Sandshrew surveyed his newly repaired home, the one he had worked so hard to restore. Now, he would have to tear it down all over again.
But he had already committed himself to Boss Jack. There was no going back now.
Move—Dig.
Sandshrew closed his eyes, saying goodbye to his old life.
"Bulbasaur~" (Is Jack some kind of salesman? I heard Professor Oak mention that salespeople are really good at tricking Pokémon.)
"Melo—" (He wasn't before, but I'm not so sure anymore.)
The two Pokémon whispered between themselves, stealing occasional glances at Sandshrew as he worked.
This made Sandshrew, who had only just joined the Ranch, believe that Meltan and Bulbasaur were there to supervise him. He threw himself into his work with even more determination.
"Meltan, Bulbasaur, we can start planting seeds here now."
"Melo—" (On our way!)
"Bulbasaur~"
Jack returned to his bedroom, carefully storing the land deed and Sandshrew's "labor contract."
The so-called "labor contract" contained not a single word related to what had just transpired between them.
When he took out the land deed, Jack had deliberately placed it in a protective sleeve to prevent Sandshrew from accidentally scratching it.
However, he noticed that the text on the deed was completely unreadable from outside the sleeve.
Yet Sandshrew's bewildered expression—combined with his lack of any objection—revealed the truth.
He couldn't read.
The contract was nothing more than a piece of scrap paper Jack had used yesterday for calculating expenses at the market.
"I really need to teach my Pokémon how to read," Jack muttered to himself.
With Sandshrew using Helping Hand, the most difficult digging work progressed remarkably smoothly.
By late morning, not only had all the seeds been planted, but nearly one-third of the barren land designated for future planting had already been cleared and prepared.
[Species: Sandshrew]
Attribute: Ground
Ability: Sand Veil
Known Moves: Dig, Swift, Fury Cutter, Stomping Tantrum, Sand Attack, Hone Claws...
Base Stats: 300 (HP: 50; Attack: 75; Defense: 85; Sp. Atk: 20; Sp. Def: 30; Speed: 40)
Current Mood: Confused
Physical Condition: Perfect
Friendship: 20 (He is deeply moved that you're willing to give him a chance despite his mistakes)
"He was pretty badly misled, but his friendship level is still at twenty."
Jack was already satisfied that Sandshrew didn't have negative friendship. Having it increase by twenty points was an unexpected bonus.
"With an extra Pokémon in the house, expenses are going to be higher. I need to figure out a way to make some money."
Jack flipped through the pamphlet that Exxon had given him.
It contained a detailed list of items sold in the market and information about nearby shops.
"I can't afford Pokémon like Miltank or Mareep that produce high-value products right now. If I buy ordinary farm animals, I'll need to build proper facilities, and then I won't have any League coins left to live on. It looks like I'll have to venture into Viridian Forest and see if there's anything valuable I can find to sell."
Viridian Forest was full of dangers, but it also offered many opportunities.
Every year, rumors spread of lucky individuals finding items like Miracle Seeds in Viridian Forest—treasures that could enhance a Pokémon's power.
Even if someone had no interest in becoming a Trainer, items obtained from Viridian Forest could fetch a good price at market.
Noon arrived.
Jack, as he did every day, brewed a pot of lemon tea to help beat the heat.
Although it was only May and not particularly hot yet, the temperature had already begun to climb.
After working all morning outdoors, Jack felt it was the perfect time to take a break.
The sun had just reached its zenith, and the breeze blowing across the Ranch still carried the warm, grassy scent of the fields.
"Time to eat, everyone."
Jack had even prepared a chair for Sandshrew.
Eating together around the table was the most comfortable way to share a meal.
Jack placed the bamboo basket he'd brought under the shade of a large tree. When he lifted the coarse cloth covering it, steaming hot air wafted out, carrying the mouthwatering aroma of rice balls. The sudden warmth startled several dandelion seeds, sending them floating lazily into the air.
Meltan couldn't contain his excitement.
His Metal Claw clutched the edge of his rice bowl, shaking it eagerly.
Seeing the corn and spare ribs inside, he took an enormous bite, crunching through half a corn cob with a satisfying crackle. Golden crumbs stuck to his round belly.
Bulbasaur, in contrast, munched slowly on a pickled cucumber, wrapped carefully in his vines. Juice dripped onto the ground beneath him.
Sandshrew huddled at the far end of the basket.
He couldn't believe what was happening.
He was actually going to eat such good food.
"Come on and try it. I told you I'd take care of your meals."
Sandshrew sniffed cautiously at the lunch Jack offered, then grabbed it with his small paws and took two experimental bites.
As Jack ate, he suddenly noticed Sandshrew had stopped moving. "Is it not to your taste?"
"Zhi Zhi—" Sandshrew pointed at Meltan.
At that moment, Meltan was using his stubby hands to push a cucumber slice toward Bulbasaur's bowl.
"Meltan, no picky eating!" Jack said firmly.
"Melo—" (Oh, fine...)
Jack bit into his rice ball.
Sandshrew carefully buried the corn kernels in his rice ball and chewed them together with the rice. Bulbasaur's vine, now covered in stray rice grains, swayed gently in the air. When Meltan began drinking his soup, Bulbasaur's tail tapped rhythmically against the ground.
The sun outside their shaded spot made the ground almost unbearably hot.
But the breeze around their basket, mixed with the comforting scent of food and the subtle sounds of eating, felt more refreshing than even iced lemon water.
After finishing their meal, Meltan, Sandshrew, and Bulbasaur settled down for their afternoon nap.
Jack sat at his desk, carefully recording the effects of the dishes he had just prepared.
[Corn and Pork Rib Soup (C+), Dish Effect: Move Learning Lv1, moderately enhances the learning of Grass-type and Ground-type moves, duration 60 minutes]
[Steamed Rice Ball (B-), Dish Effect: Satiety Lv2, prevents hunger effects even without additional eating, duration 24 hours]
[Pickled Cucumber (C), Dish Effect: Proficiency Lv1, provides a random small increase in the proficiency of one move]
"Finally, a dish effect that can be permanently preserved." Jack marked the pickled cucumber entry with a star.
The other dishes only lasted for a limited period, but the proficiency boost from the pickled cucumber was permanent.
It was unfortunate that it could only randomly enhance one move.
For Sandshrew, who had already learned many moves, the random boost was unlikely to have much impact.
"Pickled cucumber would be perfect for Meltan, but Meltan refuses to eat it."
All Pokémon could learn additional moves beyond their base set.
This wasn't like a game where they were limited to only four moves at a time.
However, Meltan had been created through special means.
His move pool was inherently limited.
Otherwise, this dish would have been absolutely perfect for him.
Although the Corn and Spare Rib Soup could boost move learning ability, its duration was severely limited.
Currently, there were still many tasks that needed attention at the Ranch, leaving hardly any time for dedicated training sessions.
"Oh well, there will be other dishes to discover."
Jack closed his notebook, preparing to take a short nap himself.
He would wait until the hottest part of the afternoon had passed before heading up the mountain.
The sun gradually shifted westward, stretching the tree's shadow longer and longer across the ground.
The dew that had clung to the grass blades that morning had long since evaporated into vapor. The wind swept across the Ranch, carrying with it the earthy scent of freshly turned soil, causing the towel drying on the fence to sway gently back and forth.
Only the sunlight moved slowly across the ground, as if afraid to disturb the peaceful, drowsy tranquility that had settled over the yard.
The one person and three Pokémon, all deep in slumber, did not yet know that a pink Pokémon had quietly snuck into the kitchen and eaten every last drop of the remaining Corn and Spare Rib Soup...