The spring of Alliance Calendar Year 202 was warmer than usual. The winter snow had melted into rich nutrients, seeping into the earth, and fields across the land burst into vibrant life.
Fruit trees bent heavy with ripe bounty. Wildflowers blanketed the meadows. On the hillsides, young saplings stretched eagerly toward the sun.
In a cave tucked into the hillside, a Greedent, who had spent the entire winter dozing, slowly blinked awake. It rubbed its sleepy eyes and pushed aside the stone blocking its burrow.
Warm, brilliant sunlight poured inside.
The Greedent yawned, the soft spring breeze ruffling its fur. Its stomach rumbled loudly, it was time to find breakfast!
With renewed energy, the Greedent scampered out into the fresh spring morning. Before long, it found a fruit tree laden with plump, juicy fruit. Eyes gleaming with excitement, it leapt up nimbly into the branches.
Stretching out its little paws toward a particularly delicious-looking berry, it was just about to grab it when—
Whoosh!
A sudden gust of wind knocked the Greedent clean off the branch.
It tumbled awkwardly onto the grass below, rolled twice, and popped up, chittering angrily at the sky.
Overhead, a Taillow sped by without a hint of apology, riding the wind at full speed.
The Taillow soared high over the meadows, then across dense forests and winding rivers, until finally arriving at a bustling, lively ranch.
It circled once overhead, looking for a place to perch, and finally landed on the rooftop to rest.
From below, human voices drifted up.
"I'm off to work!"
Iono stepped out the front door, her lively voice carrying in the fresh morning air. She stood on tiptoe and kissed Naoki's cheek, smiling brightly.
Then, with a flick of her hand, she called Dragonite, hopped onto its back, and waved cheerfully at Naoki.
"See you later! Bye, Greavard!"
She reached down to ruffle Greavard's soft head affectionately. The little Ghost Dog Pokémon wagged its tail furiously, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Fly safe!" Naoki called back, standing beneath the eaves as he watched Iono lift into the sky, the morning sun framing them in gold.
He stayed there, gazing up, until their figures disappeared into the clouds.
Turning back toward the ranch, Naoki took a deep breath.
Today was another beautiful day, and there was work to be done!
The farmland, which had lain dormant under winter's snow, was ready to be brought back to life.
Naoki had already bought seeds in advance. Now it was time to sow the new season's crops.
With help from Gogoat, Dugtrio, and other Pokémon, Naoki set to work: tilling the rich soil, planting seeds, and watering the rows carefully.
As he worked, he couldn't help but feel that, aside from being married now, life was just as peaceful and fulfilling as it had always been.
Just then, Sylveon came bouncing over, full of energy.
"Buyee-vui?" (Naoki, Naoki, what's our plan for today?)
Naoki chuckled, already used to Sylveon's boundless curiosity.
"Plans, huh? Well, first, I need to repair the fence that some wild Pokémon knocked over."
Sylveon's eyes gleamed with interest.
"Buyeei?" (What about after that?)
Naoki thought for a moment.
"Then I need to head to the orchard and harvest fruit. After that, we'll pack up any extra and send them to the shops in town."
Several dessert cafés and Pokémon snack shops in Kosaji Town had standing orders for fruits from his ranch.
"Buyii..." (That's a lot...) Sylveon murmured, its ribbon-like feelers twitching thoughtfully.
But Sylveon was still not satisfied and pressed on.
"Buyyui?" (And after picking fruit?)
Naoki laughed and replied, "Then it'll be time to start making lunch for everyone."
At those words, Sylveon's demeanor immediately changed.
Seeing Sylveon's eager face, Naoki couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, alright," he said, ruffling Sylveon's fur. "Don't worry. I haven't forgotten. After lunch, I'll help you with training so you can get stronger, okay?"
Hearing this, Sylveon's worry vanished in an instant. Its eyes sparkled with joy, and it jumped up excitedly, calling out, "Buyi-vui!" (Great!)
After finishing the planting, Naoki grabbed his tools and headed toward the pasture fences, which had taken some damage over the winter.
As he walked away, the Gogoat who had been lounging in the sun nearby stirred.
They stood up, trotting toward the newly planted fields with purpose.
The next moment, powerful Grass-type energy surged out from their bodies, washing over the soil like an invisible tide.
Wherever the energy flowed, the seeds buried just moments ago suddenly sprang to life.
In the blink of an eye, lush green sprouts shot up, and then, almost magically, crops laden with ripe fruit filled the fields.
