Celadon City, nine thirty in the morning.
Sunlight streamed through a gap in the curtains onto a messy single bed.
Shiraishi Ritsu rolled over, pulled the blanket over his head, and prepared to go back to sleep.
Ever since the incident with Sabrina coming to his door had come to an end, he had finally enjoyed a few peaceful days.
He no longer had to worry about a psychic suddenly barging into his studio, or all the brushes around him abruptly floating into the air while he was halfway through drawing.
Every day, he slept until he woke naturally, read manga after eating, worked on his manuscript with Smeargle in the afternoon, and took a nice, comfortable bath at night.
Life like this was simply wonderful!
"Smear!"
However, a certain Pokémon clearly had no intention of letting him keep enjoying it.
Smeargle crouched beside the bed, reached out a paw, and gently nudged his trainer's shoulder.
Shiraishi Ritsu did not react.
"Smear!"
Smeargle pushed harder.
"Quit it. Five more minutes..."
Shiraishi Ritsu mumbled groggily.
Smeargle tilted his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly raised his tail and tapped the bedside table a few times.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Smear! Smear!"
Shiraishi Ritsu finally could not take it anymore.
He threw off the blanket and sat up with his hair in a tangled mess, looking at his partner irritably.
"What is it? We don't even have a deadline today!"
Smeargle immediately pointed at the clock on the wall, then rubbed his belly.
"Smear..."
Shiraishi Ritsu lowered his gaze to look.
Good grief, it was almost ten.
No wonder the little fellow was running around in a panic.
"Hungry?"
"Smear!"
Smeargle nodded vigorously.
"All right, all right, I get it."
Shiraishi Ritsu climbed out of bed with a yawn and grabbed a jacket.
"I'll take you out to eat today, and we'll pick up a few things while we're at it."
At the mention of eating out, Smeargle immediately perked up and hurried to the door to take the little backpack down from the coat rack.
Shiraishi Ritsu could not help laughing at the sight.
"How come you're never this enthusiastic when I ask you to draw backgrounds?"
"Smear!"
Smeargle puffed out his chest, perfectly justified.
Were eating and drawing even remotely the same thing?
As one of the most prosperous cities in the Kanto Region, Celadon City's streets were always bustling.
Shiraishi Ritsu left the apartment with Smeargle and strolled leisurely down the street.
A few Pidgey perched on roadside branches, and occasionally a Pidgeotto swept past high overhead. Several young Trainers had gathered to discuss their recent Gym Challenges, while an elderly woman with an Oddish slowly walked past them.
Shiraishi Ritsu had gradually grown accustomed to this everyday life filled with Pokémon.
When he had first transmigrated here, even seeing a Meowth by the roadside had made him want to chase after it and give it a few pats.
Now, when he encountered these Pokémon, he could greet them quite calmly.
Of course, if he suddenly saw a Legendary Pokémon fly across the sky one day, that would be another matter.
"Two breakfasts, please!"
Walking into a familiar breakfast shop, Shiraishi Ritsu grandly held up two fingers.
"And add two extra Berry pancakes to one of them!"
"Coming right up!"
The owner was a middle-aged man in his fifties, with a Machoke beside him helping carry plates.
He greeted Shiraishi Ritsu with a smile.
"Oh, Xiao Ritsu, haven't seen much of you lately!"
"I've been busy with work. Only got some free time these past few days."
"I hear you're a manga artist now?"
"Just making a living."
Shiraishi Ritsu smiled and waved a hand, though his tone carried a measure of pride.
After all, he had gone from a penniless guy who could barely afford rent to someone who could support himself and Smeargle with his manga. He certainly had reason to be happy.
Before long, Machoke brought over two steaming breakfasts.
Smeargle had long since been looking on with desperate anticipation.
"Slow down. Nobody's going to steal it."
Shiraishi Ritsu had only just picked up his sandwich when he saw that Smeargle had already stuffed half a pancake into his mouth.
This fellow usually had quite an artist's air about him when drawing, but the moment he sat down to eat, all concern for appearances went out the window.
After breakfast, the man and Pokémon went to a nearby Pokémon supply store.
For Shiraishi Ritsu, this had practically become a mandatory weekly stop.
"Has the drawing paper I ordered last time arrived?"
"Yes, it was delivered yesterday."
The clerk brought a box of paper out from under the counter and asked with a smile, "Same specifications as before?"
"Yes. And two more boxes of black ink, plus a few fine brushes."
As he spoke, Shiraishi Ritsu picked up the merchandise on the shelf and examined it carefully.
Although Smeargle could draw using the special fluid secreted from his tail, he still needed professional tools when producing a proper manga.
That was especially true for black-and-white manga, where line thickness, light and shade, and background details all required care.
After several months of trial and error, Shiraishi Ritsu had equipped Smeargle with a complete set of professional art supplies.
Naturally, the prices were just as professional.
Looking at the bill the clerk presented, Shiraishi Ritsu's mouth twitched slightly.
"Why has the price gone up again?"
"This imported drawing paper has been pretty popular lately."
