"Clap clap clap!"
Seeing that the Scyther was safe, Anna immediately began clapping for it.
Elif, as a father, looked helpless and couldn't be happy because this Scyther had chopped down several grown cherry trees he had painstakingly planted.
But his daughter was happy, so Elif didn't say much and just hoped this healthy Scyther would leave soon.
After calming down, the Scyther saw the surrounding fruit trees it had damaged.
It was due to its previous injury and wary state that it had made a false alarm to warn others not to come close.
Looking back now, it must have caused quite a disturbance to these two humans.
"Chah..."
The Scyther felt very apologetic for its actions, glanced at the humans in front of it, and then turned around and flew away.
Anna waved her little hand to bid farewell to the Scyther: "Goodbye, Scyther!"
Naoki and Koraidon stood aside watching this scene.
Seeing the Scyther leave, Elif felt a sense of relief and invited:
"Thanks to you this time, Naoki. Come, have a seat at my place. I'll give you a few bags of cherries we picked a few days ago to take back."
Naoki, thinking he had nothing else to do, went with Koraidon to Elif's place to sit for a while, chat, and relax.
Passing through the Cherry Garden, a two-story mansion on the lawn appeared in front of them.
Without a doubt, this was Uncle Elif's home.
The house was built entirely of wood, with a few logs stacked on the ground outside the door, and an ax stuck in a nearby stump, seemingly for chopping firewood.
Entering the house, Uncle Elif's wife Mana gratefully poured Naoki a cup of tea and served a plate of bright red cherries, while also giving Koraidon a Pokemon treat.
"Sorry for interrupting!" responded Naoki.
Mana smiled graciously: "Make yourself at home; don't be polite. You probably feel lonely living alone on the farm?"
"Not really, since I have many Pokemon to take care of. With them around, I never feel bored." Naoki replied with a smile.
Mana gently nodded and then retreated to the upstairs to organize things.
Elif sat with Anna on the sofa.
Little Anna seemed very curious about the Pokemon.
She squatted obediently on the wooden floor, watching Koraidon eat cherries, and asked:
"Big brother, this Pokemon is so strong! What's its name?"
Naoki replied with a smile: "It? It's called Koraidon, a Dragon Type and Fighting Type Pokemon."
"Wow! Amazing!" Anna asked again, "Big brother, are you also a trainer?"
"Barely, but my main job is running the ranch."
Upon hearing this, Anna turned and pounced into her father's arms, charmingly declaring: "Daddy, I also want to become a trainer as amazing as big brother in the future!"
Uncle Elif teased his daughter: "Who was it before who said they'd stay in the Cherry Garden with mom and dad forever?"
Little Anna quickly covered her mouth and shook her head: "It wasn't Anna!"
"Hahahaha!" Uncle Elif immediately burst into laughter.
Naoki, with a smile on his face, watched this scene from the sofa.
The Elif family also raised several Pokemon.
In the stairway, a Minccino diligently cleaned the floor with its tail.
The Dachsbun napping beside the sofa looked like it was quite old, and seemed rather lethargic.
Also, the Squawkabilly perched on the lamp stand, and Tarountula nestled in a Pokemon den.
The Elif family lived with these Pokemon in the Cherry Garden.
Naoki's attention was drawn to a photo hanging on the living room wall.
It was a group photo of Uncle Elif's family of four with Pokemon, showing happiness.
Thinking of Zack and Mayor Thomas' words encouraging him to find a wife to run the ranch together, take care of the Pokemon, and have a child to pass it to, Naoki felt a bit envious.
Family... In the previous life, he was a corporate slave, busy every day in the steel jungle made of concrete and steel, earning a meager salary, unable to afford a house, let alone get married.
Back then, he often thought this life would just end like that, single, alone, was fine too.
But now...
The old ideologies seemed to be wavering again, watching Little Anna charmingly with her father, Naoki suddenly thought, what would it be like if he had a child?
If that child didn't want to travel, he'd teach her to run the ranch.
