Chapter 33. Pokémon Technical Institute
"Fine, I'll arrange a place for you to rest."
After a round of explanations, Principal Jim finally breathed a sigh of relief.
No matter what Natsume had come for, as long as he wasn't bringing a research project, that was a blessing.
Last time he'd talked about testing regeneration speed, cutting a Slowpoke's tail three times a day, ultimately cultivating a Rage Form Slowpoke, which forced every teacher on campus to learn how to glare, with an effect on par with Intimidate, and only then did they bring the situation under control.
Then there was the "male parenting potential" verification, where thirty Kangaskhan babies were snuck away, sprayed with pheromones, and handed to a Nidoking population to raise, and the next day the Academy's Kangaskhan group brawled with them, with countless Nidoqueen joining in halfway through.
The scene descended into utter chaos.
And the time before that, and the time before that…
"In that case, I'll trouble you to take care of us, Principal."
Natsume said this as he opened the office door.
"Heh."
Like sending off a plague god, Principal Jim watched Natsume leave.
"Eek!"
The moment he stepped out, a petite figure bumped straight into Natsume's chest.
Looking down, he saw a delicate girl like a porcelain doll, wearing the Academy uniform, looking about the same age as Ash.
"Are you alright?"
Natsume helped her up, and before she could speak, he handed over a business card.
"If your family is interested, contact me, and we can talk investments."
Honora: "???"
Wait, that person!
Honora's gaze sharpened in an instant, locking onto Natsume's back.
"And one more thing, you are not allowed to harass my students!"
Inside the office, the Principal, fuming, rushed out after him.
"I got it."
As Natsume spoke, he casually stuffed a handful of business cards into the hands of a passing student.
Young masters and misses, come have some fun.
On campus.
Behind Ash and the others trailed a timid-looking boy in a school uniform.
"You're saying that thick fog just now was created by your school!?"
Ash's exclamation rang out.
"What about the other Pokémon in the mountains?"
Misty added on the side.
"This entire mountain belongs to our Academy, and the Pokémon populations are stocked and free-ranged by the Academy," Sean answered truthfully.
"My goodness, an Academy this extravagant, its tuition must be sky-high!"
Misty held her head, utterly incredulous.
Brock, meanwhile, was thoughtful.
"If I'm not mistaken, this is the Pokémon Technical Institute."
"Students who come here for advanced study are all from wealthy families."
"Yep."
"And students who graduate from our Academy can enter the Indigo Plateau Conference without Badges," Sean supplemented.
"Without Badges?"
"How can something like that exist?"
Ash, as if he'd discovered something unforgivable, furrowed his brow.
"Relying on theory alone, you can't become a Pokémon Master!"
"You're wrong."
"With theory alone, you can become a Pokémon Master."
Sean shook his head, unconcerned.
"I used to think like you."
"But after entering this Academy, I realized theory is far more important than actual battles."
"Oh?"
"Then those people who bullied you just now, aren't they relying on being better at theory than you?"
"It doesn't mean they're better in real battles."
Misty's voice floated over, and for once, she sided with Ash.
"Yeah."
"Why won't you send out your own Pokémon?"
Brock followed up.
"It's no use."
"If their theory is better than mine, their battling must be as well."
"My Pidgeot can't beat them," Sean said, deflated.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
"How can you have no confidence in your partner?"
"If it were me, I'd absolutely have Pikachu fight back!"
"Pikachu!"
At his side, Ash's voice brimmed with righteous indignation.
"You?"
Sean glanced at Ash, then at the two Pikachu on his shoulders.
"Those two Pikachu of yours might not even be able to beat me."
Sean shrugged, apparently used to reactions like Ash's.
"He seems to have resigned himself," Brock whispered to Misty.
"Mm."
"If I'd known, I wouldn't have helped him out," Misty nodded, a little peeved.
Natsume had vanished, so the three of them searched the area.
They didn't find Natsume, but they did find a student being bullied by classmates—Sean.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
"Don't act so indifferent about being bullied."
"Tell me who their leader is, and I'll get your revenge!"
Ash, overflowing with a sense of justice, grabbed Sean by the collar and roared.
"Mm… honestly, it's not so bad to be 'spurred on' by them," Sean still looked indifferent.
"Why does he think that counts as 'spurring'," Misty facepalmed helplessly.
"Whatever."
"Tell me what their boss looks like, and I'll avenge you!"
Ash was still fuming.
"Pikachu!"
"Alright then."
Sean took a photo from his pocket and handed it to Ash.
"Here."
"The one in the middle is the founder of the 'Academy Whip' club."
Seeing this, Ash rolled up his sleeves and looked.
"Okay, let me see which jerk it—"
Suddenly, Ash fell silent, and Pikachu went stiff like a statue.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Being scared isn't like you, Ash—"
Misty frowned and leaned in.
Misty also went silent.
"What are you two doing?"
Brock was deeply curious.
He looked, and fell silent too.
In the photo stood a crowd, including several of the faces that had bullied Sean.
At the center of the image, a clean-cut, harmless-looking young man beamed a sunny smile and flashed a V sign at the camera.
It was Natsume, unmistakably.
"Natsume!!!"
Misty gasped.
Though Natsume in the photo looked more youthful, it was definitely him.
"Natsume… how is this possible!"
"Is there some misunderstanding here?"
Brock recovered first and pointed at Natsume in the picture.
"Sean, do you know this person?"
"I don't."
Sean shook his head.
According to some upperclassmen, Mr. Natsume was only the club's founder, and the current club president has changed.
"I knew there was a misunderstanding," Brock wiped nonexistent sweat.
"Alright then."
"Sean, tell me, who's the current boss of the club!"
With the misunderstanding cleared, Ash's eyes blazed with righteous fury again.
"Just watch, Sean."
"I'll show you that real battles are the deciding factor!"
"As for the current president…"
A glint of light suddenly shot through Sean's eyes.
He carefully pulled a poster from his pocket and solemnly unfolded it.
"Here."
"It's her."
"She's called Honora!"
Ash rolled up his sleeves again, bristling as he looked.
"Okay, let me see what kind of—whoa, she's cute."
"Yeah."
"In five years, she'll be a first-rate beauty," Brock praised from the heart.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
"What are you two doing!"
Misty rushed over to see just who this was.
On the poster stood a girl who looked a few years older than Misty.
Black hair with a black ribbon standing upright, cold eyes, a beauty mark at the outer corner of her left eye, a white uniform, a black short skirt, and over-the-knee socks.
Her chin was slightly raised, her gaze like a blade stabbing out of the poster, and her arrogance practically coalesced into form.
"How does that have anything to do with 'cute'," Misty shot back stiffly.
"Besides, girls change a lot as they grow up, and who knows what she'll look like in five years," Misty said, a little sour.
"No, Prodigy-senpai is already an adult."
"She's an upper-grade student," Sean's eyes gleamed with admiration.
"Oh?"
"So even with underdevelopment she's still ahead of Misty—ow!"
Brock hadn't finished when an irresistible force produced a large bump atop his head.
"Suddenly I feel like being appropriately 'spurred on' isn't so bad," Brock recovered quickly.
"Exactly!"
Sean smiled like he'd finally met a kindred spirit.
"Hold it!"
"Even if she's cute, that's no license to bully people!"
The iron-willed straight man came to his senses first.
"I'm going to challenge her!"
"Pika!"
With that, Ash led his two Pikachu, storming off across campus to search for her.
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