The scorching sun baked the cracked earth. Ash raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, squinting at the faint outline of a village visible in the distance.
"Pika..." Pikachu lay weakly on Ash's shoulder, his ears drooping, and even his iconic red electric sacs seemed dim.
"Just a little longer, there's a village ahead," Ash whispered, his voice hoarse from thirst. He looked back at his companions, "Is everyone okay?"
"Water... I need water..." Xiao You dragged her heavy steps, her lips already cracked. "I never thought I'd crave a glass of water this much."
Brock, who was walking at the back, was in slightly better condition but was also drenched in sweat. "According to the map, that should be Dewdrop Village, known for its various Berries and crops. It shouldn't be short on water..."
When the four finally entered the village, they were met with an eerie silence. There were hardly any people on the streets, shop doors were tightly shut, and window sills were covered in thick dust. A Heat Wave blew through, rustling a few withered yellow leaves.
"This isn't right," Brock frowned. "This should be the busiest time for the market."
Ash walked to the nearest bakery. Through the dusty display window, he could see empty shelves inside. A "Temporarily Closed" sign hung on the door, with a date indicating it was two weeks ago.
"Pikachu?" Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and lightly tapped on the shop door with his paw, but there was no response from inside.
"Let's check the other shops," Xiao You suggested.
However, the situation was the same—restaurants, fruit stands, and snack stalls were all closed. The entire village seemed to have been paused, with only a few Pidgey chirping listlessly on dry branches.
"This is too strange," Brock said, stroking his chin in thought. "How could a village known for its agriculture..."
"Hey! Youngsters over there!" a hoarse voice suddenly called from behind.
The four turned around and saw an old man with white hair, leaning on a cane, standing at the street corner, waving at them. The old man was gaunt, his eyes sunken, but his gaze was still sharp.
"Grandpa Matsuki!" Brock exclaimed in surprise, quickly walking forward. "Do you remember me? At the Pokémon Breeder Exchange last year..."
"Brock? It's Brock!" The old man showed a long-lost smile, patting Brock's shoulder. "What brings you to our village? Now isn't a good time..."
"We're traveling through and wanted to find something to eat," Ash walked forward and bowed politely. "But all the shops are closed."
The old man sighed and shook his head: "Come with me, at least I can give you some water."
Grandpa Matsuki's house was a simple wooden cabin, plain but very tidy. He tremblingly took out a few cups and poured cloudy water from an earthenware pot.
"Sorry, this is all I have," the old man said apologetically. "We've run out of filtering materials."
Xiao You took the cup, hesitating as she looked at the tiny particles floating in the water. Pikachu sniffed it, and his ears immediately drooped: "Pika... (Smelly)"
"What happened, Grandpa Matsuki?" Brock asked with concern. "Isn't Dewdrop Village known for its abundant water sources and fertile land?"
The old man sat down heavily, his wrinkled face filled with worry: "It's a drought... an unprecedented drought. It hasn't rained a single drop in three months."
"Three months?" Ash's eyes widened in surprise. "But it's the rainy season now!"
"Exactly," the old man nodded. "In previous years, the river would overflow its banks at this time, and we'd worry about floods. But now..." He pointed out the window, "Go see for yourselves."
The four followed the old man to the riverbank at the edge of the village, and the sight before them was shocking—the wide riverbed was completely dry, crisscrossed with cracks, and a few stubborn weeds struggled to survive in the fissures. Whitened fish bones and withered water plants were scattered on the riverbed.
"This... how is this possible?" Xiao You squatted down, picked up a piece of cracked soil, and it crumbled into powder with a gentle squeeze.
"What's even stranger is the situation upstream," the old man pointed his cane into the distance. "Three days ago, I sent some young men from the village to check upstream. They said the water source was completely cut off, as if something was blocking it."
Ash and Pikachu exchanged a glance. "Pika?" Pikachu tilted his head, seemingly deep in thought.
"Grandpa Matsuki," Ash suddenly said, "Can we go check upstream? Maybe we can find the cause."
The old man looked at him in surprise: "You? But the journey is long, and..."
"We have our Pokémon partners, we'll be fine," Brock patted his chest reassuringly. "Besides, we can't just stand by and watch the village suffer."
A flicker of emotion crossed the old man's eyes. He turned and went inside, returning with a few shriveled Berries: "Take these, though there aren't many..."
"Thank you, but please keep these for those who need them more," Ash politely declined. "We'll be back as soon as possible."
After leaving the village, the four proceeded upstream along the dry riverbed. The scorching sun continued to relentlessly bake the earth, and every step kicked up fine dust.
