The Falinks' formation was impressively tidy, swift to respond to orders. The leader halted in front of Lucas, and the others stopped at the exact same moment, standing neatly together before him.
"Falinks!"
"Hello to all of you," Lucas greeted, unable to keep a smile from his face. "You all look so energetic."
He couldn't help but notice that spark in their little white eyes—a burning desire to improve. Glancing behind himself at the Ogerpon, the Eevee sisters, and Oranguru, Lucas gave the group an inviting look.
"Could you prepare a dish for us? It doesn't have to be anything fancy—just something homemade and special to you."
"Falinks!" The leader's eyes lit up as it nodded repeatedly.
The rest of the Falinks, lined up in formation, cheered enthusiastically at the chance, following their leader up onto the cooking platform. With great energy, they began their culinary work.
Lucas and his Pokémon found a seat. After tying bibs around the Eevee sisters to keep their fur clean, he looked back to see that the prep work was already done, the Falinks diving into the stir-frying stage.
The Falinks leader gripped the wok handles in both hands, tossing the pan with practiced rhythm; as the food within sizzled and danced, the chef bounced in time with every flip. One Falinks assistant wielded a spatula, deftly helping with the stir-fry, while the other four periodically added seasonings or ingredients as needed.
It was amazing how the six Falinks operated with such smooth teamwork—no confusion or collisions; everyone filled their role perfectly, making dish after dish in perfect sync.
Soon, a fragrant sizzling stir-fried beef was plated, and the Falinks immediately devoted themselves to preparing a second dish.
Within moments, an entire spread of eight dishes with a soup appeared before Lucas and his Pokémon.
Looking to the cooking station next door—run by the Emboar—Lucas saw that the Emboar was just finishing the food prep and only now beginning a three-dish, one-soup set for a new guest. The difference in speed was undeniable. Was this the advantage of numbers?
With the six Falinks watching them expectantly, bright-eyed, Lucas exchanged a glance with Oranguru and started serving up rice and plating the meal for Popplio, Ogerpon, and the Eevee sisters.
The Falinks were quite considerate. For dishes suitable for humans like stir-fried beef and sliced pork in chili oil, they took care to prepare them. For Ogerpon, who prefers vegetarian food, they made sure there were delicious non-meat options. Popplio received a clear fish soup, while for the omnivorous Eevee sisters and Oranguru, the Falinks tailored the meal to their tastes as well.
Despite the rapid pace, the quality had not suffered in the least—the taste was just as high as any Pokémon chef's, meeting everyone's preferences nicely.
Ogerpon, Popplio, and the Eevee sisters all gave glowing reviews:
"True culinary talent! Outstanding talent!"
There was really nothing to hesitate over: Lucas decided immediately to hire these Falinks.
Just then, Sima leaned in to quietly remind him, "Even though they're counted as one chef role, Falinks are still six Pokémon. In terms of food and salary, that's six times as much!"
Lucas had made up his mind so fast that Sima hadn't had a chance to warn him sooner, and by the time he'd started talking with the Falinks, it was too late to step in.
From her experience, it wasn't just the remote location that made people think twice about the Falinks—it was also the high collective wage.
Most potential employers were quietly warned by the receptionists in advance, to avoid later disappointment or failed negotiations souring relationships; disillusionment hurt both the interview's reputation and the Falinks' spirits.
"Six times, huh…"
That cooled Lucas's impulsiveness just a bit.
At six times the normal wage, you could hire six Emboar-level chef Pokémon, who together would at least match the Falinks in efficiency—if not surpass them. Not to mention, you could pick specialists from different culinary traditions.
Gardevoir, Machamp, Farfetch'd, and Audino—each could fill such roles easily.
But Lucas himself only planned to hire at most two chefs with different specialties; that was plenty for his current farm. Six would actually be a bit too much.
Still, the Falinks weren't very large—lined up, they took up only about three meters, stacked vertically wasn't much more. Their teamwork was impeccable and, while maybe not as dazzling as some, their cooking was reliably consistent.
In the end, Lucas felt he had no real reason to pass them up.
Food and double salary? On a farm where resources were plenty, that was no big deal!
With his mind made up, Lucas didn't hesitate again:
"Sign!"
A single word set off a wave of joyful cheers from the Falinks. Even the usually composed leader couldn't keep a blissful grin from its face.
Sima was left speechless; Oranguru, meanwhile, offered a knowing uncle-like smile.
For Lucas, earning money was never the hard part, so paying six times the wage wasn't a real concern. After all—they were planning to build their own Terarium Dome on the farm someday!
Six Falinks counted as one slot. For the other chef's slot, Lucas decided to consult Luxray and the others before picking, though he already had a few in mind. Whether those choices would still be available after getting everyone's opinions, he wasn't sure—those with the most popular cuisine booths were highly competitive, even Gardevoir's spot had attracted a crowd after Lucas's initial visit.
Just like the Pokémon Butler Academy, interviews were a two-way choice.
Even if the Falinks had been won over by Lucas's plain-spoken "money attack," there were still formal procedures to follow.
After bowing (or perhaps nodding?) to Lucas, they followed Sima to a special conference room to review farm and workplace data Oranguru had prepared.
