Pokémon: Farm Story

The morning after Mei’s departure, Natsume lazily got out of bed and began his morning routine.

Accepting a towel from Lopunny, he casually rubbed it over his face.

Since there were only Pokémon on the farm, Natsume wasn’t too concerned about his personal appearance. As long as he was clean and tidy, that was enough.

As for whether he looked good or not?

Who cares?

There was no one around to admire him anyway.

On this point, a certain unnamed Mew strongly objected.

According to Mew, Natsume’s face was handsome, and just looking at him lifted a Pokémon’s mood—it was practically a public treasure of the farm!

Natsume had a duty to maintain it!

Naturally, this argument was immediately rejected by Natsume.

I’m not using my face for anything weird—I just don’t feel like dressing up, that’s all.

"Ah, another lazy day..."

Standing on the balcony, Natsume stretched under the morning sun.

For some reason, maybe because Mei wasn’t around anymore, the day felt strangely unmotivating.

Though honestly, it wasn’t that bad.

After all, he could communicate with Pokémon, so it wasn’t like he lacked people to talk to.

But for those who truly lived alone on a farm, they would be stuck talking to themselves all day—just speaking their thoughts aloud with no one to respond.

Returning to his room, Natsume pulled a notebook from the shelf.

Flipping to the latest page, he marked the date in the top right corner and scribbled down a few quick thoughts.

"October 19th"

"Sunny. Feeling a bit sluggish today."

"Maybe I didn’t sleep well last night. Lately, Purrloin has been whining next to my bed at five in the morning."

"Once I let it up, it won’t stop rubbing against me."

After jotting down a few lines, Natsume closed the notebook and returned it to his desk.

Just to clarify—this is not a diary.

It was simply a place to jot down random thoughts.

Come on, who writes a diary these days?

…Although, to be fair, Natsume didn’t always consider himself a “normal” person.

But he also didn’t want to be seen as not normal.

Humans are complicated.

"Yimo!"

Just as Natsume was about to leave the room, Emolga suddenly darted out from somewhere and sprinted over.

With three quick hops, it reached Natsume’s side, grabbed onto his clothes, and scurried up onto his shoulder.

Pressing its tiny paws against his shoulder, Emolga adjusted itself until it found a comfortable spot.

"Yimo!"

Natsume, Natsume! I wanna go outside with you!

Raising one paw excitedly, Emolga chirped happily.

Lately, it had noticed something disturbing—that wretched, scheming cat was sneakily winning over Natsume’s affection.

Whenever Natsume had a free moment, he’d be petting that shameless feline.

Was Emolga… being ignored?!

But Emolga knew—this wasn’t Natsume’s fault!

Natsume was innocent! The real villain was that sneaky, shameless, thick-skinned, manipulative little green-tea cat!

Emolga clenched its tiny paws.

I have to reclaim Natsume’s attention!

I’ll work hard to win back his favor, and then… I’ll **** in that conniving cat’s bed!

And dance on its food bowl!

Truly a vengeful and cunning plan.

"Sure, but no running wild, okay?"

Natsume tapped Emolga lightly on the head, smiling.

Emolga, in turn, put on a well-behaved expression.

Truthfully, Natsume had a pretty good idea of what was going on in Emolga’s mind.

But he wasn’t too concerned.

For one, while Emolga and Purrloin weren’t exactly friends, their rivalry hadn’t escalated into all-out war.

Natsume didn’t believe in forcing every Pokémon to get along.

It wasn’t necessary, and frankly, it wasn’t realistic.

That would be more tyrannical than any historical despot.

And besides…

A little scheming can be amusing, especially when two devious Pokémon are competing for his favor.

Honestly, it felt pretty nice.

As Emolga sat obediently on his shoulder, it occasionally nuzzled against his face.

But its well-behaved act didn’t last long.

The moment Natsume stepped outside, Emolga’s network activated.

A steady stream of “friends” approached, greeting Emolga warmly and showering it with gifts.

Emolga graciously accepted everything, offering a few polite words before swiftly dismissing them.

By the time Natsume had barely walked a few steps, he was already carrying an armful of stuff.

Luckily, he had a small satchel with him, or he might’ve been buried under all the offerings Emolga had received.

Along the way, they also passed the Joltik family that had arrived with Emolga back when it first came to the farm.

Nowadays, they lived in the orchard, helping to guard the fruit trees.

Every now and then, some opportunistic bird Pokémon would try to sneak in and steal fruit.

Those thieves usually got a good beating before being tossed out.

"Shan shan."

Over by the farmland, a Sandslash dressed like an old-time farmer stood surveying its fields, nodding with satisfaction.

This… this is my kingdom.

At first, this land had been nothing but barren wilderness.

Though once upon a time, it had been farmland, it had long since been abandoned.

Back then, Sandslash used to roll around in the dirt for fun.

But after being taken in by Natsume, it had started its farming life.

