Chongqing Spicy Chicken over Rice

"You really are amazing, Mr. Cord." Heath wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. Whenever he laughed really hard, his eyes watered.

"Of course, my friend. Alakazam can predict the future." Cord smiled at Heath. He looked like an elder, and he really was quite old. Heath had heard from Sister Feng that Cord was over a hundred years old.

Mr. Cord then explained what the stone milk was used for. Smearing it on stones or rock walls would attract Rock-type and Ground-type Pokémon.

"So... do you have Chongqing Spicy Chicken over rice?" After finishing his explanation, Cord rubbed his stomach and asked with a chuckle.

Heath nodded. Although he had never sold Chongqing Spicy Chicken over rice before, making a serving would be no trouble. It would also give him a chance to see whether his cooking skills had gotten rusty.

Heath quickly took out a chicken, then had Farfetch'd use a kitchen knife to cut the meat along the grain into small-to-medium pieces before cutting up some potatoes. Meanwhile, Heath mixed the sauce beside him.

The simplest way to make the usual Chongqing Spicy Chicken was to stir-fry chunks of chicken directly with chilies. The advantage was that it was quick and easy to prepare, but the flavor would not suit every customer.

Customers who could not handle much heat, or who simply did not like chilies, would not enjoy that kind of Chongqing Spicy Chicken. Heath planned to make a different version for Cord. It was still a little spicy, but its flavor was richer.

"Too bad I don't have any doubanjiang." Heath sighed. With some fermented chili bean paste, this Chongqing Spicy Chicken would be perfect.

"Doubanjiang? What's that?" Cord asked curiously. Alakazam loved novel things most of all, and he had never heard of doubanjiang.

"Hmm, it's a very salty sauce. Using it makes Chongqing Spicy Chicken taste even better." Heath thought about how to explain it to a Pokémon before answering Cord's question.

Cord looked as though he only half understood. Heath's expression shifted, and he quickly lowered his head, putting on the appearance of someone fully absorbed in cooking. Mr. Cord closed the mouth he had just opened.

Heath knew Cord all too well. Whenever he encountered something he did not understand, he would not stop until he had asked enough questions to get to the bottom of it. To avoid becoming an educator on Chinese cuisine in the Pokémon world, Heath wisely chose to dodge the subject.

Before long, Heath set a fragrant serving of Chongqing Spicy Chicken over rice in front of Alakazam. Watching Cord hold the bowl and eat, Heath thought of a problem.

Although he now had a food truck, he had nowhere for customers to sit down and eat. It looked like he would have to visit a furniture store later and pick out some portable tables and chairs that were easy to carry.

Meanwhile, Cord scooped up a piece of potato with some rice and put it in his mouth. A savory, salty flavor immediately spread across his tongue, followed closely by a wave of heat that made him stick out his tongue.

Not bad, Cord thought after eating the potato.

Cord scooped up a piece of chicken next and put it in his mouth along with some rice. His eyes immediately widened in surprise. The chicken tasted absolutely wonderful.

There was a subtle difference between Heath's Chongqing Spicy Chicken and the usual version. Other versions generally used chicken fried until fairly dry. Although that made it easier to develop a fragrant aroma, the taste was not all that good.

Heath's chicken, on the other hand, was tender and silky. Its salty, savory seasoning bloomed alongside the flavor of the meat, followed by a surge of heat that made up for the tendency of small-to-medium chicken pieces to remain underseasoned inside.

The rice balanced out the saltiness. Cord ate quickly and finished the whole bowl in no time.

"Whew, goodness. What am I going to do once you set off on your travels, little Heath?" Mr. Cord said with a worried expression, leaving Heath unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Still, as Heath looked around at the lively, familiar streets of Viridian City, he felt reluctant to leave too. The difficulty of leaving home was not just an empty saying. Although Heath had come from another world, Viridian City held his memories of this one, along with his friends and family.

"We'll always meet again." Heath smiled and nodded. He was considering whether his next stop should be Pallet Town or Pewter City.

He wondered what the distinctive ingredients in each city mentioned by the golden finger would be. If Viridian City's was the Viridian Fruit, then what would Pallet Town's be?

That curiosity, along with all the unknown things he would encounter on his journey, eased his reluctance to leave home somewhat.

"That's true. Oh, right, little Heath, sorry for the trouble, but when you reach another town with a post office, go and tell the Alakazam there my name, Cord. They'll deliver my meals for me." Cord's eyes lit up as he thought of a solution.

Heath froze for a moment. Good grief, each delivery cost several hundred League Coins. Mr. Cord really was willing to spend.

It also made Heath feel rather proud that Mr. Cord valued his cooking so highly.

"You really are willing to splurge, Mr. Cord. Once I get to Lavender Town or somewhere else, your delivery fees will be awfully expensive," Heath could not help remarking.

"Well, well, little Heath still doesn't know. We Alakazam don't charge delivery fees to teleport things to one another." Cord gave Heath an odd look, then waved and left.

Heath froze for a moment. Good grief, so you're using public resources for private purposes?

Heath shook his head, unsure whether to laugh or cry, then collected Cord's empty bowl and utensils and began washing the dishes.

"Far, far!" Farfetch'd poked Heath in the lower back with a wing, making him flinch so hard that he nearly smashed the plate over Farfetch'd's head.

"What?" Heath shot Farfetch'd an unfriendly look. Didn't you know not to poke a man's kidneys? I might only be seventeen, but that doesn't mean I don't need those organs.

"Far!" Farfetch'd waved the leek around, apparently trying to say something.

Heath pursed his lips. He did not understand Pokémon speech, so he could only pick up the sleeping Zorua.

"Zorua, what's Farfetch'd saying?" Heath asked, looking at Zorua.

"Hmph, foolish Trainer. You need to ask me even such a simple question." Zorua haughtily turned away, wearing an expression of passive resistance.

"You were craving the Chongqing Spicy Chicken while I was making it just now, weren't you? I'll make you some in a bit." Heath felt a headache coming on. He hoped the golden finger would hurry up and give him something that let him communicate with Pokémon.

"Hmph! Don't think you can tempt me with deli... with Chongqing Spicy Chicken and make me agree. But since you're my Trainer, I suppose I'll reluctantly help you out." Zorua flicked that tail and proudly lifted that little head.