Pokemon Paldea [167-169] (Patreon)

Chapter 167: Food is Everything for Pokémon

Actions speak louder than words. Now, Patisserie Soapberry is no longer the tiny shop where Katy had to play multiple roles. Several pastry chefs and staff have been hired, so Katy can leave for a while without any issues.

After giving out instructions, Katy left Patisserie Soapberry with a beaming smile, taking Lucas through the back door to a small apartment she had rented specifically for practicing her pastry skills.

Coincidentally, that place was near the Paldea League office. With Katy’s permission, he also brought along Arven to join as a taste tester.

“Although making poffin involves basic steps, it truly tests a pastry chef’s touch and skill. Precise proportions, proper mixing speed, and accurate oven temperature are all essential.”

Whenever she entered teaching mode, Katy’s warm and friendly smile would disappear, and her tone would become much more serious. This was the most effective teaching style she had discovered.

Being too friendly would make many new trainers disregard your advice, but being too stern would just make them overly nervous.

Lucas thought Katy would make a great teacher.

Confident in his own fundamentals, Lucas tightened the apron around himself and looked over at Arven.

Arben, who was originally just along for the ride, was now listening intently and jotting down notes in a little notebook, leaving Lucas speechless.

If only Arven could put half as much passion and interest into Pokémon battles and training as he did into cooking, plus the motivation from all the dreams Lucas had painted for him, he might not surpass Nemona, but could at least make it to the Elite Four.

After a period of explanation, Katy personally demonstrated the poffin-making process for Lucas and Arven.

The ingredients for poffin weren’t much different from regular desserts. In Katy’s quirky mind, poffin could be summed up as—“poffin is basically baked mush.”

Katy’s movements were skilled and practiced. She began by chopping the prepared berries into small pieces and setting them aside. Next, she prepared a saucepan, added the right amount of water, poured in the berries, and started heating and stirring slowly.

Once the heated berries had fully dissolved into the water, Katy picked up flour, eggs, fresh milk, and maple syrup, mixing them according to the recipe to make a suitable batter. She then poured the batter into the pot in batches while maintaining a smooth, steady stirring motion.

“Be sure to pay attention to your stirring rhythm and speed. Don’t let it burn, but also don’t splash it everywhere. Keep the heat low and stir for about ten minutes for best results.”

Despite the need for concentration, Katy could still keep an eye on her two temporary apprentices, Lucas and Arven, and give them advice as needed.

No wonder she was a famous pastry chef in Paldea.

Time passed quickly. Katy turned off the heat and, instead of immediately picking up the pan, gave another reminder:

“Don’t rush to move the pan after turning off the heat. Wait for the temperature to drop a bit and the structure to stabilize. The poffin will taste even better that way.”

These were lessons Katy had learned through countless trials and errors. Lucas memorized them gratefully.

After a short wait, Katy picked up the saucepan and, without any tools, skillfully poured the batter into the molds with incredible accuracy. There was no overflow or mess.

Next came the baking. Katy set the oven to 170°C for eleven minutes.

When the oven dinged, Katy put on oven mitts, took out the poffin, and a tantalizing aroma quickly filled the kitchen.

Staring at the golden poffin, Arven exclaimed, “Is this... one of Patisserie Soapberry’s signature desserts—the special maple poffin?!”

His mouth watered uncontrollably. He grabbed one, inhaled its fragrance like it was a treasure, and carefully tasted it.

Lucas was also curious about this signature dessert and picked one up to try.

As soon as it entered his mouth, the maple syrup’s clean, gentle sweetness—different from honey—came through first. Then the poffin’s delicate, fluffy texture was so addictive he immediately wanted a second bite.

Under Katy’s smiling gaze, the small batch of baked poffin was quickly devoured by Lucas and Paipa.

As a pastry chef, this moment of satisfaction was her favorite and most addictive.

Katy even saved some poffin for Milcery, who ate with sparkling eyes and looked at Katy with admiration.

It was just too delicious!

“That’s the basic process. Since you’ve already memorized the steps, here’s the kitchen key. You can use it for the next three days. I’ll stop by to help whenever I’m free. Practice hard!”

Katy handed Lucas a set of keys, then took out a Poké Ball and released a Pokémon that looked very familiar to Lucas.

