Chapter Summaries

Heath learned that the head chef at the Indigo Retirement Home might know how to make Edible Quartz, so he drove there to investigate. Officer Jenny Ye gave him a special pass, and Zorua asked him for an advance on its wages to buy games.

• Heath asked Old Officer Jenny Ye for leads on Edible Quartz, and she directed him to the head chef at the Indigo Retirement Home.
• Heath read about the retirement home's unusual admissions and finances, then decided to visit it.
• An Officer Jenny at the guard post gave Heath a special pass for the retirement home and warned him to keep it in his vehicle.
• Heath drove toward the retirement home with Zorua, who asked for an advance on its wages to buy games.
• Heath smiled after thinking of an idea in response to Zorua's request.

Heath let Zorua buy two games by deducting the cost from her wages, then drove his food truck along a remote road toward a nursing home on a hill. At the entrance, an Arcanine confronted him as a hostile elderly man came out to meet him.

• Heath offered Zorua a buy-now-pay-later arrangement, but admitted he was teasing and deducted the cost of two games from her wages instead.
• Heath and Zorua bought a Resident Evil collection and an open-world game.
• Heath drove out of the brightly lit city and along a dark, uneven road toward the nursing home.
• Heath reached the nursing home’s hilltop road and found a guard post where an Arcanine challenged him.
• An elderly man emerged and eyed Heath with hostility, saying he had expected a quiet night.

Heath visited a nursing home to meet head chef Dàkōng and learn how to cook edible quartz. After being admitted by a suspicious old man who recognized Officer Jenny Ye’s pass, Heath found Dàkōng chatting with an elderly woman and introduced himself.

• An old man and several Pokémon surrounded Heath’s food truck and demanded to know why he had come.
• Heath explained that he worked with Officer Jenny Ye and showed the old man her signed pass, so the old man let him enter.
• The old man served Heath tea and told him that Dàkōng was in the hall.
• Heath drove to the nursing home, knocked several times, and entered when nobody answered.
• Heath met Dàkōng and said Officer Jenny Ye had recommended him.

Heath sought Dàkōng’s instructions for preparing edible quartz, and Dàkōng agreed to teach him if he passed a cooking test. Heath served Dàkōng a meal made from the limited ingredients, and Dàkōng praised the food but had not yet revealed the recipe.

• Heath asked Dàkōng how to prepare edible quartz, and Dàkōng hinted that he could teach him in exchange for Dream Wine and a cooking test.
• Dàkōng challenged Heath to make a meal from the kitchen’s eggs, rice, garlic chives, and onions.
• Heath prepared stir-fried eggs with garlic chives, steamed egg custard, and rice, leaving the onions unused.
• Dàkōng enjoyed the food and asked Heath why he had left out the onions.
• Heath explained that the strongly flavored onions would have overwhelmed the other ingredients.

Heath impressed Dàkōng by choosing not to force an onion into his dish, and Dàkōng revealed the recipe for preparing edible quartz. Heath left planning to try making it, then encountered a regular customer whose cold reaction to Dàkōng hinted at an old grudge.

• Dàkōng praised Heath for not using the onion where it did not belong and explained why the edible quartz recipe had been lost.
• Dàkōng demonstrated how psychic powers removed edible quartz’s toxins and described boiling it through twenty-two cycles, then chilling it for twelve hours.
• Dàkōng explained that each round required the chef to rub the quartz twice by hand and that the finished amount was tiny.
• Heath thanked Dàkōng and planned to prepare edible quartz the next day to complete his unique task.
• Heath met an old man who regularly bought food from his truck, and the old man coldly walked away after seeing Dàkōng.
• Dàkōng called the old man pitiful and told Heath to return to the Officer Jennys’ apartment building.

Heath learned that Luota, a resident of Dàkōng’s nursing home, claimed his deceased wife still lived with him, and Heath found clues that seemed to support the claim. Dàkōng explained why vulnerable elders had gathered at the remote home, and Heath left troubled before waking from a dream and discovering Zorua’s latest illusion trick.

