Chapter 689: Riolu Bridge Cat

The Eternal Flower

To be honest, the Giratina Core never expected to see this flower—so radiant with the brilliance of life yet burdened by heavy karmic ties—again here.

Even though it had left the Kalos region three thousand years ago, it had still heard whispers of what occurred there.

For the Eternal Flower, which bloomed at the very epicenter of the energy released by that terrible weapon, it had observed it through its Giratina Cells.

That was precisely why the Giratina Core wondered where Luo Mu and Hua Liao Huanhuan had obtained the Eternal Flower.

It remembered that afterward, the two successors had jointly eradicated the Eternal Flower; apart from that one special individual, there should no longer be any Eternal Flower left in the world.

Noticing Luo Mu’s arrival, the Giratina Core leapt a few steps onto his shoulder, its thin voice echoing in his mind through telepathy.

“How did you obtain this flower?”

Luo Mu turned his head to meet the Giratina Core’s single eye, seeing its overflowing curiosity—and not the least surprised it knew about the Eternal Flower.

On the contrary, it would be strange if the Giratina Core didn’t know.

After a brief pause to organize his thoughts, Luo Mu simply recounted how he had encountered the Eternal Flower in the center of Liusui City in the Hoenn region.

The Giratina Core listened in silence, pondering for a long while before raising its head to ask: “Hoenn. You mean the land surrounded by oceans where the Creator of the Seas dwells?”

“Yes.” Luo Mu nodded lightly.

“Then it makes sense.”

Whether remembering something or not, the Giratina Core’s expression instantly relaxed, its worm-like body returning to its usual lazy posture.

It leapt off Luo Mu’s shoulder and settled back onto the flowerbed, basking in the spring sunlight, ignoring him entirely.

Thanks to the glass greenhouse’s excellent soundproofing and the ideal natural light filtering through its transparent glass, this place often became the Pokémon’s nap spot.

The Giratina Core was no exception.

Ever since it learned the layout here, every sunny afternoon, if it couldn’t be found anywhere else on the farm, it was almost certainly here, soaking up sunlight for photosynthesis, then splitting off several Giratina Cells and releasing them into the outside world.

Honestly, it was even better at lounging than Flareon.

A faint look of exasperation crossed Luo Mu’s face; he abandoned the idea of asking if it knew any hidden secrets and instead turned casually to Hua Liao Huanhuan.

“You said we’d transplant some Glaceon Flowers out and plant the Eternal Flower instead.”

“Huanhuan!”

Hua Liao Huanhuan chirped happily, its tiny eyes brimming with excitement.

For their species, flowerbeds were vital—even essential to their very existence.

The flowerbed inside the glass greenhouse was built later, but before that, the farm’s outdoor fields also had flowerbeds, and it had poured great emotion into those.

But the winter in Paldea differed from that in Alola; freezing winds and blizzards raged for over a month.

When spring arrived and the snow melted, Hua Liao Huanhuan discovered that many cold-sensitive plants in the flowerbed had frozen to death.

It had been heartbroken for a long time.

Fortunately, Luo Mu had foreseen this and built the glass greenhouse in advance, preserving most of the flower seeds—and even cultivating Glaceon Flowers to full bloom during that deadly winter.

Now, Hua Liao Huanhuan was eager to transplant some of the flowers back outdoors.

This time, it wouldn’t repeat last winter’s carelessness; it would properly insulate the outdoor flowerbed.

By the time the sky darkened, Luo Mu’s work finally came to a halt.

Yet as he gazed at the vast expanse of blooming Glaceon Flowers, a farmer’s triumphant smile spread across his face.

—I wonder if these earliest-blooming Glaceon Flowers will attract that flying green piggy.

Meanwhile,

Though unaware of the purpose behind planting the Eternal Flower in the glass greenhouse, Hua Liao Huanhuan couldn’t transform into Hua Liao Huanhuan·Eternal Flower using it.

