Dragonite felt that if miracles existed, they were happening now.
With Victini's help, Comfey's Grassy Terrain Z rippled outward in emerald waves. The energy stream smoothed the battered earth and made ordinary flowers grow and bloom anew.
In just a few breaths, the Holy Land returned to its former beauty, even lovelier with the infusion of rich life force.
Bound on the ground, Zinnia stared wide-eyed, full of questions.
What had Lucas done? What was that glowing thing on his wrist? How could the Pokémon called Comfey use a move that affected plant growth?
Making a whole field bloom in an instant—was that something an ordinary Pokémon could do?
No one cared about her thoughts. Dragonite's eyes welled with tears, like a child who had retrieved its unique treasure—crying tears of joy.
The young dragons and wild Pokémon it watched over jumped and cheered in their tender voices, celebrating the resurrection of the Holy Land after Salamence's raging winds.
Soon, excited Pokémon surrounded Lucas, Comfey, Dragonite, Serperior, and even the now-visible Victini—thanking their heroes in their own ways for restoring the beauty of the Holy Land.
And the culprits, Zinnia and Salamence, lay alone on the grass-and-dirt-scented ground, ignored.
After soothing the excited Pokémon and seeing them happily return to their newly beautified homes, Lucas recalled his team, leaving only Dragonite, took the Extreme Speed manual Dragonite had asked him to keep, and walked with Dragonite to Zinnia.
He crouched, looking at the dirt-smudged, slightly bedraggled Zinnia. Before Lance and Claire arrived, he asked, curious, "For this manual, you chose to risk theft even with me present—and with Lance and Claire likely nearby."
"I don't understand. Is it so attractive to you? Attractive enough that you'd risk making enemies of the Dragon Tamers as a member of the Meteoroid People?"
Zinnia was silent for a long while. When she tried to speak, a few blades of grass slipped into her mouth and she almost choked.
After clearing her mouth, she finally dropped the smile from her face and said coldly, "No reason you'd accept. You will never understand the weight of my responsibility, or my resolve to do whatever it takes."
"I lost this time. You can hand me over to the Dragon Tamers. I'll take responsibility for my actions."
"No need for you to say it. That was my plan."
Lucas showed no extra emotion at her response and pondered for a while.
"Responsibility, huh…"
"You focus on your so-called duty, but where does that leave your fellow Meteoroid People? Even if the Dragon Tamers won't cross regions to punish them, their reputation will suffer."
"Your Whismur chose first to taste the dessert it made with you, but you crushed its goodwill for your obsession. If you can't even consider your partner watching over you, what right do you have to talk about saving the world?"
Leaving those words, Lucas looked up to see Dragonite and Dragonair flying rapidly toward the Holy Land with people on their backs—Lance and Claire. The Dragon's Den trial was over.
"Hey, how did you know—"
Ignoring the disbelieving, slightly flustered question behind him, Lucas and Dragonite met Lance and Claire and briefly explained what happened.
Dragonite's trial, the dessert-making, Zinnia's sudden theft, and her subdual.
Lance and Claire fell silent for a while, surprised that Zinnia would do this. Finally, Lance said, "…Then Claire and I will take her. We'll contact the Meteoroid People in Hoenn."
Claire nodded slightly and smiled at Dragonite, "We'd originally planned a combat trial, but since Dragonite wanted desserts and liked yours, you passed the hidden trial. The Extreme Speed manual is yours."
"There's still time left in the Dragon's Den trial. You can return to the caverns and capture a Pokémon you like—this doesn't conflict with the hidden trial reward."
Claire remembered Lucas said he'd reached the Holy Land without capturing anything along the way and gave a friendly reminder.
"No need. Let's just go back together."
Lucas shook his head. He already had plenty of Pokémon to raise. On this trip alone he'd captured four Miltank and two Shuckle. He wasn't looking to add more.
Getting the Extreme Speed manual was his whole goal this time.
Since Lucas insisted, Claire didn't press. After all, this trainer was on the same level as her cousin—no place for her to interfere.
Lance sent out a Charizard, and Claire released a second Dragonair. The former carried the trussed-up Salamence; the latter carried Zinnia, and they flew to the Dragon Tamer estate.
Lucas and Dragonite, after bidding a reluctant farewell to the big Dragonite, followed Lance and Claire back through the skies.
