Alex's figure suddenly appeared inside a small, enclosed space.
This place was an independent world opened up by the ancient amber relic pendant.
He had discovered this secret by accident in the fourth year after being adopted by Grandpa Hachi, when he was ten years old.
The pale pink, pearl-like gem embedded at the center of the pendant shimmered softly…
Combining what he knew about his parents' origins in the Sinnoh region with the hazy memories of his past life, only one legendary item matched it in his mind—
The Lustrous Orb, held by the Spatial Deity Palkia.
As for the other gem on the pendant—angular, with strange, precise cut surfaces—it inevitably reminded him of Palkia's fated counterpart:
The Adamant Orb, belonging to the Temporal Deity Dialga.
However, after years of exploration, Alex had only managed to activate a single function of this mysterious pendant—
The strange space before his eyes.
By lightly touching the pearl-like gem with his fingertip and focusing his thoughts on ideas like "enter" or "go", an invisible force would envelop his entire body and pull him into this isolated world.
The space within the pendant was roughly the size of a football field.
At first, it had been nothing more than a barren, lonely island suspended in the void.
Alex had walked every inch of this land. Aside from the solid earth beneath his feet and a sky overhead that looked no different from the outside world—bright sunlight pouring down—there had been absolutely nothing.
Originally, he had treated this place as a secret storage room.
But after the idea of working at the flower shop took root, a new plan gradually formed in his mind—
To create a Berry field inside this space.
And so, the scene before him came to be.
Soft daylight filtered through the translucent barrier enveloping the entire space, casting a dreamlike glow over the neatly arranged Berry grove.
Newly reclaimed plots of land were divided by simple wire fences, marking out sections Alex had carefully planned.
As far as the eye could see, each row of Berries was different.
Cheri Berry trees bloomed with pink flower crowns at their tips, a faint spicy scent lingering in the air.
Next to them, Chesto Berry trees hung with dark blue, hard-shelled fruits that reflected a cold sheen under the light.
Most enticing of all were the Pecha Berry trees—their plump pink fruits releasing a rich, sweet fragrance.
There were also Rawst Berry, shaped like clusters of blue fruit; Sitrus Berry, resembling miniature melons; thumb-sized Leppa Berry; and Pomeg Berry, shaped like tiny pink Buddha hands.
The most abundant were Oran Berry, exuding a cool citrus aroma and resembling blue oranges, along with their close relatives, the pear-shaped Sitrus Berries.
These two types of Berries were indispensable ingredients in the most common Potion formulas on the market.
By selling these carefully cultivated Berries from within the pendant space, Alex—an orphan—had gradually saved up a modest amount of money, preparing travel funds for his future journey as a Trainer.
Beside the Berry fields stood a simple crafting table. Next to it was a multi-layered storage rack Alex had built himself, neatly sorted with tools, items, and materials—clear evidence of his meticulous habits.
Alex quickly walked over to the medicine shelf and took down an ordinary glass bottle.
Inside was a slightly cloudy, brownish-yellow liquid that carried a faint herbal scent.
A Potion.
Unlike the exquisitely packaged spray Potions sold in large stores, this one had been handmade by Alex using ancient methods after studying Breeder knowledge on his own.
It was primarily used for topical treatment, taking effect slowly to help restore a Pokémon's vitality.
The ingredients were simple.
One was the Oran Berry produced within this space, a Berry known to naturally contain gentle restorative energy.
The other was the Leppa Berry—specifically ordered by Alex from the distant Sinnoh region.
This medicinal Berry had grown wild in Sinnoh since ancient times and was widely used as a catalyst, capable of stimulating and amplifying the healing properties of Oran Berries.
Lacking modern industrial equipment, Alex could only follow traditional processes—grinding, juicing, distillation, purification—before finally producing this simple bottled Potion.
Its production efficiency and cost-effectiveness were no match for factory-made products, and his original plan of earning travel money through Potions had failed.
As a result, all the finished Potions were now carefully stored away as emergency supplies for his future adventures.
At the edge of the Berry fields, a small patch of freshly tilled land stood out.
This was a test plot Alex had set aside to experiment with newly acquired, precious Berry seeds.
However, the young Cheri Berry seedlings growing there made him frown.
The growth of these Cheri Berries… still isn't ideal.
He crouched beside the plot, fingertips brushing over the slightly yellowed, wilted leaves.
He knew that Cheri Berries—capable of curing a Pokémon's confusion—were popular on the market.
But that wasn't the main reason for his persistence.
What he'd learned at the flower shop told him that Cheri Berries were extremely rich in nutrients, making them excellent for Pokémon in critical growth stages—
Exactly what he needed right now.
It seemed he would have to consult Sister Tenko and the others again.
After pruning and tidying the healthier Berry trees, Alex poured the last ladle of water over the test field.
His thoughts shifted—
And he left the pendant space.
---
His figure reappeared beside the tranquil lake in the flower shop's backyard.
"Chabo?! Σ(っ °Д °;)っ"
A Lotad floating lazily on the water nearly flipped itself over in shock, its round eyes wide with disbelief.
When did humans learn Teleport too?!
By afternoon, the flower shop was nearing closing time.
Alex quickly finished his remaining tasks and took advantage of the lull to find Sister Tenko behind the counter, reconciling the day's accounts.
"Planting techniques for Cheri Berries?"
Tenko looked up curiously. "Why the sudden interest?"
"I read that Cheri Berries are especially good for Pokémon growth, so I wanted to try growing some myself," Alex explained.
"Oh~ Alex," Reiko teased as she walked in with a Marill-shaped watering can.
"Aren't you aiming to be a top Trainer? What—planning to steal the Berry business from us now?"
"How could I!" Alex waved his hands hurriedly.
"To become a strong Trainer, I need to raise my Pokémon properly first. And training Pokémon costs money…"
He subconsciously touched his nearly empty pocket and looked at Tenko.
"Sister Tenko, you know my situation. I have to be careful with every expense."
"Got it—cut costs, boost income!" Reiko laughed, imitating Alex's usual serious tone. Even Tenko couldn't help smiling.
The sisters were well aware that Alex's maturity and diligence far exceeded his age.
They never worried that he'd learn their skills just to compete with them.
In Reiko's eyes, watching Alex work so hard for his dream always tugged at her heart.
And Tenko—knowing his lonely background—answered every question he asked with patience and care.
"Fertilizer?" Tenko thought for a moment.
"You could try a special fertilizer from the Kalos region—Plum Lure Fertilizer. Cheri Berries need large amounts of nutrients. This fertilizer can significantly improve their yield and quality."
"We happen to have a supplier in Kalos," Reiko added with a wink.
Alex immediately understood.
"Then I'll have to trouble you both to reserve some for me."
"Happy to help!" Reiko said cheerfully.
The deal was settled—of course, with the deposit deducted from Alex's monthly wages.
Walking home through Petalburg Woods, Alex looked up at the sky and sighed helplessly.
This felt painfully similar to the emptiness of paying rent at the end of a hard month in his past life.
Boom—
Thunder rumbled overhead.
"Quick, it's going to rain again!" Alex shouted to the Wingull circling above.
"We still have to make curry for Grandpa!"
"︿(￣︶￣)︿—Wing!"
One boy and one Pokémon hurried through the forest together.