Chapter 36: Giovanni: Thank You

Zorua boredly wagged her tail. She thought humans were really strange. Wasn't it just a little Charmander being chased through Evergreen Forest by a bunch of Caterpie? What was so funny about that?

But looking at the elderly Charizard, Zorua was curious. Charizard shouldn't be that old, so why did it look so worn out?

"Hey, Grandpa Majid, every time you tell that story, I can't help but laugh," Heath wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes. Even though he had heard about Charizard before, the thought of a little Charmander being chased by a swarm of Caterpie always made him want to laugh.

"Hahaha, that's Char's dark history. I'll remember it for the rest of my life," Grandpa Majid said, laughing as he patted Charizard on the shoulder. Charizard bared its teeth at Heath. If Heath hadn't brought it up, Charizard wouldn't have had to hear its embarrassing story again.

After paying, Grandpa Majid left, walking slowly through Viridian City with his Charizard. Winter in Viridian City was a bit cold, and Charizard was wearing a roughly made sweater that Grandpa Majid had knitted for it.

After Majid left, Zorua voiced her curiosity. She didn't understand why that Charizard looked so old.

"Grandpa Majid was once a league investigator. Charizard's injuries accumulated from that time. Nurse Joy said that Charizard's vitality has been significantly drained," Heath explained with a sigh. Grandpa Majid's story was no secret in Viridian City.

In fact, everyone in Viridian City knew about Grandpa Majid. His heroic deeds, alongside Charizard, inspired countless young trainers, and they were even the subject of a league movie.

During that time, Charizard became the most popular Pokémon in the Kanto region. Even now, Charizard remains highly admired, and Charmander consistently ranks as the top choice among starter Pokémon every year.

Seeing Zorua fall silent, Heath smiled and rubbed her little ears. Zorua flinched, glared at Heath, and then turned her back on him, presenting her rear.

Heath chuckled but turned to prepare lunch for his two Pokémon.

"Farfetch'd, your timing with the heat is still off. Let's set a specific time for you," Heath said, feeling a bit exasperated.

Farfetch'd had excellent knife skills, but its timing with the heat was disastrous. Heath noticed that Farfetch'd always messed up at the roasting step.

Roasting a duck seemed simple, but a skilled chef needed to gauge the cooking time precisely, considering factors like the duck's meat quality, the type of honey and oil used, and even the day's weather.

"Quack!" Farfetch'd waved its leek determinedly. Heath found its enthusiasm amusing.

Despite Farfetch'd's reluctance, Heath decided to let it practice, thinking it would eventually master the skill.

---

"Um, Sabrina, what are you doing?" Giovanni stared in confusion at Sabrina, standing in his kitchen. Hadn't he ordered her to return to Saffron City and await further instructions?

"I... I want to cook," Sabrina said coldly, her expression unchanged. Giovanni wasn't surprised, knowing Sabrina's stoic nature. She never showed emotion, be it a smile or sadness.

"Huh? Cooking?" Giovanni was taken aback. He hadn't expected his subordinate to want to cook in his home.

Sabrina nodded, recalling what she had heard at Heath's stall: to capture a man's heart, you must first capture his stomach. She found this advice logical, considering how Heath's cooking had won over Giovanni's appetite.

If Heath knew Sabrina thought this way, he'd protest his innocence. He was only invited to cook by Giovanni.

Before Giovanni could react, Sabrina handed him a bowl of cucumber and chicken soup.

Giovanni noticed a cookbook in the kitchen with a recipe for cucumber and egg soup with rice, but Sabrina used her powers to move the book away.

Giovanni's mouth twitched, but he took the bowl, planning to set it aside. However, Sabrina's intense gaze made him feel pressured, so he took a sip.

"How... how is it?" Sabrina asked, her face expressionless but her eyes fixed on Giovanni like a scientist awaiting experiment results.

"Hmm, it's good," Giovanni said, smiling. Then, using his authority as the Rocket Boss, he ordered Sabrina back to Saffron City to gather intelligence.

After Sabrina left, Giovanni clutched his stomach, wincing. That soup had been so salty that he almost doubted it was supposed to be cucumber and egg soup.

"What's up with Sabrina?" Giovanni wondered, feeling unwell. He couldn't understand why Sabrina was so determined to cook for him when she had just claimed disinterest in cooking the day before.

"Achoo!" Heath sneezed, rubbing his nose as Farfetch'd accidentally blew charcoal dust on his face. Despite this, Heath felt delighted because Farfetch'd had finally produced a roast duck that met his standards for serving customers.

[Farfetch'd independently created a decent roast duck. You received the Mobile Kitchen Prototype I.]

Heath was stunned. This reward was unique. But what was a mobile kitchen prototype? And how was he supposed to use it?

(End of this chapter)