Chapter 80: Mei Refuses to Comment on Natsume's Taste

"Servine, this is where we'll be staying for a while," Mei said, pulling her small suitcase and looking at the farm before her with a mix of nostalgia and surprise.

It hadn't been that long since she'd left, yet the farm seemed to have undergone significant changes. Even from this distance, she could spot Wooloo and Mareep leisurely wandering around.

Overhead, a shiny golden Pidgeotto soared, leading a flock of Pidgey and other Pidgeotto.

The last time Mei had visited, the Mightyena family was just the parents and three rambunctious Poochyena pups. Now, the pups had all grown into Mightyena themselves, with two clearly inheriting their father's chaotic, husky-like demeanor.

"Hmph."

The Servine at Mei's feet crossed its arms, wearing a sullen expression. Ever since its loss during a gym battle, it had been sulking.

It wasn't just the loss that stung—it was also realizing that the carefully crafted taunts it had prepared for the enemy were ineffective.

To be fair, Mei had always shielded her Servine from harsh realities. As a result, it had little experience with biting comebacks. Its attempts at "trash talk" were more like harmless remarks compared to the razor-sharp retorts of Pokémon like Corviknight.

This realization had fueled Servine's resolve. It was determined to seek out that foul-mouthed "junkyard bird" for guidance.

Not that it liked the bird or anything—this was purely a practical decision. For the time being, it begrudgingly decided to view Corviknight as a fellow Pokémon rather than the annoyance it usually considered it.

"Let me call Natsume and let him know we've arrived," Mei said, pulling out her phone with a sly smile.

She messaged Natsume every day, so by all logic, he should've known she was coming today. However, Mei had kept her actual arrival date a secret, planning to surprise him.

"Hmph," Servine huffed, choosing not to comment on her antics.

The call connected, but before Mei could hear Natsume's voice, a peculiar ringtone echoed nearby.

"Ribbit-ribbit-ribbit…"

A bizarre, almost comically absurd sound rang out. Looking up, Mei saw Natsume standing right in front of her, with a Slowking by his side.

"Natsume!"

"Long time no see, Mei."

"Can't you please change that ringtone?" Mei asked, exasperation evident in her tone.

She had wanted to complain about it for ages. The "music" wasn't music at all—it sounded like a frog being pummeled.

For all his qualities, Mei found Natsume's taste in certain things—like his ringtone and even his fashion choices—utterly baffling.

"Let's move on from the ringtone topic," Natsume said, swiftly deflecting.

"You're not even letting me start, huh?" Mei sighed, realizing there was no point in pressing the matter.

"This is Slowking," Natsume introduced, gesturing to the Pokémon beside him. "Mei, meet our farm's new overseer. During training sessions, Slowking will be helping out."

"Slowking," Mei greeted politely, her thoughts spinning. Was this the same Slowpoke she'd seen lounging by the lake last time?

'Good day, Miss Mei. I'm the boss's newest underling,' a voice suddenly echoed in Mei's mind, startling her.

"Huh?" Mei froze for a moment before responding, "Ah, hello, Slowking. I look forward to working with you!"

She quickly masked her surprise. When did this Slowpoke evolve? And since when could it use telepathy?

More importantly, underling? Why did that sound like something out of a mafia movie?

Mei had heard plenty of stories about the farm from Natsume during their nightly chats. She felt like she was playing a "cloud farming" game, enjoying the vicarious experience of managing a farm while traveling.

But this Slowking seemed… extraordinary. Telepathy and Teleport? That sounded a bit too overpowered for a Slowking.

Before Mei could dwell on it further, Natsume spoke.

"Come on, I'll show you to your room," he offered, hesitating slightly before reaching out for her suitcase. Wasn't it standard for guys to help with this sort of thing?

Not having much experience in relationships, Natsume's knowledge mostly came from online advice—which, as everyone knows, often ranges from terrible to downright ridiculous.

"Ah, thank you," Mei said after a moment's hesitation, handing over the suitcase.

She wasn't one to fuss about these things, but since Natsume had offered, it wouldn't be polite to refuse.

As the two walked ahead, chatting and laughing, Servine and Slowking trailed behind them.

"Slow," Slowking mused. "Ah, youth. Such a sweet time in life. Is this what young love looks like?"

For someone who had only recently evolved, Slowking sure sounded like an old soul.

****************************

Read advanced chapters ahead of everyone else on my P@treon.

p@treon/GodDragcell