Carrying a load of ingredients back to the Pokémon Center, Xinhai got busy in the kitchen.
He first blanched the ribs to remove the gaminess, then set them to simmer slowly. He pan-fried the sea bass until golden on both sides, added ginger slices and scallion segments, then poured in water to make a milky-white fish soup. He sautéed the black tiger shrimp with minced garlic and butter, while the mussels were simply stir-fried with a bottle of beer added for extra freshness.
The aroma of Pokémon food soon filled the kitchen, mingling the sweet freshness of fish soup with the rich scent of garlic and drifting through the crack in the door into the hallway.
Just as Xinhai placed the last dish on the table, his Pokédex vibrated—the treatment was complete.
He put away the Pokédex and headed downstairs to the front desk to retrieve the nine Poké Balls from his waist.
Back in his room, Xinhai pressed the release buttons, and his partners appeared in the living room.
"Eevee!" The moment Eevee emerged, she caught the rich scent of food in the air. Her large brown eyes immediately lit up, and her four little paws pattered toward the dining table as she craned her neck to look at the food. "Eevee, Eevee!" (Xinhai! So much delicious food!)
Gardevoir floated over to the table, her red eyes sweeping over the feast as a gentle curve appeared at the corners of her lips.
The other partners gathered around as well, each of them wearing an eager expression as they looked at the delicious meal spread across the table.
"Everyone's hungry, right? Sit down and eat." Xinhai portioned out the Pokéblocks and specially prepared food for his Pokémon, then drizzled some Beedrill Honey and Royal Jelly into each of their bowls.