When they heard there would be an extra meal, the partners' eyes brightened.
Eevee was the first to leap up, perching on Xinhai's shoulder with its tail held high, its big brown eyes full of anticipation.
Xinhai took his partners out of the Gym and made a round through the nearby market.
He picked out a plump sea bass, several pounds of fresh Berries, a rack of ribs, and some meats Pokémon liked to eat.
Back in their room at the Pokémon Center, Xinhai tied on an apron and got busy.
The fresh fragrance of sea bass drifted out of the kitchen first, carrying the scent of chopped scallions;
Then came the smell of stewed meat, the broth bubbling away in the pot, mingling with spices and the sweet-tart scent of Berries;
Finally, there was a pot of specially made meat congee, simmered slowly for over half an hour until the grains had completely melted into the soup, giving off a warm, gentle sheen.
The partners sat in a circle on the living room carpet, each holding a small bowl and eating without even lifting their heads.
Blaziken carefully pulled apart the fish with chopsticks, saving the tenderest pieces for last;
Sceptile ate with more composure than before, its Leaf Blade slightly retracted as it quietly chewed small bites;
Eevee sat beside Xinhai, using Confusion to scoop a small piece of Berry from its bowl. It blew on it until it cooled before putting it in its mouth, its big brown eyes narrowing into satisfied slits.
Gardevoir sat on the windowsill, her red eyes watching the partners happily eating all around the room, a gentle curve on her lips.
Xinhai served himself a bowl of congee as well and leaned against the sofa as he slowly drank it.
He said