"Servihis is where we'll be staying for a while," Mei said, pulling her small suitcase and looking at the farm before her with a mix of nostalgia and surprise.

  It hadn’t been that long since she’d left, yet the farm seemed to have undergone signifit ges. Even from this distance, she could spot Wooloo and Mareep leisurely wandering around.

  Overhead, a shiny golden Pidgeotto soared, leading a flock of Pidgey and other Pidgeotto.

  The st time Mei had visited, the Mightyena family was just the parents and three rambunctious Pooa pups. Now, the pups had all grown into Mightyena themselves, with two clearly iing their father’s chaotic, husky-like demeanor.

  "Hmph."

  The Servi Mei's feet crossed its arms, wearing a sullen expression. Ever sis loss during a gym battle, it had been sulking.

  It wasn't just the loss that stung—it was also realizing that the carefully crafted taunts it had prepared for the enemy were iive.

  To be fair, Mei had always shielded her Servine from harsh realities. As a result, it had little experieh biting ebacks. Its attempts at "trash talk" were more like harmless remarks pared to the razor-sharp retorts of Pokémon like Corviknight.

  This realization had fueled Servine's resolve. It was determio seek out that foul-mouthed "junkyard bird" fuidance.

  Not that it liked the bird or anything—this urely a practical decision. For the time being, it begrudgingly decided to view Corviknight as a fellow Pokémon rather than the annoya usually sidered it.

  "Let me call Natsume a him know we've arrived," Mei said, pulling out her phoh a sly smile.

  She messaged Natsume every day, so by all logic, he should’ve known she was ing today. However, Mei had kept her actual arrival date a secret, pnning to surprise him.

  "Hmph," Servine huffed, choosing not to ent on her antics.

  The call ected, but before Mei could hear Natsume's voice, a peculiar ringtone echoed nearby.

  "Ribbit-ribbit-ribbit…"

  A bizarre, almost ically absurd sound rang out. Looking up, Mei saw Natsume standing right in front of her, with a Slowking by his side.

  "Natsume!"

  "Long time no see, Mei."

  "’t you please ge that ringtone?" Mei asked, exasperation evident ione.

  She had wao pin about it fes. The "music" wasn’t music at all—it sounded like a frog being pummeled.

  For all his qualities, Mei found Natsume’s taste iain things—like his ringtone and even his fashion choices—utterly baffling.

  "Let’s move on from the ringtoopiatsume said, swiftly defleg.

  "You’re not eveiart, huh?" Mei sighed, realizing there was no point in pressing the matter.

  "This is Slowking," Natsume introduced, gesturing to the Pokémon beside him. "Mei, meet our farm’s new overseer. During training sessions, Slowking will be helping out."

  "Slowking," Mei greeted politely, her thoughts spinning. Was this the same Slowpoke she’d seen lounging by the ke st time?

  'Good day, Miss Mei. I’m the boss’s underling,' a voice suddenly echoed in Mei’s mind, startling her.

  "Huh?" Mei froze for a moment before responding, "Ah, hello, Slowking. I look forward t with you!"

  She quickly masked her surprise. When did this Slowpoke evolve? And since when could it use telepathy?

  More importantly, underling? Why did that sound like something out of a mafia movie?

  Mei had heard plenty of stories about the farm from Natsume during their nightly chats. She felt like she ying a "cloud farming" game, enjoying the vicarious experienanaging a farm while traveling.

  But this Slowking seemed… extraordinary. Telepathy and Teleport? That sounded a bit too overpowered for a Slowking.

  Before Mei could dwell on it further, Natsume spoke.

  "e on, I’ll show you to your room," he offered, hesitating slightly before reag out for her suitcase. Wasn’t it standard fuys to help with this sort of thing?

  Not having much experien retionships, Natsume’s knowledge mostly came from online advice—which, as everyone knows, often ranges from terrible to dht ridiculous.

  "Ah, thank you," Mei said after a moment’s hesitation, handing over the suitcase.

  She wasn’t oo fuss about these things, but sisume had offered, it wouldn’t be polite to refuse.

  As the two walked ahead, chatting and ughing, Servine and Slowking trailed behind them.

  "Slow," Slowking mused. "Ah, youth. Such a sweet time in life. Is this what young love looks like?"

  For someone who had only retly evolved, Slowking sure sounded like an old soul.

  Gcell