"What do you think is blocking the water source?" Xiao You asked as they walked. "A rockslide?"
"Unlikely," Brock analyzed. "If it were a rockslide, the people Grandpa Matsuki sent should have found it. And this drought came too suddenly..."
"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu suddenly jumped down from Ash's shoulder and quickly ran to a large rock ahead, his ears perked up vigilantly.
"What's wrong, Pikachu?" Ash quickly followed.
A rustling sound came from behind the rock, and then a Mankey leaped out, baring its teeth and glaring at them. This Mankey looked weak and emaciated, its fur had lost its luster, and its belly was sunken.
"Mankey..." Xiao You said with concern. "It's starving."
Pikachu hesitated, then pulled out a cherished Berry from his small backpack and carefully pushed it towards the Mankey: "Pika... (For you)"
The Mankey eyed them warily, then looked at the Berry. In the end, hunger overcame fear, and it snatched the Berry, devouring it ravenously.
"Pika Pika... (Eat slowly)" Pikachu said softly.
After eating, the Mankey's demeanor visibly softened. It curiously observed the humans and Pokémon, then suddenly pointed upstream along the riverbed, gesticulating excitedly.
"What is it saying?" Xiao You asked.
Ash watched the Mankey's movements intently, then realized: "It says there's a 'big sleepy bug' blocking the water upstream!"
"Big sleepy bug?" Brock frowned. "What Pokémon would be called a big sleepy bug..."
"Snorlax!" Ash and Pikachu exclaimed in unison.
The Mankey nodded, then made an exaggerated sleeping gesture, and mimicked water being blocked.
"That makes sense!" Brock clapped his hands. "Snorlax is huge. If it's sleeping in the riverbed upstream..."
"It would completely block the water flow!" Xiao You finished his sentence.
The Mankey suddenly jumped onto a rock and waved at them, signaling them to follow.
"It's going to lead us to Snorlax," Ash translated. "Let's hurry and follow!"
As they continued, the riverbed gradually narrowed, and the vegetation on both banks became denser. The Mankey nimbly led the way, occasionally looking back to ensure they were keeping up.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu suddenly perked his ears, his small nose twitching. "Pika Pika! (I smell water!)"
"Really?" Xiao You asked in surprise. "Where?"
Pikachu pointed to a bend ahead. As they rounded the river bend, the sight before them stunned everyone—
A giant Snorlax lay sprawled across the center of the riverbed, its round belly slowly rising and falling with its breathing, completely blocking the entire waterway. Upstream behind it, a small pool of trapped water could be seen, its surface already very low, surrounded by struggling Water-type Pokémon.
"Oh my god..." Xiao You covered her mouth. "It really blocked the entire riverbed!"
"No wonder the downstream is completely dry," Brock exclaimed. "Its size is just too exaggerated!"
The Mankey jumped onto a rock, pointing at the Snorlax and gesticulating angrily. Ash listened carefully, then translated: "It says Snorlax has been sleeping for almost a month, and the nearby Pokémon are almost dying of thirst."
"We have to wake it up," Ash said firmly, taking a few steps forward. "Hey! Snorlax! Wake up!"
Snorlax remained motionless, only its snores booming like thunder.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. "Lightly, just enough to wake it up."
"Pi-ka-chu!" A faint electric current hit Snorlax's belly, but it merely scratched the electrified spot, rolled over, and continued to sleep. This roll allowed more water to seep from upstream, but it was quickly blocked again by its massive body.
"Completely useless..." Xiao You said dejectedly.
Brock thought for a moment, then took out a Poké Ball: "Let me try. Onix, use Rock Tomb!"
After Onix appeared, he used his tail to pick up a few rocks and hurled them at Snorlax. The rocks bounced off Snorlax's body, and it continued to sleep soundly.
"Pika... (What do we do)" Pikachu looked at Ash with concern.
Ash pondered for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up: "Wait, maybe I can communicate with it." He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and concentrated.
This was Ash's special ability—telepathy with Pokémon. He slowly walked towards Snorlax and gently placed his hand on its soft belly.
In an instant, Ash's consciousness seemed to be drawn into a dream world. Blurred images and sounds surrounded him, and he could feel Snorlax's consciousness—contentment, drowsiness, and a hint of... sadness?
"Snorlax," Ash called out in his mind, "Can you hear me?"
A huge figure emerged in the dream, Snorlax half-opened his eyes and looked at him: "Snorlax... (Who's disturbing my sleep...)"
"I'm Ash. You've blocked the river, and the villages and Pokémon downstream are almost dying of thirst."
