"Charmander, hang in there!"
In the pouring rain, Ash wrapped Charmander in his clothes, the flame on his tail flickering weakly.
*Pika!*
To lighten Ash's burden, Pikachu didn't ride on his shoulder as usual but ran alongside him.
Misty felt that the scene before her was all too familiar.
Only this time, Ash didn't have a bicycle.
Ah, how she wished a bike would appear right now—she'd even let Natsume go a whole day without food if it meant having one.
"Ash, we need to move faster—Charmander's tail flame is about to go out."
Brock took off his own clothes to shield Charmander's tail from the wind.
"Rotom, Healing Ball!"
Suddenly, a loud voice rang out, and the next second, a green beam struck Charmander.
"Great, it's Natsume! We're saved!"
Ash's face lit up with relief.
"Let's head back to the Pokémon Center first!"
Natsume and Pokéball Rotom appeared.
Soon, everyone returned to the Pokémon Center. With a beam of light, Charmander appeared again.
*CHARR!*
The flame on his tail grew much larger, gradually returning to normal.
"Mr. Natsume, your Pokémon is incredible—Charmander's injuries have all healed."
Nurse Joy examined him and couldn't help but marvel.
"But… he still doesn't have any energy."
Brock and Ash looked at Charmander worriedly. He is still very weak.
"Of course. This little one hasn't eaten in days," Nurse Joy said, bringing out a standard Pokémon meal.
She tore open the package and placed it before Charmander, but he turned his head away, showing no interest.
"What's going on?"
The group was stunned.
"Charmander, did you eat my red pill?"
Natsume spoke up.
Hearing this, as if triggered by the words, Charmander turned and spat at him.
"Uh… wasn't that supposed to be Ember just now?" Misty tilted her head, feeling Charmander's reaction was a bit extreme.
"Natsume, didn't you say if someone wanted to die, they should take the red pill? If Charmander ate it, how is he still here with us?"
Ash recalled what Natsume had said earlier and couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Yeah. The way I set it up—the blue pill is a Potion concentrate, and the red pill is a Super Potion concentrate."
"Oh, and I added a little bit of aphrodisiac in there. That way, even if he really wanted to die, he wouldn't be able to focus on it."
Natsume said this matter-of-factly.
Charmander: "…"
He really didn't want to live anymore—abandoned by his Trainer, then swarmed by Spearow.
In despair, he remembered what Natsume had once told him.
So Charmander decisively swallowed the red pill—and suddenly, no more sore back, no more aching legs, energy rushing in!
To his shock, he grew uncontrollably restless, even chasing off the flock of Spearow that had been tormenting him.
But after the frenzy came endless emptiness.
Charmander panicked, thinking Natsume liked to speak in riddles, and quickly swallowed the blue pill.
And… he felt even better!
"Oh no, if this little one won't eat, he'll be in danger," Nurse Joy said worriedly.
Charmander's tail flame was shrinking again.
Seeing this, Ash and the others pulled out their own Pokémon food—biscuits, snacks, little treats.
But without exception, the despairing Charmander refused to touch a bite.
"Mr. Natsume, do you have a way?" Giselle walked over and looked at him.
She even brought out top-grade Pokémon food, the kind fire-types loved most.
But Charmander still wouldn't eat a single bite, his face showing only the look of one seeking death.
"Damn it, that scumbag deserves a good beating!"
Brock clenched his fists, angrier than he had ever been.
"Natsume, do you have a way?" Misty, like Giselle, looked at him expectantly.
"Natsume, please think of something!"
In this moment, Ash too immediately turned to Natsume.
After all, of everyone here, Natsume had the highest education.
Finding himself suddenly the focus of everyone's hopes, Natsume paused in thought.
"Let's try this." Natsume pulled out a small bottle from who knows where. Inside was a powder that looked a lot like salt.
He sprinkled the powder over the Pokémon food that the others had set out.
*Pika!*
Not far away, Pikachu, who had been dozing, twitched his nose and sat bolt upright as if revived from near death.
*Pika pi!*
He darted toward the food on the ground, but before he could take a bite, Natsume grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.
