At 3 p.m. Naoki returo the ranch smoothly. After affeately patting the head of the Koraidon that had e close to him, he took the Ice Stone and G to the cave behind his house.

  "e out, G!" Naoki called as he retrieved the Poké Ball from his pocket. With a fsh of white light, G appeared in the slightly dark and cool cave.

  "What do you think of this pce?" Naoki asked, as he carefully took the Ice Sto of his space backpad pced it in the ter of the cave.

  "Bu-yi." G looked around with a hint of curiosity.

  The cave was small, with smooth rock walls and ne holes. It seemed very safe—an ideal pce to transform into an ice cave.

  Just as G was getting fortable, several curious little heads popped out from the entrance of the cave, peering inside.

  It was Alcremie, the five Nacli, Butterfree, and the Cyclizar.

  Sensing so many unfamiliar presences, G instantly became alert. Its body temperature dropped rapidly, and its blue fur froze, turning into sharp ieedles, making it look like its fur had puffed up defensively.

  Naoki was slightly startled, then turned around to see the row of curious faces at the entrance. He quickly waved his hand and reassured G, "It's okay, they're also Pokémon that live here. They're different from Frosss!"

  "Bu-yi?" G looked over at the newers.

  Notig G's wary gaze, the cheerful Alcremie took the initiative to greet it, "Mree~!"

  Following her lead, the Nacli chorused, "Nacli, Nacli!"

  Butterfree fpped its wings happily, "Mmm~"

  And Cyclizar added its own wele, "Raao!"

  These Pokémon had grown aced to Naoki bringing baew panions from his trips outside, so they were naturally curious to see what the new addition looked like.

  G blinked, them closely. When it realized they were indeed different from Frosss, it rexed, and its fur returo its normal soft state.

  Seeing this, Naoki smiled and said, "Alcremie, I'll leave it to you to show our new friend around the ranch."

  "Mree!" Alcremie nodded enthusiastically, determio do a good job.

  Naoki added, "Get to know everyone first. I have some errands to run, but don't worry—no one will take the Ice Stone." He po go into town to ask Kora to install a door for the cave. Without a door, the cold air would escape, making it impossible to use the cave as an ice celr.

  After entrusting G to Alcremie, Naoki rode Koraidon to the town.

  Onaoki left, Alcremie eagerly started introdug herself to G. "Mree!" (Hello!)

  The Nacli mimicked her, adding, "Salt, salt, salt~"

  "Bu-yi." G felt overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity of everything and wasn't sure how to respond.

  It y down on the cold ground, watg the other Pokémon chatter excitedly around it with its eyes wide open.

  At first, Alcremie was full of energy, but as time passed, her voice grew quieter and quieter, until she finally fell silent.

  G's ck of expression and refusal to i made Alcremie feel that perhaps G didn't want to listen. Feelied, she quietly left the cave with the Nacli and Butterfree, heading to the grassy area outside.

  Seeing Alcremie turn away sadly, G, who had been quietly listening, opes mouth as if wanting to say something. But by the time it gathered the ce, the group of Pokémon had already left the cave.

  So when Naoki returned from town, he was surprised to find Alcremie and the others sitting listlessly on the grass.

  He couldn't help but ask, "What's going on?"

  "Mmmm." Butterfree lowered its head, gng toward the cave.

  "Did G hurt you?" Naoki inquired.

  Butterfree shook its head.

  Naoki, recalling G's cold demeanor earlier, asked, "Did it ignore you?"

  The Pokémon nodded in unison.

  "Alcremie" Alcremie murmured sadly.

  Naoki g the cave and then forted them, "Don't be sad. It's G's first day here; it just ime to adjust to the new enviro. Give it some time—it's actually a really nion."

  Hearing this, Alcremie brightened up a little.

  Naoki smiled warmly. "That's the Alcremie I know!"

  Just then, Kora arrived to install the door for the cave.

  Naoki told Alcremie and the others to go py while he brought Kora to the front of the cave.

  Kora, notig G ihe cave, remarked with surprise, "Yht ba Ice-type Pokémon so soon?"

  Naoki nodded. He noticed G lying on the id snow, its eyes closed as if it were sleeping.

  Kora, having just made a casual ent, began installing the wooden door at the cave's entrahe door was two meters high and wide, with a small square opening at the bottom for Pokémon to enter a freely. This way, if G wao go outside to bask in the sun, it could easily pass through the door.

  "Alright!" Kora announced after finishing the instaltion.

  She opehe door to reveal the cave, which was now dark inside.

  Naoki noticed this and suggested, "Could we install a window here?" He poio a spot on the cave wall that seemed suitable.

  "Of course," Kora replied with a nod. Anticipating this request, she had brought along all the necessary materials.

  With her expertise, Kora quickly carved a hole in the wall and installed a window. Light flooded into the cave, making it much brighter inside.

  "All dohat'll be 3,000 Poke dolrs," Kora said, handiools to her Machop to carry back to the car.

  The price was reasonable, so Naoki paid her without hesitation.

  Kora smiled as she accepted the payment. She waved goodbye from the car window, saying, "See you ime! If you have any more renovations, you know where to find me!"

  "Will do," Naoki responded with a wave.

  After seeing Kora off, Naoki returo the cave. He could already feel the temperature had dropped signifitly, as if the air ditioner had been turned on—G was already influeng its surroundings.

  'As expected of aype Pokémon!' Naoki thought, recalling how Alcremie and the others had looked earlier. He gently said, "Alcremie and the others mean no harm. They just want to be friends with you. You could try responding to them a little."

  "Bu-yi." G remembered how Alcremie and the others had tried to i earlier.

  Having been alone in the wild for so long, G was used to solitude. The idea of responding to others felt fn.

  'Respond?' G pohe idea, then nodded slightly, "Bu-yi."

  It would try.

  "That's the spirit!" Naoki said with relief. He bid G farewell ahe cave.

  Naoki wasn't in a rush. He khat building a bond with G would take time, and he atient. Knowing that G had a good heart was enough for now.

  As he stepped outside, he noticed the sun beginning to set. 'It's getting dark. Time to prepare dinner for everyone!'

  Just as Naoki was about to head back to the house, a Pelipper suddenly nded on his head, startling him.

  Naoki looked up, surprised by the appearance of this unfamiliar Pelipper. The bird seemed to be sizing him up, and o was satisfied, it opes beak, letting a postcard and a small, silver-glowing pearl fall into Naoki's hands.

  With its delivery plete, the Pelipper flew off.

  Naoki bent down to pick up the pearl and postcard. The postcard was actually a piece of letter paper with patterns printed on it, but no words—only two distinct paw marks.

  One mark resembled a bear's paw, while the other looked somewhat like a cat's paw.

  As soon as Naoki saw these marks, two names immediately popped into his mind.

  'Teddiursa and Mew!'