At this point, it was nearing noon, and Rex had no intention of immediately heading to the Mauville Gym for a challenge. Fortunately, right next door was the famous gourmet street. It would be a waste not to experience it after coming all this way.
As he stepped into the gourmet street, various fragrances assaulted his senses. The place was bustling with pedestrians, not only in the shops on both sides but also at the various food stalls.
Rex strolled past Village Sandwiches, Little Magnemite Grill, and Mauville Assorted Noodles. Eventually, he chose the Mauville Assorted Noodles. Not only because the store was decorated more luxuriously, but also because he spotted an empty seat. Yes, that was it.
After sitting down, Rex picked up the menu on the table and began ordering. After calling the waiter over and ordering a seafood assorted noodles and a bottle of cold drink, he started to drift off into his thoughts.
"Hello, may I sit here?"
At this moment, a lady in her thirties, dressed in a purple dress, with a calm and dignified demeanor, approached Rex and interrupted his reverie, or rather, his daydreaming, pointing to the empty seat opposite him and inquiring.
"Oh, of course, I'm alone!"
Rex quickly replied, coming back to reality.
"Thank you!"
After thanking him, the lady sat down.
"Are you a local or are you here on vacation?"
Feeling a bit awkward sitting face to face, Rex asked after the lady had ordered.
"I'm here on vacation. I really like the assorted noodles made by this store, so I always come here to taste them whenever I have the time. And you, young man?"
The lady seemed not to mind Rex's inquiry. After briefly answering his question, she also asked back.
"I'm here specifically to challenge the Mauville Gym. I'll leave after challenging the gym."
Rex replied.
"Oh, then you'd better brace yourself. The Mauville Gym's Gym Leader, Wattson, is a tough old man."
The lady didn't seem surprised when she heard that Rex wanted to challenge the gym. After all, with Rex's standard traveling attire, one could tell at a glance that he was a traveling Trainer. It's just that she seemed quite familiar with the Gym Leader of the Mauville Gym.
After chatting for a while, their ordered meals finally arrived. Rex looked at the steaming and well-prepared seafood assorted noodles in front of him, and his appetite opened up immediately. He couldn't wait to start eating heartily.
The taste of the assorted noodles was indeed good, showing that the shop was managing with care and wasn't just a tourist trap.
"Another bowl, please. Thank you."
While Rex still had more than half of his noodles left, the lady across from him had already finished a whole serving of assorted noodles and was planning to order another one.
Seeing the lady sweating profusely from eating, Rex felt his impression of her collapse a bit. He couldn't help but wonder, was the assorted noodles here really so delicious that this elegant lady couldn't resist eating so voraciously?
In Rex's eyes, the assorted noodles here were indeed delicious, but they probably weren't so delicious as to make this elegant lady ignore her manners and eat like this, right?
"Um, why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I did something rude?"
The lady, noticing Rex's somewhat strange gaze, became a little annoyed and asked.
"No, no, the assorted noodles here are really delicious."
Rex knew he had overreacted a bit. It was her business how she liked to eat. He quickly buried his head and continued eating.
"Miss Glacia, you came to the store without notice. Fortunately, the waiter recognized you just now. This is a special assorted noodles I made for you. I hope you like it."
A chef-like person approached and said to the lady in front of Rex.
It was then that Rex learned that the lady in front of him was Glacia, one of the Elite Four of the Hoenn Region. Although he had challenged her in the game in his previous life, the difference between the game graphics and reality was too great for him to recognize her directly.
"Boss, you're too polite. I'm just an ordinary customer in your store right now. You can go about your business. You don't need to specially serve me."
Glacia said indifferently.
Rex could tell that Glacia was somewhat displeased with being recognized by the boss. Apparently, she didn't want to reveal her identity and just wanted to enjoy the food.
"Alright, you enjoy your meal. If you need anything, just tell the waiter!"
The boss also seemed to sense Glacia's discomfort and didn't dwell on it. After saying a few polite words, he left.
"I'm sorry for not recognizing you as one of the Elite Four earlier!"
Rex said awkwardly.
"It's nothing. Don't worry about it. Here, I'm just an ordinary customer."
Glacia replied calmly.
After that, she began to enjoy the specially made assorted noodles, still eating heartily as before.
Seeing that Glacia wasn't in the mood for conversation, Rex didn't insist and began to finish the remaining noodles. Just like public figures in his previous life didn't like being watched privately, it seemed that Glacia, as one of the Elite Four, didn't like being gazed at too much either.
"Young man, what's your name?"
While Rex was still busy finishing his noodles, he suddenly heard Glacia, the member of Elite Four, asking him a question.
"My name is Rex, from Fallarbor Town!"
Rex looked up and saw that the lady had already cleared her plate. Then he looked at his own remaining noodles, feeling a bit embarrassed, but still quickly replied.
Because Rex didn't show excessive enthusiasm or treat her differently after learning her identity, Glacia, the member of Elite Four, had a bit of a favorable impression of the young man, which prompted her to inquire about his name.
"Well then, Rex, we may meet again someday!"
After saying that, Glacia got up directly and went to the cashier to pay the bill, then waved to Rex and left.
"Hello, I'd like to pay."
After finishing his meal, Rex also came to the cashier to pay.
"The lady just now has already paid the bill for you!"
After checking the records, the cashier girl smiled and said to Rex.
"Alright, thank you."
Rex didn't expect that Glacia, the Elite Four member, would pay his bill. Although it wasn't much money, since the two of them had just met by chance and had no connection, he accepted it with peace of mind. After all, it was just a small matter.
After eating his fill, Rex didn't choose to linger on the gourmet street. After checking the location of the Mauville Gym on his phone and finding that it wasn't far from the gourmet street, he decided to walk there, while enjoying the scenery along the way.
Walking on the way to the Mauville Gym, although there were tall buildings on both sides, it didn't feel oppressive. There were unknown trees planted on both sides of the street, as well as flowers and grass. Occasionally, some Pokémon would run out of the bushes, followed by Trainers searching for them.
Rex found that the residents living in Mauville City were relaxed and happy, without the stress that comes with living in a big city and adapting to a fast-paced life. It was then that he realized why Mauville City was called the "City of Joy and Radiance."
Happiness is contagious. Along the way, Rex was infected by the joyful atmosphere of the passersby, and he felt much happier himself.
Unconsciously, a small flower bed appeared ahead, full of beautiful flowers. Rex always felt somewhat familiar with these flowers, but he couldn't remember if he had seen them in the game in his previous life or if the original owner had seen them before.
Attracted by the flowers, Rex approached and found that the flower bed belonged to a shop called Beautiful Flower Shop.
"Welcome!"
After pushing open the shop door, a young girl with long hair and a beautiful appearance greeted him. She didn't seem very old, probably around 17 or 18 years old. What impressed Rex the most was her sincere smile, as if it could heal everything.
"Hello, I'd like to ask what the name of the flowers planted at the entrance of your shop is?"
Rex didn't stare at the girl too much, but instead asked.
Rex didn't stare at the girl too much, but instead asked.
"Oh, those are Gracidea flowers, a very beautiful and rare flower. I happened to get its seeds by chance. After many failures, I finally cultivated the flowers at the entrance."
Upon hearing the boy's inquiry, the girl, Koko, knew that he was also attracted by the Gracidea flowers, so he came to her shop. Ever since the Gracidea flowers bloomed, there have been customers attracted by their beauty every day.