Chapter 287:
After 6 PM.
Just after finishing dinner, the sky had already darkened by this time, with only a faint, cool afterglow still hanging above.
Soon, the sunset completely disappeared, and the solar-powered street lamps in the garden lit up one by one.
These were the solar street lamps Kaede specially installed after the incident when Alcremie used "Shadow Force."
He installed a whole circle around the garden and the plantation.
Just to prevent situations like scaring the Alcremie from happening again.
After eating, most Pokémon returned to their sleeping spots.
Only Kaede, accompanied by Serperior and followed by a recently fed Growlithe, came to the new plantation.
Looking at the Growlithe trotting closely behind him, Kaede couldn't help but scoop it up, teasing with a smile, "Following me around all the time..."
"Woof... Woof..." Growlithe barked twice, looking dumbly at Kaede.
"It's fine if you want to follow. No problem." Kaede comforted it.
Newborn Pokémon are often like this—they lack a sense of security. Arriving in a new place and meeting their first Trainer, they can't help but want to stay by their Trainer's side at all times.
Because the environment and location are unfamiliar, and they don't know the temperaments of the other Pokémon yet.
Not to mention, those other Pokémon all seem stronger than it is.
In such a situation, only the Trainer can provide the greatest sense of security.
It was the same with Sprigatito back then.
It would fuss to find him as soon as it woke up.
But after getting familiar with the environment and everyone, it became much quieter.
"Woof... Woof..." Growlithe stuck out its tongue, immediately curving into a perfect smiling arc, and stayed quietly in Kaede's arms.
"Come on..." Kaede turned his gaze to Serperior.
Coming here was, of course, to see how Serperior's Grassy Terrain had changed after borrowing the natural power of the World Tree.
"Serperior..." Serperior nodded, its amber eyes shifting as it looked over the new plantation now filled with fruit trees.
A sea-green energy seemed to sweep over the land, painting a layer of shimmering light over the new plantation under the pitch-black night.
These lights danced like spirits, finally settling on each fruit tree under Serperior's guidance.
Kaede's eyes widened instantly.
In front of him are berry trees which had already been treated with high-grade Golden Fertilizer and grown to over a meter tall, now seemed to be on hormones again, visibly sprouting new branches, leaves unfurling, trunks thickening...
In no time, they had grown several dozen centimeters.
This completely stunned Kaede, even making him forget to tell Serperior to stop.
Luckily, at this moment, the sea-green energy gradually faded, and Serperior looked somewhat tired as it gazed at the full orchard. "Serperior..." (No strength left...)
Only then did Kaede snap back to reality, quickly saying, "That's enough, that's enough. We can't force them all to grow so big at once; that would be too unbelievable."
Kaede knew that Serperior's Grassy Terrain, combined with the assistance of Golden Fertilizer, had always had a significant accelerating effect.
Like now, ordinary short-cycle vegetables basically grew fully within an hour or two with just a bit of high-grade Golden Fertilizer and a boost from Serperior.
But berry trees are different!
Perhaps due to the Creator's restrictions, in the Pokémon world, the rarer and more effective the berry, the longer it takes to mature.
There were some special berry trees in this garden too.
But even these trees showed noticeable growth during the recent acceleration!
If this were applied to an ordinary forest, a few rounds of acceleration could probably create a lush forest, right?
He had heard before that the Life Pokémon Xerneas and the King Pokémon Calyrex possessed the ability to make forests flourish.
And now, Serperior was showing the budding potential of that scale.
Goodness...
Was he accidentally raising a future Life Pokémon?
"Serperior?" (They grew so much...) After catching its breath, Serperior was also surprised seeing these fruit trees.
"Exactly, exactly! I originally thought they wouldn't bear fruit by early spring next year. But now it seems this place will be a full orchard by next spring!"
"You're amazing, Serperior!" Kaede couldn't help but praise, patting Serperior's body.
"Serperior..." Serperior was momentarily stunned, then turned its head away. Under the dim streetlamp light, its face seemed to blush slightly.
"Serperior~" It raised its head proudly and slithered towards the breeding house, ready to go home and sleep.
*'This plantation really can't do without me!'*
But halfway there, as if remembering something, it turned back and came to Kaede's side.
"Huh?" Kaede was about to check if there were any mutant berry trees, but seeing Serperior return, he felt puzzled. "What's wrong, Serperior?"
"Serperior!" (I want to get smaller!) Serperior stated matter-of-factly.
"Oh, oh." Only then did Kaede remember. He took out a Size-Shifter Energy Cube from his storage capsule and looked at Serperior with anticipation.
He also wanted to see what Serperior would look like after shrinking.
Taking a bite of the Pecha Berry flavored Size-Shifter Energy Cube, and changing according to its will, it was like a projection—Serperior's size became smaller and smaller.
From initially needing to look up at it, it soon became just over a meter long, coiling on the ground like a green serpent.
The visual change again left Serperior somewhat dazed as it looked at Kaede.
The last time it saw Kaede from this perspective was when it was a Snivy.
"Hehehe..." Kaede immediately put down the Growlithe, crouched, and looked at the much smaller Serperior, unable to resist stroking its head.
"Serperior...." A more delicate sound than before also came from Serperior.
"Come on, come up! Let me hold you, good girl..." Kaede reached out to Serperior, wanting it to glide up, his heart even more filled with the urge to pick Serperior up.
"Serperior!" But Serperior tossed its head, giving him a fierce glare, then twisted its body and slithered off towards the breeding house.
"Huh?" Kaede crouched behind, bewildered.
He didn't understand why Serperior suddenly gave him the side-eye, dirty look.
Meanwhile, Serperior, slithering ahead, quickly passed through the barn and couldn't help but glance back under the dim streetlamp at Kaede, still frozen in place.
It couldn't help but think, "Serperior...." (So, he really does prefer smaller sizes... He wants hugs as soon as I'm small, even calls me 'good girl'...)