Chapter 30. Cascade Badge
"Center-parted, use Discharge!"
"Hmm?"
On the shore, Natsume, fiddling with the Great Ball in his hand, looked up at Center-parted on the foam board.
So it's learned Discharge.
Then Center-parted should be at least level 32.
Tsk, tsk.
No wonder he's a battle maniac.
Even with two Pikachu in tow, he's leveled up this fast.
Over level 30—I'll have to build the third-tier Revelry Chair.
"Bang!"
Five minutes later, Center-parted landed with a flourish.
The Staryu on the opposite side was blasted away by a violent burst of electricity and lost the ability to battle.
"Pikachu! Pikachu!?"
For some reason, even though it had won, Center-parted still felt a chill run down its back.
"Good, press the advantage—why are you coming back, Center-parted?"
"Pika-pi."
Center-parted yawned and returned, high-fived the Pikachu beside it, then took up positions to Ash's left and right.
"Alright, I get it."
Ash tugged helplessly at the brim of his cap.
Natsume's Pikachu is too lazy.
Unless Natsume gives a hard order, if Ash asks it to battle, it absolutely won't fight consecutive rounds.
A taste is enough.
Pokémon need rest too.
Center-parted knows the art of self-care.
It rummaged in Ash's backpack for a small blanket, used Pikachu's tail as a pillow, and started snoring.
"Hmph. Without Center-parted and Pikachu, let's see how you plan to win next!"
Across from him, Misty tossed another Poké Ball.
"Go, Starmie!"
"Cha—!"
A five-pointed starfish with a chest core that looked like Ultraman's Color Timer surfaced on the water.
[Starmie: Water + Psychic. The evolved form of Staryu, a hermaphroditic Pokémon.]
"An evolved form of Staryu, huh? In that case, go, Butterfree!"
Ash's voice rang out, and Natsume arched a brow and looked toward the field.
"Rotom."
Catching his meaning, the Rotom Phone pointed at the Butterfree on the field.
[Butterfree, Lv. 16.]
After a glance at Butterfree's approximate level, Natsume rubbed his temples.
He almost forgot he'd already opened a thesis topic about the relationship between a Pokémon's desire to evolve and its evolution level.
Forget it.
Sticking with Ash, there will be plenty of chances.
So many of his Pokémon evolve mid-battle.
A good number must be because fighting spirit stirs up their desire to evolve.
But what Natsume found a pity was that even if done well, a thesis at that level would probably only make it into a second-tier journal.
And he was going to be busy for a long time integrating the Poké Ball Rotom theory into an article for publication.
Tasteless to eat, a pity to throw away.
Thinking that, Natsume turned his gaze to Brock, who had collapsed to the floor.
"Brock, breeding and research are two sides of the same coin. Are you interested in becoming a researcher?"
Natsume leaned over.
Although he estimated it would only be second-tier publication quality, a few papers in second-tier journals would make it easy later to enter a city research unit.
"Well…"
Brock glanced at Natsume, hurriedly stood up, and shook his head with care.
"I only want to be a Breeder.
And my father is getting on in years.
In a few years I'll have to go back and inherit the Gym, so I'm afraid I won't have the energy to be a researcher."
"I see."
Natsume lowered his head and looked back at the Great Ball in his hand.
Hmm.
Maybe he should take on a student instead?
Natsume felt he had a lot of ideas, but most were neither here nor there.
He had no drive to research them himself, and handing them to a student would be just right.
"Boom!"
All of a sudden, the wall of the Cerulean Gym burst open, and a roaring, tank-like giant machine barged in.
"It's Team Rocket!"
Ash and Misty, who had just finished their match, tensed up at once.
"To protect the world from devastation—"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"That hateful researcher isn't here, right?"
"Meowth, stop wrecking our lines!"
A fist from Jessie thumped onto Meowth's head.
"Meow—Jessie, don't—"
Meowth didn't have time to finish.
Its body was sucked into a beam of red light.
"Return, Meowth!"
