Chapter 188: The Mood Is Already Here—How About We Cry First?
"Okay, come back, Pidgeot. Let's keep going!"
Having just seen a Legendary Pokémon, Ash Ketchum was full of confidence and got ready to recall Pidgeot and set out at once. However, the red light struck Pidgeot, and it did not return to the Poké Ball.
"What's wrong, Pidgeot?" Ash stared blankly at it.
"Pika?" Pikachu seemed to notice something. It tugged on Ash's sleeve and pointed to the forest behind Pidgeot. There, one Pidgey after another—and then Pidgeotto—slowly poked their heads out. Hope shone in their eyes as they watched Pidgeot's back.
"Looks like the Fearow leading the Spearow still won't give up. If Pidgeot leaves, they'll definitely come back in force," Brock spoke in a low voice.
"So that's how it is. I understand." Ash lowered his head. The brim of his cap covered his eyes, hiding his expression. From his trembling body, it wasn't hard to tell his feelings were complicated.
"Pika!" Pikachu tugged at the hem of Ash's pants in comfort. "Pikaa—"
On the other side, Ren Ichimonji scrambled up onto Pidgeot, using both hands and feet, and displayed its highest form of courtesy—flopping down to sleep.
"Pidgeoooot—"
Pidgeot covered its face. The crest feathers on its head lightly brushed past Ash's cheek.
"Waaah—Pidgeot's staying behind! I won't have anyone to coordinate with me when I read the map anymore!" Brock burst into tears.
All along the journey, Pidgeot had been a true workhorse, solving all kinds of problems for everyone on the road. Now they were suddenly going to part ways, without the kind of mental preparation they had when Butterfree was released. Feeling reluctant was normal.
"Pika!" Pikachu burst into tears on the spot and rushed toward Pidgeot. Pidgeot lowered its head, and the two Pokémon pressed their foreheads together.
"What are you all doing?"
Natsume walked over carrying a big basin of black, block-shaped Pokémon food. Behind him were plenty of brand-new feeders and a huge, unknown machine. "If you've got nothing better to do, help me install the feeders."
Natsume rolled his eyes.
"Waaah~ Natsume, don't come out here and wreck the mood," Ash was in tears.
"Wreck the mood?" Natsume looked completely baffled.
"Natsume… Pidgeot plans to stay and protect the flock." Thinking he didn't know, Misty hurriedly reminded him in a low voice.
"I know." Natsume waved a hand. "It doesn't necessarily have to be released. Take out your Pokédex," Natsume said, pointing at Pidgeot.
"Oh." Ash dazedly took out the Pokédex.
Note: Pidgeot, the evolved form of Pidgeotto. It can fly at Mach 2 speed when seeking prey!
"So fast…" Ash froze.
"How far is it to Professor Oak's Laboratory?" Natsume followed up.
"About four kilometers," Brock said, after checking the map.
"Then there you go." Natsume clapped his hands.
"Go where?" Ash still didn't get it.
Natsume's mouth twitched. He looked at Ash. "Give me Pidgeot's Poké Ball."
Ash blankly handed the Poké Ball to Natsume. Natsume took Pidgeot's Poké Ball, nudged Pikachu aside, and handed the ball to Pidgeot. Pidgeot curiously took it in its talons.
"Listen. Fly at full speed. From here to Professor Oak's Laboratory and back takes less than three minutes. Then you slip into this Poké Ball and transfer to Ash's hand—only a few seconds."
The more Natsume said, the brighter everyone's eyes became.
"So you could even help Ash finish a battle and come back, and the whole thing might not take over ten minutes."
"Pidgeot!" Pidgeot, excited, accepted the Poké Ball and hid it in its thick plumage.
"Huh? You can do that?" Everyone was stunned.
"I also brought this." With telekinesis, Natsume pulled the unknown machine floating behind him to the front of the group.
"What is it?" Everyone examined it curiously.
"This doesn't look like a feeder at all. It actually looks quite a bit like the transfer machine at Professor Oak's Laboratory." Brock took one look and drew his conclusion.
"Right. It's a Poké Ball transfer device. Solar-powered, too." As Natsume spoke, he pulled two huge black panels out from the back of the machine. "Professor Westwood V is getting up in years. It's hard for him to get around. I'm thinking of training a batch of Psychic-type Pokémon to handle the feeding work. If we set up these simple Poké Ball transfer devices around here, they can enter a Poké Ball and be transferred over directly. Saves the trip."
As he spoke, Natsume looked at Pidgeot. "To make it easier, you don't need to go to Professor Oak's Laboratory. I'll regularly post Ash's whereabouts on these machines. If you miss everyone, then while Ash is at a Pokémon Center, enter the Poké Ball, have a Pidgey help you, put it into this slot, and you can meet up. In that case, with the round-trip time saved, you can see each other in a few seconds. You could even finish a battle and come back, and it might take under five minutes."
Natsume's appearance shattered the sorrowful mood. Everyone stared wide-eyed, completely stupefied.
You can do that? Sigh… Looks like you really can!
And with how fast Natsume was talking, even the tears at Pikachu's eyes hadn't had time to dry. Slowly, it turned its head to look at Pidgeot. Pidgeot also looked blankly at Pikachu. Its feathers, damp with tears, were still just as wet.
The two Pokémon stared at each other. The mood's already here—should we just keep crying anyway?
"Pikaaa—" Ren Ichimonji angrily yanked its little blanket and jumped down from Pidgeot's back.
What the heck—it thought it was going to permanently lose its flying big bed. What a fuss.
Under the setting sun, it took quite a while for the stunned looks on everyone's faces to ease.
"Has technology advanced this fast, Natsume?" Ash stood behind Natsume, his expression complicated. Right now, he felt like a wild man cut off from the world.
"If you really don't have anything to do, you can help me install these feeders," Natsume's quiet voice sounded. Professor Westwood V had taken Honora to install them over by the snow-capped mountains. Only he was left to handle this area.
"Got it, no problem, Natsume. Leave it to me!" With the pain of parting resolved, Ash was full of energy.
"I'll help too! Me too!" Brock and Misty exchanged a glance and began to help as well.
By the time everything was installed and Natsume said goodbye to Ash and the others, it was already dark. Natsume yawned and headed toward the lab, ready to go back and rest. Suddenly, he stopped.
In the grass ahead of him, a constant rustling came from within. Is it spring? No—that wasn't right. It was autumn now, but for some Pokémon, the breeding season happened to be around this time. Holding up his phone, Natsume was just about to get closer when a string of Pokémon sprang out from inside.
A Primeape, a Drowzee, and a Jigglypuff.
"Rroar!" (What did you do to Zapdos!)
Primeape clenched both fists, glaring at Natsume with hostility. Zapdos had ventured alone into the enemy camp—its spirit was admirable! But as a companion, they still had to rescue it.
"Zapdos?" Natsume blinked, then pulled out a red-and-white ball.
Seeing this, Primeape's pupils suddenly contracted, fixing on the red-and-white ball in Natsume's hand. This didn't seem to be what it had imagined.
There was a traitor in the organization!
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