"Wait until Charmander eats first, then you can have some."
*Pika…*
Nearby, Pikachu held his nose, trying hard to look away, though his eyes kept sneaking back toward the food.
*Chan-seyyyyyy! Chan-seyyyyyy!*
From behind Nurse Joy, Chansey poked its head out, eyes full of longing.
"No, that's for Charmander."
Joy was startled. Her Chansey had undergone strict training—it would never leave its post under normal circumstances.
Unless it couldn't resist.
Charmander, who had been lethargic and unwilling to eat, suddenly showed interest once the powder was sprinkled.
He sniffed the air, and though his face still held reluctance, his body seemed uncontrollably drawn toward the food, unable to resist the aroma.
One bite. Two bites.
"Look, it's eating!" Misty pointed happily at the dish.
"Natsume, you're amazing!"
Unlike the clueless Ash and Misty, Joy and the others looked at Natsume with earnest eyes:
"Mr. Natsume, what is this? I want to learn it!"
"Natsume, what did you just add?"
"Mr. Natsume, please tell us—I need to know. This could be vital for treating anorexic Pokémon."
Giselle, Brock, and Joy all stared at him intently.
Meeting their expectant gazes, Natsume nodded seriously.
"It's a Lure, I added a Lure."
"…"
The air fell silent.
After a long moment, Misty broke it.
"Wait… aren't Lures harmful to Pokémon? A lot of Pokémon food brands that used them got shut down by the League."
"But if Charmander doesn't eat, it'll die," Ash blurted out, instinctively defending Natsume.
"No, Misty," Brock said, taking over.
"Those shady companies used stimulants to cover up defective food. Our Pokémon food is already high quality."
"While it's true long-term use of stimulants can harm a Pokémon's body, in an emergency like Charmander's, it's a life-saving measure."
"Brock's right." Natsume nodded, then continued:
"Medicine itself isn't good or bad—it depends on the situation and the person using it."
For example, the stimulant he gave Charmander had an aphrodisiac effect. For a baby Pokémon, it would only cause agitation.
But in the moment when it was attacked by Spearow, letting his fury out to scare them off was exactly the right outcome.
"I see… I've learned something, Mr. Natsume."
Giselle pulled out her notebook and began scribbling something down.
"By the way, Mr. Natsume…" Nurse Joy looked over:
"I don't think I've ever seen a Lure this irresistible to Pokémon. Where did you buy it?"
"Oh, that." Natsume fell into thought.
"Mm… I mixed it myself."
He had first developed this Lure back when he was at Professor Oak's lab.
Some of the Pokémon who had been with him a long time would inexplicably fall into depression and stop eating.
It had troubled Natsume greatly.
For the sake of their health, he was forced to create this formula, one that caused minimal harm to the body.
Basically… about the same as eating cheap spicy snacks.
At worst, a Pokémon with a weak stomach might just get diarrhea.
"Please, Mr. Natsume, I really need this."
Nurse Joy clasped Natsume's hand, pleading.
Though rare, she occasionally encountered one or two anorexic Pokémon at her center, which always left her at a loss.
"I could give you some." Natsume raised an eyebrow.
"No need, Joy." Giselle seized both their hands and pulled them apart, then said:
"For the next year, my family will likely be sending this to you anyway."
"Mr. Natsume!" Giselle suddenly turned to him, a blush flashing across her cheeks.
"Could you license this formula to *Kanto Pharmaceuticals*? I'll have my father pay you royalties!"
"Then mail this to him."
Natsume handed the half-bottle of powder to Giselle as he spoke.
He didn't care much. It was just something he had come up with by accident—unworthy of being counted among his *top ten true legacies*.
Still, earning some patent fees wasn't bad. The funds he'd need in the future would be enormous.
Giselle tucked the bottle away as though it were a priceless treasure.
She suddenly realized Natsume was like an untapped gold mine—every so often, he'd bring forth another surprise.
You can read more (around 50+ free chapters) of Natsume's adventure ad-free at [https ://ravenarchives .com/book/pokemon-who-let-him-leave-pallet-town]. Bulk uploads is a mess here, so updates here might be irregular.