“Teddiursa~”

It was a Teddiursa, the little bear Pokémon with crescent-moon fur.

“This little one has a sensitive palate and a unique understanding of taste. Let it try your test batches!”

With that, Katy hurried out of the kitchen.

Knowing another Gym Challenger had come to see her, Lucas watched her leave with admiration. He knew he’d go crazy with such a busy schedule.

Teddiursa seemed to know its job. After Katy left, it somehow found a stool just the right height for itself, sat down, and waved at Lucas and Arven:

“Teddiursa, Teddiursa~!” (If the food isn’t tasty, don’t blame me for getting mad!)

Lucas & Arven: “...”

They couldn’t understand Teddiursa, but their instincts told them it probably wasn’t anything nice.

Watching Teddiursa sitting there like a boss, Lucas got an idea.

He called Arven over and whispered, “Has your Skwovet eaten yet today?”

Arven shook his head blankly.

“Then let’s use this poffin-making opportunity to teach you something,” Lucas said, looking like he was about to pass down some secret technique. “If you want to solve a Pokémon’s laziness in training—especially a glutton like Skwovet—food is the best motivator. You want it to form a mental equation: training = delicious food!”

“There’s a saying: ‘For Pokémon, food is everything.’ For most Pokémon, food is the most important thing, especially for gluttons like Skwovet.”

“If you want Skwovet to be enthusiastic about training, the best way is to use food as motivation. Keep training until it forms the habit: training = treats!”

Chapter 168: Perseverance and Effort

Seeing Arven’s somewhat confused look, Lucas patted his shoulder and further explained how to link a Pokémon’s enthusiasm to positive feedback, as well as some secret techniques for making training a part of daily life.

This method might seem basic, but it works perfectly for Pokémon like Skwovet who love to eat. There’s even a case where a Snorlax lost weight thanks to this kind of training.

Lucas thought this could help Skwovet gradually develop an interest in training, or at least not resist it as much.

Arven was left to ponder with a notebook full of notes, while Lucas walked over to the tidy countertop, recalling the competition rules Katy had mentioned.

First, the competition would be judged by score, only one round, with rankings based on total points.

Second, contestants must bring their own ingredients—choosing the right ones is a must-have skill for a pastry chef.

Third, all desserts must be made on site at a temporary venue by Patisserie Soapberry. Pre-made desserts are not allowed.

Lucas thought the rule about bringing his own ingredients worked greatly in his favor.

But... he glanced at Teddiursa, who was sitting like a boss. No matter how good his ingredients were, he’d still need to make a poffin that could satisfy Teddiursa.

While Milcery’s evolution item, the Sweet, could be obtained from places like Battle Cafés, Lucas thought earning it together with Milcery would be far more meaningful.

Besides, he had a backup plan anyway. For him, this contest was more about learning how to make poffin.

Lucas rolled up his sleeves, and with Milcery cheering him on, began baking!

The learning process was tedious and repetitive—problems with heat, proportions, or baking time would make Teddiursa reject the finished poffin completely.

Lucas’s first batch turned out nothing like Katy’s special maple poffin. His ingredients cooked much faster, and he messed up the heat control. The result was a few charred lumps.

Teddiursa only sniffed it before turning away in disgust, as if Lucas was trying to poison it.

Lucas, undeterred, calmly ate one himself under Teddiursa’s horrified gaze. He’d eaten worse while struggling to survive right after arriving in this world.

That’s cooking: you move forward through endless trials and errors. Lucas kept tweaking the recipe and technique, hoping to make the poffin he envisioned.

To win, he’d need to make something truly unique.

The day passed quickly. That night, Lucas rode Dragonite out of Cortondo Town and asked Arven, “Aren’t you going back to the lighthouse lab?”

Arven shook his head. “I’m staying at the Pokémon Center for now—it’s spring break.”

That was fine by Lucas. He rode Dragonite back to his farm.

…

The next morning, Lucas returned to the kitchen in Cortondo Town, key in hand, to continue his training.

Teddiursa and Arven both looked sleepy. By the time Arven woke up from his nap against the wall, it was already time for Katy to check in on them.

