After thoroughly defeating Kingambit, Lucas found cleanup was much less troublesome than expected.
Humiliated by its "disarmoring," Kingambit led its clan away in disgrace, relocating to the outskirts of the bamboo forest overnight.
Wild Pokémon from other species also returned, resuming their old lives.
Lucas brought Ogerpon and the others outside the bamboo grove to share the good news with Rood and Phil.
Seeing Ogerpon, Tinkatuff, and Larvesta standing proudly, Lucas smiled, snapped a commemorative photo, and saved it.
Rood and Phil were extremely complimentary, showering the Pokémon with so much praise they almost felt embarrassed.
Perhaps suspecting the two might know useful secrets, Lucas asked, "Do you know if there's an orchard full of lots of Applin near the edge of the bamboo forest, say around Fury Falls?"
They looked at each other. Rood replied, "Sorry."
"We just arrived in this area and don't know the local news."
They had only happened upon the bamboo forest by chance during their travels, immediately getting caught up in Kingambit's ambush and didn't have time for local gossip.
Maybe some other travelers or trainers knew… but due to the robbery, everyone had just hurried away.
But why was Lucas so concerned about Applin?
Seeing their confusion, Lucas didn't press the matter.
As if foreseeing their doubts, Lucas produced another Pokéball and said, "Come out, Appletun."
Red light flashed.
Appletun appeared—actually smaller than Larvesta!
"Pulu~"
Because it had grown so much, Appletun couldn't hide in its apple anymore, and its personality had changed a lot.
Faced with strangers like Phil and Rood, it simply raised its head and greeted them kindly.
The moment Phil met Appletun's gaze, she gasped in amazement.
"Huh? Those are its eyes? I thought they were ears!"
Rood sniffed deeply at the air.
"So fragrant! There's no food out—but it smells irresistibly sweet!"
If Rood had to compare, it reminded him of the honey-covered apples he ate at local festivals as a child—sweet, yet retaining the unique flavor of apple—creating a sense of wonder he remembered to this day.
Rood observed Appletun. He knew this Pokémon—some people at the academy even used their own Appletun or Applins as partners.
But none of them ever emitted a fragrance like this!
He patted Appletun's apple helmet and grinned, "I mentioned before, my current job is as a farmer. So I want to try my luck catching a few Applin for my farm."
"Don't underestimate them. Applin are experts with fruit."
Not holding anything back, Lucas explained the relationship between Applin and fruit trees.
"Applin feed on fruit, and they can also help fruit trees yield better fruit. None of this appears in books!"
Phil was excited, hands together, cheeks flushed.
She was astounded by Lucas's abilities and knowledge—no wonder he's a battle instructor!
Compared to the knowledge-loving Phil, Rood's response was different.
He eyed the pie lattice on Appletun's back and subconsciously wiped away a bit of drool.
It looked just like the lattice crust on his mother's apple pies—but even more fragrant!
He felt guilty for the thought.
But… it truly smelled divine.
Phil drew closer, staring hungrily at Appletun's back. Her normally well-behaved face gave way to a look of unconcealed longing.
Both, knowing nothing about farming, had no idea Lucas was revealing commercial secrets about Northern Province—blissfully unaware of the value.
All they cared about was the "pie crust" on Appletun's back.
Finding it funny, and knowing the Pokémon had just finished a big battle, Lucas invited, "We're about to rest and have lunch—would you like to join?"
"There's dessert, too."
He shot the pair a meaningful look.
Their eyes lit up. "Please, you must include us!"
Soon, light smoke curled up from a clearing where Lucas set up camp. Being in the wild, Lucas didn't attempt a grand meal.
Other than a few homemade, hard-to-find condiments, most ingredients were foraged; only a few were pre-packed.
There were plenty of treasures hidden in the bamboo forest behind.
After an hour or so, Lucas served up piping hot food:
Tender bamboo shoots, sliced and stir-fried with some pork for a classic Bamboo Shoots and Pork; a soup made with the same fresh bamboo shoots plus bamboo fungus foraged from the roots and some other veggies.
Main course: After washing fresh bamboo stems, he stuffed sticky rice, green beans, diced carrot, and homemade bacon inside and steamed the tubes—making a perfect bamboo rice.
Finally, each person—and each Pokémon—got a portion of baked fish wrapped in bamboo.
Someone asked where he got fresh, lively fish—certainly not by fishing.
Actually, he'd quietly asked Dragonite to make a trip to Fury Falls—after a flickering light flashed by, those fish just jumped into Lucas's net.
When Rood and Phil saw the steamy spread, they were stunned.
The next thing, tears started rolling down uncontrollably.
Even Phil, as a girl, didn't cry. Rood, however, sobbed about the hardship of traveling in the wild.
