Tropius, a Grass- and Flying-type Pokémon.
Whether in the games or in the anime, it had always been considered a rather obscure species, rarely discussed, rarely seen.
It couldn't evolve, its stats were modest, and its battle performance was nothing extraordinary.
Yet despite that, Tropius possessed a trait few other Pokémon shared.
The Fruit of Harvest.
Around its long neck, golden banana-shaped fruit would periodically grow, sweet and nourishing.
Ordinarily, the fruit only ripened twice a year.
But for a Tropius with the Harvest ability, that cycle could shorten drastically, sometimes new fruit would sprout every couple of days.
In certain regions of the anime's world, entire Tropius ranches existed. People there tended to the gentle creatures, gathering their fruit for sale or saving it as treats for children.
Lucien couldn't help but imagine:
'If a Tropius could be raised within my territory…'
Then they'd have yet another stable source of food.
He looked back toward the distant horizon. Unfortunately, the majestic creature had already flown far away, shrinking into a faint speck in the sky.
Without a Flying-type Pokémon of his own, there was no way to follow.
Lucien sighed in regret, watching until it disappeared completely.
Still, there was one comforting thought, if a Tropius had been spotted here, it meant that somewhere nearby, others might live.
And if they continued to develop this land, someday he would encounter one again.
"Let's head back," he said finally.
He returned to the riverbank, boarded the small wooden boat, and crossed back to his territory.
Elif was already waiting for him. "Your Highness, did you find anything worthwhile?"
Lucien nodded. "I discovered a Pokémon called Mareep. Its wool contains electricity, it can be spun into cloth or woven into carpets. It'll be useful for our settlement."
Then, after a pause, he added:
"Elif, I want a ranch built across the river. Nothing grand, just fence off a plot of land and have the farmers plant grass inside."
Now that they had boats, transporting timber would be easy.
He also intended to introduce a few Grass-type Pokémon to the pasture.
Their natural energy would help the grass grow richer and healthier, providing food for the Mareep.
And in turn, the Grass Pokémon would thrive on sunlight and water, needing little care themselves.
Together, they would form a self-sustaining ecosystem, a perfect, living pasture.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Elif replied eagerly.
Meanwhile, deep within the forest, sunlight filtered through the leaves and glimmered on a towering tree trunk.
There, nestled among the branches, hung a Combee hive.
The massive honeycomb exuded a sweet, golden fragrance. Under the calm direction of their Vespiquen, countless Combee buzzed busily, flying in and out of the hive.
Standing at the foot of the tree were Anna and Zorua, watching the scene with bright smiles.
Their mission, entrusted by Lucien, was complete.
For days, Anna and Zorua had been helping the Combee find flowers, guarding them as they gathered nectar, and even driving away wild beasts that tried to steal the honey at night.
Through patience and kindness, they had earned the Combee's trust, and now even the Vespiquen regarded them as friends.
At that moment, the Vespiquen descended gracefully, carrying a broad green leaf.
Resting atop it was a small pool of translucent golden honey, gleaming like amber and releasing a rich, sweet aroma.
The queen extended it toward Anna.
Anna blinked in surprise. "Is this… for us?"
Vespiquen nodded proudly.
Anna's expression softened. She accepted the gift carefully, her smile bright as sunlight.
She thanked the Vespiquen, then carefully shared the honey with Zorua, the two savoring it together.
"It's so sweet!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly.
Vespiquen's face softened in delight at the sight.
But soon, her smile faded.
Turning around, Vespiquen gazed toward the busy Combee darting in and out of the hive. Her eyes filled with quiet worry.
Lately, the forest had become increasingly dangerous. Almost every day, wild Pokémon came to steal their honey, sometimes even breaking in at night while they slept.
If this went on, the hive's production wouldn't be able to keep up with what was being stolen.
Even though Anna often helped drive off the thieves, Vespiquen knew she couldn't rely on her forever.
Anna couldn't protect them for the rest of their lives.
Vespiquen let out a soft, troubled sigh. "Bee…"
"Huh? Vespiquen, are you… worried?" Anna asked, tilting her head in surprise.
"Bee." Vespiquen nodded gently.
But Anna couldn't understand her exact words.
That's when Zorua, sitting beside them, tilted its head and spoke up softly:
"Zoru?" (You're worried that the honey will all be stolen, aren't you?)
"Bee." Vespiquen looked toward Zorua and nodded again.
Zorua's mind flashed with memory, the task Lord Lucien had entrusted to it and Anna.
It realized this was the perfect moment to fulfill that mission!
"Zoru… zoru." (If you're willing to trust us, I might know a way to help you.)
"Bee?" Vespiquen blinked, looking at Zorua in surprise.
The fox explained patiently, "Zoru." (Outside this forest, humans have built a settlement. Anna and I came from there. That place has been inviting Pokémon to join. If you're willing, you and your hive could come too. The humans there will protect you, and even help you gather nectar.)
At first, Vespiquen didn't look overjoyed. Instead, her eyes narrowed in thought.
'There's no such thing as a free meal… and humans never help others without reason.'
Then she asked slowly, "Bee?"
Zorua replied honestly, "Zoru." (In return, you'll just need to share a small portion of your honey.)
Vespiquen hummed, clearly pondering.
Zorua continued earnestly, "Zoru." (Don't be afraid, they won't take everything from you. The ruler of that land is a kind one. He'll help you and even plant a whole field of flowers so you can live peacefully there.)
Those were Anna's own words, ones Zorua had heard many times. And having lived in Lucien's territory itself, Zorua knew firsthand, those humans never harmed Pokémon. They protected them.
As Zorua spoke, a glimmer of hope shone in Vespiquen's eyes.
If everything the little fox said was true, then maybe her colony could finally live without fear.
Sharing a bit of honey wasn't much of a price to pay.
As long as there were flowers to gather nectar from, they could make more.
Her real concern lay in the forest's shrinking resources. The flowers nearby were already scarce, and once they ran out, her workers would have to fly farther and farther just to find blooms.