Chapter 31. Ash, Try Challenging Yourself
"Who wants to be your researcher, meow!"
"How did you even get here!"
"Don't wave that light around.
It's blinding!"
"Oh."
Standing on Poké Ball Rotom, Natsume put away the flashlight and, with one hand, plucked a Poké Ball from Jessie's belt.
"Hey, hey, hey, what do you think you're doing!"
"Ekans, use Tackle on that branch!"
Natsume opened the Poké Ball with practiced ease.
"Ekans—??"
Ekans looked at Natsume, then looked at Jessie and the others hanging from the branch not far away.
After three seconds of silence, it still used Tackle to smash the branch, rescuing Jessie and the others.
The trio hit the ground, then quickly stood, squaring off against Natsume.
"Hey, give me Ekans's Poké Ball back!" Jessie snapped at Natsume.
"Here."
Natsume tossed the Poké Ball back to Jessie, then looked at them and continued:
"Well?
About what I said earlier?"
"Hmph, impossible, meow.
We would never betray Boss Giovanni!"
"Yeah.
Following Boss Giovanni is how we'll have a future."
Natsume held up one finger.
"A monthly salary of 1,000,000 Pokédollars."
"What, meow!"
"Are you serious!"
Meowth and Jessie's eyes turned into little money signs.
"You two, have some backbone!"
Only James remained unmoved.
He angrily pulled the two of them back.
"Have you forgotten why we joined Team Rocket in the first place!"
Meowth and Jessie sobered up a little.
Though still tempted, they shook their heads firmly.
"We will never betray Boss Giovanni!"
Giovanni's prestige is that high?
Natsume raised an eyebrow.
If so, going to Giovanni to ask for people might be the best option.
But with his current status, that didn't seem feasible.
As for his "deification" plan, it was even more impossible to tell Giovanni.
"Come to think of it, meow, Natsume, you'd actually be perfect for Team Rocket."
Meowth eyed Natsume, trying to recruit him.
Seriously, it had never seen anyone lift Poké Balls off others so casually.
"I'm not interested."
Natsume spoke as he walked toward the trio.
"What are you doing!" James warily pulled out a Poké Ball.
"Young Master James, if your father's interested, he can invest in me."
Natsume said this as he handed James a business card.
"Rotom, we're leaving!"
Rotom merged into the phone.
Teleportation activated!
Natsume vanished, leaving Meowth and Jessie blinking before they suspiciously turned to James.
"James?" Jessie leaned in, then her voice jumped an octave.
"—Young Master?"
"Uh, well, let me explain."
Cerulean City, Pokémon Center.
"Natsume, I want to challenge you!"
Ash stood at one end of the battlefield, issuing a challenge to the just-returned Natsume.
"Pika!"
Pikachu, too, looked at Natsume, fighting spirit blazing.
"Sure."
Natsume winked at center-parted, and the latter trotted to stand opposite Ash.
Natsume himself didn't so much as move, still fiddling with the Great Ball in his hand.
"Natsume, aren't you going to battle me?"
Ash looked at Natsume, puzzled.
"I am.
Help command center-parted and have him battle your Pikachu."
Natsume raised his head, giving Ash a puzzled look in return.
Why was this kid so literal and unable to turn a corner?
"???"
"That's not it, Natsume.
You're the one who defeated the Dragon-type Elite Four member's four Pokémon—one of them even his ace!"
As he spoke, Ash couldn't help glancing at the Rotom Phone floating by Natsume.
"I don't have the strength.
It was all luck."
Natsume kept it short.
"…"
Natsume wasn't lying.
Luck accounted for a big part.
His Poké Ball Rotom excelled most in Double Battles.
In Singles, it had no initiative at all.
Last time, Lance had given him the first move, and, coupled with unfamiliarity with Poké Ball Rotom's moves, that's what triggered everything that followed.
Of course, without a level gap, Poké Ball Rotom was still very strong in Singles.
"Natsume—"
Seeing that Ash hadn't given up, Natsume looked at him, his expression suddenly turning serious.
"Ash, do you know who is the hardest for a Pokémon Trainer to surpass?"
"Is it the Champion?"
Caught off guard by Natsume's sudden solemnity, Ash tensed up, his expression unconsciously growing serious.
"No.
Even Champions have presences they can't easily surpass."
Natsume shook his head.
"Then who?"
Ash's curiosity was hooked.
"It's yourself, Ash!"
Natsume patted Ash's shoulder, face seemingly haloed, his expression incomparably grave.
"The gap isn't between you and me.
It's between yesterday and today."
"Ash, try challenging yourself!"
Natsume's impassioned voice rang out.
Ash was deeply shaken, the fighting spirit in his eyes surging wildly.
"You're right.
I'll challenge myself!"
"Go, Pikachu—Thunderbolt!"
"Center-parted, dodge!"
"He's hopeless," Misty facepalmed.
"Mm.
Agreed," Brock added.
The next day, on the outskirts of Cerulean City.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to block Sandshrew's Rollout!"
Inside a battle tent, a Pikachu hefted its tail like a giant sword, bracing it horizontally before itself.
"What?"
Opposite them, the tent's owner—a boy with dark green hair—suddenly widened his eyes.
"Good!
Quick Attack—spin and cleave from the side!"
Ash gave the order.
Pikachu planted one hand on the ground, the other hand behind its back gripping the base of its silver, steel-sheened tail like it was shouldering a greatsword.
"Whoosh!"
In an instant, Pikachu appeared at Sandshrew's flank and brought the blow down with crushing force.
"Boom!"
"Hang in there, Sandshrew—use Fissure!"
The dark green–haired tent owner tried to call out another order, but Sandshrew had already lost the ability to battle.
"Ah—amazing!"
The tent owner recalled Sandshrew, then ran excitedly toward Ash.
"How can Iron Tail be used like that—and kept up the whole time?"
"How did you train this Pikachu?
Please, you have to tell me!"
"Uh…"
Ash scratched his hair awkwardly.
His Pikachu's training plan had been set by Natsume.
Natsume was still waiting outside.
Outside the battle tent, Natsume's group quietly waited for Ash.
"Honestly.
He saw someone with a 99-win streak and just rushed right in."
Misty, as always, offered her snark.
"Motivation is good too.
Perfect time for me to make lunch."
Brock, on the other hand, didn't mind.
The ground around this battle tent was clean and flat—great for a meal.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Before long, Ash and Pikachu appeared at the tent's entrance.
"So?
That Pikachu greatsword style is pretty awesome, right?"
Natsume glanced at Pikachu's tail, the corner of his brow lifting slightly.
Unlike the original story, Pikachu's tail now naturally carried a metallic sheen.
Ever since learning Iron Tail, Pikachu had been following a whole series of plans Natsume had set—
Natsume personally formulated Steel reagents injected into the tail, matched better to Pikachu's physiology.
A mouse greatsword style tailored to the body structure of Mouse Pokémon, making Iron Tail flow more smoothly.
"Mm.
Thank you, Natsume.
Pikachu can now keep Iron Tail active for the entire battle!"
Ash thanked Natsume earnestly.
"By the way, Natsume, are those reagents expensive?
I'll pay you back when I start earning money."
"It's nothing.
Consider it payment for helping me look after center-parted."
Natsume ruffled Ash's hair.
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