Planting Berries

The weather was warming, but still cold at night. Even though spring had arrived, temperatures on Heavenly Green Mountain remained low after nightfall.

As day gave way to night, some nocturnal Pokémon began to stir outside.

With Dongshu's hard work, the cave they called home had undergone a complete transformation.

The entire cave floor was now covered with smooth, soft Striped Wood Flooring that felt warm to the touch.

A large carpet lay on the floor, with a little mushroom-shaped night-light beside it.

The light cast a warm yellow glow, driving away the darkness and lending the once-chilly cave a cozy, comfortable feel.

Raikou lay on the soft carpet, looking down at the human toddler staring blankly beside him.

All sorts of things that had happened over the past two days kept resurfacing in his mind.

Even Raikou hadn't noticed that, without realizing it, he had become extraordinarily attentive to the human toddler.

"...What are you thinking about?"

At last, Raikou couldn't hold back and asked.

His voice, proud and aloof, sounded in Dongshu's heart, interrupting his train of thought.

"I was wondering what we'll do when we run out of food," Dongshu replied.

"You don't need to worry about that," Raikou said. "Since Entei took you in, he'll surely take responsibility for finding food."

Raikou had wanted to say that he could bring back food, too. But he wasn't willing to admit so soon that he was already beginning to accept the human toddler's presence—and the fact that he was staying on Heavenly Green Mountain.

"But what if one day there's no food to be found outside?" Dongshu asked, planning for the worst.

He'd been browsing the System Store, looking through the seeds for vegetables and fruit crops he could currently buy.

He still had 85 Shock Points, enough to purchase some seeds.

But there was another problem.

They had no way to grow anything!

Neither Raikou, Entei, nor Marshadow could cultivate a field.

Dongshu knew how, but his young body left him helpless.

"You don't need to worry so much." Raikou fell silent for a moment, then, unusually, offered some comfort. "No matter what, I... Entei won't let you go hungry."

Dongshu naturally understood what Raikou had left unsaid.

Perhaps because the brain in his body hadn't fully developed, he sometimes found himself acting in ways that didn't match the age of his soul.

Like right now. Touched by Raikou's concern, he couldn't help wrapping his arms around him and exclaiming happily:

"Raikou, you're the best!" Entei was first, Marshadow second, and Raikou third!

Raikou stiffened slightly, then closed his eyes and said coolly, "I never said I'd help you find food."

But he couldn't hide the delight in his voice.

Got it, got it!

Dongshu chuckled and let go of Raikou, then sprawled on the carpet and resumed browsing the System Store.

Before long, he spotted a manual tucked away in a corner.

[Berry Cultivation Guide: Unlocks knowledge related to Berry cultivation. Required for exchange: 50 Shock Points.]

He couldn't cultivate fields for other crops right now, so there was no point in trying to grow them.

In that case, why not start by planting a few Berry trees?

Exchange!

The next second, a flood of information poured into Dongshu's mind.

[About Berries: Berries are a very special kind of fruit. They take three days to bear fruit, and once mature, they can be picked from the branches every two days. Their astonishingly short fruiting cycle and the abundant nutrients in their flesh make them suitable for almost every Pokémon's needs.]

[How to grow Berries: First, find a patch of relatively loose soil, then bury the Berry seeds in it. Water them regularly each day, and the seeds will grow strong. If conditions allow, you can use some fertilizer to help the trees grow even sturdier.]

[Harvesting Berries: Mature Berries have all sorts of uses. After picking them, you can eat them directly or use special tools to make Poffins, Pokéblocks, juice, and other foods.]

Dongshu: zzz

The sheer volume of information knocked Dongshu out on the spot.

The following morning, Dongshu opened his eyes after a night's sleep.

Out of habit, he felt around beside him, but didn't find the familiar Fluffy fur.

He immediately sat up. The cave was empty; Raikou had disappeared.

"Raikou?"

Dongshu called out, then scrambled up from the carpet and prepared to check outside the cave.

But before he could take two steps, a nimble figure appeared at the entrance.

It was Raikou, who had gone missing.

Raikou carried the basket Dongshu had bought earlier in his mouth and walked inside with steady, sure-footed steps.

He set it down in front of Dongshu. Inside was a whole pile of round Berries.

"What's this?" Dongshu asked, startled. Then he looked up at Raikou.

Raikou turned away without a word.

"Don't read too much into it. I just don't want you to starve. If Entei comes back and finds you dead, I'd have no idea what to tell him."

Dongshu: "..."

What a big cat—tough on the outside, soft on the inside!

Though Raikou's words were cold, his actions told a different story.

Dongshu picked up a Berry and said sincerely, "Thank you, Raikou!"

Raikou pretended not to hear. He sat down to one side, keeping his eyes on Dongshu nearby.

Dongshu quickly ate a Berry, then scampered over to a corner of the cave. Somehow, he produced a pile of leftover Berry seeds.

Then he picked up the seeds and scampered out of the cave again.

Raikou paused in surprise, then got up and followed. He saw the tiny figure busily working in an open patch of ground beside the cave.

Dongshu had originally planned to dig holes himself and bury the Berry seeds, but he was simply too weak, and he didn't have any suitable tools. So he could only turn to Raikou behind him for help.

Raikou had been watching the human toddler's actions in confusion. When Dongshu suddenly looked back, Raikou met his gaze.

Then Raikou heard him plead pitifully, "Raikou, help me, please!"

Raikou: "...What are you doing?"

"I want to bury these Berry seeds in the soil," Dongshu explained. "Then, once the Berry trees grow, we'll never have to go searching for Berries again! And we won't have to worry about running out of food!"

Raikou's eyes widened in surprise.

This human toddler had actually thought of all that!

And what he said did make sense.

If they could grow their own Berry trees, they could come here to pick Berries whenever they wanted.

Though he still didn't trust humans, Raikou had to admit that they were a remarkably creative and endlessly imaginative species.

Was that one of humanity's natural gifts?

For a human toddler so young to think of this was truly astonishing to a Pokémon.