Evening.
Hiyori Town Farm.
"What do you all want for dinner?"
Marzillo called out from the kitchen as he rummaged through shelves and cupboards full of ingredients, looking slightly troubled.
"Master~ do you have something… big and hard to eat?"
A teasing, melodic voice drifted in from the living room.
On the sofa, Gardevoir—already in her humanized form—sat languidly, her eyes half-lidded as she playfully teased her Trainer from afar.
Marzillo could only sigh, shaking his head at her usual antics. Without a word, he grabbed a freshly baked baguette and stuffed it into her mouth before she could finish her suggestive remark.
"Mmph…!"
Gardevoir whimpered softly, caught off guard. The gauzy white dress she wore clung to her slender figure, her delicate legs crossed beneath the fabric. Her eyes glistened as she looked pitifully toward her Trainer.
Marzillo rubbed his temples in exasperation. Hopeless—this girl never stops teasing me.
Meanwhile, sitting to the side, Lopunny—also in her humanized form—watched the whole exchange with a crimson face.
She had transformed as well, perhaps out of jealousy or pride after being called "a kid" earlier. Yet, unlike Gardevoir's bold demeanor, Lopunny's personality remained shy and gentle. Even so, her human form looked far more daring and mature than her timid heart.
As Gardevoir's muffled voice continued from the sofa, Lopunny felt her cheeks burn even hotter.
Does that really feel good… being treated like that? she wondered, biting her lip unconsciously.
Trying to distract himself, Marzillo returned to practical matters. "So, in the kitchen I've got a bag of noodles, some rice from the last sale, and a bit of codfish fillet… Lopunny, any ideas?"
"Eh—!"
Startled from her daydream, the bunny girl jumped, her hands flailing as she tried to compose herself.
Marzillo chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I was just asking."
Her face turned scarlet, and she lowered her head in embarrassment.
Noticing her shyness, Marzillo smiled kindly. "If you can't decide, I'll just take care of dinner."
He glanced between the bashful Lopunny and the sulking Gardevoir and sighed. These Pokémon girls… they're going to be the end of me.
Returning to the kitchen, Marzillo laid out his ingredients on the counter: scallions, ginger, garlic, oil, eggs, salt, cooking wine, several red chili peppers, and a fillet of codfish.
Of course, this wasn't ordinary cod—it was meat from a Pokémon species known as Lightfin Cod, which shed excess flesh to lighten itself before hunting again. In the Paldea region, people often used this meat for soup—it was tender and flavorful.
After a moment's thought, Marzillo murmured, "How about spicy cod fillet stir-fry?"
"Ah!"
Lopunny, who had snuck into the kitchen after fleeing Gardevoir's teasing, froze when he noticed her.
"S-sure… that sounds great," she stammered, nodding shyly.
Truthfully, she had come to the kitchen to escape the sounds coming from the living room, but now being this close to Marzillo made her heart race even faster.
She tried to calm herself—He's my Trainer… being near him shouldn't be strange, right?—but the rapid thumping in her chest betrayed her.
I feel like… I'm going to turn bad at this rate…
"Alright then, I'll get started."
Marzillo smiled and got to work.
Oil hissed in the wok, and the sharp rhythm of the knife cutting through peppers filled the kitchen. His movements were swift and precise, confident and efficient.
Lopunny watched in quiet awe, her earlier embarrassment forgotten.
"Wow… Master, you're amazing," she whispered, covering her mouth in wonder as the spicy aroma began to fill the air.