Deep-fried insects looked pretty disgusting, but they actually tasted quite good. The prerequisite, though, was overcoming that mental hurdle. If you couldn't even put them in your mouth, how were you supposed to eat them? So the first time Heath had tried fried insects, the person serving them had deliberately picked ones that were hard to identify and hadn't told the customers what they were eating until they were almost finished.
Some people still couldn't accept it and threw up, but at least they had eaten them.
Still, looking at the large, twisted insects lying motionless in the frying pan, Heath decided to give the pan a thorough wash afterward. Luckily, there were no other customers right now, or he felt he probably wouldn't be able to serve them. The mere fact that insects had been fried in the pan would be enough for some customers with mental hang-ups about cleanliness to refuse this unusual delicacy.
"Hmph, can these really be eaten fried like this?" Ho-Oh looked off to the side with feigned disdain, but her sidelong glances betrayed her true thoughts. She probably wanted to eat them desperately.
Ho-Oh was a legendary bird Pokémon, after all. There didn't seem to be anything strange about her eating insects, so Heath remained perfectly calm.
"Of course. Frying brings out the insects' flavor, and you can sprinkle on some seasonings to add more taste." Heath calmly scooped out the fried insects, tipped them into a bowl, and handed it to Ho-Oh.
"Oh, isn't this Heath? When did you get back?" At the familiar voice, Heath looked up. It was Brock, who happened to be studying in Viridian City lately. He looked the same as ever, with those narrow eyes, though his skin seemed a little darker.
"I got back a couple of