By the stream.
Most weeds and rocks were already cleared. Mudsdale steadily spread Ground-type energy underground, vibrating the earth, making it rise, roll, and become more fertile.
Nearby, three Diglett lined up and burrowed deep, moving together. Every patch they dug became softer, perfect for roots.
Any stubborn rocks left underground were shaken loose by Ground energy, and if any remained, Mudsdale would pause and have Diglett smash them with Headbutts.
In short, progress was excellent.
Calyrex was busy too. Cosmog had been left in Arboliva's care, while he rode Glastrier carefully, planning the new orchard area in his mind.
Glastrier stepped cautiously, afraid of freezing the land and making it unfit for crops.
Ice carrots might be its favorite, but juicy, sweet fruits were a close second and third, and many trees would be planted here—no wonder Glastrier was excited and careful.
Ursaluna wasn't helping today, as Mudsdale and Diglett were reclaiming land, so Ursaluna managed the farm fields.
Lucas and Luxray's arrival caught the Pokémon's attention.
Turning Glastrier, Calyrex asked, "Finished class?"
"Yeah. Just came to check on you all. Oh, here—Alcremie made some treats," Lucas said, holding up a blueberry-patterned basket.
"Diligence is good—especially in medicine. Humans may lack special abilities, but through knowledge and experience, they can heal even wounds or diseases Pokémon moves can't cure."
Calyrex believed Lucas's studying medicine with Nurse Joy Rin showed his care for the farm's Pokémon, expanding into fields he didn't know.
Calyrex could heal serious injuries in a flash, Oranguru knew jungle herbal wisdom, and Lucas mastered human medicine—whatever happened, the farm would be prepared.
Seeing the basket, Calyrex smiled. "Using that basket—looks like Alcremie is confident in today's creation. Can I see?"
"Of course."
Lucas uncovered it, revealing cute, cream-scented cake rolls.
"I remember in the Crown Tundra—"
Calyrex seemed to recall seeing Pokémon of this shape there.
"It's Omanyte—a fossil Pokémon," Lucas explained.
He remembered wild Tyrantrum at Ballimere Lake, Aurorus in the snowy valleys, Aerodactyl by the sleeping giant's cliff—all fossil Pokémon in the Crown Tundra.
It was odd—fossil Pokémon were supposed to come from revivals, yet living fossils existed under Kanto's Grampa Canyon.
On the other side, Luxray greeted Mudsdale and Diglett, checking in on their work.
Lucas chatted with Calyrex about expanding the farm.
Rather than driving out wild Pokémon, they'd relocate them gently to better homes, or entrust them to reliable trainers.
Some, like Diglett and Tandemaus, joined the farm.
The last groups to settle were the Houndoom and Salazzle clans. Once handled, the farm's expansion would be complete.
After dessert, with Lucas's help, things moved even faster.
With Z-Rototiller, the soil became soft and fertile, the magical power of Pokémon transforming land in hours that would take humans years—no wonder productivity here was so high.
Nearby, a pair of Magikarp in the stream watched the commotion, blew a few bubbles, then drifted away with the current.
…
October 16
Nothing major happened on the farm today—except Lucas's carefully chosen apple saplings and a few other fruit trees arrived by truck.
The truck couldn't reach the new orchard site, so the saplings were left at the farm for now.
In the past, Lucas would have called Swampert and Dragonite to help carry the saplings by hand.
This time, Calyrex took the initiative. Using Psychic to warp space, he teleported the saplings directly to the orchard.
All that was left was to plant them.
Lucas planned to eventually move the smaller orchard near the farm center, including the rare Gold and Silver series trees from the Kanto League, but for safety, he kept the rarest ones at the center, near the secret herbs, to avoid wild Pokémon damage.
At the new orchard site:
"Wow, that's fast…"
Watching Arcanine dig at lightning speed, Lucas's mouth twitched. Clearly, Arcanine was used to this, maybe even learned Dig from all the practice.
