Pokemon: Farm Story

"Sol…"

Fixing its gaze on the map displayed on Natsume's phone, Absol looked as though it was trying to pierce through the screen with sheer focus.

But… I can't understand it.

Unknowingly, a bead of cold sweat rolled down Absol's forehead.

Human technology was still somewhat of a mystery to it.

Fortunately, after a few adjustments and explanations from Natsume, Absol managed to grasp the basics of the map and even recognized the forest it once called home.

Seeing its former home again through satellite imagery stirred up a mix of emotions within Absol.

It wasn't just nostalgia—it was also the place where it had nearly lost its life due to an unfortunate misstep.

A black mark on its history…

"Sol."

This is the place.

Even though it wasn't exactly thrilled to recall its past failures, Absol still gave Natsume a clear answer.

It's fine. As long as I don't mention it, no one will know about my embarrassing history.

…Except Natsume.

As for that girl?

She can't understand me anyway.

Wait a second.

How does Natsume understand me?

A belated realization struck Absol.

Hiss…

Something about this guy isn't quite right.

"So, it really is the same place where Steenee and the others come from."

Putting away his phone, Natsume frowned slightly.

Normally, Pokémon have their own habitats.

Just like in games—Level 60 monsters don't usually show up in beginner zones, and Level 10 critters don't spawn in final boss areas.

It's not just a matter of habit; it's about resources.

Scarce resources lead to Pokémon that are weaker and lower-leveled.

Abundant resources create strong Pokémon, and the weaker ones get wiped out.

But now, there's an abnormality. A powerful Pokémon appeared in the same forest where Steenee and the others live.

It's like one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord's Army camping at the newbie village gates.

No, wait.

The Four Heavenly Kings usually camp there to wipe out heroes before they grow stronger.

But what's this Pokémon's reason?

It doesn't seem to have any purpose beyond sheer destruction.

Almost as if it's gaining something from its rampage.

"Natsume, are you planning to go there?"

Seeing the look on his face, Mei asked with some concern.

Not that she could be blamed for thinking that.

Trainers were just that kind of creature—always eager for excitement, adventure, and pushing their limits.

Even the most extreme athletes sponsored by Red Bull couldn't match the sheer recklessness of Pokémon trainers.

The more dangerous and unexplored a place was, the more trainers you'd find there.

This world had many well-known "forbidden zones" where life was practically unsustainable.

Some were due to the powerful Pokémon residing there, while others had impossibly harsh environments.

But how did people even discover these zones?

The answer: a bunch of fearless or overly confident trainers throwing themselves into danger, proving the credibility of these "forbidden" titles with their own lives.

To this day, many trainers still sought out such places.

Even if you told them, "There's an Entei in there—it breathes fire on sight and is extremely aggressive," most trainers would react like this:

"What? That sounds intense! I gotta check it out."

A few might even rally others:

"Brothers, let's charge in together!"

That's just the way trainers were—full of confidence (or arrogance).

But Natsume wasn't a trainer.

Right now, he was just a farm owner. He didn't have the boundless energy or reckless curiosity of a trainer.

At this moment, all he wanted was to take care of his farm.

"Of course not."

Waving a hand dismissively, Natsume made it clear he had no interest in getting involved.

That didn't mean he would ignore the issue, though.

After all, Natsume had always been the kind of guy who would help an old lady cross the street.

Why "brave young man" instead of "good young man"?

Well, considering his family's financial situation back then, taking that risk was a bit reckless. In a way, Natsume was definitely qualified for a Courage Badge.

"Hello, is this the Ranger Union?"

Soon, Natsume dialed a number.

The person on the other end was a dispatcher from the Ranger Union.

In games and anime, this organization didn't seem particularly prominent.

But in reality, it was a major entity—one with broad authority, handling a wide range of matters, and, most importantly, being incredibly strong.

While the Union promoted peaceful solutions between humans and Pokémon, everyone knew that such organizations were often the ones with the most firepower.

Why did trainers always behave when facing a Ranger?

Was it out of politeness? Out of respect?

No.

It was because they'd get their asses kicked otherwise.

"If you don't understand words, I can explain with my fists."

After a brief explanation, the Ranger Union assured Natsume they would dispatch a team immediately.

If the situation was confirmed, Natsume would even receive a commendation for reporting it.

Before hanging up, Natsume made sure to give them a heads-up about the Pokémon's massive size and abnormal durability.

The sheer mention of its size alone was enough to make the Rangers take it seriously.

Unlike in the games, where Groudon was a "massive" 3.5 meters tall, the real Groudon was a true colossus.

Most Legendary Pokémon were genuinely massive.

Even among non-Legendary Pokémon, a large-sized one going berserk was enough to cause disaster.

"All done."

Hanging up, Natsume clapped his hands, looking quite pleased.

Leave professional work to professionals.

A farm owner like him had no reason to stress over this.

This left Mei a bit dumbfounded.

Wait, what?

She gestured in the air with both hands as if trying to articulate something.

But after a moment's thought, she realized this was actually the normal reaction.

So why did it feel so… off?

For a moment, Mei fell into deep thought.

Why, though?

Maybe because, in her mind, Natsume was more of a powerful trainer who just happened to run a farm.

Even if he didn't challenge Gyms or enter tournaments.

The stereotypical image of a farm owner wasn't exactly glamorous.