As soon as she entered, she smelled a fresh fragrance—unlike her own maple poffin, but even more refreshing.

Katy’s eyes lit up at the scent.

She saw Teddiursa, who, despite looking grumpy, eagerly accepted poffin from Lucas. Katy was a little surprised—Teddiursa had a picky, sweet tooth, and for it to accept a mildly sweet dessert meant Lucas could already make a passable poffin.

And it had only been a day and a half.

Yawning, Arven said, “Brother Lucas hasn’t left the kitchen this whole time, just kept making and tweaking poffin.”

“Even today, he dragged me out of bed at the Pokémon Center at the crack of dawn.”

Katy was silent for a long moment.

Maybe now she understood how Lucas had become Paldea’s pride—a Champion-level trainer—in just a year.

Perseverance and effort are always the keys to getting stronger.

Not to mention, Lucas’s natural talent as a trainer had already amazed her.

She still remembered that Luxio that took down her three Bug Pokémon in a row.

Noticing Katy’s arrival, Lucas handed her a green poffin and smiled, “Miss Katy, try the mint poffin.”

“Mint poffin?” Katy tried it, then hesitated.

Seeing her reaction, Lucas gestured, “If you have any suggestions, please let me know.”

After thinking, Katy asked, “Are you trying to make your poffin stand out by offering unique flavors?”

Lucas nodded. “That’s part of my plan. If I can’t finish developing a new recipe, I’ll go with this. After eating a lot of sweet things, the judges might need something fresh—mint is a great palate cleanser.”

Katy shook her head. “Other contestants will have the same idea. These judges are true connoisseurs. If you want to stand out, I suggest you focus on your own unique style.”

“My own style...”

Lucas fell silent. Both Kofu and Meowstic had told him that while he had solid technique, he lacked a sense of inspiration in his cooking.

So, what was his style?

He thought of everyone at the farm. Maybe...

Seeing Lucas deep in thought, Katy knew she couldn’t help here, so she focused on helping him with flavor and process.

…

Time flew by.

After three days of training, the dessert competition jointly hosted by the Paldea and Sinnoh Dessert Associations finally began.

The venue was under the sugar maple trees outside Patisserie Soapberry, with temporary kitchens already set up and utilities connected.

Lucas, with Milcery on his head and his ingredients ready, headed for the contest site.

Chapter 169: Sinnoh Judge and Special Orange Peel & Honey Poffin—Ice Cream Style

Standing at the gleaming counter, Lucas felt none of the tension that affected the pastry chefs around him. He’d weathered much greater storms.

Looking around, he saw that every pastry chef had at least one Pokémon by their side.

There were Slurpuff, with its keen sense of smell, making a perfect assistant.

There were Alolan Steenee, adding fragrance and flavor.

There were Kirlia, using psychic powers for precise mixing.

Lucas looked at Milcery in his palm, wondering if bringing this little one had put him at a disadvantage.

“Milcery~~”

Milcery giggled from being poked, incredibly cute.

Lucas found it curious that a Pokémon made almost entirely of fresh cream could even be ticklish, so he looked down to check more closely.

Just then, the host’s voice rang out, and the crowd outside the barrier grew quiet.

“Welcome to the first Paldea–Sinnoh Dessert Association Poffin Contest! Now, let’s introduce our judges!”

Lucas paused, holding Milcery, and looked toward the judges’ table.

“First, owner of Patisserie Soapberry and known as the Candy Bug, Miss Katy!”

Thunderous applause. Katy, still in her signature outfit, waved warmly to the contestants and audience.

“Second, the world-famous Nurse Joy—her cooking is the taste of home for countless new trainers! Miss Joy from Cortondo Town’s Pokémon Center!”

Lucas: “...”

Seeing the beautiful pink-haired nurse, Lucas couldn’t help but wonder why Nurse Joy was a judge for every competition.

“Third, the vice president of the Paldea Dessert Association, with hair as black as night—‘Ms. G’!”

Lucas: “!!!!”

Lucas stared at the waving woman. Though her clothes were different and her face was hidden behind a mask, he was certain—it was Geeta!

Noticing Lucas’s shocked gaze, Geeta, wearing an ornate crystal flower mask, waved at him with a smile.

Lucas was stunned. The League Chairwoman was judging a dessert contest.