• Dàkōng told Heath that Luota had been an award-winning dancer and had insisted his dead wife was still with him, while Heath learned she had preferred sour food.
• Heath recalled that Luota’s flavor preference changed to sour when he turned around and wondered whether his wife was somehow living through him.
• Dàkōng explained that the nursing home had become a refuge for elders abandoned or mistreated by their families, who sometimes came to pressure them into signing wills or returning home.
• Heath drove away from the remote nursing home, reflected on the residents’ circumstances, and dreamed of evil spirits trying to push the home into an abyss.
• Heath woke without a notification about serving Darkrai or Cresselia, then found Zorua’s illusion hiding the real, still-sleeping Pokémon in the bed.

Heath discovered that Charmander had evolved into Charmeleon overnight and promised him a reward, then caught up on bizarre news while washing up. He planned to buy groceries, make breakfast, and process edible quartz.

• Heath found that Charmander had evolved into a muscular Charmeleon while he slept.
• Zorua translated that Charmeleon wanted more protein powder as his reward, and Heath agreed.
• Heath greeted Mew brushing its teeth in the bathroom, then listened to the radio news.
• Heath heard that two people had been found dead and that laxative-laced feed had caused chaos among Wingull at Golden Beach.
• Heath planned to buy groceries, make breakfast, and process edible quartz.

Two Officer Jennys questioned Heath about Kailunya after a fire killed Kailunya’s adoptive parents. Heath noticed a possible discrepancy in the time Kailunya left his food truck and began to suspect Kailunya might have used him to create an alibi, just as Kailunya arrived dressed in mourning.

• Heath tested Farfetch'd’s crab roe soup dumplings and confirmed the breakfast counted toward his daily total.
• Two Officer Jennys asked Heath whether he recognized photographs of a middle-aged couple and Kailunya, and questioned him about Kailunya’s social practice report and departure time.
• The Officer Jennys told Heath that Kailunya’s home had caught fire at three the previous afternoon and that his adoptive parents had died.
• Heath recalled checking his phone after two and wondered whether Kailunya had deliberately given him a later time to create an alibi.
• Kailunya arrived dressed in black mourning clothes, and Heath greeted him with suspicion.

Heath questioned Kailunya about the timing of his community work and suspected he was connected to his adoptive parents’ deaths. A clue from the Magic Conch revealed that Kailunya had once been named Kailun Ya and that his Gengar may have killed them, so Heath alerted Officer Jenny Jing before returning to his food truck and greeting Jessie.

• Heath noticed Kailunya’s red-rimmed eyes and asked whether he had worked until after two the previous afternoon, though Kailunya’s report listed a later time.
• When Heath asked Kailunya directly if he had done it and showed him the news, Kailunya burst into tears and left with his food.
• Heath asked the Magic Conch how Kailunya’s adoptive parents had died and saw the clue, “Kailun Ya’s Gengar.”
• Officer Jenny Jing confirmed that Kailun Ya was Kailunya’s former name, and Heath messaged her about the discrepancy in the reported time.
• Heath decided to leave the investigation to the Officer Jennys and prepare edible quartz while serving customers.
• Jessie arrived at Heath’s food truck, and he greeted her and asked what she wanted to eat.

Heath made Jessie a warm, sweet bowl of eggs in brown sugar water, and Saya joined her at his food stand. As Heath worked on edible quartz, he overheard the two discussing Pokémon medical care and spotted a familiar Pokémon.

• Jessie shyly asked Heath for something warm and sweet, and he prepared eggs in brown sugar water for her.
• Saya arrived, greeted Jessie, and ordered a bowl of the same dish.
• Heath returned to serving customers and working on the edible quartz while Jessie and Saya talked about Pokémon medical care.
• Heath handed a pancake to a customer and noticed a familiar Pokémon nearby.

Heath used his Ingredient Identifier and accidentally made the Darkrai hiding above his food truck believe he planned to eat it. Darkrai fled in terror, while Heath received Hoopa’s Golden Ring for completing a hidden achievement.

