Twinleaf Town

Dawn broke, the sky just beginning to brighten.

Chen Yan crawled out of his sleeping bag and sat inside the tent, scratching his bedhead as he looked around in a sleepy daze.

His surroundings seemed a little unfamiliar.

It took a moment before Chen Yan remembered that he had set out on his journey and was sleeping in a tent.

He had thought he would struggle to sleep, yet he had slept soundly on his very first night.

Chen Yan shook his head, unsure whether to call himself carefree or quick to adapt.

Chen Yan rolled up his sleeping bag and packed it away, then unzipped the tent and stepped outside.

The sky was still a little dark. Chen Yan checked his phone. It was just past five in the morning.

"The sun really does rise early in summer."

Chen Yan stretched as he remarked on it.

Starly were already foraging all around him.

There was a saying that put it perfectly: the early bird caught the worm, while the early worm got eaten.

Near the tent stood a campfire ringed with sand and dirt. It had burned down to charcoal, with a few embers still glowing on top.

"Weee-"

Weedle wriggled out of the bushes and greeted Chen Yan.

"Good morning, Weedle. Where's Gengar?"

Weedle squirmed over to Chen Yan's feet, then climbed up his leg and settled on top of his head.

"Weee-"

Over there.

Chen Yan turned around and found Gengar beside the stream, busy doing something with its rear sticking out.

"Gengar, what are you doing?"

At Chen Yan's call, Gengar turned around. Seeing him, it grinned, then floated over and handed him a water bottle and a toothbrush with toothpaste already squeezed onto it.

"Gengar-"

Here, brush your teeth.

Gengar had a toothbrush in its own mouth, making its words come out muffled.

"Oh, you're brushing your teeth? Did you get these ready for me?"

Gengar nodded.

"Thanks. Seriously, how can there be a Pokémon as adorable as Gengar in this world?"

"Gengar~"

Hehe~

Chen Yan joined Gengar beside the stream. Human and ghost crouched together, brushing their teeth over the clear water.

Once he had finished brushing his teeth and washing his face, Chen Yan stood up. Feeling the weight on his head, he couldn't help saying:

"Hey, Weedle, could you stop lying on my head? Do you have any idea how heavy you are?"

Weedle didn't respond.

"Aren't you worried a Starly will snatch you away?"

Weedle still didn't respond. Chen Yan lifted it off his head and held it in front of him, only to find it fast asleep with its eyes shut.

"You really do nothing but eat and sleep, huh?"

Chen Yan shook his head helplessly, took out a Poké Ball, and recalled Weedle.

Chen Yan checked the time. It was 5:42 a.m.

"Gengar, let's have breakfast in Twinleaf Town. It's still early anyway."

"Gengar-"

Okay.

"I'll pack up the tent first. Get some water and put out the charcoal from last night, then bury it with dirt so it won't start a fire. After that, we'll gather some firewood and leave it here, so the next Trainer who wants to spend the night won't have to go to the trouble of finding any."

"Gengar-"

Okay.

Chen Yan and Gengar divided up the work.

After packing away the tent and the rest of his things, Chen Yan looked over and found Gengar shoveling dirt over the charcoal.

"Gengar, where did you get that shovel?"

Gengar planted the shovel in the dirt, set one foot on its blade, and looked at Chen Yan with a hand resting on the handle.

"Gengar-"

I brought it from Grandmother's house.

Gengar said it with complete confidence.

"...You... Never mind. What's one more shovel at this point?"

Chen Yan shook his head as he spoke.

Gengar grinned and chuckled.

After gathering a little firewood with Gengar and stacking it neatly, Chen Yan clapped his hands. "All done. We can head to Twinleaf Town for breakfast now, and check how much travel money Grandmother gave us while we're there."

"Gengar-"

Yay.

"If there's plenty, I'll buy you some more snacks too."

"Gengar!"

Long live Chen Yan!

"But I'm so tired right now, and my shoulders hurt."

"Gengar!"

I'll carry it! You don't have to! I'm not tired!

With that, Gengar put the backpack on and floated beside Chen Yan, giving him a bright, sunny smile.

"Thanks for all your hard work, Gengar. I've decided-you're getting a double portion for breakfast!"

"!"

"Gengar!"

