"Come on, Minccino, this is really tasty~"
Whitney coaxed gently, placing the Pokéblock on the ground.
"Mincci…"
The little Minccino turned its head away immediately, its fluffy tail flicking against the tree trunk in clear displeasure.
Whitney blinked. "Honey… what's wrong with it?"
Peter chuckled softly. "Didn't Roto just say? Minccino loves cleanliness. No matter how delicious that Pokéblock is, once it touches the ground, it's already dirty."
"Ohhh~ right!"
Whitney quickly took out a cloth from her bag, spread it neatly on the ground, and carefully placed the remaining Pokéblock into a small bowl before calling again.
"Chira~!"
This time, Minccino clapped its tiny paws excitedly and leapt down from the tree, landing perfectly beside the bowl. Two quick bites—and the Pokéblock was gone.
Then it lifted its little paws, staring at Whitney expectantly.
Peter laughed. "Not shy at all, huh?"
He handed Whitney the rest of the prepared items.
With fresh Moomoo Milk, golden berries, and—most devastating of all—a Rare Candy…
The little chinchilla fell instantly.
Not only did it accept Whitney completely, it even started using its tail to clean the dust off her shoes.
Whitney burst into laughter, hugging it happily. "Haha~ With this little one, I won't even need to clean anymore!"
Peter shook his head, amused.
Rare Candy in this kind of competition was basically cheating—wild Pokémon didn't stand a chance.
Then, as a bonus, he handed Whitney the Loaded Dice he had drawn the day before.
Minccino's hidden ability allowed multi-hit moves to strike five times—but with Technician plus Loaded Dice, the damage output became even more terrifying.
Multi-hit moves like Bullet Seed, Tail Slap, or Rock Blast would reach insane total power—well over 150.
After explaining everything, Peter received exactly what he expected—
A sweet kiss.
Ding! Whitney used Sweet Kiss. Peter is now confused.
…
After looking around a bit more, Peter didn't find anything else worth catching. Soon, noon arrived.
Many participants left the plaza with disappointed expressions—clearly unsuccessful.
At the registration area, Peter spotted Paul again—empty-handed.
"You didn't find anything either?" Peter asked.
"…Hm." Paul responded through his nose, pulling out a Poké Ball and staring straight at him. His fighting spirit was unmistakable.
Peter smirked. "You've been waiting here for me?"
Paul ignored the question. "You're doing your promotion match today, right?"
Peter had already reached an 8-win streak in Bronze. Two more wins, and he'd enter the Silver promotion series.
"I'm already in Silver," Paul said coldly. "Hope I match against you today."
Then he turned and walked away.
Whitney crossed her arms thoughtfully. "He really seems excited…"
Peter chuckled. "Even you noticed?"
His gaze drifted downward briefly—before Whitney puffed her cheeks.
"Ugh! Honey, you're teasing me again!"
He placed a hand on her head, laughing. "Just wanted to see that cute, pouty side of you."
Registration proceeded quickly.
Within half an hour, all successful participants were gathered in front of a large friendship-testing machine.
"Next, we begin the friendship evaluation! Please come forward when your name is called!"
"First contestant—Tess!"
A sallow-faced man stepped up, holding a dazed Psyduck.
"Beep… Friendship score: 38. Low."
"Next—Gou!"
"Score: 76. Medium."
…
"Next—Whitney!"
Whitney walked up confidently, holding Minccino.
"Beep… Friendship score: 121. High!"
A collective gasp spread through the crowd.
"Whoa! That's insanely high for a freshly captured Pokémon!"
"Seriously! Usually the highest is like 80 or 90!"
"Alright, I give up… no point competing anymore!"
The murmurs only made Whitney smile brighter.
Because she knew—
This was all thanks to her Honey.
…
In the end, there was no suspense.
Whitney won first place.
Her name quickly became the talk of the plaza.
As for Nemona… she arrived only after everything was over, looking like she had fought a war.
"Where did you even go?" Peter asked.
"Ah… chased a Swinub for half a day… still got away, haha…" she scratched her messy hair awkwardly. "Though I think it just doesn't like super spicy pig trotters… weird, right?"
Peter & Whitney: "…"
Instead of heading straight to the arena, the two went to a Japanese hotpot restaurant.
They picked a window seat.
Peter ordered smoothly, listing dishes based on Whitney's and the Pokémon's preferences:
"Split nabe with spicy miso broth and clear kombu dashi. Assorted seasonal vegetables including napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, and carrots. Fresh seafood platter with shrimp and clams. Wagyu meat slices, chicken tsukune, tofu, and udon noodles. Served with ponzu and sesame dipping sauces."
Hotpot might not match Pokéblocks nutritionally, but the rich flavors made it a favorite treat.
Soon, the pot arrived.
Chansey immediately sat at the table, holding a plate eagerly, eyes glued to the pot.
But…
The broth wasn't even hot yet.
"Lucky…"
Chansey looked longingly at Slaking.
"Laa…"
Slaking sighed, then casually lifted the pot with one hand.
Whoosh—!
Flames ignited in its palm.
With precise control, its Fire Punch heated the pot evenly from below. Within seconds, the broth began bubbling vigorously.
"Lucky~! (≧▽≦)"
…
Nearby, Teddiursa happily shared honey with its childhood sweetheart.
It dipped its paw into golden honey, lifted it into the sunlight where it shimmered beautifully, and licked a small taste.
"Binee~"
Then it generously offered the rest—
Only to be enthusiastically licked all over by Whitney's Teddiursa.
Moments later…
It froze stiff.
Paralyzed.
And just like that—
Amid laughter, warmth, and the bubbling of hotpot—
Their day came to a perfect close.
...................
MPHFics's Note:
Hello, readers,
Thank you all for your continued support!
Feel free to check out my latest Pokémon fanfic release and read it alongside this story:
✦ Pokémon: Endless Genesis of the Chosen One ✦
Feel free to follow both stories in parallel, and I hope you enjoy them both!