Pokémon Ranch Story

"Go! Go!"

Xia Mu stepped aside and waved to the mud donkey.

Signal them to go in and try it out quickly, to see if it's suitable and if there are any adjustments needed.

The mud-covered donkeys charged in one by one, splashing mud everywhere, rolling around in it and covering their bodies.

They really liked the mud pit, and they especially loved the summer trees.

Natsuki was happy that his ideas were liked and recognized by the Pokémon.

With the mud pit there, there's no need to worry about the mud donkey making mud everywhere.

Natsuki did this not only for cleanliness, but also for the sake of the foam squirrel.

If that little guy saw this, he'd probably go crazy.

Thinking this, Xia Mu noticed out of the corner of his eye a kangaroo beckoning to him from not far away.

As you get closer, you'll see the marsupial holding a bunch of flowers, each one a vibrant display of color.

"Did you pick all of these?"

Xia Mu took it and sniffed it gently.

The fresh floral scent, mixed with dew, lingered around my nose.

The foam squirrel poked its head out of its pouch, raising its little paws high to indicate that it was still there.

"Yes, yes! You are all good children."

Xia Mu accepted it carefully. He planned to make a vase so that he could live a little longer.

I really like the gift.

Pokémon are sometimes just such a simple and adorable group of creatures.

They have no ulterior motives; they are good to whoever treats them well, and will even risk their lives to protect you.

This childlike innocence is probably the key to the peaceful coexistence of Pokémon and humans.

As Xia Mu was thinking this, she heard the frantic voice of the foam squirrel in her ear.

Ok!

The foam squirrel saw the mud donkey rolling in the mud.

Two Pokémon with completely different personalities meet and will live together for a long time to come.

It is the trainer's responsibility to manage the relationship between them.

Xia Mu held the foam squirrel in his arms and led it away to a clean grassy area.

Xia Mu explained the habits of the mud donkey to it and told the foam squirrel his solution.

Although the foam squirrel was unhappy, it still agreed.

They won't bother the mud donkeys, but the mud donkeys still need to clean themselves up when they're outside.

A minor conflict between Pokémon was resolved by Natsuki.

Both of them are good kids; they should just talk things out and make things clear.

Chapter 21 Letters

In the spring of the 198th year of the Alliance calendar, the afternoon sun shone warmly on people.

Xia Mu placed the necessary luggage and the snacks he had made in a specially made net bag on the back of the mud donkey.

The chattering bird perched on the head of the mud donkey, its claws gripping a nut, pecking at it incessantly and making a 'clanging' sound.

The foam squirrel circled the mud donkey, hands on its hips, muttering something with obvious disdain.

It reveals its weapon: its fluffy tail sweeps the muddy donkey from top to bottom, only then will it obediently climb onto its back and wait for Xia Mu.

At this moment, Xia Mu was giving instructions to the kangaroo beast.

"I've prepared your afternoon snacks. You can eat them if you get hungry. We'll be right back after we finish our business."

He stood on tiptoe and patted the marsupial on the shoulder in front of him. "The ranch is yours for now, Lao Da."

The kangaroo lowered its head, let out a pitiful whimper, and picked Xia Mu up tightly.

She clung to Xia Mu, wanting to be with him.

This time, Xia Mu resolutely refused.

The ranch is no longer in the state of being penniless when it first arrived.

It needs to be guarded.

He needed to go out to buy things and take care of some matters, and the Kangaskhan was undoubtedly the best choice.

“Kangaskhan, if you come along, there will be no one to guard the ranch.”

"What if some bad guys run into the ranch and cause trouble? I promise I'll come back as soon as I'm done and won't let you worry, Kangaskhan."

After repeated reassurances, the kangaroo gradually released Xia Mu.

At the entrance to the ranch, Xia Mu waved to the marsupial.

He turned himself over, mounted the mud-covered donkey, and headed out of the pasture.

Don't underestimate these little mud donkeys; their weight is nothing to them.

If it weren't for considering Xia Mu's riding experience, Mud Donkey could have run through the mountains and fields, and the time to reach Saluo City could have been reduced by half.

Even though they were walking at a relatively steady pace, by the time they reached the Pokémon Center outside Sala City, Natsuki was still feeling dizzy and disoriented from the jolting.

