Night had fallen.
Johan sat cross-legged in front of the Berry Blender, holding a notebook in his hand. Beside him were several plates of Pokéblocks, though none of them seemed quite right in terms of taste.
"Logically, there shouldn't be anything too wrong," Johan murmured. "Except for the blender speed being a bit hard to control… But a minor difference like that shouldn't matter, right?"
After all, the Berry Blender in reality wasn't as difficult to operate as the one in the games; the more expensive the machine, the more automated it became. The real key lay in the recipe.
But he had followed the recipes given by his teacher, Ms. Ayako, who specialized in nurturing Pokémon...
"Let's try one more time!"
Refusing to admit defeat, Johan once again put some Pinap Berries and additional ingredients into the blender.
Seeing this, Haunter silently hid in the ceiling, while Vulpix scurried under the coffee table.
They had tried so many times already, and although the taste was improving each time, it was still…
The gentle hum of the machine soon signaled the completion of another batch of Pokéblocks.
"Haunter, Vulpix," Johan called out, holding a tray of the newly made Pokéblocks.
He glanced around his small home.
"Come on, I can see you two hiding," he chuckled.
"Ka-kah…"
"Oowu…"
One from above and one from below.
The two Pokémon reluctantly emerged from their hiding places.
"Try it. I think I've got the hang of it this time," Johan said seriously.
The two Pokémon hesitantly glanced at the new Pokéblocks.
Indeed, they did look a bit more crystalline than before.
Before they could react, Johan handed them each a piece.
"Ka-kah…"
Haunter looked at the Pokéblock in its hand, swallowing nervously.
Why aren't you eating it?
"…I'm human. I can't just take your food," Johan replied confidently.
But you ate one just now!
"Come on, just try it!" he urged.
Haunter and Vulpix exchanged a glance.
The two of them closed their eyes, looking as if they were about to face their doom, making Johan's eye twitch in frustration.
Finally, they both took a bite.
Slowly...
"Ka-kah! (=′`=）"
"Oowu~~ (ˊˋ)*"
"What kind of reaction is that?" Johan asked suspiciously.
The next moment, Haunter leaped toward him, and Vulpix jumped into his lap.
"Wait! Let me try it!" Johan exclaimed, realizing something was up.
He quickly picked up a piece and tossed it into his mouth.
As he bit down, the Pokéblock burst open in his mouth like a sweet, tangy jelly with a subtle aftertaste. It was like a taste of that nostalgic summer…
In the end, Johan, Haunter, and Vulpix sat around the coffee table, with one last Pokéblock in the tray between them.
"Ka-kah~~ ()"
Haunter cast Johan a side glance.
Didn't you say you wouldn't steal our food? Now you want this last one? What kind of Trainer are you?
Johan didn't change his expression.
"As a Trainer, isn't it normal to taste-test a Pokéblock? I've eaten plenty of Sitrus Berries, haven't I?"
"Oowu..." Vulpix let out a small whimper.
What did you all see in that moment?
"Ka-kah!" A Bidoof!
Johan noticed the puzzled expressions on Haunter and Vulpix's faces and cleared his throat, "Never mind. You wouldn't know them."
They both looked at Vulpix.
The little Pokémon slowly lowered its head.
"Oowu..." I saw my mother.
Hearing this, both Johan and Haunter went silent.
They pushed the tray toward Vulpix.
"Yum!"
Without hesitation, Vulpix gobbled it up, flashing a cunning smile.
But I have you guys now, Vulpix thought, feeling warm inside.
The small, sly fox was finally showing its mischievous side, thanks to Johan and Haunter's influence.
"Now that we've succeeded," Johan stood up, "let's make another batch."
If one batch was successful, that meant the recipe wasn't the issue.
It was probably just that the timing of his preparations was slightly off, causing the taste to vary significantly.
That's a relief.
Although this venture had cost a lot of money upfront, if he could master the art of making Pokéblocks, the expenses of feeding Haunter and Vulpix in the future would be much more manageable.
Not to mention, there was still that unhatched Pokémon egg…
If it ended up being a big eater like Aron or Larvitar, Johan's entire savings might not be enough to keep it fed.
If only it were a Caterpie…
Actually, a Grubbin wouldn't be bad either. Once it evolves into Charjabug, I'd never have to pay an electricity bill again…
And if it's a Miltank, I'd never have to worry about them being malnourished…
"Ka-kah~~"
On the sofa, Haunter was intensely studying the TM for Nasty Plot, with a notebook beside it.
It was a set of notes Johan had copied from Champion Agatha's Essence of Fear book, containing tips on mastering Nasty Plot.
"Oowu~~"
Vulpix was perched on the back of the sofa, its tiny face showing the same seriousness and focus.
The two Pokémon exchanged occasional whispers.
If someone weren't listening carefully, they might've thought they were actually discussing strategies.
"Ka-kah?" What do you think breakfast will be tomorrow?
"Oowu~~" It won't be scrambled eggs. We had those today.
"Ka-kah~~" Do you think it might be Lopunny meat pies and Eevee mashed potatoes? It feels like it's been a while since we had those.
"Oowu!" I like Eevee mashed potatoes!
…
Meanwhile, Johan was absorbed in a different matter, focused on making Pokéblocks.
He had captured Vulpix some time ago. Despite being timid and lacking confidence due to its past, the little Pokémon was much stronger than it realized and possessed a hidden resilience. It never skipped training.
If Vulpix wanted to pursue battles, Johan was more than happy to nurture it in that direction.
However, this presented a problem: how should Vulpix approach its first battle?
The first battle needed to boost its confidence but shouldn't be too easy, or it might feel like its opponent was holding back.
"Beep-beep—"
Johan's phone buzzed.
He picked it up, only to realize he had grabbed Haunter's phone by mistake.
Since both phones were bought using reimbursement claims, they were nearly identical.
The only way to tell them apart was by checking which one was covered in Haunter's saliva.
Haunter's phone was filled with saved dramas, especially the popular Adventures of Bidoof, which even Vulpix had become addicted to.
Hmm?
Wait…
Bidoof's Incubation and Egg Groups.
Haunter's Egg Groups.
You little rascal…
Johan shot a look at Haunter.
The clueless Haunter smiled back, baring its fangs.
"Ka-kah! ()"
Seriously? You're already thinking this far ahead?!
Johan face-palmed.
"Is something wrong with my Pokémon?" he muttered.
After some consideration, he decided to respect Haunter's privacy.
I'll just pretend I didn't see that. At least its preferences are… normal.
Feeling mentally drained, Johan picked up his own phone.
It was a message from the long-absent "Eevee Eats Cabbage."
[Eevee Eats Cabbage]: Finally finished exams… (Slowpoke Exhausted Face.jpg)
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Powerstones?
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