Chapter 0649: He Finally Showed Proper Respect(Two-in-One)

The two days spent in Undella Town were peaceful and relaxing.

Several amusing incidents occurred during that time.

For instance, Iris's newly caught Dragonite threw a tantrum while Natsume and Cynthia were out shopping—until Sylveon taught it some manners with a well-placed Giga Impact, after which it became much more obedient.

Then there was Gengar, who sought Meloetta's advice on singing techniques—

According to Great Detective Rotom's later account, the little ones barely escaped Gengar's "vocal performance" thanks to Rotom's Ally Switch.

The wild Pokémon of Undella Town weren't so lucky...

Lines of glowing Tentacool fled the coastline overnight. On the bright side, this drastically reduced swimming hazards for tourists.

Officer Jenny remarked that Natsume truly was an expert at managing "wild Pokémon disturbances"!

When Natsume later learned of this, he glanced at Gengar, who was cheerfully humming while cleaning the room.

Not even Meloetta's artistic influence could salvage "Godzilla Gengar's" deadly vocals.

Then again, from another perspective, his Gengar's mastery of Perish Song was something even Meloetta couldn't rival!

"Perhaps this is the bond between me and the Perish Song team," Natsume mused with mixed feelings.

Over those two days, Cynthia diligently guided Iris in training, while Natsume continued teaching Ash about battle strategies.

"Since you favor Flying-types, sticking with Aerial Ace is fine," Natsume remarked.

A hyper-offensive team composition might be cheesy, but it was undeniably fun.

Don't ask—just accept that Pirate Warrior reigns supreme!

Ash nodded, then glanced back at Iris, who was chatting with Cynthia.

Dragonite loomed arrogantly behind her—until it noticed the fierce Sylveon sister glaring its way, at which point it sheepishly folded its wings.

"My Charizard... had a temper just like Iris's Dragonite," Ash recalled. "I wonder which one's stronger."

"This Dragonite was already high-level before being caught, and Iris has a natural affinity for Dragon-types," Natsume said. "Even your Charizard would need perfect coordination to surpass hers."

Ash's eyes burned with determination as he clenched his fist. "I won't lose at the Youth Tournament next week!"

Natsume crossed his arms and gazed skyward.

Two months after the World Championships Youth Tournament would come the Vertress Conference of the Unova League.

By then, his café would officially open for business.

Ash would also encounter the "unstoppable force" that was Cameron at the Vertress Conference.

Cameron wasn't particularly strong, but as a comedic character, he proved oddly difficult to defeat.

"The Vertress Conference isn't exactly prestigious..."

Natsume thought to himself:

"I'll save my match-watching for when Ash faces Alain at the Lumiose Conference."

That evening, the summer night was cool, wisps of white smoke curling up from the marble balcony.

Natsume, wearing an apron, was grilling outdoors.

The sizzling meat glistened golden, its juices dripping onto the coals with a sharp hiss as he sprinkled cumin and chili powder. Ash and Iris swallowed hard, mouths watering.

A sea breeze carried the sound of waves, and beneath the star-flecked night sky, the ocean stretched dark and endless.

Natsume and the others admired this view from the seaside villa's terrace.

"Meloetta~"

Meloetta floated in the air, its sea-green hair swaying in the wind as it pressed a hand to its chest and hummed an ancient melody.

Cynthia sat at the white-clothed table, legs crossed, idly stirring her juice with a straw, a faint smile on her lips.

The group's hearts settled into calm, the waves harmonizing with Meloetta's voice as faint blue lights flickered across the water.

"According to Unovan legend, that’s the undersea temple Meloetta protects,"

Cynthia said, her gray eyes distant. "For centuries, her tribe guarded her... to keep her from falling into the wrong hands."

Iris and Ash both looked at Meloetta.

"It must be lonely," Natsume murmured, flipping the meat with a sizzle.

"Watching those around it grow old while its songs become relics of the past."

The gentle melody drifted on the wind, unheard by Meloetta itself.

Cynthia fell silent. Iris propped her chin on her hand. "Human lifespans are nothing compared to Mythical Pokémon, huh?"

