Chapter Forty-Seven: The True Slacker

“Hmm... Scallion says he’s very curious about why the man we met this morning is so strong, and he wants to know if being strong will help him.” Zorua dutifully translated, and Farfetch’d hugged his leek and nodded.

Heath looked at Farfetch’d in surprise. Scallion—what a fitting name. He wondered how these two communicated, and so, if Farfetch’d was Scallion, then Zorua must be...

“Zorua, would you mind explaining it to me?” Heath smiled at Zorua, who rolled her eyes at him.

But seeing the curiosity in Farfetch’d's eyes, Heath resolved to explain things properly to his Pokémon. After all, as a trainer, wasn’t it his duty to answer their questions? Especially about becoming stronger.

“Well, Farfetch’d, muscles are definitely useful for growing stronger. Just think, if two Charmanders stood side by side and fought, the one with more muscle would have a greater chance of winning.” Heath gently rubbed Farfetch’d's head and explained carefully.

Farfetch’d looked at Heath, half-understanding, but Heath didn’t mind. He knew it was tricky to explain such things with words, and it was even harder for a Pokémon to truly grasp the concept.

Heath lifted his head and noticed an office worker passing by. He remembered that man worked at a nearby office building as an ad agency designer—a rather thankless job.

“See, Uncle Fujiwara could probably take on five—no, ten of him.” Heath pointed at the office worker and whispered. Farfetch’d nodded instantly.

Then he began calling out “Scallion, Scallion!” and gesticulating, but Heath still couldn’t understand what Farfetch’d meant.

“Zorua...” Heath called, but Zorua didn’t react at all, as if she’d already fallen asleep, even drooling a bit at the corner of her mouth.

Heath’s lips twitched. Good grief, this little one sure holds a grudge.

“Dear little Zorua, what would you like to eat?” Heath smiled at Zorua, regretting his earlier slip of the tongue—now he had to pay the price.

Yet Zorua remained motionless, her expression unchanged, like a heartless killing machine.

“You know, I’m actually not called Zorua, but ‘Lolo’. Doesn’t that sound nice?” Heath tried another approach.

Zorua stirred. Heath felt a surge of hope—was it working?

But the next second, he heard Zorua snoring. Heath helplessly covered his face; this little creature was shameless, pretending to sleep so thoroughly.

No wonder people say you can never wake someone pretending to sleep; after all, that’s just a ploy to avoid talking to you.

“Sigh, looks like I’ll have to give the spicy chicken to Farfetch’d instead.” Heath sighed, and Zorua instantly jumped up from her chair.

“You rascal! That’s mine!” Seeing the agitated Zorua, Heath smiled and scooped her up in his arms. Zorua squirmed nervously.

“Wh-what are you doing!” Zorua looked at Heath in alarm, though Heath noticed a hint of expectation in her eyes. What was she hoping for?

“As long as you help me translate, I’ll make you a bowl of egg soup. How about it?” Heath shook his head, deciding not to guess what Zorua expected. Solving Zorua’s little tantrum was the priority.

Zorua hesitated, but nodded.

“Hmm... Scallion says he wants to build his muscles and become the strongest Farfetch’d.” Zorua finished translating quickly. Heath looked at Farfetch’d, thinking he already was the strongest.

“Hmph, Trainer, don’t forget your promise. If you fail, I’ll bite you!” Zorua threatened indignantly, and Heath smiled and nodded.

Heath then turned to Farfetch’d. So, Farfetch’d wanted to train...

Thinking back, Heath remembered he had received a fitness tool kit. He rummaged through his cabinet and pulled out a box.

It was a toolbox, but when Heath opened it, he realized it was surprisingly large inside, filled with miniature gym equipment.

Heath tentatively took out a dumbbell. As it left the box, it suddenly grew in size and weight.

“Some real high-tech here...” Heath clicked his tongue. This fitness tool kit was simply unbeatable.

“Farfetch’d, try this.” Heath handed the dumbbell to Farfetch’d—five kilograms, a very light weight.

Farfetch’d nodded and began exercising with the dumbbell, puffing and huffing. With no customers at the moment, Heath sat in his chair watching Farfetch’d train.

“Fifteen... twenty...” Heath was counting Farfetch’d's reps, when Farfetch’d dropped the dumbbell and collapsed on the floor, exhausted.

“Scallion says he’s too tired and will train again tomorrow.” Zorua translated, not forgetting to remind Heath she wanted big chunks of chicken.

Heath couldn’t help but laugh at Farfetch’d. Others fish three days and dry nets for two; Farfetch’d fishes for three minutes and dries fish for a couple of days.

Heath shook his head in resignation. Whether muscle training was useful for Pokémon, he wasn’t sure. If Farfetch’d didn’t train, it didn’t matter—he was already strong enough.

Just as Heath was about to greet customers, Zorua suddenly sprang up, eyeing a certain direction warily. Heath glanced down in confusion; Zorua was staring at a cabinet.

“What’s wrong?” Heath asked.

“The cabinet door moved,” Zorua replied seriously.

“Oh, like ‘I’m not playing anymore, my cabinet moved’?” Heath joked, forgetting that no one in this world got the reference. Zorua simply gave him a look of disdain.

Heath shrugged—boring. He reached out and opened the cabinet door, and inside, where he kept his fitness tools, a Charmander was earnestly trying to open the box, but getting nowhere.

Charmander was determined, struggling to pry open the lid, but the lock was tight and wouldn’t budge.

“So focused...” Heath watched Charmander with a strange expression. The little guy was so absorbed, even with Heath squatting right beside him, he hadn’t noticed and kept trying to open the box.