Things unfolded just as Naoki had expected.
After capturing Dratini, Elara was overjoyed. She stuck with her two Pokémon constantly, whether eating, playing, or even sleeping.
Naoki had once worried, since raising Larvesta according to Red's notes hadn't seemed to yield much progress. But now, with Dratini, he noticed something different. Elara's Dragon Power gave the little Dragon Pokémon an incredible boost in growth. Suddenly, Naoki realized this might be the missing key to understanding how to raise Pokémon more effectively.
Every day, Elara poured her Dragon Power into Dratini, helping it thrive.
But Larvesta, who had been with Elara since birth, couldn't help but notice.
The fiery little Pokémon grew deeply frustrated. Often, Larvesta would peek from behind a wall, half-hidden, watching with narrowed eyes as Dratini basked in Elara's attention.
To Larvesta, Elara was its trainer. They had been inseparable since the very beginning. And now, all of that affection was being divided, no, stolen, by the newcomer.
No Pokémon could accept that without jealousy stirring.
One day, while Elara was away bathing with Iono's help, Larvesta quietly skittered up to Dratini.
When rivals meet, tension always boils.
Dratini raised its head proudly, unflinching. This was its chosen trainer, after all. Just because Larvesta had been first didn't mean Elara would love it more.
Neither Pokémon gave ground. They glared at one another, sparks of emotion flickering like flames.
Larvesta's temper ignited. Its body glowed bright red as heat pulsed through its fur. With a sharp cry, it gathered its rage into a ball of fire and hurled it at Dratini.
"Woooo!" Dratini cried out, the flames searing its scales. But even in pain, it refused to back down. The little dragon opened its mouth and blasted Larvesta with a powerful Dragon Breath.
The clash of fire and dragon energy roared through the house, drawing Naoki running immediately.
"Stop!" Naoki shouted, stepping between them, forcing the two apart before the fight could escalate further.
By the time Elara emerged from her bath, dripping and confused, she found her Pokémon sitting on opposite sides of the coffee table.
Larvesta on one end, smoldering with fury. Dratini on the other, still trembling with indignation. And Naoki in the middle, sighing helplessly.
"Dratini? Larvesta?" Elara's eyes widened.
Both Pokémon snapped their gazes toward her.
Naoki looked at his daughter. "It seems I need to teach you the next lesson."
Elara blinked. "Huh?"
Her father met her eyes seriously. "Do you know why Dratini and Larvesta were fighting just now?"
Elara froze. "They… fought?"
She turned toward her partners.
Larvesta glared away stubbornly, puffing its fur, jealousy clear in its posture. Dratini, on the other hand, looked pitiful, its eyes watery with hurt; it hadn't even understood why Larvesta had attacked.
Elara rushed to Larvesta first. "Larvesta, what's wrong?"
But Larvesta turned its head aside, refusing to look at her.
When Elara turned back to Dratini, the little dragon's eyes brimmed with tears. To it, the sight of Elara comforting Larvesta first felt like another wound.
Elara froze, caught in the middle. Both of her partners needed her, but she didn't know what to do. Finally, she looked helplessly to her father.
Naoki pinched the bridge of his nose. "…"
Beside him, Koraidon muttered softly, "Ah, gah…" The sight seemed strangely familiar even to the great Legendary.
Naoki clapped his hands once. "Alright, calm down. Everyone, calm down."
The Pokémon slowly quieted, their attention shifting back to him.
"Elara," he asked again, gently but firmly, "do you know why they were fighting?"
She shook her head slowly. "I… don't know."
Naoki sighed. "It's because you've been giving too much attention to Dratini and leaving Larvesta feeling ignored."
Elara's eyes widened.
"Think about it," Naoki said softly. "If you had a little brother or sister, and your mom and I only played with them, never with you… how would that make you feel?"
The words struck her like lightning. She imagined her parents turning away, smiling only at a sibling while she stood forgotten. Her small fists clenched.
"It would feel awful," she whispered.
Naoki nodded. "Exactly. That's how Larvesta feels right now. Do you understand?"
Elara turned back to her Pokémon, and at last, realization dawned.
Because she had been pouring her Dragon Power into Dratini, Larvesta thought her trainer's love had been stolen away.
Naoki crouched beside Elara and asked gently, "So what should we do in a situation like this?"
