Even the shoes were odd—ugly-looking, and clearly not her size… yet they fit perfectly once worn.
And a glowing ring that lit night paths.
Yes, Ron had given her every spare item.
Abigail was practically armed to the teeth. If circumstances allowed, he'd have even grabbed accessories from Stardew Valley's Mastery Cave.
She nodded. Thankfully, Joy had prepped her for this—she'd already done her share of gaping in front of Joy.
But just as Serena couldn't fathom a place with only four months per year (seasons changing daily!), Abigail couldn't grasp how Kalos stretched each season so long.
"Fascinating! I'd love to visit your hometown someday," Serena said, gazing at the sky.
Dusk fell. Lumiose City was still distant.
"Camp here tonight?" Serena scanned for a spot, checking with Abigail.
Abigail agreed. Though the ring lit their path, they were tired—and half a day's walk remained.
They found a riverside clearing, set up camp, and unpacked gear. Abigail lit the stove and oiled a pan while Serena prepped ingredients.
"Lumiose has some special ingredient lately," Serena said, shelling shrimp. "Want to check it out tomorrow? It's exclusive to the city."
"Special ingredient?"
"Yeah. Limited stock—it sells out before reaching other regions."
Abigail mixed batter for prawn tempura—eggs, flour, spices. "Let's go. It's days to Cyllage anyway."
More options meant delaying meal fatigue. Cooking together felt less like chores—Abigail even enjoyed it.
(Though Serena's praise helped—treating every meal like a culinary triumph.)
Serena's skills weren't bad, but Ron's Pelican Town specialties were unfamiliar to her.
Thankfully, they'd packed instant meals too. On lazy days, they'd boil water, toss in pre-cut veggies and curry blocks, and call it dinner.
As tempura sizzled and curry simmered, the river's murmur and oil's crackle filled the air—peaceful, cozy.
---
The next day…
Rain drizzled. They lingered in the tent, chatting until the downpour eased. By afternoon, they headed for Lumiose.
Kalos's largest city stunned Abigail:
- Sky-high towers
- Strange machinery
- Endless queues snaking beyond sight
Serena shrugged, clueless, and joined the line's tail.
"What's this for?" she asked an elderly man.
"Lumiose Food Co.'s new Drumsticks and Wing Meat," he said. "Great fried or stewed—but only sold Wednesdays/Fridays. Not sure if we'll get any; they're ramping up production."
Drumsticks? The odd name puzzled them.
---
Meanwhile, Pelican Town – Fall 4
Rain poured—a rare autumn storm. Last night, Indeedee had curled up beside Ron, missing his presence.
Ron woke to suffocating warmth. Pokémon breaths surrounded him; his return had made them all clingy.
Sneaking out was impossible. He lifted a hand—heard a Rattata grind its teeth—and sighed, lying stiffly until they woke.
With hops harvest over, farm work boiled down to animal care and brewing. Yesterday's batch wouldn't mature until morning, so only the mining/logging crews were active.
Ron browsed recent profits, then pulled out Gus's latest recipe.
Could he sell ready-made meals? Most travelers lacked cooking skills—just tossed instant noodles and prepped ingredients into a pot.
He'd struck a deal with Kalos's food company: rebranded farm produce with unrelated names (Drumsticks, Wing Meat), marketed as "Kalos specialties," and sent to Gus for recipe development.
Now, Ron chuckled at the packaging. "Marinate in wine," he read, pouring Gus's provided wine over the chicken.
No ginger (Ginger Island was cut off), but Gus's experiments with Berries and wine eliminated gaminess—and tenderized the meat.
He stir-fried the marinated chicken with early-morning fried spices. Soon, the cabin filled with mouthwatering aromas.
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)