They emerged from their hiding burrow and were discovered by the Pawmot and Koraidon on patrol, who then brought them to Naoki's side.
Now, besides the initial Wattrel and Petilil, a number of injured Pokemon had gathered here.
Two Hoppip, a Kricketune, two Surskit, three Shroomish, and a Slakoth with its fur burnt bare.
Apart from them, Koraidon also brought back some Pokemon that had lost their lives in the fire.
Looking at the silently lying charred Venonat and Lilligant, everyone present, human and Pokemon alike, fell silent.
Naoki tried using the strongest stamina-restoring dish he had crafted to heal the Venonat, but failed.
They had completely lost their lives, and unless Ho-oh was here, nobody could save them.
Koraidon and Cyclizar drooped their heads in sorrow.
Glaceon felt deeply distressed.
Pawmot floated in mid-air, its tone downcast: "Pawmot..."
Naoki sighed and said, "What we can do now is to bury them properly, so they can rest in peace."
There was no Ghost Tower or Mt. Pyre in the Paldea Region for burying Pokemon; they could only find a suitable place in the forest to lay them to rest.
At this moment, Gogoat finally couldn't hold on anymore, the Grassy Terrain on the ground turning into dots of light and vanishing.
"You've worked hard! Now go back and rest well for a while!" Naoki reached out and patted their heads.
The other Pokemon continued to search for injured Pokemon, but after searching for half a day, they found nothing.
Naoki thought, maybe it was because the Pokemon nearby had already escaped early?
Seeing this, he called off the rescue operation, then found a piece of land untouched by the fire, dug a few pits, and buried the dead Pokemon there.
Wattrel, Shroomish, Kricketune, and other Pokemon watched the scene, their faces showing sadness.
Naoki consoled, "Don't worry, they aren't truly gone; their souls have just left these bodies to start a new life. Their bodies will eventually return to this world."
Naoki acted as a priest and held a simple funeral for these Pokemon.
After it was over, he looked at the Pokemon behind him and said:
"In the coming days, you can stay with me. I'll provide enough food to get through this winter."
Upon hearing this, the Pokemon lowered their heads, their expressions gloomy.
They knew that without someone's help, even if they survived the fire, they couldn't make it through the cold winter.
The fire had consumed everything.
No adequate food, nor warm nests.
Greedent's lip quivered, and it began to wail in sorrow again.
Its tree hole! Its hole full of nuts and berries!
Naoki: "..."
He sighed and said, "Come with me! Head to my place, and when spring arrives, I'll plant trees here and help you rebuild your home."
Hearing that their home could be rebuilt, the Pokemon immediately lifted their heads with eyes full of hope.
"Chirp chirp?" Tandemaus asked.
Naoki couldn't understand, but judging by their expressions, it seemed they were asking if it was true?
He nodded: "Of course it's true. By then, I'll plant saplings here, and it won't be long before they grow into towering trees. Then, you can return to the forest and live in your rebuilt home."
The expressions on the Pokemon finally eased a bit.
They looked at the human before them with emotions, their hearts filled with gratitude.
"Let's go!"
Naoki started towards the pasture, with a long string of little tails following behind him.
Midway, Naoki encountered Miss Jenny riding a bike.
She was on her way back to the Pokemon Center to fetch more medicine for Joy when she saw Naoki and the dirty, dejected Pokemon, and her face showed an expression of realization.
Jenny expressed her gratitude: "Thank you so much, the Grassy Terrain won us more rescue time. The Champion is aware of it and will personally visit you after this is over."
Naoki: "?"
Which Champion?
He was momentarily puzzled, realizing it was Geeta who would visit him?
Noticing his reaction, Miss Jenny smiled and said: "Don't be nervous, the Chief Champion isn't pretentious, she's quite approachable."
Naoki thought he wasn't nervous, just a bit surprised.
Since there was more to do, Miss Jenny didn't say much further.
After a brief chat, she turned her gaze to the wild Pokemon behind Naoki:
"The rescue teams from other cities have arrived, and the townspeople have organized a Pokemon Rescue Team. The League has dispatched lots of supplies, and until the ecosystem at the back mountain recovers, the rescue team will take care of the mountain Pokemon. You can send them to the rescue team."
Naoki shook his head: "No, I'll take care of these Pokemon. They're more familiar with me, and the orchard's harvest this year was good enough to sustain them."
Jenny: "Alright then."