"Good morning, Mudbray !"
Leaning over the fence, Hayato brushed his teeth while greeting the Mudbray that had just walked out of the stable.
"mud-mud~!"
Hearing Hayato 's voice, the three Mudbray neighed happily and quickly gathered around him.
Each of them looked energetic, their eyes filled with determination.
After receiving such great treatment, they could hardly wait to start working for the ranch.
"No need to rush," Hayato said with a smile as he gently patted each of them.
"Let's eat breakfast first. After that, I'll assign your work."
Hayato carefully observed their condition.
The Mudbray had adapted very well. They weren't frightened by the unfamiliar environment at all.
Before long, they would surely become good friends with the other Pokémon.
Breakfast today wasn't much different from usual—except the portions were larger.
A large bowl of pumpkin porridge was prepared for the Mudbray .
From his observations, Hayato knew the Mudbray were still young and in their growth stage.
Drinking more Moomoo Milk would be good for them.
Chatot's breakfast consisted of several Berries and the small bugs it caught in the vegetable field.
It basically had a daily self-serve buffet.
Cinccino's breakfast was its favorite food—
Sweet Berry Rice Cakes .
As for Hayato and Kangaskhan , they were still enjoying their usual Deluxe Burgers.
After breakfast, Hayato led the Mudbray to the vegetable fields.
" Mudbray , your job is simple," Hayato said while drawing a circle in the air to indicate the area.
"Use the move Rototiller on this field once every day."
"Make sure not to miss any corner."
Mudbray : (◍•ᴗ•◍)
Aside from playing in mud, Rototiller was the first move most Mudbray learned.
Almost every Mudbray could use it.
The only difference was their proficiency level.
However, the cooking effect of the Pumpkin Porridge made up for that weakness, allowing the move's proficiency to increase rapidly.
One Mudbray stepped forward, its little face tense with seriousness.
This was their first job since arriving at their new home.
They had to give it everything they had to repay Hayato .
The three Mudbray exchanged glances.
Having grown up together, they immediately understood each other's intentions.
Then—
They lifted their front hooves in perfect unison and stomped heavily on the ground.
A yellow-brown glow burst from their bodies.
The light sank into the earth and spread outward like ripples.
The ground trembled slightly.
Wherever the earthy glow passed, the crops seemed to receive new life energy.
Plants that had been growing slowly suddenly accelerated.
In the blink of an eye—
The crops that had only been small seedlings stretched upward.
They entered the second growth stage, and small green flower buds began to form.
Hayato : "What?!"
This was Rototiller?
Judging from the effect, calling it Geomancy wouldn't even be an exaggeration.
Geomancy was Xerneas's signature move, and just from the name alone it was obvious—
It was incredible for nurturing plant life.
Under normal circumstances, there was no way Mudbray could use a Rototiller this powerful.
That meant only one possibility.
The effect of the Pumpkin Porridge.
And this was only after eating it once.
If the Mudbray ate it every day and the effect accumulated over time…
Hayato didn't even dare imagine the results.
"mud-mud~…"
"I'm so tired… I feel like I'm about to collapse."
"mud!"
"Me too…"
" Mudbray ?"
"Let's see if Hayato is satisfied."
The three Mudbray turned toward Hayato at the same time, hoping to receive his approval.
Hayato noticed their exhausted expressions immediately.
His heart softened.
These little guys had clearly used every ounce of their strength just to make him happy.
No wonder the effect was so powerful.
Hayato crouched down and gently stroked their heads.
"You did great," he praised warmly.
"From now on, I'll leave all these fields to you. How does that sound?"
" Mudbray ! Mudbray !"
"Leave it to us!"
"Yes, yes. You're all good kids."
"But next time, don't push yourselves so hard," Hayato added.
"You can do it several times instead. Just make sure you don't exhaust yourselves. Rest more often."
The Mudbray licked Hayato 's palm to show they understood.
They wouldn't make him worry again.
From this moment on—
The Mudbray had officially become members of the ranch.
Hayato provided them with shelter and food.
In return, the Mudbray helped him work the land and accelerate crop growth.
Neither side could do without the other.
After resting for a while and recovering some strength, Hayato brought the Mudbray back to the stable.
He carried his toolbox out of the house.
After all, he hadn't forgotten his promise to build them a mud pool.
After selecting a location, he asked the Mudbray to help dig the pit deeper.
Meanwhile, Hayato used a shovel to carve steps along the edge.
After thinking for a moment, he covered the steps with wooden boards and secured them with wooden stakes on both sides.
This way, the Mudbray could stand on the wooden steps while being rinsed with a hose from above—
Without splashing mud everywhere.
After a while, Hayato finally finished the work.
Beside him, the Mudbray were already eager to jump in.
They couldn't wait to bathe in the mud and roll around until their bodies were completely covered.
"Go ahead, go ahead."
Hayato stepped aside and waved them forward.
The Mudbray rushed in with excited cries.
mud splashed everywhere as they rolled around happily.
They loved this mud pool.
And they loved Hayato even more.
Seeing that his idea was appreciated by his Pokémon made Hayato happy as well.
With the mud pool here, he wouldn't have to worry about Mudbray spreading mud all over the ranch.
He had also done this for Cinccino's sake.
If that little clean freak saw mud everywhere—
It would probably lose its mind.
Just as Hayato was thinking that, he noticed Kangaskhan waving to him nearby.
When he walked over, he saw Kangaskhan holding a bouquet of fresh flowers.
Various colorful blossoms were blooming beautifully.
"Did you pick all of these?"
Hayato accepted the flowers and gently sniffed them.
A fresh fragrance mixed with morning dew filled his nose.
Cinccino poked its head out from Kangaskhan's pouch and raised its tiny hand high.
It had helped too.
"Yes, yes. You're both good kids."
Hayato accepted the gift carefully.
He planned to find a vase so the flowers could last longer.
"I really like this gift."
Pokémon were sometimes such simple, lovable creatures.
They had no complicated thoughts.
If someone treated them well, they would treat that person well in return—
Even risking their lives to protect them.
Perhaps it was this childlike purity that allowed humans and Pokémon to coexist peacefully.
Just as Hayato was thinking about this—
He suddenly heard Cinccino shouting furiously.
Well…
It had finally spotted the Mudbray rolling around in the mud.
Two Pokémon with completely opposite personalities meeting for the first time—
And now they had to live together long-term.
Managing their relationship was the Trainer's responsibility.
Hayato picked up Cinccino and carried it away to a clean patch of grass.
There, he explained the Mudbray 's natural habits.
He also told Cinccino about his solution.
Although Cinccino was still somewhat unhappy, it eventually agreed.
It wouldn't interfere with the Mudbray playing in the mud—
But the Mudbray had to wash themselves clean before coming outside.
A small conflict between Pokémon had been peacefully resolved.
After all—
They were all good kids.
As long as things were explained clearly, everything could work out.
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