What a fat Weedle

Country lanes always sent yellow dust flying. Chen Yan had walked this road to Twinleaf Town many times over the past few months, but never once had he felt the way he did now.

Traveling...

And in the world of Pokémon, at that.

Something he had once dreamed of was actually happening to him.

Chen Yan glanced back at Gengar, who was crouched beside a bush with his big butt sticking up. He abruptly parted the branches, startling the Bidoof hiding inside into a groundhog-like scream.

This guy really was just like a kid.

Chen Yan shook his head, then turned and entered the bamboo grove beside the road, carefully inspecting the bamboo.

He wasn't sure whether it was because this world had such a healthy ecosystem, but the bamboo looked especially beautiful to him, lush and vividly green.

He chose the slender stalk he liked best, sized it up, then took a small knife from his backpack and cut it down before stripping off its leaves.

Before long, Chen Yan held a waist-high bamboo staff.

He gazed at the slender, long, straight, emerald-green stalk in his hand, utterly satisfied.

"Gengar?"

Gengar floated over, curiously examined the bamboo in Chen Yan's hand, and asked why he had cut down a stalk to play with.

Still inspecting his bamboo, Chen Yan walked back onto the dusty road and said:

"Gengar, you know how, when a journey feels really long, we usually find something to distract ourselves? Like picking out a pebble at our feet."

Gengar looked down at a pebble beneath him and gave it a kick.

"As we walk, we keep kicking it ahead, then hurry after it and kick it again. Over and over. By the time we look up, we realize we've already covered a lot of ground."

"Gengar?"

"Of course, there's an even more fun way." Chen Yan suddenly narrowed his eyes. Under Gengar's puzzled gaze, he raised the bamboo high, then swung it sharply at the towering weeds beside the road.

It whistled through the air.

The tops of the weeds were sliced clean off and fell to the ground.

Chen Yan let out a satisfied breath and gazed at the bamboo in his hand.

This feeling... yes!

That's the feeling!

That incredible feeling of satisfaction!

The Grass-Cleaver of my childhood was back!

No guy could resist having a slender, long, straight, beautiful stick or bamboo stalk in his hand, especially with a whole patch of weeds around him.

Chen Yan believed any guy would turn into a wandering swordsman the instant he took hold of a bamboo stalk.

He raised his eyebrows at Gengar, then waved the bamboo at him.

"Well? I picked this bamboo out myself. It's a one-of-a-kind Emerald Bamboo Sword."

Longing appeared in Gengar's eyes. His eyes darted around, and he floated over to Chen Yan with a "heh heh heh" grin, offering him the half-eaten Berry in his hand.

"Gengar-"

How about I trade you this for it?

Looking at the half-eaten Berry, Chen Yan asked in confusion, "Where did you get that Berry? Weren't your hands empty?"

Gengar pointed at the Bidoof standing beside the road, staring at the two of them with a mournful expression.

"Gengar-"

I borrowed it from him. Hee hee.

Chen Yan pushed Gengar's hand away in disgust. "I'm not eating something you've already chewed on."

Gengar's face instantly fell.

In the blink of an eye, he looked terribly wronged.

(´..̫.`)

Looking at the drama queen before him, Chen Yan silently rolled his eyes.

There was plenty of bamboo over there. If Gengar wanted one, he could get his own. He only wanted Chen Yan's because he thought something Chen Yan had played with and liked must be the best.

"Ugh, this backpack is so heavy. It's practically breaking my back."

Chen Yan suddenly spoke while examining the bamboo in his hand.

Gengar immediately raised his head, grinned, and floated behind Chen Yan, reaching out to remove his backpack.

"Gengar, Gengar-"

I'll do it, I'll do it! I'll carry it.

Watching Gengar put on the backpack, Chen Yan gave him a worried look. "But... are you sure that's okay? It's all my equipment in there."

Gengar's arms were so short and his body so wide that he had to loosen the straps all the way to wear it properly. At Chen Yan's words, he reached up and thumped his chest.

"Gengar!"

Only then did Chen Yan reluctantly hand him the bamboo.

"Take good care of it. I still want to play with it."

Looking at the Emerald Bamboo Sword Chen Yan offered with both hands, Gengar assumed a solemn expression and respectfully accepted it with both hands as well.

