Pokemon: Farm Story

What the Shiny Pidgeotto was pondering could wait. At the moment, Natsume was busy setting up a new nest for Corviknight.

Previously, Corviknight had been living in a second-floor room but sometimes slept in a rooftop nest. Back then, sleeping outside was more about enjoying the night breeze and indulging in its dramatic fantasies. Under the deep night sky, it would imagine itself as a being of immense power with a tragic past, lamenting how the world was fundamentally flawed.

Of course, the details of these tragic backstories were updated every few days, depending on the anime it had recently watched.

But now, Corviknight had no choice but to live outside.

At its current height, getting through a door was almost impossible. Even if they widened the doorway, there wasn't a suitable room where Corviknight could comfortably live.

Looks like the plan to build a breeding facility with simulated natural environments needed to be prioritized.

"Caw, caw!"

Can we put a cushion over there? Corviknight voiced its opinion about the new nest, offering suggestions about its placement and size.

Since the nest was being set in a new location, Natsume enlisted Gardevoir's help.

As for Gallade?

Natsume had sent it to watch over the flock of Mareep. Until Yamper could fully assume the role of a herding Pokémon, Gallade's assistance was essential.

Gallade had no complaints about the arrangement. It could relax in the sun and avoid being on the receiving end of its sister's deathly stares for idling about.

"What a life," Gallade mused contentedly.

With Gardevoir's help, Corviknight's new nest was soon completed.

Corviknight wasn't entirely satisfied with it, though. If possible, it wanted to decorate its nest with some game and anime merchandise.

Unfortunately, it was broke.

It was infuriating! How could the farm's dialogue coach, ambassador, and sole airborne combat unit not even afford a figurine?

This put it at a natural disadvantage during online arguments. It desperately needed to earn some money to buy those collectibles.

But, on this farm, there didn't seem to be many opportunities to make that happen.

Corviknight fell into deep thought.

---

That night, Natsume lay in bed, leaning against his Shiny Furret while texting. His conversation partner had an avatar of a Servine and was listed as Mei in his contacts.

[Mei]: Corviknight looks huge after its evolution!

[Natsume]: It eats a lot. Sometimes it even cons other Pokémon into giving up their Pokéblocks.

Before Mei left, they had exchanged contact information and would occasionally chat.

At first, their conversations were formal, mainly discussing Pokéblocks. Natsume would ask about Mei's experiences using them, and Mei would share her feedback, including details about flavor and texture.

Over time, their discussions extended to life on the farm. Natsume would send Mei photos, and she would kindly respond with positive comments.

Gradually, Mei began to open up, sharing stories from her travels, the Pokémon and people she met, her thoughts on battles, and her future plans.

The two had grown quite familiar with each other.

Though not to the point of complete transparency, they both had a well-rounded understanding of one another, evolving from a surface-level impression to something far more vivid and personal.

[Mei]: Your farm feels livelier every day. That's so nice!

In her room at the Pokémon Center, Mei sat at the bedside in loose pajamas, towel-drying her damp hair. Behind her, Servine climbed onto the bed with a hair dryer in its vines, preparing to dry her hair properly.

After Mei caught it, Servine had taken over the task of hair drying. Though Mei owned a Tepig, its personality made it ill-suited for such work—it might accidentally singe her hair.

So, Servine handled the job, even more adept now that its vines had grown longer and more agile after evolving.

As Mei scrolled through the photos Natsume had sent, her eyes sparkled with a hint of envy.

Life on the farm seemed so wonderful, surrounded by adorable Pokémon every day.

"If only I could live on a farm too," she murmured to herself.

Then again, the workload might be overwhelming for her.

"Still, Natsume is amazing," Mei said softly.

Managing the farm seemed exhausting even in her imagination. While she loved the idea of a peaceful and relaxing life, running a farm required an entirely different level of effort.

It reminded her of a saying:

"Occasionally visiting the countryside feels romantic, but for those living there, it's all about the harvest."

Mei felt that Natsume was incredible. Despite being her age, he had transformed an abandoned farm into what it was today.

Even his skills as a trainer seemed on par with, if not better than, a city gym leader's.

Whether in terms of work ethic or strength, Natsume truly impressed her.

The phone chimed, and a new message popped up.

[Natsume]: Come visit when you have time.

[Natsume]: Oh, and bring back Bounsweet. The group here misses it.

Reading the message, Mei smiled faintly.

[Mei]: Sure! But will you give me a discount on Pokéblocks?

[Natsume]: I'll try?

[Mei]: Why does that sound uncertain?

[Natsume]: It's a long story. Hard to explain over text.

[Mei]: Then don't bother explaining, thanks.

[Natsume]: (Psyduck tilting head)

[Mei]: Stop stealing my reaction images!

In the quiet night, the glow of their phones illuminated two smiling faces in separate places.

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