"Even if it's popular, you can't raise the price this much!"
Shiraishi Ritsu could not help complaining a little, but in the end, he obediently paid up.
There was no helping it.
What could he do when his Smeargle had grown used to this paper?
If he switched to cheaper stuff, the little fellow would complain that the paper was not smooth enough and did not feel right to draw on.
Just as Shiraishi Ritsu was about to settle the bill, Smeargle suddenly tugged at the hem of his clothes.
"Smear!"
Shiraishi Ritsu turned to look.
Smeargle was gazing longingly at the shelf beside him.
On it sat an elegantly packaged set of high-grade colored paints.
Shiraishi Ritsu fell silent.
"You only bought a set last month."
"Smear..."
"And you haven't used that set up yet, have you?"
Smeargle hurriedly gestured, indicating that although some of the previous paints remained, the set lacked a few colors he liked.
Shiraishi Ritsu looked at him and suddenly smiled.
"Sure, I can buy it."
Smeargle's eyes immediately lit up.
"But you'll have to draw the backgrounds properly for the next three installments."
"Smear!"
The smile instantly vanished from Smeargle's face.
He looked down at the paints, then back up at Shiraishi Ritsu.
He hesitated for a full ten-odd seconds.
In the end, he gritted his teeth and nodded.
Shiraishi Ritsu grinned.
You little rascal.
Think I can't handle you?
By the time they returned to the studio, it was nearly noon.
Shiraishi Ritsu sorted out the newly purchased drawing paper and put Smeargle's paints on the shelf, then went over to sit at the worktable.
Rest was all well and good, but the manga still had to be drawn.
After all, Pokémon Adventures was now officially serialized, and he had to submit manuscripts to the publisher at regular intervals.
If he ever suddenly missed an update, Kikkawa Maho would probably be the first to storm his doorstep.
She might even be scarier than Sabrina.
"All right, partner, let's get to work!"
"Smear!"
Smeargle put on his little work cap and climbed into his own chair with practiced ease.
Shiraishi Ritsu took out the plot notes he had prepared beforehand and began organizing the content for the next few installments.
By now, the Kanto arc of Pokémon Adventures was gradually moving into important plot developments, and Team Rocket was getting more and more page time.
The next few battles would require drawings of numerous Pokémon moves and changes in scenery.
Shiraishi Ritsu took this very seriously.
Although he could not personally draw those spectacular scenes, he could draw on his extensive game knowledge to provide Smeargle with detailed battle choreography.
This included the movements different Pokémon made when using moves, the effects attacks had on the battlefield when they landed, and how Trainers turned the situation around through tactics.
These things were precisely a major reason Pokémon Adventures could attract so many Trainer readers.
"On this page, Red has his Pokémon dodge the attack first, then use the surrounding terrain to look for an opening."
Holding a pencil, Shiraishi Ritsu drew a few simple lines on the rough draft.
"Put a close-up here, emphasizing the Pokémon's eyes. Then pull back to show both sides' positions relative to each other."
Smeargle listened attentively, gesturing twice in the air with his tail.
Before long, a complete manga storyboard gradually took shape.
The Pokémon's movements on the drawing paper flowed smoothly, and the tension of battle came across very effectively.
Shiraishi Ritsu nodded repeatedly as he looked.
"Nice, that's exactly the feeling!"
Smeargle wagged his tail proudly.
However, the good times did not last.
When Shiraishi Ritsu handed over the next rough draft, Smeargle's expression suddenly changed.
"Smear?"
He pointed at the background in the picture, his face full of disbelief.
It was a fairly complex scene of an underground base.
Besides the people and Pokémon, it required drawings of a great deal of machinery, pipes, stairways, and intricate architectural structures.
Smeargle looked down at the rough draft.
Then he looked at Shiraishi Ritsu.
Finally, he decisively picked up a pencil and drew a huge cross over the background.
"Hey!"
Shiraishi Ritsu immediately became displeased.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Smear!"
Smeargle pointed at the jumble of complicated mechanical structures, then spread his paws.
Too much trouble!
Shiraishi Ritsu understood his meaning, of course.
"No. This is an important Team Rocket base. If the background is too simple, how will the readers get a sense of that atmosphere?"
Smeargle shook his head.
Shiraishi Ritsu insisted.
"You have to draw it!"
Smeargle kept shaking his head.
"Draw it!"
"Smeargle!"
"I'm the writer!"
"Smear-smear-gle!"
"And you're the artist!"
The two argued for ages, neither willing to give way.
In the end, Smeargle huffily picked up another sheet of drawing paper and sketched a crude room with a few swift strokes.
There was a table in the room.
Several Team Rocket members stood beside the table.
Other than that, it was completely empty.
Smeargle pushed the paper in front of Shiraishi Ritsu.
"Smeargle!"
Done!
Shiraishi Ritsu stared, dumbfounded.
"You call this Team Rocket's Secret Base?"
Smeargle nodded as though he were perfectly justified.
Shiraishi Ritsu took a deep breath.
"Fine, fine, fine."
He picked up a pencil and added a few strokes to the scene Smeargle had just drawn.
