Pokemon: A New Path

With a flash of white light, a brown-gray feathered Pokémon with a yellow bill appeared before Naoki. 

It held a long leek in its wing, its chest and abdomen covered with a layer of soft, milky-white down. Its yellow webbed feet supported its confident stance. 

Three distinct feathers stood on top of its head, and a black "V"-shaped mark on its forehead gave its expression a resolute, determined look.

"This is… Farfetch'd?!" Naoki's eyes widened in disbelief.

His mind raced back to the Farfetch'd that had once brought a bundle of leeks to Mew and Teddiursa during their travels last year.

"Could it be the same one?" Naoki wondered aloud, staring at the Pokémon.

The Farfetch'd before him clutched its leek firmly and gazed back with steady resolve.

Naoki cautiously greeted it, "Hi? Hello?"

The Farfetch'd nodded sharply and quacked, "Quack!"

Naoki was taken aback. 

"Wow! This Farfetch'd is so cool!" he thought, his excitement barely contained.

"Are you a friend of Teddiursa and Mew?" he asked curiously.

"Did they invite you to come live on the ranch?"

"farfe?" 'Huh?' 

Farfetch'd seemed momentarily confused. It shook its feathers out and then gestured animatedly with its leek, trying to explain something.

Naoki, puzzled, turned toward Calyrex, who was lounging on the sofa. 

"Could you help me out here?" he asked.

Calyrex nodded, inviting the Farfetch'd to sit on the sofa. Using telepathy, the Pokémon King helped translate Farfetch'd's story.

As it turned out, this wasn't the same Farfetch'd that gave a bundle of leeks to the ranch before. That had been another Farfetch'd that Teddiursa and Mew had encountered on their journey.

This particular Farfetch'd had been living in a dense forest, tirelessly training near a waterfall. It had been striving to perfect a technique called the "One-Cut Slash," aiming to sever the waterfall itself in a single strike—a pursuit it called the ultimate mastery of the "Leek Blade" skill.

Unfortunately, its training had reached a bottleneck. No matter how hard it tried, it couldn't break through to the next level.

Five days ago, the Hero Exploration Team stumbled across it while it was deep in thought at the waterfall. 

Teddiursa and Mew, noticing its troubled expression, asked why it seemed so downcast.

Farfetch'd recounted its struggles: 

"Farfetch". "My training has stalled. I can't make any progress, no matter what I do. I'm not sure how to move forward."

Moved by its determination, Teddiursa and Mew listened carefully and shared stories of their travels, including their own goals and challenges as part of the Hero Exploration Team.

The Farfetch'd was deeply inspired by their tales of helping those in need. Over a shared meal of berries, Mew and Teddiursa made a suggestion: 

"Teddi". "Why don't you visit Naoki Ranch? Naoki and Pokémon there will help you grow stronger."

Encouraged by their words, Farfetch'd had made the journey to the ranch, determined to perfect its technique and finally slice through the waterfall.

When its story ended, Naoki and Calyrex exchanged astonished glances.

"Slicing through a waterfall?" Naoki asked incredulously.

"With that leek?"

Farfetch'd narrowed its eyes at Naoki's skepticism. Its gaze grew sharp, and it held its leek aloft.

Then, in a blur of movement, Farfetch'd slashed downward with lightning speed.

All Naoki saw was a flash of white light. When his eyes adjusted, he realized that a glass sitting on the coffee table had been split perfectly in half. The edges of the cut were smooth and flawless, evidence of incredible precision and skill.

Naoki stared in awe.

"This Farfetch'd is… amazing," he whispered, completely blown away.

"What kind of move was that?" Naoki exclaimed, still reeling from the display. "One-Word Slash or Cut? That was incredible!"

The Farfetch'd calmly held its leek in a ready position, its expression steady. "Farfetch'd." (It's not perfect yet; I can't truly master it for now.)

Naoki nodded, beginning to understand. "So, you came to the ranch to train and improve your skills?"

Farfetch'd nodded earnestly. "Farfetch'd!"

Naoki scratched his head, looking unsure. "But you're already so skilled! I've never been involved in this kind of training before. I wouldn't even know where to start helping you improve your sword techniques…"

Farfetch'd's confident demeanor faltered slightly, disappointment flickering in its eyes.

