This is a place that was once scorched bare by a great fire.
This also means that the Slakoth remains the same, not replaced.
But... why did it suddenly change color?
Could it be that the Grafaiai dyed its fur?
With doubt in his heart, Naoki found the Grafaiai, who was scribbling on the trunk of a Berry tree, and asked, "Grafaiai, do you know what's going on with the Slakoth's fur?"
"Zee zee?" Grafaiai was a little confused at first, but quickly responded, "Zee zee!"
It stopped its graffiti and led Naoki to Slakoth's side, searched around the canopy, then reached out and pointed to a Berry.
Naoki looked up and saw a pink fruit he's never seen before hanging quietly on the branch.
[Dye Berry: A special ingredient, when consumed, a Pokémon's color will change accordingly. Can be eaten directly or cooked before consumption.]
Naoki was startled.
Did the Berry tree produce mutated Berries?
Upon reflection, when this orchard was still growing, the Gogoat came every day to aid their growth with Grass Energy.
Dye Berry, does this mean it could create Shiny Pokémon?!
If given to Koraidon, it would turn black, and if given to Pawmot, it would become an ultra-rare pink Pawmot...
Naoki imagined what a pink Pawmot would look like.
Even cuter...
A bit moved, he quickly searched the nearby fruit trees carefully.
Unfortunately, it seemed that only two Dye Berries were produced this batch.
One of them had already been eaten by Slakoth as food.
Naoki picked and kept the remaining Dye Berry.
At this moment, his sister Indeedee had prepared breakfast and called him back to eat.
Naoki responded and bid farewell to Grafaiai and Slakoth before heading home for the meal.
At the dining table, Naoki glanced around, pondering whom to use this Dye Berry on.
"Before using it, I should ask the Pokémon how they feel." Naoki thought silently.
In this world, some Shiny Pokémon are marginalized and discriminated against as outcasts by their own kind.
"Should I use it on Koraidon?"
If he really suggested this idea, Koraidon likely wouldn't refuse him, and with its strength, it probably wouldn't care about such matters.
But there's only one Dye Berry, and once used, it can't be undone. Who knows when the next one might grow on the tree.
So it must be used wisely.
After a brief thought, Naoki decided to keep the Dye Berry stored until he discussed it with the Pokémon.
After breakfast, Naoki began roasting Translation Nuts, finally adding syrup to make nut brittles.
When everything was finished, it was already 10 AM.
Naoki ate a few pieces of the nut brittle, then went to the ranch to find Calyrex to discuss creating special fields.
"In half a month, it will snow, and the weather will be too cold for crops to grow, so I don't plan to plant other crops until spring arrives."
Calyrex realized its little follower could understand it again.
"Why?" It asked, puzzled. "With my power, no matter how cold the snowfield, crops can grow as usual."
Naoki: "...Okay, actually I want to take a break."
Calyrex was slightly taken aback. "A break?"
Naoki replied honestly, "Yes, I've been busy from spring to autumn. If I farm in winter too, it would be a year-round rush. I don't want such a hectic life; a proper rest is necessary."
Calyrex nodded slightly. "I see, that kind of life indeed feels exhausting."
Naoki smiled slightly, deciding to reserve this plot for seasonal crops and to open a separate field for the two horses' carrots.
Thus, he tapped the hole beside the farm that the Diglett had dug out.
Soon, the Diglett in the Underground Cave heard the noise from above, crawled out along the tunnel, and peeked at Naoki, "Zee zee?"
"I have something to ask of you, help me open up two more plots of land behind this area!" Naoki said.
"Zee zee!" The Diglett expressed its understanding, immediately burrowing underground, reaching the area Naoki indicated, and diligently cultivating the land.
In no time, two neat plots of land took shape under Diglett's efforts.
Calyrex watched this in surprise, unable to help but exclaim, "You are indeed welcomed by these little ones!"
After finishing its work, the Diglett returned excitedly, and Naoki, while feeding it the food in his hand, said:
"I provide them with food and shelter, and they stay here to help me. It's a mutually dependent relationship, I suppose?"
"More than that." Calyrex said, "I can sense that these children genuinely like you."
Naoki smiled slightly, then took carrot seeds prepared in advance from Koraidon's hands and planted them in the two plots.
Once he finished this task, Calyrex mounted Glastrier, using its spiritual power to control the Ice Type Energy on Glastrier, injecting it into the plot on the left.
In an instant, the edge of that plot was covered with a thick layer of frost.
The Snow Field was complete.
Then, with a flash, Calyrex used Teleport to switch to Spectrier.
Vast spiritual power infused the Ghost Type Energy from Spectrier into the ground.
The previously brown earth was soon covered with a layer of dusky purple at a visible speed. Wisps of purple mist churned in the soil, looking dreamlike.
The Ghost Field was complete as well.
Watching this scene, Calyrex began the final step.
The enormous bud on its head bloomed with blue light, and soon, the two fields before it erupted with a strong blue glow.
Surrounded by light, the carrot seeds buried deep in the soil quickly broke through the earth.
When the light faded, both fields were filled with Shadyroot and Iceroot Carrots.
The Diglett watching this scene from the side widened its eyes in shock, revealing a dumbfounded expression.
"Zee zee!"
Glastrier snorted impatiently, seeing the grown carrots, immediately rushed forward eagerly, lowering its head to feast in the field.
Meanwhile, Spectrier glanced at the small Diglett before slowly walking to the Ghost Field, leisurely eating its favorite Shadyroot Carrot.
Watching this scene, Naoki inexplicably felt a sense of accomplishment welling up inside.
"Alright, now I can plant carrots for them anytime in the future!"
Calyrex nodded slightly.
Taking this opportunity, it inquired with its little follower about that tree.
Calyrex: "Actually, beyond this matter, there's another thing that concerns me more."
Naoki was a bit surprised, "What?"
Calyrex turned around, casting its gaze towards the distant Gogoat, and the budding seedling they were nurturing with Grassy Terrain.
"Where did that seedling come from? I feel an incredibly strong life force within it, as if the vitality of the entire nature is laid out before me."