After hearing that Gary and Ash actually knew each other, Bob decided to stay and talk. He shared his experiences in Viridian Forest and even handed Gary a map of the forest.
Viridian Forest is vast, so having a map would make it much safer and more convenient to navigate. Bob also led Gary and Mia to his father's temporary residence in the forest.
When they arrived, Mia was still in a daze and walked into the house first, not fully aware of what she was doing. Bob noticed the darkening sky and suggested that they wait for his father and rest for the night at the temporary base in Viridian Forest. It would be safer to leave the next morning.
Gary quickly agreed to Bob's proposal, knowing that the forest becomes extremely dangerous after dark. It was wise to rest before continuing their journey.
"Let's head inside. You probably haven't had a decent meal while traveling. Just a few days ago, my father went to Viridian City to purchase some supplies, so we finally have something good to eat," Bob said, motioning for Gary to come inside.
"Let's go. I hope Mia didn't cause any trouble after entering the house," Gary remarked as he glanced at Bob and nodded. He was worried that Mia might create some chaos, but his concerns were unnecessary. Mia was already lying on the sofa in the living room, fast asleep.
"This friend of yours seems quite familiar with the place... but she's still taking risks outside. If I weren't a good person, she could have been in trouble," Bob chuckled, seeing Mia sleeping so soundly.
"She's just like that, always so carefree. Don't mind her," Gary sighed, seeing Mia asleep on someone else's sofa.
"I don't mind. She must be exhausted from traveling. Let her rest for now. You should rest too. I'll call you when everything is ready," Bob smiled and urged Gary to take a break.
"I'm fine, but it's true I haven't eaten much these past few days. Most of the food we had went into her stomach, and I barely had anything. I didn't notice it much while in the forest, but now that you mention food, I do feel a bit hungry. Why don't I help you with the cooking? I'm pretty good at it too," Gary said, waving his hand, trying to reassure Bob, though his stomach betrayed him with a growl.
"Can you cook?" Bob asked, surprised. He had learned to cook out of necessity, as his father often patrolled the forest and wasn't home much. But Gary's situation was different; it was unusual for him to have developed cooking skills.
"Don't look at me like that. My parents aren't home much either, so it's just me and my grandpa. Over time, I learned how to cook for myself. My situation is pretty similar to yours," Gary explained, smiling at Bob's curious expression.
"I see. Well, come on and help me then," Bob nodded, accepting Gary's offer. The two of them got busy in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Mia, who was sound asleep, seemed to catch the scent of something delicious. She mumbled in her sleep, "Fried chicken... chicken steak... yummy... hehehe..."
Both Gary and Bob couldn't help but laugh at her sleep-talk.
"Gary, your friend is really something. You should wake her up; she's probably very hungry," Bob suggested after a while.
"Sorry to make you laugh," Gary smiled helplessly and nodded. He then went to Mia's side and gently shook her to wake her up.
Mia slowly woke up, still half-asleep and confused about where she was. Gary explained everything that had happened along the way. After hearing his explanation, Mia looked at Gary suspiciously and said, "Why do I feel like you're lying to me?"
Gary shook his head in exasperation and gently tapped her on the forehead. "You're the only one making a fuss. Come on, let's eat."
Mia pouted but didn't argue further. She followed Gary to the dining room, where the sight of the food made her eyes light up, and she licked her lips in anticipation.
As they ate, Gary asked Bob why he had been so hostile toward them earlier. It couldn't have just been because of a Caterpie.
Bob smiled at the question and explained his reasons. The hostility was due to Team Rocket.
"Team Rocket?" Gary asked, surprised. "Didn't Team Rocket already leave?"
"You're talking about their main force. Yes, they left, but they left behind a small group. I was searching for them in the forest when I encountered you instead," Bob explained.
"Oh? There's still a small group of Team Rocket members in Viridian Forest?" Gary's interest was piqued. "Tell me more."
Bob proceeded to share what he knew about the situation. Gary mused aloud, "So it's a joint operation. The bulk of Team Rocket's forces have withdrawn, but they left a small group behind in Viridian Forest. Is that what's happening?"
"Exactly. I've been exploring the forest, trying to track them down, but I ran into you instead," Bob said with a smile.
"So, what's your plan?" Gary asked, clearly interested in tracking down Team Rocket.
"I don't have a solid plan yet. But since you're interested, why don't we team up?" Bob suggested.
Without hesitation, Gary agreed to Bob's proposal. Mia, who had been listening, chimed in, "I want to go too!"
Gary playfully knocked her on the head and said, "Team Rocket is dangerous. Why would you want to get involved?"
"Team Rocket is evil, and it's a trainer's duty to fight them. I'm a trainer, so how can you say I'm just messing around?" Mia protested, glaring at Gary.