• Heath spotted Mimikyu hiding behind his food truck and asked Saya what Ghost Pokémon ate.
• Heath used his Ingredient Identifier and discovered that Darkrai was hiding above the truck.
• Darkrai sensed the Identifier’s power, feared Heath intended to eat it, and fled from the Indigo League.
• Heath received the hidden achievement Conqueror of Legendary Pokémon and obtained Hoopa’s Golden Ring.
• Heath examined the ring and wondered what he could summon with it, while Darkrai vowed to torment him with nightmares.

Heath tested his golden ring and accidentally pulled Ho-Oh from a forest near Ecruteak City into the Indigo League in human form. Ho-Oh demanded a cooling dish before deciding whether to forgive him, while Heath realized the ring had a month-long cooldown.

• Heath examined his golden ring and discovered that reaching into it let him try to pull out something he imagined.
• Ho-Oh complained to Entei, Raikou, and Suicune about working and about being mocked in a game for getting caught in a fishing net.
• Heath reached through the ring while imagining a red-haired girl, and the ring pulled Ho-Oh from the forest into the Indigo League as a red-haired Loli.
• Heath learned that the ring could not be used again for a month and wondered whether imagining other powerful beings could summon them.
• Ho-Oh threatened Heath and demanded something to cool her down, leaving him to prepare food under her watchful gaze.

Heath made shaved ice to help Ho-Oh and his customers cope with the scorching summer heat, and it quickly became a popular treat. He left a serving for the wary Mimikyu, which emerged from the sewer to take it after he walked away.

• Heath used Snowman Snorlax’s Ice Beam to make ice and prepared shaved ice with jam, fruit, and syrup.
• Ho-Oh tried the shaved ice, enjoyed its cooling effect, and paid Heath eight League Coins despite claiming it tasted awful.
• Heath sold shaved ice to passing customers and made portions for his Pokémon.
• Heath set a bowl of shaved ice beside the sewer drain for Mimikyu and gave it space.
• Mimikyu emerged after Heath left, picked up the shaved ice, and retreated into a dark corner.

On his day off, Morty visited Heath’s food stall after sleeping for fourteen hours. He was startled when the wealthy customer who arrived turned out to be his boss, who praised his department and promised a week off after their project was finished.

• Heath watched Mimikyu shudder with each bite of shaved ice, then turned back to serving customers.
• Morty came in on his day off after sleeping until late morning and ordered brown sugar eggs and a Crab Roe Soup Dumpling.
• A wealthy middle-aged man ordered Crab Roe Soup Dumplings and Da Su Beef Noodles with extra beef.
• The man recognized Morty as an employee in the game development department, and Morty greeted his boss nervously.
• Morty’s boss praised the department’s annual party performance and promised everyone seven days off after the project was completed.

Heath served customers during a busy morning while Farfetch'd revealed that a customer had run off with Crab Roe Soup Dumplings without paying. Heath comforted Farfetch'd and returned to cooking edible quartz, which still needed about two more hours.

• Morty received seven days off from his boss, then bought brown sugar eggs to take away.
• Heath served a crowd of customers and noticed Giovanni, Sabrina, and Brock's father were absent after the Gym Leaders' meeting ended.
• Farfetch'd told Heath that a customer had taken Crab Roe Soup Dumplings without paying.
• Zorua explained that Farfetch'd had trusted the customer's promise to pay and felt too embarrassed to insist on payment first.
• Heath comforted Farfetch'd and advised him to learn from the incident.
• Heath checked on the edible quartz and continued cooking it for another two hours.

Officer Jenny Jing asked Heath and Snorlax to compete against a group of Exploud in a folk song contest, which had been moved up at short notice. As they traveled to the contest near Victory Road, Jing asked Heath whether a rumor about him stealing Officer Jennys’ stockings was true, leaving him stunned.

