Chapter 249:
After breakfast, the three Mythical Pokémon departed.
Perhaps thanks to the steamed eggs they'd enjoyed, their expressions weren't as melancholic as before.
As little sister Indeedee began cleaning up the table, Hayashi Kaede brought Serperior to the new Berry Plantation.
Over the past two days, Sandshrew had already finished turning all the ground sand and stones in the new plot. Before winter arrived, Hayashi Kaede planned to section off the areas for the Berry trees.
The new plantation stretched from the irrigation channel all the way to the river—a neat square bordered by land on three sides and water on the fourth. The expansion now reached all the way to the exposed bedrock at the rear.
Looking over the wide, fertile land—nearly twice the size of the original—Hayashi Kaede felt a sudden surge of ambition.
He patted Serperior's smooth scales and grinned.
"See, Serperior? This will be your kingdom… your plantation."
"Serperior?"
The Regal Pokémon blinked, then gave a small huff.
"Serperior…" (It's still completely empty.)
"Hehe, it'll be full before you know it."
Hayashi Kaede chuckled, then closed his eyes to sense the ground using his Aura Power.
After confirming that no fist-sized stones remained beneath the soil, he nodded approvingly. Sandshrew truly had a meticulous work ethic.
Gazing at the vast, open field, he murmured to himself,
"Same as before—Oran Berry trees on the outermost ring, Pecha Berries inside that... Hmm, Alolan Vulpix likes Aspear Berries, Steenee loves Berry juices... Looks like we'll need to plant plenty of different kinds."
He didn't plan alone; instead, he called over Alolan Vulpix, Goodra, Gardevoir, Milotic, Rotom, and the others to help decide where each Berry should go.
Everyone joined in eagerly.
For example, along both banks of the water channel where Milotic lived, they decided to plant Cheri Berries and Pecha Berries in alternating rows.
That suggestion came from Alolan Vulpix and was immediately approved by Milotic and Brionne.
Cheri Berry trees shed their pink leaves quickly, which could be a hassle to clean up if they fell on the ground. But if the leaves drifted into the water, the current would naturally carry them downstream.
Besides, when the Pecha trees bloomed, their flowers would scatter soft pink petals that mingled with the floating Persim leaves—creating a dreamy scene over the water.
The only downside was that once the trees matured, Milotic and Brionne might have to help manage the fallen leaves with water currents.
But that would be next year's concern.
Speaking of which, Hayashi Kaede mused, next year they might even widen the channel into a proper stream.
Watching Milotic and Brionne glide gracefully through the water, he thought,
"The channel's wide enough for both of them now… but once Brionne evolves, it might get a little cramped."
He glanced at Brionne's status screen and smiled quietly.
"It won't be long now…"
"Vulpix…" (So next year, this will be an orchard, right?)
After the planning ended, Alolan Vulpix couldn't help but ask expectantly.
"Barring any surprises, yes" Hayashi Kaede replied.
ヽ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノ "Vulpix~!"
Alolan Vulpix happily stomped its front paws, already imagining the future—
Chasing Eevees through lush, flower-filled paths, dozing under Berry trees, watching petals drift down the sparkling water as Milotic carried them lazily through the orchard.
Just picturing such a life made its tails sway with joy.
Hayashi Kaede also thought about the future.
With this new expansion, the orchard would border the Wilderness Area, home to countless wild Pokémon. Once the Berry trees matured, would the sweet scent attract them?
If so, perhaps he could even plant a few regular apple trees.
After all, there was a Pokémon called Applin that loved living inside apples and feeding on them.
At first, that might sound like a pest—but Applin actually helped accelerate Berry ripening. For a plantation, having a few would be a blessing.
He also wondered, if Pokémon like Sentret, Minccino, or Skwovet came sneaking in to steal fruit, should he pretend not to notice?
Maybe it'd be fine as long as they weren't too greedy. But if they got carried away, he'd have to catch them and put them to work.
Or at least let him rub their bellies as payment.
He chuckled to himself. "Guess I'm a little greedy too."
The next day was calm and quiet.
Hayashi Kaede searched online for the Berry seeds he'd listed and placed an order. The seeds came from different suppliers, so delivery would take some time—but that was fine.
Berry trees grew fast with the fertiliser and Serperior help, and besides, the sky was cloudy. Judging by the heavy air, rain would soon fall—which means bad weather for outdoor work.
With unexpected free time, he wandered to the front of the breeding house.
A customer was already there.
Seeing Hayashi Kaede, the man's face lit up. "Mr. Hayashi! Wow, it's rare to see you out front these days."
"Hm?" Hayashi Kaede tilted his head. "Do you need something?"
The man looked familiar—probably a regular.
Still, his words made Kaede pause. It was true; ever since the Indeedee siblings had arrived, he rarely handled the front desk himself.
