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!