S-class cuisine: Sweet Steamed Custard.
A dessert made from rich honey and blended with Chansey eggs. Anyone who eats it is said to be blessed with good fortune and happiness for the entire day.
Dish Effect 1: A whole day of uplifting joy.
Dish Effect 2: Good luck. When facing decisions or chance, fortune follows the one who tasted it.
Two effects, simple yet astonishing.
The first was easy to understand. Feel happy for a day. Good effect, nothing strange.
But the second made Lin Feng stare blankly.
"Good luck whenever you make a choice?"
Did that mean games of chance, like dice or lottery, would tilt in the eater's favor? And if everyone ate it, would everyone be lucky? Gamblers would worship this dish.
A shame it no longer mattered much to him. He already possessed the power of Aura. Still, combining it with the World Tree Tea for a breakfast tea party sounded pleasant.
Three Chansey eggs could produce a huge custard, enough to fill seven or eight plates, yet once divided among his Pokémon, each portion was barely half the size of an orange. Some Pokémon could only take one bite, not enough to fully taste it.
But effects were what mattered, not quantity.
After preparing breakfast, Lin Feng headed to wake the sleeping Pokémon. But when he reached the orchard, Eevee and the Alolan Vulpix were already awake.
They sat beside the pond, scooping water into their mouths before spitting it back out. That little Alolan Vulpix was the mischievous culprit. It learned to rinse its mouth from Lin Feng, and slowly, everyone followed.
"Bulbasaur!"
"Miru..."
The moment they saw Lin Feng, their eyes brightened.
"Miru?" (Breakfast, what is it today?)
"We will eat in the flower garden," Lin Feng replied instead of answering directly.
"Miru!" (Let's go!)
Alolan Vulpix led the group in a cheerful sprint toward the garden.
Inside the house, Hatterene was feeding Sprigatito with a small milk bottle. The little grass kitten spotted Lin Feng, dropped the bottle instantly and rushed to him.
"Meow meow..." (Hug... hug...)
It had only been a few days, yet Lin Feng could already understand most of Sprigatito's sounds.
He could never refuse such a request. In truth, it warmed his heart.
"Alright, come here."
He scooped the little Pokémon into his arms and rubbed a finger gently over its belly. Sprigatito squirmed, giggling from the ticklish sensation, trying to escape.
"Meow haa..." (No... too ticklish...)
It asked for affection, then panicked when affection came. Irony made Lin Feng smile.
He set the kitten back down. "Drink your milk properly and listen to Hatterene."
"Meow meow." (Okay...)
With a milky-soft chirp, Sprigatito trotted back.
Lin Feng picked up the Poké Balls of Dragonite, Goodra, and Salamence and walked out. In the garden, Milotic, Hatterene, Butterfree, and even Combee were already present.
Autumn had almost taken over. Compared to late summer, the garden's flowers were thinning despite Hatterene's careful nurturing.
He walked to the hardworking Combee. "It is cooler now. You do not need to work so hard collecting honey every day."
"Bzz?"
The little worker bee brightened at first, thinking the king praised its work. But when it heard it could rest, the smile fell as if honey had spilled from its heart.
"Bzz..." (But so many flowers remain...)
"You cannot gather every drop of nectar," Lin Feng reminded kindly.
Honey is endless. Money is endless. Learning is endless.
But health comes first.
He had stored more than enough Sweet Honey for winter.
Still, the Combee stared at the flowers longingly. "Bzz..." (So many flowers...)
He sighed. "Alright, you can keep collecting, but if it gets too cold, do not force yourselves."
The Combee perked up immediately and rushed back to work. Stubborn, diligent, admirable.
Lin Feng could only think silently, When the temperature drops more, I will make them stop. Whether they like it or not.
From behind, a sleepy Meowth appeared, accompanied by Victini and Jirachi.
They had gone to Einrock last night, Victini's homeland.
But now, the three Mythicals looked nothing like the cheerful trio from before. Their expressions were dim, and the ever-bright Mew floated quietly, without its usual energetic sparkle.