Aside from restocking Energy Cubes once a day, he spent most of his time in the kitchen or the plantation.
Perhaps he should come out more often.
"Nothing urgent" the customer said cheerfully. "I just wanted to thank you. You're really an amazing Breeder. After I tried your method, my 'rebellious kid' became much more obedient."
"Method?"
Hayashi Kaede blinked, confused—then remembered.
This was the same customer from before the big storm, the one who'd complained about his Treecko refusing to follow commands.
He had said, "I tell it to use Bullet Seed, but it insists on using Pound!"
Kaede had simply smiled and advised him, "Follow your Pokémon's preferences and guide it slowly."
"It's listening now?" Kaede asked.
"Yes" the man said, recalling Treecko and nodding with a faint smile. "Actually, it was my fault. When Treecko hatched, I wasn't home. It was born at night, in the dark… and when I returned, it thought I was an enemy."
He sighed. "Even after it realized I wasn't, our relationship stayed strained. It just wouldn't listen."
Kaede's eyes softened. "Forgetting its hatch day and leaving it alone in the dark… no wonder."
"Haha…" The man laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, it's embarrassing. But I'm making it up to it now."
Kaede nodded. "Treecko's a proud Pokémon. Its rebellion wasn't about defiance—it just lacked a sense of security. The gentler you are, the faster it'll open up."
The man smiled warmly. "You're absolutely right, Mr. Hayashi."
After a moment, he added, "Should I bring it to visit next time? It's always curious about where its Energy Cubes come from."
Hayashi Kaede smiled. "Sure. You're both welcome anytime."
He watched as the man left the breeding house.
Moments later, a fine drizzle began to fall outside, cloaking the air in mist.
"Looks like there will be fewer customers today" Kaede murmured.
He turned to the Alcremies, who were growing drowsy from the soft patter of rain. "It's raining—want to take a nap?"
"Alcremie?"
One Alcremie blinked, a drop of cream sliding like a tear down its cheek.
"But what if more customers come?"
"It's fine" Kaede said with a smile. "brother Indeedee is here."
"Indeedee~" the brother Indeedee chimed from nearby.
Satisfied, the Alcremies nodded.
With a wave of psychic energy, Kaede gently carried them back to their cozy bowls.
"Alright, I'll wake you when it's dinner time~"
"Alcremie…"
They dozed off almost immediately, their breathing soft and sweet.
Time slipped by quickly. By noon, Mew returned with the two other Mythical Pokémon.
Who knew where they'd gone, but this time, they came back smiling.
After lunch, they didn't leave again, instead curling up quietly inside the breeding house.
By five in the afternoon, the rain had stopped, though the ground outside was still slick with moisture.
Alolan Vulpix and the Eevees stayed in the backyard, finally getting a chance to talk with their new friend—Victini.
"Vulpix…" (The Rayquaza we're going to defeat—it's so big, so big!)
"Victini?" (How big?)
Victini tilted its head. The largest Pokémon it had ever seen were the Dragons of Truth and Ideals that followed the two princes—whose battle once plunged the entire kingdom into chaos.
That was a memory it never wanted to relive.
Alolan Vulpix tried to describe it but failed to find words. In the end, it stood on its hind legs and spread its forepaws as wide as possible.
"Vulpix!" (This big! This big!)
Victini blinked, speechless.
Vulpix looked to Mew for help—since Mew could transform into Rayquaza—but the Mythical Pokémon was lazily rolling a catnip ball on the sofa, completely ignoring them.
Vulpix wilted in defeat. It remembered Hayashi Kaede's warning: Mew shouldn't transform into Rayquaza—it might attract the real one.
Finally, Serperior stepped in, projecting a memory of the battle directly into Victini's mind.
"Victini!!" Victini gasped, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the Sky High Pokémon.
"Vulpix!" (Right? Right! I'm going to defeat it one day!)
"Victini?" (Why do you want to defeat it?)
"Vulpix~" (Because it scared my friends—and it scared Hayashi Kaede! I'll make sure it never does again!)
Victini stared in disbelief. That Pokémon looks stronger than the twin dragons—yet this little fox wanted to challenge it?
"Vulpix!" (Because I have Hayashi Kaede! He's the greatest trainer in the world!)
Vulpix's tails twitched with pride, its eyes gleaming with pure faith.
Then it tilted its head and asked, "Vulpix?" (Do you have a trainer?)
Victini froze.
A flood of memories surged in its chest, and its bright eyes shimmered with tears.
As the Pokémon continued chatting softly, night quietly fell.
In the kitchen, Hayashi Kaede and Gardevoir had just finished preparing Energy Cubes for the coming days.
Then, Kaede reached into the storage box and pulled out a strange fruit—its surface hard and rocky, as though encased in stone.