The sound of the bathroom door clicking shut was followed by a silence so heavy it felt like the blizzard outside had finally moved indoors.
Inside, Julian leaned over the sink, staring at his reflection. His face was a shade of pale that shouldn't be possible for a living human, and a single, viscous drop of purple-tinted milk was slowly making its way down his chin.
"I think... I think I just saw my ancestors," he whispered to the mirror. "And they were all shaking their heads at me."
Rewind ten minutes.
The atmosphere in the hotel room had been a cozy, fuzzy pile of reconciliation. Julian was buried under Growlithe and Sylveon, Floette was being a tiny drill sergeant, and everything felt like a heartwarming slice-of-life anime. That was until the sliding door to the kitchenette whirred open.
Swish~
"Togekiss, jia-gei! (Order up! The 'Julian Recovery Special' is served!)"
Togetic floated into the room, a look of pure, unadulterated pride on her face. But it wasn't just her expression that caught Julian's attention—it was the fact that a steaming porcelain bowl was drifting through the air six inches in front of her, perfectly level, without a single hand or ribbon touching it.
"Togetic... wait," Julian blinked, his brain momentarily ignoring the smell coming from the bowl. "You're... you're floating that? Since when did you have an invisible waiter permit?"
Togetic's triangles glowed with a soft, satisfied light. "Jia-gei, jia-gei! (Total accident! Last night, Floette was trying to move you with her mind, and you almost slipped off the bed because your jacket was so slick. I got scared and reached out, and bam! I caught you! Floette's been giving me pointers all morning~)"
"Seriously? Psychic?!" Julian's eyes widened. "That's huge, Togetic! You've been practicing behind my back, haven't you? This is going to be a game-changer for the Snowpoint Gym. Candice won't know what hit her!"
"Togekiss! (I haven't been slacking off for even a second since the evolution! I want to be the one who carries the team this time!)" She puffed out her chest, looking like a tiny, feathered superhero. "But forget the battle—Jing, you need fuel! Try the noodles! I made them specifically to fix your 'tired human' problem!)"
She nudged the floating bowl toward him. Julian, still pinned by the weight of the Eeveelution and the Fire-dog, managed to wiggle one numb arm out from under the covers. He gripped the chopsticks, his stomach letting out a tentative growl.
"Alright, chef. Let's see what you—"
Julian stopped. He looked into the bowl.
It was a nightmare in ceramic. The noodles themselves were bloated, having clearly spent a bit too much time in the hot tub. But it was the 'toppings' that made Julian's heart skip a beat. There were chunks of Oran Berries, their blue juice bleeding into the broth; deep purple Razz Berries that looked like bruised thumbs; and slices of Sitrus Berries that were floating like yellow lily pads.
The broth, which Julian assumed had started as water, was now a swirling, psychedelic galaxy of violet, navy blue, and a suspicious neon pink.
"It's... very colorful," Julian said, his voice reaching a pitch usually reserved for seeing a Ghost-type in a dark alley. "Togetic, why are there... why is there a whole fruit salad in my ramen?"
"Jia-gei? (Because berries are medicine!)" Togetic explained, her eyes wide with innocent logic. "(Every time we get hurt in a battle, you give us these berries to fix us, right? So I figured, if you're exhausted, I should give you all the berries at once! It's like a Super Potion, but in noodle form!)"
"That's... technically logical," Julian muttered, his hand trembling as he stirred the mixture. The movement released a scent that was sweet, sour, and strangely... creamy? "Wait. Togetic, what is this broth? It doesn't smell like chicken or miso."
"Togekiss! (It's Moomoo Milk! I know you love drinking it before bed, and it's full of calcium! I boiled the noodles directly in the milk so they'd be 'extra strong'!)"
Julian felt the blood drain from his extremities. Boiled milk. Fermented berry juice. Overcooked noodles. It was a culinary biohazard.
"Surprise... I am... definitely surprised," Julian said, his smile looking more like a grimace of physical pain.
"Jia-gei~ (Then don't let it get cold! Eat up, eat up!)"
