Not long ago, while working nearby, Pam had overheard Ron thanking Emily.
Emily had just waved it off with a smile: "Consider it repayment for funding the Bus repairs! Ever since Sandy heard it might be fixed, she's been counting the days until it runs again."
Pam couldn't quite name the feeling that surged in her chest at those words.
Of course, she wasn't so arrogant as to think Ron was repairing the bus for her.
But she also couldn't fathom his motive—spending 40,000G just to visit the Desert seemed wildly extravagant.
No matter how she puzzled over it, no reason came to mind.
Yet one thing was crystal clear: she would benefit from it.
That certainty drove her to work relentlessly, without a shred of laziness.
She didn't understand this strange urgency within her—but she knew that if she worked hard enough, the restless feeling would ease.
So she buried her head and pushed forward.
Now with five people working, efficiency soared. The farm echoed with the sounds of trellises being driven into soil and hammered into place.
---
Meanwhile, at the Carpenter's Shop…
As tradition held, Robin planned to treat herself to Gus's spaghetti on the first day of Summer.
After finishing her morning tasks, she'd envisioned sitting in the lively saloon, sipping an iced beer, and savoring Gus's signature pasta.
Just thinking about it made her giddy.
She locked up her shop, breathed in the early summer air, and headed toward the saloon as the sun began its westward descent.
On the way, she spotted Joy weeding flower beds outside the Community Center.
"Good afternoon, dear! Need any help?"
Joy shook her head, standing up after yanking out a clump of weeds. "Nah, no rush. Just keeping busy."
Though Ron mentioned the Junimo would eventually restore the Center, that didn't mean she'd leave it derelict in the meantime.
Every little bit helped.
Clear some weeds today, and tomorrow the entrance will look nicer.
Pull one ivy vine today, and tomorrow the wall will be cleaner.
That's how life worked.
Joy wiped her hands on a cloth and asked, "What about you? Where are you off to?"
"The saloon," Robin said. "Wanna join? As a summer ritual—a plate of Gus's special spaghetti and his signature soft drink."
Joy considered it, then agreed.
The two walked side by side, chatting and laughing, until they reached the saloon—only to find it dark and closed.
Robin's brow furrowed. "Huh? Not open?" she muttered. "Bad luck today?"
"There's a note," Joy said, squinting under the dim streetlamp.
Penny emerged from her RV just then. "Going to the saloon? What's wrong?"
"Gus isn't open," Robin said. "Weird—he never closes except on holidays."
Penny stepped closer, read the sign, and released Clefable. "Clefable—use Dazzling Gleam!"
Instantly, Clefable glowed with soft, magical light—illuminating the message:
"Helping at the farm—closed for the day~"
The three exchanged glances.
"Makes sense," Robin said. "It's the season change—the farm's probably swamped replanting summer crops. He should've told us earlier—I'd have come too!"
"Season change?" Joy looked confused.
In Kalos, there was no such frantic seasonal turnover. Crops were planted and harvested in overlapping cycles—no need to rip everything out the moment spring ended.
"In Stardew Valley," Robin explained, "Spring crops wither the second Summer hits. Very few plants survive across seasons."
"Oh…"
"No wonder Mom's not back yet," Penny murmured.
Pam usually returned by 6 PM—even if she'd stayed late yesterday. But today? No sign of her. That's why Penny had gone looking.
"Then they're probably still working," Joy said. "Should we go help?"
Penny tightened her grip on Clefable, whose gentle glow provided steady light.
"Let's go," Robin said, rolling up her sleeves. She led the way toward the farm, Penny and Joy following.
"Your Clefable knows Dazzling Gleam? Did you teach it?" Joy asked, impressed.
Penny shook her head. "It learned on its own."
She didn't know where or how. Only that one stormy night—when the RV's power flickered and Pam was drunk at the saloon—she'd clung to Clefable in the dark, trembling.
Clefable had comforted her until she fell into uneasy sleep.
When it returned days later, it knew the move—and patiently pointed to the words in a book to teach her its name.
Joy gently stroked Clefable's head. "Amazing."
By then, they'd reached the farm.
Flickering torches cast sparse light as figures worked in the fields.
"Perfect timing," Robin chuckled.
Clefable floated farther out and brightened its glow—like a miniature sun suddenly appearing in the field. Everyone turned in surprise.
Thanks to Indeedee's psychic coordination, the Pokémon quickly retreated from the sudden light—then, realizing it wasn't harmful, rushed back to work.
"You're here too?" Gus called out, grinning. "Saw the sign at the saloon?"
"Mm-hmm," Robin said. "You should've just called us!"
Pelican Town was small—everyone looked out for each other. No one would refuse to help.
Just then, more footsteps approached.
Robin turned to see familiar faces, all smiling warmly.
"Exactly! If you'd said something, we'd have come sooner," someone said.
Nearly every regular from the saloon had arrived.
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