Meltan, who was previously in charge of watering, suddenly found himself free.
"Melo~" (Since I don't have much to do, I'll prepare lessons for Jack—for his Pokémon battles!)
Meltan's heart ached every time he thought of Jack's terrible battling skills.
What kind of Trainer frequently uses Psychic-type moves against Dark-type Pokémon?
Once or twice was understandable, but it kept happening!
Jack still didn't know that by giving Meltan so much free time, he was about to face extremely rigorous lessons.
"The berries are ripening so fast. It's incredible."
While watering, Jack had passed by the section where berries were planted, and they were all covered in ripe fruit.
"I can harvest them after I'm done with work."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Ranch...
"Bulba~"
While Jack was busy tending to the farmland with the Slowpoke, Bulbasaur had already made its rounds through the garden.
Bulbasaur would gently brush each seedling with its Vine Whip, as if checking their condition.
If it found a Caterpie on a tomato leaf, it would immediately remove the pest.
Seeing that some Tamato Berry seedlings were wilting, it squatted down beside them. The bulb on its back glowed faintly, exuding gentle green Grass-type energy that drifted like fine mist into the soil.
The energy wasn't much, but it made the soil pulse with faint vitality.
Within half a day, the wilting Tamato Berry seedlings' leaves straightened up again, displaying vibrant green color.
Besides caring for the crops, Bulbasaur also remembered its weeding duties.
Occasionally, when weeds grew too dense, Bulbasaur would clear them in several stages, careful not to accidentally damage the nearby crop seedlings.
The cleared weeds would be neatly piled in a corner of the garden, waiting for Jack to collect them as compost.
"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur tapped a Slowpoke with its Vine Whip.
The Slowpoke would occasionally wander to the edge of the garden, wanting to nibble on the tender vegetable leaves.
Bulbasaur could only use its Vine Whip to gently shoo the Slowpoke away.
Days passed, and the vegetable garden transformed completely. Tomato vines were laden with green fruits; Tamato Berries also grew well, gleaming in the sun; corn stalks stood tall, their cobs wrapped in emerald green husks.
Accidentally scattered Oran Berry seeds also sprouted new branches, producing tiny flower buds that were about to bear fruit.
There wasn't a single weed visible in the garden. The soil was loose and soft, carrying a faint fresh scent of Grass-type energy.
"The growth rate of crops in the Pokémon world is amazing."
Whenever Jack passed by the garden, he would always stop to take a second look, reaching out to touch a plump tomato.
"Bulbasaur, you're amazing."
"Bulba~"
After finishing the farm work, Jack clapped the dirt off his hands and walked to the garden on the west side of the Ranch, then sat down on the field ridge.
Bulbasaur squatted beside Jack's knee, its gaze fixed on the thriving crops throughout the garden.
Jack followed its gaze as sunlight streamed into the garden.
"These tomatoes will be ready to pick in two days."
Jack reached out and touched the nearest tomato, feeling the smoothness of its skin with his fingertips, then turned to look at Bulbasaur. "I was worried they wouldn't grow well before, but I didn't expect them to thrive so much under your care."
"Bulba~"
Bulbasaur was a little shy.
These tasks were simple for it as a Grass-type Pokémon, but in Jack's eyes, Bulbasaur was an incredibly capable helper.
Jack smiled and rubbed Bulbasaur's head. "Thank you for working so hard, taking such meticulous care of them every day and keeping the garden so clean."
The wind blew through the garden, carrying the fresh scent of crops and the faint warmth of Grass-type energy. The two sat quietly, taking in the garden's vitality.
Occasionally, a Butterfree would land on a Tamato Berry leaf, and Bulbasaur would sway gently but not disturb it, just watching quietly.
The sun slowly climbed higher, making their shadows shorter and shorter as the shadows on the field ridge gradually receded.
The sunlight and the garden crops merged together, exuding an indescribable tranquility and warmth.
Jack suddenly felt that being with his Pokémon like this, watching the crops he cared for slowly grow, was probably the most grounded and happiest moment of Ranch life.
The afternoon sun still carried warmth when a "rumbling" sound echoed from the Ranch entrance.
Exxon led five Machoke over. Each Machoke carried a shovel, their muscles looking firm in the sunlight.
"Jack, let's get to work right away and rest after we're done digging!"
Exxon waved his hand, and without waiting for Jack to offer hospitality, he led the Machoke straight to the low-lying area to the east.
The Machoke put down their tools and immediately began digging the soil with their powerful arms. Some tapped the soil layer with shovels, while others marked out areas on the ground, moving with impressive speed.
"First, get a clear understanding of the terrain. The pond needs to be dug neatly for smooth water flow."
Seeing this, Jack quickly headed to the kitchen to pour the lemonade he'd steeped that morning into a large pitcher, then placed several glass cups on the stone table, thinking they could drink something cool after finishing work.
When Jack came out, Exxon had already drawn an oval circle on the ground with chalk.
"Follow this line—a depth of one and a half meters. Enough for Wooloo to drink and Slowpoke to wade in!"
The Machoke immediately picked up their shovels and started working. The "thud" of shovels plunging into soil rose and fell rhythmically, and chunks of dirt were neatly piled outside the circle. Some Machoke even dug directly with their hands, the strength in their palms astonishing.
"They're so amazing."
"Melo." (So much strength, so fast!)
"Bulba~"
Jack sat nearby watching, with Meltan and Bulbasaur squatting beside him.
In less than an hour, the pond's outline emerged, with neat edges and a flat bottom.
Exxon jumped into the pond and stomped around. "Good! Now connect the pipes!"
The Machoke then carried plastic pipes and laid them along the previously reserved channels, quickly connecting them to the distant stream.
The moment the valve opened, clear water gurgled into the pond, ripples reflecting off the bottom in a sight that brightened one's heart.
"Done!" Exxon jumped out of the pond and clapped the dirt from his hands. The Machoke also put down their tools, sweat dripping down their faces, yet all of them remained full of energy.
Jack quickly approached them. "Uncle Exxon, Machoke, come drink some lemonade to quench your thirst!"
He handed over the cups, and the Machoke took them, tilting their heads back and drinking in large gulps. The cool lemonade slid down their throats, and many Machoke comfortably narrowed their eyes.
Exxon took two sips and said with a smile, "Your lemonade is authentic—it really hits the spot!"
Jack smiled as the refreshing heat-relief effect took hold.
At this moment, the Slowpoke who had been sleeping on the grass all gathered around. A dozen heads crowded by the pond's edge, their round eyes staring at the water.
Meltan ran to the pond's edge, reached out and touched the cool water, then pulled Bulbasaur over to see.
One Slowpoke squatted by the pond, gently placing its stubby tail into the water. The tip of its tail swayed back and forth as it tried to fish.
"There are no fish yet! Wait a while, and I'll put some fish in. Then you can try fishing!" Jack said with a smile. The Slowpoke blinked, seemingly understanding but not quite, yet its tail remained in the water.
Exxon looked at the lively scene and took another sip of lemonade. "Your Ranch is developing so quickly!"