Pokémon: Farm Story

In Corvisquire's memory, it had once been young and brash.

Especially after Natsume painted a vivid picture of its bright future, Corvisquire had been brimming with confidence, certain it would one day reign supreme.

Then, it got knocked flat by Persian.

With a swipe of its claws, Persian made it clear who held the second spot in the household hierarchy.

First place, of course, belonged to Natsume.

Reflecting on its pain and humiliation, Rookidee realized that it simply hadn't "honed" itself enough.

After a period of self-reflection, it challenged Persian again.

And lost.

A few more defeats later, Rookidee finally saw the light: as things stood, it had no hope of defeating Persian. It decided to go back and "hone" itself further.

Now, as Corvisquire, it felt ready! Just a few more days of "honing," and it would challenge Persian for that coveted second-place spot!

Flying beside Natsume, Corvisquire tried to keep a low profile, but it couldn't help sneaking glances at Persian.

Its intentions were written all over its face.

"Meow," Persian yawned, stretching luxuriously.

Is this our new home?

Minccino's eyes sparkled as it gazed at the two-story house.

Such a big house! There must be so many places to clean!

Just imagining it filled Bidoof with boundless energy.

Beside it, Buneary stared curiously at the house.

So this is where we'll live with Natsume from now on? It looks pretty nice. Just thinking about it made Buneary feel happy.

"Meow."

Persian stretched, arching its back until its entire body was taut. It let out a long yawn before padding gracefully toward the stairs.

It was sleepy and ready for a nap. After all, cats are nocturnal creatures.

Butterfree and Corvisquire also retired to rest.

Butterfree had its own room on the second floor, while Corvisquire had a small perch on the rooftop. Though, once it evolved into Corviknight, it would probably need to move outside.

At over two meters tall, Corviknight would clearly be too large for the house.

Besides, Natsume's Corvisquire was already bulkier than its peers. Once it evolved, its size would undoubtedly be even more impressive.

It seemed likely that Natsume would eventually build a bigger house—but for now, that plan was still just a thought, not something to mention to Buneary and the others.

"Mi-mi!"

Minccino darted around the house, poking its nose into every nook and cranny.

With Natsume's permission, it zipped through the rooms, occasionally popping out from unexpected corners.

As Natsume unpacked, he couldn't help but notice the little Pokémon's expression gradually shift from joy to stern seriousness.

Occasionally, Minccino would pause and turn back, giving Natsume a sharp look.

It was as if to ask, Are you sure you actually cleaned this place?

That look made Natsume a little self-conscious.

He'd tried to clean, hadn't he? Maybe he'd cut a corner or two, but overall, he'd done a decent job... right?

As everyone knows, a guy's room is always messy but never truly dirty.

But for Minccino...

What was this hell on earth?!

After its inspection, Minccino scrunched its little face in disapproval, looking as if it couldn't bear the sight.

It concluded that while the house had technically been cleaned, it wasn't cleaned properly.

It was almost as if someone had intentionally left a few dirty spots just to show how messy it had been before.

What might pass unnoticed by a big, burly boy stood out glaringly to the sharp eyes of Minccino.

"Mi-mi!"

Rolling up its metaphorical sleeves, the little Pokémon was ready to go. Behind it, flames of determination seemed to flicker.

Not just behind—it almost seemed to have fire in its eyes, too.

"How about we leave it for tomorrow?" Natsume suggested. "It's getting late."

Minccino flatly refused.

It gestured with its little paws, saying Natsume should focus on his own tasks—cleaning was now its responsibility.

Watch and learn!

Seeing the spirited little Pokémon flit around with a determined "Mi-mi," Natsume couldn't help but smile.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

"Mi~" Leave it to me!

It waved a paw confidently and marched into the living room, as grandly as an ancient general heading to war.

---

In the misty warmth of the bathroom, Natsume's figure was blurred by steam.

Hot water flowed down his well-toned frame.

"I'll need to repair the farm's perimeter fences soon."

"And the warehouse—it's completely falling apart."

"The machine for making PokéBlocks arrived this morning. I'll start using it tomorrow."

"That'll also help replenish our supplies."

As he planned out his next steps, Natsume realized his life was about to get very busy.

Well, that was expected for a fledgling farm.

"Bun?"

When Natsume emerged, Buneary was standing nearby, proudly holding a blow dryer like a trophy.

It seemed to have been waiting for him.

"Thanks, Buneary."

"Bun~" No problem! Need help drying your hair?

Buneary scrambled onto a nearby table, looking at Natsume with eager anticipation.

"No need."

Despite Buneary's hopeful gaze, Natsume gently declined.

Blow-drying a guy's hair is quick work.

Besides, if he gave in now, he might start relying on them too much.

Natsume had no intention of becoming one of those famously pampered humans, utterly spoiled by their Pokémon.

"Bun..."

Though a little disappointed, Buneary's ears twitched, and it accepted Natsume's refusal without fuss.

This made Natsume breathe a sigh of relief.

While he could be firm with outsiders, it was much harder to turn down his own Pokémon.

He just wasn't cut out to play the role of the strict parent.

After drying his hair, Natsume was ready for bed but noticed Buneary trailing behind him.

"You're not going to your own room?"

"Bun!"

Buneary shook its head and climbed onto a nearby beanbag chair, patting the cushion. It clearly wanted to sleep there.

"Alright. Goodnight, Buneary."

"Bun~" Goodnight, Natsume.

With a soft click, the room lights went out.

Outside, the world was just as quiet, the sun having long dipped below the horizon.

Except...

Rustle, rustle.

In a bush not far from the house, something stirred.

It seemed a wild Pokémon was lurking nearby.