Gengar had pocket money!

"That was one heck of a battle!" Chen Yan said contentedly as he accepted the pocket money the Bug Catcher handed over.

Chen Yan counted the money. It came to 362.8.

Who would've thought... you've got quite a bit of pocket money, you little brat.

"I'll beat you next time! Don't get too full of yourself!"

Holding the Weedle that Gengar had knocked unconscious with a single Shadow Ball, the Bug Catcher watched Chen Yan count the money and defiantly issued his threat.

Chen Yan grinned. "As long as you bring your pocket money, I'm always available."

"Then I'll go back and save up some..."

Before the Bug Catcher could finish, a hand reached out in front of him. He looked at the pocket money in that hand, then up at Chen Yan, his face full of confusion.

"Take it. I'm only keeping some. Hold on to the rest for me, and remember to bring it next time you challenge me."

Chen Yan raised his eyebrows at him, returned two hundred, then left with Gengar and Weedle.

Chen Yan felt that taking all the boy's pocket money would be too cruel, so he had only kept a portion.

"Just you wait! I'll beat you for sure!" the Bug Catcher shouted after Chen Yan, clutching the money in his hand.

"I'll be waiting."

Without looking back, Chen Yan raised a hand and waved as he called out.

After calling back, he reached up and lifted Weedle off his head.

"How many times have I told you not to lie on my head? You've put on a lot of weight these past few days, you know."

Weedle didn't answer.

Chen Yan looked down at the Weedle in his arms, puzzled.

Why does Weedle seem so quiet today?

He guessed Weedle was sulking because he had been restricting how many leaves Weedle could eat.

So Chen Yan didn't dwell on why Weedle hadn't said a word all day.

Along the way, Chen Yan won pocket money from several Bug Catchers.

Battles really were common in this world. He spotted plenty of impromptu battles by the roadside as he walked.

Standing at a fork in the road, Chen Yan took out his phone to check the map, then turned into the forest.

There were still scattered Trainers along the way, some traveling alone and others in groups.

"I wonder if I'll run into that lovable idiot and his friends..."

Chen Yan was quite excited at the prospect of meeting Ash and the others.

For lunch, he built a simple stove and cooked some noodles. After eating with Gengar, he fed Weedle some leaves. Seeing Weedle remain silent, Chen Yan couldn't help feeling a little guilty, so he allowed Weedle to eat whenever Weedle wanted, though no more than ninety leaves a day.

That was the limit Chen Yan had calculated from the number of leaves that had disappeared over the past few days.

While resting after lunch, Chen Yan took out the drone and Rotom Phone to familiarize himself with them.

The drone and Rotom Phone could connect to each other. Chen Yan used the remote to fly the drone through the air, and the footage it captured appeared on the Rotom Phone's screen.

Very convenient.

Chen Yan checked the battery, too. It lasted an impressively long time, just as an expensive piece of gear should.

Chen Yan put the equipment away in his bag, then glanced at Gengar, who had Weedle stuck to a thin bamboo pole with String Shot, making a flail that Gengar was swinging around in circles. Chen Yan called out, "Had enough fun yet? If you're done, come help pack up. We need to keep moving."

"Geng-"

Okay, I'm coming.

Gengar floated back with Weedle and began helping Chen Yan pack up, then took the initiative to sling the backpack over Gengar's back.

With the backpack on, Gengar shook that "little frame," turned to Chen Yan, and called out:

"Geng-"

Let's go.

Chen Yan nodded, then continued the journey with Gengar.

Chen Yan searched for things to photograph while Gengar played with the "Weedle yo-yo." Occasionally, Gengar would barge into the frame with Weedle and insist that Chen Yan take pictures of them.

As they ventured deeper into the forest and the afternoon wore on, the air around them finally grew cooler.

Chen Yan checked the time. It was five in the afternoon. The noodles he had eaten at noon had digested quickly, and he was already a little hungry, so he decided to stop here for the day. As it happened, there was a lake not far ahead.

He looked back at Gengar, who was still "messing with the greenery." Oddish and Budew were almost in tears, yet Gengar was still taunting them.

"Gengar."

Unable to watch any longer, Chen Yan called out, then lifted Weedle off his head, where Weedle had somehow climbed again.

Hearing Chen Yan call, Gengar immediately abandoned Budew and Oddish and floated back to his side. Chen Yan instantly felt the temperature drop another few degrees.

"Let's spend the night beside that lake."

"Geng-"

Okay.

"All right, let's go pitch the tent, then gather firewood and get dinner started."

Chen Yan led Gengar and Weedle over to the lake and found a relatively open spot. He had Gengar clear away the nearby bushes, then took out the tent and set it up.

