[Seafood Risotto (B): A gourmet dish made with a variety of seafood. Each grain of rice is infused with the ocean's fresh sweetness, making it a truly rare and delightful delicacy.
Dish Effect: Stamina Recovery (Large)
Special Effect: Blessing of the Sea — When used by humans, Fishing Level +1; when used by Pokémon, swimming speed in the ocean is permanently increased.]
A remarkably delicious dish, the Lapras pod are sure to love it.
A short while later, in front of the lake of the ranch.
Each Lapras had a full bowl of seafood risotto placed before them. "Everyone, dig in! If it's not enough, I've got more here!"
Silas picked up a bowl himself and gestured toward the Lapras group.
"Lap!"
Only after the Lapras leader let out a call did the others finally begin to eat.
They buried their heads into the bowls, eating mouthful after mouthful, their faces filled with satisfied smiles.
The seafood risotto suited their tastes perfectly.
Beside Silas, Little Lapras was the first to finish its bowl. It slid over on its flippers to Silas's side, rubbing its head against him, asking for another bowl, its watery eyes looking up at him pitifully.
"You eat fast! Give it here."
Laughing, Silas gave it a couple of light pats and reached out his hand.
In the next moment, several empty bowls were thrust toward him.
A whole group of Lapras looked at him with pleading eyes.
"Hahaha~" Silas laughed. "Don't worry, don't worry. I made plenty—there's enough for everyone."
In the end, the huge pot of seafood risotto was eaten completely clean, not a single grain of rice left behind.
Across the vast lake, the pod lay sprawled everywhere, on their backs in all directions.
Enjoying a rare, relaxing afternoon, they exposed their vulnerable little bellies to the sun.
Minccino, the little troublemaker, brought Smoliv, Noibat, and the Flabébé along, using Little Lapras's belly as a trampoline, hopping up and down to their hearts' content.
Little Lapras wiggled its round body, and with every rise and fall, bursts of giggling laughter rang out from the Pokémon—pure happiness all around.
"Cyc~"
Cyclizar circled nearby, eager and itching to join in as well.
But before Cyclizar could make a move, Silas grabbed it. "Don't mess around. With your size, you'd probably squash Little Lapras flat."
"Cyc!"
"Alright, alright, I'll pet you."
Spoiling Cyclizar with a few strokes, it took the chance to pounce and knock Silas over.
After playing around with the Pokémon for a while, Cyclizar led the chickens out to get some fresh air. The Mudsdale brothers delivered the finished clay to Silas, telling him to sell it for money.
Minccino, meanwhile, directed the Flabébé quintet to weave through the flower fields, collecting nectar.
After making a round, Silas realized he didn't really have anything to do himself.
Thinking for a moment, he went into the cabin, took out a fishing rod, and called Kangaskhan over. One human and one Pokémon headed to the seaside together.
Looking out into the distance, they reached a spot where fish shadows were visible. Silas set down his small folding stool and cast his line into the sea.
Kangaskhan lay beside him, bored, staring at the blue sky and letting out a yawn.
A large hand rested on Kangaskhan's head as Silas gently stroked it. "It's fine to take a nap. I'll wake you when we head back."
Kangaskhan: "Kang~"
Rubbing its head affectionately against his palm, Kangaskhan closed its eyes in peace and dozed off.
The sea and sky of Kalos were as blue as ever, like two identical mirrors—so beautiful that it was impossible not to love them.
With such scenery before him, Silas felt his mood relax as well.
And at that very moment, the fishing rod in his hand trembled slightly.
Another sneak attack…
Snapping back to attention, Silas yanked up the rod. Along with a silver-white arc through the air, a small blue-and-white figure was hauled up on the hook.
A blue body, braid-like white tentacles, hanging upside down.
A common Pokémon in the Kalos seas—Inkay.
What a great start!
The seafood rice from lunch hadn't gone to waste today—he was sure he'd have a big haul.
The Inkay hooked on the line struggled fiercely, thrashing its body about.
Gripping the line, Silas put on a friendly smile and reached out. "Easy, easy. I'll take the hook off for you right now."
And surprisingly, Inkay really did stop moving, obediently letting Silas remove the hook.
Just as Silas reached out to pet it and give it a little squeeze, light suddenly flashed atop Inkay's head.
"Crap!"
The thought had barely formed when—flash!—everything in front of him turned pure white.
Watch out, dummy.
Inkay gave a sly grin and seized the chance to leap, diving straight back into the water.
As the blinding light faded, his hand was completely empty.
"Crafty little thing."
Shaking his head, Silas muttered to himself and reattached the hook before casting again.
Most Inkay were like this—hard to get close to and quite cunning.
But compared to them, their evolution, Malamar, was the true, undisputed villain.
He had plenty of time today… yet soon, Silas's expression darkened.
Looking at the Inkay that had once again been hooked, he flicked its forehead with a finger. Inkay whimpered and hugged its head with its tentacles.
"Don't do that again, got it?"
"Kay~"
Silas released Inkay once more.
He re-baited the hook and cast the line again, though a bad feeling lingered in his heart.
Two minutes later, Silas grabbed Inkay and flung it forcefully back into the sea, leaving only a string of terrified Inkay cries echoing across the water's surface.
That should teach you to be scared now, right?
Ten minutes later, Silas woke Kangaskhan, packed up his fishing rod, and walked back toward the ranch with a dark expression.
Out on the sea, an Inkay quietly poked half its head above the surface.
So fun, so fun!
No sooner had Silas returned to the ranch than he learned some big news from Little Lapras.
"What? You're leaving tomorrow? Didn't you say you'd stay a few more days?"
Little Lapras: "Lapras~" (It's the leader's order.)
Hearing this, Silas looked toward the elderly Lapras Leader in the group, who had been gazing in the direction of the sea the whole time.
"Alright then. You have to come visit us again next time." Silas reached out and gently patted Little Lapras, comforting it instead. "I'll make dinner early tonight—your favorite coconut milk soup."
The little one happily licked Silas. Helpless, he pushed Little Lapras away and pointed toward Minccino in the distance. "Go say your goodbyes to them. I'm going to start cooking."
Little Lapras's departure was sudden, but since things had come to this, there was nothing else to do but accept it.
As he prepared to go back and cook, Silas passed by Cyclizar.
Cyclizar ran over excitedly, holding three eggs in its arms, proudly showing off today's harvest.
Silas patted it, then broke into a mischievous grin—he decided to tease Cyclizar a bit.
"Cyclizar, are those three eggs rooster eggs or hen eggs?"
Cyclizar lowered its head, looked left and right, a huge question mark popping up beside its head.
"I'm going to cook now. Take your time thinking about it, Cyclizar."
With that, Silas dashed off, humming a cheerful little tune.
Cyclizar's utterly confused expression was just too cute.
Back in the cabin, Silas opened the refrigerator and took a look.
Then he began preparing dinner, a farewell meal for the Lapras group.
Unconsciously, his thoughts drifted to Chatot.
How were they doing now?
(End of Chapter)