Pokémon: Farm Story

A rectangular mold was carefully removed from a device resembling a steamer. Inside was a translucent, jelly-like block of energy food, glistening under the light.

"Phew."

Wearing thick gloves, Natsume exhaled softly as he placed the mold aside to cool down.

Once it reached the right temperature, he would cut it into smaller portions—ready-to-serve pokéblocks. One such cube could sustain a Pokémon for several days. Of course, this excluded Pokémon like Snorlax, infamous for their insatiable appetites.

"The first batch, done."

Looking at the first pokéblocks he had crafted since coming to the farm, Natsume nodded with satisfaction.

It seemed his skills hadn't dulled. While he had only been on the farm for a few days, hands-on tasks like these always required regular practice to maintain proficiency.

"Buneary!"

"Minccino!"

At the doorway, Buneary and Minccino sniffed the air, their eyes sparkling at the enticing aroma wafting through the room.

The freshly made pokéblocks emitted a warm, fruity scent unique to berries—a rare and tantalizing treat for the two little Pokémon.

Seeing their eager expressions, Natsume took off his gloves and tested the cube's temperature. Although still warm, it had cooled enough to be safe to touch. He sliced a small piece off, divided it into three portions, and handed them to Butterfree, Buneary, and Minccino.

Minccino and Buneary received their portions as if they were precious treasures. Unable to wait, they immediately took a bite—only to yelp softly after burning their mouths.

"Fuwah fuwah!"

Both Pokémon instinctively blew on the food to cool it down, their reactions mirroring each other.

"Briii!"

Butterfree floated over, sensing their struggle. Its psychic powers gently lifted the freshly prepared energy cubes, while a light breeze stirred from its fluttering wings.

Move: Tailwind.

"Minccino!"

"Buneary!"

Grateful for Butterfree's help, the two Pokémon continued blowing on their portions. Once the cubes were cool enough, they popped them into their mouths, their faces lighting up with sheer bliss.

Watching this, Natsume recalled a popular meme:

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

Man: "You smile with happiness."

Of course, pokéblocks were far from junk food.

Turning back, Natsume began preparing the next batch. While pokéblocks technically had a shelf life, no trainer ever let them go to waste. Anyone who did should consider managing a warehouse instead of Pokémon.

As he washed some berries, a dirt-colored blur rolled toward the house, followed by a pink streak zipping close to the ground.

"Sandshrew! Sandshrew!"

Sandshrew rolled to a halt just before crashing into the house, expertly performing a drift and side-parking maneuver. It then trotted excitedly inside to find Natsume.

Furret, on the other hand, wasn't as skilled. Although it managed to avoid a direct collision, it overshot the house by several meters before coming to an awkward stop.

When Furret finally returned indoors, it saw Sandshrew receiving several pouches from Natsume. The seriousness with which Sandshrew held the bags made it look like a dedicated otaku cradling a collector's edition of rare merchandise.

Furret tilted its head but didn't bother asking. It simply filed Sandshrew under the category of "odd Pokémon."

The farm seemed full of quirky Pokémon, from Mightyena Sr., who acted like a goofy dad, to the Zigzagoon and Poochyena perpetually bickering. Now Sandshrew had joined the ranks, along with the Corvisquire upstairs who endlessly recited TV catchphrases.

"Good work, Furret."

Natsume handed Furret a piece of pokéblock as a reward. Taking a towel from Buneary, he wiped his hands before patting Furret on the head.

Feeling the warmth of Natsume's palm, Furret closed its eyes in contentment, its tail swaying rhythmically. At that moment, it finally understood why Mightyena Sr. enjoyed these pats so much.

My apologies, Mightyena Sr. I misjudged you before. You're not strange at all.

With that, Furret mentally removed Mightyena Sr. from its blacklist and continued savoring Natsume's attention.

Meanwhile, Natsume discussed the day's tasks with Sandshrew.

"These transparent bags contain regular grains, while the ones with patterns hold seeds for Prosperity Grains."

"We'll divide the farmland into four sections—two for regular grains and two for Prosperity Grains."

"Sandshrew!"

Although it didn't fully grasp why there had to be four sections instead of two, Sandshrew assured Natsume it understood.

Sitting on the doorstep with its pouches and an pokéblock, Sandshrew's excitement was palpable.

Watching farming videos on the communal tablet had stirred something deep within it. Now, holding the seeds, Sandshrew felt a profound awakening—its Farming Spirit had been kindled.

Upstairs, Corvisquire paced back and forth, refining its battle combos—not strategies like "Toxic Stall," but stylish moves for flair. Essentially, it was practicing taunts to mock opponents after a victory.

Amid its dramatic rehearsal, the egg in Natsume's incubator wobbled ever so slightly.

Inside, a small life impatiently waited to emerge, eager to experience the world.

As dusk fell, the setting sun painted the horizon with hues of orange and red.

Deep within its cave, Ogerpon stretched lazily and performed a series of warm-up exercises.

"Hum!"

In a little while, it would go meet the human from yesterday.

Clenching its tiny fists, Ogerpon cheered itself on.

You can do this, Ogerpon. There's nothing scary out there. Just ordinary things. Absolutely nothing to fear...

But as it peeked outside, doubt crept in.

It's terrifying! Why did I think I could do this?!

"Hmmm—"

The cave echoed with Ogerpon's panicked cries.

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