Chapter 34: A Breathtaking View

Heath looked at the Mew in front of him, feeling a mix of amusement and frustration. This little guy—wasn't it supposed to be an incredibly vigilant Pokémon? He had been watching from behind for quite a while, yet Mew hadn't reacted at all, remaining fixated on Farfetch'd as it prepared the "Three-Not-Sticking" dish.

Could it be that this dish possessed some unique charm capable of attracting Psychic-type Pokémon? Heath felt that this was a question worth investigating later.

"Farfetch'd, your dish is actually looking pretty decent," Heath couldn't help but offer some pointers after watching for a bit. At his words, Farfetch'd’s hand trembled. The skillful stir-frying was instantly disrupted, and the hot, sticky mixture flew through the air in an arc, landing squarely on top of Mew's head.

Heath’s jaw dropped as he watched the scene in a daze. Since the dish hadn't fully set, the impact caused it to lose its shape, and the egg-yolk-colored liquid began to slowly ooze down Mew's head, making the legendary Pokémon look rather comical.

Mew scrambled in a panic, trying to flee, but upon feeling the heat on its head, it let out a cry and used its psychic powers to pull the dish off. It seemed ready to fling it away, but upon seeing the state of the food, Mew hesitated. Its figure began to blur, and Heath knew that Mew was preparing to use Teleport.

"Wait! Don't you want to eat something delicious?" Heath immediately reached out. This was Mew! What kind of wonderful rewards would he get for hosting such a creature? Heath was incredibly curious. Serving a Mythical Pokémon always yielded some sort of prize.

Mew clearly wavered at Heath's words, but in the next moment, it teleported away nonetheless, leaving Heath with a head full of black lines.

"Far-fetch!" the duck complained, glaring at Heath. If Heath hadn't suddenly spoken up and startled him, Farfetch'd was certain he wouldn't have failed.

"Your cooking has improved, Farfetch'd. Keep it up; I believe in you," Heath said with a smile, patting the duck’s head. He found himself thinking of the stray Pokémon back in Viridian City—he wondered how Ekans and the others were doing.

Encouraged by the praise, Farfetch'd puffed out its chest proudly and smiled happily. Heath chuckled to himself; this little guy was truly easy to handle—a bit of praise was all it took to make it forget its earlier annoyance.

After settling things with Farfetch'd, Heath walked into the driver's cabin and checked the situation outside. The dining car was still moving, but according to the map, it had reached the approach to the final turn. Once past this bend, they would arrive at the Indigo Plateau.

However, reaching the plateau didn't mean he had arrived at the Indigo League headquarters. In reality, there was still a full day’s drive ahead—a very long stretch. Heath found it a bit of a pity; if only the dining car could fly, his travels would be much easier.

"I remember reading in a Kanto travel guide that this road features a 'breathtaking vista.' What exactly is it?" Heath looked out the window with curiosity. As the dining car drew closer to the final curve, he was surprised to see many signs ahead warning to slow down and watch for fog.

He soon understood why: the bend ahead was completely submerged in a thick mist.

Heath’s mouth hung open. What was going on? Why was the Indigo Plateau above the clouds? Was this altitude a bit too ridiculous? Fortunately, the clouds were white rather than black, so he didn't have to worry about his dining car being struck by lightning.

With that thought, Heath switched off the autopilot and took control himself, slowly steering the car into the final turn—and into the fog. Visibility plummeted instantly, and he had to drive with extreme caution.

"Neigh!" A familiar whinny rang out, and Heath saw a red flame burning ahead. The fire danced within the mist, and he knew it must be a Rapidash.

"Is it guiding me?" Heath felt a touch of gratitude. Driving in this fog was truly strange, and having a guide was a welcome relief.

Following the Rapidash, Heath soon emerged from the fog. As they broke through, he was greeted by dazzling sunlight, the running Rapidash, and the magnificent scenery of the Indigo Plateau.

"It really did pass through the clouds... Is the Indigo Plateau really that high?" Heath marveled at the view. It felt like flying on a rainy day—as the plane breaks through the clouds, you are suddenly met with clear blue skies and bright sunshine.

"It’s so beautiful..." Zorua watched the landscape, completely mesmerized. The Indigo Plateau was currently in the peak of cherry blossom season. The long road was lined with trees that looked even more stunning under the brilliant sun.

Heath set the autopilot and took a photo with his phone, posting it to his social media space with a location tag. Gazing at the grand scenery, he finally understood why this stretch of road was considered one of Kanto’s greatest sights. The long, tedious mountain roads, followed by the disorienting fog, made the sudden transition to this breathtaking view and the beautiful cherry blossoms truly well-deserved of the title.

The Rapidash had vanished somewhere along the way. The road ahead was long, and as the wind blew, cherry blossom petals rained down, dazzling his eyes.

This was a feat of the Indigo League. To ensure that every visitor coming to watch the Indigo League tournament could feel the charm of the organization, they had spent a fortune to create this picturesque view. Heath recalled that there were supposed to be flowers that bloomed for each of the four seasons further ahead; experiencing the change of seasons along a single road was a truly fascinating concept.

"I'm getting more and more excited now. What will the headquarters of the Kanto region's highest administrative body actually look like?" Heath rubbed his hands together in anticipation. What kind of ingredients would be there? What kind of guests would he encounter? He was full of expectations.