The very next day as the sun was rising and Alice had let out Vulpix to let her stretch her legs and Vulpix was shy yet stayed close as Alice left the inn to the stables to wash her face with Vulpix following but stopped when they saw Fel.
"What a beautiful day." Alice said as she stretched her arms, heading for the well.
"And the perfect weather for gathering medicinal herbs."
She didn't notice the grumpy look on Fel's face he was giving her as Vulpix stood in front of him curiously. Fel stared at the strange creature that his mistress had summoned. Just how many does she have? But that wasn't the case and Alice was ignoring him and he didn't like it.
"This will be my first job as an adventurer. If I don't do one quest a month, my membership expires and the registration fee goes to waste. I need to give it my all." She filled the bucket with water from the well, setting her face towel down on the bench.
She knelt on the ground and started to wash her face with cold water though Fel kept giving her these grumpy stares that she was probably doing on purpose as she reached for her towel to wipe her face dry. Feeling whiskers tickling her ear along with the familiar scent of grass that was freshly cut along with gentle rain made her look up to see Fel had approached her and he was a bit annoyed despite Vulpix resting on his head, white fluffier tails wagging.
"I will not allow you to continue ignoring me." He told her grumpily.
"Give me some space, Fel. Your whiskers are really tickly." Alice said, pushing his snout a bit away from her ear.
"The guild will have their herbs, but before that, I will have my meat." Fel stated as if it was serious and Alice just stared at him.
"Yeah, yeah. I just hope you're not going to be waking up hangry every day." She said with a deadpanned tone.
They soon left when the morning was peak and had arrived at a large meadow with a gentle breeze blowing. Vulpix had walked beside Fel much to Alice's amusement since the ice kit seemed to have taken a liking to Fel because he was bigger and older.
"This breeze feels amazing!" Alice said in awe, holding Vulpix in her arms who yipped, tail wagging happily as the breeze ruffled their hair and fur.
The air back home was a bit polluted but there were places that offered and had a breeze that everyone enjoyed but this place seemed to be even better. It was much cleaner and was starting to feel like home.
"I'm hungry." Fel said, turning to her as she looked at him.
"I gave you some of the berries earlier and of course you're still hungry. We barely had enough ingredients to make breakfast." She told him. She had given him a healthy serving of different berries that he would like and he liked all of them but mostly the Sitrus Berries. Vulpix didn't have a preference as she ate the berries earlier with no problem.
Alice had an idea and turned to him.
"So, why don't you go hunt some more and I can pick my herbs." Alice suggested and Fel hummed as he nodded. That wasn't such a bad idea and he had a list of monsters he had feasted on but he wanted to try the cooked versions.
He was preparing to leave but he paused as he sensed multiple presence nearby and it made his fur stand on end. He can leave now and hunt some monsters down for the meat but if he does that, he'll be leaving his mistress and that strange yet cold kit unprotected.
Noticing his hesitation, Alice became concerned.
"What's wrong?" She asked as he glanced at her, a bit worried for her safety.
"If I'm to leave you here with that ice kit, I must ensure that you will be safe on your own." He told her and Alice felt a bit offended by that. She had left home when she was 12 years old to start her Pokémon journey, went through wilderness, forests, cold areas, caves and under the sea and gone through storms but she could understand where she was coming from. She's in a completely different world and dangers she is not aware of and even though she can trust her Pokémon for her safety, the monsters are still gonna be a problem since she doesn't know what they're capable of.
"There is danger close by." Fel said, turning to her.
"Monsters who could make breakfast of you."
"Monsters, huh?" She said softly as she observed the large meadow and she could sense that there were some that were in the forest.
"No need to worry. Here." Fel said as he stood in front of them and the mark on his forehead glowed and a barrier surrounded Alice and Vulpix. Alice's breath was taken away by the suddenness but the warmth coming from the barrier but not only that. When Fel used his magic, his aura grew into a gentle warmth that washed over her body.
"Now you two are safe." He said before he faced the direction of the forest.
"And so I shall hunt. Have our lunch ready when I return!" He called back, speeding towards the forest as Alice and Vulpix watched him disappear from their sight as Vulpix howled softly in awe and looked up at her trainer who laughed softly.
"He can sound so noble, but no, he's just super food motivated, Vulpix." She told her with a chuckle. Fel can go from being so cool one moment before becoming a foodie the next and it was honestly amusing. But right now, she has to focus on the task at hand. She took out one of her Poke Balls and tossed it in the air and Gardevoir appeared in all her elegance.
"Gardevoir." Gardevoir greeted her trainer but was more surprised by the new scenery than what she was used to.
"I know it's all new to you and the others, Gardevoir." She reassured her.
She took out the quest paper of the quest to see what she needed to collect as Vulpix and Gardevoir looked at it curiously.
"Anyway, I'd better get motivated too." She said with a smile.
"Okay, so, Kaiyu grass and Maj grass, right?" Alice looked up at the field and activated her appraisal skill.
'Using my appraisal skill should take care of the hard part.' She used the appraisal skill on the field of tall grass and all she could see was weeds. They walked through the tall grass with Vulpix on her head with Gardevoir following.
"Hmm, looks like it's mostly all weeds." She said before Vulpix saw something and jumped down and went to it as Alice was confused.
Vulpix stood on her hind legs and yipped happily and in her mouth was the Kaiyu grass.
"Great work, Vulpix." Alice said happily as she went to her and accepted the Kaiyu grass from the kit before Gardevoir called to her, having found more.
"There's more, Gardevoir?" She said as she moved to her and there it was.
They found a cluster of them hidden among the weeds and Alice found the other herb she needed to complete the quest.
"And this white one must be the Maj grass!" She said in surprise and disbelief as they got out of the tall grass and into a clear spot and lay down the herbs they had gathered.
"Does that mean I'm done?" She questioned as Gardevoir and Vulpix helped her with tying the herbs into small bundles as Alice checked them. They found a lot more than the requested amount.
