Thanks to a lifetime of absorbed Pokémon knowledge—from countless animated episodes and game guides—Wade was confident in his milking technique. Slipping on a pair of work gloves, he followed the method etched in his memory, applying a firm, rhythmic pressure from top to bottom.
Soon, a steady stream of warm, creamy milk began to flow, glug-glugging pleasantly into the waiting wooden bucket.
"Moo~"
The Miltank let out a long, contented sigh, closing its eyes to bask in the warm morning sun and the soothing rhythm.
"Hmm?"
Returning from hanging the damp bedding outside, Gardevoir found the Trainer rummaging through storage crates in the main room. A weathered travel backpack lay open. Into it went a heavy-duty flashlight, several bottles of Potion and Antidote, a coil of sturdy rope…
Are we embarking on a wilderness expedition?
"Not an expedition," Wade said, sensing her unspoken question. He looked up and gave her a fond head rub. "Just a local trip. This afternoon, we're heading into Hiyori Forest to collect some Spinarak silk."
With the farm's immediate tasks handled, it was time to return to the original plan: gather materials, weave a net, and finally tap into the lake's potential.
"Master, don't forget these~"
Lopunny gently tugged his sleeve from the side. When he turned, the bunny girl—back in her sensible Pokémon form—was holding out several cans of Repel Spray.
"Repel. Good thinking, thank you." Besides warding off mundane insects, the spray's distinctive scent helped deter curious wild Pokémon. Even with Gardevoir's formidable protection, it never hurt to be prepared.
"Miltank, the farm is in your care while we're gone," Wade said, giving the milk cow loli's cheek a final, gentle pinch after securing his backpack. Someone needed to hold the fort; leaving a farm unattended was an open invitation for wild Pokémon to cause havoc.
"Mhm-mhm~!" she nodded, her expression solemn with responsibility.
Then, her large, clear eyes softened, and she added in a whisper, "Master… please come back early. Otherwise… it might overflow again~"
"I'll be back before you know it," he promised.
With final instructions given, Wade set out with his two partners towards the dense greenery of Hiyori Forest.
"Chu-ru-ru!"
Lopunny, thriving in the open air, trotted ahead, her ears perked with excitement as she took in the new scents and sights. She clearly loved these little adventures.
Ms. Gardevoir, walking beside Wade, cast a subtle, sidelong glance his way. Her fragrant pink tongue darted out to wet her slightly dry, jade-colored lips.
Hmm… An excursion into the wild… What a perfect opportunity for a little… improvised battle. Should I press him against a sturdy tree, or find a soft patch of moss in a secluded clearing…? Her imagination, ever-fertile, began weaving scenarios more intricate than any spider's web.
Hiyori Forest lay at the tri-border of Hiyori Town, Hearthome City, and Solaceon Town, a renowned haven for Bug and Grass-type Pokémon. Following a winding dirt path alongside a babbling stream and over a gentle hill, the trio soon beheld the forest proper—a serene, valley-like expanse of deep green.
"Sha."
With an elegant wave of her hand, Gardevoir condensed her psychic energy into a shimmering blade. With a few swift swish-swish-swishes, she cleared the overgrown brambles blocking their path, unveiling the forest's inner sanctum.
A narrow trail meandered ahead, flanked by ancient, towering trees that formed a majestic canopy. Sunlight fought its way through the rustling leaves, fracturing into shifting, dappled patterns on the rich, dark soil.
Lopunny stepped onto the soft earth, her heart light with the sheer beauty of the primeval scene.
"Yari!"
A sudden rustle! A Bidoof, its cheeks stuffed comically full, scurried out from the undergrowth, only to freeze under Wade's direct gaze. Its fur puffed up, it tucked its legs, and vanished in a blur of brown panic—but not before dropping a plump berry.
Moments later, the little glutton crept back, eyes darting nervously. It snatched the fallen berry, stuffed it back into its already-bulging mouth, and disappeared for good this time.
Wade's primary goal was clear: locate Spinarak nests and harvest their remarkably strong silk. If fortune smiled, he might also encounter a Pokémon that knew Grassy Terrain. Such a partner would be invaluable for maintaining his pastures and boosting future crop yields.
With a plan forming, he turned to his most perceptive companion. "Gardevoir, please. Use your psychic senses to scan the area. Look for hidden places, pockets of still energy."
Spinarak were ambush predators. They spun their incredibly strong, near-invisible webs in dark, secluded nooks, then waited with inhuman patience for days, utterly motionless, for prey to stumble into their silent traps.
In a forest this vast, attempting to spot a colony of shadow-dwelling Spinarak with the naked eye was a fool's errand—like searching for a single, specific needle in a haystack while blindfolded.
"Sha~"
Following her Trainer's command, Ms. Gardevoir's eyes slid shut. A profound, invisible wave of psychic energy pulsed out from her in a perfect, expanding circle, gently probing the surroundings.
Moments later, the information began filtering back through her Extrasensory.
"Churu?" Lopunny tilted her head, sensing her partner's focus.
"Shh."
Wade gently stroked Lopunny's ears to soothe her, then held his breath, pulling them both lower behind the cover of a thick, leafy bush.
The forest seemed deceptively peaceful. A soft breeze whispered through the canopy. Two Caterpie inched lazily up a mossy trunk. Dozens of Pineco hung like silent, wooden ornaments from the higher branches. A handful of Spinarak rested motionless on their silken perches, seemingly enjoying a lazy afternoon.
But Wade didn't order an attack. He waited, trusting Gardevoir's scan.
Spinarak and their evolved form, Ariados, were communal hunters. They used interconnected webs not just as traps, but as a vibrational network to sense prey and communicate. A wild encounter here wasn't a regulated Gym battle; it was a tactical ambush. Many species used weaker members as visible bait to lure in unsuspecting targets, only for the main force to swarm from concealment.
"Sha…"
After a tense minute, Gardevoir's brow furrowed slightly. The psychic feedback confirmed the Trainer's suspicion. The visible Spinarak were decoys. Concealed in the dense foliage of the nearby treetops, lying in wait, were over thirty more—a mix of Spinarak and likely a few Ariados—their predatory intent a sharp, collective spike in her psychic awareness.
In raw power, they were no match for her. But numbers and the element of surprise were formidable allies.
Wade sighed inwardly. Illusion and reality, patience, deception… Without Gardevoir's reconnaissance, they'd have walked straight into a coordinated trap.
Just then, a flash of light green caught his eye. A small, bouncing figure emerged from the undergrowth a short distance away.
"Is that… a Petilil?"
Wade's eyes widened slightly as he made out the details. The petite, adorable Grass-type seemed utterly oblivious, hopping cheerfully along the forest path without a care.
She didn't see the nearly invisible strands of silk crisscrossing her path.
Twang.
With a soft, sticky sound, she blundered directly into the web. The adhesive threads instantly ensnared her delicate form, pinning her in place.
The reaction from the shadows was instantaneous. The previously motionless "decoys" twitched. From the treetops above, a chorus of faint, skittering clicks erupted. The trap had been sprung—but on a different, helpless victim.
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