Morning.
Daybreak Farm, cabin.
"In that case, Clefable and I should get going."
Seeing how happy the Miltank were with the place, Whitney finally relaxed. She glanced at the Pidgey wall clock and waved goodbye, reluctant to leave. She would have loved to stay longer, but after getting lost for half a day her League approved Gym leave was about to run out.
"All right. Come visit again when you can," Noah said, standing to walk her out.
He could guess the reason for her hurry. To qualify for a regional Conference, every Trainer had to earn eight Badges within the year, and Badges were issued by Gyms scattered across the regions.
In Noah's memory, Gyms varied wildly. There were leaders who ran a seaside pavilion that doubled as a dance hall, leaders who turned challengers into dolls for a test of will, and in Sinnoh there was even a leader who got so bored of never losing that they handed out Badges at the door, first come first served.
Whatever the case, the energetic cowgirl before him was clearly a Gym Leader with standards.
"Oh, right."
At the lane outside the farm, Whitney paused as if remembering something and jogged back in her canvas shoes. Sunlight through her blouse rippled across the fabric.
"Noah, next time I come by, you have to tell me how you trained your Pokémon," she said, cheeks pink from the run and from the request.
Noah opened his mouth, closed it again, and kept the smile polite. Dangerous question.
"See you soon," he said instead.
After seeing her off, Noah led the Miltank to the farm's broad, rich pasture.
"Moo."
At the endless sea of grass, eyes lit up all around. For young Miltank, wandering a green plain where they could graze when hungry and nap under blue skies and white clouds was happiness itself.
"We will need a proper shelter for them," Noah said, looking toward an old, sagging shed his grandfather had built. With so many now in the herd, the rainy season would get crowded.
New shelter, cabin repairs. The list was getting long. And when harvest came, he would make sure to repay Whitney and her grandfather for the gift.
"But first, planting."
He turned and called to his partners.
"Sha." "Chu-lu-lu."
At that moment, in a quiet corner of the grass where no one was looking, a petite young woman with a generous figure peered through the blades, eyes fixed on the retreating black haired Trainer.
"T Trainer?"
[Farm Upgrade Quest II: You have reclaimed the abandoned fields. Well done. With open land and a good stock of seed, it is time to truly begin cultivation. Keep going]
[Reward: Heal Grass ×50, Antidote Herb ×30]
Back at the fields, the familiar mechanical chime sounded in Noah's ear. From his observations over the past few days, hitting Farm Level 2 would take at least five completed tasks.
"Sha."
Gardevoir tugged at his sleeve. She could not wait to plant and watch the harvest grow.
Sensing her eagerness, Noah stroked her hair and smiled. "I hereby announce that the planting plan begins now."
"Chu-lu-lu."
Lopunny chimed in happily.
Without heavy machinery, Noah opted for ridged rows with furrow planting, a traditional method for grains. Open a groove, sow the seed, pull soil over, and firm the ridge.
There were no oxen to pull a plow, but Noah had something better. A Lopunny.
Before calling on her moves, he paced the loosened soil, mapping the field in his head. Row spacing had to match ridge width for drainage and soil structure. After ten minutes of pacing and measuring, he marked the starting line and intervals with stones gathered from the path.
"From here to there," he murmured, placing the last marker. "Lopunny, it is your turn."
"Use Dig and Rototiller to open a trench along the markers. When you lift the soil, spread it evenly to both sides. Then use your tail to firm the top and sides of the ridge."
"Chu-lu-lu."
She nodded, full of confidence, and slipped underground. One second later she realized it was trickier than it sounded. If the spoil piled heavier on the left, the right came up thin. If her tail pressed unevenly, the ridge slumped.
Watching from a short distance, Noah nodded, pleased. This was not only necessary for planting, it was perfect training.
"Chu-lu-lu."
Soon, repetition did its work. The clever Lopunny found her rhythm. Dig to open the soil. Shift the earth evenly to both sides with her body. Tail down, firm and smooth.
In a blink, a section of neat ridges stood ready.
"Chu-lu-lu."
She chirped with pride. She felt stronger again.
[Ding. Your Lopunny learned Iron Tail]
[Iron Tail: Strikes with a hardened tail. May lower the target's Defense]
"Beautiful work, Lopunny."
He had not expected a new move just from trenching. A happy surprise.
"Chu-lu-lu."
Lopunny closed her eyes and melted under a well earned ear rub.
Noah surveyed the ridged field and waved to Gardevoir. Time to sow.
"Sha."
Under a fine psychic touch, plump Fortune Grain seeds and sturdy Rolling Bean seeds lifted in the air and dropped, one by one, into the pockets Lopunny had prepared.
All that remained was careful tending and patience.
Noah stood at the edge of the field, satisfied with what they had made together.