The second batch of grilled fish was ready. Lu Ze divided each fish into four portions, making sure every Pokémon got some.
To think of it, there were quite a few Pokémon gathered here now.
Lu Ze's eight Pokémon, Sui Yan's six, Fugui's four, and Anghura's six—twenty-two Pokémon total on the field.
But Dragonite was off somewhere, and Deoxys didn't seem to be around either, so Lu Ze split five fish into twenty portions for the Pokémon.
As for Dragonite and Deoxys—wherever they were—they'd have to wait for the next batch.
After all, grilled fish wasn't any good once it went cold.
The second batch had seven fish in total. Lu Ze's plan was to give portions to the Pokémon and still have six left over—two portions each for him, Sui Yan, and Fugui.
But with two Pokémon unaccounted for, that left just two fish.
"Uh… you and I can split one."
Lu Ze paused when he caught Anghura's sparkling eyes, then said with a resigned sigh.
He had to admit—those eyes really were something else.
Long, curled lashes. Big, bright peach-blossom eyes. And that gemstone-blue pupil color added a whole extra layer of beauty.
The slightly upturned outer corners of her peach-blossom eyes softened what would otherwise be a sharp-edged look typical of a white woman.
The softness of those almond-shaped eyes gentled her refined features into something that fit standard Asian aesthetics nicely.
"Thanks~"
Anghura's emotions flipped in an instant, and she happily accepted the other half of the grilled fish from Lu Ze.
She hadn't even gotten to eat much of the last one—half of it had been ripped away by that good-for-nothing Dragonite.
The remaining half she'd had to share with Togepi, Cottonee, and Maidene, since adorable Pokémon knew exactly how to work their charm.
So when she accepted the fish, she couldn't resist taking another big bite right away.
"Ow ow ow, hot hot hot~"
Watching Anghura burn her mouth again, Lu Ze rolled his eyes.
Never learns.
But the next moment—
"Ow ow ow, hot hot HOT!"
"Hup! Hup! Hup! Hup!"
Beside him, Sui Yan and Fugui had burned their mouths too.
Even though it was scalding, neither could bear to spit it out. They had to blow on it and nibble around the edges, waiting for the heat to pass before they could savor every bite.
"Lu Ze, you're amazing!"
"Master, you're incredible!"
"Lu Ze, so good!"
Sui Yan and Fugui gave double thumbs-up. Anghura, seeing them, copied the gesture and praised Lu Ze right along.
No exaggeration—this was the best fish Anghura had ever eaten. Bar none!
A short while later, just as the third batch came off the grill, Dragonite flew back out of the forest with a dazed expression.
"Hup!"
(What happened to you?)
"Hup!"
(I got—I got beat up by a Pokémon!)
Dragonite complained tearfully to Hydregion and Lapras, then told them the whole story.
It said there was a rival—someone who was jealous of how close it was getting with Mini Dragon—and that rival had beaten it up.
(Doesn't look it though?)
Lapras tilted its head, eyeing Dragonite from head to tail.
"Hup!"
Dragonite let out a miserable whine and turned around slowly.
(He's a healer, you can't tell. But he doesn't heal the butt!)
"Pffh!"
"Pffh!"
Hydregion and Lapras looked at Dragonite's enormously swollen rear end and couldn't hold it in—they burst out laughing.
But catching Dragonite's resentful little stare, the two quickly composed themselves.
"Let's beat HIM up! My bro's chasing his dream girl and some punk thinks he can muscle in? Let's go get him!"
"Yeah, let's go! Let's roll!"
Hydregion and Lapras said, ready to back Dragonite up.
Dragonite looked at its two brothers with gratitude welling up in its chest, about to say something—when, all of a sudden—
"Grilled fish is ready~"
Four words. The感动 evaporated on the spot.
Because both its brothers had rushed over to Anghura's side, already waiting for fish.
"Hup?"
(Are we even brothers?! Someone just beat up your brother and you're still in the mood for grilled fish?!)
Dragonite flew into a rage. It grabbed both Pokémon and started dragging them往外走.
(I got beaten up!)
(I know, I know—can't we finish eating first before we go get revenge for you?!)
"Hup!"
(You think that's acceptable?!)
Dragonite glared murderously at Hydregion and Lapras. [参考艾莉丝快龙的表情]
(Fine, fine, we're going, we're going!)
Hydregion reluctantly agreed, but its heart was bleeding.
(God, that grilled fish is so good—missing a round is such a loss!)
But since the decision was made, Hydregion and Lapras followed Dragonite into the little forest.
Meanwhile, Deoxys, hidden right beside Mini Dragon, also froze.
What…? Not satisfied with getting beaten up once, now it's dragging others along?
But then, remembering what Dragonite had just done, Deoxys's face darkened again.
(Then let's teach it another lesson!)
With that, Deoxys switched to its Speed form and raced ahead—arriving in the forest before Dragonite and the other two even made it through the treeline.
"Hup!"
(That's him!)
The instant Dragonite entered the forest, it spotted Deoxys and pointed a claw right at it.
"Hup!"
(So YOU'RE the one who beat up my brother!)
Hydregion stepped forward with a roar!
Deoxys curled its lip dismissively and crooked a finger at the three Pokémon, the message crystal clear.
The three of you. Come at me together.
......…
"Huh? When did Hydregion and Lapras disappear too?"
Anghura had just finished distributing fish to her three little ones, and when she turned her head, both Hydregion and Lapras—who had been crouching right there—were gone.
"Probably went fishing again."
Anghura shook her head in puzzlement, but quickly dismissed it.
"Good, since those two are gone, we can split their portions."
"Boli~"
"Mee~"
"Huahua~"
The three little ones chirped happily in unison, and ate even faster than before.
By the time the fifth batch of grilled fish came off the炉子, the smaller Pokémon were all too full to eat more. So the fifth batch was one fish each for the Pokémon who still had room.
It was at that point that Dragonite, Hydregion, and Lapras finally walked out of the little forest—each with the most dead-eyed, hollow expression imaginable.
The three of them returned to their spots and looked at the fresh batch of grilled fish on Lu Ze's grill and the two Charizard holding fish off to the side.
Hydregion and Lapras felt their grief deepen by the second.
Should've just stayed. Went and got beaten up for nothing, AND missed out on so much good food.
At that thought, both of them turned murderous stares at Dragonite.
(This is all YOUR fault. You KNEW he was stronger and you STILL dragged us along to get licked!)
"Hup…"
(I didn't know he was THAT strong either… one guy took all three of us…)
Truthfully, getting beaten up was nothing. As frontline battle Pokémon, beating others and getting beaten were just part of the job.
But getting beaten THAT frustratingly? First time for everything.
The worst part was— they'd missed SO much delicious grilled fish!
And worse yet, that fish was fish they'd CAUGHT!
The more they thought about it, the angrier they got!
(Should we just beat HIM up first?!)
(I think that's a great idea!)
Hydregion and Lapras exchanged glances, and a battle plan quickly took shape!
(End of chapter)
———
Please give me Power Stones!
Support me on Patreon @ patreon(dot)com/SorenEclipse
Read 15 Chapters Ahead on Patreon!