“Fourth, from Sinnoh, a senior member of their Dessert Association, a famed sweet connoisseur, and lover of all things dessert—the blonde beauty ‘Ms. C’! Her motto: make sweets into every meal!”

This was someone Lucas didn’t know. Like Geeta, she wore a mask—hers was Togepi-shaped but with a cutout near the mouth for tasting.

But her smooth, golden hair looked a bit familiar.

“The rules are simple: the four judges will each score your desserts 0-25 points. The total determines your ranking!”

“Let’s begin!”

With the signal, the thirty-odd pastry chefs (with a gender ratio around 8:2) each got serious and began making their best poffin.

For them, the real prize was the chance to be noticed by the Paldea Dessert Association. Joining meant access to publicity and maybe even becoming as famous as Patisserie Soapberry.

Everyone was giving their all.

Slurpuff worked like an experienced chef.

Steenee danced on the counter, infusing ingredients with uplifting aromas.

Kirlia used psychic power for perfectly even mixing.

Everyone had their own tricks.

“Milcery~?”

Milcery’s voice brought Lucas back to focus. He smiled and reassured the anxious Milcery, “Don’t worry. It’s not just the two of us. Everyone from the farm is here with us in spirit.”

Milcery nodded energetically.

Lucas began his preparations, taking out berries, flour, eggs, milk, honey.

“First, chop the sweet Mango Berry and a small amount of neutral Babiri Berry, heat in water over low heat, and stir slowly.”

“The batter is made from the farm’s wheat flour, eggs, Combee honey, milk, and a little water. When the berries are fully incorporated, pour in the batter in batches.”

Lucas kept his stirring perfectly steady; he wouldn’t lose to anyone on fundamentals.

Ten minutes later, he turned off the gas and let the batter cool to stabilize the structure and preserve the texture.

While waiting, he prepared the next ingredient: candied orange peel. That’s why he didn’t just use the classic pairing of Orange Berry and Mango Berry—too much sweet would be cloying.

He chopped the candied orange peel and sprinkled it into the molds. The batter had cooled enough, so he carefully poured it in.

Meanwhile, the judges were discussing the contestants:

“Slurpuff is called the master pastry chef in Kalos; its poffin should taste great.”

“Steenee’s fragrance is famous in Alola. I can’t wait to try the finished product.”

Katy noticed Lucas’s skilled technique.

“That man seems to be making something interesting,” said Ms. C, the golden-haired judge sitting next to Lucas.

She followed Katy’s gaze and saw Lucas at work.

“Lucas owns a farm; most ingredients are probably homegrown, so the flavor should be guaranteed,” Katy replied.

“I’ll be looking forward to it, then,” said Cynthia (Ms. C), her eyes sparkling behind the Togepi mask.

Lucas’s baking was nearly done.

He put the batter in the middle rack of the oven at 175°C—the ideal temperature he’d found after many failures.

Ding!

The oven finished. Lucas opened it, and a rich aroma of berries, honey, and candied orange peel filled the air.

He took out Dragonite’s Poké Ball and released it.

“Drago~”

Dragonite’s orange figure immediately drew everyone’s attention. A rare Dragon-type Pokémon and Kanto’s dragon representative—plus the alluring scent of Lucas’s poffin.

Lucas smiled and left half the counter for Milcery and Dragonite: “The last step is up to you two.”

The Pokémon nodded and started making the final touch—ice cream!

Dragonite, skilled in some Ice-type moves, helped Milcery whip up fresh cream. With a carefully controlled Ice Beam, they quickly made a creamy, dense ice cream.

The sudden cold also cooled the poffin quickly, making it crisper but less soft.

“Dragonite... such fine control. Is this Pokémon really just a pastry assistant?” Cynthia frowned. As Sinnoh’s champion, she could tell Dragonite was no ordinary Pokémon.

Lucas, the farm owner Katy mentioned...

She looked at the nameplate and made a mental note, very curious.

Lucas carefully placed the ice cream on the poffin, its golden surface shining in the sunlight, topped with tempting, creamy ice cream.

Special Orange Peel & Honey Poffin—Ice Cream Style, complete!

This was the answer he wanted to show Katy—his own unique dessert!