"Precisely why,"

Natsume said, transferring the golden-brown meat to a plate with a smile,

"humans seize the day—chasing infinity within finite time."

"Alright, dig in!"

The somber mood vanished as Ash and Iris cheered and lunged for the food. Natsume and Cynthia exchanged a glance.

"You want to take it back to Lumiose City?" Cynthia asked softly.

"I'll respect Meloetta's choice," Natsume whispered back. "More Pokémon means more liveliness... and a café could use a resident singer."

Cynthia smiled faintly, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear as a faint blush colored her pale cheeks.

"You're a remarkable sensei... and quite handsome."

"I'd prefer if you dropped the 'remarkable'," Natsume said.

Cynthia pinched his side in response. Natsume hissed through his teeth—but took the opportunity to catch her hand in his.

Fireworks bloomed along the coastline, their whistling ascent ('whoosh-whoosh!') illuminating the night sky—perhaps celebrating the height of summer.

Ash and Iris looked up simultaneously, and Natsume and Cynthia turned their gazes upward as well.

"Sirfetch'd! (′︿‵)"

Sirfetch'd clutched its prized leek spear tightly, privately relieved to have avoided becoming part of tonight's menu.

"Pupitar"

Pupitar stared at the lavish spread of food, tears welling in its eyes.

So hungry... Just want some chips...

……

The Day Before Leaving Undella Town

A minor incident occurred on their last day in Undella Town.

At the time, Togepi was lounging on the living room sofa, leisurely playing a game: "Togepi doo-ee~"

Suddenly, a thunderous BOOM shook the villa, sending Togepi bouncing off the sofa before it plopped back down.

"Doo-ee?" Togepi blinked curiously, then cheerfully picked up its handheld console again.

Outside, in the battle arena...

Krokorok was sparring with Dragonite.

"Krookodile!!"

In a desperate situation, Krokorok—inspired by its senior spectator, Sunglasses Blastoise—unleashed boundless fighting spirit, its body erupting in radiant white light as it evolved into the red-and-black-striped Krookodile!

Simultaneously, the ground beneath Krookodile cracked as it hoisted a massive boulder and hurled it at Dragonite with Rock Slide!

Rotom Pokédex panicked:

"W-wait, Rotom! Σ(°△°|||)︴"

"This’ll summon the renovation team... Luo-luo Rotom!" Rotom stammered nervously.

Dragonite smirked, flapping its wings to dodge.

The boulder slammed into the ground, shattering into pieces!

Iris and Ash's battle came to an abrupt halt as they stared at the massive crater, swallowing hard.

"This is bad..." Iris paled. "We're in trouble."

"It evolved! Krookodile!" Ash, oblivious to the severity, grinned. "Nice job!"

"Idiot Ash, this is Champion Cynthia’s luxury villa! The compensation for damages will be at least... at least..."

Iris counted on her fingers before wailing: "We’ll have to call Grandpa Drayden!"

"Eh? That serious?"

Ash scratched his head, but when he heard Iris’s estimate, his face fell.

"O-oh no, Pikachu!"

"Pikachu...Σ(°△°|||)" Pikachu stood upright, nervously backing away.

"If we apologize to Natsume-sensei and Champion Cynthia now, maybe they’ll go easy on us!"

Iris, realizing Ash bore most of the blame, covered her mouth, secretly delighted.

Ash slumped, gritting his teeth. "I’ll go find Natsume-sensei!"

Scene change.

Meloetta floated curiously over the crater, inspecting it left and right.

Natsume rubbed his temples, sighing as if this were routine:

"Should I call your mom, or will you do it?"

"I’ll call her myself." Ash’s apology was sincere.

Krookodile stood stiffly against the wall, sweating bullets, its sunglasses sliding down its snout.

After glancing at the still-expressionless Blastoise, Krookodile gulped.

...Can I even survive this?

"What exactly happened?" Cynthia rested her chin on her hand, asking softly.

After hearing the full story, Natsume mused:

"I see... Krookodile just evolved, so it couldn’t control its strength."

It seemed Ash’s future Unova ace, Krookodile, was already making its mark.

"Understandable," Natsume said. "But you and Krookodile should still reflect on this."

