The firewood burning in the fireplace crackled and popped. Though the weather had turned cool, it was not yet cold enough to require the fireplace for warmth.
All of this was for the Pokémon Egg that still retained a faint trace of life.
The fireplace in this Small Western-Style House had not been used in a very long time. It was covered in blackened stains and still held plant ash that had likely been there for ages.
In order to make use of the fireplace, Luo Mu had Dragonite control the airflow and sweep the plant ash out onto the soil outside. It was good fertilizer, after all.
Next, Swampert used Water Gun at its lowest power to wash the fireplace clean. After Ceruledge used Flame Greatsword to swiftly evaporate the remaining moisture, the old but still usable fireplace had been cleaned up.
After placing the firewood Luxray, Mimikyu, and Serperior had gathered into the fireplace and lighting it, the temperature in the house immediately rose.
Then, Luo Mu and the six Pokémon held a discussion centered around the Pokémon Egg.
The subject was how to safely bring the Pokémon inside the Egg into this world.
Luo Mu told the Pokémon everything the Pokémon Egg had gone through without leaving anything out. Each Pokémon had a different reaction.
The faint jealousy Serperior had felt toward the Pokémon Egg completely vanished. It merely felt that the unborn Pokémon was pitiful.
Mimikyu and Ceruledge silently moved farther away from the Pokémon Egg. They understood clearly that, as Ghost-type Pokémon—especially ones as powerful as themselves—simply remaining nearby might unconsciously affect the Egg, hinder its hatching, or even turn it into a dead Egg.
Swampert did not feel much about it, but it was still willing to do its part to help the Pokémon Egg hatch.
As long as there was something it needed to do, it would get straight to work without a word!
A trace of sympathy appeared on Dragonite's honest, adorable face, along with an even greater sense of empathy.
Not long ago, it too had been a Pokémon born from an Egg. It still remembered the space within the Egg: safe, yet occasionally narrow, dark, and stifling.
It had successfully left its Egg when the time came, but how much time had the Pokémon in this Egg endured? How long had it been trapped within that pitch-black shell?
"Meow."
Luxray's deep voice rang out. It told Luo Mu to speak up if there was anything they needed to do.
Luo Mu pondered for a moment before saying, "I also considered how to hatch this Pokémon Egg on the way back."
"This Pokémon Egg has gone who knows how many years without hatching. The fact that the Pokémon inside is still alive is already a miracle, so we must do everything we can to help it hatch as soon as possible."
"First is Dragonite." Luo Mu Looked at Dragonite. Dragonite immediately straightened up, its eyes wide and round as if declaring its resolve. Luo Mu asked, "Do you remember the nutrient solution from when you first hatched? Ordinary Pokémon Eggs do not need nutrient solution to hatch, but this Egg is different. It has been trapped inside for too long. Severe malnutrition may be one reason it cannot break its shell."
"Los Platos does not sell high-quality nutrient solution. I want you to fly to Levincia as soon as possible. It has the largest shopping mall in the Paldea Region. I'll contact my friend then, and she'll take you to buy the nutrient solution."
"Bo Wu!"
Dragonite stood at attention, saluting as it expressed its determination.
Luo Mu then looked toward the other Pokémon and explained his arrangements one by one.
Ceruledge, Mimikyu, and Luxray would head into the wilderness to find Wild Pokémon with the Flame Body Ability and invite them to the farm.
If possible, they should try to find especially powerful ones.
Pokémon with this Ability naturally maintained their bodies at a very suitable temperature, which could speed up the hatching of Pokémon Eggs.
Talonflame, Magcargo, Rapidash, Volcarona, and even Moltres and Heatran all possessed the Flame Body Ability.
As for Serperior and Swampert, they would remain at the farm with him to guard the house. While protecting the Pokémon Egg, they would continue farming!
With Luo Mu's knowledge, these were the only methods he could think of. Nurse Joy had likely thought of them as well and attempted them.
His only advantage was that he was fairly strong. Perhaps the Pokémon Nurse Joy had found with Flame Body had only just evolved, so he would have Luxray and the others seek out stronger ones.
The nutrient solution was expensive, but he could still afford it with his current savings.
He had arranged everything he could. Now, it all depended on the fate of the little one inside the Pokémon Egg.
If none of these methods could bring it into the world, then perhaps only Legendary Pokémon would have the ability to save this Egg.
Early the next morning, Dragonite carried the large box Luo Mu had prepared for it and slowly took flight, heading for Levincia under the guidance of its memories.
After warning Serperior and Swampert to guard the house well, Luxray led Ceruledge and Mimikyu—whom it had accidentally overlooked again—into the wilderness to search for Pokémon with Flame Body.
As for Luo Mu, he equipped himself early in the morning, put on the same straw hat Peter wore, and led Serperior and Swampert beneath the rare clear skies. Carrying the Pokémon Egg, which had been placed in an incubator with a constant-temperature function, he arrived at the Farming Area.
The weeds that had been pulled up by the roots had been gathered by Dragonite with Hurricane the previous day and piled neatly not far away.
After asking Peter about some basic knowledge, Luo Mu learned that as long as the soil was loose enough, the seeds could be planted at any time.
After taking out six bags of seeds and Took a Look at the plant ash Dragonite had collected nearby, Luo Mu considered it for a moment and decided to first try growing potatoes that could even grow in Siberia.
Potato seeds generally had a very low germination rate, so most people used tubers for propagation. But the Pokémon world was different.
Ordinary crops were much easier to grow, their yields were also higher, and today, he had Serperior and Swampert with him as well.
The methods for planting crops were largely similar: dig holes, bury the seeds, fertilize them, water them, and so on. The steps and details varied slightly depending on the crop.
Though the work was simple, Luo Mu still spent the entire morning bent over with a hoe in hand. With Serperior and Swampert's help, he barely managed to plant one small bag of seeds, spread the aged plant ash they had collected as fertilizer, and have Swampert water them with Water Gun at its lowest output, wearing a sullen expression.
After finishing all of this, Luo Mu, sore all over and drenched in sweat, looked at Serperior expectantly.
Serperior sighed as though resigned to its fate. It extended a jade-green vine into one of the holes, weakly transferring the Grass-type energy and nutrients inside its body to the newly planted potato seeds.
Serperior withdrew its vine, and Luo Mu turned his gaze toward the hole. He waited for quite some time, yet there was no reaction at all.
Luo Mu's expression turned strange. That should not have happened.
Peter had told him that Jones Farm also had Grass-type Pokémon supply crops with Grass-type energy and some of the nutrients inside their bodies. The vegetables and fruits grown that way were not only large, but also exceptionally delicious.
So why was there no reaction at all from the seeds when it came to Swampert and Serperior?
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