excited, he approached Glaceon, who was quietly watching the other Pokémon playing in the snow with a serene smile. To Glaceon, who had grown up in the snow-covered Frost Mountains, this winter scenery was nothing new.

As Naoki approached, Glaceon turned its head, eyes curious. "Booey?"

"Got a moment? I have a favor to ask." Naoki grinned, explaining his idea for an ice maze.

Glaceon pondered the plan for a moment, then nodded eagerly. "Bu-yi!"

"Perfect! Let's give it a try, shall we?" Naoki asked, already feeling the thrill of setting the

idea into motion.

With an excited nod, Glaceon followed Naoki to a wide, open area.

"Alright, Glaceon," Naoki said, stepping back to give it space, "start by using Ice Beam to create a wall of ice!"

"Bu-yi!"

Glaceon responded with enthusiasm, taking a steady stance. It opened its mouth and unleashed a frigid beam that swept across the snowy ground, instantly forming a solid, ice- blue wall wherever it touched.

"Fantastic! Just like that!" Naoki cheered, seeing how smoothly the first wall formed. "Now, let's connect more walls to shape the maze!"

With a determined "Bu-yi!" Glaceon continued, precisely aiming its Ice Beam to create walls that stretched across the snow, section by section.

Starting with four outer walls, Glaceon outlined a large, square area. Then, with Naoki's guidance, it added a network of smaller walls of varying lengths, building pathways and turns

within the space.

Soon, the entire maze took shape-a grand ice maze playground with two entrances. The twisting paths connected, though only one true route led to the exit.

As soon as Glaceon finished creating the maze, a crowd of Pokémon gathered, gazing in awe at the towering walls of ice that rose from the ground. Naoki was equally impressed by the impressive structure Glaceon had managed to create; the ice walls even stood taller than him. Clearly, the creamy smoothies Glaceon enjoyed all summer had fueled its energy well! "Great job, Glaceon!" Naoki praised, gently patting Glaceon's head. He then turned to the gathered Pokémon, explaining the rules of hide-and-seek with excitement. "Alright, everyone, here's how hide-and-seek works," Naoki announced. "One team hides, and the other team has to find all the hiding Pokémon."

"If the seekers find everyone, they win. The first Pokémon caught will become the seeker in the next round," he continued. "Does everyone understand?"

Some Pokémon nodded eagerly, while others looked a bit puzzled. But soon, Pawmot's eyes

lit up as it exclaimed, "Pamo!" It understood!

Hovering a little off the ground, Pawmot called out to the others, "Pamo!" It was

volunteering to be the first seeker!

Naoki chuckled but raised a hand to stop it. "Hold on, Pawmot. No flying or using special

moves while you're seeking."

Pawmot's face fell, surprised by this rule. 'No flying? Then how would it find everyone?!'

Naoki grinned, "You'll just have to rely on your eyes, Pawmot." Pawmot paused, considering this. After a moment, it nodded confidently.

Seeing no objections from the other Pokémon, Naoki clapped his hands. "Alright then,

everyone, you can start hiding! When Pawmot counts to fifty, it'll start looking for you. Try not to get caught too soon!"

The Pokémon scattered, each darting into the maze with excitement. They weaved through the icy pathways, searching for the perfect hiding spots. Even Koraidon, usually calm and composed, was swept up in the excitement, rushing into the maze to hide.

Closing its eyes, Pawmot began counting aloud in Naoki's instructed way.

"Pamo!" (One!)

"Pamo!" (Two!)

...

"Pamo!" (Thirty-five!)

"Pamo!" (Thirty-six!)

Its voice echoed loudly, reaching every corner of the maze, and all the Pokémon hiding within

could hear the countdown growing closer to fifty.

As the countdown neared its end, the Pokémon hiding in the maze felt a surge of urgency.

Inside the maze, Alcremie glanced around in a mild panic, searching for a place to hide. Suddenly, it noticed the thick layer of snow blanketing the ground and had an idea. With a sparkle in its eye, it burrowed into the snow, hiding its body completely-though it failed to

notice the trail of little footprints left behind.

