Pokémon: Chef Trainer

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"Hey, what else do you have? Give me a pancake roll with an extra egg, and make it spicy." Giovanni smiled and happily released his Nidoking, giving its head a gentle pat.

Heath nodded and started preparing the pancake roll for Giovanni.

When Giovanni first came to his stall, Heath didn't recognize him. Later, he realized this man was none other than Giovanni of the Earth Badge, and Heath nearly whipped out his phone to call Officer Jenny Rose for help.

After all, this was the boss of Team Rocket! Heath had overheard Officer Jenny Rose and her colleagues discussing Team Rocket back in the dorms. Recently, Team Rocket's expansion had been rapid, and the League was actively searching for their headquarters.

If the League ever discovered that Giovanni was Team Rocket's leader, Viridian City's Viridian Gym might as well close its doors.

For now, though, the League was still unaware of Giovanni's role as Team Rocket's leader. Giovanni remained in Viridian City, though based on his knowledge from the games and anime, Heath figured it wouldn't be long before Giovanni moved elsewhere.

"Mr. Giovanni, here's your pancake roll," Heath said with a cheerful smile, handing over the snack. Giovanni took a bite, nodded with satisfaction, and handed Heath the payment.

As Giovanni walked toward the gym with his Nidoking, Heath licked his lips, wondering if there might be some sort of reward.

[You served Team Rocket Boss Giovanni. You received 10 Farfetch'd Candies.]

Heath froze. Farfetch'd Candies? What were those?

He wracked his brain, trying to recall his hazy memories of his past life, but ultimately gave up. Instead, he opened his notebook, flipped through a few pages, and finally found some relevant information.

"Hmm… candies from Pokémon: Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee? They increase a Pokémon's effort values?" Heath grinned. If that was the case, 10 candies meant that his Farfetch'd's effort values would increase by 10 points each!

He didn't fully understand how to calculate effort and individual values, but he knew higher stats meant faster growth for Pokémon. Considering Farfetch'd's unique ability, Heath's mood improved even more.

Then another thought hit him: every time he used his mysterious cheat-like ability, it had been after serving food to customers. Did this mean his special ability was somehow tied to cooking?

Determined to test his theory, Heath began his day's work.

…

The Pokémon world Heath knew from anime and games was vast, but living here himself revealed just how much larger it really was.

Each morning, around six o'clock, sanitation workers started their shifts. They often used Water-type Pokémon like Goldeen to spray foam and lubricate the streets before cleaning them.

By seven o'clock, office workers began flooding the streets, and the town came alive. That was when Heath's breakfast stall started its daily hustle.

After four years, Heath had built a solid reputation on this street. Everyone knew his breakfast was delicious, so many customers lined up to buy from him.

"Heath, good morning! Up early as always. I'll have the usual," greeted one regular customer as they waited in line. Heath calmly worked through the orders, handling the ingredients with practiced efficiency.

"Good morning, Uncle Arning," Heath replied with a grin. This middle-aged man, still rubbing his aching back, had pulled an all-nighter at work just the day before.

Uncle Arning's wife was a kind woman, but Heath had heard from customers that she had been eager for a child recently, which had been tough on Uncle Arning.

After preparing Uncle Arning's breakfast, Heath noticed another reward pop up: [You received one Agility Candy.] It seemed to function similarly to the Farfetch'd Candies.

By the end of the morning rush, Heath had collected over 50 candies. While not every customer rewarded him with candies, Heath was now confident that his special ability was indeed connected to his cooking.

"Heath, big bro!" A young boy ran over excitedly, and Heath couldn't help but laugh when he saw him.

"Ash! Back for more pancake roll?" Heath asked with a smile. The boy, a few years younger than him, was named Ash.

That's right—the Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, future Pokémon Master. Right now, though, Ash was just a carefree kid who hadn't started his journey yet.

"Yep! Your food is the best!" Ash said enthusiastically, and Heath chuckled.

Ash seemed like a cheerful, worry-free child, but his love for Pokémon was extraordinary. Heath often heard Ash excitedly share stories about the Pokémon he had discovered.

"Well, today's special comes with a delicious leek. Want some?" Heath asked teasingly.

Ash hesitated, then pulled out a few crumpled bills from his pocket, counted them, and nodded firmly.

Heath wasn't surprised. Farfetch'd's leeks were considered a premium topping, pricey enough to make even working adults think twice.

"Ash, how much longer until you get your starter Pokémon?" Heath asked while preparing the pancake roll.

"Hmm… two more years! Mom says I can start my journey in two years!" Ash said eagerly, counting the days in his head.

Heath nodded. Two years from now, Ash's journey would begin, and a strange era would follow.

Ash's adventures often brought about wild and unpredictable events. Heath could only hope this world wouldn't get too chaotic.

"Oh, by the way, big bro Heath! A new family just moved into town. They have a boy about my age!" Ash said, his eyes lighting up as Heath sprinkled chopped green onions onto the pancake roll.

"Oh? What's his name?" Heath asked curiously. Pallet Town didn't get many newcomers; most people preferred to live in Viridian City.

"Uh… I think his name is Red!" Ash's answer made Heath's hands tremble, almost dropping the egg he was holding.

Red?

Heath stared at Ash in disbelief. Wasn't Ash supposed to be Red? How could there be another Red moving into Pallet Town?

What was going on in this world?

Suddenly, Heath felt like things were spiraling beyond his expectations. Could this Red really be the Red he knew?

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