"Pokéblock*? What's that?" [TN: The Pokeblock used here can also mean energy block. It's just different ways pokeblock is written in chinese.]
"You can also call it Pokéblock. It's a product made from Berries, but it's not popular in Kanto."
"These blocks originated in Hoenn, and other regions gradually improved upon them. They're a type of snack that helps with raising Pokémon."
Setting the glass jar down on the ground beside him, Rowan gave a brief introduction of Pokéblocks.
"I'm not too sure what flavors your Pokémon like, but for Water Types... they should prefer this one."
Aside from individual differences in Pokémon preferences, their tastes can also be generally categorized by species and type.
It's something that's embedded in their genetic DNA, passed down for who knows how long.
Rowan sifted through the scattered Pokéblocks, then finally held a sky-blue block near Psyduck's mouth.
"Wanna try it?"
"Quack!"
Psyduck gulped the Pokéblock down in one bite. A concentrated fruity aroma burst in its mouth. It felt like a large amount of juice was condensed in an ordinary little cube, making Psyduck feel as if it was holding a giant Berry and sucking its juice.
Before long, a rosy blush appeared on Psyduck's cheeks, and it started flailing its arms around like it was drunk.
"That's weird, I didn't put any alcohol in the recipe. How did Psyduck get drunk?"
"You've got it wrong, Mr. Rowan. Psyduck isn't drunk—it's always like this..."
"I see. Do you guys want to try one? They're made for Pokémon, but humans can eat them too.
It's just that I mixed everything when I made them, so I'm not sure what flavors are in there—you might end up tasting something weird."
"I wanna try one!"
"Pika pi!"
Humans sometimes have a bit of a rebellious streak—if you tell them something tastes amazing, they might not be interested.
But if you say something tastes strange, then people can't help but want to try it for themselves.
Including the Pikachu on Ash's shoulder, everyone gathered around and picked a color they liked.
"Mine's grapefruit-flavored."
"I've got melon-flavored. It's pretty tasty, actually."
"Pika, pi~ Pikachu~"
Everyone except Ash had already chosen their flavors. Ash, on the other hand, was stuck like someone with decision paralysis, struggling to pick just one.
"Hmm… I'll go with this one. It looks like it should be strawberry-flavored."
After some deliberation, Ash finally chose a half-red, half-white Pokéblock—the exact color scheme of a standard Poké Ball.
"...Whoa!"
Unfortunately, Ash wasn't so lucky. As soon as the Pokéblock melted in his mouth, he practically transformed into a "Charizard," nearly breathing actual fire.
In the end, he dove headfirst into a nearby fountain.
"Uh… that one was probably made with Cheri Berry. The taste is a bit spicy. But the effects are stronger—it can cure paralysis."
"I'm not accepting this! Why am I the only one who got a bad flavor?! Let me try again!"
After recovering, Ash picked another one. But it seemed today just wasn't his day—he ended up tasting one extremely astringent flavor and another that was intensely bitter.
Those flavors are ones only certain Pokémon can tolerate. With his taste buds thoroughly stimulated, Ash crouched off to the side, clearly debating whether or not to try another one.
Meanwhile, Brock had noticed something different—Psyduck, who had just eaten a Pokéblock earlier, now had glossier, shinier fur.
"Is that also one of the effects of a Pokéblock?"
"Kind of. Pokéblocks initially originated from Pokémon Contest, which is the stage where Pokémon show off their 'beauty.' In human terms, this stuff is basically for beauty and skincare."
"I see. Actually, my goal in traveling is to become a better Pokémon Breeder. Could I learn more about Pokéblocks from you?"
"No problem. There are Berry Blenders that make these things—you just put the right berries in according to a recipe and let the machine do its thing."
"You can take a look when you pass by a department store. What I make might be a little different, but that's just due to some custom recipes."
"You can have that jar, by the way. They're not exactly valuable."
"Oh, we couldn't possibly…"
In the end, Brock took out a pack of Pokémon food he'd made himself and exchanged it with Rowan. Rowan's email contact list also grew by two more names.
After Rowan left, Brock started looking at the map for nearby camping spots. But just as he confirmed the location and was about to pack up, he realized the jar of Pokéblocks Rowan had left behind was gone.
"Misty! Ash! Did you guys see the Pokéblocks Mr. Rowan left us just now?"
"Aren't they on the table... Psyduck! What are you doing!!"
At this moment, Psyduck had an entire glass jar stuffed in its mouth.
After savoring that one Pokéblock, it wanted more. But it couldn't open the jar, and driven by desire, it ended up shoving the whole thing into its mouth—only to get stuck.
Psyduck's actions made Misty feel like it had completely lost its mind. She promptly punched Psyduck on the head, dislodging the glass jar from its beak.
She then took out one Pokéblock and gave it to Psyduck before returning it to its Poké Ball.
Meanwhile, Rowan had already arrived at the subway station but found himself in a bit of a bind. The commotion caused earlier by Team Rocket had led to local traffic restrictions.
And since the Pokémon Center was near a main road, the whole area was now experiencing a massive traffic jam that still hadn't cleared.
With the roads blocked, many people had opted to take the subway instead. And since it was rush hour, the station was absolutely packed with people.
Rowan watched helplessly as two subways came and went—he couldn't even get close to the doors.
As for taking a cab back…
The surrounding traffic congestion, combined with the fare estimates on ride-hailing apps, made him give up on that idea completely.
"Nekomi, looks like we won't be getting back anytime soon. Let's grab some dinner nearby."
"Meow? (Isn't eating out more expensive?)"
"I can accept that cost, but I can't accept paying a ridiculous amount for a route that usually only costs a few Poke Dollars… Eating is different. And there's a restaurant nearby doing a grand opening sale. Let's check it out."
Rowan pulled Nekomi out of the crowd and headed toward a mall not far away.
On the advertising screen outside the mall was a Chikorita wearing an apron, alongside a collaboration with a top chef (Cooking Master Boy).
According to the advertisement, that was the head chef of the very restaurant Rowan had spotted.
"Pokémon are allowed inside, right?"
Even in a world of Pokémon, some restaurants only serve humans. There are always people who just can't accept the idea of sharing a table with Pokémon.
As a result, many restaurants ban both Pokémon and pets from entering, and Rowan didn't mind—if a place didn't welcome them, he simply wouldn't go.
Pet-exclusive restaurants are hard to find, but restaurants catering to Pokémon are quite common.
Of course, there were still restrictions based on species—Pokémon like the foul-smelling Grimer were still not allowed inside.
"The Pokémon with you is fine. Since we're celebrating our grand opening, not only do we have discounts, but our Pokémon chef is also giving a live cooking demonstration. Would you like to dine in?"