That too! Give me that!

Gengar tried to take the camera hanging around Chen Yan's neck as well, but Chen Yan refused.

"I'll carry this one. I might take some pictures along the way."

After missing several perfect photo opportunities on the road yesterday, Chen Yan had decided to keep his camera close at hand from now on.

"Gengar-"

Okay.

"Then let's go! Next stop, Twinleaf Town!"

Chen Yan took out his phone, switched to selfie mode, and called out with gusto.

"Gengar!"

Let's go! Twinleaf Town!

Floating beside Chen Yan, Gengar squeezed its face into the frame and flashed a peace sign.

Click.

The moment was captured.

Human and ghost set off on their journey once again.

With the backpack on its back, Gengar waved the slender bamboo stick Chen Yan had lent it yesterday, beheading every weed along the way.

"Gengar, if you get tired, you can take out the snacks Grandmother packed for you and put them in the bag, then eat as we walk."

"Gengar-"

They're gone.

"Gone? Didn't you still have loads yesterday?"

"Gengar-"

I ate them...

"All of them?"

"Gengar."

Yep.

"You really can eat. That's fine, we'll just buy some more later."

"Gengar~"

Hehe.

"Gengar."

Chen Yan.

"Hm?"

"Gengar."

Have a Berry.

Chen Yan pressed the shutter, then lowered his hand and let the camera hang from his neck. Turning toward Gengar, he found it holding two Pecha Berries for him to choose from.

Chen Yan took one and bit into it. It was sweet and full of juice.

"Thanks, but where did you pick these Pecha Berries? I don't think I saw any Pecha Berry trees just now."

"Gengar-"

I borrowed them from Pachirisu.

Gengar took a bite too, looking thoroughly content.

"Pachirisu?"

Chen Yan glanced back and spotted two Pachirisu standing in a tree, watching them leave with aggrieved expressions.

"You little rascal. Why are you stealing Pachirisu's Berries again?"

"Gengar!"

I borrowed them!

"You always pick on Pachirisu."

"Gengar!"

No, I don't! Yesterday it was Bidoof! Don't accuse me of something I didn't do!

"Really? It was Bidoof?"

"Gengar."

Right.

"All right, I must have remembered wrong."

A little while later.

"Gengar."

Chen Yan.

"What is it?"

"Gengar..."

Apologize to me...

"What?"

"Gengar-"

You accused me unfairly! Apologize!

"You really hold a grudge." Chen Yan smiled, then said:

"I'm sorry, great hero Gengar. I wrongly accused you. Can you forgive this scrawny, helpless human?"

Gengar nodded reluctantly.

"Gengar-"

All right, I suppose I'll forgive you.

Amid their playful banter, human and ghost arrived in Twinleaf Town.

Looking at the entrance to Twinleaf Town, Chen Yan raised his camera and took a commemorative photo.

"Gengar, what do you want for breakfast?"

"Gengar-"

Noodles~

"All right, let's go."

Chen Yan led Gengar into Twinleaf Town.

Twinleaf Town was one of the iconic towns from the anime. Although it was only a small town in the Sinnoh Region, it still had a sizable population.

It was past seven in the morning, that wonderful hour when wage slaves got up for work and students got up for school.

Office workers, students, and housewives filled the streets.

As Chen Yan made his way through Twinleaf Town with Gengar, all the shops lining the streets were already open, their owners enthusiastically greeting customers.

Chen Yan also spotted Trainers hurrying down the streets with Pokémon at their sides.

Life here seemed to have become thoroughly intertwined with Pokémon.

Everywhere he looked, humans and Pokémon lived in harmony, working and traveling together.

A horn sounded from the harbor as a ship docked. Many Trainers from other regions disembarked with ambitions of conquering the Sinnoh Region, pouring into Twinleaf Town and leaving their own marks on it.

Chen Yan and Gengar threaded through the crowd, turned down an alley with practiced ease, and pushed open the door of a noodle shop. Finding a seat, he called out:

"Boss, four bowls of noodles! One for me and three for Gengar."

"Sure thing, coming right up~"

"I ordered you an extra bowl. Can you finish it? No wasting food."

"Geh!"

Who do you think I am? I'm the great demon king Gengar!

(⇀‸↼‶)