Abigail followed the path to the farm and peered in from afar—only to see Pokémon bustling through the fields.
"Ah… he's not here," she sighed, disappointed. She stepped inside anyway.
Froakie was watering strawberries when it heard movement. It leapt up—and spotted Abigail.
Gengar shot out from the shadows, floating eagerly to her side.
Abigail immediately wrapped Gengar in a huge hug. "Long time no see, Amber!"
They'd been inseparable before—but hadn't been apart this long in ages.
Gengar nuzzled her affectionately.
"Have you gotten stronger?" she asked, stroking its head. "Once you're powerful enough, we'll go on an adventure in Kalos!"
Gengar kept its usual mischievous grin—but its eyes flickered with hesitation.
Truthfully, Ron hadn't given it formal training.
Yet ever since it started helping on the farm, Gengar occasionally felt… stronger.
Why? Unknown.
Surely farming didn't count as battle training?
Otherwise, Kalos wouldn't send kids on adventures at ten—they'd just make them plow fields.
Still, Gengar chirped brightly: "Gengar~!"
"That's great!" Abigail beamed. "I'll wait for you~"
"Gengar~"
She forced a smile, blinking back sudden tears, and turned toward the south gate—the path to Cindersap Forest.
Without looking back, she waved goodbye to Gengar.
"Gengar…"
Gengar watched her leave, crestfallen. After a moment, it picked up a watering can and joined the crew.
If it works, it works.
For once, it suppressed its urge to prank—and diligently worked alongside the others.
---
Meanwhile, at the festival site…
Robin was still setting up fences when Abigail suddenly bolted out of the farm.
"Morning!" Robin called. "Looking for Pierre?"
Abigail shook her head. "No—I'm looking for Ron. Have you seen him?"
"Ron?" Robin paused, then grinned slyly. "Tomorrow's the Flower Dance. What do you need him for?"
Abigail tilted her chin up defiantly. "None of your business."
Robin pointed toward the forest. "He went logging—to prepare wood for his chicken coop. Going to help him?"
Abigail thanked her and sprinted off.
Robin didn't mention the no-partner rule—just leaned on the fence, smirking. "Think we worried for nothing?"
"What?" Lewis asked, mid-knot.
"Nothing," Robin said, watching cherry blossoms swirl in the warm breeze. "Just… nice weather."
---
In Cindersap Forest…
Ron was still chopping trees with Geodude.
After stacking the logs, he counted them. "One more round, and we're done."
He had enough wood for the coop now. The barn could wait—best to build it in summer, after planting pasture grass to save time.
Farm work was endless: watering, harvesting, planting, foraging, cleaning, feeding, collecting animal products…
Ron couldn't manage alone.
His current Pokémon weren't suited for livestock tasks.
Chickens were manageable—just collect eggs and refill feed.
But cows and sheep required dexterity—something only Geodude had (with its five fingers).
Unfortunately, Geodude's brute strength wasn't precise enough.
On the bright side, the Fletchling hatchlings now handled berry harvesting too.
An entire field could be cleared in under an hour.
Yesterday's Kalos seeds had already sprouted—thriving, but their growth rates remained unclear.
The shopkeeper hadn't specified how Stardew's days translated to Kalos seasons.
Still, time was clearly accelerated. Whether they'd mature before summer? Uncertain.
Ron finished gathering wood and turned to leave—when Abigail appeared.
"There you are!" she sheathed her sword and waved.
Ron froze. "You walked into the forest without a Pokémon?!"
"So what?" Abigail shrugged, though she quickly stowed her sword. Before Ron could scold her, she blurted, "Hey—tomorrow's the Flower Dance. You know that, right?"
"Yeah… saw it on the calendar," Ron nodded, suddenly remembering Gengar.
Without it, Abigail's movements were dangerously restricted.
Only barrier-protected areas were safe for humans alone—and Abigail was never one to stay cooped up in town.
As Ron pondered solutions, Abigail took a deep breath.
"I was wondering…" She met his eyes. "If no one invites you—and you don't have someone you want to dance with… will you dance with me tomorrow?"
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)