Pokémon Breeder's Story

Chapter 22: Gourmet Food and Gifts

Looking at the two boys before him, Kenji did not forget his true purpose.

—To fleece the sheep.

He turned his gaze to the two dirty, dusty Pokémon, a Zigzagoon and a Poochyena, and proposed to the boys, "The breeding center also offers a Pokémon washing service. These two are a bit dirty, would you like me to help them take a bath?"

Hearing this, Sato and Shu looked at the Zigzagoon and Poochyena beside them, and embarrassed expressions appeared on their faces. "Then we'll have to trouble you!"

Kenji smiled and said, "You're welcome."

He went to the backyard, filled two large basins with warm water from the faucet, and then placed the fluffy Zigzagoon and Poochyena inside. First, he used the warm water to rinse off the dust. After they were clean, he squeezed on some Pokémon-specific body wash. Finally, he wrapped the two wet Pokémon in towels and dried their fur.

The breeding center didn't have a hairdryer, but it did have a Growlithe. Under Kenji's command, Growlithe used Ember to start a small bonfire. With the help of the flames, the water stains on Zigzagoon's and Poochyena's fur were quickly dried.

The two newly refreshed Pokémon looked at their clean and tidy selves in a mirror, and a small sun appeared above both of their heads.

[Zigzagoon's mood has improved. Joy Value +50. Received Zigzagoon's gift: "Pickup" Ability.]

[Ability (Pickup): A wondrous ability. A Pokémon with this ability can sometimes pick up useful little items. This is Zigzagoon's specialty. You helped it clean its fur and provided it with food, and it is happy to teach you this skill. Uses remaining: 1/1. Can only be used to replace the ability of a Pokémon that is capable of having Pickup.]

[Poochyena's mood has improved. Joy Value +45. Received Poochyena's gift: "Odor Sleuth" Skill Machine.]

[Skill Machine (Odor Sleuth): A Normal-type move. After use, moves that normally don't affect Ghost-type Pokémon can now hit them, and moves are more likely to hit opponents with high evasion. Additionally, a Pokémon that knows this move will have a much more sensitive sense of smell, allowing it to track, investigate, and locate targets. Uses remaining: 9999/9999.]

"Pickup and Odor Sleuth, huh..." Both were support-type abilities and moves.

Kenji had no use for Pickup at the moment, and judging by the description, it seemed it could only be used on Pokémon that were naturally able to have the Pickup ability. Moreover, it wasn't an addition, but a replacement, functioning similarly to an Ability Capsule.

As for Odor Sleuth, it was perfect for Growlithe. Kenji planned to go to Meteor Falls to investigate later and, while he was at it, see if he could catch a few Clefairy to help out. With the location information from the boy named Shu, combined with Growlithe's Odor Sleuth and Bewear's protection, finding the Clefairy shouldn't be too difficult.

The sky gradually darkened, and before he knew it, it was seven in the evening. After finishing their ramen, Sato and Shu went back to their room to rest early. Bewear was in the kitchen, washing the dishes.

On his fifth day in the Pokémon world, Kenji had gradually adapted to life here. He sat in the lobby, holding Growlithe, thinking about his current situation and his plans for the future. One thing he hadn't expected was that by hosting guests and providing them with delicious food, he could also receive gifts from them. It seemed he would have to run the inn side of the business seriously as well.

Kenji's cooking skills had always been good. In the future, he could research some more gourmet dishes to add to the menu. However, doing all this work by himself was still too tiring. Bewear could help him clean and do housework, but that was far from enough.

So the question was, were there any Pokémon that could cook?

Several figures flashed through Kenji's mind.

Oranguru. In the Alola region, an Oranguru ran a bar in a forest, providing food for the Pokémon guests there.

Pumpkaboo. Jessie from Team Rocket had a Pumpkaboo. In Jessie's memories, that Pumpkaboo once made apple puree and other desserts for her when she was sick, which deeply moved her.

Cutiefly and Ribombee. These two Pokémon were masters at making desserts. They would collect pollen and nectar and turn the pollen into delicious pollen puffs.

Mr. Mime. The Mr. Mime that stayed with Ash's mother in the anime was an absolute top-tier caretaker, proficient in both cleaning and cooking.

And, of course, the Meowth from Team Rocket. Although it couldn't use moves, after its time as a stray in Hollywood and traveling with the Rocket duo, Meowth's life skills were maxed out. Both its snacks and meals were exceptionally delicious. The shaved ice Meowth once made earned high praise from Ash and his friends. Later, when Meowth worked part-time at a noodle shop, the noodle dishes it made drew in an endless stream of customers.

Unfortunately, apart from Mr. Mime and Meowth, all these Pokémon were in other regions. Although there were Meowth in Hoenn, the one from Team Rocket was one-of-a-kind. Kenji currently had no opportunity to travel to other regions, unless a breeding center from another region was willing to have an exchange with him.

After washing the dishes, Bewear returned to the living room. Seeing Kenji sitting there holding Growlithe in thought, it didn't disturb him. Instead, it picked up its broom and began its daily chores.

Kenji used Odor Sleuth on Growlithe. The moment it learned the move, Growlithe immediately felt its sense of smell become much sharper. It twitched its nose, sniffing around constantly, seemingly fascinated by this new move.

But soon, Growlithe focused its attention on Kenji. Kenji's scent, memorized! This way, no matter where Kenji went in the future, it could find him!

"Alright, now it's study time!"

Kenji placed the little Growlithe on the counter and then took a book from the small shelf below. These were books he had bought earlier in town: On Pokémon Mating and Egg-Laying, The Encyclopedia of Pokémon Rearing, Encyclopedia of Herbs, Pharmaceutics, Ecology, and so on.

To become an excellent breeding center owner and breeder, the Pokémon knowledge he had from his previous life was far from enough. Although Kenji had his special ability, it was ultimately an external tool, not his own strength. What if one day it disappeared? It was always better to rely on oneself. So, he still needed to study constantly.

Under the warm light, Kenji read his book quietly while the little Growlithe chased its own tail nearby. In the garden, Oddish bathed in the moonlight, enjoying its life. Everything seemed so peaceful and harmonious.

Bewear watched this scene, its eyes sparkling. I will remember this moment forever, Bewear thought. This is so nice, so happy!