Ron felt a twitch in his brow. He then exchanged a glance with Lewis guarding the entrance.
"————Just deduct it from the farm's income. Send me the bill when the time comes."
He didn't even have the desire to go in and see what had happened.
In any case, judging from the sounds just now, probably some prop had scared Geodude, causing it to use some kind of move.
He then walked straight toward Gus, who was stewing pumpkin soup, under Lewis's complicated gaze.
"Ah, Ron, want a bowl of Pumpkin Soup?" Gus asked, taking a bowl from the table.
"I'll have one."
Hearing this, Gus stirred the pot with his ladle, then scooped out a full bowl of pumpkin soup.
With the seasonings Ron brought from Kalos, Gus had made some adjustments to this year's pumpkin soup recipe.
First, sauté chopped onions in olive oil until soft, until the onion's fragrance was drawn out, then add the pre-steamed pumpkin.
When the heat was about right, add salt and black pepper, then simmer together with milk and cream.
Salty and sweet in perfect balance. On this bleak windy night, just one bowl could warm the body.
Robin was also walking over chatting and laughing with Penny and her mother at this moment.
Ron quietly drank his soup while holding the bowl. Gus's cooking skills were truly impeccable. Even the sweet flavor that Ron couldn't quite accept, he couldn't find any fault with.
Seeing this, Gus called them over. While preparing the endless bowls, he asked: "The house is finished?"
Pam nodded: "We can move our luggage back tomorrow. After cleaning up, we can move in tomorrow night."
Another gust of cold wind blew by at this moment. Penny rubbed her hands, taking the steaming bowl of pumpkin soup from Gus's hands.
"If you need any help, come call me at the saloon anytime," Gus said, glancing at the house: "Wonderful, to have it built before winter."
"Yes." Robin smiled, took a sip of pumpkin soup, and gave Gus a thumbs up. She then noticed Ron nearby and stepped forward, throwing her arm around Ron's shoulder.
"Why so quiet?" Robin asked, while giving Penny a look nearby.
Penny was startled for a moment, then buried her head shyly, looking as if she wanted to dive into her soup bowl.
Ron pointed at the maze not far away: "Busy calculating how much compensation I'll owe."
Before he finished speaking, the group heard another strange roar from the maze, followed by a loud crash, accompanied by the sound of heavy objects being knocked over, mixed with several frightened "Indeedee? Indeedee!"
Everyone immediately laughed.
"What's the big deal? I'll fix it when the time comes," Robin laughed. "Would Lewis even have the nerve to ask you for money? That thing was something I made for him for free over a decade ago!"
Saying this, the group looked toward the maze not far away.
They saw Sailor currently riding the mine cart that could be taken after completing the maze, shooting out from the maze.
At this moment, he held the Golden Pumpkin high with both claws, as if he had won some medal, holding the Golden Pumpkin aloft and shouting: "Rattata!!"
"Looks like this year's grand prize winner has been born," Robin said. "That thing isn't cheap."
The group laughed together, then began chatting about various things.
Penny drank her soup while using the corner of her eye to observe Ron's face.
The bonfire Gus used to stew the pumpkin soup illuminated Ron's face, making that face appear much softer.
After a while, Penny curved her eyes into a smile, then took another sip.
She exhaled, and for the first time somewhat looked forward to winter's arrival.
The rare slack season on the farm—perhaps she could see him often in winter.
Thinking this, she raised her head and saw the moon hanging in the sky.
Though not full, a half-moon surpasses perfection.
The next day.
The 28th of Fall.
Today was the day Penny's family moved.
——
The trailer was handed over to Lewis for disposal. They only needed to move the furniture and items they wanted to keep to the new house—the rest was not their concern.
Robin got up early as usual. She arrived at the trailer in a carefree manner, looking at Pam whose face was somewhat obscured by the piled items, and smiled as she took some from her hands.
"Where's Penny?"
"Already at the new house. She has quite a lot of stuff."
Mainly some books—probably wanting to organize them herself, completely not letting Pam touch them. She left early in the morning carrying her things.
Robin smiled, glanced at Clefable who was also carrying large and small packages, and smiled.
Now they were officially living with Penny. Although Clefable always had a gentle smile on its face normally, just one glance at it and you could tell it was incredibly happy at this moment.
Regarding this matter, Pam also felt somewhat apologetic. As Penny's childhood companion, but up until today, it had been living a life staying at the library.
In the faint morning light, the family walked on the road toward their new life.
Meanwhile, at the farm.
Today was the last day of Fall. As usual, Ron took the Pokémon to clean up the crops in the fields.
Although these things would wither the next day, because there were other planting plans afterward, and also because having the fields covered with withered branches and leaves would be somewhat unsightly.
Furthermore, winter roots and snow yams would emerge from the snow in winter. Collecting these things was also a kind of rustic pleasure.
And if planning to build snowmen or have snowball fights, the farm's open space was the most suitable.
It would be somewhat troublesome to clean up after the snow fell.
Thinking this, the entire farm was still in full swing preparing for winter's arrival.
Leah had just arrived at the farm when she saw this scene.
She held some yams she had just baked, shouting toward the Pokémon in the fields.
"I baked some yams, want to try some?"
Although they were called yams, they weren't the same type as the yams in Ron's impression—if he had to say, they were sweet potatoes.
The yam skins were roasted until charred black, golden caramel oozing out from the yam skins. Instantly, the Rattatas in the fields raised their heads, eyes unblinking as they looked at Leah not far away.
"I baked a lot, come try some quickly. The farm work can wait."
"Go ahead, remember to wash your hands." Under the gaze of the crowd of Pokémon, Ron straightened up, patted the mud off his hands, and nodded.
Seeing this, the crowd of Rattatas rushed into the cabin first, currently lined up in the washroom scrubbing their paws.
Ron then greeted Leah and walked to the pond, casually washing the mud off his hands.
Only then did he take the yam Leah handed over.
"How is it? I got up early this morning specifically to bake them!"
Leah also broke off a piece, blew on it, and handed it to the Rattata that ran out first, then asked.
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)