Pokémon, Soup, and Super Onions [378]

June 23, Year 199 of the Alliance Calendar

The Paldea region had entered the peak of summer, and the sweltering heat hung heavily in the air.

The scorching weather drove all the Pokémon—including Pawmot, Alcremie, and Eevee—to seek refuge in Glaceon's icy cave. Their thick, plush fur made running around in such high temperatures unbearable, leaving them sweaty and uncomfortable.

Even traveling trainers chose to stay in town, waiting for the cooler evening hours to journey to the next destination. For a time, the ranch was unusually quiet, with no trainers arriving to take on challenges. The oppressive heat made wandering the wilderness far from appealing.

Naoki, however, didn't mind the downtime. Taking advantage of the lull, he completed his morning chores on the ranch before the temperatures peaked and then stayed indoors for the rest of the day.

The sun blazed relentlessly outside, and the faint chirping of cicadas could be heard coming from the hills behind the ranch. Inside, the air conditioning provided a reprieve.

Calyrex lounged in the living room, engrossed in a daytime drama on TV. Meanwhile, the Indeedee siblings tidied up the mess left behind by the other Pokémon.

Upstairs on the second floor, Naoki sat at his desk, refreshing the forum post he had created to see if anyone was selling the coins. Over the past month, he had managed to buy some coins from various sellers on the forum.

With those purchases, the coin collection had reached 230 out of the 1,000 coins needed for evolution.

"I'm nearly a quarter of the way there," Naoki murmured, doing a quick mental calculation. "If I keep this pace, I should be able to collect enough by this time next year."

Still, he couldn't help but feel uncertain. The process of acquiring these coins had been anything but smooth. In addition to finding sellers, he had faced stiff competition from antique collectors who drove up prices on the forum.

A few days ago, someone had even outbid him, offering a significantly higher price for a set of coins Naoki had been negotiating to buy. It was frustrating, and though the ranch's income was decent, it wasn't enough to support Naoki in a bidding war.

His thoughts were interrupted by a notification from the private chat interface.

Curious, he clicked the message. It was from Raifort.

[Ancient Explorer]: How's the coin hunt going? Is it progressing smoothly?

Raifort had just finished her lunch and returned to her dormitory, taking advantage of the air conditioning to escape the heat. She had no afternoon classes and was using her free time to browse forums for ancient relic information while casually checking in on Naoki.

[Gold King]: Not very smoothly. A few days ago, someone outbid me and snatched the sellers I was negotiating with.

[Ancient Explorer]: That's to be expected. Most antiques sold on the market usually go through auctions. The highest bidder always wins.

Naoki sighed as he typed out his response, only to see Raifort had sent another message before he could reply.

[Ancient Explorer]: Have you considered alternative methods to collect more coins? If you're interested, I might have an idea to help you!

Naoki frowned, an incredulous thought crossing his mind. He hesitated for a moment before typing.

[Gold King]: …You're not suggesting I join you on a tomb-raiding expedition, are you?

To his surprise, the reply came quickly.

[Ancient Explorer]: That's exactly what I'm suggesting! Are you in? If we're lucky, we could hit the jackpot and find a lot of coins in one go.

Naoki blinked at the screen, momentarily tempted. The idea was undeniably appealing, but his sense of morality held him back. After a brief internal debate, he replied.

[Gold King]: No thanks. Robbing tombs is too disrespectful and immoral.

Raifort's reply came almost instantly.

[Ancient Explorer]: Tomb robbing? This isn't a cemetery we're talking about! My target this time is an ancient ruin buried deep underground.

At her dormitory in Paldea Academy, Raifort sent the message with an excited gleam in her eye. She glanced at an old tome resting on her desk, her fingers brushing its fragile cover. This ancient book was a treasure she had unearthed deep within the academy's library—a place renowned for its extensive collection of historical texts and rare manuscripts.

Her position as a history teacher wasn't just a job; it was a strategic move to access the library's invaluable resources. And now, her efforts had borne fruit—she had found detailed records of the legendary Treasures of Ruin.

The book chronicled the catastrophic events caused by the ancient Pokémon thousands of years ago.

Raifort had no trouble deciphering the ancient text in the book. As an expert in her field, interpreting ancient scripts was second nature to her.

The book recounted a catastrophic event in the ancient Paldean Kingdom where four Pokémon, known as the Treasures of Ruin, caused widespread destruction, obliterating the royal city. In desperation, the king summoned a legendary Pokémon Trainer known as the Pokémon Envoy to combat the calamity.

A fierce battle ensued between the Pokémon Envoy and the four Treasures of Ruin. Eventually, the Pokémon Envoy succeeded in sealing the four, but just as the sealing ritual was nearing completion, one of the treasures—a cauldron—unleashed its remaining power. A devastating earthquake followed, splitting the earth and burying the already ruined city deep underground.

The royal city's exact location was lost, and the king, deeming it irreparable, relocated his people to build a new capital elsewhere.

