Is Charm Really a Move You Should Learn?!

Seeing the long string of zeroes after the first digit online, Chen Yan couldn't help blurting out, "Holy crap."

No wonder Grandmother had said even the money she'd given him might not be enough. A Rotom phone and a drone alone had already cost a twentieth of it.

Was this how crazy this world was?

Ding-dong.

His phone chimed.

Chen Yan took out his phone and saw a private message in his PokéVideo inbox. He opened it, and sure enough, it was from Gholdengo Is Number One.

Gholdengo Is Number One: Did the equipment arrive? It says it's been signed for on my end.

Chen Yan (the name the other person had saved him under, to avoid padding the word count): Yep, just got it.

Gholdengo Is Number One: Nothing was damaged, right?

Chen Yan: Not at all. I've just never used this stuff before, so it'll probably take me a while to get it set up.

Gholdengo Is Number One: Good, then.

Chen Yan: Are you really sure about this? Sending me equipment this expensive for free...

Chen Yan hesitated, but asked anyway.

Gholdengo Is Number One: There's nothing to be sure or unsure about.

Then his profile icon went dark.

Chen Yan felt like a Gengar raising both hands-he couldn't make heads or tails of it.

Just as Chen Yan was about to exit PokéVideo, the other person's icon lit up again.

Then the messages came in one after another.

Gholdengo Is Number One: Chen Yan, please keep making videos like these, okay?

Gholdengo Is Number One: Every time I finish watching one of your videos, all the exhaustion from a day's work seems to disappear.

Gholdengo Is Number One: Your videos are what I look forward to most after work now. I've watched all your old ones over and over.

Gholdengo Is Number One: I really love the way you and your Pokémon get along. Work takes up most of my life these days, so in what little time I have left, I can only enjoy the feeling of spending time with Pokémon online.

After that, his icon went dark again.

This time, Chen Yan didn't leave the app. He waited for the other person's icon to light up again.

It took a long time before it finally did. Chen Yan was about to type, but worried the other person would go offline before he finished, so he sent a voice message instead.

"Your love for these videos is what keeps me making them."

The typing indicator appeared, disappeared, then appeared again...

That went on for quite a while before a new message finally popped up.

Gholdengo Is Number One: Thank you.

The corners of Chen Yan's mouth lifted slightly. He brought up the keyboard, typed two words, and sent them.

"Thank you."

But the other person had already gone offline.

Chen Yan turned off the screen and looked at Gengar beside him, only to find Gengar staring at him with utter disdain.

"What?" Chen Yan asked, puzzled.

"Gengar-"

You've got no shame. Indeedee said that, and you stole it.

"How can you call it stealing when a scholar does it? It's borrowing, understand? Borrowing! Just like you borrowed Pachirisu's Berries."

"Gengar-"

That was robbery...

"Oh~ So you do know?"

"Gengar-"

I didn't say anything.

Gengar covered its mouth, wearing an expression that said it hadn't uttered a word.

"Ghosty."

"Gengar?"

Hmm?

"People really like the videos we make. They said our videos give them strength."

Chen Yan took a sip of coffee and spoke softly.

Gengar widened its scarlet eyes. "Gengar?"

Really?

"Really. Look if you don't believe me. That's what they said in the chat."

Chen Yan took out his phone and held it in front of Gengar, who studied it closely.

"Gengar..."

Um... Chen Yan...

"What? Isn't it just like I said?"

"Gengar..."

I don't think I can read...

Chen Yan: ...

Gengar grinned at Chen Yan's speechless expression.

Heehee.

"I keep telling you to read more, but you insist on stealing honey instead. Look where that got you. You can't read a single word."

Naturally, Chen Yan wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by. He thoroughly roasted Gengar, then had it sit beside him and quietly read out his chat with the rich guy.

"Gengar-"

Yay! Are we going to keep filming, then?

"Of course. Did you forget? That's the whole reason we're going on this trip."

"It might mean troubling you all to appear on camera more often, though."

"Gengar!"

No trouble at all! None! Heehee.

"You..."

Chen Yan reached out and tugged Gengar's big, chilly cheek, then said:

"Put this away for now. We'll figure it out properly when we get home."

Gengar nodded and stuffed the box into its Four-Dimensional Pocket, while Chen Yan called Officer Jenny.

Before long, a motorcycle's roar sounded outside. Officer Jenny parked in front of the café, walked in, and sat across from Chen Yan.

"Would you like something to drink? My treat."

"Then I'll take you up on that. A cup of your signature coffee, please. Do you have food?"

"Yes, we have pasta, rice bowls, and ramen."

"I'll have the ramen."

"Certainly. Just a moment, please."

After the server left, Officer Jenny handed Chen Yan the little bag she was holding, and he took it.

"Every document I could think of is in there. Take a look. You probably won't need some of them, but I thought, what if you do? So I got those done too."

"Thanks for all your hard work."

With that, Chen Yan opened the bag and checked its contents.

A Trainer Certificate, a Breeder Certificate, a Pokémon Gourmet certificate...

All sorts of certificates.

"Xiao Yi, you... won't get caught for this, will you?"