And little by little, Sandslash felt something awakening inside it.

Something deep, something primal.

A hidden farming instinct.

Seed after seed was planted.

Harvest after harvest was gathered.

A true Sandslash of the Soil was emerging.

After planting new seeds, the cycle continued.

Sometimes, Natsume would come over to lend a hand.

Like right now.

Standing at the edge of the farmland, he stretched out his hand over a section specifically designated for planting Wangwang Valley crops.

A vibrant green glow, representing the power of life, shimmered into existence.

At first, it flickered around Natsume’s palm like fireflies, but in the blink of an eye, it expanded rapidly—like an emerald curtain unfurling over the land, blanketing the entire field.

Raindrops of glowing green light descended, nourishing every inch of the soil.

The once-young Sunnyhill Farm crops began to grow at a speed visible to the naked eye.

By the time Natsume withdrew his hand, the field was nearly ready for harvest.

Beside him, Sandslash watched the spectacle with pure envy.

Damn it! I want that power too!

Why wasn’t I born a Grass-type Pokémon?!

"This field is all yours now, Sandslash."

Retracting his power, Natsume smiled at Sandslash.

He was only responsible for accelerating growth—the rest of the work? That was none of his concern.

That was just how Natsume operated.

At his core, he had a lazy streak.

Before leaving, he glanced back at the field.

Perhaps because he frequently used the Viridian Force here, guiding the plants’ growth, this area had developed a distinct atmosphere.

The plants flourished far more vibrantly than those elsewhere, and even the air quality was noticeably superior.

Compared to land outside the farm, the difference was even more extreme.

Who knew?

Maybe, years down the line, this farm would become some kind of sacred land.

After checking on the farmland, Natsume wandered around the farm for a while before heading to the lake where Slowking often stayed.

Technically, it was no longer just a small lake.

Ever since Manaphy arrived, it had used its power to expand the lake’s size significantly.

Originally, it had been a simple pond.

But after various efforts, it had transformed into a thriving ecosystem.

Now, it was home to a stable population of Pokémon.

"Marsh!"

With a splash, Marshtomp leaped out of the water.

A dopey-looking Magikarp dangled from its mouth.

Casually spitting the fish back into the lake, Marshtomp shook itself dry before eagerly sprinting toward Natsume—throwing itself into his arms.

"Marsh marsh!"

Maybe because Natsume had been busy lately and hadn’t visited much, Marshtomp was especially excited to see him.

It chattered nonstop, eagerly showing off its progress and hard work from the past few weeks.

Marshtomp had a feeling—it was so close to evolving.

Soon, it would become a super behemoth.

Natsume had promised as much.

Then, finally, it could stand proudly before Slowking!

Marshtomp daydreamed about its glorious future.

To Marshtomp, becoming stronger was everything.

Not only did it determine whether it could hold its own against Slowking, but it also decided whether it could outcompete other Pokémon for food in the lake.

Natsume had mentioned that, eventually, this lake would need a leader.

Once it evolved, Marshtomp figured it might vie for the position.

"Alright, alright, I get it," Natsume chuckled as Marshtomp hugged him.

Feeling the dampness seeping into his clothes, he sighed inwardly.

It had shaken off the excess water, but… not completely.

Still, seeing Marshtomp so thrilled, he didn’t have the heart to scold it.

After Marshtomp calmed down, Natsume casually asked about the lake’s recent situation.

"Marsh."

Nothing much has changed.

Though… there are a lot more residents now.

Marshtomp thought about it and realized things were pretty much the same—except the lake was getting more crowded.

In the past, there had been a hidden passage at the lake’s bottom that connected to the outside world.

Occasionally, wild Pokémon would wander in before quickly leaving again.

Even some of the original lake dwellers had moved away.

After all, back then, this lake had nothing to offer.

Why stay?

To starve?

But now, things were different.

Natsume regularly tossed Pokéblocks into the lake as feed.

And whenever Gardevoir practiced making Pokéblocks, any failed attempts or leftovers were also dumped into the lake—feeding the fish.

The Pokémon living here were well-fed, and the water quality had mysteriously improved.

Now, no one wanted to leave.

Even visiting wild Pokémon often chose to settle here.

For example, a group of Clawitzer had arrived a few days ago.

Initially, they rampaged through the lake, overwhelming opponents with coordinated barrage attacks.

They acted like they were about to take over the entire lake.

Then, one by one, they got yoinked out of the water by Slowking’s psychic powers and hung from the trees for an entire afternoon.

Only after signing a series of “agreements” with Natsume and Slowking were they allowed to stay.

The conditions included:

1. No randomly attacking other Pokémon.

2. Any claws shed naturally or lost during fights within their group must be collected.

3. Natsume and Slowking would periodically come to retrieve them.

Yes, Clawitzer claws naturally fall off sometimes.

And their taste?

As popular as Slowking’s tail.

If it weren’t for legal protections, Clawitzer would probably have a very grim fate.