...

In a hidden corner of the maze, Cyclizar crouched low, pressing itself tightly against the wall. It nervously glanced around, convinced that by curling up and staying perfectly still, it could

blend in and avoid detection by Pawmot.

...

"Pamo!" (Fifty!)

The countdown complete, Pawmot eagerly entered the maze, ready to track down its friends.

Pawmot was a clever Pokémon, and it quickly noticed the trail of footprints in the snow. "Pamo!" (I found you!) it announced, pretending to be on to something.

Following the prints, it traced the tracks all the way to a dead end, where a suspicious mound

of snow lay ahead.

"Pamo..." Pawmot approached carefully, then gave the snowy mound a playful pat with its

paw.

The next second, a startled cry erupted from beneath the snow.

"Mree!"

...

"It seems Alcremie was the first Pokémon found by Pawmot," Naoki chuckled as he listened

to the muffled squeal from the maze. Leaving the Pokémon to enjoy their game, he stretched and glanced over at the greenhouse,

thinking it was a good time to check on the Combees and their honey brewing.

"Would you like to join me, Arven?" he asked.

Arven shook his head. "No, Mr. Naoki. I want to stay here."

"Alright," Naoki replied with a warm smile. "If you get cold, just head back to the livingNôv(el)B\\jnn

room. The fireplace is still burning; it'll warm you up in no time."

"Thank you!" Arven said gratefully.

Naoki nodded and then headed off toward the glass greenhouse. Noticing that Calyrex wasn't around, Naoki figured he might be exploring the areas surrounding the ranch to familiarize himself with the new environment. After greeting Butterfree as he passed, Naoki approached the Combee hive.

The hive's honey stores were low, and the Combee looked drowsy and lethargic. Naoki

guessed they might be like certain Pokémon that need to conserve energy in the winter, becoming less active during the colder months.

This was perfectly natural for a Pokémon like Combee.

Seeing their low energy, Naoki went back to the house and took out some honey he had set

aside earlier, intending it as a reserve to help the Combee get through winter. Carefully, he placed it inside the hive.

Just as he finished, Calyrex returned, materializing in the greenhouse. With a dignified air, he

addressed Naoki:

"I sensed a deep stillness on the mountain-an absence of life. What has happened there?"

Naoki quickly realized what Calyrex was referring to. With a serious expression, he explained:

"Before you arrived, there was a terrible fire on the mountainside. It burned through the plants, and sadly, many Pokémon didn't survive."

He gestured to the orchard area nearby. "The Pokémon living here are those who managed to

escape. I brought them to the ranch, and I promised them that come spring, we'll replant grass, flowers, and trees on the mountain to restore their home."

"I see..." murmured Calyrex softly.

Hearing of the many lives lost, the compassionate Pokémon King appeared deeply saddened.

"If only I had been here sooner, I could have used my powers to guide them to safety," he sighed, his tone heavy with regret.

Naoki sighed as well, nodding. "All we can do now is help the survivors rebuild."

Calyrex closed his eyes in solemn silence, mourning the Pokémon that had perished. After a moment, he opened them again, his gaze resolute.

"In that case, I will lend my strength to aid in the restoration." "Thank you." Naoki nodded gratefully, mentally noting to gather supplies like saplings and grass seeds.

The fire's impact had extended beyond the ranch. Some Pokémon had been rescued by the Paldea League and were currently recovering at a shelter in town.

When the time came to begin replanting, Naoki was certain the Paldea League would send

help as well, working together to bring the forest back to life.

...

"Wait, are we really in 2nd place this week and almost at 1st? | Okay, okay, I might accidentally

know that Author Capricorn hasn't posted this week (no spying involved, I promise!). But

hey, I'm incredibly grateful for all the stones you've showered me with-seriously, you all are the real MVPs! Let's keep this momentum going! [["

PS: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 305 at patreon.com/Keepsmiling818 Don't forget to drop those power stones for a bonus chapter