Chapter 1 – A Cherry in the Garden
"I want two ravioli and two baked potatoes, repeat, two ravioli and two baked potatoes!"
"Yes, chef!"
"Service!" Siebold bellowed, ringing the bell on the pass for the waiters to hurry up. "Table three, go! How long for the ravioli?"
"Two minutes, chef!"
"Excellent!" Siebold put the order from table three on a spike, since the order had gone out of the kitchen, and saw a waiter coming towards him with yet another one. The pass was running smoothly at La Perle de la Mer (The Pearl of the Sea) this evening, the whole system working like a well-oiled machine. Taking the next order and accepting new plates for several other tables, Siebold was all fired up, the adrenaline pumping. This was what he lived for, something just as exciting and creative as a Pokémon battle. A form of art most satisfying.
"Evening, Siebold." A voice he knew well. He turned around to find Valerie, gym leader of Laverre Town, smiling at him, dressed as extravagantly as ever, complete with her signature pair of wings. She visited his restaurant here in Lumiose City quite often, as she was fond of excellent food, and in Siebold's mind had an exquisite taste.
"Evening, Valerie." He greeted with a nod. "Would you like to place an order? I presume it's something special, since you've come here yourself instead of just asking the waiters. Speaking of which, service! Table seven, go!" The two waiters picked up the plates and hurried away. Valerie smiled as mysteriously as ever, tilting her head to the side.
"Not really, just wanted to see how you're doing. But since I did come over here, I suppose I could place an order for my main course, the seaweed entrée was excellent, thank you."
"I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it." Siebold said, grabbing a pen and a piece of paper, ready to take her order for a main course. "What would you prefer this evening?"
"The ravioli tonight sounds lovely; I'd like to have a plate of those." Valerie said sweetly, smiling. "I shall leave you to your work, good to see you doing well both in battling and in the restaurant."
"A pleasure having you here, as always." Valerie left and Siebold yelled out her order. He found it a tad interesting she hadn't ordered any desert, as that was her favorite part of a three course meal, but then again, maybe she hadn't decided yet.
"Service for Miss Valerie at her usual table!" Siebold told the waiter, who nodded and rushed away to serve one of their favorite customers.
Valerie was right; he was doing well both in battling and in the restaurant. The Kalos Elite Four had become something of a solid wall protecting the League Champion, Diantha, who in return had more time to actually perform her work as an actress, and also more recently as a director at the PokéStar Studios. Siebold's Clawitzer had been a downfall for many aspiring challengers lately, underestimating it as an easy opponent to take down with a few electric- or grass-type attacks. As a member of the Elite Four, Siebold knew better than this, and Clawitzer, along with his other Pokémon, were better prepared than that. Granted, electric and grass were their weaknesses, but that didn't mean they hadn't taken precautions. Clawitzer had a few ice-type moves up its sleeve for grass-types, and even though it couldn't learn ground-type moves to protect against the electric-types, its defenses were pretty high.
Le Perle de la Mer was Siebold's second restaurant that he ever opened, the first one being in Anistar City where he started his career in cooking. Now, he had two restaurants in Kalos and one in each of the other regions, from Kanto to Unova. He visited each of his restaurants at least twice a year, but since he was constantly needed in the Flood Chamber of the Kalos Pokémon League, he just didn't have the time to travel much further than Lumiose or Anistar City. Right now the League didn't accept challengers due to Diantha shooting a movie and Malva running her own news channel, so Siebold, Wikstrom and Drasna got a month off, which meant Siebold actually had the time to stay in his apartment above the restaurant in Lumiose and run it himself all week long. It was some time since he had the chance to do it the last time, and instead of traveling around he just wanted to stay in one spot. For once.
"Thank you for the meal, Siebold, it was as amazing as always." Valerie had come to the counter again, putting on her shimmering coat and smiling mysteriously at him again.
"I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed it." Siebold said, but then wrinkled his forehead, a bit confused. "I see you are leaving. Are you busy? Wouldn't you like some dessert?" Valerie tilted her head, blinking.
"Didn't you know?" She asked, the smile in her face growing wider. Siebold raised an eyebrow.
"Know what?"
"That Antonia has finally opened a restaurant in Lumiose. I'm sorry, Siebold, but I love my desserts, and Antonia's pastry skills are purely magical. I will have my three course dessert menu at Fleur de la Cerise tonight." She tilted her head to the other side. "You know Antonia, don't you? Judging by the look on your face, I guess you don't like her that much. Pity." She looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. "I'd better go; I have my table booked at eight. Good evening, Siebold."
"…good evening…" Siebold heard himself say as Valerie left. He felt a spike of anger strike through him, clenching his fists. Antonia was back. He could scarcely believe it. And he certainly didn't like it one bit. The mere thought left a sour taste in his mouth. He threw off his apron.
"Pierre, run the pass. I'm going to pay a visit to an old… acquaintance."