“Mhmm~ Mhmm~”

  Leading the way like a small, enthusiastic captain on a school trip, Ogerpon marched at the front of the group.

  One mask adorned her face, arapped securely to her back, and she hugged a bundle rant flowers close to her chest. Although Natsume had offered to carry them for her, she refused without hesitation, deg these were gifts from him—priceless treasures she had to hold herself.

  This, despite the fact that all her other "treasures" were unceremoniously stuffed into the bag Natsume was carrying.

  “Fur-Furr~”

  Beside her, the shiny Furret matched her stride, humming an improvised, nonsensical tune. No melody, no rhythm, just a carefree expression of joy.

  Earlier, when Natsume was talking with Ogerpon, Furret had been watg from the sidelines. Although it had tried to approach several times, Zorua had firmly held it back.

  This is good drama; don’t ruin it, Zorua had warned.

  Despite Zorua’s small frame, its strength was uedly impressive—it pinned Furret to the ground with one paw.

  Darn it, guess I o train harder whe back, Furret had thought bitterly.

  “Looks like everything’s okay now,” Natsume thought, following behind Ogerpon with a noticeable sense of relief.

  Before this trip, he’d been quite worried about her. Like a teeu a bout of self-doubt, Ogerpon had been isoting herself, unreachable by others. In such cases, the only thing one do is gently guide them, hoping they find their own way out.

  Thankfully, Ogerpon's dition wasn’t too severe.

  Sure, the colorful, dazzling world she’d glimpsed had overwhelmed her. But so what? To her, that world was distant, out of reach, and irrelevant to her present.

  Right now, the only thing she cared about was living with Natsume. The rest could wait for another day.

  It wasn’t something she o herself with right now.

  “Zor.”

  Perched smugly atop Gogoat’s head, Zorua looked utterly satisfied.

  What a great day.

  A heartfelt story about a kied farm boy and a wandering mythical Pokémon—it felt like a TV drama brought to life.

  Now, Zorua had even more tales and gossip to share with the other Pokémon back at the farm. Maybe it could score a few extra Pokéblocks while it was at it. The thought filled Zorua with glee.

  Of course, if Zorua had wanted Pokéblocks, it could’ve just asked Natsume. He would never refuse.

  But where’s the fun in that? ing Pokéblocks out of others? Now that was satisfying.

  “You should move around more, you know,” Natsume said, poking Zorua’s head twice with his finger. “At this rate, yoing to get fat.”

  Even I’m walking on foot, he thought, ahis supposedly eion seemed determio ze around all day. Even now, Zorua was riding on Gogoat’s head, letting it do all the work.

  “Zor!” Zorua protested indignantly.

  Me? Fat? Impossible! My figure is perfectly proportioned. Even if I do gain a little weight, it just means the perfeon body proportions have ged.

  Yes, that’s it. Perfect proportions are based on me! Zorua thought fidently.

  Like those debates over the "proper" way to hold a wine gss—didn’t Queen Elizabeth once silehe argument with her unique grip?

  “Caw!”

  Corviknight, cirg above Natsume, nded gracefully on the ground. It strutted behind him like a rooster, occasionally muttering us breath.

  This trip had felt utterly pointless for it—no a, ement, nothing to do but watch.

  I even prepared some cool lines... wasted!

  Still, Natsume’s earlier words about heartfelt gifts not beied sounded pretty cool.

  Maybe I should write that one down, Corviknight thought. It decided to add the lio its phone’s er.

  One more line for the stockpile, it thought, feeling slightly better about the wasted trip.

  Gardevoir, oher hand, stayed silent.

  Using her psychic abilities, she expanded her perception, carefully sing the surroundings. No movement, no disturbance would escape her.

  Such was the power of a Psychic-type Pokémon.

  At the same time, Gardevan p gifts for her younger sisters back at the farm. If not for Natsume, she might’ve fotten about preparing something for them entirely.

  As for that idiot brother of hers…

  Gardevoir hesitated.

  She felt she should prepare something for him, but whenever she thought of his leisurely lifestyle, she grew inexplicably annoyed.

  Each m, he’d wake up naturally, exercise a bit, thehe rest of the day iirement mode—patrolling the berry orchard, chatting with Sandssh, fishing by the ke.

  How irritatingly carefree! she thought.

  Perhaps... his gift could wait.

  “It’s fine, you’ll have your moment,” Natsume reassured Corviknight, who seemed eager for a role.

  Just as he was about to tinue, he felt his pocket buzz. His phone had received a message.

  Natsume used to keep his phone on silent 24/7—there wasn’t much point in sound notifications when no one messaged him. Most of the time, it was just ads or spam.

  But things were different now.

  There were people and messages he cared about.

  “Caw?”

  Corviknight cocked its head, curious about Natsume’s rea.

  What’s this? Is Natsume finally falling in love?

  Was it that girl from before?

  Because Corviknight spent most of its time watg anime in its room, it was always behind oest farm gossip.

  Yep, you guessed right, Zorua’s smug gnce seemed to say, as it firmed Corviknight’s suspis.

  But seriously, get with the times, birdbrain. This 2G i lifestyle of yours is getting old.

  “Oh, sorry, I got distracted.”

  Snapping out of it, Natsume smiled apologetically and scrolled through his tacts. He found Mei’s number and dialed.

  “Hello, good afternoon, Mei.”

  His voice was light and rexed as the call ected.

  Gcell