Pokémon: Farm Story

There's a saying:

When you're weak, even your anger can seem adorable to others.

That perfectly described the current state of the Minccino.

Though it appeared furious, its cute demeanor only made it look endearing—like something you'd want to scoop up and cuddle.

"Sand?"

The unexpected situation left Sandshrew momentarily at a loss, its previously waving paw now frozen in mid-air, unsure of what to do.

Meanwhile, the bushes behind the Minccino rustled, and a Buneary emerged.

The Buneary ran over to its friend, grasping the Minccino's arm nervously and whispering something to it.

Judging by its expression, it was either trying to persuade its friend not to meddle or urging it to quickly distance itself from humans.

Thanks to years of "dedication" by trainers, human Pokémon trainers now had quite a "reputation" among wild Pokémon.

Yes, the bad kind.

To wild Pokémon, trainers were often synonymous with chaos:

Invading territories and attacking innocent Pokémon.

Stealing treasures while Pokémon were away.

Kidnapping baby Pokémon and tearing families apart.

When viewed in this light, trainers must seem like the villains of their world.

The appearance of Lopunny seemed to calm the Minccino slightly, though it still glared at Sandshrew with evident displeasure.

"Hello, Minccino, and you too, Buneary," Natsume greeted them softly. "I'm Natsume, and Sandshrew here is my partner. Is there something you need from him?"

Stepping forward, he squatted down to their level, speaking in a gentle tone.

From the moment the Minccino appeared, Natsume had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

It was nothing more than the classic case of a clean freak encountering something dirty and losing its cool.

As for Buneary, it was likely trying to calm its overly emotional friend.

"Mi-mi!"

The Minccino, previously a bit calmer, suddenly grew agitated again upon hearing Natsume's words.

It pointed at Sandshrew and began chirping rapidly, clearly expressing its discontent.

Beside it, Buneary looked back and forth between Natsume and the Minccino, on the verge of tears.

Knowing its friend's character all too well, Buneary was certain that if it didn't step in, the Minccino would launch itself forward at any moment.

Not that it seemed like it could hold its friend back now, either.

"Alright, alright, I get it," Natsume said, attempting to placate the agitated Minccino. He glanced at Sandshrew, noting its dirt-covered fur speckled with bits of grass and roots. It was indeed quite the mess.

---

A few minutes later...

"Mi~"

The Minccino, its fur slightly disheveled, wiped sweat off its forehead with a satisfied smile, a look of pride and fulfillment on its face.

It was as if a long-standing internal pressure had finally been released—like the joy of putting on fresh underwear on New Year's Day.

Behind it stood a freshly cleaned Sandshrew, utterly dazed.

Compared to its earlier appearance of being literally "freshly dug up" from the ground, Sandshrew now looked immaculate, like it had just rolled off the production line.

---

Meanwhile, Buneary, happily munching on a Pokéblock, sidled up to the Minccino.

Yes, it only took a short while for Buneary to be thoroughly "won over" by Natsume.

This was partly due to Natsume's natural affinity and partly due to the deliciousness of the Pokéblock. For Buneary, it was the first time it had tasted something so good.

But there was another, even more critical reason.

As Buneary chatted with Minccino , it stole a glance at Natsume, its eyes lingering on his face.

Although still bearing the youthful features of a teenager, his facial contours already showed promise. He might not be devastatingly handsome, but he was undoubtedly one of the standouts among his peers.

Even now, Natsume could easily be described as clean-cut and pleasant to look at.

When Natsume's questioning gaze turned toward it, Buneary hurriedly turned away, as if startled, her cheeks faintly flushed with a hint of crimson.

Yes, Buneary had been "convinced" primarily because it liked Natsume's face.

Seeing him simply put it in a good mood.

Creatures like this are often referred to as "face enthusiasts."

Buneary was precisely that.

Of course, it justified its choice by telling itself that Natsume was a genuinely kind person.

Watching her "defected" friend, the Minccino seemed helpless.

I know you're smitten with this human's face, but can't you show a little restraint?

To this, Buneary seemed to reply, When a girl sees what she wants, she strikes first! Come on, join me—you wouldn't want to lose sight of me, would you?

At least, that was what Natsume imagined based on the Pokémon's conversation and body language.

Though he embellished a bit, the overall meaning wasn't far off.

"Mi!"

Minccino looked at its friend, then at Natsume, and finally made its decision.

If it was going to follow a human, they'd have to earn it in battle!

"Alright, it's a deal," Natsume responded with a smile, noticing the determined gleam in the Minccino's eyes.

His gaze shifted to his team of Pokémon.

Persian was out—it was too strong, making the battle unfair.

Butterfree was also unsuitable, as its move set wasn't friendly to Minccino.

Sandshrew wasn't interested in fighting, which it had made clear when it joined the team.

That left one option.

"Go, Rookidee!"

Hearing its name, the little bird Pokémon, which had been doing its best to appear indifferent to the situation, immediately perked up and flew to Natsume's side, ready for action.

I knew it! If I play it cool, the boss will send me out to fight!

From now on, I'm going to be a cold and Ruthless Pokémon. That way, I'll get more opportunities to battle!

Though its inner thoughts ran wild, Rookidee maintained a composed exterior, fixing its opponent with a sharp, piercing gaze.

Starting today, I'll be a ruthless, emotionless Pokémon.

With that resolution in mind, Rookidee prepared for its battle.