Shalour City: An ancient city on the west coast of Kalos, famous for its golden beaches and the Tower of Mastery.
It houses a Fighting-type Gym and a Mega Lucario capable of "seven punches a second."
"Boss, head back for now."
Before entering the city, Natsuki pulled out a Poké Ball and recalled Kangaskhan.
Large Pokémon like her were strictly prohibited in the city, and he didn't want to write another apology letter to Officer Jenny.
With its golden beaches, Shalour's tourism industry was thriving.
Walking down the streets, one could see Pokémon from every region: Vulpix from Kanto, Woobat from Unova, Oricorio from Alola, and Rellor from Paldea.
'Holy cow, a dung beetle.'
Before Natsuki could walk away, an Officer Jenny rushed over. Amidst the trainer's tearful expression, both he and his Rellor were hauled into a police car.
A 500-word apology letter was waiting for that guy.
Seeing this, Natsuki chuckled, hoping the letter would be as long as possible.
Feeling cheerful, he made his way to the Shalour Market.
There was no rush for food, he wanted to visit the seed shop, the carpentry shop, and most importantly, the shop selling ranch Pokémon and livestock before dark.
After all, it was already past 4:00 PM when he left home.
Fortunately, both he and Kangaskhan had eaten the grilled fish and weren't hungry.
His fingers brushed the Poké Ball at his waist, which gave a slight wobble.
"Yeah, I know. I'll try to be back before dark."
Kangaskhan was worried about the ranch. Before leaving, Natsuki had sprayed Repel around the area.
It was lucky the ranch was empty for now, but once things were fixed up, he'd need someone to stay behind whenever he left.
The Shalour Market wasn't huge, but he could find everything he needed in one corner, which saved a lot of time.
Following the path, he first arrived at the seed shop.
A sign shaped like a flower for the four seasons hung over the door with the words: Sunflora Seed Shop.
As it was nearing evening, the shop was empty. Behind the counter, a Sunflora heard the bell and turned around with a beaming smile.
"Flora~ Flora!"
"I don't speak Sunflora."
"Sun~ Sunflora..."
While Natsuki was having a total breakdown in communication with the Sunflora, a man walked out from the back.
He was a slightly stout middle-aged man wearing a brown coat.
"Aha~ young man, here for seeds?" The man stepped up and patted the Sunflora.
"Welcome."
"Sunflora was just asking what kind of seeds you're looking for."
"Seeds?"
Natsuki shook his head, he really didn't know. He briefly explained the current state of his ranch and asked the owner for recommendations.
"Hmm... reclaiming an abandoned ranch? And it's your first time planting?"
Before the owner could speak, Sunflora waddled over, clutching some seeds and holding them out to them.
"Potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, and kale. These are all suitable for spring planting and don't require too much care. Perfect for a beginner."
The owner identified the seeds one by one, not holding back his praise.
"Sunflora is already a certified seed master!"
"Flora~ (?.?)"
Praised by its trainer, Sunflora shyly wiggled its body and scurried away.
"Young friend, besides these four types of seeds, I also recommend planting some Berries. Specifically, Pecha Berries and Oran Berries," the owner suggested.
"As long as you water and fertilize them on time, they'll grow tall and strong. They are indispensable food for ranch Pokémon."
After the explanation, Natsuki gained a general understanding.
After a moment's thought, he said, "Then give me one pack of each. I'll start by trial planting them."
The prices for different seeds varied.
Common seeds like Green Beans and Potatoes were 50 Poké Dollars per pack, while Kale and Tomatoes were more expensive at 70 and 100 per pack, respectively.
The most expensive were the Berry seeds, at 600 per pack. Pecha, Oran, and Leppa Berries were all priced the same.
In total, the seeds cost 2,070 Poké Dollars. These were necessary expenses.
Before he had enough capital to raise ranch Pokémon, farming was one of the few ways the ranch could generate income.
Carrying the bag full of seeds, Natsuki left the shop with the owner's smiling wave and headed toward the nearby carpentry shop.
He picked up a Hoe for tilling, a Pickaxe for breaking rocks, an Axe for logging, a Squirtle-themed Watering Can, and a Fishing Rod to pass the time.
These were ranch essentials, and the set cost him 2,000 Poké Dollars.
Now, Natsuki had just over 5,000 left in his pocket.
Leaving the carpentry shop, he turned toward the city's department store.
Here, one could buy various daily necessities. Natsuki planned to buy a week's worth of food supplies.
Oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, sliced bread, spices, every item had a tag and a corresponding price.
For example, a bag of thirty slices of bread for making burgers cost 100 Poké Dollars.
One bag was enough for Natsuki and Kangaskhan to eat for three or four days, so he bought two for storage.
Roaming through the aisles, his shopping cart was soon full. He picked out one of every seasoning, with these, he could create more dishes with diverse flavors.
After buying a large pile of necessities, Natsuki was left with less than 3,000 Poké Dollars.
By now, the sky outside was gradually darkening, revealing a brilliant crimson sunset.
It was getting late, so he decided to have a good meal in Shalour City to reward himself.
Natsuki walked into a restaurant, and the waiter handed him a menu. Besides food for humans, there were delicacies suitable for Pokémon.
He ordered seafood noodles for himself and a Berry platter with grilled meat for Kangaskhan.
He would need Kangaskhan's help to carry the supplies back later. She was the MVP, after all.
Soon, the dishes were served, and Natsuki released Kangaskhan. Man and Pokémon feasted heartily.
The portions were generous, and they ate until they were stuffed.
After paying and saying goodbye to the owner, Natsuki and Kangaskhan headed back under the starlight, loaded with bags and boxes.
The wilderness at night was dangerous, as various wild Pokémon would come out.
But to Natsuki, it was business as usual, he was used to night travel from his past journeys and wasn't afraid at all.
Before any wild Pokémon could even get close, Kangaskhan would sense them and unleash a relentless Roar.
Terrified, the wild Pokémon would scatter in all directions, none daring to approach.
The trip didn't take long. Pushing open the dilapidated ranch gate, they returned to the ranch and arrived in front of the house.
The beam of his flashlight pierced the pitch-black night.
Looking at the clean and tidy environment around the campsite, Natsuki's brow furrowed.
A Pokémon had been here!
Not only was the leftover grilled fish from the afternoon completely gone, but even the weeds had been piled neatly together.
The campsite was spotless.
Such a clean-freak Pokémon made Natsuki think of the white Pokémon he had seen by the lake.
'Who could it be? It's so hard to guess...'