Bellsprout waddled up beside Barboach and Whiscash.
Bell~ Bell~~See? Didn't I say Ange's cooking was amazing?
It looked very proud, as if it were the one who had cooked the meal itself.
"So, how about it? Do you want to trade your leftover lotus roots with me?" Ange asked.
Barboach and Whiscash glanced at each other, unsure what to decide.
Bell~ Bell~ Trade, trade!
Bellsprout urged its two friends eagerly.
After being pestered to no end, the brothers finally gave in. They truly couldn't resist the delicious food in front of them.
Ange was overjoyed. "Then it's settled. I'll come dig lotus roots from your place, and from now on, you two can come eat at my house every morning."
Inside, Ange and his Pokémon were happily enjoying their lotus root feast. Outside, however, the parents were tormented by the waves of mouthwatering aroma drifting through the air.
Aria~ Aria~~Do they get to eat food that smells this good every day?
Swablu's father asked its wife.
Aria~~ Aria~~
Swablu's mother shook its head. The food had always smelled good before, but never this heavenly. The fragrance tonight was irresistible! It swallowed hard without realizing it.
Raptor~ Raptor~ That human really does have skill. No wonder the kids keep coming back every day.
Said Staraptor, the mother of Fletchling.
Flame~~
Fletchling's father, Talonflame, snorted coldly. What's so great about that? It's just food, right? He didn't care one bit.
Or so he thought. But just then, an even richer aroma hit him, and he nearly choked on his own saliva.
Suddenly, Ange's voice came from inside. "Hello, parents! Hungry? Want to try a little something?"
Flame~ Flame~Who wants to eat your food?!
Talonflame snapped, embarrassed by how easily he'd been tempted.
"Come on, just a little. It's free. No reason to refuse."
With that, Ange waved toward the house. Diancie and Munchlax came out, each holding a large basin, one filled with mantou, the other with side dishes. Ange calmly placed two bowls in front of each Pokémon parent and began serving food into them.
The aroma was overwhelming. It swirled into their noses and refused to leave. Some of the parents' eyes were already wide open, and they couldn't stop swallowing their drool.
"All right, enjoy."
Worried that his presence might make them uncomfortable, Ange returned inside with Diancie and Munchlax. Before closing the door, he thoughtfully turned on the porch light.
By then, night had fallen. The soft glow of the lamp pushed back the darkness, making the scene feel warm and peaceful. Even the Pokémon parents unconsciously felt touched by his small gesture.
Talonflame shook its head violently.
Pah pah pah! What am I getting emotional about?!
Aria~ Aria~ So? You going to eat?
Swablu's father leaned close to the bowl and took a deep sniff. His mouth instantly flooded with saliva.
Too good. Way too good. It smelled even better up close!
Flame~~ I'm not eating!
Talonflame huffed angrily.
Raptor~ Raptor~ Fine, then I will!
Staraptor couldn't take it anymore. She stuck her beak into the bowl and began pecking furiously.
Raptor~ Raptor~ Th-this… this is way too good!
She threw her head back and cried out.
Seeing her reaction, Swablu's father and both Victreebel and Weepinbell swallowed hard.
Just how good could it be?
Staraptor ignored them all and turned to its husband. Raptor~ Raptor~ You're not eating, right? Then both bowls are mine!
She swept the two bowls in front of Talonflame over to herself with her wings.
Flame~ Flame~~
Talonflame nearly exploded with anger.
How could it be so shameless?!
At last, Swablu's father couldn't hold back either.
Aria~~ Aria~~ Forget it, I'm eating too.
He buried his face in the bowl and began pecking wildly.
Mwah~ Mwah~ So good.
Aria~ Aria~ Aria~ I don't think that human's a bad guy. No bad person cooks like this.
It mumbled between bites, its beak full.
Whap!
Swablu's mother smacked him over the head with its wing. Aria~ Aria~ So a bit of food is all it takes to win you over?
