After a few minutes of playful chatting with Elara, the two grandparents finally turned their attention to Naoki.

Iono's father seemed like he had something on his mind. He looked hesitant, opening his mouth to speak several times but saying nothing.

Naoki noticed and tilted his head curiously.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Dad? Do I have something on my face?"

Iono's father quickly waved his hands. "No."

Iono's mother burst into laughter.

"Your dad just wants to cheer you on! He's been glued to the TV every time your matches come on. He practically jumped off the sofa when you won!"

She continued playfully, "He even brags to the old men in the neighborhood every single day, telling everyone his son-in-law has already won the World Championship. They're so jealous!"

Iono's father turned red from embarrassment. "Don't listen to her nonsense, I never said that!"

Naoki: "…"

He didn't say anything, but the truth had already been written all over his father-in-law's flustered face.

Giving up on denying it, Iono's father sighed and leaned forward.

"Alright then, do you think you've got what it takes to reach the Masters Eight?"

Naoki smiled modestly. "I'd say I'm 90% confident."

"Good! That's great to hear!" his father-in-law said, eyes lighting up.

"When the time comes, go all in! We'll be watching and cheering like crazy!"

Naoki nodded. "Don't worry, Dad. My Pokémon and I will give it everything we've got."

The two of them went on to chat about the current World Championship season, sharing thoughts on top trainers, battle strategies, and the surprises in recent matches.

Just then, Iono's mother chimed in with a teasing question:

"Naoki, have you two thought about giving Elara a little brother or sister?"

Naoki froze for a second, then scratched his head sheepishly.

"Mom… Elara's still so young."

Truthfully, the idea had crossed his mind, he wouldn't mind a son, but now just wasn't the time.

His mother-in-law nodded with understanding.

"You're right. She still needs lots of attention. But maybe once she's four or five, it'd be the perfect time. She could help take care of her younger sibling too!"

Naoki: "…"

What's next? Have Elara take her little brother on a journey when she turns ten?

That… sounds exactly like Norman's kids, May and Max.

But thinking deeper, it didn't seem like a bad setup.

May eventually became a Coordinator and followed her own dreams, while Max probably had the potential to inherit the Petalburg Gym someday.

Maybe, someday, Naoki and Iono could do something similar. Their daughter could take over her mother's Gym, and a future son might inherit the Tree House Ranch.

Still, that kind of future was far off.

For now, Elara was the center of their world, and they wanted to raise her with care before making any decisions about a second child.

The two grandparents stayed at the ranch until early evening. Naoki offered to let them stay overnight, but they declined, saying they had other things to take care of at home.

Before they left, Iono's mother leaned down, pinched Elara's soft little cheeks, and said sweetly,

"Elara, do you want to come home with Grandma for a while? I'll bake lots of cookies just for you!"

Elara's eyes sparkled with excitement.

She'd grown so close to her grandparents over the afternoon that the thought of them leaving made her little heart ache.

She clutched her grandma's hand, eyes full of longing.

But… if she went home with Grandpa and Grandma, there would be cookies! Lots and lots of cookies!

"Yes!" Elara shouted in her soft, childish voice, full of excitement.

Naoki's brow twitched. "Mom, Elara's going to throw a fit if she wakes up in the middle of the night and doesn't see Iono or me."

She had never spent a night away from home before!

"Will Elara cry?" Iono's mother asked with a smile.

"No!" Elara answered instantly and confidently.

Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Then who was bawling when I went out just to buy groceries the other day?"

Elara suddenly realized, Dad was trying to stop her from going to Grandma's! That's not fair!

She scrunched up her face, lips trembling, then burst into tears on the spot.

Naoki: "…"

Seeing this, Iono's mother gently scooped Elara into her arms and smiled warmly.

"Alright, alright, no one's stopping you. Daddy's just worried you won't be used to sleeping in a new place. But if you promise not to cry tonight, Daddy will let you go."

"No cry!" Elara promised through sniffles, blinking away her tears.

Naoki let out a defeated sigh. "Okay, okay… But you have to listen to Grandma and Grandpa, got it?"

Elara gave a very serious nod.

And so that afternoon, Elara left Tree House Ranch with her grandparents, but not without taking Larvesta, her beloved Pokémon.

Without the warm, fuzzy Larvesta to cuddle, Elara couldn't fall asleep properly at night.

Watching his daughter happily trot off without looking back, Naoki felt a pang in his chest.

Even more heartbroken than him, though, were the three Legendary Beasts.

Entei, Raikou, and Suicune sat silently in the pasture, staring in the direction Elara had gone.

They didn't eat much dinner and looked absolutely forlorn.

When will Elara come back?

Will she forget about us?

What if she cries at night and no one's there to lick her cheeks and comfort her?

Thankfully, at 9 PM that evening, the situation took a dramatic turn.

Just as Naoki was getting ready for bed, his phone buzzed with a call.

He picked up, and immediately heard a familiar, heartbreaking wail through the speaker.

"Waaaaah!!"

Elara was sobbing as if her world had ended.

"I told you she'd cry at night," Naoki muttered, remembering her cheerful farewell with a heavy heart.

Iono: "…"

"Wuwuwuuu! I want my daaaaddy! I want my mooooommy!"

Elara's voice on the other end was choked with grief.

Naoki could hear the panic in his in-laws' voices as they tried, and failed, to calm her down.

They clearly hadn't expected her to break down this badly in a strange place, even though they adored her and only wanted her to enjoy the visit.

Naoki let out a long sigh, already throwing on his jacket.

"Alright, hang tight. I'm on my way."

At exactly 9:10 PM, Naoki climbed onto Koraidon's back and headed straight for Levincia City.

By the time Naoki returned to Tree House Ranch, it was nearly ten o'clock at night.

Elara lay fast asleep in his arms, her breathing calm and soft, her little body warm against his chest.

But two faint tear stains still clung to her cheeks.

Naoki gently wiped them away with his fingers and sighed, heart aching.

He couldn't stop thinking about the way Elara had reached out to him earlier that night, her small arms raised, eyes full of tears, begging to be held the moment she saw him.

That moment had pierced straight through his heart.

"This little rascal," he muttered softly. "Didn't you promise you wouldn't cry tonight?"

He laid her gently into her cradle and tucked Larvesta in beside her. The little fire-bug snuggled close to Elara's side, radiating a cozy warmth that made her subconsciously curl up with a content sigh.

"Sleep well," Naoki whispered with another sigh, brushing a lock of hair from her forehead before turning off the light and heading back to his own room.

The room fell quiet.

But only a few minutes later, the door creaked open again, just a little.

Three large heads peeked in one after another.

It was Entei, Raikou, and Suicune.

The Legendary Beasts padded softly into the room, their massive paws silent against the floor.

They approached the cradle like silent guardians, gazing down at the little girl whose return had lifted the weight from their hearts.

Elara was home.

She was safe.

And that was all that mattered.

The beasts exchanged a glance of understanding before lying down beside the cradle, surrounding her like a living barrier of warmth and loyalty.