A brand new day dawned, and the ranch welcomed a season of abundance.
The wind swept across the open fields, stirring layer upon layer of golden wheat into rolling waves. The corn stalks, bent under the weight of their heavy ears, swayed gently as their crimson tassels fluttered in the breeze.
Morpeko crouched by the edge of the field, staring fixedly at the thickest and largest ear of corn, drool slipping uncontrollably from the corner of its mouth.
Shaking his head with a smile, Silas knew that before the official harvest began, there was one more thing he needed to prepare in advance.
Ignoring Morpeko for the moment, Silas walked toward the entrance of the ranch.
Opposite the silo, there was an open patch of land.
All the materials required to build a mill had already been neatly arranged there.
"Cyc!"
Cyclizar ran toward Silas, lifting its two front claws and leaping straight into his arms.
Catching Cyclizar, Silas rubbed its head vigorously. "You have worked hard. Leave the rest to me."
As soon as he finished speaking, the golden interface panel suddenly unfolded before his eyes.
Build: [Mill]
League Coins: 2500
Stone: 50
Wood: 150
Cloth: 4
"Begin Construction!"
The construction magic unfolded once again. In just a few breaths, a fully functional mill rose straight up from the ground.
Minccino hurried over with a group of little ones and arrived just in time to witness the scene. Their mouths fell wide open, and their eyes sparkled brightly as they stared at Silas in amazement.
"Lioo!!"
"Cream!"
(Big Sister Minccino had not lied. Silas really could perform magic.)
While the little ones remained in shock, Silas had already stepped inside the mill.
With it, he could not only carry out the initial processing of wheat and corn, but also prepare feed for the chicks. All that was required was to place the corresponding raw materials inside. It functioned in a semi automatic manner, which pleased Silas greatly. He could hardly wait to try it out.
At the entrance, led by Minccino, the little ones chirped noisily. It was rare for them to wake up this early.
When they saw Silas come out, they rushed toward him excitedly, surrounding him and hugging his legs one after another, making adorable and ingratiating sounds.
"You little rascals!"
He flicked each of them lightly on the forehead. These little ones always had plenty of ideas.
Letting them run off to play on their own, Silas mounted Cyclizar and called the three Meowth, the Mudsdale brothers, and the five Floette over to help.
"Now let us assign tasks." Silas clapped his hands and addressed the Pokémon. "The Meowth, you three are responsible for harvesting. Floettes, you will bundle the wheat. Mudsdale brothers, you will handle transportation."
"Meow!" x3
The three Meowth of different regional forms simultaneously revealed their freshly sharpened claws, which they had carefully honed the day before. They had come well prepared.
"Flora~!" x5
The Floette circled around Silas happily. Being able to help him made them overjoyed.
"Mud!"
The Mudsdale remained as usual, chewing on the mud in its mouth without pause.
After giving a brief demonstration, Silas allowed the Meowth and Floette to try for themselves.
Meowth's claws proved even more efficient than sickles. With a gentle diagonal swipe at the base of each stalk, the wheat snapped cleanly with a crisp crack. The three Meowth worked in clear coordination, and before long a pile of wheat had formed behind them.
"Very good." Silas nodded in approval and gestured toward the Floette. "Your turn to perform, little ones."
"Flora~"
The Red Flower Floette called to her younger sisters and began working.
Floette gently swung the flower in her hand, and two slender vines emerged from its center. They slipped beneath the wheat pile, looped around the stalks, and tied a neat knot, binding the loose stalks tightly together.
"Flora!"
After finishing, the Red Flower Floette looked at Silas and softly sought his approval.
"That is perfect. You did very well."
"Flora~"
The other four Floette followed her example. There were a few small flaws at first, but Silas quickly corrected them.
The bundled wheat stacks were loaded onto Mudsdale's back and transported to the threshing ground to dry.
After observing the entire process once, Silas saw no problems.
Reassured, he entrusted the work there to them and walked toward the cornfield nearby.
Cyclizar, Kangaskhan, Tropius, and Meganium were already working there.
Using their own methods, they snapped the ears of corn from the stalks and tossed them into bamboo baskets. The Indeedee siblings, peeled off the green husks, keeping only the golden kernels inside.
When Mudsdale passed by, the baskets were placed onto their backs as well and carried to the drying ground, where the excess moisture would be removed under the sun.
With so many Pokémon helping, Silas found himself almost unable to contribute directly.
He could only walk back and forth, inspecting the work to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly.
As the harvest neared completion, Silas handed out the chilled rice cakes and iced water he had prepared earlier.
Even if he could not assist much with the labor itself, he could at least excel in logistical support.
"Phion!"
Phione gulped down a large mouthful of icy water, its eyes narrowing comfortably as it revealed an expression of pure enjoyment. The little one had also helped break corn from the stalks earlier.
By finishing a full day's workload in a single morning, Silas and the little ones were able to curl up in the ranch for a midday rest.
Meanwhile, Shalour City welcomed a special guest.
After landing, Steven did not linger in the city.
He walked to the outskirts and summoned Skarmory. One man and one bird soared into the sky above Route 12, searching from above.
Back at the ranch, Silas was listening to the song that Minccino and the others had prepared to perform.
Minccino, Popplio, and Diancie worked in seamless coordination, their three distinct voices intertwining and responding to one another in harmony.
When the song ended, Silas immediately applauded and gently rubbed Minccino's small head. "Wonderful, wonderful. Your three vocal tones blend beautifully. It is clear that you have been practicing diligently these past few days."
Compared to their first performance, they had improved tremendously.
Praised so warmly, Minccino shyly shook her head, though her eyes sparkled brightly. The small trace of earlier disappointment had completely vanished. They were determined to amaze everyone in a single brilliant performance.
Popplio barked happily, clapping its flippers together as a string of small bubbles emerged from its nose.
Even Diancie felt delighted. With Silas's praise and encouragement, they felt even more confident about performing at the fireworks festival.
They absolutely would not disappoint him. Diancie clenched her tiny fists and silently cheered herself on.
"Meow~"
Suddenly, Litten tapped at the window from outside. Silas walked over to it.
"Meow meow~"
"A guest has arrived?"
"All right, I will go take a look."
After giving the little cat a gentle rub, Silas left the house, with Cyclizar following closely behind like a loyal shadow.
From a distance, he could see two figures standing by the ranch gate. One was John. The young man beside him was someone Silas had not seen in a long time, Steven.
With silver blue hair and matching eyes, a tall and upright posture, and an air of noble elegance in every gesture, he gave the impression of refinement and approachability at first glance.
"John, and Steven, how did the two of you end up coming together?"
Surprised, Silas opened the ranch gate for them and invited them inside.
"No need. I still have matters to attend to at my own ranch." John waved his hand. "This young friend came to the wrong ranch. Since you two know each other, I will leave him to you."
With that, John departed to handle his own affairs.
After seeing him off, Silas turned to Steven with a teasing smile. "I did not expect you to arrive so quickly."
"Heh." Steven glanced behind Silas. "Where is Diancie? Why do I not see her?"
Silas stepped aside, and the two of them walked together as they talked. "Diancie is in the house. She and the others will be performing at the fireworks festival tomorrow."
"A performance?" Steven's interest was immediately piqued. He placed a hand on Skarmory and pressed further. "What kind of performance? Do you need sponsorship? Just arrange a front row seat for me."
About to see the Diamond Princess in person and even hear her sing, Steven pulled out his bank card.
This trip to Kalos had already proven completely worthwhile.
(End of Chapter)
TN: I don't get it. I understand Silas can understand his Pokemon but aside from Diancie how can other people understand Minccino and Popplio.