"Hmm…"
In the quiet of its cave, Ogerpon stared blankly at the scattered items strewn across the ground.
It wanted to craft a gift for Natsume, but something always felt off. No matter how many versions it made, none of them seemed satisfactory.
So, Ogerpon kept revising and retrying, resulting in the current mess.
Clearly, Ogerpon was deeply frustrated.
"Hmm…"
Standing up, it began pacing back and forth in the cave.
This habit was something it had picked up while watching TV with Corvisquire. On TV, whenever a protagonist paced around, they always seemed to come up with solutions to their problems.
Ogerpon thought this method might not only aid in thinking but maybe even boost its IQ.
Unfortunately, reality didn't align with Ogerpon's expectations.
Despite nearly wearing down the cave floor with its pacing, Ogerpon still couldn't come up with a good idea.
Even after digging out all its precious treasures, the results were still underwhelming.
To put it lightly, its creations leaned heavily into abstract art.
Somewhere between "ugly" and "interesting" lay a realm Ogerpon reluctantly called "hideously unique."
"Hmm!"
Clutching its head, Ogerpon let out a wail of despair.
Why don't I have any artistic talent?!
How do those people on TV effortlessly create masterpieces?!
For the first time, Ogerpon fully understood the pain of lacking natural talent.
After some melodramatic squirming, twitching, shadowy creeping, and frenzied screaming, it suddenly fell silent.
Lying motionless on the ground as if in a sage-like trance, it stared blankly at the barren walls.
After a moment of rest, Ogerpon flipped itself upright with a determined twist. It resumed its craftwork, aspiring to create a gift as beautiful as the ones on TV.
That's the difference between a novice and an expert.
Beginners—or self-taught enthusiasts—often instinctively compare their work to masterpieces they've seen, only to feel dissatisfied and disheartened, doubting their skills.
Experienced veterans, however, focus on finding a few merits in their work, "adjust their expectations," and conclude: Ignoring the ugly parts, it's actually not bad.
"Mee?"
In the corner of the spacious cave, a pair of bright blue eyes emerged, observing Ogerpon's struggles with great interest.
The hidden observer pulled out a phone, snapping photos of Ogerpon hard at work.
Satisfied with the pictures, the mysterious Pokémon left quietly, ensuring Ogerpon remained blissfully unaware that its "secret base" had been discovered.
Whether it was due to Ogerpon being too relaxed or the other Pokémon's excellent stealth, the visit went unnoticed.
---
"Thanks, Zorua."
Back on the farm, Natsume browsed through the photos Zorua had taken, flipping through shots of Ogerpon in action.
In the images, Ogerpon could be seen fiddling with various items, its focused profile occasionally visible.
While scrolling, Natsume instinctively reached out to scratch under Zorua's chin.
"Suosuo."
Zorua didn't resist. Instead, it tilted its head up, exposing its chin for easier access, purring contentedly as Natsume's fingers scratched with just the right pressure.
It looked just like a clingy little kitten.
The sight reminded Natsume of a Skitty that lived next door when he was younger—an adorable little cat he absolutely adored.
The only issue was that petting Skitty in front of Persian sometimes felt a little… morally ambiguous.
And maybe… just a tiny bit thrilling (crossed out).
Now, Zorua's behavior bore a striking resemblance to that Skitty.
"Well, it looks like everything's fine," Natsume said, his earlier worries dissipating after seeing Ogerpon's situation.
"Hmm? What's this?"
His fingers unintentionally swiped to the next photo, and a new set of images appeared on the screen—ones unrelated to Ogerpon.
"Suosuo…"
Zorua froze, its entire body stiffening as its gaze darted nervously.
Just as it tried to sneak away, Natsume gently placed a hand on the back of its neck.
The grip wasn't forceful, but it carried a weight of authority that made Zorua feel as if even the slightest movement would spell doom.
Pinned by the scruff of fate.
For feline-like creatures, no matter how strong they are, the back of their necks is often their Achilles' heel.
In theory, you could single-handedly take them down just by grabbing this spot (crossed out).
"So, care to explain this?"
Natsume held up the phone, showing the gallery filled with 100 to 200 photos of him and Mei, all taken from various angles.
Some were close-ups that seemed almost in his face, making it clear these were candid shots taken without his knowledge.
To Natsume's surprise, Zorua's photography skills were quite impressive, far surpassing his own.
"Suosuo?"
Feigning innocence, Zorua tilted its head and put on a wide-eyed, innocent expression.
But combined with its naturally sly fox-like face, it didn't look entirely trustworthy.
"Is that so?"
"Suosuo."
Of course! I'm a mature fox, and mature foxes don't lie.
"Well, if you say so…"
Natsume gave Zorua's head a firm rub before scooping it up and casually tossing it onto the ground.
Zorua landed gracefully, shook its tail, and sauntered off.
As for the phone? That didn't matter. Since Natsume had bought it, Zorua figured it could just borrow it later.
Before leaving, Zorua gave a cheeky little butt wiggle, eliciting a chuckle from Natsume.
It's just like a kid, he thought, shaking his head as he pulled out his phone to browse forums.
Though most posts were from trainers, occasionally there'd be some on Pokémon farming and ranching techniques, which Natsume found quite helpful.
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