Chapter 135. Primeape's Growing Crew
The remaining rules for the exam felt much easier.
Because behind every absurd rule, there was a ridiculous story.
Everyone was happy to read as they memorized, even savoring the gossip.
When the scores came out, there was a swath of 100s, and even the lowest was a 92.
After the written exam came the afternoon's practical test.
The practical test required battling an examiner, but you weren't allowed to use your own Pokémon.
The test site would hand you a random Poké Ball, and you had to defeat the examiner using whatever Pokémon you drew.
Although there was some luck involved, when it came to gauging real battling, it was still all about those eight Gym Badges.
Everyone knew how these practicals worked, and as long as you didn't publicly beat up the examiner, they would let you pass.
The group passed with ease.
Evening.
"I got my Pokémon certification!"
Ash was over the moon, having taken third place overall.
"How'd it go for you all?"
Asher appeared at the hall's entrance.
"Smoothly. Natsume and I both passed!"
"Oh—then why did I hear people outside say this year's question setter went crazy?"
Asher scratched his head, confused.
He had come here a few times over the years when he was bored and taken the exam himself.
The questions tended to be simple and grounded in real life, so with the experience he'd picked up photographing Pokémon long-term, he could pass easily.
"No idea. I didn't expect them to be that weak," Natsume's voice drifted over.
Seeing people looking their way, he pushed the group out of the hall.
Asher didn't argue.
Because he'd just learned from Ash that this rash-headed boy, after a single night of memorization, could still place third.
In that instant, Asher felt Natsume had a point.
Three days later, roadside.
"Geez, how much farther to Cinnabar Island?"
"Forget it—since you're here, walking a bit more is fine!"
Misty said this as she lifted a Pokémon with a spiky head and a shell-like egg, nuzzling it again and again.
Just yesterday, the unknown Pokémon Egg Ash had given her hatched into this Togepi.
According to Natsume, raising Togepi required very high affection with its Trainer, and Misty was extra doting on Togepi now.
"Right, why is it that except for the first day, Togepi's been a little absentminded whenever it interacts with me these past few days?"
As if she'd thought of something, Misty looked back at Natsume at the rear of the group.
Without turning his head, Natsume said:
"That's normal. This Togepi had no parental upbringing, so it can't understand many human displays of affection."
"I see."
Misty looked down at the Togepi in her arms, a little heartsick.
"Since it can't understand your human displays of affection, you can directly perform displays of affection it will understand."
As he spoke, Natsume smoothly handed Misty a fake tongue.
"It's fine—just hold it in your mouth and give a couple of licks," Natsume added.
"Uh…"
Misty took the fake tongue and hesitantly held it in her teeth.
"Slurp—"
"Toge—tui~"
"It's them!"
Ash's exclamation made Misty jump, and the fake tongue fell to the ground.
A moment earlier, Togepi had looked quite content, but now it was stunned in place, staring at Misty's lips, its tiny eyes filled with huge shock.
"To-ge—!"
Togepi burst into loud sobs.
"Ash, what are you yelling about—no, Togepi, my tongue's still here, look—ah!"
Misty roared at Ash, then hurried to soothe Togepi, opening her mouth.
Seeing a second tongue come out, Togepi froze for a moment, its gaze flicking between the fake tongue on the ground and Misty's tongue.
After a while, it cried even harder.
"What are you screaming for!"
Misty socked Ash.
"No, look—it's them."
Ash pointed ahead.
Everyone looked and saw a Primeape, a Combusken, and a Drowzee.
Different from before, Primeape's crew had grown.
On Zapdos's back lay a round, pink Pokémon with a curl of forelock looping over its forehead.
[Jigglypuff, the Balloon Pokémon. It stares with round eyes and sings a mysterious lullaby.]
"Jigglypuff? Wow, your crew got bigger again."
Ash glanced at his Pokédex and couldn't help showing a hint of surprise.
"Hrr—roar—waa waa!"
Primeape stepped forward and beckoned to Ash.
At the same time, blue light flashed in Drowzee's eyes, establishing telepathy with everyone.
After hearing the explanation, everyone's expressions turned strange.
"You're saying you want to battle those two?"
Brock pointed at Ash and Natsume.
"Hrr—raa!"
"Gyaa—na!"
Primeape and Combusken both nodded.
"And you want to fight in the human style, with Drowzee acting as the Trainer?"
Honora's face was odd.
"M-mm—"
Drowzee looked helpless and, pressed down by its two companions, nodded.
Nearby, Misty had calmed Togepi and now leaned over, full of gossip:
"I get it—this must be because of what happened with Ash and center-parted last time, so they took it to heart!"
"And they barged into several tournaments in a row, most likely to beat us," Brock analyzed.
"But they all failed," Honora said, blinking, then looked at the four Pokémon opposite them.
"Why do you want to battle us using the human way?"
Honora asked, curious.
Primeape and Zapdos exchanged a look.
They had tailed the group the whole way, wanting countless times to launch sneak attacks and take revenge.
But every time they moved, a blue light bound them and left them unable to act.
At first they thought Drowzee was a traitor, but then they realized all the trouble came from that human.
Primeape and Zapdos didn't answer Honora, fixing their eyes squarely on Natsume.
"What are you looking at me for?"
Natsume tossed a few Berries over.
Primeape and Zapdos turned their heads with great dignity.
"M-mm—"
Blue light shimmered around the Berries as Drowzee floated them into the little basket hanging on its wrist.
When it turned back, it found Primeape and Zapdos staring at it like it was a traitor.
Drowzee shrank its neck.
No matter—when they got hungry, he'd be a good comrade again.
"Ash, you battle them."
As Natsume said this, he gave a curious glance at the Jigglypuff on Zapdos's back.
How did they end up together?
Natsume was very curious; he felt this was a new kind of Pokémon social structure worth bringing back to Professor Oak's laboratory for study.
"Huh? You want me to battle the Pokémon commanded by Drowzee?"
Ash's voice went slack, like he was in a dream.
"Can a Pokémon become a Trainer?"
Ash asked from the depths of his soul.
"Whatever. There's no rule against it. If you want, you can have Pikachu command you in a fight."
Natsume's tone was indifferent.
"In that case, Pikachu, let's try it!"
"Pika!"
After this time together, Ash could already communicate with it cross-species without barriers.
Commanding like this would definitely be fine.
Seeing Ash actually getting ready to step onto the field himself, Natsume at the back twitched at the corner of his mouth, raised his Rotom Phone, and started recording.
At the very least, he had to show this to the Philosopher Mewtwo.
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