Back mountain.
Because of the previous incident involving Shadow Mewtwo, the number of wild Pokémon had visibly decreased.
Only the Magikarp remained unaffected, still tirelessly using Splash, a move that accomplished absolutely nothing as always.
In his arms was the smallest Chikorita, clinging stubbornly to him and refusing to leave. Silas patted Cyclizar, signaling it to come closer, and together they stood at the edge of the massive crater.
Within a radius of more than ten meters around the crater, not a single Pokémon could be seen, and leaving such a pit there looked far too unsightly.
Absentmindedly stroking the Chikorita, Silas stared at the crater for a long while as an idea gradually formed in his mind.
Filling it in would be far too troublesome. Instead, he could fill it with water, then dig two channels, one for inflow and one for outflow, connecting it to the nearby stream and turning it into a reservoir lake.
It would not take long for the ecosystem here to recover.
Nature's ability to restore itself should never be underestimated, especially with the attraction of water type and other Pokémon along the flowing stream.
He could even release fish fry into it. After a few months, by winter, he could come here to fish.
(TN: Fry and fingerling are generic terms that can be applied to the juveniles of most fish species.)
The only thing required of him was the initial ecological planning. Within less than a month, this place would be restored.
"Cyclizar, let's head back."
"Chiko?"
"Yes, I have a plan."
Pinching the Chikorita gently, Silas turned and walked back, beginning to assemble his team.
Phione and Arboliva were indispensable, and the Mudsdale trio would be responsible for digging the channels.
Before starting, Silas made a trip to Shalour City.
He bought fifty thousand ordinary fish fry. It sounded like a lot, but without water, they only weighed around ten or so jin in total.
He also bought about the same weight in mixed grass seeds, capable of growing both on land and in water.
Returning to the crater in the back mountain with his Pokémon, Silas immediately began giving instructions.
"Cyclizar, you scatter the grass seeds. Phione, use Rain Dance to fill the pit with water. Arboliva, use Grassy Terrain."
"Cyc~!"
"Phion!"
"Bolii~"
The three Pokémon quickly got to work.
Cyclizar ran upright, grabbing handfuls of seeds from time to time and scattering them. The tiny seeds fell like green fragments of starlight, evenly covering the ground.
Arboliva gathered grass type energy within its body. A green glow spread outward from it as Grassy Terrain expanded, stimulating the seeds to take root and sprout.
In the blink of an eye, the previously barren land turned lush and green.
Meanwhile, Phione floated above the center of the crater, its body surrounded by layers of pale blue water light.
The little Pokémon raised its hand toward the sky, quickly gathering soft clouds, and soon fine raindrops began to fall.
The raincloud was confined within the crater's area, and the rainfall grew heavier.
Before long, puddles of all sizes merged together. The gravel at the bottom of the pit gradually submerged, slowly forming the shape of a lake.
Standing by the edge, Silas called out loudly to remind Phione, "Do not fill it too much, leave a bit of space."
"Phion!"
Phione responded from beneath the raincloud, indicating that it understood.
After confirming that everything was going well, Silas wasted no time and moved to the side near the stream.
The Mudsdale had already dug the main channel, even lining the sides with clay produced by themselves.
"Mud?" (Silas, this should be fine right?)
The eldest Mudsdale nudged Silas from the side.
Placing one hand on its dirty head, Silas quickly looked it over. "It is fine. Make the outlet the same way. Remember, the height needs to be the opposite of this side."
After acknowledging, the Mudsdale used Earthquake to further shape the terrain.
Once both the inlet and outlet channels were ready, the raincloud above the crater gradually dispersed. It was time to open the connecting gaps.
"Eldest, use Rock Smash this time."
Raising its foreleg high, its heavy hoof wrapped in fighting type energy, Mudsdale brought it down.
With precise strikes, it broke through the soil and rocks blocking the connection.
Stream water slowly flowed into the channel and into the crater, even carrying along three or four Magikarp.
Silas quickly instructed the Mudsdale to open the outlet as well, allowing the water to flow out gently.
At first, the flow was noticeably weaker, but once the crater filled up, the water flow stabilized.
Finally, he released the fish fry and scattered fish feed. After that, there was no need for further management.
Over time, Pokémon would naturally come to settle here, gradually transforming the lake. Silas would only need to return in winter to fish.
Oh, right, he would also need to come occasionally to feed the fish.
With that, the aftermath of the previous battle was finally completely resolved.
Silas suddenly found himself with some free time.
Well, not exactly.
As soon as he returned to the ranch, he was immediately surrounded by the Chikorita.
The five little ones clung to him, each more mischievous than the last.
When he lay down on the grass hoping to rest, they either tugged at his clothes or pulled his hair, refusing to leave no matter how much he tried to shoo them away.
"Jigglypuff, little Kangaskhan, Alcremie, Rowlet, come here for a moment."
The four Pokémon ran out from the house eagerly upon hearing his call, with Kangaskhan following behind.
"Here, I will leave these four little ones to you. Play with them."
"You four little troublemakers, go on, play with your older brothers and sisters."
"Chiko… Chiko!" (*^*) x4
Hearing this, the four Chikorita each chose a target and ran toward them.
With them gone, Silas finally relaxed on a lounge chair. The smallest Chikorita remained in his arms as he gently scratched under its chin.
"You are still the most well behaved one. Stay with me and enjoy the scenery."
"Chiko~"
The little Chikorita narrowed its eyes in contentment, curling up inside his coat.
"Meow~"
At his feet, Litten let out a low cry. Its spot had been taken.
"Alright, alright, I will pet you too."
Silas reached out to scratch Litten, who was lying on his legs, so the little cat would not get jealous.
Cyclizar ran back from afar and lay down beside Silas's feet. "Cyc~" (They finally left. Those little ones were too noisy.)
"Bolii!"
Arboliva voiced a different opinion, saying that it found the liveliness enjoyable.
"Morpeko!"
At some point, Morpeko had climbed onto Arboliva's shoulder, raising both hands in agreement. Its eyes were fixed intently on the seeds hanging from Arboliva's arms.
"Arboliva, come a bit closer, please."
With his feet resting on Cyclizar's back and sunlight shining directly down, Silas spoke with his eyes closed.
Arboliva moved closer, acting as a natural sunshade. Silas reached out and picked up a glass of mixed fruit juice beside him, taking a sip.
It was worth mentioning this mixed fruit juice. It was considered the best drink from the famous 98 Bar in Mesagoza, beloved by the people of Paldea.
Depending on the fruits used, the final result would vary.
Even when Silas recreated it using the same steps, the effects would differ slightly each time.
[Mixed Fruit Juice (C+): A rich and complex flavor woven from various fruits, almost unbelievable as a juice.
Drink Effect: Roll a die to determine the next day's luck. Effective only once.]
Looking away from the interface, a six sided die appeared in Silas's palm. He tossed it lightly.
The die rolled across the ground and came to rest beside Cyclizar's head, showing a result of six.
Nice.
Tomorrow, I will have the same luck as Cinccino itself.
"Achoo!"
Cyclizar suddenly sneezed violently, sending the die flying.
This time, it landed on one.
(End of Chapter)