If she wanted to travel, he'd pass down a child birthed by Dragonite to her, letting her travel with a hatched Dratini.
Elif noticed Naoki's gaze.
Following his line of sight to the photograph, he said happily:
"Those two in the photo are my daughters. The eldest is named Sina, she just turned ten last year and went traveling with her Pokemon."
Naoki had some recollection of that name since Zack mentioned it to him last year.
"You guys had a big argument then, right?" Naoki asked with a smile.
"Word got to you too, huh?" Uncle Elif was startled, then sighed helplessly, "Originally, I didn't plan to let Sina travel so early, because it's so dangerous outside, but that child locked herself in her room and cried a lot...."
"Why not send her to Paldea Academy?" Naoki asked curiously.
Elif chuckled bitterly, "Sina didn't want to go to school. She believes that instead of learning boring knowledge at school, it's better to experience it herself."
Naoki understood, "No wonder."
Just as Elif wanted to continue speaking, there was a sudden knock at the door.
Little Anna, who was sitting on the sofa, immediately ran to open it.
However, it wasn't a human who came to visit, but a Scyther holding a Berry, with an apologetic face.
Seeing this, Naoki and Elif were both slightly taken aback.
The Scyther gave the Berry to Anna.
Little Anna asked excitedly, "Are these fruits for Anna?"
"Cha!"
The Scyther nodded.
Little Anna cheered and hugged the Scyther's waist.
"Anna!"
Elif's heart was in his throat.
The Scyther was startled but then felt a bit flustered, yet it didn't show any signs of aggression.
Anna liked Scyther as a Pokemon because she thought Scyther was cool.
Maybe from watching her sister capture Pokemon before, Anna asked expectantly, "Scyther, would you like to become my Pokemon?"
Hearing this, Naoki and Elif paused.
And the Scyther looked down at this little human girl.
Feeling guilty for damaging the farmland and touched by the encouragement from the girl named Anna, the Scyther nodded happily.
"Cha!"
It decided to stay and work to make up for the trees it had cut down.
"Yay!" Little Anna cheered, turning to her dad, "Dad, I've caught a Pokemon. From now on, I'm a Trainer like sister!"
Elif had a ghost-seeing expression, still not fully processing what was happening.
Naoki, however, accepted such things well, considering he grew up watching Pokemon; they are such amazing creatures.
"Congratulations, Anna, Scyther is a really strong Pokemon. It's great at cutting and gathering firewood, it will definitely help you a lot."
"Yes! From now on, the task of chopping wood will be left to me and Scyther!" Anna patted her chest, her little face full of seriousness, "This way, Dad can rest!"
Scyther nodded, "Cha!"
Elif clutched his chest, looking confused, "Naoki... is this real?"
With clearer insight, Naoki nodded, "That Scyther probably feels guilty about cutting down the trees, it might be trying to atone in this way."
"Phew..." Elif chuckled bitterly, "I've never encountered something like this."
Perhaps to prove its ability, Scyther followed Anna to the outside land and began chopping firewood.
With a couple of white flashes, a log was cut into four pieces, turning into firewood ready for burning.
Elif watched in surprise, his mouth wide open, "A-amazing!"
Beside the pile of firewood, Scyther tirelessly chopped wood while Little Anna watched.
When all the logs turned into firewood, Scyther finally stopped, its forehead glistening with sweat, panting heavily.
Seeing this, Little Anna hurried back inside, brought out tissues and a cup of water, stood on her tiptoes to give the water to Scyther, and used tissues to wipe its sweat.
Scyther had never experienced such treatment before, and its affection for this little human girl soared.
"Looks like it's all good now." Naoki said with a smile.
And so, to make up for the trouble it caused, Scyther stayed in the Cherry Garden to help out with work.
Naoki, meanwhile, returned to the ranch with Koraidon, and before departing, Uncle Elif gave Naoki several bottles of Cherry Wine and a big bag of fresh cherries as thanks.