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"This is the old house your grandfather left behind," Lewis said, leading Ron to the dilapidated wooden cabin. He tilted his head back to take in the whole structure and added, "It's seen better days, sure, but it's still a roof over your head. Settle in for now—you can always renovate later when you get the chance…"
Turning toward Ron, who stood with a furrowed brow, Lewis softened his tone. "I know things look pretty bleak right now, but Stardew Valley isn't like the big cities—Zuzu City, for instance. What I mean is… if you're willing to put in the work, you might not get rich, but you can certainly live comfortably here."
Ron's gaze seemed distant, and Lewis couldn't help but worry. In truth, from the moment he'd heard this young city boy planned to inherit his late friend's long-abandoned farm, Lewis had anticipated this exact moment.
He'd heard city folk fantasize about pastoral idylls before—but he was certain those dreams had nothing to do with swinging a hoe from dawn till dusk, watering crops deep into the night, cleaning chicken coops and animal pens, or the relentless grind of farm life that started before sunrise and didn't end until ten at night.
After all, this wasn't a video game—where a single swing of your hoe magically tilled a perfect patch of land.
(Cough, cough)
Lewis sighed as he glanced at the overgrown field before them—choked with weeds, littered with boulders, and dotted with trees already two or three meters tall.
"It's been neglected for decades—twenty or thirty years, at least," he said. "But the land itself is still good. Whether you're growing crops, fruit trees, or raising Pokémon, it'll yield well if you tend to it properly."
Ron had barely wrapped his head around the fact that he'd somehow wound up inside Stardew Valley when Lewis dropped a term that didn't belong in this world's usual vocabulary. Ron whipped his head toward him.
"Wait—Pokémon?"
Startled by Ron's sudden reaction, Lewis blinked, then chuckled as realization dawned. He reached into his pocket and pulled out three Poké Balls. "Ah, right—the Pokémon! I heard you were coming, so I picked these up specially from the Breeding Center. Go ahead and choose one. I'll have to return the other two."
Click-click-click.
With three crisp snaps, a Froakie, a Fennekin, and a Chespin appeared before Ron, all staring up at him expectantly.
Ron's mind reeled. Even though he'd been a devoted fan of both games in his past life, he still couldn't quite reconcile the idea of Stardew Valley and Pokémon coexisting in the same world.
Lewis kept talking, unaware of Ron's inner turmoil.
"Your grandfather built this farm from the ground up by breeding Pokémon. Back then, Pelican Town supplied nearly 80% of all starter Pokémon in the Kalos region." His voice grew wistful. "Now… well, the Breeding Center only sold me these out of respect for your grandfather."
"The rest is up to you now," he continued. "Go on—pick one. With its help, farm work will be a lot easier. And if you can, try planting some berries too. You can look up cultivation tips at the library—it's in the southeast corner of Pelican Town."
At the mention of farm chores—especially the endless watering ahead—Ron didn't hesitate. He chose Froakie without a second thought.
Taking the Poké Ball from Lewis, he asked, "So… if I want to raise more Pokémon later, do I just buy them from the Breeding Center?"
Lewis shook his head. "No—after this, it's all on you. There are still plenty of wild Pokémon around Pelican Town: in the Mines, the Forest, and the abandoned Quarry. Sometimes you'll even find Pokémon Eggs—though watch out; wild Pokémon can be dangerous."
He paused, then dug into his pocket again and handed Ron a Pokédex. "Ah, almost forgot—this also belonged to your grandfather. It's an older model, but it still works. You can use it to look up Pokémon info… and more importantly, it contains a lot of your grandfather's breeding notes."
Ron accepted the device. Once Lewis had finished giving his advice, he gave Ron's shoulder a reassuring pat and pointed toward a toolbox nearby. "All the tools you'll need for the farm are in there—plus fifteen Parsnip seeds. They're a bit worn, but still usable. Rest up today. Tomorrow, see if you can get used to this life. And if it's really not for you… well, Pelican Town's small—you might find another way to make a living."
"Oh—and the town map should be in the Pokédex too. Take some time to explore and introduce yourself to the neighbors."
With that, Lewis turned and left the farm.
Once he was gone, Ron looked down at the blue frog sitting by his feet, rubbing the bubbles on its neck.
He opened the old Pokédex and scanned Froakie. Instantly, its data appeared on-screen:
[Froakie]
[Bubble Frog Pokémon]
Emits bubbles from its chest and back. Uses elastic bubbles to cushion attacks and reduce damage.
Level: 5
Ability: Protean
Moves:
Growl (PP: 35)
Water Gun (PP: 25)
"Huh… it even tracks PP."
PP—Power Points—determined how many times a Pokémon could use a move.
Which meant watering crops had a hard limit.
But that was fine for now. Early on, he wouldn't need to water much anyway.
Still… if this world truly fused Stardew Valley with Pokémon…
Ron rubbed his chin, studying the Pokédex more closely.
It had four main tabs: Map, Pokémon Data, Wallet—and a fourth, labeled Pokémon Breeding System, currently locked and grayed out.
A faint message hovered above it:
[System Unlock Progress: Pokémon Owned – 1/3]
He didn't yet understand what the system did—but right now, something far more urgent demanded his attention: clearing a patch of land, planting those Parsnip seeds, and exploring Pelican Town.
Because this wasn't a game.
And until those Parsnips grew and he could sell them, he had exactly two choices:
Survive on his starting 500G…
Or find another way to earn money—maybe by foraging edible greens or berries from the woods.
Determined, Ron reached into the toolbox and pulled out a hoe.
He glanced down at Froakie—barely knee-high—and then at the massive hoe towering over it.
Yeah, no. Not happening.
Abandoning the idea of having Froakie plow the fields, Ron instead placed the Parsnip seeds into the Pokémon's tiny hands.
"Froakie?" Froakie tilted its head, confused.
"In this farm," Ron said firmly, "if you're alive and breathing, you work. You don't want us both starving to death, do you?"
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