On the fourth morning of Kukui's stay at Lucas' farm, all seeds and saplings were finally planted. To reward the Pokémon for their week of hard work, Lucas, though short on money, held a banquet.
Life is short—enjoy it while you can.
You can always earn more money, but you should live comfortably.
That night, Kukui finally got to try Ceruledge's cooking.
He took a big bite of steaming meat skewer, not caring about the hot oil dripping everywhere, speaking with his mouth full: "So good! This skewer is just too delicious!"
Kukui's Pokémon devoured their food as if they hadn't eaten in centuries.
The most impressive eaters were Kukui's Incineroar, gnawing on skewers, and Lucas' Swampert, who was wolfing down grilled fish. The two muscular starters eyed each other with sparks of competitive fire.
After finishing their food, the two muscle-heads went to wrestle in an open area.
Kukui's Incineroar was quite skilled, with refined fighting techniques.
Noticing Lucas' curious gaze, Kukui swallowed a mouthful of fatty meat and explained, "Incineroar was my starter Pokémon. In Alola, there's an event called the 'Battle Royal,' where four trainers battle at once in the Battle Royal Dome."
"My travel funds and Incineroar's fighting skills were all honed and earned through these tough battles."
"Sounds interesting," Lucas nodded thoughtfully. He knew about Alola's Battle Royal and Kukui's alter ego, the Masked Royal, who was a star of the competition, his undefeated streak beloved by the people of Alola.
Alola, unlike Galar's martial culture, had residents who coexisted harmoniously with nature and weren't as obsessed with Pokémon battles.
With the strength to challenge Kanto's Elite Four, Kukui would be a top contender in the Battle Royal.
Noticing Lucas' interest in Alola, Kukui was pleased and was about to say more when a commotion among the Pokémon drew their attention.
Braviary and Dragonite, under the watchful eyes of the other Pokémon, were gearing up for a challenge, itching to take to the skies.
Lucas paused. "Are they about to have a flying race?"
"Haha, Braviary's always been competitive," Kukui laughed, then apologized, "It probably wants to prove itself after being rescued by Dragonite while flying, so it's challenging Dragonite to a race."
Lucas didn't mind—he wasn't a control freak, and there was no need to stop Pokémon from socializing.
Before Braviary and Dragonite took off from the cleared area, Lucas patted the plump Moltres sitting nearby. "Moltres, you go fly with them too."
Moltres froze, then shook its head furiously.
Why take part in such pointless competition? Better to stay and eat more meat!
Moltres plopped down, clearly planning not to move.
Kukui was stunned. He'd heard Moltres legends while traveling in Kanto—said to bathe in magma and be reborn, its burning wings lighting the night, rescuing lost travelers, and even bringing spring to snowy lands.
Its fire was revered at the Indigo and Silver Conferences as the Sacred Flame.
But this lazy, slouching Pokémon—was it really that legendary bird?
If Lucas could hear Kukui's thoughts, he'd say yes.
At least when Luxray first dragged it home, Moltres matched its legendary reputation.
Lucas, annoyed by Moltres' laziness, snatched away its food and hinted, "Growlithe is over there—don't embarrass us, okay?"
Moltres glanced over; though its eyes weren't visible, it saw Growlithe looking back innocently. After hesitating, Moltres reluctantly got up and waddled over to join Dragonite and Braviary.
Satisfied, Lucas sat back down. In front of the Pokémon and Growlithe, he'd spared Moltres' dignity—he didn't say, "You've put on weight, go fly and lose some!"
Kukui's Lucario took on the role of starter pistol. As a blue Aura Sphere exploded, Braviary and Dragonite shot into the sky.
Both Pokémon showed perfect form in takeoff, climbing, and acceleration—truly born to fly.
Moltres, on the other hand, took off slowly and awkwardly, needing a running start due to lying around too much. Its belly wobbled as it ran, and its stiff wingbeats sent it wobbly into the sky.
Lucas covered his eyes—he couldn't bear to watch.
What had happened to turn the once-mighty Moltres into this?
Kukui's jaw dropped so far he could fit an egg inside. He was shocked—what was up with this Moltres?
The three Pokémon were all strong, so their flying speed was fast. Within minutes, they completed the round trip and returned.
Dragonite landed first, Braviary—left far behind—touched down with a reluctant look.
As for Moltres... Lucas didn't even want to remember.