Pokémon Farming Story

A rectangular mold was taken out from an apparatus resembling a steamer.

A solid piece of crystal-clear Pokéblock looked just like jelly.

"Phew."

Blowing away the hot air, Natsume, wearing thick gloves, set the mold aside to cool.

Once it had cooled down, he would cut it into pieces, and then it would be a finished Pokéblock.

This one Pokéblock would be enough for a Pokémon to eat for several days.

Of course, that excludes big eaters like Snorlax.

"First batch, complete."

Looking at the first Pokéblock he made since arriving at the farm, Natsume nodded in satisfaction.

It seemed his skills hadn't deteriorated.

Although he had only been at the farm for a few days, when it comes to crafts like this, even a single day without practice could lead to a noticeable decline in skill.

"Buneary."

"Mi!"

Buneary and Minccino, squatting at the door, sniffed the fragrant air, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

The freshly made Pokéblock was steaming hot and subtly emitted the unique aroma of Berries.

This was a flavor they had never experienced before.

Seeing the cute expressions on the two little ones, Natsume removed his gloves to check the temperature of the Pokéblock.

Though still warm, it was much cooler than when it had just come out of the mold.

He cut a small piece from the whole Pokéblock, dividing it into three shares to hand to Butterfree, Buneary, and Minccino.

Minccino and Buneary accepted the Pokéblock as if it were a treasure.

Eagerly, they tried to shove it into their mouths but accidentally burned themselves a little.

"Phew., Phew."

The two little ones reacted in perfect unison.

As soon as they touched the Pokéblock with their lips, they had to pull back, blowing hard to try to cool it down.

"Ulee."

Butterfree, originally assisting Natsume, flew over.

Using the move Confusion, it lifted the freshly made Pokéblock.

With its wings fluttering gently, a current of air swirled around.

Move: Gust.

"Mi!"

"Buneary."

Gratefully glancing at Butterfree, the two little ones blew on the Pokéblock again.

Once it had cooled down enough, they quickly shoved it into their mouths.

Their faces immediately lit up with joy.

This scene reminded Natsume of a meme he once saw.

Reporter: "Do you know what happens if you eat too much junk food?"

Man: "You'll have a happy smile on your face."

Of course, Pokéblock and junk food are completely different things.

Turning around, he began to cut and pack the still slightly warm Pokéblocks, preparing the second batch.

While Pokéblocks technically have a shelf life,

no Trainer would ever let them expire.

Anyone who lets Pokéblocks go past their expiration should not be a Trainer; they should work in a warehouse.

As Natsume was washing the Berries, a yellow ball came rushing in from the distance.

Trailing behind it was a pink streak that flew close to the ground.

"Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp!"

Just before crashing into the house, Sandshrew transformed and used Tail Whip to drift into a sideways parking position.

It perfectly stopped at the entrance of the house, then hurried inside excitedly looking for Natsume.

As for Furret, its reaction was not as swift.

It didn't crash into the wall, but it did rush a bit away from the house before coming to a stop.

Once back in the room, Natsume saw Sandshrew take several bags from his hands.

The serious expression on its face

was akin to a nerd holding a decorative urn emblazoned with pictures of the entire cast of a popular show.

It even had automatic lights that turned on and played the theme song when someone got close.

"Li?"

Tilting its head and glancing at Sandshrew, Furret didn't really mind what the other was holding.

It silently categorized Sandshrew into the ranks of strange Pokémon.

Currently on the farm, in this category, there was the seemingly dim-witted Mightyena father, Zigzagoon and Poochyena, who were inexplicably "battling" on the way back, and now the overly excited Sandshrew, along with Corvisquire on the second floor, reciting lines in front of the television.

It seemed like everyone had their quirks.

"Good job, Furret."

Natsume took a few pieces of the freshly made Pokéblocks and handed them to Furret.

At the same time, he accepted the towel that Buneary passed to him, wiped his hands dry, and ruffled Furret's head.

Feeling the warmth of Natsume's hand, Furret closed its eyes comfortably.

Its tail wagged behind it.

In that moment, Furret seemed to suddenly understand the feelings of Mightyena father.

I'm really sorry, Mr. Mightyena, who I've never spoken to before. I previously considered you a strange Pokémon; I apologize for that now.

Silently removing Mightyena father from the "strange Pokémon blacklist," Furret continued to enjoy Natsume's affection.

While petting Furret, Natsume also explained some things to Sandshrew.

"These seeds in transparent bags contain regular grains, while the ones with patterns are Hearty Grains seeds."

"We'll divide the fields into four areas."

"Hearty Grains and regular grains will each take up two sections."

"Chirp chirp!"

Although Sandshrew didn't quite understand why it was four sections instead of two, it nodded to show it understood.

Sitting on the steps at the doorway, holding several bags and the Pokéblock that Natsume had handed over, Sandshrew couldn't contain its excitement.

Previously, while watching farming videos on the family tablet, Sandshrew had felt a stirring in its heart.

Now, with the seeds in hand, it felt as if something within it had awakened.

It was the spirit of farming.

Meanwhile, Corvisquire upstairs continued to pace back and forth inside the house, contemplating its battle combinations.

It wasn't about strategies like stalling or anything of that sort.

It was more akin to silky taunts and little combo moves.

In simple terms, after securing a kill, it would type on the chat: "Join my crew."

While Corvisquire was lost in thought on its walk through the hallway, the Pokémon egg in the Egg Incubator gave a slight shake.

This egg, which Natsume had brought with him before arriving at the farm, seemed to hold a tiny life that was eager to enter the world and witness its beauty.

As the sun began to set once again near the horizon, Ogerpon, who had spent the entire day in the cave, stretched and stood up to do a set of warm-up exercises.

"Umm!"

Soon, it would go check on that person from yesterday!

Clenching its little fist, Ogerpon encouraged itself.

It's fine; there's nothing scary outside.

Ogerpon, you can totally do this!

I can do this.

There's nothing to fear outside; it's all just ordinary things, nothing to be afraid of...

But it's still really scary!!!

"Wahh—"

In an instant, Ogerpon's wailing echoed through the cave.