Mew rarely looked sad. It was the type to greet even Rayquaza with a fearless grin. Something must have happened.
Lin Feng distributed breakfast to everyone before approaching the three. He picked Mew up gently. "What happened?"
"Meow..."
Mew trembled and leaned against him. It looked up with disbelief, whispering softly, "Meow..." (Are they leaving?)
He froze.
"They", meaning Victini and Jirachi.
Victini and Jirachi stood aside, wanting to comfort Mew but unable to speak. Victini fiddled with its hands, and Jirachi's eyes were clouded.
Last night, they flew across Einrock, watched the sky together, and Victini confessed its truth.
It could not stay forever. It must return. Einrock needed it.
Victini remembered the old king, the flourishing land, humans and Pokémon living in harmony. But after the war between the two princes, after the clash of Reshiram and Zekrom, the ley lines ruptured. The land cried. Pokémon trembled.
The old king spent his life protecting his people. At death, he begged,
"Victini... I need your power..."
Victini could not reject him. It would remain in Einrock.
Mew accepted it at first. There was a passage after all. They could still visit.
But then Jirachi revealed the rest. When the Millennium Comet appears tonight, it will fall asleep. And tomorrow, Jirachi will slumber for a thousand years.
Mew froze.
Only then did it recall Lin Feng once mentioned a Pokémon that only wakes seven days each millennium.
It did not care then. Now the truth hurt.
Today is the last day.
Jirachi hovered close, wanting to comfort, to say "We will meet again in a thousand years."
But a thousand years is too long.
Every awakening meant everyone it loved might be gone.
Mew curled into Lin Feng's arms.
"Meow..." (I don't want this... I don't want anyone to leave...)
It remembered Aaron and Lucario.
After they fought together, Aaron vanished.
Was this another goodbye?
Lin Feng stroked Mew gently. "Everyone has their own duty to fulfill. You do as well, protecting the World Tree, remember?"
Mew's breathing quivered.
Lin Feng thought of Manaphy, the prince of the sea. Though it loved May dearly, it returned to the ocean to protect the marine world. Responsibility is the weight of love.
Victini too. Even after countless adventures with trainers, it stayed in the old kingdom to protect what remained.
Lin Feng placed a piece of Sweet Steamed Custard before them. The three Mythicals slowly regained color in their hearts.
When their spirits settled, Lin Feng spoke softly. "Jirachi, do you dream when you sleep?"
Jirachi blinked. "Dream? What is a dream?"
Lin Feng explained, "When you sleep deeply, do you still have awareness? Memories? Fantasies unseen?"
Jirachi seemed fascinated.
Then it became talkative.
"Jirachi!" (Yes. Sometimes I dream of ancient partners. I dream of Caterpie from long ago...)
"Jirachi..." (Pokémon used to be massive. Some were like mountains...)
It described scenes of ancient times, memories from slumber, fragments of history no one else could witness.
Lin Feng listened silently.
When Jirachi finally ran out of words, he took out a bottle of shimmering drink.
"Jirachi, how about a dream you can control?"
"Jirachi?" (Control... a dream?)
He revealed the label.
A-class cuisine: Dreamy Spinach Nectar.
A special drink made from enchanted spinach mixed with sweet nectar.
Effect 1: Dream-weaving. The cook may shape the dream for the drinker the first time they sleep afterward.
Effect 2: Dream-control. If the maker does not shape the dream, the Pokémon can control their own dream freely.
Warning: Beautiful dreams are wonderful, but do not drown in them.
Jirachi's eyes lit up with sudden hope.
A dream it could command, a thousand-year slumber that would no longer be lonely.
"I want it. I want to try it!"
"Not now. Tonight. The moment you fall asleep."
Jirachi nodded firmly.
Though only one day remained, it wanted that day to be special.
Victini looked on quietly.
A dish that could let dreams come true...
Its eyes shimmered like a flickering flame.