Pokemon: A New Path-Haunted Forest[485]

Outside the window, snowflakes drifted down once more, blanketing the world in soft white.

Inside, the fireplace crackled warmly, casting flickering orange light across the room. A group of Pokémon lay curled up on the plush carpet, sleeping peacefully in the comforting heat.

Across from him, Iono was lounging on the sofa, absentmindedly scrolling through her Rotom Phone.

But despite the cozy scene, Naoki’s mind was still reeling from their earlier conversation.

He had asked her something he had genuinely been curious about—

"Why do you like me?"

At first, Iono had looked thoughtful, as if trying to pinpoint the exact reason. After a moment, she admitted that she wasn’t entirely sure herself.

She explained that when she had first started visiting the ranch, she had been curious about the mysterious rancher who lived there.

Later, she had seen firsthand how Naoki had gone out of his way to heal an injured Grusha, how he took care of so many Pokémon without hesitation or complaint.

And little by little, curiosity had turned into affection.

With every visit, she had felt drawn to the ranch—and more importantly, to him.

Naoki froze in place.

Was this… love at first sight?

He found it almost unbelievable that something like this had actually happened to him.

But before he could dwell on it, Iono’s voice suddenly pulled him back to reality.

"The Chief actually went on vacation to Alola this winter!"

Her tone was laced with disbelief.

It was shocking, because Geeta had never left Paldea—not for work, and certainly not for leisure.

Even when she was invited to attend international tournaments, she had always declined, choosing instead to send other top Trainers to represent the Paldea League in her place.

"Huh?" Naoki blinked, still processing the information.

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Iono turned her phone around, showing him a photo of Geeta dressed in casual beachwear, sunbathing under Alola’s bright skies.

Naoki stared at the image in utter shock.

For a workaholic like Geeta, leaving even for a break was unheard of.

Sure, the Paldea League was on its winter break, meaning Gym Leaders weren’t required to stay at their Gyms to accept challengers.

But in all past years, Geeta had always remained at League Headquarters, handling various matters without fail.

This year, something was different.

Still, Naoki’s thoughts quickly drifted elsewhere. He had never been to Alola before.

And now that he thought about it… it wouldn’t be a bad idea to own a villa and a ranch there.

The tropical climate of Alola made it perfect for Pokémon during the harsh winters. It remained warm and pleasant all year round, providing an ideal environment for Pokémon who struggled in the cold.

Of course, the biggest challenge would be moving Pokémon between two regions.

But that problem was easily solved—he just needed to buy two Poké Ball transfer machines, placing one at the Paldea Ranch and another at the Alola Ranch.

That way, the Pokémon could travel between the two places freely.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Naoki tensed.

'Who could be visiting the ranch on such a snowy night?'

Surprised, he stood up and went to open the door.

But when he stepped outside, there was no one there.

The ranch grounds were covered in an untouched blanket of white snow. The Pokémon had all retreated to their nests, leaving the place eerily silent.

A chill ran down his spine.

Just as Naoki was about to close the door, he heard a soft squeaking sound from below.

Looking down, he saw a small, shivering Minccino, its thick fur covered in frost and snow. It lifted its tiny head, looking up at him with large, pleading eyes.

"Minccino…?"

Naoki recognized it instantly.

It was one of the Pokémon he had rescued before. After the forest was restored, this Minccino had chosen to return to the wild, going back to live with its fellow Pokémon.

But now, it had come back.

"Mincc!"

The Minccino nodded rapidly, shaking off the snow.

"Come inside quickly!"

Without hesitation, Naoki bent down, gently scooping up the half-frozen Minccino and bringing it into the warmth of the living room.

The moment it stepped inside, the warm air made it let out a content sigh, its body visibly relaxing.

The other Pokémon in the room—Pawmot, Slugma, and Koraidon—all turned toward the new arrival, their curiosity piqued.

Naoki knelt beside it, concern etched on his face.

"Why did you come here so suddenly? Where is everyone else?"

The Minccino rubbed its tiny paws together, then let out a series of rapid squeaks.

And in that moment, Naoki felt something stir inside him—the power of Viridian.

As the Minccino’s voice rang out, he understood everything.

Everyone is in the forest now. The reason it comes here is to seek help because the forest was haunted!

"Haunted?"

Hearing this, Naoki was surprised. "Is it a Ghost-type Pokémon? Don’t panic, just tell me everything slowly."

The Minccino nodded rapidly.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" (I don’t know if it’s a Ghost Pokémon, but everyone in the forest has been terrified lately! It follows Pokémon secretly, sometimes sneaking into their nests while they’re sleeping. When they wake up, they see a ghost floating right in front of them! Some Pokémon have been scared half to death!)

A ghost lurking in the shadows, playing tricks on Pokémon?

Naoki immediately suspected it was the work of a Ghost-type Pokémon.

But something felt off.

As far as he knew, no Ghost-type Pokémon lived in the mountains behind the ranch.

Could it be an outsider?

After considering it for a moment, Naoki made his decision. "Alright, let’s go check it out."

He turned to Iono and said, "Minccino came to me for help. I’ll be back soon, so just wait here for a bit."

But Iono immediately stood up, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, no. I’m coming too!"

Naoki sighed, but he couldn’t say no to her enthusiasm.

"Alright, let’s go!"

To be safe, he decided to only bring Flutter Mane, since it was a Ghost-type and might be useful in dealing with another Ghost Pokémon.

The rest of the Pokémon stayed back at the ranch.

As they walked through the snow-covered path, Iono suddenly asked curiously,

"Wait a second… can you actually understand Pokémon speech?"

Naoki gave a mysterious smile. "Wanna test it out?"

Iono blinked. "Huh?"