"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to bring back some extra to sell." She said as Gardevoir and Vulpix's stomachs growled and Alice knew she had to make them some lunch.
"It's still early though but I might as well get started on lunch." She smiled before she unclipped the rest of her Poke Balls and tossed them in the air.
"Come on out, gang!" She exclaimed and the Poke Balls opened and the rest of her team materialized, letting out their calls and were glad to be out of their Poke Balls.
"Now, everyone, I know you're confused but don't worry. This is gonna be a new adventure for all of us." She said as she started to take out her items from the item box to start making lunch.
She let her Pokémon team play as Lucario and Gallade spar with each other. Vulpix, Eevee and Bolt were playing while Sylveon, Ninetales and Altaria watched them. Gardevoir was enjoying the warm sun with Latias watching Alice curiously. Absol was taking a nap as she opened the online grocery page.
"We finished off the monster meat for breakfast, so I'll pick up some cheap protein." She already had a dish in mind along with the berries of her choosing. She purchased the items and the appearance of the box made those who hasn't seen this perked up curiously and Eevee and Bolt ran to it immediately as Alice opened the box and smiled.
"Ground beef and pork, canned meat sauce, dry pasta. Nice." She smiled as she put everything on the table she had purchased along with the razz and tamato berry. Everything was laid out and her Pokémon were all excited to eat and she had to calm them down so that lunch would be ready but she had to cook it first.
"Let's get cooking." She smiled.
'Start off by dicing up the onions.' She then put the diced onions in the pot and started to stir it.
'Then saute until tender and golden.' She made sure that the onions wasn't too overcooked until she was ready to add the next ingredient.
'Next we put in our ground meat.' She added the ground meat before opening the canned meat.
'Once it's cooked through, we add the meat sauce then consomme base and add the mashed razz and tamato berries for a rich, savory and aromatic flavoring.' She was stirring everything together just as Fel came back.
"Something smells wonderful." He said as he had hunted another Rockbird much to her surprise.
"Holy! A Rockbird?" She exclaimed in surprise as he set it down.
"I find myself craving more of the dish you call teriyaki. The rest of my prey lie at the edge of the forest. More than I could carry back." He explained as she was in disbelief. He hunted a lot more than yesterday?
Fel had noticed the eyes on him and he turned to see five more of the creatures Alice had along with the familiar ones that he had met before.
"We'll grab them after lunch. Sound good? And meet the rest of the team, Fel. You already met Lucario, Eevee, Bolt, Vulpix and Absol. Meet Ninetales, Gardevior, Gallade, Latias, Sylveon and Altaria." Alice introduced them to Fel as Eevee, Bolt and Vulpix ran to Fel excitedly as he looked down at them as he looked at the other ones.
Gallade and Ninetales were watching him warily with Gardevoir observing him. Latias circled him and smiled happily at him. Sylveon had walked to him and used her feeler ribbons to touch his fur and greeted him sweetly. Altaria tilted her head at Fel curiously.
"It seems that you have more of those creatures you called Pokémon." He had noted as Eevee and Vulpix and Bolt jumped over his tail, playing happily as Alice poured water in the empty pot and waited for it to boil. She was glad she had ordered a lot for all of them.
'Now then, add salt to the water and put in the pasta we got on sale.' Alice stirred the pot slightly and waited for the pasta to become hydrated.
"I like it cooked extra soft, Neapolitan-style I think. But we'll keep it al dente." She took one of the noodles to test it and slurped it up and smiled once she tasted it was perfect.
"Alright, finished!" Alice poured the sauce over the pasta before she realized it was missing something.
"Wait, not finished." She opened the online grocery and purchased something and a small box appeared and she caught it before it fell.
'We could make do without it but we wouldn't be getting the full experience especially Fel.' Fel watched her catch a small box before she sprinkled something on top and she was done.
"There. Finished." She smiled as she served everyone their lunch.
{Extra Meaty Spaghetti with Meat Sauce}
"And this time, I mean it." Her Pokémon didn't hesitate to eat, eating the spaghetti happily.
Fel was confused about their meal. It wasn't like the ones from yesterday and the day before as he used his paw to look at it in confusion.
"And what is this? Are we eating boiled vines?" He asked Alice in confusion as he sniffed it. It smells tasty yet he wasn't sure. Is this one of those delicious foods other than steak that she mentioned?
That made her chuckle in amusement. That would be something if it were vines.
"No, these aren't vines, Fel. In the world my Pokémon and I come from, we call this dish spaghetti. I added a bit of mashed tamato and razz berries to it to give it more of a richer flavor." She explained with a smile.
"And it's great too!" She watched as Fel took a tentative bite on the pasta on his paw and the flavor was anything he had never tasted before than the meals yesterday.
"It goes down so smoothly!" Fel exclaimed in surprise as he started to eat with much gusto.
"Such little meat yet so satisfying!" That made Alice smile as her Pokémon watched in amusement.
"But you know what'll make it even better?" Alice asked as Fel lifted his head to look at her as she reached for that weird bottle.
"Parmesan cheese." She said as she added the cheese on Fel's dish before hers and her Pokémon.
"The flavor grows deeper still!" Fel exclaimed in delight when he took a bite of the spaghetti with the cheese and it tastes even better.
"I know, right?" Alice smiled as Fel went right back to eating as Alice ate hers in content.
'It tastes just like it did back in my old world. Even if I don't know how to get home, I can always have a nice home-cooked meal.' Alice thought as she ate hers as Fel had finished his.
'Gotta love that.' She chewed on the pasta in delight.
Her Pokémon had finished their spaghetti and were really wanting seconds and she didn't hesitate to give them seconds even Fel and before they knew it, they had all finished the spaghetti.
"I approve." Fel said as he lifted his head but when he had eaten the spaghetti, he had caused himself a bit of a mess.
"Light yet hearty. It was the perfect lunch." He said but Alice and her Pokémon ended up laughing at his state much to Fel's appearance.
