Chapter 9
At the first hint of dawn, Mike crawled out of his sleeping bag and sat inside the tent, scratching his messy hair as he stared around in a daze.
Everything looked unfamiliar.
It took him a few seconds to remember that he had left home and was now spending his first night on the road.
He had expected to toss and turn for hours, but somehow he had slept like a rock.
Mike shook his head.
He could not tell whether he adapted quickly or simply had no sense of danger.
He rolled up the sleeping bag, stuffed it into its sack, then unzipped the tent and stepped outside.
The sky was still dim. When he checked his phone, it was only a little past five.
"Summer mornings really do start early."
Mike stretched his arms above his head.
Several Starly were already hopping through the grass in search of breakfast.
As the saying went, the early bird got the worm—and the early worm had a very bad morning.
Near the tent, the remains of last night’s campfire sat inside a ring of packed dirt.
Most of the wood had burned into charcoal, though a few tiny sparks still glowed under the ash.
"Wee—"
[Morning.]
Weedle wriggled out of a nearby bush and greeted him.
"Morning, Weedle. Where’s Gengar?"
Weedle crawled over to Mike, climbed up his leg, and settled heavily on top of his head.
"Wee—"
[Over there.]
Mike turned and spotted Gengar beside the stream, his huge backside sticking into the air while he worked on something.
"Gengar, what are you doing?"
Gengar looked over, grinned, and floated back.
He handed Mike a water bottle and a toothbrush that already had toothpaste on it.
"Gar—"
[Here. Brush your teeth.]
Gengar had another toothbrush in his mouth, so his words came out slightly muffled.
"Oh, you were brushing your teeth? Did you prepare this for me?"
Gengar nodded.
"Thanks. Seriously, how can such a big purple gremlin be this cute?"
"Gar~"
[Hehe~]
Mike followed him to the stream, and the two of them squatted beside the clear water to brush their teeth together.
After rinsing his mouth and washing his face, Mike stood up—and immediately remembered the heavy lump sitting on his head.
"Weedle, could you stop using my head as a bed? Do you have any idea how heavy you are?"
Weedle did not answer.
"And aren’t you worried a Starly might carry you away?"
Still nothing.
Mike lifted Weedle off his head and held him in front of his face.
The little Pokémon’s eyes were closed, he was fast asleep.
"You really do nothing but eat, sleep, wake up, and eat again."
Mike shook his head, took out Weedle’s Poké Ball, and returned him.
He checked the time again.
5:42 a.m.
"Gengar, let’s eat breakfast in Twinleaf Town. It’s still early, so we might as well get moving."
"Gar—"
[Okay.]
"I’ll pack the tent. You get some water and make sure the charcoal is completely out, then cover it with dirt so nothing catches fire. After that, we’ll gather some wood and leave it here. The next Trainer who camps here won’t have to search for any."
"Gar—"
[Got it.]
Mike and Gengar split up.
By the time Mike had packed the tent and the rest of their gear, Gengar was already shoveling dirt over the remains of the fire.
Mike stopped and stared at the shovel.
"Gengar, where did you get that?"
Gengar planted the shovel in the ground, rested one foot on the blade, and leaned proudly against the handle.
"Gar—"
[I brought it from Grandma’s house!]
He said it as though that explained everything.
Mike stared at him for several seconds.
"You know what? Never mind. After the microwave, one shovel hardly matters."
Gengar grinned.
Once they had gathered a small pile of firewood and left it beside the campsite, Mike dusted off his hands.
"Done. Now we can head into Twinleaf Town for breakfast. We should also check how much travel money Grandma gave us."
"Gar—!"
[Yay!]
"If there’s enough, I’ll buy you more snacks."
"Gar!"
[Mike is the best!]
"But wow, I’m exhausted. My shoulders are killing me."
Gengar’s eyes sharpened at once.
"Gar!"
[I’ll carry everything! You don’t need to! I’m not tired at all!]
He immediately took the backpack, strapped it around his round body, and floated beside Mike with the brightest smile he could manage.
Mike nodded with fake seriousness.
"You’re working so hard for us, Gengar. I’ve decided—you’re getting a double serving at breakfast!"
Gengar’s eyes lit up.
"Gar!"
[Then give me the camera too!]
He reached for the camera hanging around Mike’s neck, but Mike moved it away.
"I’ll keep this one. I might see something worth filming on the road."
