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"Let me see that!"
Eric moved closer, squatting down to examine the pit that Arven had dug.
As he looked into the small hole, his brows furrowed deeply. The potato seeds, which had been evenly distributed in the soil, had disintegrated into fine powder.
Arven clapped the dirt off his hands and naturally turned to Swampert's carefully controlled Water Gun to wash them. As he cleaned up, he commented, "I honestly didn't expect you, Eric, to be unaware of something so basic."
Swampert shifted awkwardly as though it were partly responsible for the mishap.
Arven explained, "Grass-type Pokémon can accelerate the growth of plants and crops, but the seeds must be in a state where they can absorb nutrients and energy."
He continued, glancing at Serperior, "Your Serperior is far too powerful. The energy and nutrients it provided were likely far too concentrated, causing the seeds to… well, 'explode' from overconsumption."
Eric and Serperior exchanged an embarrassed look, and Swampert, thinking it had escaped critique, was not spared.
Arven pointed at it next, saying, "And Swampert's Water Gun was probably the same. It's too pure and full of concentrated water energy. This caused the seeds to absorb more than they could handle."
Eric fell silent, frustration evident on his face. He pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered to himself. After a moment, he looked up at Arven, his voice tinged with embarrassment. "So… to ensure the seeds grow properly, we need weaker Pokémon or tools to nurture them?"
Arven nodded in agreement, but then added, "Or you can teach Serperior Grassy Terrain. That way, its power can be utilized properly without harming the crops."
Eric's eyes lit up as he turned to Serperior. "That's an excellent idea! Serperior, what do you think?"
Serperior's response was an elegant shake of its head, combined with a dignified expression.
Eric sighed and turned back to Arven, forcing a chuckle. "It seems Serperior isn't capable of learning Grassy Terrain now… or maybe it just doesn't want to."
Arven frowned slightly but then shrugged. "Then the best course of action is to recruit Grass-type Pokémon that specialize in supporting plants. I've read that many farms use Pokémon with Grassy Terrain or similar abilities to nurture their crops efficiently."
Eric nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. I suppose I'll have to search the wilds for some suitable Grass-types."
He turned to the incubator holding the mysterious Pokémon egg. As usual, there was no visible change. He sighed, hoping that either the arrival of the nutrients from Dragonite or the return of Luxray's group with a Fire-type Pokémon possessing Flame Body would help soon.
Arven curiously peeked at the incubator. "Is this Pokémon egg you've picked up, Eric?"
Eric nodded. "It's an egg I'm caring for on someone's behalf. It hasn't hatched in years, so we're trying everything we can to help it."
Arven's expression softened, and he gently touched the incubator. "You've been through a lot, haven't you? Don't worry; with Eric here, you'll hatch in no time!"
Eric smiled at the boy's words, then added, "By the way, when you return home, could you ask your mom and dad if they have any ideas? They're brilliant scientists, after all."
Arven's smile faltered for a moment but quickly recovered. "I'll ask them," he replied softly.
Eric gave him a grateful nod. "Thanks. So, want to join me? I'm heading out to the wild to see if I can find any suitable grass types for the farm."
Arven's face brightened instantly. "Sure!"
After leaving Swampert to watch over the farm and the egg, Eric packed some supplies into a canvas bag, took Serperior along, and set off with Arven and Mabosstiff into the wilds.
---
The wild was alive with activity. A sudden burst of fire streaked through the sky, leaving scorched trails in the surrounding grass.
Eric quickly moved to shield Arven. "Serperior, lightly! Use Vine Whip to catch it."
Serperior responded gracefully, its two vibrant green vines snapping through the air like whips. Despite their speed, they were precise, wrapping securely around the fiery projectile mid-flight and yanking it to the ground.
The culprit, a Fletchinder let out a distressed cry as it landed among several fainted Fletchlings scattered across the grass.
Eric scanned the skies above, frowning. "No sign of any Fletchinder with Flame Body. Looks like this flock doesn't have what we're looking for."
He turned to Serperior. "Let's move on. We still need to find those Grass-types."
As they ventured deeper into the wild, Arven suddenly sneezed. Confused, he reached into his mouth and pulled out a small tuft of white cotton.
Eric, seeing this, immediately brightened. "Perfect! Arven, you just found a sign of what we're looking for Cottonee!"
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