At the back mountain, by the winter fishing lake.
"Serena, don't run around, and don't disturb the Slowpoke either."
"Okay…"
Serena immediately stopped mid-run, then turned and dashed toward John and Gario, who were fishing by the lakeside.
Winter was the most leisurely season for ranchers. They had plenty of free time to fish, and even Gario, who usually handled deliveries, now had half a day free since the daily shipments had decreased.
"How long have you been here? Any bites yet?"
Silas set down his folding chair and handed Serena a toy fishing rod that belonged to Cinccino.
"Big brother, put the bait on."
"Alright, alright!"
After attaching the bait, Silas had Serena sit obediently beside him.
John sighed and explained, "We just got here not long ago. We only threw in half a bag of fish feed. Nothing's biting yet."
"Yeah, yeah!" Gario chimed in, proudly showing off his brand new fishing rod. He had upgraded his gear.
Just as the three of them were chatting quietly, a huge splash suddenly erupted nearby.
Serena's toy fishing rod bent into a perfect arc. Her little face turned red as she struggled. "I got one! Big brother, I got one!"
John and Gario fell silent.
It had to be beginner's luck. It had to be.
Serena pulled with all her strength, and soon the outline of her catch appeared. A pair of large red claws revealed its identity. It was a Krabby.
Krabby's strength was far greater than expected, far beyond what Serena could handle alone.
Seeing that the rod was about to slip from her hands, Silas stepped forward, supporting Serena while pulling together with her, finally dragging Krabby onto the shore.
"Kraaa~"
The wild Krabby issued a challenge toward Serena.
Greninja suddenly appeared and used Cut.
Krabby fainted instantly.
"So amazing! Greninja is super strong!"
Serena clapped enthusiastically, her voice full of admiration.
"Nin!"
Greninja nodded slightly, then vanished again, returning to the treetop above.
"Are you okay, Serena?"
"I'm fine, big brother! Fishing is so fun!" Serena's cheeks were flushed with excitement. She ran over to the unconscious Krabby and tried to lift it, but failed.
So she stood behind it, stretching her arms wide. "Big brother, hurry and take a picture!"
"Got it!"
After snapping several photos, Serena stared at Krabby and swallowed. "Big brother, can we eat big crab for lunch? It looks really delicious."
Krabby, which had just regained consciousness, heard this and its eyes widened in terror. Taking advantage of their distraction, it scuttled sideways at incredible speed and jumped back into the lake, disappearing in an instant.
Behind them, Serena stomped her feet in frustration, shouting for it to stop, but Krabby ignored her completely.
"It's fine, it's gone. For lunch, we'll go to Shalour City and have Korrina treat us to a big meal."
"Okay, okay!"
With her attention diverted, Serena quickly forgot about Krabby.
They continued fishing, but less than three minutes later, Serena was distracted again by Pokémon in the distance.
Meganium and Tropius were taking the Chikorita out for a walk, while the little Chikorita chased after Shaymin in its Sky Forme.
Serena quietly put down her fishing rod and tiptoed closer, inching her way toward the Chikorita.
The other little ones ran too fast for her to catch, so her gaze finally settled on the one at the back.
"Chiko?"
The Chikorita tilted its head at her. They stared at each other for a moment, then both broke into smiles.
The Chikorita stepped back slightly and let out a soft cry, signaling Serena to watch.
It lowered its head and gently swayed, while the leaf on its head spun rapidly like a windmill under its control.
A cool breeze blew, making Serena sneeze.
"Chiko!"
The Chikorita stopped and walked over, nudging Serena with its head, clearly asking if she was alright.
Serena shook her head and picked it up. "Your performance just now was amazing! And you're really cute too."
The Chikorita gave a shy smile, clearly delighted by the praise.
Just like that, a friendship formed between them, and they ran off together to catch up with the others.
...
Three hours later, Silas quietly reeled in his line.
"It's getting late. I have to head out soon. You two can keep fishing."
"Well, it's already this late, no point continuing. My wife told me to go home early."
"Uncle Yorick has a shipment coming this afternoon. I should go prepare."
Each of them came up with an excuse, silently agreeing not to mention their lack of results. After packing up their gear, they all headed home.
At noon, Silas took Serena to find Korrina. He brought the two girls to Siebold's restaurant for a seafood feast.
Out of curiosity, Silas asked about him and learned that Siebold had not returned for nearly a month.
Silas could not help but feel relieved that he had not rushed to challenge the League yet.
Otherwise, the one suffering would have been him.
In the afternoon, they returned to the ranch, and Korrina came along as well.
There had been sunlight in the morning, but it disappeared in the afternoon, so the two girls and Cinccino could only play indoors.
Even so, their laughter erupted from time to time, almost lifting the roof.
A group of mischievous troublemakers gathered together naturally created chaos. The only reason the roof was still intact was because Silas kept a close eye on them.
Only when it was time for cartoons did they finally sit obediently on the sofa. Younger sister Indeedee brought snacks and fruit, and the house was peaceful for a short while.
"Sigh…"
Silas let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair, completely unwilling to move. This was more exhausting than fighting a hundred battles.
He had just sat down to rest when Dragonite returned from outside.
"Draa!"
Silas sat up, looking confused. "Hmm? The elder Dragonite came by?"
"Dra!"
His Dragonite explained, and Silas gradually understood.
It turned out that Dragonite was now responsible for transporting packages between Diamond Town and Pokémon Town.
At first, it was manageable. The exchanges between the two towns were minimal, and Dragonite could simply carry things along when it went to Pokémon Town to play.
But as time passed, interactions between the two towns increased, and the number of items being exchanged grew exponentially.
Items like medicinal herbs, PP herbs, and revival buds could be transported by Altaria. A round trip taking up to three days was not a problem.
However, things like letters required timely delivery and could not be delayed.
After listening, Silas summarized, "So you want to establish a Dragonite Post Office and have the Dragonite on Dragonite Island help deliver letters."
"Draa~"
Dragonite nodded vigorously, confirming that was exactly its idea.
Of course, the Dragonite would not work for free. They would be paid based on the number of deliveries they handled.
With these earnings, they could purchase food, recovery items, and other necessities in Diamond Town and Pokémon Town.
"What do the other Dragonite think? Are they willing?"
Silas himself had no objections.
From Dragonite, Silas also learned about the situation on Dragonite Island.
As time passed, more and more Pokémon had gathered there, making competition increasingly intense.
Even for Dragonite, some of the weaker ones were starting to struggle to find enough food.
The idea of a Dragonite Post Office would not only allow them to stay close to home but also solve their livelihood problems.
(End of Chapter)