victory_road | Day at the races!

Entry tags:

Day at the races!

Who: Everyone!
Where: Moo Moo Farms
When: Saturday, March 20th
Summary:

The day is as lovely as you can expect any early spring day to be. You'll need a coat, yes, and there is a bit of a breeze, but the sun shines happily onto the wooden buildings that make up the Moo Moo Farms where we have all gathered today.

The various farm workers have worked hard to make their farm presentable to the public. Cheerful banners hang between the various sheds, stables and barns, which all have been given a bit of a cleaning (and perhaps a new coat of paint here and there). Of course, it is still a farm, so perhaps don't wear your very best shoes, but as far as farms go, it's been made as neat as can be.

And while the main draws of the day may be releasing the Miltank herd out onto the pasture again after a long winter inside -- whimsically called 'Cow Ballet' on the info sign -- and the Great Tauros Race, Moo Moo Farms has set up various little events and booths to entertain their guests, and perhaps teach them a thing or two about farm life.

A large information sign stands at the gate to the farm, letting visitors know what sort of events are taking place, as well as where and when these are happening. The two big ones -- the Miltank Ballet and the Tauros Race -- are spaced in such a way that people can easily attend both, and most of the other little events are available throughout the entire day.

The Miltank Ballet will be taking place at 1PM over by the big barn. There is little you can do to participate in this (unless you are a cow?), but if you want to watch some ecstatic Miltank dance through the mud and grass after a long winter inside, you should definitely come check this out.

The Tauros Race will start at 4PM (sign ups close at 3PM) and anyone who wants to help give the Tauros a good round of exercise is encouraged and welcome to sign up. There is, according to the sign, a small mystery prize to be won, but surely we are all here because we want to help some cooped up Tauros, right?

In addition to those two big events, two paddocks have been made ready where visitors can test themselves against a Bucking Bronco -- that's his name, Bronco the Bouffalant -- to see how long they can last in the saddle. Due to safety concerns, participants for this event will need to be 16+. For the children, there is a separate rodeo in which they can ride Vaquero the Dubwool, who, for all his seemingly wild behaviour, is actually a very well trained Dubwool who'll make sure no harm comes to the kids.

Of course, while people are free to bring their own food, the Moo Moo Farms have also set up a wide variety of booths where people can buy anything from fresh Moo Moo Milk and milkshakes to freshly made cheese and bread, and oh, is that apple pie? That most certainly is apple pie, as well as various other homey pastries. And as the day goes on, and people might start craving something a little less sweet and more filling, a booth opens up selling various curries. Don't worry, there won't be any Snorlax you need to share with this time!

And for anyone who has found themselves wanting and craving a bovine of their own after all these cute sights, you are in luck! Amidst the various booths, there is also one run by two cheery farm girls, advertising a sale on eggs! All the eggs that are normally available from the Moo Moo Farms can be bought at a whopping 50% discount. Mind that this is only on the purchase price of the egg itself. The price for any additional egg-moves remains the same.

There are also some other, smaller things set up, such a station where you can learn about milking a Miltank and a barrel where you can bob for apples, and even a horseshoe toss game. Most of these are definitely aimed towards teaching and entertaining little kids, but nobody will stop you if you decide to muscle past a row of Youngsters to claim the apple bobbing barrel.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Izuku had been wandering among the various activities and attractions with his little gaggle of Pokemon in tow, similar to Dimitri. Mighty the Eevee and Mirko the Buneary are on the ground following along with him, but Thirteen...the little Duskull still seems to have not wanted to let Izuku go, a trend that has continued since he hatched the morning before. It's actually getting a bit concerning, but he's not sure what he can do about it. That's why he's been trying to find things to amuse the baby Pokemon with in the hopes he will come out of his shell a bit.

The much larger Miltank are plenty to cause Thirteen to shiver and draw back initially, but Izuku presses on while giving them a healthy berth. He doesn't yet plan on participating unless Thirteen is comfortable with it. Maybe he'll warm up to them once they watch a few others interacting with the Pokemon.

That's when Dimitri speaks to him, and when Izuku looks over he doesn't immediately realize who it is he's speaking to. They only ever talked through text, after all. Dimitri should recognize Izuku though, given his post and Pokemon.

"Oh no...I mean, I'm familiar with cows, but I've never milked those either."

"I see.... I have only started to learn how to do so once Gabby became old enough that it was an issue." Miltank need to be milked regularly, after all! Dimitri doesn't want her to feel ill because she has too much inside of her. "However, that was through a recorded instruction I found online. I was hoping to learn better here..."

Well, it will happen when it happens. For now, he focuses properly on - "It is Izuku, isn't it? I am Dimitri. We have spoken, before."

