The system's description was clear: equipping [Wellspring] to a farm Pokémon would boost the power of their healing moves. Common examples included Recover, Heal Pulse, and, most relevantly, Milk Drink.
But from Wade's observations, the traits seemed to affect more than just battle prowess; they subtly enhanced inherent physical qualities. After Ms. Gardevoir equipped [Fairy Body], her charm became almost irresistibly potent. When Lopunny received [Delicate Body], her fur and skin grew impossibly smooth to the touch.
Extrapolating from this, if he equipped [Wellspring] to the Miltank herd, the quality and—more crucially—the quantity of their milk production should see a dramatic rise.
Should I test it?
After a moment's consideration, the idea seemed not only feasible but promising.
"System," Wade thought, his gaze sweeping over the contented herd. "Equip the [Wellspring] trait."
With only fourteen traits available, he strategically chose thirteen of the sturdiest-looking Miltank, reserving the single purple-grade trait.
A series of soft white halos surged from him, settling over the selected Pokémon.
The effect was instantaneous.
The grazing Miltank suddenly stiffened. A strange, profound fullness swelled within their chests. Then, with a unified, distressed chorus of "Mooooo—!", all thirteen collapsed onto the grass, their udders visibly distending, taut and round as overfilled bladders.
[Farm Upgrade Quest III Issued]
Your nurturing has borne unexpected fruit! The Miltank are ready to bestow their bounty. Prepare large buckets and collect the milk!
Reward: Normal Gem (Purple)
"Oh, no."
Wade's heart leapt into his throat. He hadn't anticipated such an… immediate and voluminous reaction.
He sprinted to the dilapidated wooden shed by the pasture, frantically hauling out the stack of large, weathered milk buckets his grandfather had left behind. He never thought they'd see use this soon—or this desperately.
Back in the pasture, the scene was one of bovine crisis. The Miltank trembled, their heavy udders straining. First, a few exploratory streams shot out in fan-like sprays. Then, in an instant, those streams became pressurized geysers.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! FWOOSH!
Amidst a symphony of prolonged, relieved moos, thick columns of rich, creamy milk arced into the air. They crisscrossed, weaving a glistening, milky net that shattered the morning sunlight into a thousand shimmering, golden fragments.
The effect might be… a tad excessive, Wade thought, ducking as a stray fountain nearly drenched him. He abandoned all pretense of technique, simply shoving buckets into position.
One or two overflowing Miltank he could manage. Thirteen at once threatened to turn his pasture into a lactose lake.
"Gardevoir! Lopunny! Emergency! I need backup—!"
Minutes later, a pop of displaced air announced Ms. Gardevoir's arrival via Teleport. She and Lopunny, summoned psychically, froze at the surreal sight: their Trainer scrambling between geysers of milk, soaked to the skin, looking utterly harried as he tried to catch the deluge in wooden pails.
"Gar?!" / "Chu-ru?!"
Before they could fully process the chaos, Wade pulled them into the fray. "No time to explain! Just hold the buckets under them!"
Normally, milking a Miltank required a specific, gentle technique. Today, finesse was irrelevant. Under the overwhelming influence of [Wellspring], Wade and his Pokémon merely had to position a receptacle and wait for nature—supercharged by the system—to take its course.
Gurgle—Glug—THUMP!
As the morning wore on, the sound of milk hitting the bottom of empty buckets was a steady, heavy percussion. Warm, frothy streams filled container after container, swirling into creamy white vortices.
"Gar~"
By the time the sun climbed to its zenith, a thoroughly exhausted Ms. Gardevoir let out a long sigh, leaning against a now-quiet Miltank.
[Farm Upgrade Quest III: COMPLETE]
[Reward Distributed: Normal Gem (Purple) ]
[Note: Continue farm development. Two more quests required for farm level upgrade. ]
The great milking crisis was over. Dozens of wooden buckets sat filled to the brim with still-warm, incredibly rich Moomoo Milk.
"You both… were incredible," Wade said, his own clothes damp and smelling distinctly dairy. He reached out, giving Gardevoir's and Lopunny's heads a grateful, affectionate ruffle. "I couldn't have handled that alone."
Without their swift, chaotic help, his farm might have become the site of Sinnoh's first and most bewildering dairy disaster.
"Chu-ru-ru~" Lopunny hummed softly, her ears twitching happily under his touch as she shyly ducked her head.
Ms. Gardevoir, as ever, let a sly smile curl her lips. Her tongue darted out to trace them, her face flushed not from exertion but from anticipation, already cataloging the "rewards" she would claim from her impressively capable Trainer tonight.
"Moo~"
Around them, the relieved Miltank sighed contentedly, settling back onto the soft grass, their expressions one of profound comfort.
The unexpected dairy marathon had completely derailed the day's original plan to forage for Spinarak silk in Hiyori Forest. But as setbacks went, this was a spectacular one.
Surveying the rows of wooden buckets brimming with fresh, frothy milk, Wade's curiosity got the better of him. He dipped a finger and brought it to his lips.
The taste was remarkable—sweet as morning dew, with a rich, clean creaminess that lingered pleasantly. It was undoubtedly the highest quality ordinary Moomoo Milk he'd ever tasted.
And yet… it still couldn't hold a candle to the private reserve from his unique, shiny Miltank. That milk was in a league of its own. The thought instantly rendered any commercial milk utterly mundane by comparison. Nothing beats the homegrown, personal batch, he decided with private satisfaction.
As the amber light of dusk began to paint the sky, the familiar, blaring horn of Yoshino's truck echoed from the farm's entrance.
HONK! HONK-HONK!
The burly trader, a shadow of stubble on his jaw, pushed the door open and hopped out with his usual energy.
"Been a couple of days, kid!" Yoshino boomed, then froze mid-step, his greeting dying on his lips. His eyes widened as they took in the transformed farmland. "Whoa now. You did all this? It hasn't even been a week!"
Where there had been bare earth, a sea of vibrant green now shimmered. The sprouts of Leppa Berry Grain and Gungun Beans dotted the fields like emerald constellations against the dark soil. The herb garden showed promising growth, and in the dappled shade, the specialty mushrooms were already pushing through their leafy blanket. The entire farm hummed with palpable vitality.
Wade offered a modest smile. "I can't take the credit. It's all thanks to my partners here."
Shaking off his astonishment, Yoshino's business sense kicked in. "So, what have you got for me today?"
In response, a series of heavy wooden buckets began floating toward them, guided by a soft pink glow—Gardevoir's Psychic in action.
"This is… Moomoo Milk?" Yoshino leaned in, his experienced eyes scanning the contents before darting back to Wade in surprise. He hadn't pegged the young farmer for a dairy operation so soon.
He didn't wait for confirmation. With a practiced motion, he dipped a thick finger into the nearest bucket, tasted it, and his eyebrows shot up.
"Outstanding quality," he breathed, genuine awe in his voice.
In his line of work, he'd sampled milk from countless herds. Standard Miltank milk was often thin, slightly cloudy, and carried a grassy aftertaste that required factory processing to mask.
This was something else entirely.
It was a pure, flawless white, luxuriously thick, and burst with a natural sweetness that coated the palate. This milk, he realized with a dealer's thrill, could be sold premium, straight from the bucket. It was easily several tiers above the homogenized product dominating the League's supermarkets.