Thursday, February 11th, Cloudy.
Early in the morning, Natsume received a call from Professor Oak.
"The Rotom Pokédex can autonomously create training plans?"
Still drowsy, Natsume instantly snapped awake.
"Professor Oak, why didn't you tell me sooner!?"
"Haha, it's just a plugin. No need to get so excited."
Professor Oak chuckled. "Exercise volume, diet, heart rate… A Trainer can't monitor these things as precisely. The Rotom Pokédex fills that gap perfectly and adjusts training plans accordingly."
"With a scientifically rigorous plan, training efficiency will double!"
Natsume scratched his head.
I have a training plan?
Since when?
Then, he glanced around the empty room.
Slowly, everything became clear.
The new Rotom was in charge of adjusting the training plan.
Gengar handled the actual execution.
Sirfetch'd provided off-field guidance…
Sylveon tracked wild Pokémon.
Arcanine handled taunting.
Blastoise cleared the field with AOE attacks.
And Togepi provided adorable buffs…
Natsume looked up at the sky, feeling a little weird.
You guys don't even need me for team battles, huh?!
...
Rewind to last night.
The Rotom Pokédex was lying on its wireless charging pad, fast asleep.
Suddenly, it felt someone poking it.
"Rotom?"
Rotom opened its eyes—and froze.
A group of menacing "shadows" had surrounded it.
"Sirfetch'd!"
Sirfetch'd retracted the leek it had used to poke Rotom and nodded solemnly.
Helping the new little buddy is my sacred duty!
"Gengar!"
Gengar bared its teeth in a friendly grin.
After some communication, Rotom finally understood.
Midnight training sessions were a traditional art in Natsume's household.
But for Pokémon like Sirfetch'd and Arcanine, who excelled in sunlight-based moves, fighting at night meant they couldn't go all out.
As for Blastoise? It didn't matter what time it was—it was always busy doing push-ups on-site…
"We need to adjust the training plan!"
Rotom waved its Pokédex arms, then whispered, "I'll design specialized training for everyone! Rotom~!"
Instantly, pairs of glowing eyes lit up in the darkness.
Just as the howling was about to start, Sylveon bared its teeth menacingly.
"Sylveon! (#｀皿′)"
Who dares disturb his sleep?!
Silence returned to the room.
Rotom slipped into the circuits and silently unlocked the door's passcode.
"Gengar!"
Gengar's eyes sparkled as it gave the little buddy a thumbs-up.
The crew lined up single-file, led by the Rotom Pokédex, and sneakily slipped out the door.
Togepi brought up the rear, waddling along.
"Togepi doo-ee~ ヽ(￣▽￣)ノ"
Let's all train together~!
Time passed in a blink, and the sun rose as usual.
The little ones had learned a lot overnight.
Sirfetch'd trembled with rage, then burst into tears.
"Sirfetch'd! "
Originally, he'd wanted to set an example for the newcomers on their first night.
But after just one evening, their status had almost caught up to his!
This isn't fair~!
When the yawning little ones returned home,
they locked eyes with Natsume.
"Beep beep… Training plan completion: 130%, Rotom!" Rotom levitated forward, reporting proudly.
Natsume opened his mouth, then hesitated.
A single night had passed…
And Rotom Pokédex had already been assimilated?!
Wasn't it supposed to be that Pokémon grew to resemble their Trainer?
Oh, wait—your bonded target was… Gengar? Never mind, then!
Natsume had known the little ones would sneak out at night.
But suppression wasn't as good as guidance…
Having Rotom strictly control training hours was better than letting them stay up all night.
Natsume rubbed his temples and sighed. "Well then, I'll leave the planning to you, Rotom!"
"Roger that! (˙▽˙)"
Rotom Pokédex spun in a cheerful circle.
"I'll do my very best, Rotom!"
Weren't you completely unmotivated yesterday…?
Did making new friends suddenly make you more cheerful?
Natsume scratched his head.
But… this kind of thing happened often.
I mean, even Sirfetch'd—a total slacker—had started emulating Gengar!
Sirfetch'd: Sirfetch'd! That's slander!
Still, it was worth celebrating that Rotom wanted to be part of the family.
"Rotom!" Natsume called out, about to mention the lawn mower he'd just ordered for it.
