Pokémon: Farm Story

After successfully capturing the Mightyena pack, Natsume quickly released them from their Poké Balls.

From the very beginning, Natsume had no intention of keeping Pokémon confined in their Poké Balls for extended periods. Even if he became a full-fledged Trainer, he planned to maintain this principle.

To Natsume, Poké Balls were akin to pet carriers for cats.

No matter how comfortable the carrier, it was still a form of restriction. Its primary use should be for convenience in cities or during special circumstances requiring transport.

A green glow radiated from Natsume's palm, spreading like a gentle spring rain over the injured Pokémon. Their wounds healed rapidly, leaving no trace of their previous injuries.

"All right, I'm counting on you to patrol the farm from now on."

He patted the Mightyena father on the head while pulling out a roll of masking tape. Carefully, he labeled each Poké Ball and recorded which Pokémon it corresponded to.

Natsume casually referred to his healing power as the "Power of Viridian."

The name wasn't particularly creative, but Natsume found it fitting given its versatile nature. Terms like "Aura" or "Overpower" didn't quite resonate with him, so he borrowed the name directly.

"By tomorrow, the farm's renovations should begin," Natsume said, continuing to organize his thoughts. "I'm planning to have Sandshrew till the soil for replanting. Once the fields are ready, they'll also become part of your patrol routes."

After finishing the labeling, Natsume stuffed all the Poké Balls into his bag. He planned to set up a dedicated room for storing them later. Given the number of Pokémon he expected to capture, it seemed like a necessary step.

"Woof!"

The Mightyena father had grown much more attached to Natsume after being captured.

In fact, Natsume naturally exuded a warm and approachable aura. Most Pokémon found it hard to resist getting close to him.

Between this natural charm and the bond formed through capture, the Mightyena father now looked at Natsume with genuine affection.

When Natsume scratched his head, the Mightyena's tail instinctively rose, swaying slightly.

If it weren't for the judging stares from his mate and pups, his tail might have been wagging like a helicopter rotor by now.

"Grr..."

On the other side, the Ursaring family had also developed a favorable opinion of Natsume, though this affection extended solely to him.

They still harbored no goodwill toward the Mightyena pack or the Persian who had thoroughly humiliated them earlier.

The Teddiursa pups huddled together, whispering among themselves. Occasionally, they would glance at Natsume and then at the Mightyena family.

Meanwhile, the Ursaring leader remained calm, patiently awaiting further instructions from Natsume.

"Ursaring."

Turning his attention to the Ursaring family, Natsume laid out a simple plan for them.

Given their nature, they were a perfect fit for treasure hunting.

The farm still had unexplored areas, and letting the Ursaring family roam freely might even uncover hidden surprises.

After explaining his idea, the Ursaring leader nodded decisively.

This arrangement worked perfectly, especially since his hyperactive pups were always brimming with energy.

Left unsupervised, they inevitably caused trouble. Today's conflict had started because one Teddiursa had wandered off and accidentally knocked over a Poochyena, igniting the clash between the two groups.

Glancing at his mischievous pups, the Ursaring leader sighed in mild exasperation.

"I'm counting on you all, then."

Standing at the forest's edge, Natsume waved goodbye to the Pokémon as they saw him off.

Before leaving, he negotiated a territorial boundary between the Ursaring and Mightyena families.

Both sides seemed satisfied with the arrangement.

Of course, with both groups now under Natsume's command, territorial disputes held little meaning.

Still, Mightyena Pokémon were known for their strong territorial instincts, so a compromise seemed necessary.

"Next, let's check out the small lake."

Natsume envisioned dividing the farm into several distinct zones in the future:

Residential Area: For everyday activities and Pokémon interactions.

Production Zone: Reserved for planting and farming.

Recreation Area: Equipped with fishing spots and play facilities.

He also wanted to establish a Ranch Zone and a Daycare Facility for Pokémon breeding and care.

Yes, Natsume planned to expand his humble farm into a comprehensive ranch.

He didn't just want to raise Pokémon like Miltank or Combee, which produced valuable goods.

He dreamed of managing entire Pokémon communities and running a daycare.

After all, in this world, who would settle for just farming?

Even if he didn't pursue the life of a Pokémon Trainer, he wanted to stay connected to Pokémon in some meaningful way.

Becoming a rancher sounded perfect to him.

For now, though, those ambitions were far off.

His immediate priority was fixing up the farm.

---

By afternoon, Natsume had explored the lakeside.

The small artificial lake wasn't teeming with Pokémon, but there were some familiar species.

Magikarp and Feebas were abundant, along with solitary Pokémon like Lotad, Wooper, and Poliwag.

They tended to form small clusters of two or three.

On a side note, Natsume wanted to address a common misconception:

Many people believed Feebas were as rare as their evolved form, Milotic.

In reality, Feebas, like Magikarp, were hardy Pokémon found in many places.

While not as widespread as Magikarp, they were far from rare.

---

"Thanks for your hard work, Sandshrew."

On his way back, Natsume encountered Sandshrew, who had just finished working in the fields.

Knowing that Ground-type Pokémon disliked wet environments, Natsume had sent Sandshrew to till the fields instead of accompanying him to the lake.

For Sandshrew, digging in the soil was far more appealing than standing idly by the water.

Ground-types were naturally drawn to burrowing, just as Water-types gravitated toward wet areas.

"Sand~"

Seeing Natsume, Sandshrew waved its dirt-covered claws enthusiastically.

It seemed to be in high spirits after spending the afternoon digging.

As Sandshrew prepared to run over and show off its work, a small Pokémon suddenly darted out and blocked its path.

"Mimi!"

"A Minccino?"

Natsume blinked in surprise at the petite gray Pokémon.

Then it hit him—this wasn't unusual at all.

Minccino and its evolution, Cinccino, were notorious neat freaks among Pokémon.

Their obsession with cleanliness was extreme.

They couldn't resist rushing to clean anything dirty, even if it meant getting themselves filthy in the process.

There were even cases where a Minccino, attempting to clean a dirty Poké Ball, accidentally got itself caught.

"Mimimi!"

The Minccino ignored Natsume entirely, squeaking furiously at Sandshrew.

It looked like it was ready to pounce and scrub Sandshrew clean.