Before she could say anything else, Naoki pulled out a small snack bag from his pocket.

"Eat this, and you’ll understand what Pokémon are saying."

He handed over a packet of translation seed crisps.

Iono was stunned. "No way."

But when she hesitantly ate the snack and suddenly understood Minccino mumbling about how cold it was, her jaw nearly hit the floor.

"I—I can actually understand it?!"

She turned to Naoki, eyes wide.

"How the heck does this work?!"

Naoki just grinned. "Superpower."

"Superpower…?"

Iono immediately thought of humans with unique abilities—psychics, aura users, and those with extraordinary gifts.

Could Naoki be one of them?

She murmured, "I can’t believe this actually exists…"

Naoki chuckled. "It’s not as dramatic as you think."

He continued, "Even without superpowers, some Trainers can communicate with their Pokémon just by forming a strong bond. The most important thing is trust and understanding."

Iono listened carefully, still trying to process the fact that a snack had let her hear Minccino’s words.

The group finally reached the back mountain, now completely blanketed in snow.

Unlike the bustling green hills of summer, the area had become silent and still. Most Pokémon had retreated into their dens, and the usual sounds of nature were eerily absent.

The only Pokémon still active were Ice-types, who thrived in the cold.

The Minccino hopped off Naoki’s shoulder, its tiny feet leaving small prints in the snow as it hurried forward.

"Squeak, squeak!" (We’re almost there!)

After a short walk, Naoki finally saw the fruit grove ahead—The very one he had planted alongside Koraidon.

Naoki scanned the area carefully, his eyes darting between the trees and the snowy underbrush.

There was nothing in sight.

Still, he nodded toward Flutter Mane, who hovered at his side.

But the ancient Ghost-type Pokémon tilted its head in confusion.

"Flutt?" (What are we looking for?)

Naoki: "…"

"Flutter Mane, can you sense any Ghost Pokémon nearby?" he asked directly.

This time, Flutter Mane understood. Without hesitation, it slipped into the shadows, silently scouring the orchard for any spectral presence.

As they waited, the other Pokémon of the orchard noticed Naoki’s arrival.

A group of wild Pokémon—ones Naoki had helped before—gathered around him, bouncing happily in the snow and greeting him with cheerful cries.

Naoki smiled, recognizing them immediately.

"Bellibolt, long time no see! Smeargle, how have you been?"

Then, his gaze landed on a familiar Tandemaus pair.

"Wait, weren’t you guys a family of four before? What happened?"

The two tiny white mice responded in unison.

"Squeak!" (Our kids have grown up and set off on their own adventures!)

"Ah, I see." Naoki nodded, surprised at how Pokémon like Tandemaus could evolve—or, in this case, "devolve"—in such a way.

Standing nearby, Iono watched Naoki interact with the wild Pokémon, a small smile forming on her lips.

Naoki was really popular among Pokémon.

Meanwhile, unnoticed by the group, a small, canine Pokémon was hiding behind a tree.

A tiny candle flickered on its head, casting a faint purple glow as it peeked at the humans and Pokémon from a distance.

Its tail wagged eagerly, and it spun in excited circles, whimpering softly as if it wanted to rush forward and join in the fun.

But just as it was about to step out of the shadows, a sudden chill ran down its spine.The small Ghost-type Pokémon froze.

A powerful presence loomed behind it.

Slowly, it turned its head…

And saw a massive, wild-looking Pokémon standing silently behind it, staring.

"WOOF!"

Terrified Pokémon let out a startled yelp. In a flash, it burrowed underground, leaving only its candle flame flickering above the snow as it fled into the distance.

A moment later, Flutter Mane reappeared, floating back toward Naoki.

"Mree!" (There's something strange nearby!)

Naoki’s expression hardened.

"So it’s true?"

Turning to Flutter Mane, he nodded. "Take me to it."

"Mree."

Flutter Mane led the way.

As Naoki and Iono followed, they chatted about the wild Pokémon in the area, occasionally stopping to greet familiar Pokémon.

The Bellibolt and Minccino, however, stayed close behind Naoki, moving cautiously—still nervous about encountering another "ghost."

Soon, the group passed through the orchard and arrived at an open clearing.

Naoki recognized it immediately. This was the Pokémon graveyard. The place where he had buried the Pokémon that perished in the forest fire long ago.

Hovering above the snow, Flutter Mane gestured toward something on the ground.

A small, flickering purple flame burned dimly in the middle of the clearing.

Naoki narrowed his eyes. He stepped closer, cautiously.

As he did, Flutter Mane extended a spectral claw and gave the flame a gentle poke.

In an instant—

The ground trembled, and with a yelp, a small Ghost Pokémon leapt out of the snow, eyes wide in fright!

Iono gasped. "That’s a Greavard!"

Naoki nodded. "Looks like it."

It was said that Greavard was the reincarnation of a stray dog Pokémon that had passed away before ever meeting a human.

Most of the time, they were harmless, spending their days asleep beneath the ground, with only the candle on their heads visible above the surface.

When someone approached, they would suddenly rise up, letting out low howls that startled passersby—though they never meant any harm.

In fact, Greavard were known to be incredibly affectionate Pokémon. They loved being around people and hated being alone.

If someone played with them even once, they would joyfully follow that person forever.

The Greavard whimpered nervously, pressing its small body to the ground, its tail tucked tightly between its legs.

The Minccino and the other Pokémon that had been afraid of the "ghost" now looked at it in confusion.

This was Pokemon that had scared them?

It didn’t seem frightening at all.

Naoki knelt down, observing the small Ghost Pokémon carefully. He glanced at the others and gently explained,

"This little guy is called Greavard. It wasn’t trying to scare you. It was just lonely… and wanted to play."