"Manga?"
Natsui raised an eyebrow; he had never considered that possibility.
Sakuragi Yoshino said, "Yes, compared to text and illustrations, manga can convey the story's emotion more directly, and besides, it's more popular with young people."
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble?"
Sakuragi Yoshino's tone was full of enthusiasm, and she smiled, "It's a bit more work, yes, but the structure and framework of the story are already in place. Now it's just a matter of giving them form. Besides, I don't have much to do at home, and if I can draw a manga like this, it would be like fulfilling a dream for me."
Since she put it that way, Natsui had no reason to refuse. He then discussed a few details with Sakuragi Yoshino and hung up the phone.
Due to the change of plans, he sent a message to Misty, telling them not to wait for him and that after challenging the Saffron City Gym, they could go on ahead.
Over the next two days, Natsui gathered material at Cape Maiden, keeping in constant contact with Sakuragi Yoshino to provide her with additional information.
It wasn't until the third day, when he received her call and learned that she had already completed a draft of more than twenty pages, that Natsui set off back for Vermilion City.
Professor Sakuragi's house was a typical single-family Japanese home, not far from the lab. Knowing in advance that Natsui would come, Professor Sakuragi didn't go to the lab and stayed home on purpose, waiting for him.
And since it was Saturday, the whole family of four, including Koharu and her brother Sota, went out to greet him.
When they saw Natsui, Yamper ran around him, wagging its tail nonstop.
And seeing this close-knit family, Natsui couldn't help but break out in a little sweat.
How strange—it feels like I'm visiting my future in‑laws for the first time empty‑handed.
As host, Professor Sakuragi was the first to speak: "Welcome, welcome, please come in."
Natsui nodded politely, his gaze passing over Sota before settling on the lady of the house: "Nice to meet you. I'm Natsui. Sorry for the intrusion."
Sakuragi Yoshino wore round red‑rimmed glasses and looked a bit like Koharu, though her face was rounder and more mature. She had her long cherry‑colored hair styled in a side braid that fell over her left shoulder.
As for Sakuragi Sota, he resembled Professor Sakuragi more. This boy had a cool vibe—a typical younger brother type. Though a few years younger than Koharu, he seemed mature for his age, giving the impression of being even more dependable than her.
A bit shyly, he slipped on his slippers and entered the house, arriving in the living room.
Sakuragi Yoshino pulled out a clear folder and extracted the more than twenty pages of manga it contained.
"For now, I've only drawn this. I estimate I'll need about one hundred and ninety‑five more pages to cover the rest of the story, but since there aren't any very complex compositions, I might even go faster."
Such a precise calculation—it seems she put a lot of effort into this.
Natsui flipped through them carefully and said in admiration, "These drawings are excellent. It's such a shame you're not a professional mangaka, Aunt."
As a full‑time homemaker, having someone recognize her talent was naturally a great joy.
"Your story is very well written, too," said Sakuragi Yoshino, covering her mouth to laugh softly, clearly impressed with Natsui. "Only an exciting story, combined with exceptional art, can become a real hit."
"That's right," Koharu nodded. "I was the first reader of this story, and after reading it carefully, I have to say it's very compelling."
"I was the second, and Dad was the third," said Sakuragi Sota, hands behind his neck in a relaxed pose.
But—he wasn't sure if it was his imagination—suddenly it seemed to him that in Natsui's shadow there was a round head making a face!
He rubbed his eyes, moved closer for a better look, and the next second—something like a black orb suddenly appeared, giving him a fright of his life!
"Waaah!!!"
Sota jumped and fell behind the sofa.
"He, he, he!" Gastly's body appeared, wearing a mischievous grin. "What a scaredy‑cat."
"Is this the Gastly mentioned in the story?" asked Professor Sakuragi as he helped his son to his feet, looking at Gastly in amazement.
"That's right," Natsui recalled Gastly and then nodded. "In a way, he is the true protagonist of the story."
Sota got up off the floor. Although he had fallen, he wasn't afraid—instead, he approached Gastly, observing it with curiosity, clearly intrigued by how it could hide in a shadow.
At noon, at the kind insistence of the Sakuragi family, Natsui had lunch at their house. Amid laughter and conversation, the table was filled with a relaxed, cheerful atmosphere.
And when Natsui took out the photos he had taken in the depths of the sea aboard the S.S. Anne, all four let out exclamations of astonishment.
Professor Sakuragi's eyes went wide as he said in disbelief, "The news of the S.S. Anne's sinking caused quite a stir in Kanto a few days ago. I can't believe not only did you experience the event, you went down with the ship—and still managed to escape!"
Koharu also looked Natsui up and down, as if getting to know him all over again.
And Sota, stars in his eyes, looked at him in total admiration: "Brother Natsui, you're super… awesome!"
…
After agreeing on a completion date with Sakuragi Yoshino, Natsui set off again for Saffron City.
Saffron—the color of bright, shining gold.
This time, the Pokémon accompanying him were Kirlia by his side and Gastly hidden in his shadow. The other creatures were stored in their Poké Balls.
There were no further incidents along the way.
And when he arrived at this super‑metropolis of the Kanto region, Ash's group had already departed for other Gym cities.
However, Misty told him that they had many problems challenging the Saffron Gym. After failing on their first attempt, they struggled and had to go to the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town. Only after catching a Haunter were they able, thanks to its power, to earn the badge.
Because of that, they also lost two days, so the gap between them and Natsui wasn't very large.
Saffron City was filled with skyscrapers. Not only was it the commercial center of the Kanto region, but it also boasted the region's largest infrastructure, including a Magnet Train station that connected it to the Johto region. Every day, countless trains, traveling at up to 550 km/h, ran between Saffron City and Goldenrod City, bringing economic vitality to these two metropolises of equal standing.
Traversing the bustling streets, Natsui arrived directly at the Saffron Gym.
He looked up.
Its exterior looked like a cluster of many white umbrellas together, with a strong sense of design, though it was a bit plain. In Natsui's judgment, it was somewhat less impressive compared to other Gyms.
As Saffron City's current official Gym, its leader was Sabrina, a Psychic‑type specialist who was very difficult to defeat. However, upon defeating her, one earned the Marsh Badge.
He entered the Gym through the automatic doors and looked both ways.
The lobby was empty, with no one to greet him. After taking a few steps, he saw through a glass door that, in an adjoining room, a group of people in white lab coats sat at a table, holding spoons in their hands and staring at them with total concentration, as if they were undergoing psychic power training!
........................
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