Julian looked at the expectant faces of his team. Floette was hovering close, curious about the 'new flavor.' Growlithe was sniffing the air, looking confused. Togetic was vibrating with excitement.
[I can't do it. I'll die. I'll be the first Trainer in history to be taken out by a Togetic's kindness.] Julian thought, staring at a purple noodle. [But look at her. She worked so hard. She used her new Psychic powers just to bring me breakfast. If I don't eat this, I'm a monster. I'm a cold-hearted, fluff-denying monster.]
He steeled his nerves. He thought about the time he'd accidentally tasted a bitter Poffin. He thought about the 'Aura training' he'd done with Lucario.
[If I can survive a Jackal's palm strike, I can survive a berry-milk soup.]
He lifted a clump of the indigo noodles, closed his eyes, and shoved them into his mouth.
The first sensation was the texture. It was like eating soggy velvet. The noodles had absorbed so much Moomoo Milk they were heavy and slightly slimy. Then, the flavor hit. It was a chaotic explosion of cloyingly sweet milk followed by the sharp, acidic punch of the Razz Berries. It was like a bowl of cereal that had been left out in the sun and then mixed with a sourdough starter.
Julian's throat instinctively tried to close. His body was sending a 5-alarm signal to his brain: ABORT MISSION.
But then he felt Togetic's wing brush against his arm.
He chewed. He swallowed. He felt the viscous, lukewarm mass slide down his throat like a lead weight.
"Togekiss! (How is it?! Is it the best thing ever?!)"
Julian opened one eye. His vision was a little blurry, and he was pretty sure he could see colors that didn't exist in nature.
"It's... it's an experience, Togetic," he managed to wheeze out. "Very... bold. I think you have a real talent for... avant-garde cuisine. Maybe next time, we keep the berries on a side plate? And maybe... just a tiny bit of salt?"
"Togekiss! (Really?! She likes it!)" Togetic didn't hear the 'bold' part; she only heard the 'talent' part. She began doing victory loops around the ceiling fan.
"Leafeon-flo? (Is it really that good? Move aside, Jing, I want a taste of this 'Bold' masterpiece!)" Floette zipped forward, her tiny hands reaching for the bowl.
"NO!" Julian's survival instinct kicked in—not for himself, but for the hotel's plumbing. If Floette ate this, she'd be a biohazard. "This is... this is my medicine! Togetic made it specifically for my human DNA! It might be... uh... poisonous to Grass-types!"
To prove his point, Julian grabbed the bowl and began shoveling the remaining blue-and-purple sludge into his mouth with the desperation of a man drinking an antidote. He gulped down the lukewarm milk broth, his eyes watering, until the bowl was bone-dry.
Gulp.
"Fly-ah~ (Floette, really, have some shame,)" Sylveon scolded, her ribbons pulling the smaller Pokémon back. "(It's Julian's special recovery meal. Let him enjoy his berry-milk in peace.)"
"Leafeon... (I just thought it smelled sweet...)" Floette grumbled, looking at the empty bowl with genuine disappointment.
Julian sat there for a second, the 'Recovery Special' sitting in his stomach like a bowling ball. He felt a sudden, cold sweat break out on his forehead.
"Th-that was... great," Julian said, his voice trembling. He looked at Growlithe and Sylveon, his eyes wide and frantic. "Guys... I need you to move. Right now. I have a very urgent... appointment... with the bathroom. I think the 'medicine' is working a bit too fast."
"Fly-ah! (Oh! Of course! Let me help you up!)"
Sylveon jumped off the bed, her ribbons wrapping around Julian's waist to hoist him up. Growlithe provided a steadying nudge against his lower back. Julian managed to stand, his legs feeling like cooked noodles themselves.
"I can... I can take it from here," Julian gasped, clutching his stomach as he shuffled toward the bathroom door. "You guys... go eat your Pokéblocks. Carbink worked hard on the chairs. Don't... don't wait for me."
Bang!
The bathroom door slammed shut.