"Caught? Why would... Honestly, what kind of person do you think I am? Yes, a lot of these are professional certificates, but you have to go in person and activate them before you can officially use them. All I did was save you the hassle of applying for them."

"Did you really think an Officer Jenny could do whatever she pleased? Thank you."

After thanking the server beside her, Officer Jenny lowered her head and dug into her ramen.

"Oh, so that's how it works. You scared me." Finally relieved, Chen Yan watched Officer Jenny wolf down her food and asked in confusion:

"Xiao Yi, did you skip lunch?"

Officer Jenny finished all her ramen, took a few sips of broth, then lifted her head with a satisfied look and shook it.

"I did. That's how an Officer Jenny's job goes. You eat when you have time, and go hungry when you don't."

"Thanks for all your hard work. Want anything else? It's on me. Eat as much as you need."

Officer Jenny looked at Chen Yan and clicked her tongue. "Did Grandmother give you that much travel money? Come on, save it. One bowl is enough."

"No, Jenny. The payment for those videos I made came through. I just bought Gengar a bunch of snacks, and there's still some left. Enough to last me ages."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"All right, then. I'll take you up on it."

"Sure."

Officer Jenny ordered a little more food and, after finishing it, slumped back in her chair contentedly.

"Chen Yan."

"Hmm?"

"Make sure you stay safe out there. Don't think traveling is a simple matter. Here in the Sinnoh Region, we find some... out in the wilderness almost every day."

Officer Jenny didn't finish, but Chen Yan knew what she meant.

"I know. I'm not stupid. The second something feels wrong, I'll run. Besides, I trust Gengar and Weedle to protect me."

"Gengar-"

"Weedle-"

Officer Jenny nodded, then said:

"Good."

"All right, I should get back to patrol. What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

"After breakfast, probably."

"Sandgem Town?"

"Yeah. I'm planning to visit Professor Rowan."

"All right. I'll come see you off tomorrow."

"You don't have to go to all that trouble..."

"Stop fussing. It's settled. I'm off."

Watching Officer Jenny leave, Chen Yan gave Gengar a helpless shrug.

Just then, a customer came over and asked Chen Yan to have Gengar clean up its trash.

Only then did Chen Yan notice the huge pile of snack wrappers at Gengar's feet.

Chen Yan: ?!!

"Just how much did you eat, Gengar?!"

"Gengar-"

Dunno. Just a little, I think.

"A little? You're calling this a little? Nearly half of it's gone, and you're telling me it was just a little?"

"Gengar-"

You said I could eat as much as I wanted.

"But you can't eat it all in one go! That settles it. Next time you want some, you have to ask me first!"

"Gengar!"

I hate you, Chen Yan!

"Didn't you just say you liked me?"

"Gengar!"

Hmph! You won't let me have snacks. I hate you!

"I have a reason..."

Gengar turned away, refusing to listen to Chen Yan.

"You don't want to run out of snacks before we even reach Sandgem Town, do you?"

"You don't want to go searching everywhere for berries to eat, do you?"

"You don't want..."

!!!

"Gengar?"

Chen Yan, can we go buy some more snacks? Please?

Looking at Gengar, who had appeared beside him in an instant and taken his hand, Chen Yan twisted his mouth.

"Chen Yan, I hate you~"

Watching Chen Yan imitate it made Gengar grind its teeth in irritation.

"Gengar~"

Pretty please? Come on~

Goosebumps rose all over Chen Yan.

"Is Charm really a move you should learn?" Chen Yan interrupted Gengar's wheedling. Charm could be lethal coming from anyone, and Gengar was no exception.

"Ah, after all that work, my neck and shoulders are so sore."

!!!

"Gengar!"

Lemme give you a massage.

Chen Yan closed his eyes, enjoying Gengar's massage.

"All right. Since you're being so sincere about admitting your mistake, I suppose I can take you out to buy some more snacks."

"Gengar!"

Yay! Hooray!

"But we need to agree on something first. You can't eat as much as you did today again, got it?"

Gengar nodded like a woodpecker.

"OK, let's pack up and get ready to leave. Weedle, we're heading out."

Weedle didn't respond.

Puzzled, Chen Yan looked around for Weedle and found it lying at his feet, a half-eaten leaf in its mouth. Its eyes were tightly shut, and it wasn't moving.

Chen Yan: ?!!

No way! Did it choke to death?!

Chen Yan crouched down. Just as he reached out to check Weedle's breathing, a thin green bamboo stalk extended into his field of vision and prodded Weedle's body.

There was no reaction at all.

"Gengar!!!"

Chen Yan, Weedle... it... it isn't dead, is it?!

Chen Yan shot Gengar a glare, then opened the Pokédex to check Weedle's condition.

[Weedle]

...

[Status: Carb coma... in progress]

[Description: Leaves. Tasty. Love them. Eat them every day. Ah, I'm in a carb coma. (Weedle)]

Chen Yan closed his eyes in anguish.

Seriously...

Whose Weedle eats itself into a carb coma on leaves?!

Chen Yan suddenly felt utterly drained.

"I've decided. I'm going to keep a strict watch on your snacks and Weedle's."

Gengar: Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ

Nooo! Stop!