"You're a total mess, Fel." Alice laughed as she pointed at his face.
"What? Stop that. You dare mock me?" Fel warned her but she just continued laughing and he couldn't help but admit it in his mind that her laugh was very pretty as he began to groom himself from the mess he had unintentionally made.
'This world's not bad at all.'
"But your face!"
After that hearty slightly messy lunch with Fel, they went to the edge of the forest where Fel had left the monsters he had hunted after Alice had recalled all of her Pokémon except for Eevee and Vulpix and let's just say the trio stared at the pile of monsters that Fel hunted. He hunted way too many! Alice used appraisal to identify the monsters Fel hunted and some reminded her of some Pokémon back home. She can recognize some of them, such as the Red Boar and Rockbird but she doesn't recognize the rest.
"Okay, yeah. Those are some high-level monster names." She said in disbelief.
Giant Deer, Black Serpent, Murder Grizzly.
She started to put the monsters into her item box with Fel assisting as Eevee and Vulpix stared and sniffed at the monsters that Fel had hunted.
"I'm sure I already know this. But is the idea that I'm going to be cooking everything you hunt?" Alice couldn't help but ask him in confusion.
"Obviously." Fel said as if it was natural in the world.
"Well, the bear and the snake might be kind of fun and reminds me of an Ursaring and Arbok." She said hesitantly as she glanced at the other monsters.
"It's just... Orcs..."
'I haven't read too many novels but can't have fantasy worlds without some kind of Orcs and they remind me a bit too much like Emboar.' She thought, feeling a bit squeamish as she stared at the pig-like monster. Is it even edible?
"So Orcs are edible and socially acceptable?" She asked Fel warily.
"Indeed." He said which surprised her as she turned to him
"Humans have fed upon Orcs since time immemorial." He explained as Alice looked sheepish yet hesitant.
"Right, they're, uh, pigs after all. Even if they walk upright and wear clothes." Alice laughed nervously but was a bit nervous.
'Looks like Orcs on the menu of foods I'm gonna make.' She thought in dismay as she and Fel put the last of the monsters in her item box as she dusted her hands.
"Well, I finished my quest with Vulpix and Gardevior, so we should probably get back." She said as she listed everything in her mind. She wondered just how much she can earn from everything.
"Do you think we can turn all this into the guild today?" She asked him curiously as Eevee and Vulpix were on Fel's back.
"Not with your gambling two-legged gait." He said as she turned to him as he lowered himself to the ground slightly as if...
'Does he want me to get on his back?!' She thought in shock yet excitement.
"Climb on and we'll be there in no time." Fel told her and she had to restrain a grin but smiled.
"What? Can I really?" Alice asked him as she approached. Fel couldn't help but sense the excitement in her tone and he hoped that she likes fast.
"I don't mind if I do!" She said as she got on his back and Fel was surprised as she used parts of his fur that didn't hurt too much as she sat on his back expertly.
"Oopsy-daisy." She finally settled on his back at the familiar spot as he stood up carefully as she held onto his fur.
"And we're off." He announced and Eevee and Vulpix immediately went to Alice under her as she made sure they held on tight as Fel soon started running.
The familiar feeling of wind and adrenaline blew against Alice but she knew that Fel could go faster than this.
"Come on, is this all you got? I thought the mighty and legendary Fenrir would be faster than a Rhyhorn." Alice teased him playfully as he snorted.
"Faster, eh? I'll show you fast." Fel smirked as he added more speed to his legs and Alice whooped and hollered in surprise and joy as Fel burst out of the trees in no time flat as Eevee and Vulpix cried in delight.
"Fast enough for you back there?" Fel asked her, a challenge in his eyes.
"Oh, bring it!" Alice grinned as Fel went even faster, his three passengers enjoying the ride and he couldn't help but smirk in amusement.
They finally arrived at town as Fel stopped by the Adventurer's Guild as those outside froze at the sight of him but he paid them no mind as he glanced at the trio on his back.
"We're here." He said as Alice was breathing heavily on his back but she was grinning widely as she got off his back a bit shakily and he instinctively steadied her with a paw as Eevee and Vulpix dizzily got off Fel's back, both dizzy yet laughing softly.
"That... That was so fun and I thought I was gonna fall off back there." Alice laughed breathlessly as she calmed down, leaning against Fel's side as she got feelings in her legs back.
"Are you so weak yet you enjoy it that merely riding on my back exhausts you?" Fel asked her though she can sense the teasing in his tone.
"I don't think you get how fast you are but then again, you might beat some Pokémon in a race." She said, finally calming down as Eevee and Vulpix finally got their footing.
"It's a good thing I know how to hold on. But listen, what would have happened if I fell?" She asked him as she pushed off against him to stand up.
That question threw him off. What would have happened if she fell off his back? He would immediately go back to her but that was a part of him he refused to show as his pride won over.
"I would have had less dead weight to carry." He said haughtily but Alice could sense the pride in his tone but in the short amount of time she had known him, he would come running back to her but she decided to play along.
"Oh, now you want to call me dead weight?" She questioned, feigning annoyance in her tone and she saw how his ear twitched in her direction.
"Well, I'm the dead weight that cooks your meals, Fel. So if you like otherworld cuisine, you better not let me die." She said as she headed for the guild, not missing how Fel growled slightly in annoyance and defeat since he knows that only Alice can make those delicious meals.
He growled softly in annoyance as he watched Alice walk inside the guild with Eevee and Vulpix following her as he decided to take a nap while waiting for them to come out.
Alice gave Vianca her guild card and the herbs from the quests and to say the least, she was surprised that the newly registered found a lot in one day.
"You picked a lot." She commented.
"Um, is that a problem?" Alice asked wearily as Eevee and Vulpix played by her feet.
"No. Just unexpected for a brand new G-ranker on her first quest." Vianca said truthfully as she set the quest paper and the card down and started to examine each herb carefully, finding that they're all in good shape.