Supporting Muddy, Foam Squirrel retched incessantly in front of the Pokémon Center. Foam Squirrel gently patted its back with its tail and glared back at Muddy with a reproachful look.

The mud donkey knew it had done something wrong, so it lowered its head and groped the ground with its feet.

It took Xia Mu a while to feel a little better.

He hugged the foam squirrel and gave it a rub, then used his other hand to soothe the mud donkey, saying, "It's not your fault. I didn't think it through. I should have prepared the saddle and harness in advance."

"Nini~"

The mud donkey felt a little better after receiving some comfort.

However, I also made up my mind to evolve as soon as possible.

It evolved into a tall, heavy mudslinger, so that Xia Mu wouldn't feel any bumps when riding it.

"Let's go in together."

It's been a long time since I've been to the Pokémon Center, and it's as lively as ever.

In the hall, rows of seats are occupied by trainers and various Pokémon.

Miss Joy and the nurses were constantly busy, only able to get a moment's rest with the help of the medical Pokémon.

The fact that trainers have become a mainstream force in the world is inseparable from the convenient logistics provided by the Pokémon Center.

It's not just a medical facility; it's also a comprehensive service center.

Xia Mu came to a window in the corner, next to which was a picture of a big-billed gull carrying a small green mailbag, which was bulging with letters to be sent to various places.

A messenger bird wearing a postman's red hat stands guard at the window.

"Excuse me, I am trainer Xia Mu, and this is my ID card."

Xia Mu took out his ID card. The front of the card featured a handsome photo of him that rivaled that of the readers, while the back had a simple, high-quality ball pattern.

"Let me check if there are any letters for me."

The messenger bird skillfully operated the system, using its claws to input information about Xia Mu.

"Beep~"

Then, the messenger bird opened the pouch in its tail and reached out to grab and rummage through it.

Soon, the messenger bird pulled out a dish of letters.

"so much?"

Xia Mu was surprised; he did have quite a few friends.

I've only been gone for a few days.

After expressing my gratitude and being urged by the messenger bird to complete the registration, the mail collection process was finally finished.

Xia Mu ordered a small dessert set for the foam squirrels and found a corner to open the letters and read them one by one.

First came the letters that arrived at our home.

That's right, Xia Mu is not an orphan.

He has a family and has experienced a complete life in this world.

----

Dear Xia Mu:

Honey, how have you been lately? Have you been eating well and not staying up late...? Mommy won a 7-day trip to Alora, do you want to come along?

Love, Mom.

Attached: Photo of the travel ticket (date: April 1st).jpg.

----

Although they had been traveling for three years, Natsuki and Kaori had never lost contact and often exchanged letters.

Xia Mu would also go home to visit her mother whenever she had free time.

Are we going to Alola?

My gaze fell on the three Pokémon beside me. By April, the ranch would be back on track, and a business trip shouldn't be a problem.

In April, when it was already summer.

The spring crops should have completed their final harvest.

Autumn crop planting can wait until after we return, giving myself and my Pokémon a proper break.

Having made up his mind, Xia Mu picked up the blank letter beside him and began to write a reply.

----

Dear Mom,

Mom, I received your letter. I'll take good care of myself and the Kangaskhan, so you don't need to worry too much about us. I bought a ranch in Salo City, planning to settle down there with the Kangaskhan and the others long-term.

Please forgive me, the ranch is currently in a state of disrepair and cannot come home to visit you.

After everything is packed up, I hope you can come and visit, Mom. I'll introduce you to the Pokémon that live on the ranch.

I have no problem with your invitation to a summer trip.

Natsuki.

----

After a moment's thought, Xia Mu felt a little regretful.

The marsupials weren't here, otherwise I could have taken a family photo and sent it to my mom.

For now, we can only give up and send it later when we have the opportunity.

After checking and confirming that everything was correct, Xia Mu put the letter aside and picked up the other unopened letters instead.

I looked through them one by one, and most of them came from the same person.

He met a girl in Miaret during his first year of travel; she was pursuing her dream of becoming an actress.

Most of her letters were about sharing her life or confiding in him about the various problems she encountered in her acting career.

The most recent letter was a piece of good news: the other party had officially been promoted from a minor actor to a somewhat famous actor.

Yes! She recently filmed a movie where she played the female lead.

A huge step forward in his acting career.