The moment they returned, Minccino immediately began showing off its new outfit to the other little ones.
Silas was still cooking when he suddenly found himself surrounded by Diancie, Popplio, Phione, and a whole group of small Pokémon. They clutched at one side of his clothes, chattering nonstop.
The meaning they were trying to convey was more or less the same. They wanted new clothes too.
Meeting those pairs of sparkling eyes filled with anticipation and longing, Silas casually wiped his hand on Morpeko before reaching out to gently stroke Diancie, his voice soft.
"So, what kind of outfits would you like? Next time I go to Lumiose City, I will bring them back for you."
"Silas is the best." After receiving his agreement, Diancie rubbed against his palm, but soon a troubled expression appeared on her face. "Um, I have not decided yet."
"No rush. You can watch TV and choose what you like."
"And Diancie, later help me tell Pretty Mareep, Warm Mareep, and Floette that they can pick new clothes too."
As for the other three little sheep and the Mudsdale brothers, it was better to forget it.
Putting full outfits on them would probably make them uncomfortable. Buying some clothing accessories, on the other hand, would be fine.
For a moment, Silas imagined the three Meowth dressed as a cowboy riding the three Mudsdale. A Wild West performance would probably be very interesting.
"Min~"
Minccino, who had been hiding at the back, raised its little hand and spoke softly.
"You can help Diancie and the others choose. If you do a good job picking nice outfits, you can buy another one too."
"Min!"
Hearing this, Minccino was overjoyed.
It eagerly grabbed Diancie's small hand and ran off, determined to dress Diancie and the others up beautifully.
"What about you, little sister? Do you want one?"
Silas turned to look at his younger sister Indeedee. Before she could answer, he continued.
"I think a maid outfit would suit you very well. Should we get you one?"
"Indee!"
A flash of light passed through Indeedee's eyes, but she quickly suppressed it and shook her head at Silas.
Silas believed he understood girls to some extent. There was simply no girl who could refuse cute and beautiful clothes.
Without giving Indeedee any chance to refuse, he gently pushed her out of the kitchen and called for Minccino to help choose a little outfit for her as well.
Listening to the lively voices of the little ones in the living room, Silas smiled knowingly and felt even more motivated.
After dinner, Silas helped measure the little ones' height, weight, waist circumference, and chest circumference.
He had to make sure that whatever he bought would fit perfectly.
As soon as they saw him put the small notebook into his portable crossbody space bag, each of the little Pokémon looked as if they wished he would head out immediately. Unlike before, none of them were reluctant to see him leave.
Unfortunately, Silas had no plans to go out in the coming days.
There was a lot of work ahead. The first priority was setting up the berry orchard.
Before it got dark, Silas called over the three Mudsdale brothers who were chewing on dirt and Popplio, who was in charge of watering.
Pointing toward the berry orchard, Silas said, "Mudsdale, please use your move Rototiller to loosen the soil. Popplio, after the ground is turned over, use Rain Dance to make sure the soil stays moist."
"Mud~" x3
"Lioo!"
The four Pokémon responded in unison, agreeing immediately.
The Mudsdale stood at the edge of the orchard. They were already very familiar with this routine. With rhythmic stomps of their hooves, Ground type energy began to ripple through the earth.
It lasted for more than ten minutes before they finally stopped, having given the entire field a thorough treatment.
Then it was Popplio's turn to help.
Having trained alongside Phione and benefited from the special Rain Dance enhancement provided by the seafood platter, Popplio's proficiency with Rain Dance had improved significantly.
It was now the move it had mastered best. It had already become a qualified weather setter.
Light rain began to fall, gently nourishing the field.
The soil, soaked by the rainwater, turned a darker shade. Silas did not rush to plant the seeds immediately.
He signaled to the Meowth with a glance. Each of the three Meowth took a different type of fertilizer and stood on Tropius's back, spreading it evenly over the ground below.
Every time they finished fertilizing one section, Tropius would move to another spot, making sure no corner was overlooked.
Finally, Silas had the Mudsdale use Rototiller once more to ensure the soil received thorough nourishment.
In farming, maintaining the field is a crucial process. It increases soil fertility and allows crops to grow stronger and healthier.
This step was especially indispensable for high requirement crops like special berries.
"Today's work is done. Let's call it a day. Tomorrow morning we will plant the seeds. After that, Tropius and Meganium, I will rely on you to take good care of them."
Silas clapped his hands and called out to the Pokémon. The latter part was directed at Meganium and Tropius.
The two Pokémon did not disappoint his expectations. Meganium responded very seriously.
"Meganium~!"
(Leave it to us, Silas. There will definitely be no mistakes~!)
"Tropius!"
(That is right. We will take good care of these little saplings!)
This was their first job since arriving at the ranch. Silas had provided them with such excellent living conditions. They absolutely would not allow themselves to fail.
Looking at their serious expressions, Silas felt much more at ease and nodded with a smile.
"With you two here, I am definitely reassured. But do not put too much pressure on yourselves. I trust your abilities."
"And if you encounter any problems you cannot solve, tell me immediately."
After offering a mixture of encouragement and reassurance, Silas led the Pokémon back to rest.
The sky had completely darkened. Any remaining tasks could wait until tomorrow.
After playing around on the bed with Minccino and the other little ones for a while, Silas wrapped them snugly in a blanket and coaxed them to lie down obediently.
Dolliv was the most well behaved. As soon as Silas spoke, it lay down neatly without any need for supervision.
The troublemakers were still Popplio and Morpeko. Silas had to press one down with each hand.
Once he finally lulled them to sleep, Silas soon drifted into dreams as well.
The next morning, early.
Wearing a straw hat, Silas appeared at the berry orchard.
"Good morning, Meganium and Tropius."
He greeted the two Pokémon as they were eating breakfast. Their meal consisted of berries grown in the nearby orchard, delivered early in the morning by Butterfree.
"Meganium~"
Meganium shook its head gently, the petals around its neck blooming and releasing a faint, calming fragrance.
"No rush. Finish eating first. This is fruit juice that little sister Indeedee and I made this morning. You should try it."
After setting down the juice mixed with Moo Moo Milk, Silas quietly observed the two Pokémon as they ate.
Tropius was more wild in its eating style, often finishing a berry in just two bites and eating quickly.
Meganium, being a girl, appeared more refined, using her vines to eat slowly and chew carefully.
Noticing Silas watching them, Meganium selected what looked like the sweetest berry and handed it to him.
"Meganium~"
"Thank you. Seeing you eat so deliciously, I really am feeling tempted."
Smiling, Silas accepted it and took a big bite.
Today's Pecha Berry was especially sweet.
(End of Chapter)