"Oh, really?" Alice relaxed slightly, relieved that she wasn't in trouble.
"Honestly, they were all right there." She explained though it was most likely that Vulpix and Gardevior found them after she used appraisal.
"Guess you stumbled onto a colony of them. Count yourself lucky." Vianca said simply.
Alice observed Vianca closely. Yesterday, she was very disinterested in what was happening but now...
'She seems more talkative this time. I wonder why.' She thought in confusion as Vianca set down a bowl that has 9 silver coins and 3 copper coins as the reward from the quest.
"The reward is 8 silver coins for the kaiyu grass and 1 silver and 3 copper for the maj grass." Vianca said as she handed Alice's guild card back and Alice accepted them before she remembered she has monsters that need processing.
"Oh, I've also got some monsters." Alice said before Vianca could walk away.
"A few orcs and whatnot." That made Vianca pause and turn to face her in confusion. Orcs?
"Wait, orcs?" She asked and Alice smiled sheepishly.
"Just to be clear, it wasn't me and I didn't take them down. My familiar out there did." Alice explained as she pointed outside to where Fel was waiting for her and Eevee and Vulpix to come out and he was taking a nap under the sun as he let out a yawn.
Alice couldn't help it but her heart melted at how unbothered yet cute Fel looked when he's napping so peacefully but she noticed the look on Vianca's face and it looked like she was blushing before she caught herself and cleared her throat while gesturing to a desk beside the receptionist desk.
"I don't handle the larger game. Take them to the window over there, please." She told Alice who was giving her a strange look. Was she...? Yeah, she's definitely infatuated with Fel and she wouldn't have let it bother her but it did.
'No way. Her heart just totally melted from the sight of Fel.' Alice thought in disbelief.
"Hey." A gruff voice called out to Alice and she turned to the other window.
"You got something for me?" A buff man with a mustache asked Alice.
Alice figured this was the butcher guy of the adventurer's guild since he has an apron and gloves on.
"Oh, yeah, actually." She said as she approached.
"I've got a whole lot of things for you." She said before she let out one of her pokemon, Latias, to help her with the monsters using Psychic since she can't take out them.
She pulled out the first Orc with Latias pulling it out completely and on the table.
"Five of these guys, for starters." Alice grunted as soon as the Orc was on the table before she moved to take out another.
The butcher, Arthur, held up his hand as he was shocked and surprised. She has five more of the orcs? The table won't be big enough for five orcs and more monsters.
"Wait, slow down. Five orcs for starters?" Arthur asked in surprise as Alice nodded, Latias using Psychic to help her trainer pull out the other orc.
"Yeah." She nodded.
"That's gonna be more than we have room for." He told her before pointing to the back door.
"Let's head out back." Alice put the first Orc back inside her item box with Latias' help as they followed him to the back. Vulpix and Eevee rode on Latias' back as Fel followed them when he noticed they were moving to the back.
Arthur was unlocking the chains of what looked like a warehouse before he started to speak to the teen.
"So, I guess you must be the girl. I've heard about you." He said as he turned to her and she tensed. Heard about her? There were already rumors about her?!
"You have?" Alice asked him in confusion as Arthur unlocked the warehouse and pushed the wooden door open.
"Having a Fenrir as a familiar does get people talking." He said as they entered as Alice marveled at the size of the place. It should fit all of the monsters Fel had hunted.
Anyway, let me show you what I brought." She said as Alice with Latias' help took out all of the monsters, piling them on the larger table while Arthur stared in disbelief and surprise. A new G-ranker with a Fenrir has a large haul of monsters in just one day. That's really surprising.
"This is quite a lot, huh? And they're all B-Rank at least." He couldn't help but to comment. He was impressed. Adventurers never bring this much haul other than this new one,
"Got some A-rankers here too." He said, recognizing the ranks of monsters belonged to. Alice was glad and surprised that the monsters were ranked higher than most.
"Good to know." She said before she wondered. Are all these monsters that edible?
"Just making sure, but A-rankers and A-rankers are edible, right?" She asked him as he glanced at her in confusion. Does she not know? They are delicacies that only the higher-ups can get.
"Uh, yeah, they're edible." He said in a reassuring tone after seeing the worried expression on her face.
"Delicacies, in fact." Arthur explained as Alice smiled in relief. These monsters are edible and safe to eat then. That she can work with that.
"Oh, great! I'm not interested in keeping anything but the meat. I'd be more than happy to sell all the inedible parts to the guild." Alice explained and Arthur was impressed. If she's only gonna sell the parts such as bones, fangs, pelt, etc, she's gonna have a pile of meat that will last for a long while.
"That's gonna be a mountain of meat." He told her, watching as the one she calls Fel was eyeing the pile of monsters, drooling slightly.
"It'll go faster than you think." She said with an almost endearing expression as she glanced at Fel.
"Suppose so." Arthur said as he turned back to the monster pile.
"Well, I've got quite a bit of butchering to do. I can work pretty quick, but this'll take me till morning. We'll give you your full payment tomorrow, minus the processing fees." He told her as he moved to his equipment to start the process.
"Wait, sorry." Alice suddenly called out as he looked at her.
"Is there any way I could get the meat from one of them before I go?" Alice asked him and he knew that it was probably for dinner.
"Ah, gotta make dinner." He said understandingly before he turned to the pile, zeroing in on the Orcs.
"How's Orc sound?" He asked and he noticed how her face seemed conflicted. Must be her first time having to eat it then from the looks of it.
"Don't like orcs? I love it." Arthur said as Fel's shoulder came to her shoulder, agreeing with him on that one.
"I've not savored Orc in some time. Tonight I feast." Fel agreed with Arthur as Arthur got to work as Alice looked skeptical. Is Orc meat that good?
"Orc it is." He told them as he processed the Orc with speed, carefulness and precision as Alice, Latias, Eevee and Vulpix watched in awe.
