Pokémon: Farm Story

For once, Natsume wasn't busy with farm work all day.

He spent the entire afternoon chatting and strolling around the farm with Mei.

Earlier, he had thought about doing something else, but whenever he wasn't busy with work, he didn't know what else to do.

Training? Not really.

Maybe it was because he had already decided to give up on becoming a Trainer, so he didn't want to engage in activities typical of one. Instead, he preferred lying under the shade of a tree, idly holding his shiny Furret.

To be fair, it was quite relaxing (not that he'd openly admit it).

Natsume had considered picking up some of his old hobbies but always felt unmotivated.

Living alone in the mountains for so long, most hobbies had faded away, leaving only the skills essential for survival.

Natsume figured he was a product of this process. Spending so much time alone, he sometimes worried he might lose his ability to interact with other humans altogether (laughs).

Ah, saying it like this feels a bit depressing.

That wouldn't do! A transmigrator should be brimming with energy and drive!

Even when feeling down, you should shout confidently, "It's not me who's wrong, it's this world!"

Rubbing his face to shake off the negative thoughts, Natsume handed the Bounsweet in his arms to Mei.

This Bounsweet was particularly fond of people. Every time Natsume visited, it would rub affectionately against him.

It was hard to tell who was cuddling whom.

"Ah, hello there, Bounsweet!"

With a gentle touch, Mei carefully took the Bounsweet into her arms, her face lighting up with joy at the adorable creature.

Cute appearance, affectionate personality, and a faint sweet scent—what girl wouldn't adore such a darling Pokémon?

At least Mei was completely smitten.

"Chuu!"

Nestled in Mei's embrace, the Bounsweet shifted into a comfortable position, using the leaf on its head to nuzzle her arm.

Ah, a sweet human girl.

Time to snuggle!

Girls should stick together, even if they're from different species!

It seemed the Bounsweet really liked Mei. For the rest of the walk, it clung to her, unwilling to leave. Even when placed on the ground, it would trail behind her like an elementary schooler on a field trip.

Mei took a step, and it took three.

Its tiny legs made that inevitable.

"Chuu~"

The hopping Bounsweet looked like an inflated balloon, ready to float away at any moment.

Natsume glanced at the Bounsweet, a thought flickering through his mind, but he chose not to say anything just yet.

For now, he would observe.

Besides…

He subtly turned his head to look at a nearby fruit tree.

The leaves on its branches rustled slightly, as if something had just left.

But scanning the area revealed no suspicious Pokémon in sight.

Once Natsume looked away, a petite figure gradually materialized in midair.

Satisfied with the photos on its phone, it nodded approvingly.

Then, like a fish in water, it gracefully turned and followed after them, leaving behind a series of cat-like giggles that slowly faded into the air.

---

As time passed, the sky turned a shade of golden dusk.

Mei and Natsume had nearly toured the entire farm.

Many areas were still under development, so they only gave them a brief look.

Natsume shared some of his plans for these spaces with Mei—this patch for a garden, that area for greenhouses, and so on.

In short, there were plenty of ideas.

The farm could undoubtedly be described as promising.

High EQ: "Promising," a first-rate warrior of the future.

Low EQ: "Nothing much right now."

"How do you feel?"

Standing at the farm's entrance, Natsume smiled at Mei.

"It's been really fun, and also…"

Mei's gaze drifted to Natsume's knees.

"…Natsume, your stamina is impressive."

The remark was slightly ambiguous, but there was no romantic undertone between them.

While touring the farm, Mei had noticed that whenever Natsume encountered small Pokémon, he would habitually squat down to make eye contact while communicating with them.

This approach maximized his ability to convey goodwill without intimidating them.

The advantage of squatting to interact was clear.

The downside?

Sore legs.

Since Natsume squatted, Mei followed suit to engage with the Pokémon.

At first, it was fine—she just thought, "Oh, the Pokémon on the farm are so cute," "This one's adorable," and "That one's even cuter."

But gradually, Mei realized something was off.

It seemed like Natsume squatted a lot.

They'd barely walked a few steps before encountering a few Hoppip.

Squat, chat, feed, bid farewell, stand.

A few more steps, and there were some Poochyena.

Squat, chat, feed, bid farewell, stand.

Then came a chatty Corvisquire.

Talk, raise a hand, and—smack!

Wait, what?!

According to Natsume, this Corvisquire was one of the Pokémon he'd caught during his earlier goal of becoming a Trainer.

He had hoped to train it into a cold, aloof powerhouse—the kind that avoided chatter and delivered decisive strikes.

Instead, it turned into a top-tier loudmouth.

It wouldn't act unless it could taunt its opponent first.

Once, it excitedly told Natsume it had found a new idol: a Korean streamer known for playing Raven and trash-talking between combos.

Natsume's response? A slap that sent it tumbling.

"Learn something useful for once!"

In the end, Mei found her legs sore and her knees aching after the tour.

Why did it feel like she'd spent the entire afternoon doing squats at the gym?

Yet, looking at Natsume, who showed no signs of exhaustion, Mei started wondering if she should step up her fitness routine.

As a proper Trainer, a strong body was essential!

"By the way, what about this little one?"

Mei glanced at the Bounsweet clinging to her leg, looking distressed.

The Pokémon had been feigning pitifulness since earlier, refusing to let her leave.

It was clear how much it liked her.

But this Bounsweet was one of Natsume's farm residents and seemed to have already been caught.

"Ah, that's simple."

Natsume shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.

He had anticipated such situations from the beginning, so he wasn't caught off guard.

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