Jack carried a basket brimming with berries, his Pokémon trailing behind him in a neat line.
Once inside the kitchen, he retrieved flour, yeast, and fresh Moomoo Milk from the cabinet. Today, he planned to knead the dough himself and bake bread from scratch.
He poured the flour into a ceramic mixing bowl, adding small amounts of yeast and white sugar before slowly mixing in warm Moomoo Milk. While stirring with chopsticks, he watched the flour gradually clump together into flakes. When it reached the right consistency, he set aside the chopsticks and began kneading with his hands, working the mixture until it formed a smooth, elastic dough.
He covered the kneaded dough with a damp cloth and placed it on the warm windowsill to rise.
Working alongside Bulbasaur, Jack washed all the collected berries thoroughly. Some of the larger ones were peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks for easier eating.
After approximately half an hour, the dough had doubled in size, becoming fluffy and soft to the touch. When Jack pressed it gently with his finger, it bounced back immediately—a sign it was ready.
He removed the dough from the bowl and kneaded it again to release the air bubbles. After dividing it into smaller portions, he rolled each piece into a flat circle and cooked them slowly in a frying pan over low heat, watching carefully to ensure they didn't burn.
Within minutes, golden-brown bread slices emerged from the pan. The warm aroma of wheat mingled with the subtle sweetness of Moomoo Milk, filling the entire kitchen with an inviting fragrance.
Next, he spread a generous layer of light cream on each freshly baked slice.
He applied a layer of Leppa Berry paste first, then arranged thin slices of sweet peaches on top. A handful of Cheri Berries added a pop of color before he placed another cream-covered bread slice on top, pressing down gently to seal the sandwich.
A simple berry sandwich was complete!
When cut in half, the cross-section revealed pinkish-white cream embracing purplish-pink berries and pale yellow peach slices. The colors were vibrant and appetizing, and the sweet, fresh aroma was noticeable even before taking the first bite.
[Berry Sandwich (A-): From berries to bread slices, everything is crafted by the Trainer's own hands. Its creation embodies the Trainer's and their Pokémon's hope for a wonderful future together. It would achieve perfection if premium Moomoo Milk and higher-grade flour were used.
Cooking Effect: Colorful Lv3—greatly amplifies energy within all-type Pokémon. Limited to Pokémon that enjoy this dish. Only effective for the first consumption within a three-month period.]
"I never thought I'd create a dish that works for all Pokémon types!" Jack exclaimed happily. "Even with the restrictions, this feels incredibly rewarding!"
He carefully carried the large plate of berry sandwiches to the dining area.
"Dinner's ready, everyone!"
Jack set the plate down on the stone table in the yard. Immediately, his Pokémon gathered around, their eyes bright with anticipation.
Even Mew, who had been off exploring somewhere, always returned to the living room right on schedule.
"Mew~" Mew chirped cheerfully. "Jack, I'm back!"
Mew settled into their usual spot while Sandshrew took the seat directly across. Meltan and Bulbasaur positioned themselves on either side of Jack.
During their last meal, Meltan had been picky about his food and given his cucumber to Bulbasaur. Since then, Jack had deliberately seated them apart to prevent similar incidents.
Due to his considerable size, Wooloo couldn't fit comfortably at the table, so he remained outside. Jack personally delivered a berry sandwich to him, making sure he wouldn't feel left out.
Jack picked up one of the sandwiches and took a generous bite.
The bread he had kneaded himself was wonderfully soft and chewy. Combined with the rich cream and fresh berries, it tasted sweet without being overwhelming. As he chewed slowly, the fatigue from his earlier kitchen work melted away, replaced by contentment.
"How is it?" Jack asked proudly. "My cooking skills have really improved, haven't they? I never had access to ingredients this good before."
"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur responded enthusiastically, waving their Vine Whip in agreement. The gesture clearly acknowledged Jack's culinary progress.
"Melo~ Melo~" Meltan chimed in. "Jack, do we have any better-quality metal at home? The metal pieces in my sandwich don't quite match the rest of it."
Although Meltan could consume regular food like the others, he also needed to ingest metal to maintain his Steel-type energy levels. He simply felt the metal currently available didn't quite measure up to the quality of the sandwich.
"The metal available in Pallet Town is only this grade," Jack explained apologetically. "If you want better quality metal, we'll need to make a trip to Viridian City."
He smiled warmly at Meltan. "Once we have enough money saved up, we'll buy the finest metal available and create the best dishes possible!"
"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur agreed enthusiastically.
The evening breeze drifted across the ranch, carrying with it the fresh scent of grass and the sweet fragrance of berries from the surrounding fields.
