"Chululu!"
The instant their eyes met, Lopunny darted forward like lightning, her body blurring in motion.
"Clefable, dodge and use Hyper Voice!"
Clefable's eyes snapped open. With a graceful leap, she narrowly avoided the incoming strike. Then, as her feet touched down, her chest expanded like a drum, antennae glowing a pale gold.
A resonant cry burst forth—clear, bright, and powerful.
"Cle—!"
But before Whitney could even finish calling the move, Lopunny had already jumped again.
Her silhouette flashed through the air, her legs cutting a sharp line like a drawn blade. In one swift motion, she pierced straight through the waves of sound.
Move: High Jump Kick — A fierce aerial kick that deals damage to the foe. The user takes recoil if it misses.
"No way—what?!" Whitney's eyes widened as Clefable was sent flying, crashing through a small tree nearby.
It wasn't that Clefable was weak—far from it. But seeing someone cut through Hyper Voice with sheer technique? That was something Whitney had never witnessed before.
And more shocking still—the Lopunny hadn't even been given a command.
For the first time in a long while, the energetic Gym Leader felt a chill.
Just what kind of power was this Lopunny hiding?
"Chululu…"
Lopunny blinked, staring at the broken branches and her dazed opponent. Even she looked startled by her own strength.
She thought back to last night—after her bath—when she'd noticed… something different about her body.
Had she… gotten stronger somehow?
"Cle…"
Clefable struggled to her feet, her once-snowy face now covered in dust. Luckily, the attack had been a Fighting-type move, and Fairy-types resisted that.
"Clefable, can you still fight?" Whitney called out, concern in her voice.
"Cle!" Clefable nodded firmly, brushing off the dirt.
"Good! Then let's show them what we can do—Moonblast!"
At the same time, Lopunny's eyes flashed.
Not to be outdone, she used Copycat, mimicking her opponent's move perfectly.
The air around the farm erupted into a dazzling storm of energy. Two full moons—one silver, one rose-colored—flared above the battlefield as their powers collided.
Just then, a calm male voice echoed through the chaos:
"Gardevoir. Use Psychic. Stop them."
A pulse of violet-pink energy crashed down between the two Pokémon, swallowing the light.
When the dust settled, both Clefable and Lopunny were lying flat on the ground, fainted but unharmed.
Marzillo sighed softly.
"Next time, try not to go that hard," he muttered helplessly.
"Gar…" Gardevoir shrugged—peace through overwhelming power, as usual.
After a few awkward explanations and apologies, Marzillo finally understood what had happened.
"I'm really sorry for the misunderstanding," he said, bowing slightly. "I'm Marzillo—the owner of this farm. My Lopunny must have mistaken you for trespassers."
Whitney blinked, then broke into a bright smile.
"Oh, no worries! We should've said hello first anyway. I'm Whitney—the Gym Leader of Goldenrod City in Johto. Nice to meet you!"
Marzillo couldn't help taking a longer look.
Her round face glowed with a healthy blush, short cherry-pink hair curling at the tips, and her bright amber eyes sparkled with energy. She radiated a kind of sunny chaos that was hard to dislike.
And then it clicked—Whitney, the "Miltank Girl," the infamous Gym Leader whose rolling Miltank had frustrated countless trainers in his past life's games.
But… what was she doing all the way out here in Sinnoh?
Whitney, meanwhile, was grinning from ear to ear. "That Lopunny of yours—she's amazing! I don't think I've ever seen one fight like that, not even back at the Gym!"
"Thank you," Marzillo said modestly. "She's worked very hard."
"Chululu~" Lopunny chimed in proudly, standing tall with her ears perked up.
"Then, um… could you maybe tell me how you trained her?" Whitney leaned forward eagerly, her eyes sparkling like a kid discovering a new candy store.
Marzillo froze.
How was he supposed to explain that one?
The truth—that Lopunny's growth came partly from the mysterious "Graceful Body" trait—wasn't exactly something you could just say out loud.
He coughed lightly, changing the subject.
"Why don't we head inside first? Standing out here isn't too comfortable."
"Oh—sure," Whitney said, pouting slightly at his evasive tone. But she didn't press further; after all, every trainer had their own secrets.
Once inside the cabin, Gardevoir kindly floated over cups of steaming tea.
"Thanks!" Whitney said cheerfully, Clefable nodding in gratitude beside her.
After a sip, the pink-haired girl took a breath and finally explained her reason for coming.
"Sorry to drop by unannounced, but I'm actually here to fulfill my grandfather's wish."
With a mysterious smile, she pulled out several Poké Balls and tossed them gently into the air.
"From today on, I'm entrusting these little ones to you."
A series of bright flashes filled the room—
"...Miltank?" Marzillo blinked as one after another, round pink shapes appeared in the living room.
Dozens of Miltank blinked curiously up at him, their soft eyes full of innocence. Some mooed gently, others toddled forward and rubbed affectionately against his legs.
He counted—twenty-four. All of them still young.
Whitney giggled at the sight. "Looks like they've already taken a liking to you!"
Seeing his confusion, she explained, "My grandfather used to travel with a man named Mr. Bai—your grandfather, I think. After their journeys, they both settled down and started farms in their hometowns.
When he heard that you'd inherited the Hiyori Town farm, he asked me to bring these little ones over—to help out."
"I see…" Marzillo murmured, a gentle warmth rising in his chest.
So that was it. Out of friendship—and worry for the next generation—Whitney's grandfather had sent this gift across regions.
Miltank milk was a luxury product among trainers; raising them properly could bring both nourishment and profit to the farm.
"Thank you," Marzillo said sincerely, looking at Whitney and the herd of cheerful Miltank. "I'll take good care of them."
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