Then he pushed the paper back.
"Then take a look at this."
Smeargle looked down.
Above the empty room, Shiraishi Ritsu had scrawled a few large, crooked words.
[Team Rocket's Secret Base: insufficient renovation funds.]
"Smeargle..."
Smeargle fell silent.
The next second, he angrily raised his tail and lightly smeared a streak of green paint across Shiraishi Ritsu's face.
"Hey! What are you doing?!"
Shiraishi Ritsu hurried to grab a tissue.
But Smeargle was already clutching his drawing board, rocking back and forth with laughter.
"Smeargle! Smeargle!"
"Fine! Just you wait, you little rascal!"
Shiraishi Ritsu gritted his teeth as he wiped his face.
Once they were done fooling around, the two finally sat back down at the workbench.
Shiraishi Ritsu broke the originally complicated backgrounds down into a few key shots, only using full wide shots when the layout needed to be established, while the rest focused on the characters' and Pokémon's movements.
This would preserve the atmosphere an underground base ought to have while cutting down on a lot of unnecessary drawing.
After looking over the new storyboards, Smeargle finally nodded in satisfaction.
"Couldn't we have just done this from the start?"
Shiraishi Ritsu tapped the table irritably.
Smeargle stuck out his tongue and picked up his brush again.
As the tip moved across the paper, the underground base filled with machinery gradually took shape.
Standing beside him, Shiraishi Ritsu watched Smeargle's focused expression and suddenly felt a little reflective.
Come to think of it, several months had already passed since he first discovered Smeargle's artistic talent, and now they were officially serializing Pokémon Adventures.
At first, the two had needed to discuss even the storyboards over and over, but now they could understand each other's ideas after just a brief exchange.
Smeargle had even begun developing his own creative habits.
He was especially good at depicting Pokémon movements and had a particular fondness for battle scenes brimming with power.
As for complicated backgrounds...
Shiraishi Ritsu glanced at Smeargle.
This fellow clearly still wasn't very fond of them.
Still, those little shortcomings were hardly a problem.
After all, no artist wanted to draw densely packed mechanical pipes every day.
Besides, Shiraishi Ritsu already considered himself quite lucky to have found such an excellent partner.
"Partner."
"Smeargle?"
"Let's keep up the good work and get our manga sold in other regions!"
"Smeargle!"
Smeargle nodded excitedly.
Shiraishi Ritsu added another remark.
"Once we make a fortune, I'll get you a dedicated studio!"
That made Smeargle even more excited.
He immediately sped up his drawing, even putting considerably more care into the mechanical backgrounds he had disliked just moments ago.
Shiraishi Ritsu couldn't help chuckling at the sight.
Just as I thought.
Money really is the best incentive!
That evening.
Having finished his planned workload, Shiraishi Ritsu enjoyed a relaxing bath, then sat down on the sofa with his account book.
Smeargle lay beside him, eating Berry biscuits while looking through the newly purchased art supplies.
Calculator in hand, Shiraishi Ritsu carefully tallied the past few months' income and expenses.
Manuscript fees, rent, living expenses, Pokémon food, art supplies...
After all the calculations, he finally had a respectable amount of savings on the books.
Though he was still far from truly wealthy, he was countless times better off than when he had first transmigrated, utterly destitute.
"Not bad, not bad!"
Shiraishi Ritsu nodded in satisfaction.
"If things keep going like this, sooner or later we'll be able to buy our own house in Celadon City!"
"Smeargle?"
Smeargle raised his head.
"A big house!"
Shiraishi Ritsu explained enthusiastically.
"Preferably with a yard where you can play. Then I'll get you a dedicated studio and buy you a huge workbench!"
Smeargle's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
"And a room just for art supplies!"
"Smeargle!"
"And ideally a little storeroom where we can put all the collected volumes of our manga that come out in the future!"
As he spoke, Shiraishi Ritsu himself began looking forward to it.
He reached out and rubbed Smeargle's head, smiling. "Once we really become the world's number one manga creators, we can live in a house as big as we want!"
Smeargle wagged his tail wildly in excitement.
The man and Pokémon were imagining their wonderful future life.
Just then, the communicator on the table suddenly rang.
Beep, beep, beep!
Shiraishi Ritsu casually picked up the communicator.
The name displayed on the screen was none other than Kikkawa Maho.
"Hello? Miss Maho?"
"Mr. Masuda! Good evening!"
On the other end of the call, Kikkawa Maho sounded especially excited.
Shiraishi Ritsu was a little puzzled.
"What's up? Calling at this hour-have you got more work for me?"
"There is work, but this time it's good news!"
"Good news?"
"Yes!"
Kikkawa Maho took a deep breath, trying hard to keep the excitement out of her voice.
"Mr. Masuda, the publisher held an editorial meeting today."
"After discussing it, the distribution department has formally proposed a collected-volume release for Pokémon Adventures!"
Shiraishi Ritsu froze.
"A collected volume?"
"That's right!"
Kikkawa Maho said with a smile:
"Your manga has a chance to come out in collected volumes!"