As for wages and benefits, those would be discussed in greater detail later.
After the Falinks left, Lucas regrouped with Luxray and the rest.
Luxray and Swampert reported on a duo of chef Pokémon whose barbecue was on par with Ceruledge: Torkoal + Alakazam.
Milotic suggested that a Ludicolo's musical seafood cuisine looked interesting.
Dragonite and her mother were only there to snack; Alcremie had desserts covered.
In turn, Lucas shared his own favorite chef candidates.
Returning to kitchen station A28, they found it empty—only a few "Nana-chan" fans sighing and chatting quietly. From them, Lucas learned that Gardevoir had just been hired by a café on Melemele Island shortly after he'd left.
A bit regretful, Lucas headed to several other stands.
The most promising—Machamp, Farfetch'd, and Delphox—had all already left. In fact, he heard that several restaurants nearly fought over hiring Farfetch'd.
Even the Torkoal + Alakazam combination and Ludicolo's music-seafood chef had been snapped up.
It was only when he reached stall C31 that Lucas found the one specializing in medicinal cuisine—Audino—still present.
But Audino was already with a new prospective employer.
"Such delicious food," the curly-haired, mature woman said under Audino's watchful eye. "But I want to look around a bit more before making my decision."
She left elegantly under Audino's gaze. Seeing others interest in Audino, Lucas didn't hesitate; he strode right over.
Audino, still washing a stewpot fragrant with herbal aromas, glanced up, her blue eyes lighting up at the sight of Lucas. She remembered this guest who had brought several very young-looking Pokémon. Audino thought: he must be someone who loves Pokémon.
If the other lady hadn't asked to look around more, Audino would've signed with Lucas without hesitation.
"Ahem—hello, I'm back again," Lucas said, suddenly feeling oddly like he was trying to strike up a conversation as he met Audino's eyes.
"Are you otherwise engaged?"
Audino shook her head softly. "Audino~"
She'd had a feeling Lucas might return, and had declined other offers.
Sometimes, her instincts whispered, better to work with someone who'd offer her a life she truly enjoyed, rather than a restaurant that wanted her just as a sales hook.
Oranguru translated Audino's response; Lucas was visibly pleased. After missing out on several of his favorite chef candidates, he wasn't about to pass up this chance, when Audino had specifically waited for him.
"Shall we go sign the contract, then?"
Audino glanced at the Pokémon gathered behind Lucas, then nodded happily, indicating she'd follow after cleaning up her kitchen.
Since the interview sessions lasted several days, she would leave the station spotless for the next incoming chef—a point of professional courtesy.
Within minutes, Audino had restored the cooking station to spotless perfection—without a drop of water left behind. With her toolbox in hand, she stepped out from the kitchen.
Moments later, in a conference room prepared by the Akala Pokémon Chef Academy—
The sound of shuffling papers filled the air as Audino browsed the farm materials just reviewed by the Falinks.
Meanwhile, under Sima's coordination and after negotiation with Oranguru, the Falinks determined each member's portion of the group wage. Not as much as you'd think—in total, it was actually slightly less than Lucas earned as Director of Battling at Naranja Academy.
Audino, because of her rare specialty in medicinal cooking, commanded a higher personal wage than a single Falinks member.
With the Falinks celebrating, Lucas signed the contract. Audino finished reading the materials—her eyes softening, sensing warmth.
Working at this farm—though not in Alola—felt like it could be genuinely happy work, especially after seeing the attached photos of the farm. This really was the kind of environment she hoped for.
"Au—dino," she nodded, just about to sign her name when Lucas interrupted:
"Wait—" he said, suddenly recalling something.
Not regret, but another line of thought struck him.
"I wanted to ask, do you have any experience in healing?"
Lucas remembered that Audino partnered with Nurse Joy across Unova, much like Blissey or Comfey. Would this Audino be the same? Hopefully she hadn't neglected those skills in pursuit of becoming a chef, the way Meowth abandoned its battle abilities to learn human speech.
Caught off guard, Audino considered the question and looked to Sima.
Wasn't this all on her résumé?
"Ahem, as you attended chef academy, this detail wasn't really included," Sima explained, immediately phoning the principal to have Audino's student file delivered on the spot—or she'd quit.
Soon, the documents arrived.
With Audino's approval, Lucas browsed them.
She'd worked at a private clinic before, but after it closed due to lack of profitability, she had entered the Chef Academy where her skills in medicinal cuisine improved enormously under formal training.
Moves mastered: Helping Hand, Refresh, Heal Pulse, Safeguard, Heal Bell, Wish, Life Dew, Healing Wish, Lucky Chant… Her Ability: Healer.
Frankly, Lucas was floored.
Wasn't this… the fabled "innate nurse super-body"!?
Just then, the Falinks—stacked high in celebration—chimed in from the side.
"Falinks, Falinks~"
Back at Chef Academy, any time they got hurt, they'd always go to Audino for healing. Knife nicks and cuts would vanish in no time!
At this moment, Audino looked no different from one of those hidden masters—the kind who sweep temple floors until their true strength is revealed.
Blinking, Lucas asked, "How about double salary, and you serve as the farm's resident medical Pokémon as well?"
…