Several sandwiches still remained on the plate atop the stone table. Meltan and Sandshrew huddled together contentedly, working their way through the remaining portions.
Even after both of them burped with satisfaction, four whole pieces remained untouched.
They were absolutely stuffed.
On this pleasant May evening at the ranch, even simple sandwiches held genuine warmth and comfort.
Knock knock—
The sound of knocking came from the front door. When Jack stepped outside to investigate, an orange-yellow wall suddenly blocked his path.
"Are you... Professor Oak's big fatty?" Jack asked, momentarily confused. "Wait, I mean his Dragonite?"
"Awo?"
Dragonite tilted its head, slightly puzzled by Jack's initial phrasing.
"Sorry, Dragonite—it's Dragonite! I misspoke," Jack quickly corrected himself, feeling embarrassed.
Dragonite studied Jack for a moment before reaching into the bag slung over its shoulder and pulling out numerous packages.
An absolutely staggering number of items emerged!
"That bag is incredible!" Jack marveled. "It can hold so many things at once."
He watched in amazement as Dragonite extracted several large packages from what appeared to be a relatively small shoulder bag. When stacked together, the packages were collectively almost five times Dragonite's size.
Even accounting for the fact that multiple packages were stacked together, it remained an impressive feat.
[Space Backpack: A tool utilizing space compression technology, allowing Trainers to carry large quantities of items without appearing bulky or weighed down. This technology was pioneered by the Devon Corporation and jointly developed by multiple technology companies.]
"Incredible black technology," Jack muttered to himself.
In a Pokémon world where smartphones didn't even exist yet, the technology tree had clearly developed in unconventional directions!
"Awoo~"
Dragonite handed Jack a letter, apparently also sent by Professor Oak along with the packages.
Jack carefully unfolded the letter and began reading:
[Dear Jack,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits.
Several days have passed since we last spoke. I've been wondering how your ranch operations have been progressing. Although I cannot personally visit to assist you at the ranch, I always consider it my pleasure to contribute in whatever small ways I can.
A few days ago, when I saw Meltan during your visit, I deduced that he might be a Steel-type Pokémon. Therefore, I specially prepared some rare metals that should suit his needs, along with several high-quality Energy Cubes formulated specifically for Grass-type Pokémon. I entrusted Dragonite to deliver these items to you in advance. Additional metals are currently in transit and should arrive within the next few days.
While establishing and maintaining your ranch is undoubtedly important, please don't neglect your Pokémon's training. Only with sufficient strength can a Trainer establish a firm foothold in this world and protect what matters most.
Pallet Town has been quite peaceful recently, and young Ash remains as energetic as ever. If you find yourself with some free time, why not visit town for a few days? You could catch up with everyone here and perhaps explore Pallet Town with Ash. I'm certain it would prove to be an enjoyable experience for both of you.
I eagerly await your good news and hope to see you again soon.
Warmest regards,
Samuel Oak]
"Professor Oak is truly remarkable," Jack said admiringly. "Just a few glances at Meltan, and he accurately identified his type."
Jack couldn't help but recall his own experiences playing Pokémon games in his previous life. He had constantly struggled to remember type matchups and frequently guessed incorrectly during battles. The comparison made him feel somewhat inadequate.
"Is Professor Oak looking forward to seeing me visit, or is he more interested in studying Meltan?" Jack wondered aloud with a wry smile. "Really, Professor..."
Despite his joking tone, his words carried genuine respect and affection for the renowned researcher.
He opened one of the packages carefully. Inside was a collection of items that resembled disassembled components from some kind of sophisticated instrument.
[Cosmic Satellite Debris: Manufactured by the Mossdeep Space Center but destroyed by Rayquaza during its launch into space. It contains trace amounts of Dragon-type energy. Despite being classified as debris, the main body consists of a special alloy—definitely a particular Steel-type Pokémon's favorite treat.]
"Professor Oak's idea of a 'small contribution'?" Jack exclaimed in disbelief. "He managed to obtain cosmic satellite debris from the Space Center, and he calls that a small contribution?"
Jack felt genuinely shocked by the professor's generosity and connections, but he certainly wasn't about to refuse such valuable gifts!
Meltan had already detected the scent of high-quality metal and scampered out from inside the house, his single eye gleaming with excitement as he gazed at the pile of metallic components.
So very tempting!
"Meltan, these metals were sent specifically by Professor Oak," Jack reminded him gently. "We can't just accept them without doing anything in return."
Meltan barely seemed to register Jack's words. His attention remained completely fixed on the metal.
"Melo~" Meltan responded absently. "It's okay, Jack. Professor Oak is incredibly kind to us. We really should visit him in person to express our gratitude properly."