"Meh~!" The Gogoat called out in satisfaction, admiring their handiwork.
Naoki would be thrilled when he saw it!
Satisfied with their secret contribution, the Gogoat quietly retreated, blending back into the peaceful ranch life, hiding their good deed without seeking praise.
Meanwhile, Naoki was inspecting the fences around the orchard.
"There've been more wild Pokémon wandering in lately," Naoki muttered to himself.
Maybe it was because winter had ended and Pokémon that had struggled through the cold were finally coming out to forage.
Looking at the section of broken fencing, Naoki frowned slightly.
He had always been lenient toward wild Pokémon who snuck onto the ranch. With the abundant fruit trees and fresh crops, Naoki never minded if hungry Pokémon "borrowed" a little food to get by.
After all, this land was meant to be shared.
"Ah-gah?" Koraidon, standing nearby, tilted its head, noticing the broken fence.
It let out a rumbling noise, volunteering on the spot.
If Naoki needed it, Koraidon was ready to guard the orchard fiercely and drive off any troublemakers!
Seeing Koraidon's serious expression and puffed-up stance, Naoki chuckled warmly.
"Thanks, buddy," he said, "but it's alright."
Koraidon looked confused.
Naoki pointed to the broken section and explained gently, "See here? The damage isn't small. It's a wide area."
"It means the Pokémon that broke through was probably big, and it couldn't fly over the fence. It had no choice but to force its way in."
Koraidon huffed thoughtfully, pawing at the ground.
"It's fine," Naoki said with a smile. "I'll just install a small gate here."
"That way, if larger Pokémon want to pass through in the future, they won't have to break anything."
He glanced across the open fields toward the forests beyond.
Winter had been harsh. In those months, food would have been scarce for wild Pokémon. Many of them had likely been starving, cold, and desperate.
Now that spring was returning, berries would soon grow wild again, and forest fruits would become abundant.
By then, the wild visitors would have no reason to sneak into the ranch.
Naoki believed that everyone, humans and Pokémon alike, lived together under the same sky. It was only right to lend a hand when others were in need.
"Ah-gah, gah," Koraidon rumbled in understanding.
With the repairs finished, Naoki slung his tools over his shoulder and started heading back toward the ranch house.
But as Naoki passed by the fields and caught sight of a sea of ripe crops, he froze.
Wait a minute. Who did this?
The seeds had only just been planted, yet the crops were already fully mature. If they weren't harvested soon, they'd start falling to the ground and rotting from overripeness.
If this cycle kept repeating, plant, ripen instantly, harvest, he'd be completely exhausted every single day!
There were a few Pokémon at the ranch who could accelerate crop growth, but the moment Naoki looked carefully at the field, he immediately knew who the "culprits" were.
[The tomatoes cultivated by the Gogoat have absorbed a large amount of Grass-type energy and have ripened.]
Naoki facepalmed.
He suddenly remembered. Last time, he had specifically told the Gogoat that when helping the crops grow, they should only use a little Grass-type energy to boost healthy growth, not everything all at once.
They weren't NPC farmers in a game who could harvest nonstop without ever needing rest.
Thinking of this, Naoki headed toward the Gogoat herd.
When he found them, he patiently explained the situation.
The Gogoat listened carefully, but their expressions were full of confusion.
"Meh?" (Isn't it good if we help the crops grow instantly? That way, Naoki can harvest faster and make lots of money!)
Naoki smiled and crouched down to their level.
"Because," he said warmly, "that kind of life would be too rushed."
He painted the picture for them: "Imagine if I planted seeds in the morning, you made them grow instantly, I harvested them in the afternoon, and then we repeated it again the next morning..."
"Over and over. Day after day. Year after year."
The Gogoat imagined it, Naoki toiling endlessly in the fields, never resting, never laughing under the sun with them.
"Meah..." (That's horrible!)
Naoki laughed and reached out, scratching their heads affectionately.
"So you see, life isn't just about working. It's about enjoying the moments too. Besides, we're not short on money."
The Gogoat, finally understanding, nodded vigorously.
"Meah, meah!" (Got it!)
"Good," Naoki chuckled. "Now go and play for a while."
The Gogoat trotted off happily.
Naoki turned back toward the fields, intending to check on the growth of the other crops. But just then, the Arceus Phone strapped to his belt started to vibrate.
Naoki's heart skipped.
There was new information about Mew and Teddiursa!