The Poké Ball Natsume threw struck Meowth perfectly and captured it.
Watching the Poké Ball drop and keep rocking on the floor, James and Jessie felt their minds go blank.
After a moment, they came to their senses and shouted at Natsume, the one who had thrown the ball:
"You little brat! What do you think you're doing!"
"Meowth is a member of Team Rocket!"
"Huh?" Natsume spread his hands. "I know.
It's also a wild Pokémon."
"Finally out!"
The Poké Ball shook like crazy, and Meowth sprang out of it.
The instant it saw Natsume, Meowth's fur stood on end.
It clung to Jessie's leg.
"Let's scram, now!"
"Meowth, don't encourage the enemy!
And don't forget the purpose of our visit!"
Jessie grabbed Meowth by the scruff and hauled it off.
"That's right.
We're going to rob every Water-type Pokémon here, then hand them over to Boss Giovanni!"
James pulled a rose from who knows where, speaking with a dreamy look.
"Exactly.
Start it up!"
Meowth said, jabbing a button on the machine beneath them.
In no time, a huge tube extended from the rear of the machine, plunged into the pool in the battlefield, and began sucking water like crazy.
"This is bad! Stop them!"
Ash had just reached for a Poké Ball when Brock pressed a hand on his shoulder from behind.
"Huh? What are they doing?"
"Except for the Pokémon we need for the show, the rest are all at the Pokémon Center."
"So they're just… pumping water?"
The Sensational Sisters walked over.
"I feel like that thing's about to explode.
It looks really shoddy."
Hugging her bag, Misty nervously shuffled back a few steps.
"Actually, the machine's not that bad."
Natsume looked over the water-pumping tank under Team Rocket.
He couldn't help thinking of the stolen old water pipe and pump engine he'd run into this morning.
In less than a day, for Team Rocket to put something like this together, their hands-on ability was already impressive.
"Come on, you're always talking up the enemy."
Misty shot Natsume a glare.
Natsume didn't reply.
His eyes just burned as he stared at Team Rocket.
Hiss—how did he forget these three?
Judging from the anime, this trio's hands-on ability is off the charts.
They're basically born lab workhorses!
"Why is he staring at us like that?"
Meowth's gaze kept sneaking toward Natsume, as if he had a psychological shadow left over.
"Meowth, something's wrong.
Shut the machine down, fast!"
Jessie and James had also noticed something off in the pool.
There didn't seem to be any Pokémon in it!
"O—okay!"
Over-nervous, Meowth hit the wrong button.
Instead of stopping, the machine started pumping even faster.
"This is bad!"
"Kaboom!"
A thunderous blast rang out.
The water-pumping tank exploded, and Team Rocket used Fly!
"Ah! My bag's soaked!"
"Hey! I wouldn't have woken you up, Natsume—Center-parted bit me!"
"Weird. Where did Natsume go?"
Brock realized Natsume seemed to be missing, but he couldn't help it—his attention was drawn back to the Sensational Sisters.
Cerulean City, outskirts.
On a tree branch, three people cosplaying Primeape dangled from the limbs.
"Meowth, this is your fault for pushing the wrong button!"
"What do you mean? It was you, James, who hooked the engine to the wrong pipe."
"Oh yeah? Then why aren't you blaming Jessie? She did nothing!"
"What did you say! Who drew the schematics?"
Jessie grabbed James by the collar, spraying spit all over his face.
In James's pupils, Jessie seemed to see a figure.
"Alright, stop rewarding him.
Eyes on me."
From behind them, Natsume's voice sounded.
They turned to see a benevolent face bathed in holy light filling their view.
"You three.
Would you like to become my researchers?"
Enjoyed the story? Support me and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at: Patr*eon*.com/Resium
Free members can read 10+ Chapters Ahead of Release
Paid member can read 150+ Chapters Ahead of Release
Stories Available
Honkai? No, This Is Daily Life
Hogwarts Pet Master
Pokémon: Who Let Him Leave Pallet Town!
Scrolling Yu-Gi-Oh! Shorts