A middle-aged man, straw hat on his head, smelling of the farm, not particularly friendly, and sometimes downright grumpy.

That was the common perception of farm owners.

But Natsume?

Young, strong, gentle with Pokémon, and even patient when talking to her.

He could make Pokéblocks, and no matter what he did, he always showed great care.

Handsome, yet not the type to flirt around.

…Actually, that last part might be the real reason.

Though stereotypes often came from general trends, individuals could still break the mold.

Like how many Pokémon Breeders were gentle, mature big sisters.

From the moment they started their profession, interacting with cute Pokémon daily, handling things with care, and being around similar people, they naturally became those familiar, kind-hearted big sisters.

On the flip side, the trainer community had plenty of daredevils.

After all, the best rewards came from unexplored territories.

A place a million people had already scoured? There'd be nothing left but scraps.

"Alright, let's head back."

Standing up, Natsume turned to Mei.

"Alright, alright!"

Mei bounced up energetically.

Even though she still had unanswered questions, she figured they didn't really matter.

If Natsume wanted to tell her, he would.

So, don't overthink it—

Nope, still thinking about it.

Even as she sat on Corviknight's back, Mei couldn't stop wondering.

This wasn't the first time she'd been caught off guard at Natsume's farm.

Back then, when he got that call from Slowking…

Wait, Slowking making a call?

…And Natsume understanding every "Yadon" perfectly?

What the hell?!

And now, she was about to learn the truth.

Natsume…

Was a real-life psychic.

Mei's mind was still reeling as she found herself gripping Natsume's outstretched hand, letting him pull her onto Corviknight's back.

It wasn't that she was short-circuiting because of some incomprehensible sight this time.

No, it was the casualness of it all—the way Natsume's hand reached out, and without a second thought, she'd taken it.

Then her brain went blank again.

As for everything that happened afterward?

Yeah, she didn't get any of it.

Whether it was Natsume healing Absol with a simple touch of glowing green light, or how easily he communicated with both Slowking and Absol, or how smoothly he captured what looked like a cool, aloof Absol—none of it made sense to Mei.

Is catching a wild Pokémon really this easy?

She felt like her worldview as a trainer was crumbling.

Today, she'd witnessed so many things that completely defied her understanding.

Feeling the wind rushing past her ears, Mei stared ahead, lost in thought.

At that moment, her expression looked more like a Slowpoke's than Slowking's ever did.

Meanwhile, Slowking was sifting through its "crown storage space."

In simpler terms, it was treating the space under its Shellder crown like a bag, stuffing in all sorts of things—cell phones, half-eaten Pokéblocks, photocopies of Corviknight's script notes…

All neatly tucked away.

"Mei, were you curious about how I healed Absol earlier?"

Natsume's sudden question pulled her from her daze.

"Huh? What?"

She snapped her head around to face him, eyes wide.

Is he really going to explain it?

Just like that?

The psychics she'd read about online were always so secretive. They'd make a big show out of something as small as bending a spoon, like they were about to save the world or something.

"I noticed you seemed curious earlier, so I thought I'd explain. If I'm wrong, just forget it!"

Seeing Mei's stunned look, Natsume quickly added, trying to avoid any misunderstanding.

One of life's great misunderstandings: "She likes me."

Or in this case, "She's interested in me."

People who think like that often end up embarrassed when reality hits them.

Natsume wanted to avoid that kind of awkwardness.

After all, he and Mei were still just friends, and it was too soon to assume anything deeper.

"No, no, no! I'm super curious!"

Mei waved her hands frantically, eager to dispel his worries.

She was genuinely curious!

She'd never seen a real psychic before, and Natsume wasn't just bending spoons—this was real power.

Who wouldn't be curious about that?

"I see."

Natsume let out a small sigh of relief, then carefully chose his words.

"Around when I was three or four, I started noticing it."

"I was different from other kids."

"I had a stronger body and a kind of natural affinity that most people don't understand."

"For example, Mightyena, which could easily shatter a grown man's ribs, was nothing to me—I could pin it down with one hand."

"And that Houndoom from next door, the one that didn't like anyone, not even its trainer, would roll over and act all silly for me."

"With a wave of my hand, it'd do tricks—rolling, backflips, even a Thomas Flair."

"In short, they listened to me."

Hold up! That's way beyond just "listening"!

Mei had so many questions, but she didn't know where to start.

"Over the next few years, I learned to control this affinity."

"And gradually, I discovered my true power."

As he spoke, Natsume extended his hand, and once more, that vibrant green light filled the air.

"I call it the 'Power of the Viridian.' No special reason for the name—it just felt right."

"With this power, I can communicate effortlessly with any Pokémon."

"And I can heal, transfer life energy, things like that."

"It's more of a support ability, really."

"I see."

Mei nodded thoughtfully, trying to process everything.

Before long, they let the conversation drift away.

Neither of them dwelled on it, as though they'd just been chatting about what they had for dinner yesterday.

It felt like nothing had changed, yet somehow, there was a subtle shift between them.

Unconsciously, they seemed to have drawn a little closer.

—

Elsewhere, the massive Pokémon that had been ravaging the forest looked around at the devastation it had caused.

After a moment, it lowered its head, then moved on, seemingly losing interest in this ruined area as it searched for a new target to destroy.

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