Pokemon: Legacy

"For now, you can stay here and recover. Without a volcano nearby to help you regain your strength, flying off in this weakened state could get you captured by someone else, you know?" Eric spoke calmly.

To his surprise, Moltres stayed quiet, merely nodding without a word. Its usual fiery pride seemed dulled, as though something weighed heavily on its mind.

Eric crouched beside its right wing, carefully peeling back the bandages to check on the wounds. He nodded in satisfaction.

While the orange flames on Moltres's wings still flickered weakly, the external injuries had healed considerably. Most scars had faded, leaving only faint marks.

The main issue was its energy recovery. Without proper nutrients and rest, Moltres's body was working overtime to heal itself, which slowed its overall recovery.

This, however, was something Eric could manage.

If he could find items or food rich in Fire- or Flying-type energy, or even prepare some high-quality medicinal dishes, Moltres's recovery would speed up significantly.

Unfortunately, such luxuries were far beyond his current budget.

Between the farm's ongoing construction, feeding his nine Pokémon (plus the egg), and recent financial setbacks caused by Lono's antics, Eric's savings had dwindled to just 60,000 Pokédollars. He was teetering dangerously close to bankruptcy.

---

The Next Morning

Eric crouched among the strawberry plants, running his fingers over the healthy green leaves with a satisfied smile.

Today marked the fourth day since the strawberries had been planted. While he wasn't sure how long it would normally take for strawberries to grow back in his old world, the results here were impressive.

With Eldegoss regularly tending to the fields, the plants were thriving. It looked like they'd sprout flower buds, bloom, and bear fruit within a month at most.

Grass-type Pokémon were truly a blessing for agriculture in this world.

Still, Eldegoss's energy wasn't unlimited. With failed potato crops, tomato vines, eggplants, cabbages, and cucumber fields also needing attention, Eric couldn't afford to overwork it.

Whimsicott's evolution was still some time away, so the burden remained on Eldegoss.

Eric encouraged it to take its time, assuring the Pokémon that letting the plants grow naturally was perfectly fine. He didn't want to exploit it.

This farm wasn't going to become a "sweatshop" for Pokémon.

Leaving Serperior, Eldegoss, and the carefree Cottonee pair to watch over the farmland and protect it from wild Pokémon, Eric shifted his attention to the aftermath of yesterday's battle between Dragonite and Moltres in the lake zone.

Dragonite's Thunder hadn't just struck Moltres. Much of the attack's power had been unleashed onto the ground, creating a massive crater.

Ordinarily, Eric's Pokémon restrained their attacks to avoid damaging the environment. This crater, however, had been created under Eric's explicit orders.

"Luxray, how's the residual electricity?" Eric asked as Luxray padded up to him, its fur still bristling with static. Occasional sparks danced across its coat.

Luxray glanced back at the crater, scanning it one last time. Satisfied there was no residual energy, it turned and nodded to Eric.

"Good work." Eric gave it a slight nod of approval before stepping into the crater's centre.

The air still carried a faint scent of burnt earth. Surveying the area, Eric began to plan. Though it was called a crater, the size was closer to that of a large fish pond.

Once filled with water, it would be about three meters deep and cover around four or five acres. For now, it would suffice for housing smaller water types or fish Pokémon.

Expanding it into a true lake, however, would have to wait until the farm had grown enough to support such an ambitious project.

As for how to fill the crater with water, Eric already had an idea.

He planned to scout those lakes and see if one was suitable for diverting water into the farm. With Swampert's help, creating and then resealing a water channel would be simple enough.

With just over a week left before classes began at Naranja Academy, Eric needed to complete the farm's foundational setup before his attention was drawn elsewhere.

Back at the house, Eric began packing supplies for his trip into the wild.

This wasn't just a scouting mission for water sources. Eric also intended to "treasure hunt." After all, his first major breakthrough in this world had come from discovering valuable items in the wild. It was those finds that allowed him to train Luxray and the others to their current level.

Eric replaced his usual canvas satchel with a larger, well-worn backpack, the largest he could afford without venturing into the luxury of spatial bags.

Confidence brimming, he mentally reminded his system, "Keep an eye out for anything valuable and let me know."

[Of course! Just don't forget our agreement!]

Eric smirked. "Don't worry. I'll keep training and improving. You've got my word."

With that, he finished packing and called Luxray to his side.

Before heading out, Eric circled behind the house to check on Moltres. A simple wooden shed had been erected as its temporary shelter. The legendary Pokémon rested beneath it, its fiery wings subdued and tucked in.

Oddly enough, Moltres was crouched in a nesting position, its body shielding the egg incubator. The sight made Eric stop in his tracks.

He stared for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"Skree?"

Moltres blinked, tilting its head in confusion. Its sharp instincts told it that Eric was laughing at something offensive, though it couldn't figure out exactly what.

Still, the typically hot-headed Moltres held back from snapping. It wasn't because Luxray, the one who carried it like a ragdoll for an entire day, was standing right there, it told itself.

No, it was simply choosing to ignore the human's rudeness.

Definitely.

----

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