"Oh- Dimitri-san!" Izuku exclaims, his expression shifting with recognition once he introduces himself. Oh the wonders of internet communication. "It's nice to meet you in person! I didn't know you would be here."

It seems like a lot of trainers are here too, actually...Izuku guesses they must have made it from all over the region since it seems like people tend to be pretty spread out.

"If you were able to basically teach yourself how to do it, then I imagine you're probably better at milking a cow than most people here will be."

"Yes, we have all been staying in Olivine for this month," Dimitri explains, smiling a bit as he gently strokes Gabby's head. "We heard about this event being planned as we passed through, and since we were so near already... It was not much trouble to come visit. Besides, Gaibhenenn has not been around many other Miltank, so I thought this would be good for her."

Gabby smiles up at Izuku and his little ghostly carry on, and gives a soft friendly moo. Hey there, ghost friend. What's up?

"I find in person instruction to be much better than using those videos, however... I suppose it feels more natural to me. I do recommend you give it a try; you may find yourself with a Miltank companion as well, or know one of your friends who does."

The best Thirteen can do in reply is give a sort sort of little oooo in response. It's hard to say whether or not that's just what he always says, or if he's mimicking Gabby's mooing.

Meanwhile, would Gabby mind if Izuku petted her, too? There are so many other Miltank here, but he's realizing just now that he hasn't gotten up close and personal with any of them yet.

"You do make a good point...I can't say I'll be very good at it, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try," Izuku remarks as one of the attendants walks up with a Miltank of their own, getting her set up next to a stool and a bucket for milking.

The good news is that Gabby is a good girl, raised by good parents. She allows the petting with a little cow smile, mooing right back at Thirteen.

They might... start up an echo chamber between the two of them.

In the meanwhile, Dimitri just smiles reassuringly. "If it makes you feel any better, it is only slightly awkward at the beginning, I have found. The most troubling thing is finding the right position for the Miltank in question."

Given the fact that Thirteen is a baby...turn that might into a guarantee. Because guess what the little ghost is doing?

OOOOoooooo.

"I can imagine...that, and ah...I wouldn't want to accidentally spook them, you know? That's the easiest way to get yourself kicked..."

And as strong as Izuku is, he doubts he'd take a cow-hoof to the face any better than anyone else.

While the background noise of cow-ghost mooing begins, Dimitri nods with a smile. "You don't have to worry. As long as you talk with them, and let them know what you want to do, they are often good at working with you." He pats Gabby's head again, and earns a little smile.

"At any rate, take a seat. It is much easier to work with them when you are sitting down like this; I don't believe that Miltank grow to be bigger than a human."

Izuku nods, pulling up one of the stools alongside where Dimitri has situated himself as he waits along with the rest of the trainers watching. It isn't very long at all until one of the farmhands working with all of the Tauros and Miltank at the fair comes out with a Miltank of their own for example to start explaining what the proper cow-milking technique is. It makes Izuku wonder if maybe he should have thought to bring a notebook along...

It's only when the farmhand gets started really that Izuku realizes just how...well. Hm.

He turns to Dimitri, his hands on his knees.

"Do Miltank...always walk on two legs?"

Dimitri is laser focused on the farmhand, completely having forgotten that notebooks or his Gear are a thing in favor of just paying all the attention ever. It takes him a moment to realize that Izuku has spoken, and he blinks over to him.

"Oh, yes," Dimitri says, at the same time that Gabby - having made her mooing softer and of the opinion this has done a number on her throat - reaches down to her udder in order to direct a sudden stream of Milk Drink up into her mouth. "Sometimes they roll, but I believe that is more for battle than anything."

It's so bizarre. It hadn't hit Izuku until just how how bizarre until he sees Gabby using Milk Drink, and for a long moment he can't help but stare. It's quite akin to seeing a dog or a cat walking on two legs, except...it's a cow. A pudgy, cartoon-like cow.

"Woah..." he ends up saying as the farmhand continues their demonstration in the best milking techniques, mainly things that Dimitri had probably already been doing before. Lubricate your hands, ensure that the udders are clean, take hold of said udder and pull firmly yet carefully down. But to Izuku, it seems like having the Milktank be standing up would make the milking process more difficult, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

Which, before he realizes it, there's a friendly Miltank being brought over to him now to practice what they were just taught. Time to get milking!

"Oh, ah. Okay, uh...let's see..."

A lot of it is definitely similar, but Dimitri is glad to see an expert do it right in front of him. It somehow helps things click just a little better. Dimitri pats Gabby's head, ready to get right to it... When he glances over at Izuku and smiles sympathetically.

"You can speak with the Miltank as well, if you're confused or worried about what you're doing."

"Huh? Oh- r-right...I guess I just don't want to accidentally hurt her..."

