What kind of dessert could possibly do justice to such exquisite honey? Naoki found himself stuck in a sweet dilemma.
Honey cake, honey lemonade, honey grapefruit tea, honey cheesecake…
He turned and glanced at Iono relaxing in the living room. "Is there anything you're craving?" he asked casually.
"Hmm?" Iono blinked, caught off guard.
Naoki smiled. "I mean dessert. Would you rather have cake, a sweet drink, or something else?"
Iono tilted her head, deep in thought. After a few moments, she perked up. "I want candy!"
"Candy?" Naoki was slightly surprised. He usually made things like honey jelly with lemon berries. But candy?
Iono looked at him with hopeful eyes. "Can you make it?"
"Of course," Naoki said with a reassuring smile. "We're running low on desserts anyway. Might as well restock. Alcremie and Ogerpon will appreciate some too."
He returned to the kitchen and stared at the bottle of glistening, golden honey in front of him. Suddenly, inspiration struck.
This honey, crafted by the Combee, was truly special. It had a delicate floral aroma, a rich golden hue, and a smooth, syrupy texture. But unlike common honey, it wasn't cloying or sticky. It was like golden lava, warm and flowing with flavor.
Many dessert shops used such high-quality honey as a lava core in their candies and pastries. One bite, and the gooey honey would burst out, filling your mouth with happiness.
"In that case, let's make honey lava soft candies."
Naoki got to work. He retrieved a large can of fresh Moomoo Milk from the pantry, then gathered a bag of sugar, a bottle of syrupy wheat starch, and poured everything into a pot to simmer.
Once the mixture neared a boil, he added edible brown coloring and a splash of mint syrup.
He poured the mixture into molds, molds he had custom-made just for this kind of candy. Each one was shaped like a chibi version of Baby Bear's head, with puffy cheeks and tiny round ears.
"Glaceon, come help!" Naoki called out toward the garden.
Moments later, Glaceon trotted into the kitchen with a curious "Buee?"
Naoki lifted her up and carried her over to the stove.
"Buee!" she squeaked in surprise, eyes wide at the steaming candy molds.
"Okay, girl," Naoki said, setting her down. "Use Icy Wind, gently. Just a little breeze, enough to chill the surface. Don't freeze the whole thing solid."
"Buee…" Glaceon nodded and softly opened her mouth. A cool breath drifted from her lips, washing over the molds like a morning frost.
Under her touch, the syrup began to cool and thicken rapidly.
"Perfect, leave the rest to me."
Naoki carefully spooned the special honey into the centers of the half-set molds, letting it pool in the middle. Then he poured in a final layer of syrup and snapped the molds shut to set.
The final stage went back to Glaceon.
With a flourish of her chilly breath, the candies hardened into their finished form.
When Naoki opened the mold, dozens of honey-filled gummies popped out, each one shaped like an adorable Baby Bear head, with glossy surfaces and soft, springy bodies.
As he looked down at them with a sense of accomplishment, a faint shimmer surrounded the candies and their details popped instantly into Naoki's mind.
[Honey Flowing Gummy Candy (B+)]
Crafted from premium Sweet Honey and rich Moomoo Milk, this gummy candy has a luscious flavor and is absolutely irresistible to Pokémon with a sweet tooth.
Cooking Effect: Honey Collector Level 3. When eaten, this candy allows bee-like Pokémon to find high-quality flowers with ease, greatly boosting the efficiency and quality of nectar collection. Effect limited to Pokémon like Combee and Vespiquen.
Rating: A top favorite of Bear Pokémon!
"Huh?" Naoki blinked in surprise as the information appeared in his mind. "Honey Collector… That's actually a great bonus for the Combee."
He had made the candy casually, not expecting such a delightful result.
"What a pleasant surprise."
Naoki picked up one of the golden candies and held it out in front of Glaceon.
Glaceon hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward and gently took the candy into her mouth.
As soon as she bit down, the gummy shell gave way, releasing a warm stream of honey that filled her mouth with sweetness. The scent of wildflowers and Moomoo Milk mixed perfectly.
Glaceon's eyes widened in astonishment. Her ears twitched, and a look of wonder spread across her face.
"Pretty good, huh?" Naoki chuckled, offering her a few more pieces.
He carefully arranged the rest on a white porcelain plate and carried it into the living room.
"This is honey lava candy. Want to try one?" he asked, looking at Iono.
Iono leaned forward with curiosity and picked up a candy. She gave it a cautious nibble.