This time, Raifort's objective was the ruins of the buried royal city. She aimed to investigate the Treasures of Ruin, whose history had intrigued her for years.

Raifort decided to approach Naoki for help. From their month-long conversations, she had come to know Naoki as an exceptionally skilled trainer. The ancient ruins buried deep underground might harbor powerful Pokémon, and having a seasoned trainer alongside would make her exploration significantly safer and more efficient.

When Naoki read Raifort's message explaining that their target wasn't a cemetery but an ancient ruin, his curiosity was piqued.

[Gold King]: Tell me more.

Raifort quickly explained:

[Ancient Explorer]: The ruins are the remains of an ancient royal city, buried deep beneath the earth due to a calamity. The city was abandoned in haste, leaving its treasures behind. If we find the castle treasury, there could be a fortune in gold and silver. You might even collect hundreds, maybe thousands of Gimmighoul coins at once!

The mention of a castle treasury and the possibility of finding hundreds of coins struck a chord with Naoki. If true, it could mean that he could help Gimmighoul evolve in one fell swoop.

Raifort, true to her forthright nature, then explained why she wanted Naoki to join her.

[Ancient Explorer]: There's a chance the ruins are inhabited by powerful Pokémon. With a Champion-level trainer by my side, the investigation will be much easier.

Naoki blinked at her words, momentarily taken aback.

[Gold King]: How do you know about me?

Raifort's response came swiftly:

[Ancient Explorer]: Naoki, Naoki Ranch, Kosaji Town. Your magical ranch is somewhat famous at Paldea Academy. My students have discussed it in class before. At first, I didn't realize you were that Naoki. But when you mentioned you run a ranch in Kosaji Town and the unique Pokémon, Koraidon, that you have, I connected the dots.

Naoki chuckled softly at her explanation and typed back:

[Gold King]: Alright, when do we leave?

Raifort replied enthusiastically:

[Ancient Explorer]: July 20th. Paldea Academy will begin its two-month summer break then, so I'll have plenty of time to dedicate to the investigation. What do you think?

July 20th—it was still 27 days away. Naoki paused for a moment before making his decision. For the sake of helping Gimmighoul evolve into its next form, Gholdengo, he decided to join her.

[Gold King]: Deal.

[Ancient Explorer]: Thank you very much. If we don't find enough coins in the treasury, I'll make it my mission to help you collect more from other treasure hunters when we return.

[Gold King]: Thank You. 

With double insurance like this, Naoki figured he couldn't lose. Agreeing to help Raifort wasn't just about the coins—if he could gain her trust, he might also uncover crucial information about the Treasures of Ruin. 

Satisfied for the moment, Naoki glanced at the forum one last time. Since no one else had contacted him about selling coins, he turned off the computer and headed downstairs. 

In the Living Room

Calyrex was sitting gracefully on the couch, sipping black tea while intently watching TV. Its regal posture seemed oddly at odds with the colorful, animated Pokémon variety show playing on the screen.

Noticing Naoki coming down, Calyrex shifted its gaze toward him, its luminous eyes glinting with curiosity.

Naoki looked at the Pokémon and frowned slightly.

"If you keep staring at the screen like that, you're going to ruin your eyesight," he muttered.

Calyrex tilted its head in confusion.

'Can Pokémon even get nearsighted?' Naoki wondered aloud.

After a brief pause, he decided to ask. "Calyrex, do your eyes ever feel sore? Or do you have trouble seeing things far away, like they look blurry?"

Calyrex's brows furrowed thoughtfully, as though trying to decipher the meaning of Naoki's words. After a moment, it gave a calm shake of its head.

"I've never experienced such a thing," it replied simply.

Naoki blinked. 'So Pokémon can't get nearsighted'.

Shrugging off the thought, he glanced at the clock on the wall. To his surprise, it was already 11:30.

"Looks like it's time to start on lunch," he said, stretching as he made his way to the kitchen.

...

Naoki opened the refrigerator, pulling out the ingredients he had bought earlier that week. Since the summer heat was unrelenting, he decided to make something refreshing: mung bean soup—a perfect dish to cool down the Pokémon.

As he began preparing, sister Indeedee stepped forward to help.

"Ai-ai!" she chimed cheerfully, her delicate psychic aura gently lifting a bowl from the counter.

"Thanks," Naoki said, smiling at her helpfulness.

The first step was soaking the mung beans. He poured them into a bowl, filled it with water, and let them soak for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, he washed the beans thoroughly to remove any grit or impurities.

Once ready, Naoki poured the beans into a large pot, added fresh water, and set it on the stove to boil.

There weren't any mung beans grown on the ranch—these had been bought earlier during one of Naoki's trips to the town.

As Naoki set the pot on the stove, a familiar helper appeared. Slugma, the little Lava Pokémon that lived in the heating pipes, slithered out from its usual spot. It made its way under the stove, settling in comfortably to provide consistent, radiant heat to assist with the cooking.

