The seal of the oven had barely been broken when the air in the hotel suite transformed. It wasn't just a "good smell"; it was an atmospheric shift. The heavy, earthy scent of Sinnoh's ranches was suddenly pierced by a sharp, floral sweetness—the kind of aroma that made you think of white sand beaches, crashing waves, and the humid, fruit-heavy air of the Alolan islands.
"Floe~! (Target acquired! Initiating mealtime!)" 🌸
"Woof! (By the Alpha, it's here!)" 🐾
The two resident foodies didn't even wait for Julian to cross the threshold. As the kitchen door swung open, venting a cloud of fragrant steam, Floette and Growlithe were already a blur of movement. Julian was still carefully balancing a heavy platter of steamed Crabominable claws and various dipping sauces when he felt a sudden tug on his arm—or rather, a tug on the air around his arm.
Floette's eyes were glowing a brilliant, sapphire cyan. With a flick of her head, the entire platter, along with three jars of vibrant fruit jam, was plucked from Julian's hands. They drifted through the air with practiced precision, landing squarely in the center of the dining table.
Growlithe had already performed a tactical leap, landing on a chair Julian had reinforced earlier with extra cushions. He sat there, his front paws resting on the edge of the table, his tail wagging with such intensity that he was practically vibrating.
"Hey! Ease up, you savages!" Julian laughed, shaking his empty hands and heading back into the kitchen. "I'm not even done yet! I still need to get the bowls and the drinks. Everyone has different taste buds, and if you just dive in now, you're going to ruin the experience. The sauces are the whole point!"
He might as well have been talking to a wall.
As soon as Julian's back was turned, Floette didn't wait for a bowl. She used her Psychic power to levitate a piece of crab meat that was roughly the size of her own torso. It was ivory-white, succulent, and dripping with natural juices. She dipped it with a flourish into the Mango-Pecha Jam, coating it in a thick, golden glaze.
"Woof! (Hey, Jing said wait! He has to drizzle the stuff! Put it down!)" Growlithe barked, though his own eyes were fixed on the platter, a steady stream of drool beginning to puddle on the tablecloth. He was trying to be the "good boy," but the struggle was visible in every muscle of his body.
"Floe~ Floe! (I'm just helping! Look, I'm dipping it myself, which saves him the manual labor. I'm basically an assistant chef at this point!)" Floette chirped back, her voice muffled as she hovered the massive chunk of meat toward her mouth.
Without a shred of hesitation, she took a massive bite.
"Floe~... (Oh... oh my...)(ˉ﹃ˉ)"
Her eyes rolled back. The texture was unlike any meat she'd ever had. Because Crabominable lived in freezing mountain peaks, their meat was incredibly dense but carried a strange, refreshing "chill" that melted into a rich, savory fat on the tongue. Combined with the tropical sweetness of the mango jam and the kick of Alolan nectar, it was a flavor explosion.
"Floe~! (It's—chew—incredible! But—nom—I still stand by my—gulp—statement that meat is a bit—munch—primitive!)" She managed to say between frantic bites, expressing her disdain for carnivorism while simultaneously eating her weight in crab.
"Floette!"
Julian walked out of the kitchen, his arms loaded with custom-sized bowls and a pitcher of chilled juice. He didn't even need to look at the table to know what was happening.
"I told you it needs the specific sauce to work, didn't I?"
Floette froze, a half-chewed piece of crab still sticking out of her mouth. Startled by Julian's sudden appearance, she tried to swallow the entire thing at once. Her eyes went wide, her face turned a shade of crimson that rivaled a Cherubi, and she began frantically thumping her tiny chest.
Thump-thump-thump!
"And that," Julian said, his voice a mix of exasperation and practiced calm, "is why we don't eat like Galarian Weezing. Here."
He didn't panic. He'd seen this movie before. Julian calmly poured a glass of the pre-mixed Bounsweet-Pecha juice—diluted to the perfect level of sweetness—and held it out. Floette grabbed it with both hands, drained half the glass in one go, and let out a long, shuddering breath as the blockage finally cleared.
"Floe~... (I saw the light, Jing. It was bright and smelled like fertilizer.)" 🌸
"ε=(´ο｀*))) Good grief. How many times do I have to tell you? Nobody is going to snatch your food. The crab isn't going to get up and walk back to Alola. Just wait for the group, or at least chew your food before you try to teleport it to your stomach."
Floette scratched her head, her green "hair" rustling as she looked away sheepishly. "Floe~... (It's just... the smell... it's like a Siren's song for my stomach...)"