After missing several perfect shots the day before because his camera had been packed away, Mike had decided to keep it within reach from now on.
"Gar—"
[Okay.]
"Then let’s go. Next stop, Twinleaf Town!"
Mike pulled out his phone, switched to the front camera, and announced their destination with far too much excitement for that early in the morning.
"Gar!"
[Onward to Twinleaf Town!]
Gengar floated into the frame, pressed his face beside Mike’s, and raised two fingers in a peace sign.
Click.
The picture captured the start of another day on their journey!
Mike put away his phone, and the two of them set off again.
Gengar carried the backpack while swinging the bamboo sword Mike had given him. Every tall weed along the road met a swift and tragic end.
"If you get hungry, take out some of the snacks Grandma packed. You can eat while we walk."
"Gar—"
[There aren’t any left.]
Mike stopped.
"What do you mean there aren’t any left? You had a huge pile yesterday."
"Gar—"
[I ate them all...]
"All of them?"
"Gar."
[Yeah.]
Mike looked at his round stomach.
"You really can eat. Fine, we’ll buy more when we get into town."
"Gar~"
[Hehe.]
A short while later, Gengar called out again.
"Gar."
[Mike.]
"Hmm?"
"Gar."
[Have a Berry.]
Mike lowered his camera after taking a picture and let it hang against his chest.
Gengar was holding two Pecha Berries and offering him a choice.
Mike took one and bit into it. Sweet juice filled his mouth.
"Thanks. Where did you find Pecha Berries? I didn’t see any trees nearby."
"Gar—"
[I borrowed them from some Pachirisu.]
Gengar bit into his own Berry with a happy smile.
"Pachirisu?"
Mike glanced behind them.
Two Pachirisu were standing on a tree branch, watching them leave with wounded, betrayed expressions.
"You did it again! Why do you keep stealing Berries from poor Pachirisu?"
"Gar!"
[I borrowed them!]
"You’re always picking on Pachirisu!"
"Gar!"
[No, I’m not! Yesterday it was Bidoof! Don’t blame me for something I didn’t do!]
Mike paused.
"Was it Bidoof?"
"Gar."
[Yes.]
"Oh. Then I remembered it wrong."
They kept walking.
A few moments later—
"Gar."
[Mike.]
"What now?"
"Gar..."
[Apologize.]
Mike looked at him.
"For what?"
"Gar—"
[You accused me of something I didn’t do. Apologize!]
"You really know how to hold a grudge."
Mike laughed, then placed one hand over his chest and put on a serious expression.
"I’m sorry, Sir Gengar, greatest swordsman of the open road. I wrongly accused you. Could you please forgive this weak and helpless human?"
Gengar thought about it for a moment before giving a slow, reluctant nod.
"Gar—"
[Very well. I suppose I can forgive you.]
Their playful arguing continued all the way to Twinleaf Town.
When the entrance finally came into view, Mike raised his camera and took a picture to remember the moment.
"Gengar, what do you want for breakfast?"
"Gar—"
[Noodles~]
"Noodles it is."
Mike and Gengar entered Twinleaf Town together.
It looked like the kind of peaceful little town often seen in the anime.
Twinleaf might have been considered small by Sinnoh standards, but there were still plenty of people living there.
It was a little past seven—the wonderful time when tired adults dragged themselves to work and sleepy students were forced out of bed for school.
The streets were already crowded with workers, students, parents, and Pokémon.
Mike and Gengar moved through town with ease.
The shops along the road were open, and their owners called out cheerfully to passing customers.
Trainers hurried through the streets with Pokémon running beside them.
Everywhere Mike looked, people and Pokémon worked, traveled, and lived together as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
A ship’s horn sounded from the harbor as another vessel arrived. Trainers from other regions stepped onto the docks, full of dreams about exploring—or conquering—Sinnoh.
For many of them, Twinleaf Town was the first stop of a brand-new journey.
Mike and Gengar slipped through the crowd, turned into a familiar alley, and entered a small noodle shop.
They found an empty table, and Mike called toward the kitchen.
"Four bowls of noodles, please! One for me and three for Gengar!"
"Coming right up!"
Mike turned toward Gengar.
"I ordered an extra bowl for you. You can finish all three, right? No wasting food!"
Gengar puffed out his chest proudly.
"Gar!"
[Who do you think I am? I’m the great Demon King Gengar!]
(⇀‸↼‵‵)