Naoki smiled warmly at the sight of Slugma diligently helping with the cooking. He reached for a few berries, squatted down, and gently fed them to the Lava Pokémon.

Slugma chirped happily as it ate, its molten body glowing faintly with satisfaction. Once it had its fill, it focused intently, releasing steady heat to assist in cooking the mung bean soup. Its skill at controlling temperature had grown impressively over time, making it an indispensable helper in the kitchen. Naoki often joked that Slugma was as good as a professional chef's assistant.

While the soup simmered, Naoki moved on to preparing meals for the other Pokémon. He fried steaks for Koraidon, Cyclizar, and Flutter Mane. His expertise in cooking shone as he flipped the steaks deftly in the pan, the aroma of sizzling meat filling the kitchen.

When the steaks were perfectly golden brown—crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside—he transferred them onto white porcelain plates. He then set about steaming sea bass for Dragonite and crafting a stack of sandwiches for Ogerpon.

By the time the meals were ready, the mung bean soup had finished cooking. Naoki carefully moved the pot aside to cool and turned his attention to Slugma. With an iron hook in hand, he gently cleaned out the charcoal blocks that had formed on the Pokémon's body.

These charcoal blocks were a byproduct of the fruits Slugma ate. While the flesh of the fruit was digested, the pits and cores were heated to high temperatures within Slugma's body and transformed into chunks of charcoal. Without hands, Slugma couldn't clean itself, so Naoki had taken it upon himself to help. The Lava Pokémon cooed with pleasure, clearly enjoying the process.

"Good as new," Naoki said with a smile as he finished cleaning. He then turned to Cyclizar. "Go fetch everyone from the ice cave—it's lunchtime!"

Cyclizar let out a cheerful chirp and zipped out the door. Moments later, a chorus of lively cries echoed through the ranch as a group of Pokémon bounded toward the house.

Naoki brought the prepared food to the dining table. As he glanced at the pot of mung bean soup, he sighed lightly, feeling a mix of pride and amusement. The dish's cooling effect was exactly what he'd hoped for, perfect for combating the summer heat.

[Mung Bean Soup (C) Effect: Cools and relieves heat. After consumption by humans or Pokémon, it provides a refreshing sensation, helping to prevent heat stroke—ideal for hot summer days.]

At the table, the Pokémon eagerly dug into their meals. Their happy chatter and the sound of contented munching filled the room.

Naoki stood nearby, watching them with a soft, apologetic smile.

In his previous life, Naoki wasn't a chef but an overworked corporate employee who spent countless late nights drowning in overtime. His limited cooking skills meant that his meals were often repetitive.

Sandwiches, fried steaks, steamed sea bass, and the occasional home-cooked dishes like chicken stewed with mushrooms, braised pork, eggplant in soy sauce, pork rib soup, or pork stewed with vermicelli were the extent of his repertoire.

At this moment, Naoki deeply regretted not enrolling in a culinary school in his previous life. If he had taken the time to learn, he could have prepared a wider variety of meals.

But Koraidon and the others never saw it that way.

To them, any meal prepared by Naoki was a treat. They savored his cooking with joy, no matter how repetitive the dishes might seem. Life on the ranch was a dream compared to their harsh days in the wild.

Back then, food was nothing but berries and survival was the priority. Now, they not only enjoyed a variety of meals but also indulged in treats like Poffins and sweet Pokéblocks, thanks to Naoki's efforts to rotate their diets.

By four in the evening, the scorching midday heat began to fade, and the temperature became bearable.

Taking advantage of the cooler weather, Naoki walked out to the ranch to inspect the fields. Nearly a month had passed since he planted the green onions for Farfetch'd, and they had grown significantly.

To his surprise, the onions had grown to an extraordinary size, standing over two meters tall. Whether it was the influence of the Grass energy from Gogoat or some kind of mutation, these onions were nothing short of extraordinary. They reminded Naoki of the gigantic scallions he had once seen in his previous life.

As Naoki approached the onion patch, he saw Farfetch'd pacing along the garden's ridges, proudly holding its original leek. Its gaze, however, was fixed on the towering leeks with an expression of unparalleled excitement and anticipation.

If these massive leeks could be wielded as weapons, Naoki thought, Farfetch'd's moves would likely gain an incredible boost in power.

[Super Onion: A special crop. This onion has undergone mutation due to the Grass energy emitted by Gogoat. Now standing over two meters tall, its durability has dramatically increased. It is a true "super onion," ideal for use as a weapon by certain Pokémon or as an ingredient for an exceptionally flavorful soup. Fully mature in one day.]

"Unbelievable…" Naoki murmured, staring at the oversized vegetables. He didn't even know how to react.

Could Farfetch'd realistically wield such a massive leek as a sword? Or was it planning to switch its weapon style entirely, trading its leek sword for an onion spear or even a greatsword?

.....

Bonus Chapter