Chapter Fifteen: The Wandering Pokémon

“Yes, that’s right… You need to cut the pork into small pieces, but not too small…” Heath patiently guided Farfetch’d as it prepared the braised pork before them, though he had to admit that Farfetch’d seemed to possess a remarkable talent for cutting ingredients. Each piece of pork was sliced perfectly uniform, and the knife followed the grain of the meat, ensuring a better texture once cooked.

However, once it came time to actually cook and stir-fry, the kitchen turned into the set of a disaster film, with Heath scrambling to keep up with the chaos. Despite his best efforts—even teaching Farfetch’d hand-in-hand—the duck still managed to burn an entire pot of pork, leaving Heath with a stomachache just watching.

“Thank goodness it wasn’t a large batch of pork, or I’d be bankrupt by now,” Heath sighed as he gazed at the pot of blackened meat.

Fortunately, Heath had prepared in advance, cutting the pork into small portions, so the loss wasn’t too great. After several more attempts, Farfetch’d finally produced a passable plate of braised pork with fried tofu, though it still didn’t earn the approval of his golden finger; Heath suspected the taste was still lacking.

But with lunchtime fast approaching, Heath decided not to continue teaching Farfetch’d for now. He needed to get all the ingredients ready. He had Farfetch’d watch as he made another batch of braised pork with fried tofu, then wheeled his cart to the busiest street in Evergreen City, setting up his stall and waiting for customers.

“Meow!” came a peculiar cry. Without turning around, Heath tossed a piece of the slightly burnt pork made by Farfetch’d behind him. Soon, the sound of munching followed, then another meow. Turning, Heath saw three Meowth sitting expectantly behind his cart.

“You little rascals, you can’t just freeload off me forever,” Heath said, a bit exasperated. These little ones were back again.

“Ratta, ratta!” Two Rattata emerged cautiously from the bushes, glancing around warily.

Last came an Ekans, flicking its tongue and gazing at Heath with unmistakable joy in its lone eye. Seeing these little strays, Heath was helpless but took out the failed batch of braised pork, poured it into a small basin from beneath his cart, and set it before them.

Watching the stray Pokémon of the city, Heath squatted down and gently stroked Meowth’s head. Its ears twitched, but it kept eating, unfazed. Just as there were stray animals in his previous life on Blue Star, there were strays in the Pokémon world as well. These Pokémon, abandoned by their original trainers for various reasons and unable to return to the wild, could only wander the city.

The first time Heath met these Pokémon, he thought someone was just out walking their companions, but later realized they were strays.

“Ekans, living in the city like this isn’t a long-term solution…” Heath stroked the snake’s head. This Ekans had only one eye; it had been that way since Heath first found it. He suspected its missing eye was likely the reason it had been abandoned.

“Hisss…” Ekans swallowed a chunk of pork, then contentedly licked its lips and gazed up at Heath.

He understood what it meant, so he reached out and patted Ekans’s head.

After finishing their meal, the Meowth, Rattata, and Ekans slipped back into the bushes. Heath knew they would continue roaming the city, surviving in their little secret base.

“Heath, one braised pork rice bowl!” As the lunch rush began, customers started arriving one after another, leaving Heath no time to dwell on stray Pokémon. He focused on serving his patrons.

Once the lunch hour ended, Heath packed up his cart. Experience from four years in Evergreen City taught him there would be no more customers at this hour.

It was that time of year again—the season when trainers set off on journeys with their first Pokémon. Heath saw many children happily chatting with their companions as they walked down the street.

Most had Pidgey or Rattata, with the occasional Pikachu or Eevee, and the rarest were the three starters from the Kanto region.

“Oh, Heath, closing up already?” Giovanni’s voice called out. Heath looked up to see Giovanni standing before him, smiling in a black suit, a Persian at his side.

“Mr. Giovanni! Would you like to try a braised pork rice bowl? The taste is quite good,” Heath replied with a grin. Though Giovanni was the leader of Team Rocket, his public demeanor was impeccable.

To Heath, Giovanni felt like a school dean—strict, yet gentlemanly and considerate toward the elderly and young women. The local TV station had even covered a story about Giovanni volunteering at a nursing home. Upon investigation, it turned out he did so every year; it was only this time that the media took notice. Otherwise, no one would have realized this amiable man was the Gym Leader of Evergreen City.

“Well, since you’re recommending it, give me a bowl. I’m curious about your new dish,” Giovanni said with a smile.

Heath deftly ladled out a bowl of braised pork with fried tofu and served it with rice, placing it before Giovanni.

“Mmm, smells wonderful… and the taste is excellent.” Giovanni inhaled the aroma, nodding in satisfaction, then took a bite and was even more pleasantly surprised.

Heath watched him with a cheerful smile. After four years of acquaintance, Heath often felt Giovanni was nothing like the villainous mastermind from the anime—more like a kindly man.

Still, seeing Persian at his side, Heath remembered that, no matter what, Giovanni was the leader of Team Rocket—that steady, shrewd, calculating man beneath the surface.

“Heath, what are your plans for the future? This is the time of year when new trainers set out with their first Pokémon,” Giovanni asked, glancing at Heath as he ate.