Just like Glaceon, her eyes instantly lit up in surprise.
"It bursts!" she gasped. "There's honey inside!"
Her face brightened with delight. "It's amazing!"
"Then have some more," Naoki said with a grin, handing a few extra pieces to Koraidon and Iono's Bellibolt.
With the rest of the candies in hand, Naoki walked out to the ranch. He made his way through the flower fields where the Combee were hard at work, their tiny wings buzzing like a chorus.
"I made these with the Sweet Honey you brewed. Try them and tell me what you think," he said warmly as he held the plate toward them.
The three Combee immediately clustered around him, each buzzing excitedly.
"Buzz! Buzz buzz!"
They nibbled at the candies, wiggled their wings, and began to whirl happily in the air around Naoki, circling him like honey-scented whirlwinds.
"I take that as a yes?" Naoki laughed. "If you like them that much, I'll make more."
The Combee buzzed their approval and zipped off toward the flower field, working even harder than before. Their tiny antennae shimmered with energy as they began collecting nectar with renewed enthusiasm, eager to brew another batch of that golden honey.
Watching their joy, Naoki's heart swelled with warmth.
Since the Pokémon loved them so much, he decided to stay home after lunch and spend the rest of the day crafting more candies.
That afternoon, Naoki managed to make a whole sack of candies. He stored them neatly under the cupboard so that any Pokémon wanting a sweet treat could help themselves whenever they liked.
By the time everything was wrapped up, it was already 3:30 p.m.
Summer had arrived, and the days were growing hotter. From the nearby hills, the chirping of cicadas echoed regularly, a familiar song of the season.
Although the temperature was rising, the ranch was spared the worst of the heat. Cool breezes often swept down from Frost Mountain, making the weather much more pleasant than in the bustling cities. The air was fresh, and the afternoons peaceful.
Around this time of day, the Pokémon would venture outside. Some sprawled lazily in the tall grass, others made their way to the river to listen to the flowing water, while a few quietly napped in the shade of trees.
It was also worth mentioning that Raikou had chosen to stay at the ranch during this period.
But for reasons Naoki couldn't quite understand, Raikou always lingered at the far edge of the grassy field. It never approached the house, nor mingled with the other Pokémon. Instead, it lay there all day like a silent sentinel, more like a large, shy feline than a Legendary Beast, nestled in a discreet corner and quietly observing everything around it.
Whenever Naoki's eyes met Raikou's, the Pokémon would instantly look away and pretend to be admiring the clouds or the mountains instead.
Just like now.
As Naoki glanced its way, Raikou quickly averted its gaze. No one could guess what the Thunder Beast was thinking.
Naoki sighed internally.
"What a strange Pokémon," he muttered.
He rubbed his chin, considering. "Maybe I should let Raikou stretch its legs a bit and start getting used to teamwork by partnering in a trainer battle."
With that thought in mind, he made a silent promise to himself: if a suitable challenger showed up tomorrow during work, he would send Raikou into the field to give it a try.
Decision made, Naoki walked toward Raikou, holding a small white plate filled with honey candies.
Raikou's gaze flickered around, pretending not to notice. It remained silent and aloof.
That is, until Naoki set the plate down in front of it.
"Here. Try one. I just made these," Naoki said casually.
Raikou slowly turned its head and looked down at the shiny, sweet-smelling candies.
Naoki didn't stick around for a reaction. Having delivered the treats, he turned and made his way to the breeding treehouse nestled deeper within the ranch.
Inside, he found Iono fast asleep. Her face looked peaceful and serene, her breath soft and steady. She had clearly dozed off without realizing it. Floating beside her was her loyal Magnemite, quietly keeping watch, its eye shut tight as it hovered slightly above the floor, gently bobbing with each breath.
As if sensing movement, Magnemite stirred and opened its eye with a soft hum.
Naoki raised a finger to his lips and whispered, "Shhh. Go back to sleep."
Before he left, he pulled a light blanket over Iono's stomach. The breeze would start to chill around four or five in the afternoon, and he didn't want her catching cold.
Just then, Butterfree fluttered toward him in a hurry.
"Free-ee!"
"Hm? What's wrong?" Naoki asked, stepping outside.
Butterfree turned midair and looked toward the ranch entrance.
Naoki followed its gaze.
In the distance, walking steadily toward the ranch, were a man and a woman.
He squinted slightly to make them out more clearly.
"Is that Leon? And Sonia?"
...
Bonus Chapter
Stones PLZzzz