Snorlax blinked in confusion: "Snorlax? (Me?)" He seemed to be recalling, "Snorlax, Snorlax... (I remember I was looking for food... then I got too tired...)"
"You've been sleeping for a month," Ash patiently explained. "If you don't move, many lives will be in danger."
Snorlax's expression turned guilty: "Snorlax... (I didn't know...)" But then he immediately showed a sleepy expression again, "Snorlax, Snorlax... (But I'm so tired... I don't want to move...)"
Ash's consciousness returned to reality. He opened his eyes and saw the concerned looks of his companions.
"How was it?" Xiao You asked eagerly.
"It didn't know its actions caused the drought," Ash explained. "But it's too sleepy and unwilling to wake up."
"Pika? (Why?)" Pikachu tilted his head and asked.
Just then, Brock suddenly noticed something: "Wait, look under Snorlax's belly!"
Everyone looked closely and found a large quantity of Berries pressed between Snorlax's belly and the ground, some of which had already started to ferment.
"I get it!" Brock suddenly realized. "Snorlax pressed down on its food reserves in its sleep, and the fermented Berries produced an alcohol-like effect, making it even more drowsy!"
"So it's caught in a vicious cycle," Xiao You continued his thought. "The more it sleeps, the less it wants to wake up, and the less it wakes up, the more it sleeps..."
"We have to help it clear away those fermented Berries," Ash said. "Pikachu, can you carefully dig them out with Iron Tail?"
"Pika! (Leave it to me!)" Pikachu jumped to Snorlax's side, his tail shimmering with metallic luster, and carefully began to work.
Brock also sent out Geodude to help: "Use Rollout to move the dug-out Berries away!"
After half an hour of effort, they finally cleared most of the fermented Berries. With the removal of these "natural sleeping pills," Snorlax's snores began to become less steady, and he occasionally twitched his body.
"It's almost working!" Xiao You whispered excitedly.
Ash once again placed his hand on Snorlax, entering the telepathic state: "Snorlax, listen, we've helped you clear away those fermented Berries. Now it's time to wake up, everyone needs you."
In the dream, Snorlax's eyes fully opened: "Snorlax... (I feel much more awake...)" He showed an apologetic expression, "Snorlax, Snorlax... (I'm really sorry for causing so much trouble...)"
In the real world, Snorlax's huge body suddenly stirred, then slowly sat up. He rubbed his eyes, looked around blankly, and when he saw the dry riverbed and the expectant gazes around him, his expression became very guilty.
"Snorlax, Snorlax! (I'll move right now!)" He clumsily stood up and swayed to the riverbank.
In an instant, the trapped water finally found its outlet, and the rushing water surged down, washing over the cracked riverbed. Happy cries of Water-type Pokémon could be heard in the distance.
"We did it!" Xiao You cheered, jumping up.
Snorlax looked at the flowing river, then at the destruction he had caused, his ears drooping: "Snorlax... (I'm really a lot of trouble...)"
"Don't say that," Ash comforted him. "You didn't do it on purpose. And now the problem is solved."
"Pika Pika! (That's right!)" Pikachu jumped onto Snorlax's shoulder, patting him friendly.
Snorlax's expression brightened: "Snorlax, Snorlax! (Thank you all!)" He suddenly remembered something, clumsily walked to a nearby patch of trees, and soon returned with a large pile of fresh Berries, "Snorlax! (Please accept these!)"
"Wow!" Xiao You looked at the plump, juicy fruits in surprise. "These are enough to take back to the village!"
Brock had already taken out his map and was studying it: "According to the water flow speed, the village should have its water supply restored by tomorrow morning."
"Then let's camp here tonight," Ash suggested. "And make sure the water flows smoothly."
As night fell, they built a campfire by the riverbank. Snorlax sat nearby, contentedly munching on Berries. Pikachu and the other Pokémon gathered around, sharing food and stories.
"Aren't you going to catch it?" Xiao You whispered to Ash, pointing at Snorlax.
Ash shook his head: "It belongs here. And..." He looked at the heartwarming scene of Snorlax interacting with the wild Pokémon, "Some friendships don't need a Poké Ball to maintain."
"Pika... (Agreed)" Pikachu leaned against Ash's leg, his eyes happily narrowed.
Snorlax seemed to have heard their conversation, turning his head to reveal a simple, honest smile: "Snorlax, Snorlax! (We're friends!)"
Under the starlight, the river flowed merrily, as if playing a celebratory melody. Tomorrow, Dewdrop Village would welcome its long-awaited vitality, and it all began with a chance encounter and a heart willing to help others.