Joy very quickly understood why Bai Chen was so desperate to recruit a Pokémon who could cook.
The dining hall was in chaos.
Joy stared in disbelief at Bai Chen and the strange monsters beside him, all devouring food at a terrifying speed.
In less than an hour, the Pokémon Center's entire food reserve had been wiped out.
If Bai Chen hadn't gone out earlier to buy a mountain of extra ingredients,
the Pokémon Center would have gone into a full famine.
│ "Another serving, please."
The empty plate rose into the air on its own.
Indeedee refilled it with curry using telekinesis and floated it back to him.
Behind her, the kitchen utensils worked autonomously.
To keep watching her gangster movies while cooking, this Indeedee had apparently mastered multitasking—
She managed three stoves at once with ease.
Joy could only watch as the "lunchtime construction site" continued.
Bai Chen quietly observed Zinogre, Nergigante, and the Master Blacksmith's reactions.
All three looked utterly satisfied with her cooking.
│ "She can't make buff food like the Palico Chef,
│ but purely in terms of skill…
│ She might be even better."
Bai Chen wanted this Indeedee more and more.
Breakfast finally ended, leaving Joy completely stunned.
│ "Thank you for the meal," Bai Chen said gratefully.
│ "Fuu~"
Indeedee smiled gently, telling him it was no trouble at all.
Cooking wasn't hard for her.
She'd long been assigned to kitchen duty because she was too strong at treating patients—
Her "gentle healing" always hurt them more.
Indeedee picked up her phone, preparing to leave for her break.
Bai Chen quickly called out.
│ "Wait."
│ "Fuu?"
She turned, asking if he was still hungry.
│ "Of course not."
│ "I want to ask… would you like to travel with us?"
Indeedee blinked.
Then she shook her head.
She liked her job—easy work, stable routine, and plenty of time to watch movies.
Bai Chen wasn't surprised.
Time for the special method.
He glanced at the phone in her hand.
│ "If you really like movies,
│ I can build a private theater just for you.
│ As long as you finish your work, you can use it anytime.
│ I'll even give you a salary every month—
│ You can spend it however you want."
Indeedee froze mid-step.
Joy stared at Bai Chen like he'd committed a crime.
Using money to tempt a Pokémon?
Truly shameless.
But Bai Chen didn't care.
Money was just the opening move—
Bonds could only grow after becoming partners.
Indeedee turned around cautiously.
│ "Fuu…?"
(Really?)
│ "Of course.
│ Once we return to Alola in a couple of days, I can build it immediately.
│ If you don't believe me, we can even sign a work contract."
│ "FUU FUU!"
She zipped across the room, grabbed Bai Chen's hands, and shook them excitedly.
She said all kinds of "Please take care of me!" in rapid succession.
Bai Chen nodded in satisfaction.
│ "Then from today on, we are partners.
│ And I never treat my partners poorly."
Joy: …???
Her center's chef was stolen away…
by the promise of a private cinema.
Joy couldn't accept how fast everything happened,
but Indeedee clearly wanted to go,
and she saw how much Bai Chen valued her.
So she didn't stop it.
In the main hall, Joy handed Bai Chen Indeedee's Poké Ball.
She sighed softly, but her tone carried warmth.
│ "Then… please take good care of her."
She could tell Bai Chen truly needed her—
and truly appreciated her.
He had saved saido from the wilderness, befriended her,
and saido was practically the town's walking badge of honor.
It was obvious he was a good person.
This Indeedee had never fit in well with her peers,
not due to malice,
but because her tastes—
especially her love for violent movies—
were hard for other Indeedees to relate to.
Having a trainer who understood her quirks was a blessing.
│ "Don't worry. As our partner, we'll protect her well."
│ "Oww!"
Nergigante chirped from Bai Chen's shoulder.
Everyone was happy to have her join the team—
But Nergigante was especially thrilled.
She'd used Nature's Force within Indeedee's Psychic Terrain earlier,
and even gained access to Psychic attacks through it.
The sensation had been new and exciting.
Plus, the cooking was amazing.
Honestly, Nergigante's enthusiasm made Bai Chen wonder
If she simply preferred support-type companions.
When Zinogre and the Rock dragon joined, she'd been cold to them.
But for the cook?
Total 180° transformation.
Bai Chen translated her cry:
│ "My partner says,
│ 'With me around, no enemy will ever touch a single hair on her.'"
Joy didn't understand how one "Oww" conveyed all that,
But she let it go.
Bai Chen returned Indeedee—now packed for travel—into her Poké Ball.
He whispered:
│ "Welcome to the team."
The Poké Ball shook lightly in response.
Then he stored the others in their Monster Balls as well.
After saying goodbye to Joy,
he headed back toward the Stow-on-Side arena.
Just as he reached the steps,
a familiar voice called out.
│ "Mr. Bai!"
Bai Chen looked up.
A girl with long golden hair stood at the top of the stairs,
shining in the early morning light, smiling brightly.
│ "Lillie?"
Helmet lifted, Bai Chen stared blankly.
How was the front desk this efficient?
He'd only called yesterday—And she was already in Galar today.
A moment later, Lusamine walked out behind Lillie.
Unlike her daughter, her attention went straight to Bai Chen's belt.
Three new Monster Balls.
She murmured:
│ "So he's caught new partners this time, too."
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