After tea, Lucas took Growlithe and set off from the farm on the outskirts, heading to Los Platos Town once again.
He had two purposes:
First, to take Growlithe to see Granny Touko and tell her the egg had hatched into a healthy pup.
Also, to buy some more crop seeds and saplings.
Second, to take the Delibird—temporarily kept in a Poké Ball—to visit Nurse Joy at Los Platos Town's Pokémon Center. Lucas could handle regular injuries, but for cases like Delibird's, he needed Joy's professional medical help.
Lucas first headed to the Seed Wholesale shop in the farmer's market.
Because the typhoon and rain had just passed, the ground was still wet and muddy, with signs, flyers, and other debris scattered about. Every business owner was tidying up, and the whole market had a vibe of starting anew.
The seed shop was no exception. Today, Granny Touko wasn't napping in her recliner but was instead bent over with a broom, clearing away standing water.
Granny Touko was wearing a green long skirt that covered her calves, fitting her kind and steady temperament.
When Lucas approached, Granny Touko paused, recognized him, smiled, straightened up, and said, "Ah, Lucas. Haven't seen you for over half a month."
"Long time no see, Granny Touko." Lucas bowed politely. He keenly noticed her actions and asked, despite knowing, "Are you cleaning up, Granny?"
Granny Touko nodded, "Yes, if standing water isn't cleared, it starts to stink, and the dampness isn't good for seeds that need a dry environment."
"Let me help you." Lucas smiled, picked up a second broom, and started sweeping.
Growlithe jumped onto a drier spot and barked encouragement.
Granny Touko was going to turn him down, but Growlithe's barking caught her attention. With her reading glasses on, she could see the Pokémon clearly and asked uncertainly, "Eh, could this be…?"
Lucas nodded, "Yes, the egg you entrusted to me hatched into this healthy Growlithe."
Granny Touko dropped her broom, splashing water on her skirt, but she didn't care about such details. She walked over, squatted down, and examined Growlithe closely.
Growlithe didn't mind being stared at. Though he had no memory of Granny Touko, her gentle grandma's aura made him comfortable.
Granny Touko hesitated, then reached out her aged hand to pet Growlithe.
Growlithe didn't hesitate, pushing his head forward and wagging his tail, enjoying the petting.
"So warm..." Granny Touko's smile widened, her eyes kind.
She recalled her son leaving this cold, never-hatching egg with her and leaving with a guilty look. After that, the egg never hatched, and her son visited less often.
She did all she could, but still, the egg wouldn't hatch.
Fortunately, Lucas appeared.
Granny Touko truly felt she'd done the right thing entrusting the egg—and now Growlithe—to Lucas.
With slightly reddened eyes, Granny Touko looked at Growlithe and softly said, "Though it's late, I still want to say: Welcome to this world, little one!"
Lucas, still sweeping, smiled, his mood greatly improved.
Having accomplished his first goal, Lucas bought more seeds at Granny Touko's shop, preparing for planting back at the farm.
Then, with warm farewells from Granny Touko, he went deeper into the market to find a man named Zack, a fruit sapling wholesaler.
Zack didn't have many varieties—just the common Pecha, Oran, and Sitrus saplings. Rarer saplings would only be available in bigger cities.
As for truly rare saplings, like Salac, Haban, or Starf trees, those are impossible to come by. Farms with those treat them as lifelines.
Lucas, who had been studying up, now knew that Berry trees in the Pokémon world are usually grown from the seeds of their fruit, and the rarer the berry, the lower the germination rate.
Of course, this only applies to berry trees. Ordinary fruit trees are much easier to grow.
On Zack's recommendation, Lucas bought five each of Pecha, Oran, and Sitrus saplings. Each was 1,000 League coins, plus the seeds from Granny Touko, totaling 19,000 League coins.
Zack personally drove the saplings to the farm. After giving his address, Lucas left the market for the Pokémon Center in the northwest of Los Platos Town.
On the way, he checked his remaining funds.
After buying the chipped teapot and daily necessities, he had 49,114 coins left. Now, after spending another 19,000, he had just over 30,000 coins left—on the verge of bankruptcy.
Still, the end of the month was coming. While Lucas hadn't taught a single class yet, his 50,000-coin probation salary would be deposited on time.
Plus, when he'd collected enough cotton from his Eldegoss, he could auction it off in Porto Marinada's market for some extra cash.
From his studies, Lucas learned that running a farm isn't just about crops—the byproducts of Pokémon have tremendous value.
Moomoo milk from Miltank, Skiddo's goat milk, Tropius's fruit, Shuckle's juice, Wugtrio's blubber, Farfetch'd's leeks, and so on.
Pokémon are like treasure chests full of surprises. If you dig carefully, you'll find treasures.
Lucas's head is full of Pokémon knowledge, and he knows this will be a powerful asset in developing his farm.