Out of consideration for the Meteoroid People's face, they didn't parade Zinnia around tied up. They found a secluded spot to hold Zinnia and Salamence, then would consult the Dragon Elder on contacting Hoenn.
Lucas, meanwhile, turned back halfway to the rendezvous. After a short wait, Diantha, Cynthia, and Iris returned.
Diantha had caught an adorable Horsea in the Den, with the Swift Swim ability—planning to pair it with Goomy for a Rain double team.
Under Cynthia's watch, Iris caught something that surprised Lucas—making him sigh at fate's mysteries.
It was the same Lapras calf he had fed berries to in the Den.
Odd that a wannabe Dragon master caught two non-Dragon Pokémon in a row, but she was happy, insisting Lapras was a dragon, and Excadrill too.
When Lapras met Lucas, it showed close affection that made Iris a bit jealous. She complained she and Cynthia expended great effort to gain the wary herd's trust before finally coaxing the calf away—so why was it glued to Lucas at first sight?
Lucas could hardly admit he'd "buffed" Iris and Cynthia by warning the Lapras herd not to immediately trust any humans, could he?
He smoothly changed the subject.
When Lance and Claire returned with the Dragon Elder and declared the Dragon Festival over, visiting trainers had gained many promising dragon Pokémon, and the Dragon Tamers had won new friendships. Both sides were satisfied.
After the four rode back to the hotel, handed Iris over to Drayden exactly as promised, and saw Cynthia off to Sinnoh, Diantha to Kalos, and Drayden and Iris to Unova—
Lucas didn't ask how they'd handle Zinnia. He booked a flight the next morning from Johto to Paldea and turned in.
…
The next day, Lucas boarded the plane and, after nearly a day and a night, arrived in Levincia of Paldea.
On July 4th, he rode Dragonite back to Los Platos and landed at the ranch.
After the usual warm welcome from his Pokémon, Lucas led the four new Miltank to the pasture, introducing the environment one by one—especially stressing that if it looked like rain, they should return to the shelter, and that at night they could sleep in the Pokémon hut by the shelter.
"If there's danger or you sense wild Pokémon invading the farm, find Luxray. He's the head of ranch security and very strong."
The four well-behaved Miltank sat in a row, staring curiously at Luxray. Luxray gave a friendly growl, which backfired, making them scoot back, a little intimidated.
Understandable. Even among their kind, Lucas's Luxray had a rare, imposing presence. Even when restraining himself, a strong aura leaked out, making the Miltank a bit afraid.
Luxray was used to this. Give it a few days—the Miltank would definitely see him as the most reliable boss.
"Those Corvisquire and Corviknight circling overhead also guard the ranch. Don't be nervous when you see them."
He pointed to the sky and reminded them.
The four newcomers all had Thick Fat. The ranch's original Miltank, with Sap Sipper, plopped down and started mowing fresh shoots at a speed that startled the new four.
The freshest growth is always the most tender, tastiest, and most nutritious—gourmets of pasture: Miltank.
Two Skiddo led by Sawsbuck came to watch and shook their heads, used to Miltank's bottomless appetite.
Exchanging looks, the four new Miltank began exploring their new home as Miltank do—curling into balls and rolling with Rollout across the pasture, stopping to sniff and taste the grass at each spot.
Even the Mudsdale cooling in a mud pit eyed the herd rolling around with curiosity.
"I remember Whitney said frequent rolling and massage keep Miltank healthy and produce tastier MooMoo Milk."
Watching them, Lucas decided to start practicing Whitney's Miltank massage techniques tonight—and maybe generalize it to other Pokémon later.
Then—
He steeled himself. "Luxray, please keep an eye on Miltank. Make sure it rolls at least five laps of the pasture per day. At this rate, it'll get sick from obesity."
"Meow-ow~"
Luxray nodded slightly, golden eyes narrowing at the Miltank whose chewing slowed at Lucas's words.
It knew exactly which one he meant. The other four had formed a habit under Whitney's care—rolling when in a good mood. Only his ranch's Miltank ate and slept on repeat.
Lucas was right—time to be strict.
Sparks crackled in Luxray's mane.
Not long after leaving the pasture, Lucas seemed to hear Miltank's "screams."
He ignored it. Luxray always knew its limits—probably just a mild zap to the rump for a tingly reminder.
On the way to the Salt House, Lucas pondered ranch development with the four new Miltank.
A Miltank yields roughly 20 liters per day. His Sap Sipper Miltank from Hanzawa's ranch produced about a quarter more, with richer nutrition.
