Golden autumn had arrived in July.
In the blink of an eye, the season had shifted, and the entire ranch was bathed in a rich golden glow. Leaves, dyed bright yellow, were carried by the autumn breeze into every corner of the property. The sight was picturesque, but to Minccino it was nothing short of torment.
Every single day it swept. Every single day it counted the leaves still clinging stubbornly to the trees, wishing with all its heart that they would hurry up and fall all at once.
Just now, it had finally swept the fallen leaves in front of the ranch house into a neat pile.
Then a gust of wind blew through.
Several more leaves drifted down lazily from the branches above.
Minccino froze, then puffed up in frustration. With its little paws planted firmly on its hips, it cried out indignantly and stomped its feet. Turning around, it grabbed a broom far taller than itself, cheeks puffed out as it resumed sweeping with renewed determination.
Autumn was absolutely, unquestionably, the season it hated the most.
"Minccino, take a break for a while."
Silas called out to it from inside the house.
"Min!"
Minccino responded softly, quickly pushing the scattered leaves back into a pile before finally running toward Silas without looking back.
Silas reached down to rub its head and gently pinch its large ears.
"You do not have to clean so often. You will never finish sweeping them all."
"Min!"
If it did not clean, it felt unbearably restless. It simply could not stand it.
"All right, just do not tire yourself out."
He set Minccino down and let it go off to play with the others while he headed upstairs.
According to his earlier plans, he should have been traveling outside at this time. However, a change in Kangaskhan's condition had forced him to postpone everything and remain at the ranch to take care of her.
As he stepped toward the stairs, a string of Pokémon trailed behind him like a row of little tails.
"Remember, no loud noises. Kangaskhan might be sleeping."
"Min!"
"Lioo!"
"Doll!"
At this stage, Kangaskhan would not allow anyone except Silas, little Phione, and Minccino to approach her. A few days ago, Cyclizar had nearly been smacked for getting too close.
Leading the group, Silas gently pushed open the nursery door next to the master bedroom.
Sensing someone's presence, Kangaskhan instinctively revealed a fierce expression, but the moment she saw Silas, her sharp gaze softened. A low rumble escaped her throat.
"It looks like you are feeling better today."
Smiling, Silas stepped forward. Minccino followed behind him, while the other Pokémon could only remain at the doorway, peeking in curiously.
Catching little Phione as it leapt toward him, Silas fed it a dish he had just prepared together with the Indeedee siblings.
Minccino climbed obediently onto Kangaskhan's shoulder, recounting everything that had happened outside and lightly patting the pouch with its fluffy tail.
"Where is the egg? Let me see."
Kangaskhan gently opened her pouch. Inside lay a smooth Pokémon Egg marked with brown rings.
[Kangaskhan Egg: The first child of a young Kangaskhan mother. It had received the blessing of the stars. Time until hatching: 3 days, 14 hours, 22 minutes, and 2 seconds.]
Placing his palm lightly against the Egg, Silas felt as though he could sense the faint pulse and heartbeat of the little life within.
The tiny one inside was eager to come into the world as well.
"Kangaskhan, would you like to have the baby checked?"
"Kang."
She immediately hugged the Egg tightly, unwilling to let anyone else touch it.
"I will not let anyone else handle it. I will call Nurse Joy and have her guide me. I will personally perform the examination."
Kangaskhan looked at the Egg, then at Silas. After a moment of hesitation, she finally nodded.
"Prepare yourself. I will go invite Nurse Joy right away."
Minccino and Phione switched places. Silas carried Phione out of the room and asked Dolliv, Popplio, and Jigglypuff to play with the little one.
He then called Cyclizar and hurried at top speed to the Pokémon Center in Shalour City.
After Nurse Joy had seen off her last Trainer, Silas stepped forward and explained his request.
Joy fell into thought, licking her lips unconsciously. It was Audino who nudged her gently before she snapped out of it with an embarrassed smile.
"Well, um, Silas, your cooking is very good, right? I..."
"No problem. How about soybeans braised pork steak? They are amazing with rice."
Joy swallowed audibly and nodded vigorously. She had missed out last time and had been teased endlessly by her cousin from Vaniville Town.
"Audino, I will be back soon. I will bring you pork steak for lunch."
Joy quickly cut off Audino before it could object. Food solved everything.
Soon, Joy arrived at the ranch carrying part of the necessary medical equipment. She began assembling it in the living room while Silas stepped into the kitchen to prepare lunch.
The main ingredients were soybeans and pork steak. Considering the number of Pokémon at the ranch, he had purchased seven or eight steak.
The soybeans were soaked in water until fully plumped. The pork steaks were chopped into large pieces and blanched in cold water with ginger, scallions, and cooking wine to remove any unwanted odor.
After heating oil in a pan, he caramelized sugar to coat the pork with a rich glaze, added seasonings, and stirred thoroughly before adding the soaked soybeans. Water was poured in until it covered everything, and the pot was left to simmer slowly.
It would take one to two hours for the steak to become perfectly tender.
The Indeedee siblings stayed behind to watch the pot while Silas washed his hands and went to assist Joy in finishing the equipment assembly.
Putting on a white coat, he carried the equipment upstairs. Joy remained at the door while Silas entered the nursery. Under Joy's guidance, he performed a comprehensive examination on the Egg.
The results were excellent.
The baby Kangaskhan was extremely healthy. Every data point exceeded average standards. Once hatched, it would undoubtedly be a strong and healthy child.
When Silas shared the results, Kangaskhan's eyes filled with unmistakable joy. She gently rubbed her nose against his hand, releasing a long, soft rumble. The worry that had clouded her gaze was replaced by visible relief.
"Now we can both rest easy. All we have to do is wait for this little one to hatch."
Minccino leaned closer to the Egg and patted it with its fluffy tail as if praising the baby inside. Its tail stood high with pride, clearly believing it deserved some credit as well.
"There is pork steak simmering in the kitchen. Minccino will bring you a big bowl later."
After packing up the equipment, Silas left the nursery.
Left alone, Kangaskhan leaned back against the wall, one hand protectively resting on her pouch while she picked up a parenting book she had already read countless times and began reviewing it again from the beginning.
Becoming a mother soon. Of course she was nervous. Yet whenever she read, that tension gradually eased.
Downstairs, the aroma from the kitchen had already filled the air. Silas hurried back in.
"Use a fork to check the pork. If it is tender enough, reduce the sauce and we can eat."
Nurse Joy enjoyed a hearty lunch at the ranch and even packed a portion to take back for Audino.
The moment she returned to the Pokémon Center, she immediately started a video call with her cousin in Vaniville Town to proudly announce that she had eaten the cooking of a true master chef. What was originally just a good dish of soy braised pork steak was exaggerated into something unparalleled.
As for Silas, he paid no attention to any of that.
After lunch and a short rest, he headed toward the fields with the Meowth.
Autumn had arrived. It was time to clear part of the greens from the farmland and plant new crops suited for the season.
(End of Chapter)