"Chu-ru-lu!"
With a powerful kick of her hind legs, Lopunny shot into the farmland like a loosed arrow. A plume of rich, dark soil erupted in her wake as she plunged beneath the surface. She moved through the earth not like a digger, but like a water dragon swimming through a river—a sinuous, powerful force that churned and aerated the once rock-hard ground.
"Gar~"
Gardevoir watched, a curious tilt to her head.
Underground, Lopunny began to spin. Faster and faster, until she became the heart of a localized tornado. Soil, pebbles, and fragmented roots were caught in the vortex, forming a churning, brown cyclone above the field. Where it passed, perfect, deep furrows were carved into the earth, the freshly turned soil gleaming like wet chocolate in the sunlight.
Moments later, her head popped back above ground. She gave a vigorous shake, sending clods of mud flying, and the miniature whirlwind dissipated into a settling dust.
[Farm Upgrade Quest I: COMPLETE]
Reward Distributed: Premium Leppa Berry Seeds (x500), Premium Gungun Bean Seeds (x200), Mystery Candy (x3).
"Excellent work."
Wade approached, smiling as he ruffled the fur between Lopunny's long ears.
"Chu-ru-lu~"
At the casual brush of his fingertips against her cheek, a fresh wave of warmth flooded her. She ducked her head, a blush blooming beneath her cream-colored fur.
"Here, Lopunny. A treat for you."
Like a magician performing a trick, Wade produced a Candy wrapped in shimmering blue foil. Lopunny's amber eyes widened.
"Chu?" Though curious, she didn't hesitate. Trusting his offer, she opened her mouth and let him place the Candy on her tongue. It dissolved instantly, a burst of sweet, energizing flavor.
Her intuition had been right.
[Lopunny consumed a Mystery Candy. Level increased to 25.]
"The effect is quite potent," Wade mused, pleased. Almost without thinking, he fed her the remaining two Candies in quick succession.
[Level increased to 27.]
[Level increased to 28.]
Ding. Ding. Ding.
With three crisp, satisfying chimes, Lopunny's power visibly swelled. She stood a little taller, her presence more defined, her energy buzzing at a higher frequency.
"How does it feel?" Wade asked, watching as she closed her eyes, savoring the new strength coursing through her limbs.
"Chu-ru-lu!" she chirped after a moment, her voice bright with exhilaration. She felt incredible!
[Hint: Lopunny learned Headbutt.]
"Gar~"
A soft sound, laden with implication, came from his other side. The pale, elegant figure of Gardevoir glided closer, the faint, intoxicating scent of her perfume—or perhaps just her natural aura—wrapping around him.
Master, her psychic voice breathed directly into his mind, heavy with unspoken expectation. And what about mine?
Her beautiful emerald eyes blinked slowly, a deep, palpable longing swirling in their depths.
"Oh, Gardevoir, yours is right—" Wade's hand dove into his pocket automatically, then froze. His expression stiffened.
Oh.
He'd just… absentmindedly fed all three Candies to Lopunny.
He looked from the blissfully content Lopunny to Gardevoir, whose gaze had grown dangerously soft—the kind of soft that promised she would very much like to smother him with a certain snow-capped peak. A sharp pang of guilt lanced through him.
"Gar~"
The ever-perceptive Gardevoir needed no explanation. She let out a quiet, wounded huff, then turned a teary-eyed glance upon him.
How could you be so unfair, Master? Whether it was becoming your Pokémon or being your first… in every way, I was first!
Her eyebrows drew together in a picture of profound woe, like a wife abandoned for years, weeping bitter tears at her husband's return.
"H-how about I owe you one?" Wade stammered, his heart giving an anxious flutter under her devastated stare. "Next time I get some, you're first in line!"
He was desperately trying to salvage the situation.
"No, no, don't cry! Forget 'next time.' This time, I'll grant you a wish. Anything you want."
"Gar!"
In an instant, the pale green figure perked up, deftly wiping the non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes.
