283. The First Quarrel

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"Of course, this Vulpix is the Mega model in the Pokémon world..." Speaking of Vulpix, Brock clearly had a lot to say.

"Okay, okay! Brock, please calm down for a while!" Ash interrupted quickly, not wanting to hear Brock's endless ramblings.

Suzie smiled at the lively atmosphere in her store. It had been a long time since it felt this animated. She invited Ash and his friends to have tea and snacks in the store. Brock also brought out Pokémon food for Pikachu to enjoy as a snack.

Ash suspected Brock was just showing off in front of Suzie, but he decided not to call him out.

"Please enjoy!" Suzie prepared tea for the three of them, and they all sat together. Since Chansey left earlier, no other customers had come, making the store feel a bit quiet.

"Thank you!" they all said in unison.

"So, you're on a training journey! This Pikachu looks to be in great shape! Did you prepare all its meals?" Suzie asked after learning about their travels. She noticed Pikachu happily munching next to them and turned to Brock with her question.

Food is crucial for a Pokémon's training, and seeing Pikachu enjoying it so much, Suzie realized it suited its taste perfectly.

"Yes... yes!" Brock stammered, quickly taking the credit.

"Brock prepared everything himself!" Misty added, catching on to Brock's intentions and supporting him.

"That's amazing!" Suzie said, genuinely impressed.

As a breeder herself, Suzie understood how challenging it was to prepare meals that met a Pokémon's needs and preferences.

Bah!

Suddenly, Vulpix, who had been resting on a nearby chair, woke up. It came over, jumped onto the chair next to Pikachu, and sniffed the bowl of Pokémon food.

Pika-pika!

Pikachu noticed and offered a piece to Vulpix. The Fire-type Pokémon hesitated for a moment before taking the food, chewing, and swallowing it.

Bahhh!

After swallowing, Vulpix let out a cheerful cry and eagerly began eating. Pikachu squinted happily and joined in, munching alongside Vulpix. Seeing the two Pokémon enjoy themselves, everyone smiled warmly.

"Wow! Vulpix actually ate the food I made!" Brock exclaimed, practically glowing with excitement.

"This is the first time my Vulpix has eaten food prepared by someone else! It seems to love it!" Suzie said, surprised. Her Vulpix was usually wary of strangers and hesitant to eat food made by others, even if it was something it liked. This moment showed how appealing Brock's cooking truly was.

"This is fantastic!" Brock was nearly speechless with excitement.

"By the way, Miss Suzie, when we arrived earlier, we saw some dazzling Pokémon. Is that part of a new trend?" Misty asked suddenly, still captivated by the glamorous Pokémon they'd encountered.

"Well... when you arrived, you must have noticed that overly glamorous store, right?" Suzie said after a brief pause.

"Yeah, it felt like it was in really poor taste!" Ash replied bluntly, without hesitation.

"Ever since that store opened, this flashy style has become a trend here. Gradually, the entire street started competing to outdo each other in appearances," Suzie explained, frowning. She knew her shop was deserted because people no longer prioritized keeping Pokémon healthy and happy. Instead, they focused on whose Pokémon looked the most extravagant, entirely ignoring their Pokémon's feelings.

"For me, the true value of a breeder lies in nurturing Pokémon to grow healthily and showcasing their genuine charm. This obsession with appearances only feeds the trainers' vanity while erasing the Pokémon's natural beauty," Suzie said with conviction.

Suzie didn't outright criticize the store, but she'd seen the Pokémon on display. While the trainers enjoyed the competition, their Pokémon were clearly unhappy. If a Pokémon failed to win admiration, the trainers would rush to dress them up again, completely disregarding their Pokémon's emotions.

"I totally agree with you!" Ash nodded, clearly resonating with Suzie's point of view.

"But Pokémon have feelings just like humans, don't they?" Misty chimed in, frowning slightly.

"Don't use Pokémon to justify your personal tastes!" Ash retorted inwardly, rolling his eyes. He thought to himself, You're the one who likes it, aren't you?

"What! Ash, you don't understand my heart at all, do you? You must like Pikachu, right? Like, wouldn't it look adorable in a cute pink skirt?" Misty shot back, turning to Pikachu.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu tilted its head, confused. It then imagined itself in a pink skirt on the battlefield. The thought of hearing Ash shout "Quick Attack" and tripping over the skirt flashed through its mind.

"Pika!! Pika pika!!!" Pikachu shuddered at the image, its fur standing on end as it vigorously shook its head in protest.

"See? Don't embarrass Pokémon. If you like something, own it yourself. Appearance is important, but what truly matters is what's inside!" Ash said, exasperated. He didn't mind Misty's personal preferences but didn't like her using Pokémon to justify them.

"Sure, appearances can make an initial impression, but that's just surface-level. Inner charm is what defines value. Good looks aren't universal, and Pokémon without flashy appearances still have their unique beauty. Making them suffer for vanity is just cruel," Ash concluded.

"Ugh! Whatever! I don't want to argue with you!" Misty snapped, throwing up her hands in frustration. Ash simply looked out the glass window, choosing to let the matter drop.