They reached the farmnd. Kora squatted down, examining the soil. "This soil is excellent," she remarked, "perfect frowing crops."

  Naoki, remembering the farming game he used to py, inquired, "Ms. Kora, do you have any automatic watering maes? The kind that be ied into the soil and water pnts automatically?"

  He envisioned a sprinkler system like those in the game. As the ranch expanded and more crops were pnted, he might not be able to maering everything himself. An automatic sprihat could water the surrounding area each m would save him a lot of time and effort.

  But his hopes were quickly dashed.

  Kora shook her head apologetically. "I'm afraid those do."

  Naoki sighed. Of course, games were just games.

  "But there is aype of automated irrigation system," Kora added.

  "Oh?"

  "You y underground pipes and install faucets throughout the field," she expined. "Then, using a timer, you set it to automatically spray water at specific times."

  "The kind of device you're thinking of, the ohat magically produces water from thin air, does, at least not yet."

  Naoki was intrigued. " your shop install such a system?"

  "Absolutely," Kora replied, a hint of pride in her voice.

  "But it's quite expensive. A system that covers the entire farmnd would cost around 30,000 to 40,000 Pokédolrs. The pipes, pumps, and timer are retively affordable individually, but the cost adds up quickly when you need a rge quantity."

  Naoki uood. While 30,000 to 40,000 Pokédolrs wasn't an exorbitant amount, it was beyond his current budget.

  As if sensing his financial straints, Kora offered an alternative. "Of course, there's another way to water your crops."

  "How?" Naoki asked, curious.

  Kora smiled. "Water-type Pokémon. They use their Water-type moves to help with irrigation."

  "Iy, some wild Pokémon work alongside humans," she tinued. "Pelipper works as a transporter, Machoke works in struachamp helps with moving. You've probably seen them, right?"

  Naoki hadn't, but the inal owner had.

  He nodded.

  "Pokémon have simple needs," Kora expined. "As long as we provide them with food and shelter, they're willing to help us. This cooperation is one of the reasons why the retionship between humans and Pokémon has bee so harmonious over the years."

  Pokémon no longer had tle to find food or pete with others for berries. They had shelter from the elements and a sense of purpose. What more could a Pokémon ask for?

  This method of watering was certainly more cost-effective than an automated system.

  "All it takes is a berry, a bottle of milk, and a little food to get a free and obedient pokemon." Naoki marveled.

  The idea sparked a thought in his mind. Could he potentially hire hundreds of Pokémon to help run the ran the future, while he rexed on the sofa and watched the money roll in? What a capitalistic dream!

  He quickly shook his head, dispelling the thought.

  "Wouldn't people abuse this system and foron to work?" he asked Kora, his brow furrowed with .

  Kora respohoughtfully, "It depends on the person. If they treat Pokémon as mere tools, the Pokémon will se and bee unhappy, refusing to work or evealiating against their employer."

  "If someories to foron to work through violence, well, that's strictly forbidden by the League. Officer Jenny would be on the case immediately."

  "But if a persos Pokémon as partners, friends, or family, w and living alongside them, thehe toughest jobs would be pleted with enthusiasm and cooperation."

  Naoki nodded, abs her words.

  Kora tiheir tour of the ranch. It was mostly empty, save for the farmnd and a small cave behind the house. The cave was cool, dark, and damp, a perfect spot to escape the summer heat.

  Kora stepped inside, her eyes sing the space. "This would be a great pce to grow mushrooms!" she excimed.

  Naoki had been thinking the same thing.

  "As it happens, I have a mushroom cultivation kit," Kora tinued. "If you pce it in a damp, dark enviro, you harvest fresh, edible mushrooms every day. Would you be ied? It's not expensive, only 5,000 Pokédolrs."

  5,000 Pokédolrs.

  The price was indeed reasonable. If he could grow his own mushrooms, he wouldn't have to travel into town to buy them.

  Naoki nodded eagerly. He would buy it!

  Kora smiled. "Alright, I'll bring it with me tomorrow when I e with the stru team."

  "Thank you!" Naoki replied.

  Kora nodded and, seeing that it was getting te, bid Naoki farewell and rode her Cyclizar back to town.

  .....

  The m, Naoki reparing breakfast when he heard the rumbling of a trugiside. He stepped out to see a truck den with tools parked in front of the ranch.

  Kora hopped out, followed by her Cyclizar and a stru crew.

  "Good m, Naoki!" Kreeted him.

  "Good m, Ms. Kora!" Naoki replied with a smile.

  "We're ready to start stru today," Kora said. "It should take about three days. Feel free to leave it to us."

  "Will do."

  Despite her assuranaoki couldn't help but be curious. He grabbed a sandwich, joined Koraidon and Cyclizar uhe eaves, and watched the stru team get to work.

  Under Kora's dire, stru workers unloaded the wood and stone Naoki had prepared.

  Kora then carried several wooden boxes filled with soil to the cave behind the house. "These are the mushroom cultivation kits," she expined. "Just pce them in the cave, and mushrooms will grow on their own. I'll get these set up first."

  "Thank you," Naoki replied.

  Kora smiled, and ohe boxes were in pce, she rejoined her team. Some workers used saickaxes to shape the wood and stone, while others mixed a t-like substance.

  Kora marked out the area for the chi coop with measuring tools and white powder.

  With the crops growing steadily and little else to do on the ranaoki decided to pass the time by fishing at the river while the stru.

  Koraidon, seeing him with the fishing rod, eagerly wao use Collision Course again, but Naoki quickly stopped him.

  Koraidon looked at him, puzzled.

  "Don't worry," Naoki expined, "I'm just fishing for fun this time."

  He would have plenty to do ohe chi coop was finished.