After the battle ended, Mimikyu's Terastallization faded, and its ragged body slumped weakly. Dragonite carefully picked it up, eyes sparkling as it communicated with Mimikyu.
Seeing this, Tapu Bulu shook its head.
Even it, Tapu Bulu, had nearly lost that fight. If the ever-scheming Tapu Lele had been in this situation, even it wouldn't have the nerve to say Kai failed the trial.
"Moo~ Moo~"
Tapu Bulu gave Kai a questioning look. It knew that the one undergoing plowing training would be the Mudbray that got along well with it. But which Pokémon was here for Grassy Terrain training?
"Uh, they should be over by the flower field playing right now." Kai's face lit up—Tapu Bulu was easy to talk to! After a good battle, it had straightforwardly agreed to help with the special training. "There are four Pokémon that need Grassy Terrain training. I'll go find—"
Kai turned toward the flower field but stopped mid-sentence. To his surprise, Serperior and the others had already returned at some point. But what really caught his attention was the small, unfamiliar figure nestled among the Eldegoss.
Growlithe wagged its tail excitedly, itching to test whether its head was tougher or Tapu Bulu's shell was harder.
Serperior slithered slowly over to Dragonite and Mimikyu, raising its head high with a proud demeanor. Although Mimikyu had secured them this training opportunity today, Serperior wasn't one to accept benefits without contributing.
Fine. Tonight, it wouldn't fight Mimikyu for the best resting spot. But only for tonight!
Dragonite, who often got pulled into being Kai's personal pillow: (〃'▽'〃)
And that unfamiliar Pokémon among the Eldegoss—wasn't that a Comfey?
This species loved picking beautiful flowers to adorn its vines. The flowers on Comfey's vines wouldn't wither; instead, they remained vibrant, exuding a delightful fragrance that made them popular among many women.
In Alola, Comfey were frequently seen alongside Nurse Joy, using their floral aroma to soothe both patients and injured Pokémon before administering healing treatments.
Remembering this trait, Kai's eyes brightened. He recalled reading a Pokémon psychology book borrowed from Nurse Joy in Cascarrafa, which detailed how Comfey's floral scent could be used in therapy for Pokémon with psychological trauma.
Seeing how well Comfey got along with the Eldegoss, perhaps it could be brought back to Paldea? Not only would the farm gain a support Pokémon for healing, but it might even help with delivering therapy to Delibird!
Still, that was just an idea for the future. Right now, Tapu Bulu was the priority.
Calling Serperior and the Eldegoss over, Kai noticed the Comfey curiously floating nearby, unafraid of people. He smiled but didn't comment on it, turning instead to Tapu Bulu.
"I'd like Serperior and the Eldegoss to learn Grassy Terrain from you. As for Mudbray, it'll undergo plowing training."
Hearing this, Tapu Bulu floated over to the four Pokémon, observing them closely, as if assessing their potential for learning Grassy Terrain.
The three Eldegoss grew a little nervous under its scrutiny. They wanted to master this move to contribute more to the farm.
Serperior, on the other hand, remained indifferent. It had learned Grassy Terrain many times before, so one more time wouldn't make much difference. If it worked out, great; if not, no big deal.
Tapu Bulu first focused on the Eldegoss. After a few moments, it nodded in satisfaction.
These three cotton-topped Pokémon had a decent amount of Grass-type energy within them. They had good potential, so learning the move shouldn't be a problem.
Next, Tapu Bulu locked eyes with Serperior's proud, crimson gaze—only to quickly look away.
For once, Tapu Bulu seemed a bit hesitant. Based on its instincts, this long, elegant Grass Snake Pokémon had an incredibly dense Grass-type energy, clearly no weaker than Mimikyu. Its potential was undeniable…
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However, as one of the island guardians, Tapu Bulu's instincts told it that Serperior probably wouldn't be able to learn Grassy Terrain. And yet, based on Serperior's strength and natural talent, it should be able to pick it up quickly. Tapu Bulu had seen enough to know that much.
After struggling with the contradiction for a while, Tapu Bulu decided to give up on overthinking it.
Whether it was teaching three or four Pokémon, the effort was about the same. It couldn't be bothered to care—whatever happened, happened.
Narrowing its eyes, Tapu Bulu let out a few quick calls toward Kai.
"Moo! Moo!"
Kai's face lit up with joy—Tapu Bulu had accepted the task!
By the afternoon of his second day in Alola, he had already accomplished most of his goals.
Without further delay, Tapu Bulu gave Mudbray a few instructions before letting it continue digging nearby. Meanwhile, it gathered the four Grass-type Pokémon together, ready to start training immediately.
Tapu Bulu's teaching method was both straightforward and direct—it simply demonstrated tree planting in front of them.
Next to the "black soil" it had cultivated earlier while teaching Mudbray Plow, Tapu Bulu tipped its hoof slightly, scattering a few seeds evenly into the freshly turned earth.
Then, it turned to Serperior and the others, signaling for them to watch closely and learn well.
The bells hanging from Tapu Bulu's tail chimed again as ripples of vibrant green energy spread outward. In just a few heartbeats, the seeds, infused with its miraculous power, rapidly sprouted, grew, bloomed, and bore fruit.
A rich, enticing aroma filled the air as fully ripened Oran Berries hung from the newly grown trees—completely defying the natural laws of plant growth. What had been mere seeds moments ago had now become lush, fruit-laden trees.
The three Eldegoss were visibly shaken. Back on the farm, even though they shared their nutrients daily with the planted saplings, those trees had only grown into fragile, windblown shoots.
Yet here, Tapu Bulu had nurtured seeds into fruit-bearing trees in mere moments.
Even Serperior, proud as it was, had to admit—there was simply no comparing itself to a Legendary Pokémon like Tapu Bulu.
Tapu Bulu floated up into the branches, absorbing the energy of the flora before casually plucking several ripe Oran Berries and tossing them down.
From Serperior to the Eldegoss, and even Kai and a pleasantly surprised Kukui, everyone received a share.
Kai caught one of the small, vibrantly fragrant Oran Berries and took a bite. His eyes brightened instantly.
The juice was rich, and the flavor was a perfect balance of sweet and tangy—truly an exceptional Oran Berry!
What's more, after eating it, a gentle warmth spread through his body, easing some of the fatigue that had built up throughout the day.
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