Pokémon, but cultural invasion

Ke Bo closed the menu, quite satisfied with his order.

Could you... be more specific?

The sweating waiter had no idea what he was saying.

"Go tell your head chef, Xiao Kuan, that I'll eat whatever he makes!"

His enthusiasm dampened, Ke Bo hissed like a viper: "Let him show us his best skills!"

The situation in the kitchen was even worse, with the chefs, lacking confidence, in complete chaos.

The veteran sous chef, clutching his hair in disbelief, exclaimed, "This is your signature dish! How could you forget your own recipe?"

Once Xiao Kuan lost Xiaomi, his true colors were revealed. He stammered, "Because I didn't write it down; it was all just a fleeting inspiration!"

"Then you'd better find it quickly, or we're doomed!"

The waiter rushed into the kitchen again: "Where's the food ordered by customer number 18?"

Tell him the exclusive dish is no longer available, and suggest something on the other menu!

Xiao Kuan's heart was pounding.

"Who would believe that? We just opened!"

The white orders that followed were all for various dishes developed by Xiaomi, and the chefs were extremely anxious.

"We'll take care of it. Just tell us what to do!"

Sweetie held him down.

Xiao Kuan cried out in frustration, "I don't know how it was done!"

The chefs surrounding him spoke up one after another: "We have to give the guests an explanation!"

"You're the boss!"

Under immense pressure, Xiao Kuan finally broke down. He screamed as he ran into his office and locked himself inside.

"what?"

The kitchen helpers couldn't understand why the boss had given up first.

...

The audience had only one thought in their minds—it's over.

Even if Xiaomi rushed back now, it wouldn't have time to control Xiao Kuan to cook all the dishes, let alone the fact that it was locked in the iron cage in the trunk of the car.

But the light and shadow on the screen began to change drastically.

Xiaomi's mutterings echoed in the screening room.

Cynthia, who was engrossed in the movie, gradually relaxed her brow, which had been furrowed by a series of bad situations.

She murmured to herself, "The most beautiful thing between humans and elves is the encounter of two passionate souls."

...

"Let's admit defeat."

In dire straits, the God of Cookery from his fantasy reappears.

Xiao Mi, curled up in a ball, asked, "What makes you say that?"

"Because we're locked in cages in the trunks of cars, we'll have to rely on frozen food to survive in the future."

Xiaomi shook her head: "I'm the one who was locked up, and I'm the one who admitted defeat. You are free."

Whether I am free or not depends on your imagination.

The God of Cookery said gently, "You too."

"Please, I don't want to pretend anymore."

Xiaomi hates herself: "I pretend to be a mouse in front of my dad, and a human through Xiao Kuan, pretending that you really exist, that I have someone to confide in."

"Don't bring up things I already know. I know who I am; I don't need you to tell me!"

Why should I pretend?

The God of Cookery simply smiled and flew to Xiaomi's side: "But you weren't pretending; you've always been genuine."

His figure disappeared.

Xiaomi suddenly realized something.

"bump!"

The trunk was flattened by the stone sculpture that was pushed off by my dad and brother.

"Dad, I'm here!"

Xiaomi grabbed the railing and shouted.

Light shone through a raised corner of the trunk, and Dad and his brother crawled inside, working together to open the iron cage.

I love you guys so much!

Xiaomi shouted, but didn't stop, rushing headlong in a certain direction.

"Where are you going, son?"

Dad and his brother peeked out, but could only see his receding figure.

"Go back to the restaurant, they can't do without me!"

Why should we care about them?

"Because I'm a chef!"

Through the question-and-answer session, Xiaomi gained a clearer understanding of his ideas, and his pace quickened.

At this moment, nothing could stop him, and nothing could become an obstacle between him and Xiao Kuan.

Asphalt road, streetlights, sidewalks, steps, clutter, kitchen door...

“In front of Xiao Kuan, I no longer need to pretend.”

“Even though he said he would never come back here, I want to tell him that I’m coming back—with the determination to die!”

Xiaomi's path was a straight line that he would rather break than bend. He ran faster and faster, leaving his father, brother, and clansmen far behind his advice.

