Pokémon: Farm Story

A flash of white light burst forth, and three figures emerged from it.

"Persian, Butterfree, Rookidee, come and check out our new home," Natsume said with a smile as he withdrew his hand.

Among these three Pokémon, Persian had been left to him by his parents—a companion that had been by Natsume's side since childhood.

Butterfree was caught by Natsume himself during high school, intended to serve as both an assistant and a utility Pokémon.

As for Rookidee, it had been gifted to him upon graduation, meant to be trained as his main partner.

Including the incubator he carried in his arms, Natsume currently owned four Pokémon in total.

After being released from their Poké Balls, the three Pokémon each reacted differently.

Persian gracefully stretched its body upon landing, elegantly walking over to sit at Natsume's feet, looking utterly disinterested in its so-called "new home."

In contrast, Butterfree and Rookidee seemed brimming with curiosity about their surroundings.

Especially Rookidee—it couldn't stay still even near Natsume, always appearing ready to dart off and explore the world.

Butterfree, by comparison, was much calmer. After its initial curiosity subsided, it quietly hovered by Natsume's side.

"They're all such spirited little ones," the mayor said, smiling warmly as he observed Natsume's Pokémon.

The demeanor of a trainer's Pokémon often revealed much about the trainer's character.

Seeing how relaxed and close these Pokémon were with Natsume reassured the mayor.

'A good sign indeed.'

Perhaps due to his age, the mayor no longer concerned himself with whether the younger generation achieved fame or greatness.

What mattered to him now was their character—he wished for them to be upright, kind-hearted individuals rather than prodigies.

'But still…'

The mayor's gaze lingered on Persian for a moment. He couldn't help but feel that this particular Pokémon seemed even stronger than those trained by the town's gym apprentices.

Don't ask how he knew—chalk it up to a veteran trainer's intuition.

'Back in the day, I too was a passionate young trainer!'

If Natsume could read minds, he would undoubtedly agree with the mayor's assessment.

Persian was indeed the main combatant of his team.

Without Persian, Natsume might not have dared to take on the farm inheritance.

After all, managing a farm required at least some basic ability for self-defense.

---

"I'll give you a tour of the farm," the mayor said, leading Natsume and his Pokémon to explore the grounds.

Since Natsume was to inherit the place, it wouldn't do for him to be clueless about his own farm.

"That used to be the storage shed.

This area was once an orchard for growing Berries.

Over here, they planned to cultivate new types of crops.

And this lake? It's rumored to connect to a river underground, and sometimes wild Pokémon from the river will show up here."

Meanwhile, the mayor's Mr. Mime persistently tried to engage Natsume's Pokémon in conversation.

Persian, however, barely acknowledged it, flicking its tail with an air of disinterest and occasionally letting out a lazy yawn.

Rookidee and Butterfree, on the other hand, were much friendlier and happily chatted with the enthusiastic Mr. Mime.

Aside from the mayor's explanations, the journey was filled with the chirping and calls of the Pokémon—particularly Rookidee's loud, raspy "Caw! Caw!"

Eventually, the group stopped in front of a slightly dilapidated two-story house.

"This is about the state of the farm," the mayor said.

"As you can see, it's rather run-down at the moment. You could stay in the town for now until the repairs are complete."

Given the farm's condition, the mayor suggested it might be better for Natsume to live in town temporarily.

Earlier, as they approached the house, they had even spotted a dark green Pokémon darting out of a second-story window.

"No need, Mayor. I came prepared," Natsume replied, smiling as he politely declined the offer.

Before coming here, he had already made arrangements for repairs, including hiring a construction team.

He wasn't one to act rashly—this decision had been carefully planned.

"Well, if you say so," the mayor conceded with a laugh.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to find me."

With his hands clasped behind his back, the mayor chuckled, while Mr. Mime mimicked his pose.

After seeing the mayor off, Natsume stood before the two-story house with his Pokémon.

When he opened the door, a cloud of dust rose into the air. Sunlight filtered through the glass, illuminating the floating particles, which danced like tiny fairies.

"Looks like the first thing we'll do in our new home is a thorough cleaning," Natsume declared, rolling up his sleeves and grinning at his Pokémon.

His enthusiasm was palpable.

"Persian, you watch over my bag and the incubator.

Butterfree, help me clean up.

Rookidee, scout the area for other Pokémon nearby.

And remember—no picking fights!"

Pulling a variety of cleaning tools from his small bag, Natsume assigned tasks to each of his Pokémon.

When it came to Rookidee, however, he hesitated slightly.

He hadn't had the bird for long and, despite intending to train it as his main partner, it had only learned a few basic moves so far.

Its combat prowess was nowhere near impressive—hardly enough to take on even minor challenges.

"Caaw!" Rookidee eagerly responded and flitted off to patrol the area.

Persian gave a dismissive grunt and settled next to the incubator, lazily licking its paw.

Butterfree, meanwhile, began using its psychic abilities to float cleaning tools into the air.

"Thanks for the help," Natsume said gratefully.

Unbeknownst to him, a small figure in the shrubbery watched curiously as Natsume and his Pokémon bustled about the house.

Seeing its old territory occupied, the little Pokémon hesitated, torn between reluctance and an inexplicable yearning.

"Caaw!"

Suddenly, Rookidee's sharp call echoed from above—it had spotted the figure.

"Eeek!"

Startled, the Pokémon bolted into the nearby forest, leaving Rookidee tilting its head in confusion, wondering why its presence had caused such a commotion.