"Alright, here you go."
Soon the Orc meat was done and Alice, Latias, Fel, Vulpix and Eevee went back to the stables of the inn and Alice was looking at the Orc meat, trying to think of what to cook it for.
"Hmm, I need to figure out a good way to cook this." She muttered. She had bought a book in the online grocery on food prepared in another world called Tokyo and there were a lot of foods there that she wanted to try with the monster meat.
"Just pan frying is boring, right?" She said as Latias nodded. Vulpix and Eevee were nestled on Fel's fluffy fur, having taken a nap once they returned to the inn.
She opened her item box and smiled when she saw that the ingredients she had used to make the pasta were there.
"Let's see here." Alice took out the parmesan and parsley toppings, already having an idea on the dinner for the night.
"I should try to finish off the parmesan and parsley." She put the ingredients down on the table, already having an idea on what to make for dinner.
"My item box is better than a fridge. I can leave stuff in there forever and it won't go bad. But it doesn't feel right, you know?" Alice bought some eggs and flour to use before she soon got to work.
'Gotta pound the meat even thinner.' She had sliced the meat evenly before using the blunt part of the knife to pound it a bit thinner for the frying.
'Add salt and pepper.' Alice sprinkled some salt and pepper to the meat as Latias watched from beside Fel who was watching her prepare dinner.
She soon cracked some eggs before scrambling them up to make a scramble egg texture before she added some parmesan in it.
"I'll start off with the cheese only version." She said as she mixed it together before moving to the meat as she opened the flour bag as she covered the meat lightly with it.
'Sprinkle the meat with a light coating of flour.' She used chopsticks to grab one of the meat before dipping it in the egg mixture.
'Then dip it in the egg mixture.' She soon put the meat down in the heated pan and it started to sizzle.
"As thin as these are, they'll cook up fast. Gotta keep an eye on them so they don't burn." She repeated the process once more before flipping the parmesan ones over so the other side can cook.
'For the next one, we'll give it some parsley.' She sprinkled some parsley in the egg and parmesan mixture and fried it like the rest.
'Once the meat is cooked through, get it out of there quickly.' She soon put the cooked meat on even plates with equal amounts though Fel's has a lot before she took out the sauce from lunch as Fel came to her side to watch.
"It looks delicious." Fel couldn't help but marvel in awe as she arranged their meals and she felt a sense of pride and gratitude for the compliment.
"I'm not done yet, Fel. We'll finish it off with the leftover meat sauce from lunch." She put the rest of the sauce on their dinner and was finally done.
{Two-Flavored Pork Piccata ~with meat sauce~}
"Oh yeah. Isn't this a perfect way to get rid of leftover ingredients?" She asked Fel and her Pokémon who came to see the finished results.
"Two different types of pork piccata, served with meat sauce." She served everyone their dinner and Fel didn't hesitate to start eating with her Pokémon following the lead and immediately loved how it turned out.
"Light flavor. Fluffy texture. I could eat this dish forever!" Fel couldn't help but say it. The flavor was very much perfect from how he used to eat Orc Meat but Alice has made it taste more exquisite and perfect.
"And the red substance adds much depth to it!" Alice couldn't help but chuckle as she was gonna dig in on the dinner on her plate.
"Great, my turn." She lifted the fork that has the ticcata piece to her mouth if it weren't for Fel.
"The tenderness of the Orc meat is such a contrast to the hearty chew of the red boar." Fel said, comparing both meat which made Alice hesitate on eating the dinner even though Fel and her Pokémon are enjoying it.
"Ah, that..." She said hesitantly, her mind going back to what the meat was actually made from.
She watched how Fel isn't hesitating on eating his portion of dinner. Even Latias, Eevee and Vulpix were enjoying it. This whole monster is all edible was still pretty new to her. She decided to risk it and chomped on it and she was shocked. It tastes so good!
"Whoa! Incredible! Like the best pork I've ever had!" Alice said as she finally ate her dinner together with everyone.
"Looks like Orc's back on the menu. I guess you can't knock it till you try it."
They continued eating as the crescent moon above them rose in the sky with the stars beginning to shine down on them as they enjoyed dinner together.
The following day after a hearty breakfast since Alice had recalled Vulpix and Latias back into their Pokeball, Alice, Fel and Eevee went to the building at the back of the guild since the processing job must be done by now.
"Good morning!" Alice said loudly as Arthur opened the door, smiling warmly at the teen.
"Morning. Got it all done." He told her as they went inside and Alice gawked at the pile of meat that was on the table. To think that pile would last them for a while depending on how much Fel eats if she's being honest.
"Your mountain of meat as requested."
"Whoa..." Alice whispered in awe, even Eevee was in disbelief.
'This should be enough to keep us fed for a while.' Alice thought as Fel entered as soon as Alice walked in and the sight of the mountain of meat made him excited and anticipating the different meals Alice would make with them.
"And the earnings from the parts you sold." Arthur said, setting a large pouch full of gold coins once Alice opened it and she was shocked. She earned that much from the parts of the monsters she sold?!
"We already took out the processing fees. You made 202 gold coins." Alice breathed in disbelief that if she calculated it right, she had 8 gold coins left after using the five silver coins to join the adventurer's guild.
She earned 27 gold coins from the salt, pepper and berries at the merchant's guild, 9 silver and 3 copper coins from the herb quest and now she has 202 gold coins from the monster parts she had sold which totals to 249 coins in total with the copper and silver coins but if she took that out, she has over 237 gold coins but if she compared it to pokedollars, her mind practically short circuited once she calculated how much she made. 24,243,000 PokeDollars?! Her earnings back home whenever she wins a Pokémon battle against fellow trainers and gym leaders are enough but this is too much!
"202?!" She strained as she stared at the coins and Arthur. Eevee was shocked at the amount of coins her trainer made. This was a lot.
"You don't know the going price for your own goods?" Arthur asked her in confusion as she was still in shock as he went to a table where several items are separated from the meat.