She left behind all the sordidness, conflicts, estrangement, and misunderstandings between herself and Xiao Kuan.

“I want to apologize to Xiao Kuan, I want to save Xiao Kuan’s restaurant, and I want to take back the dream that was abandoned at the kitchen door.”

Facing the prospect of losing her freedom for life or even death, Xiao Mi finally understood what she truly wanted and what she couldn't let go of.

During the days of living with Xiao Kuan, he had long become something that Xiaomi could not give up, something that shone brightly along with their dreams.

So when Xiaomi came back, he broke down the door without hesitation!

...

The hearts of all the viewers tightened, and they clenched their fists to cheer for Xiaomi.

The unwavering pursuit of humanity by Pokémon is always so touching.

However, movies are not fairy tales.

...

"boom!"

The door was kicked open, and a rat was seen entering the kitchen. The chefs unanimously raised their objects to smash it to death.

Xiaomi stands tall, ready to face its destiny.

"and many more!"

Xiao Kuan, who had been observing the outside world through the blinds in the office, rushed out and blocked everyone's path: "Don't touch it!"

"Thank you for coming back, young master."

Xiao Kuan first turned to thank it, calmed himself down, and then explained to the group of chefs, "I know this is a bit unbelievable, but..."

"The truth is sometimes just that incredible."

Xiao Kuan was no longer bound by everyone's expectations of him. He completely let go of the burden of being the successor to the God of Cookery and told everyone the truth.

"Actually, I have no talent for cooking at all. Those recipes were all invented by this little mouse."

"He was the real chef, and he was always hiding in my hat. All those amazing dishes were made by him."

"It was crazy, but it worked."

Holding up the millet, Xiao Kuan stood at the open kitchen door, looking forward to saying, "We can become the best restaurant in all of Miarei."

"This mouse, this amazing little master, can help us succeed!"

"So, do you want to come with us?"

As the music slowed down, the nervous Xiao Kuan hoped they could lend a helping hand.

The senior sous chef was the first to step forward, but instead of giving Xiao Kuan the high-five he wanted, he gave him a chef's apron.

Perhaps disappointed by Xiao Kuan's deception, or perhaps unable to accept cooking with rats, one chef after another chose to leave.

Sweetie, who was left behind, had tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted to slap him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

She pushed Xiao Kuan away and left in disappointment.

The once bustling kitchen is now empty, with only Xiao Kuan and Xiao Mi remaining.

He looked into the restaurant, where Cobb was waiting for him, swirling a glass of red wine, while diners filled the seats and read the menus.

It's too late to undo what's done.

Xiao Kuan took off his chef's hat, went to the office to change his clothes, and prepared to apologize.

...

Time passed second by second. Ke Bo opened his pocket watch and wrote down his comments with a pen.

Xiao Mi slumped her shoulders and turned to see her father.

"Dad, I don't know what to say."

"Dad misunderstood your friend, and he misunderstood you too."

He had seen the human protecting Xiaomi from outside the door.

“I don’t want you to think that I love cooking more than family, and I don’t want to choose between the two.”

Xiaomi is in a lot of pain.

His father interrupted him: "What I want to talk about isn't cooking, it's courage."

Is cooking really important to you?

The father and son exchanged a deep look, and Xiao Mi nodded gently.

Upon the son's affirmation, the father immediately blew his whistle, and hundreds upon hundreds of little raldas poured into the kitchen.

"We are not chefs, but we are a family."

"Tell us how to do it, and we guarantee to complete the task."

At this moment, the health inspector, who had recently received a report from Boss Shi, entered through the unclosed back door and saw rats all over the floor.

"..."

He ran away.

"Grab him!" Xiaomi shouted.

"Group D departs; the rest are at Xiaomi's command."

At Dad's command, the little Radas sprang into action.

Xiaomi glanced at the sign on the wall that read "Please maintain hygiene before cooking," and gave the tribespeople a bathing and drying package before giving them orderly instructions:

"Third team, seafood!"

"Team Four, bake!"