"Gengar!"

Don't worry! I'll take good care of it!

Chen Yan bowed, and Gengar bowed too.

The human and the ghost straightened and exchanged a look, then both broke character in an instant.

"Hahahaha! You're improving, Gengar."

"Gengar~"

Of course I am~

Then Gengar pulled a straw hat from who knew where and put it on his head. He plucked a foxtail stem from the roadside, held it between his lips, and raised his eyebrows at Chen Yan.

Do I look like the great heroes in the stories you told me?

Chen Yan gave Gengar a thumbs-up.

Looking at Gengar's bizarre outfit, Chen Yan wondered whether Grandma would search everywhere for her missing straw hat.

"All right, let's keep going."

With that, Chen Yan continued his journey. Gengar floated beside him the whole time, vanquishing roadside demons with his Emerald Bamboo Sword. Wherever he passed, not a blade of the enemy remained.

[The start of your journey: Congratulations! You've finally set out on your own journey. How could an outstanding photographer stay tucked away in one corner instead of heading out into the world?]

The text that suddenly popped up startled Chen Yan.

This thing had come back to life?

The start of my journey?

Did I have to set out on a journey to properly activate this cheat?

[Grandma seems to have prepared a generous beginner's gift for your journey. Would you like to open it?]

Beneath the text box was a gift box like those on a typical game screen.

Chen Yan was stunned. Grandma had even prepared a gift for him?

Just as he was about to say yes, the gift box opened on its own.

[Congratulations! You have received the items: Pokémon Camera, Pokémon Tablet, Poké Ball ×10, Grandma's Pokédex.]

[Pokémon Camera: A marvelous camera modified from your original camera. It can adapt to any weather and environment, capturing images that match reality. It can take photos and record videos. Most importantly, it appears to have no storage limit.]

[Pokémon Tablet: A marvelous tablet modified from your original tablet. It can connect directly to the Pokémon Camera and transfer its photos and videos onto the tablet. It can also edit videos and retouch photos, with no lag during either process.]

[Grandma's Pokédex: As the name suggests, it's a Pokédex.]

[Poké Ball ×10: As the name suggests, ten Poké Balls.]

Wow! What underwhelming rewards...

The corner of Chen Yan's mouth twitched.

I thought I'd get ten beginner pulls or something, but this was it...

A lousy camera I already owned, a lousy tablet, ten Poké Balls, and a Pokédex.

"Why not be even stingier?"

Still, the camera's and tablet's extra features were pretty handy. Incredible resolution, unaffected by weather or surroundings, and most importantly, unlimited storage. That meant he could take pictures wherever he wanted without holding back.

And the tablet wouldn't lag when editing videos or retouching photos? Even better.

As for the Pokédex... where's my Pokédex? Where did it go?

While searching for the Pokédex, Chen Yan suddenly let out a yowl.

Gengar had been diligently practicing his swordsmanship. As they passed a fork in the road, he spotted an exceptionally tall weed. Without the slightest hesitation, he raised his bamboo and brought it down hard.

Unable to check his swing in time, he whipped the bamboo straight into Chen Yan's arm, making him yowl.

Chen Yan hopped up and down in pain, tears streaming from his eyes.

Being whipped by a thin bamboo stalk was simply excruciating.

After bouncing around like a Lopunny for a while, Chen Yan stopped and turned to Gengar. He grabbed his cheeks and pulled them hard in opposite directions, demanding through gritted teeth:

"What are you trying to do? Is this how you repay my kindness?!"

Gengar shook his head nonstop, his face changing shape in Chen Yan's hands. He pointed his bamboo in one direction.

Chen Yan followed it with his gaze and spotted an incredibly fat... Weedle.

"Wow... what a fat Weedle."

[Weedle]

[Type: Bug, Poison]

[Gender: Male]

[Ability: Run Away]

[Known moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Bug Bite]

[Mood: Happy~]

[Condition: So full...]

[Affinity: 10 (Don't interrupt my meal, you jerk!)]

[Description: Another day with a nice, full belly. Time to bask in the sun... huh? What's that idiot doing? Is he performing acrobatics? How nice. Not only did I get a full meal and some sunshine, I even get to watch acrobatics.]

Chen Yan: ...