"Doesn't matter how strong your familiar is if you can't take care of yourself in the market place, friend." Arthur told her before showing her some items.
"Listen up." He showed her a jar which contained something that she was too afraid to even ask what it was even though Eevee was nervous to move.
"You see these Orc testicles? They're an important ingredient in aphrodisiacs." He explained and Alice's mind blanched for a moment. Those were used in aphrodisiacs here? She laughed inwardly out of nervousness. She was just glad Lucario, Bolt, Absol and Gallade aren't out or else they would have been scarred.
"In addition to their meat, red boars are valued for their pelts and tusks. Rockbird feathers are useful too." He explained as Alice listened tentatively to him. So monster parts like pelts, tusks, feathers and other parts are useful items in the market?
Arthur remembered something and Alice turned to see him grab something before returning to her to hand her something.
"Almost forgot about these." He said as he headed for a separate table. He was holding something in his fist and Alice put her hand under his and she felt something hard and jagged touch her palm and when he pulled his hand back, she was surprised to see stones that reminded her of dusk stones yet she could feel magic in them.
"You got some magic stones. They only show up in the bodies of monsters ranked A or higher, and they're packed with magical energy. Got it. Pleasure doing business." He explained as Alice and Eevee examined one, they look legit especially given their natural shine. If she knows one thing is that stones in her world, especially evolution or mega and key stones, are valuable and hard to get.
"Thanks for the lesson." Alice smiled at him, grateful for the brief lesson he gave her.
"Sure thing." He nodded.
Alice put the stones in her bag as Arthur looked at Fel who was taking a small nap while soaking in the warm sun.
"By the way, your familiar here. He is a genuine Fenrir, right? Not some odd-looking great wolf?" He asked her as Alice turned to Fel. He is a Fenrir to her since Iron Will recognized Fel's race immediately and the way he carries himself shows he's a legend but she doesn't know what a great wolf is.
"Um, I don't know what it is." She said truthfully.
"I told you I heard in town about the girl with the Fenrir familiar. But there's just as many rumors that her familiar is a fancied-up great wolf." He said as he let out a chuckle while Alice laughed nervously as Eevee jumped off Alice's shoulder and went to Fel just as he woke up.
"Well, back in my adventuring days, I never saw a great wolf carry itself like that. And I saw quite a few. Now, this fellow's a Fenrir, no doubt." Arthur told her as Fel looked over to them, mainly at Alice as Alice stared right back.
They soon left the guild after thanking Arthur for his services as they walked through town with people stopping and watching them, especially Fel walk by.
'This is good information. If I get people thinking that Fel is a great wolf, they're less likely to cause problems for us. Either way, our best bet is head away from the border as fast as we can.' Alice was deep in thought as she put her fingers to her chin that she didn't hear Fel trying to catch her attention at the first try as people whispered and talked while looking at them both.
'I've got my guild cards now, plus way more money than I budgeted for.'
"Hey." Fel said loudly which helped her snap out of her thoughts as she turned to him. Eevee was riding on his fur. Seems Eevee and Vulpix took a liking to him mostly because he felt so fluffy to nap on.
"Fel, we shouldn't stay in one place for too long. So let's try and get out of this town as quickly as possible." She told him and he could see the worry in her amethyst colored eyes. She was still worried about how others would perceive this huh?
"Very well. But in the meantime, I wish to dig into our mountain of meat." He told her, agreeing yet couldn't help himself. The sight of the amount of meat earlier has made him hungry.
Alice stared at him before she started to laugh softly, even Eevee found it hilarious. Despite everything, Fel still has his mind set on eating anything with meat.
"I'm truly impressed by your dedication to being such a foodie and a rival to a snorlax." She couldn't help but say in amusement as he looked at her in confusion. Was that a compliment or an insult?
"That does not sound like a genuine compliment." He told her which made her chuckle.
"No, I promise it is." She reassured him as they finally left town.
Through the rest of the morning and afternoon, they travelled on foot, taking in the sights. They stopped at what appeared to be ruins of some type of building. It was a perfect spot to stop and rest for the night since they have been travelling.
"Let's set up camp here for tonight." Alice said as Eevee got off Fel, stretching her legs.
"We're on a pretty good pace, considering we left in such a hurry though." She said as she found a big spot for them as Alice set her bag down.
"If you can ride me properly like yesterday, I'd show you what a good pace is." Fel scoffed as she snorted. As much as she wanted to ride on his back, she didn't want to overdo it and hurt his back.
"Anyway." Alice got the jest, knowing he wanted to eat now.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it, fluffball. Dinner time." She said as Eevee jumped on the stone part that acts as a table counter.
"Already on it." Fel lay down behind her to observe her preparation for dinner.
Alice opened her item box to start cooking dinner but stopped for a moment. She had made a lot of money thanks to the monsters Fel hunted. Why not treat themselves to some meals from the other world and her own world?
"Hey, Fel." She called as Fel raised his head up to look at her.
"Your hunting trip ended up making us a lot of money." Alice said which was true, She had made 249 coins but in her homeworld, it's over billions with how much it is.
"So how about we treat ourselves to something special for the night?" She suggested as she opened the online grocery page. Fel smiled and approach her as Eevee jumped on her shoulder.
"What do you want?" She asked him as Fel got a good look at the options. There were so many to choose from. So this was from a world she was from?
"Something from this other world, is it?" He asked her curiously.
"Not exactly. Both mine and the place called Tokyo are different though the cuisines are much similar." She explained
"I see. I'd like to try some meat." He said as Alice just smiled. Of course he'd say that.
"Who would have thought?" She said playfully. She had made sure to order Poke Puffs for dessert before showing Fel the online grocery.
"I can get takeout from the big chains of Tokyo." Alice started to scroll to see what the options there are and it was a lot.
"Marinated fried chicken? Chinatown meatballs and some juicy ground meat cutlets. Plenty of options here." She said as she found good ones before the sound of something dripping was heard.