The Miltank moos encouragingly to Izuku, putting a hoof on his arm. Pat pat, there there. She promises she's tougher than she looks, never mind the fact is milked every day out of necessity. Eventually he'll assume the proper cow-milking position and actually attempt to do it correctly. Unsurprisingly he's a bit clumsy, and he misses the bucket a few times when he does manage to get the milk to come out.

Dimitri watches a bit, pausing for just a second now and then as he takes care of Gabby. As Izuku finally manages to get a bit of milk out, he smiles encouragingly. "There you go. You're doing well."

"Really?" Izuku smiles at Dimitri's comment, even if he's working at a snail's pace. It seems other trainers around them have started working with their Miltank as well, some with those already at the farm while others have their own with them.

"Thank you. It's not so bad...just a little time consuming, I'd guess."

His Miltank moos agreeingly. Not that she minds, it's a pretty relaxing process all told.

"Yes, you are," Dimitri agrees, smiling back. He understands how tricky it can be, especially with Miltank standing like they do, so progress like this is good in his opinion.

"While it is consuming, Miltank milk is very refreshing. So long as you have bottles or some form of container while you're traveling with such a companion, you'll be quite set on drinking on the road."

"I'll have to look into buying a few bottles while we're here, then!"

He would like to be well stocked up for traveling, especially since he's now adding so many more mouths to feed with he, Katsuki, and Kirishima's menagerie.

"It's interesting how similar Miltank are to cows im familiar with back home. The only real difference is that they stand on two feet...and, I guess cows don't really come in pink back home."

"Yes, they are similar to the ones we know as well, although they aren't quite in this pattern," Dimitri says, patting Gabby fondly. Cows have to be a little different when it comes to surviving in Faerghus... and that's where they can thrive at all.

"Miltank are also a great deal smarter than the cows I know of, and their combat capabilities are quite impressive. You are a trainer, are you not?" Dimitri nods to his Miltank. "The gym leader in Goldenrod, Whitney, has a rather impressive partner."

Whitney? Now why does that ring a bell...

"Oh! She's the gym leader Kirishima-kun has been trying to beat!"

That's right. And the results have usually been...

Izuku smiles weakly.

"Yeah, he...has lost a few times so far. Apparently the Miltank she has is really strong."

Yeah.... Yeah. Dimtiri chuckles, even as Gabby moos and clacks her hooves together excitedly.

"Yes, she is an unexpectedly tough opponent... Frankly, a rather admirable one as well. 'Normal' seems to be something that is looked down upon, sometimes, because of how common and understated it is. And yet her appreciation for the type seems to have worked out rather well..." Dimitri gets back to milking, while Gabby is happy and content.

"I tried to see if my companion Dean, an Emboar, could go against hers with a Rollout stand off, but we lost rather soundly in that area. I am fortunate that the rest of my team was in good condition."

Wow, really? That's kindof unfortunate, given that Izuku's own starter is also Normal. It makes him glad, then, to hear that someone out there has managed to really turn that typing into something that's a force to be reckoned with.

"That's impressive. Guess she really showed people how tough Normal types can be, huh?"

"I believe she has. And it was quite the inspiration to Gaibhenenn as well." Dimitri pats his cow daughter right between her nubby little horns, and earns a delighted moo in response.

"Normal types have a great deal to them... From what I understand, they also have the most varied list of TMs that they can learn, which can make them quite unpredictable, for a trainer willing to spend so much money on them. I am actually hoping to do that for my Rattata..."

Gremlin needs all the advantages he can get.

"Mm...I'm glad to hear that. I know that Eevee are capable of evolving into many different things, but Mighty doesn't seem interested in that right now. I worry sometimes that his growth is going to be stunted by not evolving, but I don't want to force anything on him either."

And if Mighty never evolves, that means he'll never gain a new typing. No water, electric, fire...or any of the many others he could become.

"He is still young," Dimitri says with a nod, understanding. "Perhaps he may change his mind and, if he does so, then there are apparently experts who can help Pokemon learn moves they may have missed their chance on otherwise. Sometimes one needs only a bit of inspiration before deciding such things..."

Dimitri smiles, soft and fond. "And if they do not... That is fine as well. My Rattata, Gremlin, long discovered that he has no interest in evolving. If you get an Everstone, then that helps nip the matter in the bud."

"Jane-san mentioned that when I was talking to her. I want to see if I can get him a collar that I can attach one to...I think that would probably work well."

As Izuku is speaking, he's alerted by the sound of the bucket he'd been using to collect the milk rattling a bit more than it should for just the sound of the milk hitting its sides...and sure enough, he looks down to see the little perpretrator himself- Mighty- with his head halfway in the bucket to steal a few licks.

"...you know I'm going to have to give you a bath if you get hit, here."

C

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