Just look at a certain duck with a leek.

Because its meat was delicious and it conveniently came with its own seasoning, it was once nearly hunted to extinction.

Even today, there were still people who, after defeating a Farfetch’d, would steal its leek to make soup.

Because, well… it tasted amazing.

"I’ll leave things to you, then."

"If anything happens, let me or Slowking know."

"Marsh."

After nuzzling against Natsume, Marshtomp flipped backward and plunged back into the water.

Recently, a newcomer had arrived in the lake—a promising young talent, but a bit too cocky.

Marshtomp had beaten him up a few times, yet the kid still wasn’t convinced.

Once it fully “convinced” him, Marshtomp planned to introduce him to Natsume.

By the time Natsume finished his patrol around the farm, the morning was already over.

Even with Gogoat as a ride, covering the entire farm took quite a bit of time.

And he still wanted to expand further, adding more zones.

For example, there was that garden project he had meant to set up for ages but never got around to finishing.

He’d wanted a Lilligant or Bellossom to manage it, but he hadn’t found the right one yet.

Maybe he’d just buy a Sun Stone online and evolve a Bellossom himself.

Most Grass-types had some gardening talent.

But compared to Lilligant, their skills were just a hobby level.

After all, Lilligant’s entire Pokédex entry revolved around tending to gardens.

The gap between them was like… an amateur table tennis player vs. a world champion.

"Alright, home sweet home."

After wandering around for a while, Natsume decisively headed back.

A farm this size would always have something that needed attention.

But that was exactly why he had Slowking and the Gallade-Gardevoir sibling duo—so he wouldn’t have to deal with everything himself.

They were so reliable that he trusted them more than himself.

Now, they were essential to the farm’s operation.

Finally settling down, Natsume casually pulled out his phone—just to pass the time.

He wasn’t expecting much…

But then—

"Huh…?"

"Damn, Rotom actually made a great video."

Seeing the unexpectedly high view count, Natsume was genuinely surprised.

A while ago, after getting Natsume’s approval, Rotom helped him set up accounts on various online platforms and complete personal verification.

Soon after, it even started filming videos of the farm.

Natsume wasn’t exactly sure what type of content these videos fell under.

A lifestyle vlog?

Honestly, Natsume wasn’t too familiar with internet video categories.

In fact, that term was one of the few he actually knew—

And even then, it was only because he’d seen certain creators start posting nothing but daily vlogs and sponsored ads once they got enough followers.

In the video, Rotom gave a simple tour of the farm.

It captured a day in Natsume’s life, showing things from his perspective—

Along with introductions to many of the farm’s Pokémon, each with their own distinct personalities.

For example, one of the farm’s daily routines:

The Shiny Furret leading an entire stampede of Pokémon across the fields.

Overall, the video was pretty entertaining.

After watching, Natsume casually scrolled through the comments section.

Most were expressions of shock and amazement.

Many people envied him—

Young, wealthy, and incredibly strong.

How could they not be jealous?

Of course, there were plenty of bitter comments as well.

And, naturally, some were filled with passive-aggressive sarcasm and veiled insults.

That was just the nature of the internet.

No matter how much good you do, someone will always find something to criticize.

Even if you saved the world, there’d still be someone demanding—

“Why didn’t you also protect the flowers and grass on the ground?”

Some people exist solely to remind you how diverse life on Earth truly is.

As for those bitter comments?

Natsume remained completely unfazed.

He wasn’t trying to make money from videos, nor did he feel the need to prove himself to anyone.

"Say whatever you want."

"It’s not like I owe you an explanation."

There were even a few people trying to ride the hype by challenging him to battles.

Natsume’s thoughts on that?

"Alright. Come get your beating."

"Please, choose your opponent."

Mightyena—capable of stunning a Legendary Pokémon with a single blow.

Corviknight—the farm’s top-tier air defense unit, trained to perfection.

Slowking—possessing Psychic powers on par with Legendary Pokémon.

"Go ahead, pick one."

After idly scrolling for a while, Natsume noticed something interesting—

A lot of people seemed genuinely interested in his farm.

He wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

But one thing was certain:

His farm was about to get a lot more attention.

In fact, ever since he defeated Ting-Lu, people had already started visiting the farm just to take pictures.

Some tried getting artsy shots, while others even attempted to sneak in.

Those people usually ended up chased down and bitten by the Mightyena pack.

But it was still annoying to deal with.

The reason was simple:

Some people had this twisted mentality—

"If I’m weaker than you, I must be right."

"Even if I’m in the wrong, I still have a valid excuse."

"Yes, I trespassed on your farm… but your Pokémon chasing me? That’s unfair!"

Although things never escalated into major trouble, it was still frustrating.

After thinking it over, Natsume decided to make a phone call.

Ring…

"Hello, Mayor Gakuji."

"Are you available right now?"

"I’d like to talk about the gym project you mentioned earlier."