Summer Returns
April 1, 198th year of the Alliance Calendar.
The summer sun shone brightly over the lively ranch. The Nacli, led by Alcremie, clambered on the evolved Naclstack, playfully running around the grassy fields. Glaceon lay nearby, quietly observing their antics, her frosty fur gleaming in the morning light.
In the blooming flower field, Butterfree and the three hardworking Combee buzzed diligently, gathering nectar from the vibrant flowers. The Miltank herd leisurely chewed on the dewy, fertile grass, basking in the warmth of the sun. Meanwhile, Pawmo, wearing his red cape, floated above the chicken coop, keeping a watchful eye over the clucking hens.
The Gogoat, too, crowded around the trough, eagerly devouring grass balls. Not far from them, Smoliv stretched out its green leaves, soaking in the sunlight with relish.
Over in the farmland, Naoki was busy directing his Pokémon as they worked together.
"Koraidon, could you get the seed box from the utility room? It's the big one on the left side of the door," Naoki called out.
"Dragonite, don't rush with the rain just yet. Oh, have you delivered milk today? You have? Good. Let's wait until the seeds are planted before you start the rain dance."
He turned to Cyclizar and asked, "How's that Dragon Claw move coming along? Did you learn it well from Koraidon?"
"Gaao!" Cyclizar echoed proudly, nodding enthusiastically.
"Excellent!" Naoki praised, "Let's see it in action. Use Dragon Claw on the ground."
Cyclizar flexed its claws, a bright white glow surrounding them. With a swift strike, the claws slashed through the soft earth, leaving neat furrows behind.
"Well done!" Naoki grinned, watching the marks. "You've nearly mastered it."
"Gaao~" Cyclizar looked down, embarrassed but pleased.
"Alright, keep going!" Naoki encouraged.
With his hoe in hand, Naoki began working alongside Cyclizar, both working in rhythm—hoe digging into the earth, claws striking in time. Together, they made short work of the planting preparations.
Once the land was ready, Naoki took the seeds from Koraidon and called over his Pokémon team. Koraidon, Dragonite, and Cyclizar stood in line, each holding packets of seeds.
"You've all seen how to plant, right?" Naoki asked, looking at his team.
"Ah, gah!" Koraidon nodded.
"Ouch~" Dragonite followed.
"Gah!" Cyclizar piped up.
"Great! But just to be sure," Naoki added, "I'll show you one more time."
Taking a handful of seeds, Naoki carefully placed them in the holes they'd dug, explaining, "Place the seeds like this, cover them lightly, but don't put too many in at once. If they compete for nutrients, none will grow properly."
The three Pokémon appeared to fully understand Naoki's explanation.
To clarify even more, Naoki continued with an analogy: "Think about the Gogoat. Every day, I give them a set number of Grass Dumplings, just enough for them to share. But if ten more Gogoat showed up, there wouldn't be enough food to go around. They'd all start losing weight, getting weaker, and eventually, they'd fall sick from malnutrition."
With this comparison, the Pokémon grasped the concept.
"Alright, let's get started!" Naoki directed, looking over the various seeds they had. "Cyclizar, you're in charge of planting the wheat seeds. Head over to that field!"
"Koraidon, you've got watermelon seeds. See that field over there? That's where you should plant them."
"And Dragonite, you've got melon seeds, so plant them in this section right here."
Following Naoki's instructions, the three Pokémon eagerly set to work.
Meanwhile, Naoki grabbed a bag of hop seeds and headed toward a different plot, where he had already set up supports for the plants. He carefully planted the seeds one by one, working methodically.
A few days earlier, with some extra free time, Naoki had reclaimed a large patch of land on the ranch. He divided it into four sections, where he planted corn, pumpkins, pineapples, and sunflowers.
Naoki had big plans for the sunflower field. Not only were sunflowers beautiful, but they were practical too. The seeds could be used to make oil or roasted into sunflower seeds. He imagined spending cold winter nights indoors, watching TV and snacking on roasted sunflower seeds.
Even better, Alcremie could produce caramel cream, which he could use to make caramel-flavored sunflower seeds—a treat perfect for cozy evenings.
He sighed slightly as he thought about Smoliv. If only Smoliv had evolved, he wouldn't need to buy oil from town. The oil Smoliv would produce would be more than enough for the ranch's daily needs.
Time flew by, and before Naoki knew it, noon had arrived. The fields were fully planted.
Naoki could feel the heat intensify as summer truly began to make its presence known. The sunlight was strong, and the dry air seemed to settle over the ranch like a warm blanket. It was the perfect weather for Pokémon like Smoliv, who thrived on converting sunlight into nutrients.
Taking a break from their hard work in the fields, Naoki glanced over and spotted Smoliv sprawled on the grass, basking contentedly in the sun. Its small leaves seemed to be absorbing every bit of light, energizing it.
After finishing up in the fields, the rest of the Pokémon were visibly tired, their chests heaving with exhaustion. Naoki led them to the faucet to wash off the sweat and cool down.
"Great work today, everyone!" he said, grateful for their help.
Dragonite, always the practical one, decided to take matters into its own hands. It used Rain Dance, summoning a small dark cloud that floated above the grass. Within moments, the sun was obscured, and a gentle rain began to fall over Dragonite's chosen patch of the ranch.
Dragonite happily shook its head in the drizzle, clearly enjoying the cool down. Outside the small rain cloud's reach, however, the rest of the ranch remained under the hot summer sun.
Naoki chuckled at the sight, shaking his head in amusement. At the edge of the ranch, he noticed a group of wild Psyducks that had been curiously watching the scene unfold. They propped their tiny paws up on their heads, clearly eager to join in on the fun. They hopped around on the grass, their wide eyes full of excitement, as if waiting for permission to jump in and enjoy the rain with Dragonite.
These wild Psyducks had been drifting down the river a few days ago and had made the grassy area opposite the ranch their temporary home. Perhaps the slower currents in that part of the river allowed them to settle down easily.
Naoki smiled at the thought of wild Pokémon visiting his ranch, remembering the other times bird Pokémon flew by or bug Pokémon wandered in. It was always fun to watch these moments of peaceful interaction between wild and domesticated Pokémon.
Refocusing on the task at hand, Naoki grabbed a dry towel and began helping Cyclizar and Koraidon dry off. As he wiped them down, his mind wandered to lunch. Feeling the heat of the day, the thought of cooking something light and refreshing popped into his head.
Then it struck him—a new idea for a summer dessert.