Aria~
Rubbing its head, Swablu's father pouted. Aria~ Aria~ Aria~~ I was just saying what I thought. No need to get mad.
Victreebel and Weepinbell exchanged glances. Ignoring the couples' squabbles, they lifted their bowls with their vines and dumped all the food into their mouths.
Mwah~ Mwah~
As they chewed, they finally understood why their kids kept coming back here every day. This was too good to resist!
Flame~ Flame~~~ You… you too?!
Talonflame nearly blew a gasket watching them give in.
The Victreebel couple said nothing and simply kept eating happily.
Inside, Ange watched as the Happiness Points counter on his System Interface ticked upward. A brilliant smile spread across his face.
+200
+200
+200
+200
A good sign! The parents' attitudes were starting to soften.
The lotus root feast continued until around eight or nine that night. After eating, the Pokémon didn't leave right away. Instead, they helped Ange clean up.
Not only the dining room, but the entire house sparkled when they were done.
With so many helping paws, it didn't take long. When everything was spotless, Ange felt the place looked twice as bright. Even the ceiling gleamed, polished by Spritzee and its friends.
It was the Pokémon's little way of thanking Ange for the meal.
After seeing everyone off, Ange stretched and rubbed his back. "Man, I'm exhausted." He decided he would never do this again. From now on, he'd just stick to breakfast. Hard work wasn't his style.
Opening the System Interface, he glanced at the Happiness Points balance: 20,906.
Thirty-two Pokémon, including their parents, had come to eat tonight, contributing a total of 6,400 Happiness Points.
(Note: In this story, the in-universe currency is Pokédollar, with purchasing power roughly equal to RMB. The original games use yen, but since the author's bad at math, we'll skip the conversions. Happiness Points in the System Store have the same value as Pokédollars.)
Ange picked up Komala, then said to Diancie and Munchlax, "Let's go inside."
"Mm."
"Munch~~"
After that, as usual, Ange and Munchlax trained for an hour in the Culinary Training Room, then washed up and went to bed.
That night, Ange felt awful. His head throbbed painfully, and when he woke up in a daze, he found Diancie sitting beside his bed.
"What's… wrong with me?" His throat was so dry and hoarse that it hurt to speak. "Cough, cough, cough~~"
Diancie quickly reached out to touch his forehead. "Still hot, you've got a fever," it said, helping him sit up.
When Ange had been in poor health before, his immune system had always been weak. He used to get sick all the time, with colds and fevers as regular visitors. Back then, Diancie had still been a Carbink and had cared for him just like this.
Diancie poured him a glass of water, took out a fever-reducing pill, and handed it to him while mumbling, "You must've caught a chill from staying in the water too long today. You're a grown man already, but still so careless. You didn't have to go digging for lotus roots yourself, you know…"
Watching Diancie bustling around, Ange felt as if he had returned to five hundred years ago.
After taking the medicine, he lay back down with Diancie's help, who tucked him in carefully. "Get some rest. If you feel uncomfortable, call me right away."
"I know, I know. You should sleep too; it's already so late." Ange glanced at the clock on the wall, it was two in the morning.
Diancie nodded and left the room, but before long, it pushed the door open again.
"What is it…" Ange asked in confusion, only to see Munchlax standing behind it.
"Munch~~"
Munchlax wore a pointy nightcap, hugged its pillow tightly, and yawned widely as Diancie led it to the bedside.
Diancie shoved Munchlax into the bed with Ange. "Let Munchlax sleep with you tonight. Hold it close and sweat a bit, maybe you'll feel better by morning."
Then it turned to Munchlax. "Munchlax, your master is in your care tonight."
"Munch~~~"
"zzZZ" Munchlax wasn't fully awake. It mumbled sleepily, rolled over, and wrapped Ange in its warm, chubby, and soft embrace.
Ange quietly hugged it back. Drowsiness soon overcame him, and he drifted into sleep.
