"Pii—"
Is there no food in this world that doesn't require someone to cook it?
Caterpie frowned: "Pii." (No.)
"Indee." Indeedee thought for a moment, couldn't help but pat Caterpie's head: "Indeed." (Once we get to a town, I'll buy you Pokémon food!)
"Pii!"
Caterpie looked at Indeedee with a moved expression.
With the experience of taking care of a whole bunch of Pokémon at the farm, Indeedee quickly finished making today's lunch. It then brought a bowl of soup to the Wizard, and plopped down beside him.
The Wizard picked up the bowl and took a sip, his eyes instantly lighting up.
Although he didn't really want to admit that his own cooking skills were genuinely terrible, compared to Indeedee's, the difference was truly like night and day.
Thinking this, he remembered the Moonlight Jellies festival coming up in a few days.
"We'll be going back once more next week. Do you plan to return to the farm, or stay with me for a little longer?" the Wizard asked.
"Indeedee?" Indeedee turned its head to look at the Wizard. (Are you going to participate in this festival too?)
Indeedee pondered this carefully for a moment, but couldn't recall where the Wizard had been during last year's Moonlight Jellies festival.
"Yeah." The Wizard explained briefly, "Everyone is afraid of me, so I stay in the corner."
Since he was considered a part of Pelican Town, not just the Wizard, but even Krobus, the shadow person who lived in the sewers, would also attend.
"Indee." Indeedee drank its soup, pondering.
"But in the autumn, Ron will probably go to Kalos himself," the Wizard added. "If you want to go with him, I'll send you back to the farm that night."
"Indeedee."
Indeedee swung its little feet.
Meanwhile, at the farm.
After finding out about the meal packs from Pierre, Leah made her way to the farm. Seeing the fishermen still crowded around the stall buying meal packs, Gus already sweating profusely from being so busy, and Ron helping out beside him, Leah smiled, swept her hair to one side, and walked up to Ron in a few steps.
"Good afternoon." Leah said, pointing to the meal packs nearby. "Give me one too."
"You?" Gus looked at Leah in surprise.
Gus knew full well that Leah had no interest in his culinary skills; she didn't even come to the saloon a few times a year. Although it was a bit disheartening, he also knew that everyone's tastes were different. Leah, for instance, was the type who preferred the natural flavors of food.
"I'm buying it for Pierre," Leah said. "He said if it tastes good, he wants to take some to Abigail."
Ron noticed her at this point, so Leah blinked. "Though I have a feeling you might have already prepared some for them."
——
"Huh?" Gus was taken aback.
"I did," Ron smiled.
"Prepared some for them?" Gus pondered for a moment, looking at Ron a bit gossip-hungry. "Could it be——"
"Everyone has some. I even stuffed a bit into the Wizard's backpack."
Gus thought about it and felt that made sense.
Seeing Ron looking so completely unbothered, Leah breathed a sigh of relief.
No one being treated specially was a victory.
Thinking this, she took the meal pack.
"Actually, both Haley and Abigail have changed a lot."
Although she didn't know how their cooking skills were now, they wouldn't be going hungry out there, especially since they had been living in Kalos for so long.
However, Leah could also understand Pierre's feelings.
This kind of thing couldn't be suppressed. Even if you knew she was doing perfectly fine over there, you'd still always worry about some accident happening, or her not eating well, or not living well, and so on.
"Yeah," Gus agreed. "Emily praises Haley eight times a day in the saloon."
Leah immediately laughed.
"She used to always complain at the saloon about Haley not cleaning up, about the house being a mess, and how Haley always relied on her to take care of things," Gus said somewhat nostalgically. "I used to think she didn't like Haley. It was only later that I realized that was also a kind of sweet burden for her."
Even though she constantly complained about the trouble Haley caused her, Emily had always loved Haley. Loved her very, very much.
Gus had realized this very early on.
"Probably." Leah said, suddenly noticing Ribbon in the corner.
Ribbon was currently sitting in the corner, putting hair clips on its head. Noticing Leah's gaze, it couldn't help but proudly show off its collection.
It wasn't easy to collect so many hats and hair accessories!
If Pokémon Contests were judged on accessories, it would definitely win the championship!
"Oh, I happen to have a hat," Leah said.
This statement came a bit out of nowhere. Gus stared for a long time before realizing Leah was talking to Ribbon.
"How about I give it to you?" Leah said.
"Rattata?" (Is it a hat I don't have?)
Ribbon asked with a solemn expression. It even showed off its collection once again, expressing doubt about Leah's claim that she possessed a hat it didn't own in Pelican Town.
It had even managed to get a trash can lid from Sailor—though not very pretty, it barely counted as a hat.
"It's a Raccoon Hat." Leah gestured.
"Rattata!" Ribbon immediately sat up and ran over to Leah. "Rattata, Rattata."
"It's asking how much, meow," Meowth translated as it passed by.
Leah smiled at Ribbon, then picked it up. "Free, dear."
"Rattata, Rattata!"
"Then you're a really good person, meow." Meowth said, walking straight to the Ginger Island warp totem and warping over.
Leah carried Ribbon toward the cabin.
Leah's plan for later was to plant the Raccoon's seeds first, give the hat to Ribbon, and then deliver the meal packs to Pierre.
"Rattata, Rattata!"
Ribbon lay excitedly in Leah's arms.
"But you have to trade me some information in exchange," Leah whispered.
Ribbon, which had been looking excited, couldn't help but raise its head.
"Rattata?"
"Hmm... like..." Leah pondered. She thought for a while but couldn't think of anything she wanted to ask about Ron, so she couldn't help but say, "We'll talk about that next time."
"Rattata..."
Ribbon's expression gradually grew grave.
It knew there was no such thing as a free hat in this world!
What could she possibly want?
Could it be Ribbon's exclusive, secret foraging spots where it always finds items?
Thinking of this, Ribbon couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
If it's for a hat, then there's nothing to be done!
Ribbon thought, rapidly making a mental trade-off.
"Ta-da~" Leah handed the Raccoon Hat to Ribbon's paws, then held a jar of dried fruit in front of it.
"Wait for me a bit, I'll walk you back after I finish planting the seeds."
"Rattata." (No need.)
Ribbon waved its paw, indicating that it knew the way home much better than Leah did.
Ignoring Ribbon's refusal, Leah planted the seeds in a flower pot.
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