Seeing this, Naoki couldn't bear to let down the Pokémon—or the trust placed in him by Mew and Teddiursa. After thinking for a moment, he offered, "Alright, let's give it a shot. Show me all the moves you've mastered so far!"

Farfetch'd perked up at Naoki's suggestion, nodding decisively.

The two headed outside, where Farfetch'd began demonstrating its arsenal of moves. It performed the following:

Slash/One-Word Slash: A single, precise strike meant to take down the opponent in one move.

Cut/Iai Slash: A swift and fluid draw of the leek-sword, striking before the opponent has time to react.

Leaf Blade/Leaf Fan Slash: A series of wide, arcing cuts that seemed to generate gusts of wind.

Fury Cutter/Continuous Slash: Rapid, consecutive strikes designed to overwhelm the opponent.

When Farfetch'd finished, it stood tall and proud, waiting for feedback.

Naoki, however, looked completely bewildered. "That's it? Those are all the moves you know?"

Farfetch'd nodded confidently. "Farfetch'd!"

Naoki was incredulous. "Do you know how to throw sand?" he asked.

Farfetch'd shook its head.

"What about Leer?"

Farfetch'd shook its head again.

"Peck, at least?"

Farfetch'd shook its head a third time.

Naoki was stunned. "You've got a serious imbalance in your skill set!"

But Farfetch'd didn't seem concerned. To it, moves like Sand Attack or Peck lacked the elegance and sophistication of a true swordsman. Using its beak to attack? That was far too uncouth. It was dedicated to mastering sword techniques alone.

Farfetch'd stood firm, its gaze unwavering as it waited for Naoki's verdict. If this ranch couldn't help it improve, it would leave and train in the wild, pursuing its goal alone.

Naoki stared back, his mind racing. Farfetch'd's moveset was limited to four slashing techniques, but it clearly didn't care about learning anything outside of swordsmanship.

Naoki's thoughts drifted toward other sword-related moves. Some came to mind:

Air Slash: A cutting move that could slice through even the sky.

Night Slash: A dark move that targeted an opponent's weak points.

His imagination ventured further, recalling the exclusive moves of legendary Pokémon:

Spatial Rend is the move used by Palkia to rend dimensions.

Sacred Sword, the signature move of the Swords of Justice.

Secret Sword, wielded by Keldeo. Behemoth Blade, a move unique to Zacian.

Precipice Blades, Groudon's mighty ground-shaking attack.

But even as he pondered, Naoki shook his head. Farfetch'd wasn't a legendary Pokémon. Teaching it such moves would be impossible.

He sighed, glancing at the determined Pokémon before him and suddenly a dish he had made before came to his mind: a fruit platter.

With a resigned sigh, Naoki thought: 'That method is a double-edged sword. It might help a Pokémon learn new moves, but it also risks making them forget the ones they already know.'

Seeing that Naoki didn't give an answer for a long time, Farfetch'd sighed and without saying another word, turned around and began walking away, its leek-sword in hand.

Seeing the resolve on its back, Naoki quickly called out: "Wait a minute!"

The Farfetch'd stopped in its tracks and looked back over its shoulder, its eyes still filled with determination.

Naoki asked, "Have you ever heard of a sword technique so powerful it can cut through space itself?"

Farfetch'd froze, visibly stunned. 'Cut through space?'

The concept alone was beyond its comprehension, yet it sounded incredibly powerful.

"That technique is called Sub-Spatial Slash," Naoki explained, before launching into descriptions of other legendary sword moves: Sacred Sword, Secret Sword, Behemoth Blade, and more.

When he finished, he looked at Farfetch'd, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I have a way to help you learn these moves."

Farfetch'd's eyes burned with new resolve. It gripped its leek tightly and let out a fierce quack, as if to say, 'No matter how hard it is, I'll do it!'

Naoki, however, shook his head. "No, this isn't about hard work."

Farfetch'd blinked in confusion. "Farfetch'd?" (Not about hard work? Then how?)

"It's about luck," Naoki said, his tone turning serious. He then described the effects of the fruit platter he was about to prepare. "This special dish I can make has two effects.

"The first effect is that it gives you a chance to randomly learn a move from a specific pool. Legendary sword techniques like Sub-Spatial Slash are included—but the odds of learning one are extremely low.