At 105 liters per day, the ranch couldn't consume that much. MooMoo Milk was nutrient-dense; long-term intake easily led to Miltank-like chubbiness and often needed dilution.
Even turning some into yogurt, cheese, butter, ice cream, condensed milk, etc., wouldn't use it all.
How to handle the surplus became a pressing issue.
"I don't think anyone near Los Platos runs Miltank ranches. Most milk is shipped from other cities, which means delays… Maybe I can brand it as 'fresh' MooMoo Milk and start a subscription delivery service."
He rubbed his chin, nearing the Salt House, and decided.
"Yeah… I'll ask Oranguru for advice—on logistics, for example."
Muttering, he slipped on shoe covers and lifted the Salt House curtain.
The rock salt underneath had likely been collected by Oranguru yesterday; there wasn't much stock. The three Nacli were stacked together, curiously watching the two other red-and-blue guests—Shuckle.
Shuckle usually liked tree hollows or holes under/within rocks—good for fermenting berries into juice. The sunny Salt House wasn't ideal.
They'd only stay there temporarily. Once Lucas found a suitable big rock, he'd move them to the orchard—shade from the canopy, all the berries they could pick to ferment, and company from Applin and Tropius near the apple trees.
Those two little ones, after over a month of growth, could live without Serperior now. But two alone was still dull. The Shuckle siblings would be perfect playmates.
In one corner, the feed trough had been licked clean. Lucas smiled, surprised. "You finished it all?"
He had rushed to fill their trough with Mt. Silver soil he'd gotten from a Larvitar. After a short while, it was all gone.
"Salt-salt!" "Salt-salt!" "Salt-salt!"
The three Nacli hopped around Lucas, telling him how delicious the soil was.
The two Shuckle slowly crawled over, craning their necks to tell him they'd eaten some too and found it tasty.
While he accepted their thanks, Lucas was a bit surprised Shuckle could eat soil—but it made sense.
They were Rock-type as well, same family as Nacli. He'd thought their shells explained the Rock typing and that their bodies were just Bug-type, so he assumed berries were their whole diet.
Turns out Pokémon biology was deeper than he thought.
As they bounced and rubbed against each other, crystalline white rock salt fell through the youngest's diamond-shaped gaps, landing on the collector plate.
Then, a blinding light flooded the Salt House. Lucas instinctively shut his eyes; the Shuckle siblings retreated into their shells from the glare.
As the light faded and he reopened his eyes, Lucas was stunned.
The small, cute Nacli had vanished, replaced by three Pokémon like blocky bricks.
Their name was Naclstack!
"They evolved…"
Eyes wide, Lucas wondered if the Mt. Silver soil was that potent—that a single meal pushed them over the edge.
But thinking it through, he judged it wasn't just that.
Even the best soil needed time to accumulate effects.
Accumulate—yes. The energy and nutrients they'd built up previously happened to erupt today, triggered by their joy, finishing the first stage of evolution.
As Naclstack, their height was about Shuckle's, but they were broader and longer.
The Salt House wasn't cramped, but they took up a lot more space.
Thankfully, he had built the Salt House to accommodate their final form, Garganacl—entrance and room were more than sufficient.
Evolution is like human growth; their once-childish calls now sounded deeper. They moved their new limbs with some clumsiness, shuffled to Lucas, and cried with joy.
"Stack stack~"
"Congratulations!"
Busy but careful to be fair, Lucas patted each head in turn.
Seeing the once smaller Nacli now bigger than itself, the red Shuckle brother shrank timidly. The blue Shuckle sister, less indulgent, stuck out a sticky tendril to drag him forward to offer congratulations.
"Shuckle~" (Congrats)
The little brother added, cautiously, "Shu…ckle~" (Co…ngrats)
"Stack~" (Thank you)
In high spirits, the Naclstack lined up and, in sync, aimed at an open patch of floor and expelled their internal product!
In an instant—
Crystalline, snow-white rock salt poured out, piling into a small salt mountain in moments—quite a sight.
Post-evolution, their salt output was almost two to three times that of Nacli—meaning two to three times the revenue!
Overwhelmed by the sudden windfall, Lucas couldn't help but grin.
Good news just kept coming!
He was already imagining when they became Garganacl—curing with Salt Cure, even higher yields, and… the rumored Purifying Salt that could heal grievous wounds!