At the center of the ranch house's first floor was a well-lit living room. Against one wall stood a fireplace built from red brick, while a walnut coffee table and three light-brown fabric sofas filled the space. To the left, the living room opened into the dining room and kitchen. To the right was the house's storage room.
Upstairs on the second floor, there was a master bedroom on one side of the staircase and a guest room on the other. The master bedroom on the left was slightly smaller, with the extra space turned into a modest study.
The top floor had no interior walls at all, just a full attic packed with boxes of every size.
That was the basic layout of the ranch house.
While showing Carl around, Poco also helped him check the house's plumbing and electricity. Carl watched carefully the whole time, committing Poco's methods for inspecting the utilities to memory.
"Well then, Carl, you should go get familiar with the ranch next." Poco started toward the front door, then suddenly paused. "If I remember right, Baird had a nephew… I think his name was… Turo? I remember he used to live in that lighthouse along Poco Path. I didn't see him at Baird's funeral last year, so I guess he must've moved away."
"Turo?"
Carl froze for a moment at the name.
Isn't that Arven's father? By blood, does that make me Arven's cousin?
Seeing Carl's stunned expression, Poco pressed his lips together and immediately changed the subject.
"Carl, I'd better get going. If you run into any trouble, come find me in town anytime. Don't be a stranger."
"Got it, Grandpa Poco. Drive safe." Carl finally came back to himself and waved. Beside him, Flutter Mane also fluttered the wing-like tufts at its sides and waved in Poco's direction.
"Fwu~"
("Bye-bye, kind old grandpa~")
After watching Poco's truck drive off, Carl immediately began throwing the Poké Balls at his waist one after another. In an instant, five very different Pokémon appeared in the open space before him.
From left to right were Corviknight, proudly known as Carl's chief pilot; Charizard, chief glutton and deputy pilot; Serperior, chief camp builder and pastry chef; his shiny Metagross, chief strategist and budget black hole; and Urshifu, head chef.
"Caw?"
("Are we taking off again already?")
The moment Corviknight came out of its Poké Ball, it flapped its wings once and kicked up a cloud of dust.
Standing beside it, Charizard swung its tail and smacked Corviknight, then turned to Carl.
"Rrgh?"
("So when do we eat?")
"Serp."
("The environment here is awfully plain.")
Ignoring the interaction between the two big lugheads beside it, Serperior glanced around and offered its own judgment of the ranch.
Metagross turned toward Serperior, whose tail tip had already curled around Carl's ankle, and replied:
"Gross."
("That's only temporary.")
Urshifu stood with its arms folded, looking around with the same curious gaze.
"Ursh."
("So we're finally here.")
"Everyone, for now, this is where we'll be living from here on out." Carl clapped his hands, drawing all of his Pokémon's attention. "The ranch is still pretty bare-bones right now, but I know that with your help, it's going to get better and better."
After hearing Carl's words, all six Pokémon cried out together. Then Carl began giving each of them their very first orders since arriving in Paldea.
"Corviknight, Charizard, I need you to check what kinds of Pokémon groups are living around the ranch. Come back here in half an hour and report everything you find to Metagross."
Corviknight and Charizard exchanged a glance, nodded at the same time, then beat their wings and flew into the sky, heading off in opposite directions.
After watching the two of them leave, Carl turned to Serperior and spoke gently.
"Serperior, I need you to patrol the ranch with Metagross. I want as detailed a map of the property as possible."
"Serp~"
("Well, since you're asking so nicely, I suppose I can help you out~")
Serperior reluctantly withdrew the vines wrapped around Carl's leg as it answered.
Carl then looked at Metagross. Metagross simply gave a steady nod, floated up at once, and set off with Serperior to begin surveying the ranch.
Finally, Carl turned to Urshifu.
The trainer and the bear shared a smile.
"Then let's make everyone's first lunch in our new home together."
"Ursh!"
("You got it!")
Watching Urshifu skillfully pull piece after piece of cooking equipment from the backpack, Carl suddenly felt a rush of emotion.
"Hard to believe so many years have gone by already."
To describe the bond between Carl and Urshifu in a way that fit perfectly with the Pokémon world, there was really only one phrase for it:
a fated meeting.
According to Professor Rowan, shortly after Carl's mother became pregnant with him, she had impulsively dug out an old family chest. Inside were two martial arts scrolls and a dull gray Pokémon Egg.
Perhaps because she was about to become a mother, even after Rowan judged that the egg was long dead, Carl's mother still cared for it patiently, praying for a miracle.
Sadly, until the day Carl was born, there was still no sign that the egg would hatch.
And yet, for some reason, Carl had been fascinated by that egg from the moment he was born, carrying it around with him at all times.
Then one ordinary afternoon, a miracle happened.
A small bear-like Pokémon with gray fur hatched from the egg.
That was how Urshifu and Carl first met.
Watching Urshifu focus intently on preparing lunch, Carl could not help but break into a bright smile. Then he gathered himself and began helping with the meal as well.
What Carl did not notice was that, at some point, the corner of Urshifu's mouth had lifted too.
Maybe a life like this… wasn't bad at all.
...
Mesagoza, Naranja Academy, Chairwoman's Office.
"Chairwoman, here is the list of students applying for admission this year, along with their full files."
A middle-aged man with rectangular glasses, half-white hair, and a small mustache stood before the desk and gently placed the documents in his hand onto its surface.
"Thank you for your hard work, Director Clavell. Please, have a seat."
Geeta took a sip of bitter espresso, then picked up the files and began reading through them carefully.
As one of the oldest academies in the world, Naranja Academy was the cradle of talent in the Paldea region.
As a woman determined to devote her life to the League, Geeta placed extraordinary importance on the academy. Having just finished handling the backlog of League affairs, she had come straight to Naranja Academy to review the incoming student records.
"No issues. We'll proceed with the admissions notices based on this list." Geeta set the documents aside, then asked, "Director Clavell, among the students admitted last year, are there any young prospects you consider especially promising?"
The moment he heard that, Clavell answered at once.
"Chairwoman Geeta, do you remember a student named Nemona?"
"You mean the youngest daughter of the Rotom Phone Company's owner?" After thinking for a moment, Geeta recalled Nemona's file. "I remember she moved to Paldea for medical treatment because of health issues, didn't she? And afterward she enrolled in battle studies?"
"Yes. According to the battle studies instructor, this student, Nemona, has astonishing talent for Pokémon battles. Before long, he may no longer be able to teach her anything."
Clavell repeated the battle instructor's exact words word for word.
"Oh?" At this news, Geeta's eyes brightened slightly. "That impressive, is she?"