After a cssic Eastern-style tug-of-war ift, Mei's pensation was ultimately not accepted.

  Accepting pensation for Bou felt unfortably simir to selling Pokémon, which wasn’t the image Natsume wao vey.

  Iure, he might open a Day Care or a ranch, selling eggs and Pokémon to trainers. But that was a distant pn. For now, the idea hadn’t even crossed his mind.

  Although the pensation was rejected, Mei ended up purchasing a rge number of Pokéblocks from Natsume instead.

  If you won’t take pensation, I’ll at least buy yoods, right?

  ---

  “Bye-bye, Natsume!” Mei waved enthusiastically at the farm gate.

  “I’ll visit again sometime!”

  At her feet, Bou mimicked Mei’s eic farewells, hopping and calling out to its friends.

  Meanwhile, Snivy maintais aloof demeanor, crossing its arms and tilting its head slightly upward. Yet, when it g Natsume, its gaze softened, hinting at a subtle sense of approval.

  Snivy, despite its pride, had aowledged Natsume’s ary skills, if nothing else.

  Earlier, during dinner, it had eveantly admitted that Natsume’s cooking surpassed Mei’s by miles—only to be met with Mei’s furious retaliation in the form of a relentless head rub.

  “Take care on the road!” Natsume called after her.

  “Don’t worry!” Mei flexed her arm fidently.

  “I’ve pnned my route carefully. Every path is an official, safe trail—nothing dangerous.”

  Her fident stance didn’t match her lighthearted tone, making Natsume almost expect her to excim, “We’ll win!”

  ---

  After seeing Mei off, Natsume turo face the now quieter farm.

  “Phew...”

  It felt calmer now but also a little too quiet. Perhaps he wasn’t used to prolonged iions anymore.

  For someone who hadn’t socialized much, having a visitor as lively as Mei was a bit nerve-wrag—especially when she was not just any girl but a bright and cheerful o that.

  Still, Natsume figured he hadn’t dooo badly. After all, there were plenty of people out there who couldn’t eve a girl’s gaze without freezing up.

  “It's so quiet on the farm now,” Natsume mused.

  “Caw?”

  Corvisquire tilted its head in fusion.

  Quiet? Really?

  Looking around, it noticed the ightyena being wrestled to the ground by its mate, a swarm of Zigzagoon tearing through the farm, and Shiny Furret leading a squad of recruits in training.

  Corvisquire wondered if Natsume was deaf, blind, or perhaps both.

  “Don’t overthink it. Let’s head back.”

  Natsume ruffled Corvisquire’s carefully groomed feathers, leaving the bird with a messy head of plumage.

  ---

  That evening, the farm Pokémon gathered on the rooftop for a barbecue party uhe moonlight.

  Yes, a full-fledged Pokémon barbecue.

  Before anyone panicked, Natsume crified that while some Pokémon made for excellent ingredients—such as Farfetch’d’s leek or Slowpoke’s regeive tails—the feast didn’t actually involve cooking Pokémon themselves.

  To ensure safety, Mudkip and Slowpoke were on standby to haential fire hazards.

  In fact, this impromptu barbecue also doubled as a wele party for the newer additions to the farm.

  “Lopunny, you’re amazing,” Natsume praised, accepting a skewer from the hardw rabbit, who wore an apron and mahe grill with finesse.

  At first, everyone was supposed to cook their own food. However, after assessing the situation, Lopunny took over entirely, uo bear the sight of others’ attempts at grilling.

  “Thanks, Lopunny. Your cooking is the best!”

  Lopunny gave him a pyful side-eye. “You’re just being zy, aren’t you?”

  “Well... maybe,” Natsume admitted, avoiding her gaze. “But your cooking really is amazing!”

  At his feet, Persian purred tentedly, nuzzling his hand before pulling away wheried to pet it.

  It was typical cat behavior—affeate one moment, evasive the .

  “Meow?”

  “Oh, you’re right,” Natsume replied, realizing something.

  “Meow!”

  “But I don’t even know where it is...”

  “Meow...”

  “Okay, fiomorrow, we’ll look for it. If we ’t find it, we’ll ask Zorua for help.”

  “Meow?”

  “No big deal—just a mischievous kid,” Natsume replied, brushing it off.

  Finishing his skewer, he hahe stick to Lopunny for another. ’t I just enjoy myself for once?

  ---

  Meanwhile, in a distant cave, Ogerpoled with its own troubles, unaware of the lively party back at Natsume’s farm.

  Gcell