Chapter 23 - Mankeying Around!

Intro-Kun: Today we have our young Zane and Misty entering Unimo Town! What other interesting adventure awaits our young hero today!?

Yawning I got up and began doing daily chores. In the end I became the one who takes care of the food, pokemon and gathering wood. It was slightly depressing but once I realized that Misty and the others could leave someday I decided that I should dedicated this as training.

I might go on an adventure on myself to train or something. There was nothing wrong in becoming an independent person even if I have to take care of someone else. Making breakfast from the simple ingredients we brought I ended up having sandwiches.

Misty complained, "This is the 2nd dozen time that you made sandwiches. Can't you make anything else?" I shook my head and said, "Not one bit! Anyway, sandwiches are delicious so its fine." Misty said, "That doesn't mean you should make them all the time!"

I laughed and said, "Don't worry! I will learn how to cook other food soon!" Internally I was shouting, 'I need to enter a 1 day cooking class! I may not have much talent but my experience and partial experience in chemistry should help me! Sadly, I only ate Ramen and other simple meals for a living in my past lives.'

Finishing our breakfast we continued our journey for another few hours and we arrived in front of a city. I grinned and said, "This is the final pit stop before arriving at Vermillion City! Let us quickly resupply before continuing!" Misty said, "Shouldn't we rest? After all, we need to get our pokemon checked up at the pokemon center to make sure they are fine."

I sighed and said, "Alright, if it begins to darken then we will rest here. I will focus on shopping and you take my pokemon to the pokemon center." She complained, "No way! I also want to shop! How about you go to the pokemon center and I shop!" I answered, "Not a chance! I am the one taking care of making the food and everything. (I also don't want you to know that I need to take cooking classes. I don't want any more embarrassing moments in my life.)

She g.r.o.a.n.e.d and said, "Fine, give me your pokemon." I laughed and thought, 'Victory!' Handing over my pokeballs I said, "Take good care of them." She nodded and said, "I will but you need to buy me a snack!" I shrugged and said, "Fine!"

Separating I rushed around the place looking for a place to get cooking lessons. After a few hours of failing but managing to buy a bunch of basic groceries. I sighed and said, "Where in the world can I get some quick cooking lessons?"

I turned to see a boy around my age advertising. Walking over I asked, "Do you have enough room for one more person?" He smiled and said, "Of course! Please follow me!" I began following him. He asked, "What is your name? Mine is Bray." I answered, "Mine is Zane. I am a pokemon trainer. I will be traveling a lot so I need lessons to be able to cook food on the go."

He smiled and said, "That is great! Our classes our perfect for you! Our class focuses on making quick and nutritional food. Unfortunately, it is not the on the go type but we teach you the basics anyway."

I nodded and said, "That is fine. I just need to get a sense of cooking." Bray smiled and said, "That is good. We are here!" I smiled and said, "Let us get started then or are you looking for more customers?" He shook his head and said, "One is fine. We usually only get 3 every week."

I frowned and said, "Doesn't that mean it is difficult for you to make ends meet?" He sighed and said, "Yeah, it is because of a certain problem we are having." I asked, "What is it?" He said, "Let us go inside. You will understand once we begin our lessons."

I nodded and said, "Alright."

POV change

Jessie complained, "I am starving!" Meowth agreed, "Me too! We haven't eaten for three days thanks to that twerp! This is already the 2nd time we were placed asleep by him!" James stomach grumbled as he said, "Yeah, I would give anything for a good snack to eat."

A nearby passerby said, "Hey have you heard of the horrible cooking lessons by the Laze family? They own a monkey that just ruins everything that anyone cooks! It makes it impossible for anyone to learn! What a great waste of food! It would be better to just give the food away to someone else to cook."

James said, "Am I hallucinating or did someone just say wasted food?" Meowth said, "Guys! We should go over and steal all the food they have!" Jessie shouted, "You're right! There will be no wasted food with us around! We won't leave a single crumb to be wasted!"

Team rocket managed to sneak inside the house through the open door. James chuckled as he said, "I can't believe they left their door open!" Meowth nodded and said, "They must be really carefree." Jessie said, "Quiet you two! Let's go find the food before leaving!"

Meowth agreed, "You're right! Let's take this chance while no one is around!" They looked through the house until they entered the storage room and began eating everything that was inside.

POV change

Bray father greeted us, "Hey there young man. I heard you wanted to take cooking lessons for a day." I nodded and said, "Yeah! I need to learn to cook right away!" Bray's father laughed and said, "Excellent! Let us begin class. For starters we will learn to cook cookies. It is a basic snack that can be made with some effort."

I nodded and began learning how to cook. It was pretty simple such as using cookie though and heating it in a oven and so on. I was doing fine learning until the problem presented itself. While grabbing listening to Bray's father instructions a certain Mankey arm stretch over and swapped the sugar and salt tag. I poured salt and began cooking.

Once the cookies were done I grinned and said, "These cookies must be delicious! Bon appétit!" I grabbed one of the cookies and bit it "Ah! My cookies are salty! It's like they hate me!" A monkey hiding behind a corridor wall laughed happily hearing the misfortune of someone's cooking going to waste.

Bray's father sighed and said, "Sorry Zane. It must have been Mankey's doing. He enjoys changing ingredients and condiments used for cooking." I laughed and said, "He must really love Mankeying around. Let's continue though. Can we focus on hot pot or other such types of food that I can cook while traveling."

