At their feet, Midchu looked enviously at Pikachu's tail.
Hugging his little blanket, he walked over and raised his tail toward Natsume.
*Pika pika pi!*
*Coach, I want to learn this too!*
"What are you doing?" Seeing Midchu suddenly stick his rear up at him, Natsume thought for a moment, then deliberately lifted his foot.
*Pika—!*
Midchu went flying.
An offered backside—why not kick it?
Clutching his butt, Midchu stood up with teary eyes.
Not good… what if his Trainer starts siding with others?
Behind him, Natsume's calm voice followed:
"To digest the special steel solutions, your exercise needs to double. Otherwise your joints will stiffen."
Midchu's ears suddenly perked up.
"Could it be… Midchu is about to give up his laziness?"
Ash looked at him full of hope.
*Pika—* Midchu pulled his blanket over itself, refusing.
"Aw, come on! Natsume, aren't you going to do something about it?"
Ash pointed at Midchu, confused.
"Why should I?"
Natsume took a sandwich from Brock, glancing oddly at Ash.
"Well… because Midchu's too lazy, always slacking off in training."
Ash wasn't used to Natsume's indifferent attitude.
"Yeah, and Natsume, aren't you also entering the Indigo League?" Misty chimed in with her mouth full of sandwich.
"That… my old philosophy of Pokémon raising was to let things take their course, respecting their nature," Natsume replied without turning his head.
"Old? And now?" everyone asked curiously.
"Now I've realized that raising them like that only makes them lazy and gluttonous."
"Then why keep indulging it?" Misty asked, puzzled.
"Because I understand now." Natsume took a slow bite of his sandwich, then spoke:
"Respecting their nature doesn't mean neglecting them—it means finding ways to awaken their hidden potential."
Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, his gentle demeanor shifting.
"Do you know?" Natsume said mysteriously.
"Before a Magikarp leaps the Dragon Gate, it lies dormant in deep pools for three whole seasons, its scales as dull as gravel."
"So you mean… Midchu is about to get stronger?" Ash asked.
"No—Natsume must mean he's found Midchu's direction for growth!"
Unlike the usual bickering of Ash and Misty, Brock seemed truly inspired. After all, he had studied Pokémon breeding on his own.
Compared to outsiders, Brock better understood what Natsume meant, and he couldn't help but ask:
"Natsume, could you tell me about Midchu's future training direction? I'm really curious."
"At the moment… I can't see his future."
Brock: "…"
"Anyway, where are we heading next?"
Ash and Misty suddenly stopped their arguing, turning toward Natsume and Brock.
"The closest would be Vermilion City."
Brock rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Alright, then let's go to Vermilion City! We can also board the luxury cruise, the St. Anne—it'll definitely be worth it!"
Misty's eyes sparkled with longing.
"Yeah! Let's go!"
Ash wiped his mouth and stood up, full of energy.
Deep in the forest, a heavy mist spread all around.
"Natsume, where did you bring us?"
In the thick fog, Ash looked around, confused.
"*Slurp~* Not sure, but the navigation shows there's a school nearby."
At the side, a white tablecloth, a small vase—a proper afternoon tea setup.
Natsume sat on a chair that seemed to appear from nowhere, holding a cup of coffee.
*Pika—ka!*
Midchu copied Natsume's posture, holding a cup of juice and sipping from it.
*Pika—chu!*
*Good stuff, certified!*
"It's getting dark! Don't you two care at all?" Misty clenched her fists at Natsume.
"Being anxious won't help. Better to sit and rest."
Natsume leaned back comfortably, utterly relaxed.
"Ahhh!!! How can you be like this? Brock's always in charge of our supplies and he hasn't given up! Brock, what are you doing?"
At the other end of the table, Brock also held a cup of coffee, his face filled with bliss.
"These beans are from the morning mists atop Mt. Coronet in Sinnoh." He inhaled deeply, intoxicated.
"Slow-roasted by volcanic geothermal heat, carrying a unique smoky, mineral-rich flavor… rare and unmissable!"
"Sounds amazing." Ash, still searching for the path, looked over curiously.
"Natsume, give me and Pikachu a cup too."
"Me too!" Misty leaned closer, equally intrigued.
"Kids shouldn't drink this." Natsume handed them each a cup of juice instead.
"Tangelo Juice. Straight from the Orange Islands." The price stickers still on the cups made Misty twitch at the corners of her mouth.
"Alright, now that we're done drinking, what about dinner?"
*Pika pika—*
After finishing the juice in just a few gulps, Ash's stomach growled even louder.
"I didn't cook. Natsume said we could borrow the school cafeteria, so I left it at that." Brock was still lost in his coffee.
"Then where's the school? Natsume—where did he go?"
Misty suddenly noticed the seat across from them was empty. Natsume was gone, leaving only Midchu staring blankly at the vacant chair.
Through the fog, faint lights began to glow.
As they drew closer, a building took shape.
At the top floor, in an office with floor-to-ceiling windows, two figures faced off.
"Natsume, my Pokémon Mimicry System broke down some time ago. I'm afraid I can't lend it to you!"
On the chair stood an old man with a white beard, tense as he glared at the seemingly harmless young man opposite him.
*Ding!*
**Fog Simulation Internship has ended**
**Next internship: *Snow Simulation*. Please prepare accordingly.**
The campus broadcast echoed across the land. A strong wind swept through, and the fog cloaking the forest dispersed, revealing a massive school campus in full view.
*Cough, cough*
The white-bearded old man cleared his throat, the atmosphere awkward.
"Relax, Dean Jim. I've left Professor Oak's lab—I'm just traveling now."
As he spoke, Natsume quietly scooped a handful of coffee beans from the tin on the desk.
Jim ignored the motion, staring at him suspiciously.
"So? What are you here for?"
"I—" Natsume began, but Jim cut him off.
"No lending students. No lending facilities. And most importantly, no lending Pokémon!" After a pause, he added:
"Even with paperwork from Professor Oak or the League, it's still a no!"
"Don't be so tense, Dean Jim." Natsume pulled out a chair and sat down.
"I'm just passing through. No place to sleep, no food to eat, and my stomach's growling."
He looked utterly pitiful.
"Really?"
Having clearly been burned before, Dean Jim still eyed him with deep suspicion.
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.