Late at night.
Battle Arena.
Incineroar had returned Galarian Meowth as promised.
This needed to be a gradual process. After all, Galarian Meowth was a Pokémon registered with the conservation base, so catching it outright wasn't allowed.
When Incineroar went to Battle Arena, it was prepared for a conflict with Houndoom.
After holding back for so long, it was time to get even. It wanted to see if Houndoom had grown at all in the month they hadn't seen each other.
Unfortunately.. after looking around, Houndoom and the others weren't there. Only the Eeveelution executives were present.
Incineroar guessed that those guys were probably all preparing for this year's summer tournament.
Feeling somewhat disappointed, it decided to leave after winning seven consecutive matches.
However…..
"Will you come during the day tomorrow? I want to go too!"
After turning the ingredients it brought back into food and sharing them with its companions, Galarian Meowth approached Incineroar, who was about to leave.
Incineroar was amused. "From the looks of it, are you treating my home like a grocery store? Coming by every day to stock up on fresh ingredients?"
It was clear that this Galarian Meowth really treasured those ingredients from Mist Island.
"No. Although I really enjoy high-quality ingredients, the main reason is that I want to join you."
Galarian Meowth shook its head and replied seriously.
"You need a cook, don't you? I won't take anything away."
Incineroar was stunned.
"Huh? Did I miss a season? Why?"
Before it could even start its persuasion, Galarian Meowth had already convinced itself?
The answer was…
"Because I want to change."
Behind Galarian Meowth's head, its white scarf fluttered, seeming to glow faintly under the night sky.. highlighting its amber eyes.
"I have been troubled by my innate fate until now, living my days in a daze, acting on basic instincts, and only able to return to my true self for a small fraction of the time."
"This feeling of being unable to control myself is not pleasant. The Total Concentration method can no longer help me. I want to truly take control of myself."
Galarian Meowth clenched its claws. This wasn't an idea it had just come up with today.
When it was calm, its spirit couldn't focus, but that didn't mean it couldn't think. For a long time, the feeling of wanting to do something but being unable to achieve the result had made it very sad.
Having lived for so long, the only thing that could be called a pursuit it had persevered with and achieved a tiny, insignificant result was its culinary skill.
Would surpassing Li Xiang, an amateur-level cook, really make it happy?
"The Iron Cat Gang is my comfort zone. Grandpa is the shield that protects me, but they also hinder my progress."
Galarian Meowth looked at its companions and at Perrserker, who was sitting at the center, noticing its gaze and smiling gently at it.
"As long as I stay here, I won't be able to achieve anything."
For a little cat like it, life in the Iron Cat Gang had no competition, no pressure. It could eat and sleep whenever it wanted.
It couldn't get involved in the disputes above, and they didn't affect it either. It was too comfortable.
Incineroar looked at Galarian Meowth's head, not expecting it to say something like that.
But…
"How can you be sure we can help you?"
No matter how nicely it was phrased, how could Galarian Meowth be certain that they could solve its problem?
"Just because my attention can't focus doesn't mean my ears don't work. You were all problem children once, weren't you?"
Galarian Meowth showed its signature Cheshire Cat grin, its sharp teeth and lips forming a crescent moon.
So it had been listening.
Incineroar was slightly surprised. It had thought that Galarian Meowth, when it was in its dazed state, couldn't do anything at all.
The situation was much better than it had anticipated.
It said, "You're quite smart. I have a question. After you manage to control yourself, what do you plan to do? You're not just going to leave, are you?"
For most wild Pokémon, a comfortable living environment is more important than the pursuit of power and territory.
Pokémon like Zoroark, who enjoy dominating others, are rare. Aside from migratory wild Pokémon, very few will leave their homeland for an unfamiliar environment.
To put it bluntly, most wild Pokémon have become inert when it comes to fighting.
Incineroar didn't want to put in all the effort to cure Galarian Meowth, only for it to sneak away.
"Of course not. I want to become the World Culinary King... no, the Culinary God! Do you know about the Pokémon World Cooking Competition? Winning that competition is my dream!"
Talking about this, Galarian Meowth's face was full of excitement.
The opportunity that made it delve into learning to cook was seeing a live broadcast of the Pokémon World Cooking Competition while practicing the Total Concentration method.
It was then that it first realized that simply throwing things into a pot, adding water, and boiling them could cause such a huge transformation!
Oh. The Pokémon World Cooking Competition?
Incineroar had never heard of this competition before and planned to ask Li Xiang about it when it got back.
"So are you coming with us right now?"
"No. My grandpa wouldn't agree."
The excitement on Galarian Meowth's face faded, and it shook its head regretfully. "He loves me too much to bear seeing me get hurt."
It understood that Perrserker was too worried about its safety to ever agree to it becoming a trainer's Pokémon.
How could it guarantee that an outsider would wholeheartedly take good care of it? Who would be willing to raise a burden?
"But it's not impossible to convince grandpa. As long as I go to your house a few more times, it will eventually come to trust your trainer."
Galarian Meowth said firmly, "If one day isn't enough, then a month. If a month isn't enough, then a year. I won't give up."
Incineroar looked at Perrserker in the distance, not knowing what to say.
Maybe this was love becoming a burden?
"Then, why don't you show your determination to your grandpa?"
Lucario walked over from the side. It had been eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Determination?"
Galarian Meowth didn't understand.
"Yes. Your grandpa is worried about your safety, so you need to prove that you are independent enough."
Lucario nodded. "Start with going to our house. Do you remember the route?"
Galarian Meowth shook its head. The journey took over half an hour, and it had been in a daze the whole time. How could it remember that well?
Lucario said, "Then we'll guide you for the first few times. After that, you need to try coming on your own. Show your grandpa that you can do it by yourself."
"Okay! I'll do my best!"
Galarian Meowth nodded.
...
On the way back Incineroar and Lucario discussed Galarian Meowth's problem.
"I think it's highly credible. It didn't seem like it was trying to trick me." Incineroar recalled the look in its eyes.
It was exactly the same as when it was working hard for Li Xiang.
"It can do it."
The corner of Incineroar's mouth curled up. "For a male cat, a promise is a promise!"
Lucario asked, "So how do you plan to solve its problem?"
No matter how nicely things were said, if they couldn't solve Galarian Meowth's problem, it would be meaningless.
"Leave it to Li Xiang... why, do you have a way?" Incineroar said as if it were obvious, then suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
"Of course."
The dog smiled. "Do you remember the Three-Blind Perception Method?"
Of course, it couldn't forget. They were still practicing it, even now.
Most of the time, their moves didn't hurt Li Xiang because of the unspoken understanding they had with him through the Three-Blind Perception Method.
It was like Jiang Shangrong's Scizor, which could close its eyes and use Bullet Punch to clip her eyelashes.
"Will that... work?" Incineroar hesitated.
"It's better than doing nothing."
Lucario said frankly.
"That's true."
Hearing this, Incineroar laughed heartily. Greninja didn't offer an opinion the whole time, as it couldn't find a solution either.
Back home.
Li Xiang was still fast asleep.
Lucario silently sat down by the bed, leaning against the headboard and falling into a deep sleep.
Incineroar yawned, did its daily duty as a doorkeeper, and lay down on the sofa.
Greninja silently settled into the single sofa on the other side.
The night was like water.
The next day.
The cat and dog told Li Xiang about Galarian Meowth wanting to join them.
"It worked just like that?"
Li Xiang was a little surprised, then smiled. "You guys are really something. You managed to pull that off."
He had thought he would need to put in effort, but Galarian Meowth had convinced itself.
Well, it wasn't really convincing itself. It had considered the practical issues.
If he were in Galarian Meowth's shoes, having been troubled by his own condition for a long time, and a potential cure was placed in front of him, he wouldn't refuse either.
No matter how slim the chance.
Its condition directly affected its daily life. But speaking of which…
The Pokémon World Cooking Competition?
Li Xiang had never heard of it before and couldn't help but search for it online.
He found that this competition was established over thirty years ago by a culinary master and an Audino, together with the World Chef Union.
Each contestant consisted of a Pokémon paired with a chef. After qualifying rounds, they would advance to the world stage.
The competition was quite popular, with prize money for the champion reaching over a million, along with the title of Culinary Master.
It just hadn't broken into the mainstream, so Li Xiang wasn't very familiar with it.
After looking at some on-site photos, he vaguely recalled seeing it on television before.. but it hadn't been as interesting as cartoons, so he had forgotten about it.
"Well..."
Li Xiang scratched his face. He felt that Galarian Meowth's dream was more reliable than Corviknight's.
The latter sang so terribly that it still dared to say it wanted to participate in Pokémon's Got Talent. Who was it trying to torture?
"Roar?"
"Reliable. It's quite reliable, actually. But isn't it a bit dangerous to let it come here on its own? I mean, isn't the Savage Hounds Gang in conflict with the Iron Cat Gang?"
Li Xiang looked at the cat and dog. He felt that letting a Pokémon who "couldn't control itself" wander around was a bit reckless.
Unexpectedly, they both said that these were necessary hardships and a show of sincerity.
If it couldn't even do something this small, it would mean Galarian Meowth's words were just empty talk.
If it really put in the effort, these things would be minor issues.
A Pokémon that couldn't make up its mind wouldn't be of much use to Li Xiang anyway.
"Is that so..."
Li Xiang thought for a long time, then nodded in agreement, feeling that the cat and dog were right.