Always eating hard food, and if they got lost and used up all their food, they'd have to survive wild style.
Who knew the last time they'd eaten a hot meal was months ago?
And Lucas's cooking—something neither had ever tasted—absolutely blew their minds.
Their stories gave Lucas pause as well.
When he'd started traveling, he and Luxio also survived on what they could forage—until times became better.
Now, watching Tinkatuff, Ogerpon, Dragonite, and Appletun eating heartily, Lucas took another photo, transferred it to his phone, sent it to Oranguru and online Calyrex.
After a filling meal, all praising the sweetness and freshness of the bamboo shoots, Lucas agreed, under Tinkatuff's determined pestering, to help plant more bamboo at their old place—hoping to enjoy winter shoots when the time came.
For dessert, he used the lattice crust from Appletun's back to cover some Poffin berries, topped with sweet honey—an absolute caloric bomb.
For Lucas, that was overkill, but for Phil and Rood, who felt they'd starved off ten pounds, it was heaven.
After lunch—
Rood and Phil thanked Lucas formally before heading on with their journey.
Both said they'd return to visit once their travels ended and they were back at the academy.
Lucas had no plans to require anything in return.
He'd offered them a meal simply because of that brief fateful encounter, and because they were such upstanding people—by extension, they were like his own students.
Judging by their route, they were surely heading for Glaseado Mountain.
Being the most treacherous, frozen range in Paldea, they probably wanted to finish before winter blizzards began.
For his part, Lucas just called Mr. Trudeau in Montenevera, asking him to keep an eye out for the pair, and help them if they were ever in trouble.
With that done, Lucas packed his bag and returned to the bamboo forest.
Since the two had insisted on cleaning up after lunch, he'd had a break for once.
…
Meanwhile—
Deep in the mountains outside Zapapico, Iron Valiant sat cross-legged, scanning the area.
Confirming Ceruledge hadn't arrived yet, it closed its eyes, quietly waiting for its nemesis.
…
A rushing waterfall battered the rocks below. A few dazed Psyduck poked their heads out of the water, their three small tufts wobbling in the spray.
Rubbing their ever-aching heads, the Psyduck stared blankly, forming a line out of the pool and onto the soft grass, finally looking up at an apple-laden tree, a hungry look glinting in their vacant eyes.
Just then—
Several shining red apples were handed down onto their heads.
"If you don't mind, take them."
Lucas smiled, waved, and left.
Though they seemed dumb, these Psyduck had great balance.
The apples didn't so much as wobble on their heads.
The Psyduck didn't care that the apples crushed their tufts—which would disappear after evolution anyway—instead, they watched Lucas go, wooden-eyed, their thoughts unknown.
After a pause, the Psyduck finally moved.
Nodding, they tossed the apples up in the air.
As the apples fell—thanks to gravity—they craned their necks and opened their flat beaks, as though hoping the apples would land right in their mouths.
The apples did hit—but what they hit were the Psyduck heads.
After a series of bonks, the apples rolled onto the grass, and the Psyduck, unfazed, stood dumbly for a moment, then picked up the apples and gulped them down—content at last.
When they lined up again and returned to the pool, only then did the pain hit, so they wailed "gua-gua-gua," making a big splash as they flailed in the water.
At the same time—
Lucas returned to the orchard's depths.
Handing the rest of the apples to the ever-hungry Larvesta, he sat down, and was quickly swarmed by Applin.
All around was the chirping of Applin.
Appletun had the same problem.
Thanks to Kingambit's rampage, there were no tourists anywhere near Fury Falls or the bamboo orchard, giving Lucas a rare, personal tour feeling.
In truth, only two hours had passed since Lucas entered this orchard.
The reason so many Applin gathered was thanks to Appletun.
As an evolved Pokémon, it was very popular among the Applin. While most were shy, a few bold ones clustered around.
Just like Mr. Sean said, this orchard truly had a "mass outbreak" of Applin.
Not counting those disguised as normal apples, Lucas saw over a hundred Applin—and as many as twenty gathered around him and Appletun.
Lucas had Appletun ask if any Applin were willing to follow him home to live on his orchard.
To his delight, more than half were interested in the good life described by Appletun.
Lucas promised that all they'd have to do was live in the orchard with Appletun and look after the fruit trees—no need to worry about food or safety.
To these Applin, life was much the same anywhere—and tagging along with a strong relative might be even safer.
Besides, regardless of Ability, caring for fruit trees was their innate instinct.
After a count, Lucas found that fourteen Applin had chosen to join him and Appletun.
Among them, eight had "Ripen"; five had "Gluttony"; and just one had the hidden/dream ability "Bulletproof."
…
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