Diancie shook its head as it walked out, muttering, "This household's doomed without me."
"Fle~ Fle~~"
The next morning, Ange opened his eyes to the chirping of Fletchling. He felt heavy, almost suffocating, and turned his head to see Munchlax sprawled across him, an arm and a leg thrown over his body, snoring contentedly with its mouth wide open.
"You're awake?" Diancie's voice came from nearby. "Feeling any better?" It walked to the bedside and pressed its forehead against his. "Hmm, not so hot anymore."
"I still feel weak all over," Ange said pitifully.
"Then rest today. Don't worry about the shop, let Munchlax handle everything."
Ange looked at Munchlax, who was still sleeping soundly. "Just it? Can it handle it?"
"It'll have to," Diancie replied firmly.
Ange could only nod. "Alright, but if it messes up, don't scold it too much. Just teach it properly. Munchlax is really obedient and capable."
"Yes, yes, you're the real parent here and I'm the wicked stepmother, right?" Diancie said with mock annoyance.
Ange grinned, trying to flatter it. "Who says that? My Diancie is the best in the world!"
Diancie couldn't help but smile. Last night's fever had truly scared it. It had been a long time since Ange got sick, and this time had hit hard.
"Are you hungry? There's still some lotus root soup left from last night. I'll have Munchlax heat it up and bring it to you. After you eat, take another dose of medicine, then rest some more." Diancie's tone softened unconsciously.
Ange's refrigerator was a high-tech system equipment, the food in its preservation chamber never spoiled.
Perhaps it was because he was sick, but Ange felt emotionally fragile and deeply enjoyed Diancie's care. He nodded softly, almost childlike. "Mm, got it."
Diancie got up and dragged Munchlax out of bed.
"Munch~ Munch~" I still wanna sleep, I still wanna sleep…
With its eyes still shut, Munchlax mumbled as it was pulled along.
"Sleep, huh? I told you to take care of Ange, and this is what you call taking care of him? You're sleeping even deeper than him!" Diancie scolded, tapping Munchlax sharply on the head as it walked.
"Munch~~"
Munchlax rubbed its head, looking utterly wronged.
Watching the two walk away, Ange shook his head, buried himself back under the covers, and soon fell asleep again.
He didn't know how long he had slept before Diancie woke him up. "Come on, drink this." It helped him sit up and handed him a bowl of lotus root soup, then water and medicine.
After he finished, Diancie somehow pulled Komala from somewhere and tucked it under his blanket. "Hug this and rest a bit more."
Komala curled up in his arms, snoring softly. Ange stroked its back gently, then looked up at Diancie.
"How's the shop? It's Munchlax's first day working alone. I hope nothing's wrong."
"Everything is fine. Everyone's already eaten breakfast and left. Didn't you say Munchlax was capable? What are you worrying about?" Diancie replied while cleaning up the dishes.
"That's good." Ange sighed in relief. "Munchlax really is capable."
After Diancie left, Ange sat by the bed holding Komala. He'd slept too long already, and unlike Komala, he didn't have the Comatose ability.
He gazed out through the balcony. The weather looked nice, a bright blue sky with clean white clouds.
Then three tiny dots appeared in his vision. Soon, three Pokémon landed side by side on the balcony railing.
Fletchling, Spritzee, and Swablu.
Fletchling's sharp eyes spotted Ange right away. Its eyes lit up, and it chirped as it flew inside, with Spritzee and Swablu following behind.
The three Pokémon landed gently on the edge of Ange's bed, each bringing him a small gift.
"Fle~"
Fletchling laid down a fresh flower.
"Zee~"
Spritzee placed a medicinal herb.
"Blu~"
Swablu set down a Berry.
They had come on behalf of everyone to visit the ailing Ange, bringing a flower to lift his spirits, an herb to ease his illness (even if it might not work for a fever), and a Berry to restore his strength.