Chapter 58
Even with Gengar, Beedrill, and Snivy standing guard outside, Mike didn’t dare sleep too deeply.
He dreamed that Pokémon Hunter J had come back for revenge and jolted awake, sitting bolt upright.
Glameow, who had been sleeping on his chest, was flung into the air. She nimbly flipped once before landing safely on the ground.
"Meow!"
She hissed at Mike.
Mike glanced around and finally realized it had only been a dream.
"Sorry, sorry, Glameow. I had a nightmare. Come here, let me hug you to make up for it."
He lifted the blanket and opened his arms, hoping to pull Glameow back against his chest.
After hissing at him again, Glameow turned and walked elegantly out of the tent.
"Meow."
[Don’t even think about hugging me to sleep again!]
"Nooo... Glameow..."
No matter how pitifully Mike begged, Glameow showed no intention of looking back.
He could only stand helplessly and walk out of the tent.
"Mmmh~"
Mike stretched at the entrance and looked out over Lake Verity, which was covered in a vast blanket of white mist.
"The fog is really thick this morning."
"Sni."
Snivy hurried over with a cup in her arms and handed it to him.
Mike accepted it and found his toothbrush inside, already covered with toothpaste.
He lowered his head and looked at Snivy gazing up at him.
After checking the scratches on her face, he said, "Very good. Today, Snivy is still our beautiful and charming sister."
Snivy shyly covered her mouth and giggled before pointing toward the lakeside, telling him to go wash up.
"Yes, Snivy."
Mike gave her a salute, then walked to Lake Verity, scooped up some water, and began brushing his teeth.
The water quality in this world was surprisingly good, especially in the wilderness.
Mike usually used water from lakes and rivers to wash up, and even cooked with it.
"Gurgle, gurgle~"
Mike tilted his head back, rinsed his mouth, then spat out the water and returned the toothbrush to the cup.
A towel was immediately offered from beside him.
"Thanks."
Mike accepted the towel, handed the cup back to Snivy, and thanked her again.
Life in the wilderness really had become much easier after Snivy joined them.
How could such a gentle and considerate little creature exist in this world?
After washing his face, Mike returned the towel to Snivy, who had been waiting beside him.
He stood, intending to check on the Bug Pokémon injured the night before, only to be startled by a Shadow Ball flying toward him.
Snivy’s pupils contracted.
A vine shot out from beside her neck and lashed the Shadow Ball, sending it flying away.
Mike turned and found Snivy’s vines tightly wrapped around Gengar and Beedrill.
She was glaring at them coldly.
Looking at the restrained pair, Mike asked curiously, "What were you two doing just now?"
"Gar..."
[Playing catch...]
Mike stared at him in disbelief.
"Playing catch? Then why did a Shadow Ball fly toward me? Tell me the truth!"
"Gar..."
[We really were playing catch...]
Mike looked at Gengar’s innocent expression, then at Beedrill, who remained aloof even while bound by Snivy’s vines.
He turned to Snivy and asked her to release them first.
Once she let them go, Gengar and Beedrill flew out above the lake.
Mike looked at them and said, "Show me how you were playing catch. Do it again."
The two moved some distance apart.
Mike watched closely, wanting to see what kind of game they had been playing.
Then Gengar formed a pitch-black Shadow Ball and threw it straight at Beedrill.
Mike’s gaze followed the attack.
Beedrill swung one of his stingers and struck the Shadow Ball back.
It returned to Gengar, who created a second Shadow Ball and threw both of them at Beedrill together.
Mike: "???"
"Stop!"
Mike hurriedly called out.
Hearing him, Beedrill pierced both Shadow Balls with his stingers, making them explode, then flew back to Mike.
Mike looked at Gengar and Beedrill, took several deep breaths, and finally asked, "That’s what you call playing catch?"
"You’re using Shadow Balls as beanbags?"
Gengar and Beedrill nodded together.