But since it had been brought back, it was best to temporarily plant it in the glass greenhouse.

Judging by how vigorously it bloomed beneath the tree in Liusui City, it didn’t seem to suffer from transplant shock.

While transplanting the Glaceon Flowers, Luo Mu also encountered the Bee Queen, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Compared to the bullied little creature of its youth, perhaps due to having more troops, the Bee Queen now radiated far greater presence.

It made the Pokémon that arrived with it at the farm—Flapple, Tatsugiri, and others—look like children who’d never grown up.

The Bee Queen enthusiastically invited Luo Mu to taste the first honey of spring, brewed by its worker bees in the hive.

Its unique sweetness and flavor rivaled the honey Luo Mu had once exchanged with wild Bee Queen colonies.

But it still hadn’t reached the level of the honey from the mysterious Amber City in Sinnoh, as depicted in the anime.

Luo Mu considered that if he ever got the chance, he’d take the Bee Queen to the Amber City to learn and draw inspiration from their honey-making methods.

The next morning, the third day of February.

Early that morning, Luo Mu was awakened by the sensation of a damp tongue licking his cheek.

He assumed it was either Sunflora, Moonlight Eevee, or even Rapidash playing a prank.

But when he opened his eyes, he saw the fluffy, cool-looking face of Riolu.

“?”

A question mark appeared above Luo Mu’s head—he couldn’t remember the last time Riolu had woken him like this.

“Miaow.”

Riolu flicked its tail, raised a paw, and placed its thick pad atop the blanket covering Luo Mu.

Luo Mu instantly understood what Riolu meant.

—Get up.

Normally, Riolu never woke him like this.

Though its appearance seemed imposing and aloof, its personality was remarkably steady and reliable.

Knowing Riolu’s nature well, Luo Mu’s first thought wasn’t why it woke him, but whether something urgent had happened on the farm requiring Riolu to rouse him early.

“Let me get dressed and wash up.”

Seeing Riolu’s calm demeanor, Luo Mu figured the matter wasn’t urgent and didn’t rush out in his pajamas.

He changed clothes, washed his face, and combed his hair.

After swiftly completing this routine, he followed Riolu outside.

“This way leads to the berry orchard?”

Recognizing the direction, Luo Mu blinked, a hunch forming in his mind.

For Riolu to specifically lead him to the berry orchard, could it be that—

Luo Mu didn’t let his mind wander further; the orchard was right ahead. The answer would reveal itself once he entered.

With that thought,

He stepped forward decisively, striding boldly into the orchard alongside Riolu.

Perhaps because it was early morning,

The rows of berry trees in the orchard were adorned with dewdrops clinging to their emerald leaves, vibrant and glistening with life.

Occasionally, if one looked up at the branches, one might spot small “apples” hopping about.

They were the Chewtle that Luo Mu had brought back from the bamboo grove.

It was precisely their “ripening” trait that had made this orchard surpass North Village’s premium apples in reputation.

Riolu led Luo Mu through row after row of berry trees until they reached a peculiar spot.

Here, the soil had been replaced with “black earth” harvested from the Harvest Ruins of Capu Moomoo; the plants grown in this vital black earth were the three berry trees Luo Mu had obtained from the Quartz Plateau, known as the Gold/Silver series.

Nearby, five plots had been set aside for cultivating the Secret Seasoning ingredients.

This place was, without doubt, the most heavily guarded area on Luo Mu’s farm.

Riolu, Rapidash, Twisted Hound, and Houndoom frequently patrolled here, while the Sky Patrol’s Skarmory and Altaria kept close watch.

Leaving aside the Secret Seasonings, which hadn’t been harvested twice yet, focus returned to the present.

Gazing at the three fully grown berry trees, Luo Mu finally understood why Riolu had woken him.

There, among the lush canopy, numerous berries hung proudly from the branches.

Most were still unripe but fully formed.