Elara bit her lip, then whispered, "I should apologize to Larvesta. It's my fault."
Larvesta's ears perked up at her words, its eyes flickering with a fragile hope.
Naoki nodded. "Then what are you going to do?"
Without hesitation, Elara rushed to Larvesta's side, knelt down, and said sincerely, "I'm sorry, Larvesta! I didn't mean to neglect you. I promise I won't forget about you again!"
Larvesta stared at her for a long moment. It had grown up with her, shared her earliest memories. Deep down, it wanted to forgive her. Slowly, it softened and let out a low, rumbling cry.
But on the other side of the room, Dratini's eyes filled with unhappiness.
Seeing this, Naoki explained gently, "Elara, a good Trainer must learn to balance her love between all her partners. You must share your heart with every Pokémon equally, treat them fairly, and make sure none of them feel left behind. That's the kind of Trainer who can go far."
Elara's eyes widened. She understood at once.
She turned to Dratini and said with equal sincerity, "I'm sorry, Dratini. I love you both, Larvesta and Dratini! I want to travel the world with you, go on adventures together, and always be your friend!"
Dratini blinked in surprise, its eyes shimmering.
Larvesta turned its head, pretending not to care, but its twitching flame showed it was listening too.
Moved by her words, Dratini chirped softly, "Draa…" and nodded eagerly. Larvesta finally gave in, puffing out a sigh as if to say, "Fine, I forgive you."
Elara beamed. She stretched out her tiny hand. "Then let's promise! When we grow up, we'll journey together and become the strongest Trainer and Pokémon team in the world!"
Larvesta hesitated for a moment, then placed its claw gently on her hand.
"Draa!" Dratini cried, wrapping the tip of its tail around her little fingers.
One child and two Pokémon made their oath together beneath the warm glow of the ranch house lights.
Naoki and Iono watched the scene quietly, emotion swelling in their chests. The couple exchanged a glance, relief softening their hearts. From this day on, they no longer had to worry about conflict tearing apart their daughter's precious team.
And Elara, guided by her father, had learned an important truth.
Every day after that, she split her training evenly: using her Dragon Power to help Dratini grow, while also raising Larvesta with the fire-type training methods recorded in Red's old notebook.
Naoki even staged mock battles, letting Larvesta and Dratini face off just like Trainers did on television.
Neither Pokémon wanted to disappoint their trainer. Both wanted to prove themselves as her strongest partner.
They battled fiercely, exchanging wins and losses. Sparks of fire clashed with streams of dragon energy. Over time, their rivalry shifted into mutual respect.
Slowly, Larvesta's jealousy faded. Dratini's wariness melted away. Through battle, the two had come to understand each other.
And just like that, time slipped forward.
In the 207th year of the League Calendar, Naoki was twenty-nine years old, and Elara had turned five.
On a warm spring afternoon, the Tree House Ranch welcomed a new life into their home.
Iono had given birth to a baby boy, and the couple named him Sorin.
By some strange twist of fate, at the exact moment of Sorin's birth, the fossil egg Naoki had entrusted to the researchers hatched as well. From it emerged a tiny, glittering Terapagos.
In the nursery, Naoki carefully placed the newborn turtle beside his son's crib. After finishing its first sip of warm milk, the little Terapagos curled up on a soft blanket next to baby Sorin and soon drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Naoki gently rocked the cradle while Elara, Larvesta, Dratini, and several curious Terapagos stood on tiptoe, peering at the baby boy.
Elara's eyes were wide with wonder. "Dad… is this really my little brother?"
Naoki nodded softly. "Yes. His name is Sorin. From today on, he'll live with us here at the ranch. The two of you will be the closest siblings in the whole world."
The words echoed in Elara's heart. Looking at the baby's tiny, sleeping face, a strange warmth filled her chest.
So this is what it meant… to be a big sister.
But before she could fully savor the thought, her nose suddenly wrinkled. A foul smell spread through the room.
"Ew!" she squeaked, backing away with her Pokémon. "My little brother pooped!"
Naoki: "…"
Iono couldn't help laughing. "You know, you were exactly like this when you were little."
Elara's eyes widened in disbelief. "No way! I was cute and clean!"
Naoki grinned slyly. "Really? Then who was it that wet the bed on New Year's Eve?"
