章 119: Chapter 119: Camping Plans and Precautions

The soft hum of the forest wrapped around me as I sat by the fire, knees pulled up, staring at the trees shifting under the early morning light. Erin's tent rustled behind me, her movements slow and groggy. I didn't need to look to know she was rubbing her eyes, still clinging to that quiet daze between sleep and waking.

Shadow stirred on my shoulder, his sleek, black fur sparking faintly as he yawned, red eyes half-lidded. He licked my cheek lazily before climbing up to my head, curling up like he owned the place. Typical.

Erin shuffled over, plopping down beside me, her green silk shirt catching the morning light. "Shadow's lazier than me," she murmured, her voice calm, betraying no frustration.

I sighed, more amused than anything. "What can I say? He knows what he likes." My hand slid into my bag, pulling out two sandwiches. I handed one to her, and she accepted without a word, her fingers grazing mine briefly.

We ate in silence, the calm before the storm. I bit into the sandwich, savoring the taste, then broke the quiet. "Celadon's only a day away, but I've got some things to handle. We'll camp here for a bit." I glanced at her, my voice easy, relaxed. "I'll leave Raichu and Pidgeot with you. They'll keep any wild Pokémon or trainers off your back while you stay in the tent."

Erin didn't stop chewing. "Can I come with you?"

"No, not this time." I tore off another bite. "There's something I need to take care of."

She nodded, expression calm as always, but I knew there was a flicker of something else there. Disappointment? Maybe, but Erin never showed it. She trusted me blindly, no questions asked, which made things easier... and harder at the same time.

I stood, brushing the crumbs off my jeans. "Raichu, Pidgeot," I called, tossing their Pokéballs into the air. They emerged, Raichu's cheeks sparking and Pidgeot stretching its wings, sharp eyes locked on me.

"Protect her," I instructed. "No wild Pokémon, no trainers. Even though she's better now with the small ones, we're not taking chances."

Both Pokémon nodded, firm and loyal. I slung my bag over my shoulder, glanced once more at Erin, then turned toward the thick of the forest. Shadow shifted on my head, settling deeper into sleep as I walked.

The trees thickened around me, shadows stretching long across the path. After a while, I grabbed Gengar's Pokéball, releasing him into the clearing. The ghostly figure materialized, standing tall and serious, his sharp grin replaced with an oddly formal bow. His energy felt... different.

"What's with him?" I asked, arching a brow. Gengar wasn't one to be this... somber.

Shadow, still nestled on my head, licked his paw. "He's special," he murmured, voice nonchalant, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Check the holographic display."

I shook my head. "You're basically my AI at this point. Why bother with the display when you can tell me?"

Shadow huffed, the faintest twitch of amusement in his tone. "His nature is serious. And he has some abilities related to shadows—shadow manipulation, to be precise."

I blinked, taken aback for a second. "Shadow manipulation?" I knelt, rubbing Gengar's head as he grinned at me, though there was a certain seriousness in his eyes I hadn't seen before.

"What moves can I teach him?" I asked, standing back up, curiosity burning through me.

Shadow licked my cheek again, still casual. "Sorry, boss. Only Gen 1 moves for now. No Gen 2 until you hit the Johto region."

That hit me like a brick. "Wait, why?"

"Rules," Shadow said simply, licking his paw again, the picture of indifference. "No TMs, no HMs. Only level-up moves and egg moves. But don't worry—" he paused, letting the suspense linger before speaking again, "you'll start earning points for every normal trainer you beat. Two points per battle now. Five at the Indigo Plateau. Gym battles? Ten points per Pokémon."

I stopped, narrowing my eyes. "How many points do I have?"

"For Gengar? Ten points." Shadow's red eyes gleamed. "Or, as you might want to call them, levels."

"And I still get points for beating wild Pokémon?"

Shadow stretched lazily. "Not anymore. It's trainers or nothing."

I exhaled, shaking my head. "Of course."

As we moved deeper into the forest, Shadow stirred again, his voice creeping into my thoughts. "He's special, you know. Gengar's moves are Shadow Punch, Shadow Ball, Shadow Claw, Confuse Ray, Lick, Night Shade. He can control the shadows, Punit. There's more to him than you realize."

I glanced at Gengar walking beside me, his form shifting slightly in the dappled sunlight, his shadow dancing oddly in the dirt. I wasn't sure what that meant yet, but I knew this wasn't just a typical ghost-type Pokémon. This Gengar had layers, and I had a feeling I'd only just started to peel them back.

"Looks like we're in for a ride, huh?" I muttered, mostly to myself. Shadow chuckled on top of my head, his tiny body rumbling with laughter. "You've got no idea."