Who knows how many of Lucas's "missing" slippers lay under the farm, buried by Arcanine.
Just as his past life teacher taught him during Tree-Planting Day:
First, dig a hole slightly larger than the tree's roots, about 40–50cm deep.
Add organic fertilizer, cover with 10cm of topsoil, and the hole is ready.
Lucas did most of this himself, then, with Dragonite and Swampert's help, placed the saplings in the holes, filled with soil, and gently pressed down.
Water Pokémon like Politoed then watered the saplings.
With everyone's help, over a hundred trees were transplanted in a day.
During work, Lucas recalled a Pokémon's habit.
In Hoenn, Aggron—despite its fearsome appearance—has very "eco-friendly" habits. An adult Aggron treats a mountain as its territory, patrolling and replanting trees when greenery declines.
Tyranitar and Duraludon usually demolish everything—Aggron is the rare exception.
Calyrex had mentioned that Aron, Lairon, and Aggron's shed armor and iron filings are materials for reforging swords and shields.
Since there are Aggron in Galar too, Lucas considered catching an Aron to help manage the farm and provide materials.
The orchard might not suit Aggron, but the small mountain within the farm's borders awaited development—perfect for Aggron's management.
And with Wallace's invitation, Lucas could ask him to introduce him to the "rock maniac"—probably the Hoenn region's top Aggron expert.
…
The next morning
Lucas was awakened by banging on his window.
He groggily got out of bed and opened the curtain, expecting sunlight, but instead came face-to-face with a giant Moltres beak pressed to the glass.
The Moltres, a bit chubby and cute, was pecking at the window, its cross-eyed gaze urgent.
Lucas opened the window.
Usually, Moltres would still be sleeping at this time—something important must have happened.
Moltres cawed urgently.
"You're saying the egg is reacting?" Lucas blinked.
Moltres nodded.
"Then let's get ready!"
Lucas brightened.
It wasn't the Miltank or Tauros eggs—they weren't due yet.
It had been over a month since Alder had given him the Larvesta egg, and that was already nearly two months old at the time.
Over three months—most Bug-types would have hatched and evolved by now!
Even with Moltres, the egg hadn't shown any signs of hatching.
Now, finally, it was flashing with light—the sign of imminent hatching.
Luckily, Lucas had helped hatch many eggs before—Dratini, Growlithe, Applin, Tropius, Alolan Sandshrew—he was experienced.
But this time, he couldn't hatch it at home.
He still lived in the old wooden house, barely fireproofed. Larvesta's hatching would produce a ton of fire—definitely not suitable for indoors.
Most Larvesta live at volcanoes. The best option was Moltres's island, which had a volcano, but traveling back and forth would take too long unless Calyrex helped.
Someday, he hoped to have his own ecological dome, to suit all kinds of Pokémon.
For now, though, there was a workaround.
After receiving the Larvesta egg, Calyrex had blessed it with life energy, ensuring it would be much healthier than average.
With such vitality, any hatching environment would do.
All Lucas needed was ample, high-quality flames for the newborn Larvesta to absorb.
That way, it would have the best start in life.
Without delay, Lucas got to work.
He went to the usual training ground and had Swampert raise a mound of earth several meters high.
Then, Moltres and Arcanine blasted the mound with fire, creating a makeshift hatching site.
The only challenge was keeping the flames burning, but with Moltres and Arcanine standing by, that was easy.
He set the egg nearby and waited.
Of course, this wasn't "roasting" the egg—Larvesta eggs are highly flame resistant.
Once all was ready, Lucas sat down with his Pokémon, watching as the egg's glow matched the pulsing flames, awaiting the moment of birth.
…
Time passed; morning faded.
At noon, as the clock struck twelve, the egg's glow reached its peak.
Blinding light erupted, the flames on the mound grew fiercer, and sunlight shone down.
Amidst the scarlet flames, a figure slowly emerged.
…
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