But when he turned, Rotom was already on its charging dock, fast asleep.
"Togepi doo-ee~" Togepi tugged its little blanket, climbed onto the desk with great effort, and draped it over Rotom's body.
"Togepi!" Togepi smiled, brimming with accomplishment.
Natsume watched the dozing Rotom and smiled.
If it's just a short nap, you don't need to plug in the Electirizer, right?
It's only been five minutes—how much electricity could it possibly use?
Unless you're some kind of ultra-fast charger that'll drain a month's worth in one go?
At that moment, the chandelier above Natsume flickered before stabilizing.
Natsume: "…No big deal!"
By noon,
Natsume had personally cooked a meal to welcome the new member.
At the lavish dining table, Gengar stood on the tablecloth, pulled out a microphone from who-knows-where, and cleared its throat.
"Gengar!"
I've prepared a special performance for everyone!
Natsume had been smiling cheerfully—
until Gengar started singing.
Crack!
A glass on the table shattered instantly.
Natsume's eye twitched as the screeching noise drilled into his ears.
"Noise pollution alert! Pollution alert, Rotom!"
"Sylveon! (〃＞皿＜)"
"Blastoise!" Blastoise even activated Torrent in shock.
Natsume: "Stop! We're on your side!"
"Gengar?" Gengar looked around, confused.
Natsume and the little ones were slumped over the table, faces pale, muscles spasming intermittently.
"Gengar! ︿(￣︶￣)︿" Gengar shrugged helplessly.
Well, if you insist…
Since you're so eager, I'll keep singing—
Natsume whipped out a Poké Ball. "Return, Gengar!"
Perish Song.
Gengar's debut vocal performance:A resounding success!!
...
That afternoon.
Pop!
Rotom's snot bubble burst.
It floated up from its charging dock and stretched. "Rotom~!"
Haven't eaten this well in ages!
Natsume was preparing content for his next livestream.
If he could match against Steven… maybe he could pull a fast one on him.
And once the 'game' was cleared,
with Rotom Phone around,
Natsume-sensei could livestream his matches in real time.
Take Raihan, the 'selfie freak'—he loved bringing Rotom Phone into battles.
Besides livestreams, photos were great for memories too.
Rotom didn't disturb Natsume-sensei, floating outside where the overcast skies had cleared into sunshine.
"Gengar~" Gengar was pushing the brand-new lawn mower, wiping sweat from its brow.
"Rotom!" (Let me help!)
"Gengar?" Gengar watched as electrical ions zipped out of the Pokédex and into the mower, making it hum to life.
"Rotom Mower, ready for action!" the machine announced in Rotom's voice.
"Gengar~!" Gengar grinned, pushing the mower as it meticulously trimmed the yard.
"Blastoise…" Blastoise, wearing sunglasses, was watering plants with a Squirtle-shaped watering can.
Seeing the fancy mower, it gave an approving nod.
Natsume stepped out onto the balcony at the sound.
"Getting some Plants vs. Zombies vibes here."
Natsume muttered, "If anyone tries sneaking in at night… this mower'll shred 'em!"
Plus, with an Aura-sensing Blastoise around…
Natsume-sensei nodded firmly. Solid defense.
Suddenly, the mower's engine sputtered to a stop.
"Gengar?" Gengar blinked at the Rotom Mower in confusion.
Then—
BOOM!
The mower erupted in a self-destruct blast!
"Gengar! Σ(っ°Д°;)っ" Gengar dodged in time, but the lawn was now a charred mess.
Rotom zipped out of the wreckage and back into the Pokédex, scratching its head sheepishly.
"Sorry… I spaced out for a second, Rotom!"
A breeze carried the scent of burnt grass into the air.
Natsume stared at the sky.
Wasn't the self-destruct rate supposed to be reduced by 99%?
"This probably isn't just bad luck."
Natsume sighed. "It's fate…"
Natsume was used to it by now.
He dialed a number, but before he could speak, the other end answered sharply:
"We're on our way!"
Natsume: ???
Now I don't even have to ask?!
Now that's what you call customer service.
--------------------------------------
No More Waiting - The Story is Complete!
Love what you're reading? Get instant access to the entire story—all 460+ chapters are available right now!
👉 Unlock everything: patreon.com/PokemonStoryWeaver
--------------------------------------