"Vee?" Eevee looked up, confused.
"Rain?" Alice was confused too. She heard the sound too but she looked up and there were no dark clouds in the sky. It was clear with the sun setting. If it wasn't the rain, then what made the noise?
The noise continued as Fel spoke up, getting hungry with the slight delay.
"Where's the food? Why aren't we eating?" He questioned her impatiently but they found the source and Alice leaned back in shock and disbelief as Eevee squeaked and moved to Alice's shoulder when they saw Fel drooling up a small waterfall.
"Easy, Fel. Let me finish ordering." She said as she quickly picked the ones that looked delicious before purchasing them.
Two large boxes appeared and she went to it with Eevee by the first box as she pulled out their dinner, holding the containers and smiled. They were still warm.
"Perfect, they got here still warm. I think they're fresh made." She said happily. She unclipped her poke balls before letting out her team so they can all eat dinner together as she served everyone their meals equally with berries.
{Otherworldly Carry-Out Meat Assortment with Sitrus and Oran Beries, Nanab and Pinap Poké Puff}
"Alright, dig in, everyone!" She said as Fel stared at his portion for his size in awe before he started to eat happily. It tastes great! The texture and flavor are all different yet they taste amazing!
"I've never seen meat in these shapes, but they're all delicious!" He said in delight.
"Oh, this thick sauce is splendid." He commented as he chewed on one of the meat before trying the other one.
"How can it be so crispy outside yet so juicy?" He continued eating, enjoying the otherworldly food.
"That should hold you over. Bon appetit." Alice said as she started up the pan to prepare a meat she had seen called Japanese wagyu.
"In the meanwhile, I can get the main course ready. The best beef from what I can tell should be worth it. Japanese black wagyu steak." She used a pair of tongs to flip it before serving it to Fel who looked confused by how small and meager it looked. He thought it was gonna be a lot but it's just one and Alice was cooking a second one.
"Where's the rest of it?" He asked her in confusion.
"I think this meat is on a whole different level from monster meat, Fel. One 250-gram portion costs me two silver coins." She told him as he looked to her before looking at the meat.
If he remembered correctly, she was hesitant to try the Orc Meat last night for dinner when she cooked it before she ended up enjoying it and now he's hesitant to eat the meat she had graciously given him. Maybe he should give it a try to see what and how it tastes.
"No harm in trying it, is there? Especially since you were so hesitant to try the orc meat from last night which you ended up enjoying." He said as she gave him a look.
"Not my fault since it's my first time eating something like an orc." She quipped back.
"Hmph. Fair enough." He said before lowering his head and biting into the meat but he was shocked into disbelief. It was very divine and yet the meat was so tender!
"What divine creature can produce such tender meat? Delicious beyond words!" He exclaimed in shock as he chewed on the wagyu steak. It tastes so delicious that he couldn't get enough of it that his tail wouldn't stop wagging.
"Isn't it? I think the cattle used for these steaks are raised by hand to have perfect marbling and flavor. Which reminds me of Tauros though. Some places treat those as sacred Pokemon." She explained as she was preparing the second wagyu but Fel, who finished the first wagyu, turned to her in surprise. They raise livestock as everyday meals?
"You're saying... The humans in the world this wagyu steak came from raised these cattle to enhance the pleasure of eating them?" He asked her in shock as she turned to him in surprise. They don't do that here?
"Wait, you're saying that the humans in this world don't raise livestock for food?" She asked him curiously as she served him the second wagyu.
"What's the need?" He asked her.
"An abundance of beasts roam in this world. For a skilled hunter, the next meal is never far away." He explained as Alice put the second wagyu on his plate before he started to eat.
"I see." She moved back to put the pan down so she could start eating.
"But I must say, I can appreciate the passion that the humans of your realm and the other realm seem to have developed for food." He said in delight, chewing on the wagyu as Alice grabbed her plate before sitting down near him as she started to eat.
"In Japan, they seem more passionate about it than most. But we're always on the hunt for new flavors and putting our spin on them too." She said as she ate her dinner.
"Is that so? I suppose that's why your cooking is so delicious." Fel told her as she bit into the cutlet.
'Thanks but it's more to do with my online grocery magic and the sorcery of the food industry.' Alice thought.
Night has finally fallen and they put the trash away in the boxes they came with as everyone prepared to sleep after Alice recalled all of her Pokemon into their Poke Balls.
"Ah, man, that hit the spot." Alice sighed in content as she leaned against the ruined walls as Fel flicked his paw, fur glowing under the moon.
"Utterly delectable. Every time I eat your cooking, I feel a surge of energy flowing through me and more so today." He told her before looking at his paw which glowed and his fur looked like it was glowing.
"If the ancient dragon I once fought went across my path now, I would surely defeat it within moments." He said and Alice felt a jolt of a reminder of what her cooking does for Iron Will but she fed Fel wagyu steak, the effects might be different.
"You would?" She asked him before she stood up quickly but was mesmerized by how his fur was practically glowing and she can feel that his body is restraining a lot of energy he needs to burn off immediately.
"Fel, do you mind if I cast appraisal on you?" Alice asked as Fel was huffing slightly and she used appraisal to see his stats.
[Name] Fel
[Age] 1014
[Race] Fenrir
[Level] 906
[Strength] 9843 (+5118)
[Magic] 9481 (+4550)
[Attack] 9036 (+4518)
[Defense] 9765 (+4394)
[Agility] 9684 (+4551)
Alice rubbed her eyes to see if she wasn't hallucinating but his stats have increased drastically much to her dismay.
'A 50% buff to everything?' She thought in disbelief.
"It would be a waste to stay still. I will go hunting." He said and moved to head for the forest but Alice stopped him.
"Wait, right now? Wait a second, Fel. What will happen if a monster shows up while you're out there?" Alice questioned and he fixed her little worry as he cast a wider barrier on her.