"You can use all kinds of round things as a ball, but not Shadow Ball! That’s dangerous!"
"Gar—"
[Shadow Ball isn’t dangerous.]
Gengar quietly argued.
"But it isn’t a beanbag!"
Gengar raised his head and protested seriously.
[You said anything round could be used as a beanbag. Shadow Ball is round too, so it counts!]
Mike was left speechless by Gengar’s earnest expression.
"You... I... That... But beanbags don’t explode. Shadow Balls do..."
"Gar!"
[They don’t explode! Look!]
Gengar immediately formed another Shadow Ball and held it out toward Mike.
The moment Mike saw the terrifying sphere appear in front of him, he leaped backward.
Mike: "!!!"
Seeing the Shadow Ball suddenly brought so close to Mike, Snivy let out a piercing shriek for the first time.
Her vine lashed out, sending the attack flying across the lake, where it exploded against the water.
Looking at the spray it created, Gengar blinked, then turned toward Mike with a mouthful of gleaming white teeth.
’Hehe.’
Mike: "..."
"Tie them up again, Snivy. You can release them at breakfast."
Mike clutched his chest as he spoke.
Snivy’s vines immediately wrapped around Gengar and Beedrill.
Whenever danger appeared, Gengar was Mike’s strongest protection.
Whenever there was no danger, Gengar was absolutely the greatest danger to his life.
’My poor heart... I wonder how long it can survive being tormented by Gengar.’
...
Mike tiredly prepared breakfast.
After they finished eating, he asked Snivy to release Gengar and Beedrill.
While those two ate, Mike and Snivy carried some breakfast over to the wounded Bug Pokémon so they could enjoy a warm, delicious meal as well.
Watching them lower their heads to drink mushroom soup, Mike thought for a moment, then returned to Gengar and quietly asked, "Gengar, do you still have any of the honey you picked up from the Beedrill last time?"
Gengar was eating a skewer of poisonous mushrooms Mike had grilled for him.
He nodded.
"Do you have a lot left? Give me some if you do. I want to share it with Beautifly and the others. They like honey too, and it can be their reward for helping us yesterday."
Hearing that, Gengar handed his mushroom skewer to Beedrill, then took out all the honey and placed it on the ground.
"Gar—"
[This is everything.]
Mike counted twenty-one jars.
He looked at Gengar in surprise.
Had he really taken all of it out?
"Twenty-one jars... I’ll take five. You can save the rest and eat them slowly."
"Gar?"
[Why not take more?]
Mike turned back and tugged on Gengar’s cheeks.
"When I say you should share, I don’t mean you have to give everything away. You should only share what you can spare after making sure you have enough for yourself. Understand?"
Gengar grinned and stretched out his tongue to lick Mike, only for Mike to catch it between his fingers.
"Don’t lick me! You just ate poisonous mushrooms. Your tongue is poisonous!"
"Gar—"
[Oh.]
After Mike left, Gengar held a hand out toward Beedrill.
There was no response.
He turned curiously and found Beedrill chewing something while looking back at him.
Gengar: ’Where’s my mushroom?’
Beedrill: ’What mushroom? Didn’t you hand that to me to eat?’
Gengar: ’?! That was my mushroom! Mine!’
Beedrill: ’Chew, chew, chew...’
Gengar was furious.
That had been his final skewer of grilled mushrooms!
Still, since he was the eldest, Gengar decided not to argue with Beedrill.
He pointed toward Lake Verity.
"Gar—"
[I want fish for lunch. Go catch me a few.]
Beedrill turned away with his usual aloof expression, still chewing the grilled mushrooms.
He flew over the lake and watched the fish swimming beneath the surface.
Lowering his body, he dipped the stinger on his abdomen into the water and released a tiny amount of poison.
Then he thrust his arm stingers into the lake and flicked several weakened fish onto the shore.
"Bee—"
[Easy!]
---------
Read Chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator