Chapter 29. Pikachu Refuses to Battle; Ash Sends Out Another Pikachu!
"What happened here?"
"No idea.
I heard something was stolen—a motor and a giant drainage pipe or something like that."
"Oh."
Natsume instantly lost interest.
"Let's go, Misty—
Huh?
Why aren't you eating your ice cream?
Why'd you throw it on the ground?"
"Uaaahhhh—"
Natsume successfully triggered the pursuer's bloodrage mode.
He ran in front while Misty trailed after him, the shopping cart's wheels spinning furiously.
Cerulean City Pokémon Center.
"Huff—huff—"
In the corner by the wall, two figures—one tall, one short—leaned against it to catch their breath.
"N–Natsume, you're way too much.
I am absolutely never going shopping with you again!"
"It was you—heh—
You're the one who said you'd help me carry stuff.
Huff, huff."
Misty regretted everything now.
She'd been so foolish—truly.
Even if she needed somewhere to hide from her sisters, she should never have come to Natsume.
She might as well have gone outside to hang from a tree and pretend she was a Primeape.
"Come to think of it—"
Natsume took a deep breath, looked at Misty beside him, and held out his hand to her.
"What are you doing?"
Misty stared at Natsume with full vigilance, afraid he was about to pull another stunt.
Natsume slowly opened his palm.
Nestled there lay a smooth, water-blue little stone.
"For you."
"A Water Stone?
For me?!"
Misty's eyes lit up.
Truth be told, she'd wanted to ask Natsume for one a long time, but she'd never had the nerve.
"Now that's more like it!"
She took the Water Stone and cradled it in her hands, feeling it had come by with great difficulty.
"Clank—"
Natsume pulled out a small pouch.
After a few shakes, several more Water Stones dropped into Misty's hands.
Seeing the three extra Water Stones, Misty froze for a moment.
"Since you're going home, you ought to have something to show your family.
You can't have been out for months with nothing to bring back, right?"
Natsume's voice followed immediately.
"How do you know that—
Are you investigating me?!"
Misty stared at Natsume in shock.
"If I need to be sure my companions are trustworthy, I have to know their background, don't I?
Besides—" Natsume pointed at Misty's face.
"Your mood is written all over it."
"But… are you really this nice?"
Misty looked at the four Water Stones in her hands, then at Natsume in puzzlement.
This brat didn't trust him?
Seeing this, Natsume gave his shoulders a shake; it was as if holy light shone upon his face.
"As the only adult here, I basically count as your temporary guardian!"
With that, Natsume turned around and started to leave, dragging the shopping cart along.
Misty stared straight at the auto-lit Rotom Phone.
The corner of her mouth twitched.
Still, she felt pretty grateful inside.
This unreliable researcher seemed more humane than she'd imagined.
Yes—humane.
"Why aren't you moving?"
Instead of leaving, Misty looked at Natsume, who had raised the shopping cart and started striking poses, and asked in confusion.
"Uh, give me a push."
Misty: "…"
Once everything was packed up, Natsume took Misty to the Cerulean Gym.
When they got back to the Pokémon Center earlier, Ash and Brock weren't there.
Chances were they'd already headed to the Cerulean Gym.
Soon, Natsume and Misty arrived at a building shaped like a theater.
"Your three sisters are quite pretty."
Looking at the huge poster hanging outside the Gym, Natsume took a sip of his Moomoo Milk and offered a sincere compliment.
"Hmph, of course they are.
They're my sisters, after all!"
Misty nodded proudly.
Before long, the two of them entered the Gym.
Misty still seemed a bit guilty and kept her distance, trailing far behind Natsume.
Helpless, Natsume had to step in alone first.
By a pool full of foam props, Natsume spotted Ash.
Across from him stood three beautiful women with hair colors matching those on the poster: blonde, blue, and pink.
Off to the side, Brock lay on the floor with hearts in his eyes, having clearly burned out under the blazing sun.
"Hey there, are you here as a challenger too?"
The Sensational Sisters had noticed Natsume.
"Natsume!"
Ash waved at him.
"You know each other?"
The blonde eldest sister, Daisy, smiled, then looked at Natsume a bit apologetically.
"Sorry.
The three newbies from Pallet Town who came earlier were too strong.
We don't have any Pokémon we can use for battles right now."
"Yeah, that's right.
The Pokémon we have left need to perform in our water ballet, so they can't be used for battles."
The pink-haired sister, Lily, chimed in.
"So we'll just give you the Cascade Badge directly."
As she spoke, Daisy took out two teardrop-shaped badges from her pocket and held them out.
"Huh?
Isn't that a bit too perfunctory?"
Ash blinked, then his gaze sharpened.
"Natsume told me that getting something for nothing is—"
"Thanks, I'll take them."
Before Ash finished, Natsume stepped forward and accepted the badges.
"Natsume, that's not what you taught me!"
Ash looked at Natsume, speechless.
"We're loaded with Electric-type Pokémon.
That's a big type advantage against a Water-type Gym.
Besides, they really don't have any Pokémon left for battling."
Natsume shrugged.
"Oh."
Ash fell silent for a moment and reached out to accept the Cascade Badge as well.
"Stop right there!"
Just then, with a sharp call, Misty landed opposite Ash.
"I'll battle you!"
Misty pulled out a Poké Ball and looked at Ash.
"But why do I have to battle you?"
Ash was baffled.
"Oh, it's Misty!"
Daisy stepped up to greet her.
"Weren't you the one who said you wouldn't come back until you became the number-one Water Pokémon Master?
Don't tell me you're back with your tail between your legs because you couldn't make it out there?"
"Hahaha!"
The three sisters laughed so hard they shook.
"I—I've got results too!"
With that, Misty produced the four Water Stones.
"Eh?"
The blue-haired sister, Violet, reached out a slender finger and pinched one of the stones.
"They're really Water Stones?"
The other two sisters gathered around.
"Yes.
Misty got these in Pewter City," Natsume added.
"Hmph, that's right!
As the future number-one Water Pokémon Master, I acquired them thanks to my keen eye!"
With Natsume backing her up, Misty turned into Pinocchio and started bragging nonstop.
"Wow, not a bad haul."
"Looks like letting you go on a journey was the right call.
We were a bit worried at first."
"That's what I'm saying.
While you've been growing, we've become an even hotter Sensational Sisters act."
"Enough!"
Misty barked, cutting off the chatter.
"In short, Ash, I will battle you in the capacity of a Cerulean Gym Trainer!"
"We'll use this pool as the battlefield.
Go, Staryu!"
Misty looked across at Ash.
"Huh?
Why not challenge Natsume?"
"Can't beat him," Misty said bluntly.
"What!"
Feeling slighted, Ash bristled.
"Go, Pikachu!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu tugged at Ash's pant leg with a troubled look.
"Huh?
You're saying you really like Misty and don't want to battle her?"
"Pika pika!"
Pikachu nodded emphatically in agreement.
"Hahaha, give up.
Your Pikachu, which counters me, refuses to take the field.
You can't win!"
Misty's laughter rang out.
"Darn it, don't celebrate too soon.
Go, center-parted!"
"Pika!"
Misty: "???"
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