Elara's cheeks turned crimson. With a squeak of protest, she bolted from the room, her Pokémon trailing after her. "I'm not talking to Daddy anymore!"
Naoki chuckled, shaking his head. "This kid…"
Back then, she had drunk too many sodas before bed, and he'd been the one washing her quilt the next morning.
"She's growing up," Iono said warmly. "Of course she's embarrassed."
Naoki nodded. "Maybe so. But no matter how old she gets, even if she's fifty, she'll always be our child."
He leaned down to change Sorin's diaper as the baby suddenly started crying.
"There, there," Iono cooed, brushing her son's tiny cheek with her hand. "Little Sorin, grow up strong and healthy, just like your big sister."
Meanwhile, outside the house, Elara dashed onto the meadow with Larvesta, Dratini, and a few Terapagos, still red in the face from her father's teasing.
Just then, a familiar silhouette appeared near the pasture's entrance.
A tall figure, hands clasped calmly behind her back, strode toward the ranch. Her dark skin caught the sunlight, and her long violet hair flowed elegantly down her shoulders.
Elara's eyes lit up. "Auntie Geeta! What are you doing here?"
"Of course I'm here to visit you!" Geeta smiled warmly, stepping forward and handing Elara a commemorative Poké Ball. "This is a souvenir from the Paldea League, the Champion's Poké Ball. It's said that whoever holds it is destined to become a Champion one day."
"Wow!" Elara's eyes sparkled. Becoming Champion, the strongest Trainer in the world, was her greatest dream. She accepted the Poké Ball with both hands, her excitement overflowing. "Thank you, Auntie Geeta!"
Geeta chuckled softly, then her gaze shifted to the Pokémon gathered around the little girl. "And these… are your new partners?"
She remembered that Elara had started out with only a single Larvesta.
"Yes!" Elara beamed. "Dratini is the partner Dad helped me catch, and the Terapagos too! They'll all travel with me when I set out!"
Geeta's eyes glimmered thoughtfully. 'Just as I suspected… Naoki has already begun preparing her future team.'
Larvesta and Dratini alone were incredible, rare Pokémon with extraordinary potential. Their evolutions, Volcarona and Dragonite, were powerhouses feared across every region.
But even setting those aside, the Terapagos were on a whole different level. Though small and innocent-looking, they were Legendary Pokémon tied to the mysteries of Area Zero. Not even the combined strength of all the Paradox Pokémon could compare.
And Elara wasn't alone. She also had the unwavering guardianship of Entei, Raikou, and Suicune, the three Legendary Beasts who had chosen to protect her.
Larvesta, Dratini, Terapagos, plus the three Beasts…
Even as Paldea's Grand Champion, Geeta found the lineup staggering.
A soft laugh escaped her lips before she could stop it. 'At this rate, this little girl has the highest chance of surpassing me and becoming Paldea's next Champion…'
"Ahem." She coughed twice, quickly regaining her composure. Looking around, she asked gently, "And where are your parents?"
"They're in their room, taking care of my little brother," Elara replied. She almost blurted out that he was stinky, but then remembered her father teasing her about bedwetting before. If Auntie Geeta heard that story, she'd never live it down!
"I see," Geeta said with a light laugh. "Then let's go greet the new little one."
Elara waved goodbye, choosing to stay outside and continue playing with her Pokémon.
Inside the house, Iono peeked through the window. "The Champion's here."
Naoki moved forward to open the door. He wasn't surprised; Geeta had messaged him yesterday, saying she'd be visiting today.
"Good afternoon, Naoki," Geeta greeted with a smile. "It's been a while."
"Yes, it has." Naoki smiled back warmly. "Come in."
Geeta entered, greeting Iono politely before her gaze fell upon the cradle. A tiny infant slept soundly inside, swaddled in soft blankets.
"Have you given him a name yet?" she asked softly.
"Yes," Iono replied with a gentle smile. "His name is Sorin."
"Sorin…" Geeta repeated the name, her expression brightening into a smile.
Not only had Naoki secured his daughter's path toward Champion, but now, with Sorin's birth, the legacy of Paldea's next great prodigy was assured.
...
Stones Plzz
The story is now complete, and I've uploaded all the chapters on Patreon. If you're interested, you can join me there @patreon.com/Keepsmiling818