The types were clearly: Razz Berries, Nanab Berries, and Pinap Berries.

Though not common, these berries weren’t exceptionally rare either; as gifts from the Quartz Plateau, these three trees had unique qualities.

—Because they were extremely rare Gold/Silver series berry trees.

According to research from the Kanto League headquarters on the Quartz Plateau, these one-in-a-million special trees occasionally bore berries unlike ordinary Razz, Nanab, or Pinap berries.

These were known as Gold/Silver series berries.

Notably, despite the name, the berries’ colors were neither gold nor silver.

Luo Mu’s gaze settled on the central Pinap Berry tree; his sharp eyes spotted several berries among the small yellow ones that differed in hue.

Pale purple Pinap Berries, and orange-red Pinap Berries.

Like Shiny Pokémon, they stood out vividly.

If Luo Mu remembered correctly, the pale purple ones were Silver series, and the orange-red ones were Gold series.

The effects of the Gold series were many times stronger than those of the Silver series.

Luo Mu recalled the researcher’s notes: Silver/Gold Pinap Berries seemed to subtly enhance the eater’s luck.

Meanwhile, Silver/Gold Nanab Berries calmed emotions, and Silver/Gold Razz Berries increased the eater’s “affection” toward the feeder.

If all three were combined—according to the system’s hint—

—There was a chance to cultivate a special Partner Pokémon!

Originally, Luo Mu had planned that if the Eevee sisters didn’t evolve, he’d wait until the berries matured and try to turn them into Partner Eevees.

Now, however, a bold idea surfaced in his mind.

It is well known that a partner Pokémon’s appearance and traits do not change, aside from its illustration.

Luo Mu turned to look at the Eevee who had merely come to report this news.

If so, could these fruits also be used to cultivate Eevee into a “Partner Eevee”?

Given the current uncertainty over whether Eevee can achieve Mega Evolution, it is better to hope for GF’s kindness to grant Eevee another evolution—into Eeveelution—than to wait passively.

This seems to be the only clear path forward to help Eevee grow stronger.

If Eevee truly grows stronger through this, it might tip the scales in its favor when the day comes to fulfill its promise against a Shiny Rayquaza.

Luo Mu admitted this idea might be reckless, possibly wasting the rare and scarce Gold and Silver series fruits.

But compared to capturing another Eevee or Pikachu to pursue that kind of safety,

Luo Mu preferred to take the gamble.

——Simply because Eevee was his starter Pokémon, the most important companion that had stood by him this far.

For Eevee’s sake, Luo Mu gladly accepted this risk—barely a risk at all, beyond the possibility of waste.

After a brief silence,

Luo Mu took a deep breath and said to the Eevee beside him: “Go call Virizion and Reuniclus. We need to increase the orchard’s security during this time.”

The ripening of Secret Seasoning has already drawn many wild Pokémon to attack.

If the Gold and Silver series fruits ripen—or even before they do—Luo Mu dares not guarantee no wild Pokémon will target this place.

Eevee nodded slightly, then turned and hurried home to summon Virizion and Reuniclus.

After all, it had only just reported its patrol findings to Luo Mu and had not yet informed the other Pokémon.

While Eevee went to call the Pokémon,

Luo Mu tilted his head upward and, with the most serious demeanor of his life, stood beneath the fruit tree and began counting each fruit one by one.

Moments later, the conclusion was reached.

——Just as the Quartz Plateau’s description stated, the rate of producing Gold and Silver series fruits is shockingly low.

Among the three to four hundred fruits hanging from a single tree, only a dozen or so were of different colors.

The probability is simply too low.

No—Luo Mu remembered the Quartz Plateau’s data: even four or five differently colored fruits per harvest from a single Gold and Silver tree was considered a bountiful yield.

Looking at this, replacing the soil with black earth and having Heliolisk and its kind regularly nourish the fruit trees with Composite Grassland seems to have worked well.

(End of Chapter)