Bray's father smiled and said, "Of course! It is the least I can do." I nodded and said, "I will pay 5 times the fee since it should be a bit more expensive right?" Bray smiled embarrassed and said, "That is one of the issues why we don't teach traveling food too often. They may require basic food but it is for many people most of the time so the expenses will always be slightly higher."

We began cooking again and although Mankey tried to trick me to put different ingredients into it but I always did a small taste test and kept an eye on the pot to avoid such problems. Mankey began getting frustrated and decided to kick it up a notch.

We ended up chasing it through the house eventually arriving at the storage room to find Team Rocket. I shouted in surprise, "It is the three idiots!" They all shouted angrily, "Who are you calling idiots!" I asked, "Is there anyone else other than you guys and that monkey that is preparing food for you guys behind you?"

They turned around to see Mankey holding a plate of sliced potatoes and meat that looked yummy but I felt an ill feeling just looking at it. Team Rocket though did not stop to think for a second as they began going for it.

Jessie said, "This Mankey is really nice! Thank you!" James nodded and said, "Now it makes sense why this place is going out of business! They can't stop giving away their food!" Meowth laughed and said, "Yeah! Let's dig in!"

I wanted to warn them but I stopped myself. Grabbing several spoon full into their mouths their faces turned purple and began foaming. I walked over and grabbing some I smelled it and said, "Vinegar, salt and something awfully sour and stinky. This food can surprisingly knock out team rocket. This Mankey has a talent in making poison!"

Mankey shoved a spoon full into my mouth. The taste was awful! I strangled my own neck trying to avoid having the food go through while coughing. Thankfully I reacted fast enough to survive but that did not mean I stopped suffering.

Tears were flowing from my eyes as I shouted, "I almost died!" Mankey laughed as it began clapping its hands. Upset, I grabbed a giant spoon nearby and grabbed whatever was left and shoved it into its mouth. Mankey face turned purple before passing out.

Bray finally arrived shouting, "Zane! Are you here!?" He froze as he shouted, "What is going on inside here!?" I said, "Don't know don't care! Give me something to bleach my mouth!" After getting some juice I sighed in relieve and explained, "These 3 idiots are crooks and your Mankey is a master poison maker. I can get rid of the crooks but not sure of the Mankey."

Bray sighed and said, "My family loves Mankey but he always ruins all the food that people make. We tried teaching Mankey hot to cook but it only made things worse." I nodded and said, "I got a plan but first let me take out the trash."

Grabbing the trio I dragged them out and tied them to the top of a truck and wished them a safe trip. Of course, if I had a pokemon I would have gave them a blasting.

I had Mankey teach me its wisdom by acting as its hand and feet to make food. Mankey smiled smugly as I made several dishes that would surely kill any ordinary man. Unfortunately I gave it a mischievous smile of my own and said, "Time to eat!"

Bray said, "I can't look!" Bray father nodded and said, "You're right. It is difficult to look." I grabbed the plates and began feeding Mankey. Mankey began regretting its actions. The worse part about it was the fact that Bray father cooked the same recipe properly. I ate the proper one while Mankey ate its own creation.

I mocked, "Man! This food is delicious! Sadly, Mankey can't have any of it!" Mankey whimpered as it looked at the food pitifully. I grabbed a spoonful and waved it in front of it saying, "If only you asked me to cook it right Mankey! You would be the one enjoying a real nice treat!"

Mankey whimpered weakly. I smiled and let him have some and said, "How is it?" It cheered happily showing its satisfaction for its taste. I nodded and said, "Mankey, I know you like having fun but do you have fun when eating your own food?" I placed Mankey's creation in front of it making it jittery.

I smiled and said, "Mankey, if you like eating delicious food then make delicious food. You can make this kind of food easily so that means you know what you are doing. You love cooking but you are using that cooking skill wrong. Don't you want other people to enjoy the delicious food you love to eat as well?"

Mankey nodded meekly. I patted its head and said, "The cook it and show them how it is done Mankey. Show them how fine of a chef you truly are and spread that knowledge because maybe one day. They might be the one cooking for you."

Mankey eyes shone as it nodded. I untied it and we tried cooking again. Mankey surprisingly behaved itself and even helped out in the kitchen. You can say that it got a taste of its own medicine. I spent the remaining time learning to cook and with Mankey help I got better even faster.

Finishing with the lesson Bray father said, "Thank you Zane. That is all I can teach you." Bray nodded and said, "Yeah! Thank you Zane! I never knew Mankey was such a great cook!" Mankey smiled embarrassed and thanked me too.

I laughed and said, "No need. It was fun cooking with a mischievous Mankey but remember Mankey. If you want to eat delicious food then you have to make it and teach others to make it." Mankey nodded in a respectful manner.

Bray father handed me 3 thin cook books teaching me about cooking in the wild and what things are edible as well. I thanked him and left to the pokemon center. Fortunately, I bought everything I needed before taking my cooking classes.

Entering I went to check up my pokemon which were complimented for their fine training except a lack of better nutrition but overall this Nurse Joy was slightly nicer than the last. I guess they care more about the pokemon than most other things.

I also met up with Misty and assigned a time to leave. This day sure was a productive one!"

Cliff-kun: Today, a great chef that happened to be a Mankey was born! What other exciting adventures will Zane have? Find out next time in System in Pokemon World!