I heard that! Master promised. No take-backs.
A sly, triumphant smile bloomed on Gardevoir's lips as she rolled her beautiful eyes. Wade could only sigh in resigned understanding. Once again, he'd been played. She saved her most potent tricks exclusively for him.
"Yes, yes. If I lie, I'm a Mightyena," he swore. "Now, tell me. What reward do you want?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Gardevoir leaned in with a doting, hungry smile. A wave of creamy softness surged freely into Wade's field of view. Had they not been standing in the middle of an open field, he was certain his "little obsessed girl" would have already been upon him.
"Gar~"
She brought a slender finger to her lips, licking it slowly with deliberate hunger. First, she held up six fingers. Then, she flashed all ten.
"You can't possibly be planning to skip meals—" Wade retorted, ungraciously flicking her forehead.
"Gar!" Gardevoir covered the spot, her expression shifting to one of imminent, theatrical tantrum!
"No. At most…" Wade ignored her faux tears, pretending to think deeply. He held up nine fingers, paused for dramatic effect, then slowly extended three more.
Why? That's too little!
Gardevoir stared at her Trainer's final count, her head shaking side-to-side like an agitated Rattle-Drum.
How can it only be three times? I wouldn't even be properly warmed up!
But under the weight of Wade's unwavering stare—a look that promised no further negotiation—she finally let her shoulders slump in a sigh of defeat. She gave a reluctant, tiny nod.
After all… he had eventually shown her a zero.
Alright, fine. Three times it was.
Between going unsatisfied and getting nothing at all, Gardevoir knew which was the wiser bargain.
"Gar~"
Hmph!
Then I'll go back first!
The unsatisfied Psychic-type puffed out her cheeks in a show of temper, tossed her hair with a dramatic flourish, and vanished with a soft pop of Teleport.
"Chu-ru-lu~?"
Lopunny, who had watched the entire exchange from the sidelines, tilted her head, her face a canvas of pure, adorable confusion.
Why hadn't she understood any of that?
And what kind of secret deal was Master Wade making with Sister Gardevoir?
"If you don't understand, don't worry about it," Wade said, his voice warm with amusement. He reached out and ruffled the fur on her head, his fingers naturally finding their way to the base of her long, impossibly soft ears. He gave them an idle, affectionate stroke. "Just be a good girl and don't ask too many questions."
He continued to tease the flustered Lopunny, playing with the sensitive ears until the very tips flushed a deep, embarrassed pink and she let out a soft, involuntary squeak. Only then did he withdraw his hand with a chuckle.
"Just remember one thing," he added, his tone turning mock-serious. "You absolutely must not learn any bad habits from your Sister Gardevoir."
"Chu-ru-lu~!"
Lopunny could only duck her head, the blush now spreading from her ears down her neck.
"Alright. Let's head back for dinner."
By now, the sun's last afterglow was bleeding from the sky, and the vast land was being gently draped in the prelude to night. While the system had generously provided seeds, planting in the dark was a fool's errand. That was tomorrow's project.
Actually, Wade mused as he led the way back toward the warm glow of the Wooden Cabin, I should install a line of streetlights along this path. It would make nighttime patrols much easier. And perhaps… it would set the stage for a future camping trip with Gardevoir and the others. Lying in the grass, counting the stars as they blinked to life, lulled to sleep by soft lantern light—that was the kind of serene, pastoral beauty he'd always associated with the Pokémon world.
"Chirp~"
The young Lopunny trailing behind him was lost in her own thoughts, her mind replaying the sensation of his fingers tracing the sensitive inner curve of her ears. That tingling, electric numbness… she'd never realized her own body could react so intensely to a simple touch.
But after a few more paces, a new thought cut through her reverie. Miss Lopunny, now somewhat composed, pursed her lips into a pronounced, indignant pout.
What!
She glared at the broad back of her Trainer, a bubble of frustration rising in her chest.
Who's a child?!
I'm clearly… I'm clearly very well-developed, okay?!