"Whatever. I'm used to it," Julian sighed, though he was already smiling.
He picked up Floette's bowl and began the "Final Plating." He filled it with the tenderest pieces of crab, then drizzled a heavy layer of the Mango-Pecha Jam over it, stirring it slightly so the sweetness penetrated the savory fibers.
Then, he turned to the real star of the savory show.
"Alright, Growlithe. You've been a very patient boy," Julian said, placing a massive bowl in front of the Fire-type. He had reserved the largest, heartiest pieces for him. He took the Volcano Sauce—the spicy, Leppa-based red mixture—and poured it over the meat. The heat from the crab made the spicy sauce sizzle slightly, releasing a pungent, aromatic kick.
"Woof! Woof!" 🐾
Growlithe didn't even wait for a second invitation. He buried his muzzle in the bowl.
The taste was a revelation. To a Fire-type, spice wasn't just a flavor; it was fuel. The Leppa berries provided a deep, earthy heat, while the Red Nectar added a floral "spark" that made his inner flame pulse with energy. The Crabominable meat provided a solid, protein-rich foundation that balanced the heat.
Growlithe paused for a second, his eyes glazed over with joy. He felt as if he were basking on the volcanic sands of a hidden beach, the hot sun on his fur and the salty sea breeze in his lungs. He lapped up a bit of the Bounsweet juice Julian had provided, the sour-sweet liquid cutting through the spice and making his tongue tingle for the next bite.
"Fly ah~ (Honestly, you two have no class. It's like watching a Muk eat a dumpster.)" 🎀
Sylveon trotted into the room, her fur perfectly groomed, her ribbons swaying with an air of aristocratic grace. Behind her, Togetic hovered, his eyes bright with curiosity.
"Togekiss~ (The air in here is... sparkling! Today's meal feels very 'special,' Julian!)"
"You two are just in time," Julian said, setting down their bowls. "I know you're not the biggest fans of meat, but give this a try with the Pink Nectar Jam. It's more of a 'seafood dessert' than a dinner."
Sylveon sniffed her bowl. Her ribbons, usually used for combat or affection, now acted as delicate sensory feelers. She licked a bit of the jam off a piece of crab and paused.
(╯▽╰) So fragrant!
It wasn't just the Murin Berry flavor she loved; it was a layered sweetness, a "depth" of fruitiness she'd never encountered in Sinnoh. The Bounsweet syrup provided a honey-like base that made the savory crab taste like a rich, buttery pastry. She began to eat, her ribbons daintily picking up small pieces and bringing them to her mouth.
Togetic followed suit, dipping a finger into the jam and licking it clean. (〃'▽'〃) "Delicious!" he chirped, his wings fluttering with enough joy to generate a minor Breeze move.
The Grand Finale
As the four of them worked their way through the crab, the room fell into a rare, peaceful silence—punctuated only by the sounds of happy chewing. Julian watched them, feeling a deep sense of pride. This was the "extraordinary" side of being a Trainer. It wasn't just about IVs, EVs, or move-sets; it was about the communal bond of a shared meal.
"But wait," Julian said, standing up with a theatrical flourish. "There's more!"
He headed back to the kitchen and returned carrying a wide, eight-inch cake. It was a masterpiece of Alolan-Sinnoh fusion. The sponge was light and airy, infused with Bounsweet syrup, covered in a snow-white Moomoo-cream frosting, and decorated with a rainbow of pollen-puff dust and fresh berries.
The three Fairies—Floette, Sylveon, and Togetic—immediately snapped their heads up. Even Growlithe, who usually prioritized meat, looked intrigued by the sheer "energy" radiating from the cake.
"Don't rush, don't rush! I'll cut it into even slices," Julian said, laughing as Floette's eyes began to glow again, clearly preparing a psychic "grab" for the entire cake.
As Julian picked up the cake knife, he glanced at the bowls on the table. He noticed a funny pattern: In the bowls of the three Fairies, the crab meat was mostly untouched, but the jam... the jam had been licked so clean the bowls looked like they'd been through a dishwasher.
Only Growlithe had polished off the meat entirely. Sylveon had eaten a few pieces, but mostly she'd just enjoyed the "sauce vehicle."
"I see how it is," Julian said, chuckling as he sliced the cake. "You guys still aren't meat-eaters, are you? You just like the stuff I put on the meat."
"Floe~ (Guilty as charged~)" 🌸
"Fly ah! (The meat is a 4/10, but that jam is a masterpiece, Julian!)" 🎀
"Togekiss~ (I prefer the fluffiness of the cake anyway!)" ☁️