Once the tent was up, Chen Yan was about to go gather firewood with Gengar when he noticed Weedle using String Shot to drag over usable pieces of wood.

How could such a tiny body hold so much power?

Chen Yan hurried over and picked up Weedle, then lifted the firewood Weedle had gathered with String Shot and carried it back to the tent.

"Thank you, Weedle. You've been a huge help."

Weedle gave a cool, aloof nod.

Chen Yan looked at Weedle in confusion. What's gotten into this kid?

Did choking on something knock the sense out of Weedle?

"Weedle-"

You're welcome.

That's more like it...

Seeing that, Chen Yan crouched down, patted Weedle's little head, and said softly, "The leaves are in the bag. Go help yourself."

At that, Weedle wriggled that plump body into the tent, and chewing sounds soon rang out.

Chen Yan stood up, ready to build a simple stove, but as he gazed at the crystal-clear lake, he suddenly realized that he hadn't eaten fish in quite a while.

There should be plenty of fish in this lake, right?

With that thought, Chen Yan looked up and called for Gengar.

Gengar came over and looked at him in confusion.

Pointing at the lake before them, Chen Yan said, "How about we try fishing tonight? Let's see if we can catch something to grill. It's been a while since we had fish, hasn't it?"

At the mention of grilled fish, Gengar's eyes instantly lit up.

"Geng!"

Grilled fish! I want some! I want grilled fish!

"Hold on. We don't even have fishing rods. How are we supposed to fish?"

"Geng..."

I want grilled fish...

"I know, I know. Don't get impatient. Let me think of something."

Looking at Gengar's disappointed face, Chen Yan reached out and tugged Gengar's cheeks, urging Gengar to be patient. He glanced around and spotted a small bamboo grove nearby.

"I've got it. Gengar, let's go."

Gengar followed Chen Yan to the bamboo grove. After selecting two suitable stalks, Chen Yan asked Gengar to cut them down.

Gengar knocked away a Raticate that had suddenly leaped out and startled Chen Yan, then carefully surveyed their surroundings. Only after confirming there was no danger did Gengar cut down the bamboo, and they carried it back to the tent together.

Chen Yan's heart was still pounding from the scare.

That was close. If Gengar hadn't reacted so quickly, I would've been bitten.

The wilderness really is dangerous...

Chen Yan took a few deep breaths to calm himself, then worked on the bamboo they had brought back, stripping off the leaves and small branches. He gave a stalk a few swings, pleased by the sound as it cut through the air.

He also bent it with his hands. It was quite flexible.

"We've got the bamboo. Now we just need line."

Chen Yan brought Weedle out from the tent, where Weedle was still munching on leaves. He vaguely remembered that the Miracle Leaf could improve the toughness of String Shot.

"After eating all those leaves, have you noticed any changes in your body?"

Weedle thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Weedle-"

My body seems bigger.

"That's just you getting fat... anything else? Your String Shot, for example?"

"Weedle-"

I think so.

So Chen Yan had Weedle spit out a little String Shot. He took it in his hands and tugged on it. It was extremely sticky and very tough.

"Thanks for the hard work. Go back and eat your leaves."

Chen Yan tied the String Shot to the bamboo poles. Since it was so sticky, he wasn't worried about it coming loose.

Then he took out a piece of wire, had Gengar heat it with Will-O-Wisp, bent it into a hook, and tied it to the String Shot.

"Done. Now all we need is bait."

That was easy. Chen Yan simply had Gengar find a spot with rich soil and take out the hoe Gengar had brought from Grandmother's house. A few swings unearthed several earthworms.

As for how Chen Yan knew Gengar would have a hoe...

Gengar even brought the shovel. You think Gengar would've left the hoe at home?

Chen Yan deftly threaded on the bait, then skillfully cast the hook into the lake.

Incidentally, the fishing floats were little pieces Chen Yan had broken off the drone's packing box.

After doing the same for both roughly made fishing rods, Chen Yan stuck them in the ground and waited for a bite.

While they waited, Chen Yan took out the pocket money he had earned that day and handed it to Gengar.

"Here."

Gengar looked at the pocket money Chen Yan was offering, utterly puzzled.

"Geng?"

Why are you giving it to me?

"You won this money in battle, so of course you should keep it. That way, you can buy whatever you want yourself."

Chen Yan smiled as he spoke to Gengar.

Gengar grinned, then accepted the pocket money and carefully put it away.

"Geng-"

When we get to Sandgem Town, I'll buy you something tasty.

"Sure. I'll get you and Weedle a piggy bank each, too. Then you can save the money you win in battles."

"Geng-"

Hooray!

Weedle: [munch munch munch.jpg]