Pokemon: I'm a Farmer

"Huh? Another bite already?"

Rex was delighted to see the line tugging again, not long after he'd recast it.

But when he reeled in and flung the catch onto shore, he was greeted by a very familiar sight—a fist-sized black creature clutching the lure with a stubborn grip. Rex instantly recognized it.

It was the same Pyukumuku.

He could tell because of a small scar on its body—likely from an old battle—which made it stand out from the rest.

Rex knew Pyukumuku were famously stubborn, but this was next-level. Was this thing really planning to ruin his whole fishing session?

The two locked eyes for a long moment. Eventually, Rex gave up the idea of tossing it back and instead carefully pried his lure from its grip, then left it on the beach.

With its mucus-covered body, Pyukumuku could survive just fine out of water for days. He wasn't worried about it drying into a sea cucumber crisp. He figured he'd deal with it after finishing his fishing—otherwise, it'd just keep jumping on his hook again.

Thankfully, the Pyukumuku didn't make any further moves. It simply sat there on the sand, watching him with its pink bead-like eyes. That alone was good enough for Rex.

Unfortunately, the rest of the fishing session didn't bring much luck either—mostly Magikarp and Wishiwashi, nothing exciting or worth catching.

Meanwhile, Pyukumuku seemed to have developed a grudge. It had wriggled its way up from the sand to the rock where Rex sat, keeping a close and rather judgmental eye on him.

Every time he pulled up another trash-tier Pokémon, Pyukumuku would let out what sounded like a mocking chuckle, making Rex want to punt it back into the ocean. Still, he held back, knowing it'd only return to troll him again.

Since Pyukumuku wasn't being aggressive, Swellow didn't intervene. That only made the sea cucumber bolder—it would occasionally puff up or roll slightly, as if flaunting its presence.

Irritated but determined, Rex steeled himself to reel in something rare and impressive—something that would shut Pyukumuku up once and for all.

Soon enough, he got another bite. This one felt promising. With a swift yank, he flung his catch onto the beach.

It wasn't big, but it was certainly aggressive. As soon as it landed, the creature spat a mouthful of blackish-purple liquid at Rex.

Thankfully, Swellow stepped in with Protect, shielding its trainer. It then fired an Air Slash at the attacker, instantly knocking it out.

Rex glanced at the unconscious Pokémon, but still took out his Pokédex just to confirm the identification.

It was a Skrelp.

Skrelp had a brown body, a purple face and underbelly, and looked like a rotting patch of seaweed. It had a straw-shaped snout, a slim neck, and translucent fins. Its tail and back were marked with bulbous protrusions, giving it a deceivingly fragile appearance.

It fed on decaying seaweed, using the toxins it developed from digestion to defend itself. Normally, it would lie motionless, blending in among floating algae to ambush anything that got too close.

It wasn't a strong swimmer, so it often clung to debris to avoid being swept away. In storms, it could end up far from its home, and was often found near Dhelmise in Alola.

Yes, what Rex had just reeled in was a Skrelp—a Pokémon not particularly common even in Alola. While its current typing was Poison/Water, its evolution, Dragalge, would become Poison/Dragon.

Despite Dragalge's base stat total of only 494—relatively low for a Dragon-type—it was still a rare and valued addition to any team, especially due to its unique typing.

Rex glanced smugly at Pyukumuku, who immediately turned away and presented its backside to him. Rex wanted to scold it, but since he'd landed a rare catch, he let it slide.

Looking down at the fainted Skrelp, Rex hesitated. He already had a lot of Pokémon, and another Poison-type didn't seem essential.

But after a moment of thought, he tossed a Poké Ball and captured Skrelp anyway. It was a future Dragon-type, after all—could make a good underling for his Milotic, who was currently reigning over the sea with its growing band of recruits.

Surprisingly, Pyukumuku began twitching with agitation. It scooted over to Rex and assumed an aggressive stance—but didn't actually attack.

"Wait... Pyukumuku, do you want to join me?"

Rex asked, a little uncertain.

To his surprise, Pyukumuku nodded firmly, still holding its boxing pose.

Being acknowledged by a wild Pokémon was something Rex always appreciated—it meant his strength and personality were recognized. He hadn't planned on catching Pyukumuku, but now that it had expressed interest, he didn't hesitate.

"Swellow, one more time."

Swellow nodded and fired another Air Slash. This time, Pyukumuku was blown back but didn't faint—instead, it responded with a well-aimed Toxic shot.

Swellow dodged easily, then countered with a Wing Attack that sent Pyukumuku tumbling across the sand.

Even after that, Pyukumuku was still conscious, only slightly injured. Compared to Skrelp, its durability was impressive.

"That's enough, Swellow."

Rex stepped forward, tapped a Poké Ball to Pyukumuku's side, and it clicked shut almost immediately.

There was no resistance.

With both Skrelp and Pyukumuku caught, Rex decided to call it a day.