"With the barrier I've placed on you, you could sleep soundly through the fiery blast of a dragon. Now, I'm off!" He reassured her before he dashed into the darkness of the forest.
"Wait!" Alice shouted but stopped, his glowing form disappearing into the trees as she was alone. It feels a bit lonely without Fel around as she had gotten used to his presence nearby.
With no choice but to sleep while waiting, she took out a lamp before she picked a spot perfect to make a makeshift bed.
"He's gonna need a long while to burn off all that energy." She said with a sheepish look before she opened her item box and pulled out all of the cardboard boxes. She turned them into a hard mat and area to place a futon on it.
"Might as well get some sleep." She draped a tarp on the card board boxes, using stones to keep the tarp from shifting in case she moved inner sleep before laying down the futon mattress on the tarp.
"Perfect." She turned the light lamp off and lay down on the bed, sighing in content and exhaustion.
"This is so cozy. It doesn't even feel like I'm outdoors." She said in concent before she got into a comfortable spot.
"Futons and mattresses are the best." She slowly starts to drift off, eyes closing sleepily.
'I just need to trust Fel's barrier and drift off.' She thought before closing her eyes and fell asleep.
While she was asleep, Alice couldn't help but ponder what her relationship with Fel will be as they travel together. He may seem arrogant yet he's nice and protects her back at the town when the servant of the margrave continues to insist that she meets him which she was grateful for his help.
But... She couldn't help but find how cute he looked when his eyes light up whenever he eats another meal that she had made. Plus his fur reminded her of moonlight. The red fur on his legs reminded her of a fiery red color and his eyes... They were the most beautiful pair of emeralds she had ever seen. She didn't miss how his eyes soften a fraction every time their eyes meet.
She wondered how things would have been different back home if they met with him as a human.
Meanwhile in the forest, Fel was running, searching for prey so he can burn off the excess energy that has been building but for some reason his body feels lighter than usual.
'My body feels far lighter than usual.' Fel thought in surprise and curiosity. He looked ahead before stopping. Another Rockbird.
It screeched at him, sensing a threat to its territory but he didn't let that intimidate him.
"A mere Rockbird?" He taunted it, he charged using trending claws before it can react as it fell to the ground as Fel landed back on the ground.
"Hardly worth breaking my stride." He said to himself though he did wonder what Alice would think if she saw him in action when hunting. He could almost imagine the starry eyed look she will surely give her upon seeing all these gifts he's gonna bring her.
That made him pause a bit. Gifts? The monsters he's hunting are the ones he usually hunted for sustenance and he's thinking of what the one he formed a familiar contact with will think. Though, deep down, he couldn't help but admire her bravery when they first met. How her hair seemed to be a golden color and her eyes. The rarest pair of gems he had seen. The way she handles those creatures she calls Pokemon spoke of experience like a female caring for her pups.
Yes, she's definitely the perfect mate for him but for now, he'll focus on courting her first before the next step. He had seen humans in the past, especially with males and females. The male humans court the female humans and if they reciprocate, a relationship will form.
He focused on the task as he looked up to see a giant deer watching him from the cliff. He used his lightning magic to strike it down and it only took one hit to do so as he jumped onto a cliff as he stared down at his second prey.
"My lightning magic could have brought down this giant deer twice over, if not more." He observed as he stared at it before a commotion caught his attention as he looked down the ground below and saw a couple of orcs.
They were pointing and grunting as they spotted him and were all tense and wary of him but they were ready to fight. He huffed before he jumped down, landing on the ground and cast a wind magic on the orcs which caused a tornado that kicked up dust. The orcs were all taken care off but he could sense something approaching him as he looked to the side as the dust was settling and he smirked.
Stomping feet approach and from the dust was the Orc General as it grunted before letting out an outraged roar, challenging Fel into a fight but the Fenrir wasn't too worried.
"Oh? Has the Orc General come out to play?" He taunted it as it charged towards him, swinging down the bludgeon it was holding on the spot Fel was supposed to be in but he was gone.
The Orc General was confused before it felt the Fenrir's presence behind it which made it tense in fear.
"That shall be the last mistake it makes." He growled before he used trending claws, ending its life as it fell to the ground.
Fel was about to pick it up to drag it back to camp but stopped when he saw that something had approached. Body of a lion, head of a four-eyed ram and a snake tail had arrived and it didn't like Fel being in its territory.
"You dare to try and intimidate me?" Fel growled at it as it let out a loud roar as it charges up an attack but Fel won't let it.
"Then die!" He unleashed a full on lightning attack at it, letting out a howl that echoed throughout the forest which caused an explosion on where he is and disturbed some sleeping avians in the area.
With the chimera defeated, Fel hunted a bit more monsters before he started to drag back each monster he had hunted back to camp. He managed to finish and fell asleep after. The sun slowly climbed back into the sky as Alice woke up to the sun shining down as she sat up and yawned before she noticed something was off. She looked behind her and was in disbelief that she let out a shout that woke up Fel.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, FEL?!" Alice shouted in shock and disbelief.
There was an Orc General, a Metal Lizard, Blue Ogre.
Alice covered her face with her hands, the sight was overwhelming for her in the morning and Fel just looked so proud of himself with his achievement though he was taken aback by how she reacted. Did she not like the gifts he had caught for her? He's providing them more meat.
"It seems I lost myself in the joy of the hunt." He told her simply, pleased with himself as she looked at him in disbelief after lowering her hands.
"More like you overdid it." She muttered before she glanced at one of the monsters.
"Is that a...?" She asked him, trailing off.
"A Chimera. They can usually give me some trouble. That one fell to a single blow last night." Fel explained as Alice looked back at him.
"How?!" She asked him before the events of yesterday came back. Yeah, she's never letting him eat wagyu again.
'That's it. Authentic Japanese wagyu is off the menu.' She thought in annoyance though she was a bit grateful for the fresh supplies. She just hopes they reach the next town so she can get them processed before their first meat supply runs out.