"The second effect is that it may randomly cause you to forget one of the moves you've already mastered. But if you're willing to work hard, you could always relearn those moves later."

Naoki's voice softened as he added, "I won't force you to try it. The choice is entirely up to you."

Farfetch'd stood there, its mind swirling. On one hand, it was tantalized by the chance to learn one of these legendary moves. On the other, the risk of losing its hard-earned skills left it hesitant.

In its imagination, two tiny Farfetch'd appeared on its shoulders—one dressed as an angel in white robes, the other as a devil with horns.

The angel Farfetch'd whispered, "Don't do it. Keep practicing. You'll find another way to improve."

The devil Farfetch'd countered, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! If you miss it, you'll never learn those legendary techniques!"

As the devil's words rang true in its heart, the angel was knocked aside. Farfetch'd's resolve solidified. It turned to Naoki, nodded firmly, and quacked decisively: 'I'll do it!'

Naoki raised an eyebrow. "You sure about this?"

Farfetch'd gave another resolute nod. "Farfetch'd!"

Without further hesitation, Naoki turned and headed to the kitchen. He gathered a basket of fresh, ripe berries and fruits, slicing them skillfully with a sharp knife. In no time, he had arranged a colorful, appetizing fruit platter.

As he finished, an informational window popped up in his mind:

Fruit Platter (B-Grade): A delicacy crafted from a variety of fresh fruits, expertly combined for maximum flavor. Highly favored by Pokémon.

Effect: Allows the Pokémon to randomly learn a new move from a designated pool. May cause the Pokémon to forget one of its currently known moves.

Comment: "Basic cuisine, easy to prepare. An excellent choice for training or travel."

Satisfied with his work, Naoki carried the fruit platter outside.

Under the eaves, Farfetch'd stood with its leek held firmly, casting a sharp gaze toward the other Pokémon on the ranch. Its determination was evident as it waited for Naoki to return.

"It's ready! Are you prepared to give it a try?" Naoki said, setting the fruit platter down in front of the Farfetch'd.

The duck Pokémon glanced skeptically at the neatly cut fruit pieces on the platter. They seemed too simple to hold the kind of power Naoki had described.

'Could such an ordinary dish really help it master legendary sword techniques?'

Still uncertain but willing to try, Farfetch'd began to eat. Piece by piece, it worked its way through the platter. When it finished the last bit, its eyes suddenly sharpened, filled with expectation.

'This is it!'

Naoki held his breath, focusing intently on Farfetch'd, waiting for a reaction.

But then, Farfetch'd yawned, stretched, and promptly lay down on the grass, falling into a deep sleep.

Naoki: "...?"

"Was this some kind of supernatural sleep?"

Naoki crouched down and gently shook Farfetch'd, trying to wake it. After a while, it stirred, looking refreshed and full of energy.

Farfetch'd turned its gaze to Naoki, its eyes shining with hope.

Naoki smiled wryly and said, "Congratulations. You've successfully mastered… Rest."

Farfetch'd's face fell. This wasn't the result it had hoped for. With a resolute quack, it stood up, its expression determined:

"Farfetch'd's". "Again!"

Naoki sighed. It seemed this Farfetch'd wouldn't give up so easily. This time, he prepared a full basket of berries, slicing them into neat portions and arranging eight fruit platters in a line on the grass.

Farfetch'd stepped forward, its resolve unwavering. It began eating through the platters one by one, its focus unbroken.

After finishing the first platter, a strange sensation swept through its body. Farfetch'd blinked in shock—its body felt different. Then it realized: it had forgotten the move Slash. Its eyes widened in disbelief.

In the second platter, Farfetch'd learned Sand Attack. It blinked again, its body trembling with frustration. It couldn't believe this was happening.

Farfetch'd! (This can't be real!)

Without hesitation, it moved on to the third platter.

This time, it forgot Cut. Farfetch'd froze, its disbelief growing. Yet it pressed on.

The fourth platter caused it to forget Rest.

The fifth platter? It forgot Sand Attack—the very move it had just learned.

In the sixth platter, it lost Leaf Blade. Farfetch'd's wings trembled, but it clenched its leek tightly and refused to stop.

