Under the eaves, a birdhouse much larger than usual—bigger even than the doghouses—sheltered Moltres, over two meters tall, curled up inside.
Though it was daytime, Moltres felt as if it were lost in a midnight depression, doing its best not to set its home on fire.
It wondered when it'd ever escape this feeling of being a guest.
Moltres figured the only thing separating it from the other Pokémon was a Poké Ball. If it were officially caught, would things improve?
But instinct told it as a legendary bird, its shouldn't be bound by a Poké Ball—it should soar freely.
Still, maybe giving up a little freedom in exchange for good food wasn't so bad.
Lost in thought, Moltres pondered this possibility.
…
Meanwhile, Lucas noticed Moltres was missing from lunch. Frowning, he realized something must be wrong.
He called Dragonite over, wiped its mouth, and said, "Take me to the birdhouse."
Lucas thought if Moltres was hiding, the birdhouse would be the first place to check.
He also brought the special Fruit Cheese Salted Cream Cake—everyone saw it, even Serperior, but no one objected. This was Moltres's reward.
Dragonite carried Lucas to the birdhouse. Lucas smiled. "I knew you'd be hiding here."
Moltres pretended to sleep with its eyes closed.
"Drago~?"
Dragonite looked at Lucas, licking its claws.
What now? Moltres seems asleep…
"Silly thing," Lucas patted Dragonite's head. He could tell Moltres was faking—probably brooding over something again.
Lucas was glad he'd borrowed a book on Pokémon psychology. He knew the solution: give Moltres time and space. If it didn't resolve on its own, he'd step in later.
He called out, "Looks like Moltres is still sleeping. I'll leave this Fruit Cheese Salted Cream Cake here as a reward for driving off the wild fliers. When it wakes up, it can have it."
"As for lunch, let Growlithe keep it warm with a Fire move. When Moltres is ready, it can come down to eat."
Dragonite played along: "Drago~"
Lucas and Dragonite left the cake outside and went away. Moltres kept up the act a while longer, but eventually curiosity got the better of it. It peeked out, spotted the cake, and sampled a berry.
Its eyes lit up—the sweet, juicy Pecha, the tart Sitrus, the refreshing Oran, all paired with savory-sweet cream and cheese—perfect!
As it ate, warmth filled Moltres's heart.
So, Lucas hadn't gone back on his word after all.
After a moment of hesitation, Moltres made up its mind.
…
With Moltres's issue settled, Lucas gave it the afternoon to think. If it was still upset by evening, Lucas would step in.
After doing dishes with help from Politoed and its kin, Lucas left Growlithe to keep Moltres's lunch warm, then dragged out a lounge chair to nap.
But just then, Luxray approached, letting Lucas know a visitor had arrived.
Lucas was puzzled: "A visitor? I'm not expecting anyone."
"Lux~" Luxray licked its paw and looked at Dragonite. The visitors were here for Dragonite, not Lucas.
Lucas: "???"
"Drago~?"
Dragonite, wearing a new flower crown from Comfey, looked confused.
…
Outside the farm, a boy of about ten tugged at his older brother's sleeve. "Reggie, are you sure that Dragonite is here? Isn't this just a regular farm?"
The older youth smiled, patting his brother's head. "Didn't we ask that Naranja student, Nemona? The Dragonite belongs to the farm owner."
"Paul, you saw it too. That Luxray—its posture, build, aura—even without emitting any pressure, I, as a Trainer, can tell it's strong!"
Even with his brother's praise, Paul refused to believe that his older brother, who'd earned eight badges in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh and made top eight in the League, could be beaten so easily.
A lone Dragonite, without a Trainer, had defeated all six of his brother's Pokémon? That was crazy!
"You stubborn kid… sigh."
Reggie shook his head at Paul's obstinance. Paul had always been stubborn—once he decided on something, nothing could change his mind.
To Paul, Reggie was unbeatable. Losing must have been a fluke.
But Reggie knew his own limits—he relied on strategy and technique, but those meant little against overwhelming strength.
He remembered, before heading to the Battle Frontier in Kanto, he'd come to Paldea for a vacation to relax and recharge. One day, while Paul stayed at the hotel, Reggie wandered the beach—where he saw that Dragonite.