Chapter 2. Natsume, Where Did You Get That Brick?
An ordinary Pikachu is like a stray dog by the roadside, but Ash Ketchum's Pikachu can be called divine.
Why?
A deep question lingered in Natsume's mind.
Even though Ash's Pikachu is very special, and even though Natsume, at Professor Oak's laboratory, has had countless chances to take advantage of being nearby, he has never had the slightest thought of taking Ash's Pikachu.
Ah, because he checked with the IV appraisal app on his Rotom Phone, and right now Ash's Pikachu's six IVs are all nothing special.
That proves that, at the start, Ash's Pikachu was just an ordinary Pikachu.
It was Ash who made Pikachu great, not Pikachu who made Ash.
So what Natsume needs to figure out is how Ash made Pikachu great.
On a path in Viridian Forest, Natsume sorted out his thoughts and nodded in deep agreement with himself.
"Natsume, be a decent person!"
Up ahead came Ash's strained voice.
Natsume looked forward and saw Ash struggling to drag Pikachu along.
Right now, Ash's Pikachu was still in its rebellious phase, not only refusing to enter its Poké Ball but also refusing to obey Ash's commands.
For this condition, Natsume believed a few Spearow would cure it.
With no other choice, Ash could only wear insulated gloves and "tie" Pikachu in place as they tugged each other along.
Only, unlike the anime, Ash at this moment had two ropes in his hands, pulling two Pokémon.
On the left was a Pikachu, and on the right was also a Pikachu.
The other Pikachu was one Natsume had asked for from Professor Oak.
For a research project, you need a control group.
To tell them apart, Natsume combed his own Pikachu's fur into a center part.
"Pika?"
The center-parted Pikachu tilted its head and looked at Natsume, baffled.
It didn't understand why its Trainer would allow this human to drag it along.
But if its Trainer was doing this, there had to be a deeper meaning.
The center-parted one took that to heart, and, copying Ash's Pikachu, simply plopped down on its rear and let Ash drag it along.
"Ah! Natsume, look at him—look at him!"
Pointing at center-parted one, Ash looked at Natsume with a face full of despair, as if to say:
"If you don't take it back, my Pikachu is going to rub off on it in all the worst ways."
Who would have thought Natsume paid him no mind, instead focusing all his attention on a patch of grass up ahead.
Curious, Ash stopped and looked too.
The grass rustled, and a Pokémon leaped out.
"It's a Pokémon!"
Ash's eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled out his Pokédex.
[Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Unlike Pidgey, it has a very violent temper.]
"Awesome! It's a Spearow!"
Ash's eyes sparkled as he looked at the Spearow, fighting spirit surging.
Watching Ash snap into battle mode in a second, Natsume clicked his tongue in admiration.
Worthy of a future battle maniac.
But looking at that Spearow, Natsume's feelings were entirely different from Ash's.
This Spearow…
Natsume's eyes narrowed.
Right now, Ash's Pikachu was rebellious to the extreme, refusing to listen to anyone, so it was naturally impossible to cooperate with Natsume for any related research tests.
Natsume planned to push along the original plot's Spearow attack to help smooth out Ash and Pikachu's relationship.
Thinking this, Natsume walked toward Ash.
At this moment, Ash's fighting urge, once kindled, quickly sputtered out.
His Pikachu simply wouldn't listen to him.
"No, I have to catch my first Pokémon that belongs to me!"
Thinking that, Ash fished his pajamas out of his backpack, planning to sneak over and throw them over the Spearow.
"Pat!"
A pair of big hands suddenly pressed down on Ash.
It was Natsume, and under Ash's puzzled gaze, Natsume handed him a brick".
If Natsume remembered right, in the original, Ash threw a brick, enraged the Spearow, and brought down an attack from the entire Spearow flock.
At the critical moment between life and death, he stood up to protect Pikachu, and their relationship heated up rapidly.
Staring at the "brick" Natsume handed over, Ash was dumbfounded.
"Natsume, where did you get that brick?"
"A-hem, well, when you're out and about, you can't go wrong with brute force and a flying brick—knock it out and the capture chance goes way up!"
Natsume coughed twice, his fair face showing a patient, persuasive expression.
"Really?!"
Ash's eyes lit up, and he took the brick from Natsume like he was throwing a Poké Ball, hurling it at the Spearow.
Although Ash's motion was very clumsy, as if fated, the brick landed on the Spearow's head.
"Thud!"
A huge welt popped up on the Spearow's crown.
"Hooray! A hit!"
Ash jumped up in celebration.
But he quickly realized something was wrong.
That Spearow didn't go down because of it—tears welled in its eyes instead, and it turned to glare viciously at Ash.
For some reason, a bad premonition rose in Ash's heart.
"Screee—"
The Spearow threw back its head and let out a piercing screech.
"Whoosh!"
In an instant, like rain falling, dozens of dark shapes dropped from the sky.
All of them were Spearow, all glaring at Ash with ferocity.
Ash swallowed hard, seemingly frightened, and stammered:
"N-Natsume, I threw it, a-and then what?"
Ash looked back, but Natsume was nowhere to be seen.
Looking down, Ash discovered that even on the rope in his own hand there was only one Pikachu left, staring up at him with a look of utter resignation.
Looking back again, Natsume had already run so far he'd vanished.
"Run for it—!"
From far away came Natsume's voice as he fled, and Ash stood petrified on the spot.
In that moment, he seemed to understand why everyone had asked him to look after Natsume.
"Natsume, you traitor—"
Behind him, the massed flock of Spearow swallowed Ash up.
Seeing that, Natsume stopped.
It wasn't that he lacked loyalty—he just didn't have Ash's Pallet Town–superhuman constitution.
Ash could get mobbed by Spearow and come out without so much as a scratch.
He could even pedal his bicycle like it was flying afterward to get Pikachu to the Pokémon Center.
Natsume didn't have that transcendent physique—if he didn't run early, even if he didn't die, he'd shed a layer of skin.
"You silly thing, I'm doing this for your own good."
Natsume took off his cap and held it to his chest, observing three seconds of silence for Ash.
Then he turned on his heel and headed in advance toward the Pokémon Center—he planned to wait for Ash there.
As he walked, Natsume pulled out his Rotom Phone.
"Rotom!"
"Rotom, locate the nearest Pokémon Center."
"Rotom!"
The Rotom Phone chirped twice and quickly plotted out a route map.
Natsume glanced at it and nodded in satisfaction.
This Rotom Phone was a newbie gift pack item from the system, and, to be fair, it was unbelievably convenient.
Rotom, Electric/Ghost-type, the Plasma Pokémon, can slip into various appliances.
Although in the games Rotom only has five appliance forms—Mow Rotom, Wash Rotom, Heat Rotom, Fan Rotom, and Frost Rotom—
Games are games; what's that got to do with reality?
In reality, by developing Rotom, Natsume had completed quite a few research projects assigned by the system.
He'd even collected a large sum in patent fees for related projects.
Air-conditioner Rotom, motorcycle Rotom, electric toy Rotom…
He'd developed them all.
Walking along, Natsume was also calculating that, once he got to the Pokémon Center, he would definitely bathe, change, and light incense, then scratch all ten lottery tickets he'd saved up over the years in one go!
Suddenly, as if he had seen something, Natsume stopped.
Not far away, a familiar-looking girl was pushing a bicycle and coming along at a slow pace.
"Excuse me, how do I get to the Pokémon Center around here?"
The girl stopped Natsume.
Seeing Misty push her bicycle up close, Natsume raised an eyebrow.
Speaking of which, would Misty's Psyduck count as a special case among ordinary populations?
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