The seventh platter made it forget Fury Cutter. At this point, Farfetch'd had lost every single skill it had once mastered. A dark aura of despair seemed to surround it.

Naoki could only watch in silent amazement as Farfetch'd, now a blank slate, stood defiantly. Despite everything, its determination burned brighter than ever. It refused to give up.

With a determined expression and a belly that was painfully bloated, Farfetch'd staggered to the last platter of fruits. It had nothing left to lose.

"Farfetch'd!"

The Onion Duck let out a fearless cry, lowering its head to devour the final serving of the fruit platter.

As it consumed the last piece of berry, its aura suddenly surged. Its eyes sharpened intensely, and it began to wave its leek, performing a fierce war dance.

The move was unmistakable—Swords Dance!

When the performance ended, Farfetch'd felt a rush of strength course through its body. However, its overstuffed stomach quickly reminded it of the consequences. Overcome with discomfort, it collapsed onto the grass, staring blankly at the darkening sky.

"Fa..." it groaned weakly.

Suddenly, its vision was filled with curious faces. Pokémon like Alcremie, Pawmot, Glaceon, and Arboliva had gathered around, leaning in to examine the Farfetch'd that had recklessly eaten nine platters of fruit.

Alcremie: "Alcremie!" (It ate so much! Even more than Dragonite!)

Glaceon: "Booey..." (It looks like it's about to pass out.)

Alarmed by this, Arboliva reached out with its small hands to check Farfetch'd's breathing. After confirming it was still alive, it sighed in relief and chirped cheerfully,

"Arbo!" (It's okay—it's still breathing!)

Farfetch'd's dull eyes stared up as its bloated body rendered it immobile.

Naoki approached, smiling despite his concern. "Are you okay?"

Farfetch'd didn't respond.

Worried, Naoki gently touched Farfetch'd's rock-hard belly. Pokémon getting sick from overeating wasn't unheard of, and he realized the ranch wasn't equipped to handle such emergencies.

Without hesitation, he recalled Farfetch'd into its Poké Ball and mounted Koraidon, racing toward the Pokémon Center in town.

When Nurse Joy heard that Farfetch'd had consumed nearly forty berries in one sitting, her face paled in shock.

"How... how did this happen?"

She immediately ushered the Pokémon onto a stretcher, assisted by her Audino helper, and wheeled it into the emergency room.

Holding Farfetch'd's leek in his hands, Naoki couldn't help but feel conflicted. How could this Farfetch'd be so reckless?

He waited anxiously in the Pokémon Center lobby for nearly an hour before the doors of the emergency room finally swung open. Nurse Joy stepped out, looking relieved.

"It's okay now," she assured him. "I induced vomiting, and Farfetch'd has expelled all the fruit it ate."

Naoki let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Mr. Naoki," Nurse Joy continued, "is this Farfetch'd a new Pokémon you've caught?"

Naoki shook his head. "No, it came to the ranch on its own."

"I see," Nurse Joy said thoughtfully. "I was wondering because Farfetch'd aren't native to the Paldea region."

"Oh, it's awake now. You can go see it!" she added with a smile.

Naoki nodded and walked into the ward with Koraidon trailing behind.

On the hospital bed, Farfetch'd lay in a daze, its feathers slightly ruffled. Hearing footsteps, it turned its head to see Naoki approaching.

"Feeling better?" Naoki asked gently, guilt evident in his voice. "I'm sorry—I shouldn't have let you eat so much all at once."

At the time, his focus had been entirely on helping Farfetch'd unlock new moves, and he hadn't considered the toll it would take.

Farfetch'd's eyes regained their clarity. It recalled Naoki's frantic concern. Touched, it shook its head lightly and quacked softly: "Farfetch'd." (It's not your fault. I wanted to eat it.)

Naoki smiled, handing back the leek. "Here, your weapon."

Farfetch'd grasped the leek tightly, instantly feeling a sense of security.

Exhausted from the ordeal, Farfetch'd was still in a low mood. Naoki, noticing this, decided not to rush back to the ranch. Instead, he stayed by Farfetch'd's side, pouring it a cup of warm water to sip slowly.

"Don't worry," Naoki reassured it softly. "We'll head back together later. I promise I'll help you relearn the moves you've forgotten."

...

Bonus Chapter

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Next Bonus chapter@ 1500 Powerstones.

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