After calming the group of Pokemon that gathered around, Naoki returned to the house with his bag in hand, and sat on the sofa, letting out a deep sigh.
Seeing Naoki return, the Indeedee Sibling felt very happy.
The sister Indeedee placed a cup of tea in front of Naoki, then turned and took two photos from the table.
Naoki raised his eyebrow slightly, looking at the small claw prints on the back of the photos; it was obvious who sent them back.
He reached out to take the photos, casually asking, "When were these sent back?"
The sister Indeedee gestured a three and a one: "Ai-ai."
Naoki understood, one photo was sent three days ago, and the other one day ago.
This time, what kind of photos would they be?
Naoki flipped through the two photos with interest.
On the first photo, he saw a vast, boundless ocean; above the sea was a blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds.
In the middle of the photo were Mew and Teddiursa, their faces looking troubled, seemingly vexed about not finding land to stand on.
Seeing this, Naoki was quite surprised.
He remembered the last time these two Pokemon sent a letter, they were over in the Orange Archipelago.
They should have yet to leave the vicinity of the Orange Archipelago these days.
Although Naoki had never been to the Orange Archipelago, he could imagine the landscape and environment there.
Everywhere is boundless ocean, with scattered islands forming the Orange Archipelago.
Clearly, Teddiursa and Mew were lost, and from their expressions, they hadn't found an island to rest on for quite some time.
"Two poor little guys..."
Naoki's heart was eager to know what happened next, so he continued to look at the second photo.
The backdrop of the photo was still a vast ocean.
However, Mew and Teddiursa's location had shifted from the air to the sea surface.
They were standing on the back of a Lapras, riding it across the sea.
And in front of Lapras, appeared a lush green island.
Perhaps they finally found a resting spot, as both Mew and Teddiursa wore excited smiles.
Whatever they might have communicated to the Lapras, it also turned its head, looking warmly and amicably towards the camera.
Naoki couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, happy for Mew and Teddiursa finding an island.
To say the least, they really have that adventurous and traveling spirit.
Looking at the friendly Pokemon in the photo, Naoki murmured, "Lapras... this type of Pokemon is really rare!"
Lapras, also known as Lapras, possesses a gentle heart, enjoys carrying humans across the sea, and once nearly became extinct due to illegal human poaching.
However, that seems to have been a long time ago.
Currently, major Pokemon Leagues list Lapras as a key protected species, especially in Alola Region.
It's said that because of excessive protection, Lapras there has become somewhat overpopulated.
Unfortunately, drought can kill, while floods can drown.
Lapras are hard to see in the Paldea Region.
*
Back at the ranch, Naoki's life returned to how it was before.
Every day he farmed the fields, basked in the sun, drank tea, and petted Pokemon.
The group of wild Pokemon he helped and raised in the Berry Garden gradually emerged from their initial shadows and adapted to their current life.
This morning, Naoki took them to the back mountain to see what had become of the place they once lived.
As soon as they entered the back mountain, they saw a very unfamiliar scene.
The forest, ravaged by fire, was all in disarray; burn marks were everywhere, thick layers of ash remained on the ground, the scorched, barren trees appeared like an eerie, horrifying black forest, devoid of vitality.
The Wattrel, its wings fully recovered, flapped its wings and landed on a dead branch, lowering its head and sorrowfully viewing the scene below.
The Greedent, its tail fur regrown, swiftly climbed a tree, jumping back and forth on several sturdy trees, as if searching for something.
Petilil and several Shroomish looked sorrowful; they still remembered how vibrant and green this place used to be, covered with grass and towering trees.
The other Pokemon also looked downcast, appearing quite sad.
Seeing this, Naoki sighed and said, "You know, these plant ashes contain a wealth of nutrients and trace elements that plants need."
A group of Pokemon stared over in bewilderment.
Naoki: "These ashes will make the soil more fertile, as all plant life turns into earth nutrients, rejoining the natural cycle."
"Come next year, they will grow anew, becoming even more lush than before."
Deadwood shall eventually sprout new shoots; this forest awaits rebirth.
At this moment, the Kricketune among the group of Pokemon seemed to have understood Naoki's meaning.
It swung its forearms like an inspired musician, producing a melodious, unusual tune from its mouth.
The melody initially sounded sorrowful and downbeat, but soon it surged like waves, becoming filled with enthusiasm.
Naoki was slightly startled.
The other Pokemon, seemingly encouraged, no longer appeared downcast, their eyes turning resolute.