After saying goodbye to Hain and bringing the five little Mareep with him, Hayato Sora didn't rush straight back to the ranch.
First he checked the time, then directed Cyclizar toward the territory of the Pyroar.
The moment they stepped into Pyroar's territory, he saw the lion Pokémon standing on the highest cliff in the area, gazing down at them.
At the same time, three Litleo came running toward Hayato Sora.
They grabbed onto his pant legs, clearly begging for snacks.
Litleo's fur was soft, and petting them felt especially nice.
"Sorry, I didn't bring any treats for you today," Hayato Sora said with a smile while stroking them.
The moment they realized there was no food, the Litleo didn't hesitate at all.
They immediately escaped Hayato Sora's "evil hands" and ran back toward Pyroar, chasing each other and playfully tumbling around.
Pyroar raised one paw and casually nudged them.
The three Litleo tumbled headfirst into the grass, looking utterly miserable.
Clearly annoyed, Pyroar ignored them and walked straight toward Hayato Sora.
The three Litleo, however, didn't care at all.
Spitting grass out of their mouths, they seemed to think Pyroar was playing with them.
Excited, they rushed over again, biting and climbing all over Pyroar.
Hayato Sora almost forgot—
In Pyroar prides, the male Pyroar was usually the leader.
Combined with their somewhat lazy personalities, they were often responsible for babysitting the cubs.
Meanwhile, the female Pyroar were the ones who handled hunting and feeding the pride.
"Roarrr~"
Pyroar stood beside Hayato Sora, asking what he needed.
At the same time, it lifted a paw and casually kicked away a Litleo that had climbed onto its leg.
Hayato Sora explained that he was looking for items containing large amounts of Dragon-type energy.
In exchange, he could provide things the Pyroar might need.
After thinking for a moment, Pyroar readily agreed.
It told Hayato Sora that if it found anything suitable, it would deliver it to the ranch.
After finishing this final task, Hayato Sora finally headed back.
Once he returned, he would be very busy.
He needed to build a home for the Mareep.
Hayato Sora planned to fence off the grassy area beside the stable and turn it into a small Sheep Village.
While he was still thinking about the layout, Cyclizar drove across the road, turned onto a mountain path, and came to a steady stop beside the ranch gate.
They were home.
Cinccino and Morpeko immediately jumped out of Hayato Sora's arms.
Using their tiny bodies, they squeezed through the gate and dashed straight toward the ranch house.
They were about to miss the start time of their cartoon show!
No matter how loudly Hayato Sora called after them, the two little troublemakers completely ignored him.
He could only laugh helplessly.
At that moment, Kangaskhan, the Mudsdale, and the other Pokémon gathered around to welcome them back.
"Kangaskhan really is the most thoughtful one," Hayato Sora said.
The next moment—
Kangaskhan picked him up in a big hug.
After telling everyone about the results of his trip, Hayato Sora took out the five Luxury Balls at his waist.
All the Pokémon looked at them curiously, excited about the new companions joining the ranch.
Seeing their eager expressions, Hayato Sora didn't keep them waiting.
He threw the Luxury Balls into the air.
"Everyone, come on out. We're home."
Five flashes of light appeared.
The five unique Mareep appeared around Hayato Sora, meeting the curious gazes of the other Pokémon.
"Lrrr?"
The leader of the Mudsdale stepped forward first.
It offered some of its favorite mud cookies to share with the new family members.
The other Pokémon followed its example.
The Flabébé each brought over a small flower filled with nectar they had gathered themselves.
The three Noibat quickly flew back to their cave and returned with fruits they had collected the night before.
After more than two months of growth, the first orchard Hayato Sora planted had begun producing a small number of early fruits.
Most of the fruit used in Hayato Sora's fruit platters now came from the Noibat's harvest.
Kangaskhan dashed back into the ranch house and returned with snacks Hayato Sora had prepared for everyone.
Cyclizar offered fresh eggs—still warm from the hens that had just laid them.
The four Mareep turned to look at Hayato Sora, asking for his opinion.
Hayato Sora smiled at them and nodded.
"Go ahead and accept them. Everyone's welcoming you."
At that moment—
A series of shocked cries came from the poop-haired Mareep nearby.
Its mouth was stuffed full of food.
Everything everyone brought was delicious.
It simply couldn't stop eating.
Well… almost everything.
Except for the Mudsdale's mud cookies.
Even this gluttonous Mareep couldn't handle those.
After taking a bite, it quietly returned the cookie.
As for the other food gifts—
It devoured them all.
Soon its belly was round and swollen.
Then it collapsed onto the grass and fell fast asleep.
There wasn't even a hint of nervousness about being in a new environment.
Eat. Sleep.
That was all.
Leaving that uniquely carefree Mareep alone, Hayato Sora introduced the other four to the rest of the ranch Pokémon.
He then called Cinccino out of the house and asked it to guide the Mareep around the ranch so they could become familiar with their new home.
Meanwhile, Hayato Sora gathered Cyclizar, the Mudsdale, and Kangaskhan.
They were going to build a living area and houses specifically for the Mareep.
"Mudsdale, Cyclizar—please bring over the lumber."
"Kangaskhan, help me make the fences. Let's build a living area for the Mareep first."
After scanning the surroundings and forming a rough plan in his mind, Hayato Sora began directing the Pokémon.
"Lrrr~!" ×3
"Gaooo!"
"Rooon~!"
The Pokémon responded in unison and began working according to his instructions.
Before long, logs were transformed into fences.
They surrounded the grassland next to the stable.
The enclosed area was about half the size of a standard football field—more than enough for the Mareep.
Once the living area was fenced off, it was time to build houses for them.
Looking at the materials Mudsdale had brought, Hayato Sora activated his system interface.
Sheep House
Cost: 3,000 Poké Dollars
Materials: 100 Wood, 30 Stone
Description:
A simple house. The interior space can be freely decorated according to a Pokémon's preferences.
Building five Sheep Houses, along with purchasing the Mareep, meant Hayato Sora had spent nearly 30,000 Poké Dollars in a single day.
The money he earned from selling coffee beans earlier had been completely spent.
If this had been a few months ago—when the ranch had just started—Hayato Sora would never have dared to spend that much at once.
But things were different now.
He would earn it back soon enough.
The wool produced by Mareep had considerable economic value.
This investment was absolutely worth it.
Following Hayato Sora's command, buildings rose from the ground one after another.
The scene instantly attracted the attention of all the Pokémon in the ranch.
Cinccino excitedly pointed at the construction and explained to the Mareep that this was Hayato Sora's magic trick—he was super amazing!
The four lambs looked at him with admiration.
Hayato Sora chuckled and waved them over, gently stroking their soft, tingling wool.
"You arrived just in time. The Sheep Houses are ready."
"You can each choose one."
"Baa!"
The four lambs cried happily.
After rubbing affectionately against Hayato Sora, they ran into the enclosure to pick their own houses.
The remaining house naturally belonged to the poop-haired Mareep.
That one was still snoring loudly in front of the ranch house.
While the Mareep chose their homes, Hayato Sora called Kangaskhan over to help decorate the entrance gate.
A sheep-head emblem was essential.
And of course—
They needed to give the place a proper name.
Heh.
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