Chapter 61
After Snivy fed him a Cheri Berry and cured his paralysis, Mike sat on the blanket, repeatedly pressing down his hair, which was still standing on end, while glaring at Gengar.
Seeing Gengar’s guilty little face as he reflected on what he had done only made Mike’s teeth itch with anger.
This had clearly been Gengar’s petty revenge!
"You hold grudges!"
"Gar—"
[Do not!]
"You’re narrow-minded!"
"Gar!"
[Am not!]
"You’re petty!"
"Gar!!"
[I’m not!!]
"You take revenge over everything!"
"Gar!!!"
[I do not!!!]
(.・ˇ_ˇ・.:)
Mike and Gengar glared at each other, the atmosphere growing increasingly hostile.
Before Mike could continue attacking him with words, Gengar lunged forward and covered Mike’s mouth with one hand while repeatedly hitting him with the other.
Mike held back Gengar’s large face with one hand and blocked his attacks with the other.
People passing by couldn’t help stopping to watch them fight.
As the crowd grew larger, Snivy closed her eyes.
Two vines extended from beside her neck, wrapped around Mike and Gengar, and pulled them apart.
After receiving a scolding, the human and Pokémon sat miserably on the blanket, not daring to speak.
Once Snivy walked away, Mike glanced at Glameow, who was sitting nearby and laughing mercilessly at them, then made a face at her.
"I’m done with all of you. I’m taking a nap. We’ll leave after I wake up."
With that, Mike lay down on the blanket and went to sleep.
With Gengar nearby, the temperature was pleasantly cool, and Mike quickly drifted off.
After Mike fell asleep, Gengar took out his mushrooms, arranged them beneath the sun, and began drying them. Every so often, he used his thin bamboo staff to turn them over.
While tending to the mushrooms, he continued telling Beedrill a story.
Unlike when he had been a Kakuna, Beedrill no longer listened in silence. Now, he occasionally argued with Gengar’s version of events.
Eventually, Gengar couldn’t take it anymore and turned toward him.
"Gar!"
[Has Mike told you more stories, or has he told me more stories?!]
Beedrill lightly pointed one stinger at Gengar.
"Gar—"
[Exactly! Everything I’m telling you came from Mike, so there’s no way I’m wrong!]
While Gengar and Beedrill continued arguing, a clear cry sounded nearby.
"Marill."
Gengar turned and saw a round blue Pokémon with a white belly, circular ears, short limbs, and a black tail ending in a blue ball.
A Marill wearing a small shoulder bag and carrying a watering can pointed toward the sky.
"Marill."
[Your mushrooms are being stolen.]
Gengar: "!!!"
He looked up and saw a Staravia flying higher into the sky with one of his mushrooms in its beak.
(ノ`⊿´)ノ
Gengar gathered Dark-type energy in his hands and fired a Dark Pulse at Staravia’s stomach, knocking it out of the air.
He floated over, rested his bamboo staff against Staravia’s head, and spoke threateningly.
"Gar—"
[Give me back my mushroom!]
Staravia lay on the ground and shook its head, indicating that it had already swallowed the mushroom.
Gengar: "!!!"
(•̀へ•́╮)
He pointed toward the forest and glared at Staravia.
"Gar—"
[Go gather more mushrooms for me right now, and I’ll let you leave. Otherwise, I’ll pluck out all your feathers and parade you around the forest!]
Terrified, Staravia hurriedly flew into the forest to search for mushrooms.
Gengar returned to the blanket and sat down.
Seeing Marill still standing nearby, he warmly invited her to sit and rest.
Marill didn’t refuse. She walked onto the blanket and sat across from Gengar.
"Gar—"
[Thank you. If you hadn’t warned me, all my mushrooms might’ve been stolen.]
Marill waved one of her short arms.
"Marill."
[It was nothing.]
She glanced at the sleeping Mike and lowered her voice.
"Marill?"
[Why are you drying the mushrooms?]
"Gar."
[To eat them. Mike’s mushroom soup is delicious!]
"Marill?"
[Can’t you just cook fresh mushrooms?]
"Gar—"
[Mike said we’ll spend most of our time in the wilderness. Dried mushrooms are easier to carry and store, so they last longer.]
"Marill?"
[Did you just leave Jubilife City?]
"Gar—"
[No. We’re heading there now.]
After answering, Gengar took out some honey and the few snacks he had left, then shared them with his new friend.
"Gar—"
[You can have some of these.]
Marill looked at the honey and several bags of chips placed in front of her.
Without hesitation, she opened one of the bags and began eating.
"Marill~"
[Thank you~]
While Marill ate, Gengar turned the mushrooms again.
"Marill?"
[Jubilife City is already nearby, so why are you still drying mushrooms? Won’t you be able to eat lots of delicious food once you reach the city?]
Gengar returned to his seat after turning them and blinked.
"Gar—"
[Grandma and Mike said we should not waste food!]
Marill returned the unfinished bag of chips to Gengar and looked toward Mike, who was sleeping nearby.
"Marill?"
[Is that the Mike you were talking about?]
Gengar accepted the chips, reached into the bag, and took out two.
He handed one to Beedrill and put the other into his own mouth before nodding.
Marill stood, stepped off the blanket, then looked back at Gengar and Beedrill with a cheerful smile.
"Marill."
[I’m glad I met you, but I need to leave now. I have to get back to Jubilife City.]
[Once you arrive, come and visit me. I grow lots of delicious vegetables, and I can share some with you.]
Marill adjusted her small shoulder bag, picked up the watering can she had placed on the blanket, waved goodbye, and continued toward Jubilife City.
Hearing that Marill had invited him to visit and promised to share vegetables, Gengar called her back and pushed a jar of honey into her arms.
"Gar—"
[This is for you.]
Marill smiled happily, thanked him, and left.
Gengar watched his new friend disappear into the distance and grinned before turning back to his mushrooms.
’This must be what Mike meant about traveling and meeting more Pokémon.’
’I made another new friend~’
’She even invited me to visit her home~’
’I can’t wait. Hehe.’
The small tail behind Gengar swayed happily.
At that moment, Staravia returned with several mushrooms.
Gengar looked at the mushrooms it placed on the ground, nodded in satisfaction, and tapped its head with the bamboo staff.
"Gar!"
[I’ll forgive you this time. Don’t steal other people’s things again, or I’ll beat you every time I see you!]
Staravia nodded frantically.
Once Gengar allowed it to leave, it quickly flapped its wings and flew away.
As Gengar finished sorting the new mushrooms and prepared to dry them, Mike sat up from the blanket and asked sleepily, "What time is it?"
No one answered.
Mike picked up his phone and checked.
He had slept for an entire hour.
He stood, stretched his body, and said, "Let’s pack everything and leave. We should try to reach Jubilife City in time for dinner."
Gengar gathered the mushrooms, then helped Mike and Snivy pack their things.
"Gar—"
[Dinner time~]