Alcremie and Sinistea are some of the most peculiar Pokémon in the Pokémon world. The former has many different forms, while the latter comes in genuine and counterfeit versions.
Both Pokémon are a hurdle for full Pokédex collectors, with some players repeatedly hunting them down just to complete their collections of all Alcremie forms and authentic Sinistea.
Putting these aside, Heath found Alcremie's cream to be exceptional. Since today was the grand opening, Alcremie ice cream was only six League coins per cone, with three flavors to choose from.
The available flavors were Milky Red Diamond, Milky Lemon, and Milky Snow Salt. Heath chose the Snow Salt flavor, which tasted quite good, while Zorua picked Red Diamond, and both Farfetch'd and Charmander opted for Lemon.
According to the brochure, the price would revert to twelve League coins per cone the next day. Heath figured he would still buy it, given how delicious it was.
Unfortunately, during the queue, Professor Oak had disappeared. The Alcremie ice cream shop was too crowded, and Heath lost sight of him in the throng.
The bustling food street had its downside—too many people and Pokémon. Fortunately, Heath kept a close eye on his Pokémon.
"I was hoping to see what I could get if I hosted Professor Oak," Heath sighed, feeling a bit disappointed.
After all, it was Professor Oak, a highly skilled and famous Pokémon professor, renowned for his exceptional breeding abilities. Heath thought having Professor Oak over could yield some excellent items.
But as he licked his tasty Milky Snow Salt ice cream, Heath's mood lifted. Indeed, good food is the best remedy for a wounded heart.
Heath then took Zorua, Farfetch'd, and Charmander around the food street. They didn't buy much, but everything they got was delicious. Charmander's favorite was yogurt made from Miltank milk, which tasted amazing.
Heath also tried the yogurt, finding it rich and full of flavor. The texture was smooth, without yogurt sticking to the lid, which slightly disappointed Heath, as licking the lid is the essence of eating yogurt.
Zorua's favorite was takoyaki sold by an Octillery, each ball containing a piece of octopus tentacle. Heath couldn't help but glance at the Octillery, wondering if the tentacles in the takoyaki were its own.
Considering octopus tentacles can regenerate, Octillery's takoyaki business was likely low-cost.
Heath had grown accustomed to such oddities; only Alolan dried Slowpoke tail might be a step too far for him, despite its regenerative properties.
Farfetch'd, on the other hand, enjoyed watching others cook and often had moments of sudden realization. Heath glanced at the leek in Farfetch'd's hand.
Strictly speaking, Pokémon like Farfetch'd carrying their own ingredients to the food street were rare, and Heath received many surprised looks and curious stares from people, some holding their phones as if they struck gold.
They probably thought Heath planned to sell Farfetch'd dishes in the food street. The League had announced a reward of fifty thousand League coins for capturing illegal hunters and sellers of wild Farfetch'd.
In Viridian City, where the average monthly salary was only three thousand five hundred League coins, fifty thousand coins was a fortune.
After leaving the food street, Heath's wallet was lighter. Still, seeing his three happy Pokémon, he felt that occasionally enjoying food together was worthwhile.
However, he couldn't help but feel the pinch, being thrifty by nature.
"Has the League Chairman left?" Heath wondered, stretching as he observed the bustling street. He hadn't gone to the driving school yet, but considering the time, it didn't seem necessary anymore.
Heath was curious about the Chairman's reaction upon discovering that Giovanni, whom he personally authorized as Gym Leader, was the boss of Team Rocket.
It was like appointing an undercover agent as a mafia boss. But in this world, such absurd things could happen, and Giovanni becoming a Gym Leader wasn't too surprising.
"Heath? What are you doing here?" Speaking of Giovanni, Heath heard his voice. Turning, he saw Giovanni standing beside him, holding a large bag of groceries.
"I just took my Pokémon to the food street," Heath said cheerfully. Giovanni glanced at Charmander, looking a bit odd, but he smiled and said nothing.
"Mr. Giovanni, are you grocery shopping?" Heath asked, eyeing the tomatoes, zucchini, and a large piece of beef in Giovanni's arms. The beef looked high quality, probably the most expensive kind in the supermarket.
The marbling on the beef made Heath's hands itch.
"Yes, I'm planning to make hotpot at home today," Giovanni said with a smile. Heath chatted with him for a bit before returning to his food truck.
Hotpot existed in the Pokémon world and was quite popular. Viridian City had many hotpot restaurants, the most famous being "Ayumu's Hotpot." Heath had been there once with Sister Maple, and it was indeed delicious.
Watching the setting sun, Heath stretched again. It was too late for driving school, so he decided to head back early and study for his driving theory exam in the dormitory.
(End of this chapter)