Chương 27: Chapter 27: The Runaway Pokémon
"Sister Maple, welcome home," Heath greeted a tired Maple with a cheerful smile.
"Good evening, Heath. Huh? Why are there so many ducks today? What did you do?" Maple looked bewilderedly at the roast ducks on the table, lost in deep thought.
Maple had certainly eaten roast duck before, and her Arcanine loved it as well. Heath's roast duck was exceptionally delicious; after tasting it once, she couldn't forget it. However, this behavior was unusual for Heath. Maple knew her younger brother well. Due to his ongoing debt repayment, Heath was quite frugal, and roast duck was typically reserved for holidays.
But today wasn't a holiday.
"Heath! Come clean!" Maple suddenly slapped the table, making the roast duck jump slightly.
"Huh? Come clean about what?" Heath looked at her in confusion. What was he supposed to confess? That Giovanni was actually the leader of Team Rocket?
Don't be ridiculous. Even if Heath told her, Maple might not believe it without concrete evidence. Giovanni's reputation in Viridian City was such that without definitive proof, people wouldn't suspect his identity.
"So why did you make so much roast duck today?" Maple relaxed upon seeing Heath's genuine confusion.
"Farfetch'd wanted to learn how to make roast duck, so I taught it," Heath shrugged. His heart had ached while buying the ducks earlier that afternoon.
Even though Farfetch'd handled the two roast ducks, it still didn't meet the standards of Heath's cheats. The roast duck's cooking was slightly off.
Despite his heartache, there was nothing Heath could do. The ducks were already cooked, and while he considered selling them, they didn't meet his perfectionist standards. So, he decided to keep and eat them himself.
"You taught Farfetch'd how to make roast duck?" Maple looked at Heath in shock, finding it the second most absurd thing she heard that day.
"Yes, Farfetch'd seems interested in cooking, so I thought I'd teach it," Heath laughed at Maple's shocked expression, realizing he wasn't the only one surprised by Farfetch'd's culinary ambitions.
Maple glanced at Farfetch'd, who was practicing with its leek, then at Heath. Scratching her head, she muttered a couple of words before sitting down.
"Sister Maple, did something happen in Viridian City today? I saw many people searching for something on the streets," Heath asked curiously.
Heath noticed this when he went grocery shopping earlier. Initially, he thought the neighboring supermarket was having a chip sale, but it seemed people were searching for something.
Thanks to this, Heath didn't see Meowth or Ekans today, likely causing them to hide and suffer in Viridian City.
"Yes, the distribution of starter Pokémon began yesterday. A family's Charmander ran away—the supermarket owner's son's Pokémon, you know," Maple explained while chewing on a piece of duck, praising Farfetch'd.
Though the roast duck was delicious to her, it still didn't compare to Heath's cooking. However, she thought Farfetch'd might truly have potential as a chef.
Heath raised an eyebrow, understanding why so many people were searching. A runaway Charmander could save them a lot of money if they caught it. Even returning it to the supermarket owner would earn a reward, given the owner's wealth ranking in Viridian City.
Heath had no interest in this, as it was someone else's Pokémon. With so many people searching, he doubted he would find it. Of course, if he stumbled upon it, that might be different.
Heath and Maple enjoyed a rich dinner of roast duck and vegetables. The fatty meal made Heath feel a bit queasy, discovering that eating roast duck could be a chore.
After dinner, Heath took Farfetch'd for a walk, but not before grabbing a lunch box filled with sweet and sour pork ribs.
He planned to visit Evergreen Forest and use the ribs to find Zorua, strengthening their bond while getting some exercise—a win-win situation.
Though the forest still had some patrols by Officer Jenny at night, there were fewer people than during the day, allowing Heath to sneak in easily.
Walking for a while, Heath spotted an elderly man sleeping soundly on the grass, nearly laughing out loud.
Zorua had disguised itself as a human to sleep.
"Hey, wake up," Heath gently tugged at the man's clothes.
"Hmm? Young man, do you need something?" The man blinked at Heath in confusion.
Heath hesitated, wondering if the man wasn't actually Zorua.
"May I ask who you are?" Heath cautiously inquired, not recalling seeing this elderly man in Viridian City. He likely was a visitor from another town.
"I'm just a traveler who dozed off. Sorry about that," the man chuckled, his demeanor perfectly normal, raising no suspicions for Heath.
"I see... Are you hungry? I have some food," Heath offered the sweet and sour pork ribs, thinking it would help identify the man.
While offering food was a way to identify someone, Heath preferred using the food magnifying glass for verification. It was less troublesome if the guest refused to eat.
"No need, kind child. Oh, my old bones... Thank you," the man said, patting his waist before slowly leaving.
*(End of the chapter)*
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