Ash Ketchum: Hunt For Jade Dragon

Ch. 12 Hungry Eagles

Beverly Hills Mall

Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, California

"Dude, we've got to go," Brendan shouted at Kiawe, loud enough to be heard over the sounds of the video arcade.

"Just a minute," Kiawe said. His eyes his were glued to his game his, as Brendan and Alain watched from behind. "I'm not done yet."

"Yes, you are," Brendan said. He raised his hand and the video game popped loudly and its screen went black.

"Dude, I was up to level eighteen! Turn it back on."

"Yeah, right." Brendan said. "I fried the circuits. No one's ever turning that game back on."

"Thanks a lot," Kiawe said, standing.

"It's time to go," Alain said. "We're meeting the girls for dinner at the food court before Selene and I have to leave."

Alain and Selene were scheduled to fly out from Beverly Hills to Switzerland at midnight, while Brendan, May, and Kiawe would fly directly to Taiwan the next morning, which was why they had decided to make one last trip to the mall.

"You didn't have to destroy the game," Kiawe grumbled.

"You like that?" Brendan said as they walked out of the arcade, "Watch this." He raised his hand and pulsed. The entire arcade went dark. There was a moment of stunned silence; then everyone started shouting. Brendan grinned. "Do you have any idea how much it will cost them to fix that mess?"

Selene and May were already in the food court when the boys arrived. They were leaning against a wall near the entrance, comparing their clothing purchases.

"Hey, beautifuls," Brendan said to the girls.

"It's about time you guys got here," Selene said. "We're starving."

"We had to drag Kiawe away from Grand Theft Auto. Where do you want to eat? They've got sushi, Chinese, Mexican, Italian. . ."

"I'm getting Chinese," Kiawe said. "I gotta have tofu."

"You've got tofu for brains," Alain said. "You're going to be eating nothing but Chinese food for the next month."

"I'm getting a calzone," Brendan said.

"Sounds good to me," Alain said.

"And me," May said.

"Make that four," Selene said.

"I'm still getting Chinese," Kiawe said, walking off alone.

"Suey yourself," Alain said.

Brendan led the rest of them over to DiSera's, an Italian café squeezed in between a corn dog restaurant and a sandwich shop. "Do you know what 'calzone' means in Italian?" Brendan asked.

"Let me guess," Selene said. "Folded pizza?"

Brendan shook his head. "It means socks."

Selene grimaced. "You mean like the kind you wear on your feet?"

"Esatto," he replied.

"Makes you want the capellini instead," May said.

"Capellini means hair," Brendan said.

"Now I'm totally grossed out," Selene said. "The Italians don't know how to name food."

"But they know how to make it," Brendan said.

Brendan ordered four calzones, two capellini with sage and pine nuts, and six garlic breads topped with mozzarella cheese. After they'd gotten their food they walked out to the courtyard.