Chapter 37
At daybreak, Mike crawled out of bed and patted Gengar on the backside, waking him as he slept with Kakuna in his arms.
"Gar?"
[What is it?]
"It’s time to pack. Once we’re done, we’re going to the supermarket."
The moment Gengar heard the word supermarket, he immediately woke up. He carried Kakuna into the bathroom to wash up.
After Mike finished washing his face, he looked at Kakuna sitting on the sink where Gengar had placed him.
Mike covered him with a towel. He had only planned to wipe his face, but after thinking about it, he decided to give him a full-body spa treatment instead.
Kakuna: ’Kakuna don’t need their faces washed!’
Once they finished washing up, Mike and Gengar began packing.
The camera, the drone, and the outdoor Poké Battle console Gholdengo Is Number One had bought him a few days earlier all went into the luggage.
Mike had been too busy to open the console, so he simply packed it away and gave everything to Gengar to carry.
"Gar—"
[Mike.]
"What is it?"
"Gar..."
[We finished the Toxic Orb.]
Mike turned toward Gengar, who was still packing, and blinked.
"You finished the Toxic Orb?"
Gengar nodded.
"What about Weedle’s—I mean, Kakuna’s half?"
"Gar—"
[He finished his too.]
"That quickly? How did it taste?"
Gengar thought back for a moment.
"Gar..."
[Tingly and tasty. I feel stronger too.]
Mike nodded, zipped up the backpack, and opened the Viewership Point Shop to check the price of another Toxic Orb.
6,888 points.
Mike: "..."
’What a rip-off...’
By now, he was already used to the system’s shameless prices.
"I understand. I’ll see if I can get another one for you."
"Gar—"
[Hehe. Mike is the best!]
After they finished packing, Mike took Gengar to the supermarket and bought a huge amount of supplies.
"This should keep us fed for quite a while."
Mike looked at the crowded checkout counter and dusted off his hands.
Once three cashiers had finished packing everything, Mike paid and had Gengar store it all away.
After finishing their shopping and collecting the printed photographs from the photography shop, Mike headed toward Professor Rowan’s laboratory with Gengar.
Before visiting the photography shop, however, Mike had taken Gengar into a secluded alley.
Not long afterward, the miserable cries of a Meowth came from inside.
...
"Good morning, Professor."
Mike greeted Professor Rowan.
Professor Rowan looked at Gengar, who wore a backpack, carried his familiar bamboo staff, and had Kakuna balanced on his head.
"Is everything packed?"
"Yes. I also came to give you the photographs."
Mike had Gengar remove the backpack, opened it, and took out several framed photographs.
There were ten in total.
Every one showed the new Trainers receiving their first-partner Pokémon.
"You had them printed? They look good.... I’ll gladly accept them."
"Professor, thank you very much for taking care of me and teaching me during my stay."
Mike bowed.
Gengar immediately copied him.
Kakuna slid straight off Gengar’s head and fell to the floor.
Kakuna: "???"
Gengar: "!!!"
Ignoring Gengar and Kakuna, Mike continued looking at Professor Rowan.
"Thank you for everything."
During his time here, Professor Rowan had answered every question Mike asked without holding anything back.
Mike then took out two more framed photographs and handed them over.
One was the group picture with the boy in the wheelchair.
The other showed Mike and Professor Rowan together.
Professor Rowan accepted them with a smile.
"It was no trouble. If you ever grow tired of traveling and no longer want to go far from home, come back here and work as my assistant."
"I will."
Mike nodded.
Professor Rowan placed the photographs aside, then handed him an identification card and a Pokédex.
"This Pokédex is a personal gift from me. If you ever decide to challenge Gyms, it will save you a great deal of trouble."
Mike looked at the Pokédex.
It had a Gengar logo printed on it, and the entire device was purple.
Mike accepted it and handed it to Gengar.
Gengar immediately took a liking to it. He opened the Pokédex and scanned Kakuna, though unfortunately, he couldn’t read.
Mike examined the identification card.
It showed a photograph of him wearing a white laboratory coat. Beneath it were his name and the words:
Professor Rowan’s Assistant and Student
The bottom also bore the laboratory’s official seal and Professor Rowan’s signature.
"This is..."
Mike looked at Professor Rowan, unsure what to say.
Professor Rowan smiled.
"Keep it. It may prove useful someday."
Warmth filled Mike’s chest.
He carefully placed the card in his pocket, then bowed deeply once again.
"I understand, Professor."
Professor Rowan looked at him.
"Mike, may I ask you a question?"
Mike paused, then nodded.
"Of course."
"Why are you traveling?"
Professor Rowan continued, "Is it to take photographs? To fulfill a promise? To challenge Gyms? Or to catch more Pokémon?"
Mike thought for a moment before answering with a single word.
"To travel."
"To travel?"
Professor Rowan clearly hadn’t expected that answer.
Traveling simply for the sake of traveling?
"Maybe even I don’t know exactly why I’m traveling," Mike said. "Taking photographs, keeping promises, and challenging Gyms are all just parts of the journey."
"What I really want is to enjoy traveling with Gengar and the others. I want to meet more people and see more Pokémon."
"When I get tired, I’ll go home and rest. Once I’ve recovered, I’ll set out again."
"I see... So you travel because you want to enjoy the journey itself."
Professor Rowan nodded in satisfaction.
"That’s a good answer."
He looked at Mike.
"Are you preparing to leave now?"
Mike shook his head and took out another framed photograph.
"I still have a promise to keep with that boy."
Professor Rowan saw that it was their group photograph and laughed. Mike had given him a copy of the same picture earlier.
"Shall we go together?"
"Sure."
...
When they arrived at the boy’s house, Mike personally handed him the framed photograph.
He patted the boy’s head, offered him a few words of encouragement, and then left with Professor Rowan.
"Are you going to the Pokémon Center next?" Professor Rowan asked, looking at the food Mike was carrying.
Mike nodded.
"Nurse Joy and Chansey are two of the few friends I’ve made here."
He smiled faintly.
"And there’s one more... a friend who probably hates me?"
Professor Rowan looked curious, but he did not ask further.
"Oh, right, Professor."
Mike seemed to remember something.
"Do you know a Trainer named Ash?"
"Ash? You know him too?"
Mike’s eyes lit up.
’So Ash really exists in this world!’
"I suppose I know of him."
That counted as knowing him, right?
"He’s an interesting boy," Professor Rowan said. "Samuel called me recently and specifically asked me to look after him."
’Samuel?’
’Samuel Oak? Professor Oak?’
Professor Rowan continued, "He left two days before you arrived in Sandgem Town. He was traveling with a new Trainer named Dawn and another young man named Brock."
"I heard they were heading toward Jubilife City on their way to the next Gym challenge."
"Oh, and that new Trainer, Dawn, apparently saw Mesprit at Lake Verity."
Professor Rowan glanced at Mike.
"If you go there, perhaps you’ll see it as well."
’So they left for Jubilife City two days before I arrived.’
’Then this really is during the Diamond and Pearl era?’
Mike was already looking forward to meeting them.
Meeting a part of his childhood in person...
When he saw Ash, he definitely had to ask when he planned to bring Pidgeot back.
Though now that he thought about it, hadn’t Pidgeot finally returned near the end of Ash’s journey?
It had been too long. Mike couldn’t remember clearly.
And that electric mouse probably felt wonderful to pet.
Then there was that cool future Infernape...
Had Ash met Paul yet?
While Mike was lost in thought, they arrived at the entrance to the Pokémon Center.
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Read more Chapters ahead here... currently at Chapter 68.
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