• Officer Jenny Jing told Heath that Snorlax’s contest against the Exploud had been moved up and asked if Snorlax was ready.
• Heath asked Snorlax about his preparations, and Zorua translated that he was fully prepared.
• Heath and Officer Jenny Jing drove toward the outskirts of the Indigo League, where the contest would take place with few people present so the Exploud would not get nervous.
• Officer Jenny Jing explained that the Exploud would leave with their group if they lost and that wild Pokémon generally accepted defeat honestly.
• Officer Jenny Jing asked Heath whether he used to take Officer Jennys’ stockings into the bathroom, and Heath realized Officer Jenny Aya had spread the rumor.

Heath and Officer Jenny Jing brought Snorlax to the mountains for a singing contest with the Exploud, whose song exchange left Heath bored and unable to understand them. The wait ended when Farfetch'd, Charmeleon, and Zorua appeared with instruments, and Snorlax began singing Qilixiang along with them.

• Heath reminded Officer Jenny Jing that Officer Jenny Aya had said her shocking claim was a joke, and Jing blushed after realizing she had missed that part.
• Officer Jenny Jing explained that Snorlax would call to the Exploud with a mountain song, and Heath summoned Snorlax and put in earplugs.
• Snorlax and the Exploud traded loud mountain songs while Heath and Officer Jenny Jing waited; Jing explained that such exchanges used regional phrases.
• Farfetch'd arrived with a bass guitar, Charmeleon took a place at a drum kit, and Zorua appeared disguised as Pikachu with an electric guitar.
• The Pokémon began playing Qilixiang, and Heath removed his earplugs when he realized Snorlax was singing the same song.

Heath and his Pokémon used Snorlax’s singing to persuade the Exploud to leave, and Snorlax discovered it wanted to become a singer. After paying Heath for completing the commission, Officer Jenny Jing returned to report the result while Heath headed back to his Food Truck and wondered what Zorua’s dream was.

• Zorua used illusions to make it seem as though Snorlax and the others were performing with instruments while Snorlax sang “Qilixiang.”
• The Exploud watched the performance, then left for another hill after Snorlax finished singing.
• Snorlax’s quest changed to becoming a singer, and Heath received throat lozenges as compensation.
• Officer Jenny Jing paid Heath for completing the commission, and Heath planned to let Snorlax decide what to do with the money.
• Heath forgave Zorua’s debts for its performance, then wondered what Zorua wanted to become.

Heath prepared edible quartz as cold jellyfish salad, but its flavor was weak and it did not complete his task, so he headed to the nursing home to ask Chef Dàkōng for advice. There, he witnessed an angry man trying to force his way in to see his mother and drove uphill to avoid another visitor causing trouble.

• Heath dressed edible quartz as cold jellyfish salad, tasted it, and found its flavor lacking while his task remained unfinished.
• Heath drove to the nursing home to ask Chef Dàkōng how to make jellyfish taste better.
• At the entrance, Heath saw a middle-aged man and his wife demand access to the man's mother and accuse the nursing home staff of seeking her house.
• The old man said the mother did not want to see her son, and his Arcanine drove the couple away.
• The old man welcomed Heath, poured him tea, and warned him that another troublesome visitor had arrived.
• Heath drove uphill and rudely gestured at the woman shouting about his entry, which improved his mood.

Heath asked Mr. Dàkōng about edible quartz recipes and learned that chefs had traditionally made it as a display of patience rather than as tasty food. After realizing it kept him full, Heath planned to try making crossing-the-bridge rice noodles with it, then encountered Lance at the cafeteria.

• Heath returned to Mr. Dàkōng to ask how to make edible quartz taste better, while an elderly woman sat nearby with red eyes.
• Mr. Dàkōng explained that edible quartz was difficult to flavor and that chefs treated making it as an expression of their attitude toward cooking.
• Heath returned to his Food Truck and realized that eating edible quartz had kept him from feeling hungry.
• Heath decided to make an edible-quartz version of crossing-the-bridge rice noodles and went to the cafeteria with Farfetch'd.
• Heath saw Old Officer Jenny talking with Lance, the Dragon-type Elite Four member.