Chapter 17: A Word is Settled
Entering the house, Gary heard a sound coming from the kitchen. At the same time, a strong fragrance wafted through the air.
"Bob, are you making something delicious again?"
When he reached the kitchen, Gary called out, but to his surprise, it wasn't Bob who came out—it was Mia.
Surprised, he asked, "Where's Bob?"
"Bob went out to fetch water. But you've been diligent, going to Viridian Forest early in the morning to train your Pokémon. Come and try my cooking," Mia said, smiling as she noticed Gary standing outside the kitchen.
"Did you make all this?" Gary glanced at the steak in the kitchen, asking in disbelief, "Aren't you the one who usually has everything done for you at home? You can cook too?"
"What do you mean by that? Are you saying I shouldn't know how to cook?" Mia asked, a little unhappy with Gary's remark.
"That's not what I meant. It's just that, since you're always pampered at home, I didn't expect you to know how to cook," Gary explained, a bit embarrassed.
It wasn't that Gary didn't trust Mia's cooking skills, but she was always the one who had everything done for her. He had never seen her cook before, so seeing her in the kitchen now was a surprise.
"It's not my fault. My mom always said I shouldn't show off my cooking skills to others. She believes that food should only be made for the people you like. So every time you came to my house, I never cooked. But I'm not the kind of person who always relies on others," Mia said with a helpless smile.
"I see. Then bring out the food. Let's wait for Bob to come back, and we can eat together," Gary suggested, now understanding the situation. He immediately sat on the sofa, thinking they'd have breakfast together once Bob returned.
"Why wait for Bob? He already ate. I made him breakfast earlier, and now it's just the two of us who haven't eaten. By the time he comes back from fetching water, our breakfast will be almost done, and we can set off to explore Team Rocket's whereabouts," Mia explained as she pulled Gary to the dining table.
"Really?" Gary still didn't quite believe it, so he confirmed it with Mia.
"Of course! Now, eat up!" Mia nodded firmly, indicating she was telling the truth. She then began eating without waiting for Gary. As she savored the meal, Gary couldn't help but feel hungry too, so he picked up his utensils and started eating.
About half an hour later, they finished eating and cleaned up the table. After washing the dishes and placing them in the kitchen, they heard the door creak open. A tall man walked in.
At that moment, Gary and Mia had just finished tidying up the kitchen and were about to walk out when they encountered the man.
"Who are you, and why are you in my house?" The man asked, clearly wary of the strangers in his home.
"You must be Bob's father. We're Bob's friends. I'm the new trainer from Pallet Town," Gary said, recognizing the man after a moment's thought.
"Oh?" Hearing that they were his son's friends, the man's vigilance eased a bit, though he didn't fully relax. He sat on the sofa and asked, "Since you're Bob's friends, what are you planning to do now?"
"We're waiting for Bob to come back. He went out to fetch water," Mia replied.
"And what will you do when he returns?" the man asked again.
"Uncle, we're waiting for Bob to take us out of Viridian Forest. You know, the forest is vast, and it's easy for new trainers like us to get lost. So we wanted Bob to guide us out," Mia began to explain. But Gary quickly pulled her aside, stopping her from saying anything more.
"I see. Don't blame me; it's just that Team Rocket is too treacherous. I have to verify your identities. You both have Pokédexes, right? Take them out and let me see," the man said, extending his hand.
Just as Gary was about to take out his Pokédex, the door opened again, and Bob walked in. Seeing Gary, he smiled and said, "You're up? Let's go. Let's set out now to investigate Team Rocket's whereabouts."
"Investigate Team Rocket?" The man turned to look at Bob, clearly displeased. "Are you deaf? I told you to stay away from Team Rocket! They're dangerous. Why are you getting involved?"
"Dad, why are you back..." Bob started to say, but his voice trailed off when he saw his father's serious expression.
"What's going on?" Gary asked, pulling Bob aside.
"My dad doesn't want me to get involved with Team Rocket, saying it's too dangerous. But I…" Bob muttered quietly, explaining the situation.
"What are you mumbling about? I'm not deaf. I won't let you get involved with Team Rocket because you're not strong enough yet. Do you really think you can handle Team Rocket just because you took my Beedrill?" the man asked sternly.
"Then what? Am I supposed to just hide behind you forever?" Bob responded, looking his father in the eye.
"Alright, how about this: if one of you three can defeat me, I'll agree to let you go investigate Team Rocket's whereabouts," the man offered, seeing the determination on the children's faces.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations to the host for activating a combat option."
"Option 1: Refuse to fight and receive a donut."
"Option 2: Accept the battle and be rewarded with an enhanced Rare Candy (5000 XP gained upon use)."
As the man finished speaking, the system prompt appeared in Bob's mind.
"It's a deal," Bob immediately agreed, hearing the system prompt and not waiting for Gary's response.
"What about you, young man?" the man asked, looking at Gary.
"Since Bob agreed, I'll agree too. But, sir, you won't use Pokémon that are too powerful compared to ours, right?" Gary responded, understanding the situation and choosing to accept the challenge.
"Of course, I won't use overly powerful Pokémon. So, who will you send out to battle?" the man asked with a laugh.
"Gary, let me go first. I want to prove myself to him," Bob said, stepping forward. Gary wasn't surprised—he knew Bob wanted to prove himself to his father.
As expected, Bob lost the battle. The Pokémon he used was still defeated by his father's Beedrill.
In the second round, Mia stepped up. She was stronger than Bob in battle, but she still couldn't defeat the man.