Ash & Krookodile: o(╥﹏╥)o

Iris smirked sideways—until Natsume-sensei called her out too, making her wilt.

"So we’ll need to hire repairs..." Natsume stroked his chin.

Cynthia: "I’ve already contacted Jervis. He’ll send a professional team."

A... professional team?

Natsume froze.

Less than thirty minutes later...

By the time they realized something was off, a cargo truck came speeding down the road.

The "professional team" screeched to a stylish halt. A vaguely familiar driver thumped out, slamming the door before opening the cargo hold—where a squad of Timburr workers marched out with purpose.

The foreman introduced himself: "Seaside Construction Co., Humilau City branch. Pleasure to meet you."

Natsume: "...Do you have a relative in Lumiose City?"

The foreman paused, then laughed. "That’d be my second uncle. Used to be a tenor."

Natsume: "What about the one in Saffron City?"

"That’s my eldest uncle..."

The foreman seemed to recall something, lips moving silently before he studied Natsume carefully.

His attitude suddenly became respectful.

"Natsume-sensei!"

Natsume pressed his lips together, speechless.

I get it now. Between me and construction companies... this is the fifth new "form" unlocked.

That evening...

Delia contacted Natsume-sensei, insisting on apologizing.

She was a strong, gentle mother—but unexpectedly stubborn at times.

"Really, it’s fine," Natsume said. "The foreman—Unova Form—waived the fees."

Delia repeated blankly: "Unova Form?"

"Just like Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny, and Don George in Unova..."

Natsume sighed deeply.

"It’s a very large family!"

……

After the Undella Town vacation, Meloetta joined their traveling party.

This shy, timid little one mostly stayed "invisible," occasionally perching on Natsume's shoulder, swinging its slender legs while happily munching on Pecha Berries.

As they prepared to leave, Sylveon strode forward on its snow-white, delicate limbs, its ribbon bow held high as it wrapped itself tightly around Natsume-sensei's arm.

The ribbons coiled even tighter—clearly possessive. Yet its expression remained aloof.

"Sylveon~(`^′)"

Most of the time, tsunderes couldn’t compete with sudden romantic rivals.

But Natsume was an Eri fan.

So, in Special Editions: Red's Romantic Entanglements, he particularly sympathized with the losing heroine, Misty.

Misty was there first... Whether it was their first battle side by side or the first time she lent him Gyarados...

"Ahem! Time to head to the airport." Natsume cut off his internal monologue.

Their next stop would be Opelucid City, followed by a ride to Lacunosa Town.

It had been a while since he’d ridden Arcanine through the wilds, startling rookie Bug Catchers—

Gave off the vibe of a max-level player casually strolling through a beginner village on a legendary mount.

Natsume daydreamed about it, idly scrolling through his group chat before takeoff, then waved his phone at Iris.

"Oh, Iris... Want to join the group? Just ask Ash to invite you."

Iris glanced at the member list, eyes sparkling, and declared loudly:

"Absolutely! Please, Natsume-sensei!"

Natsume smiled faintly.

Perfect. Another sync pair collected! (Scratch that.)

[Ding... Group member 'Iris' has joined the chat.]

"Welcome~!"

Gold was the first to react, sighing in disappointment: "Eh? What? I thought it was Elesa..."

Lt. Surge exhaled softly: "Just a kid, huh?"

Roxie snapped: "How badly do you guys want Elesa in here?!"

Gold: "Press 1 if you agree."

Wattson, ever the admirer of beauty: "1."

The embarrassing Electric-type expert and rap enthusiast Lt. Surge: "1."

Volkner, hoping to discuss tech mods with Elesa: "1."

Natsume instinctively raised a finger to type "1"—then froze as he felt Garchomp-like eyes boring into him from beside him.

[Group member 'Gold' has been muted by Group Owner 'Natsume-sensei' for 1 hour.]

Natsume calmly stated: "No spamming."

Sorry, Gold.

This is my tribute to Moe-Moe!

The reliable Blue Oak steered the conversation back on track: "Iris... A trainer from the Village of Dragons?"

"Yep!" Iris grinned. "Please guide me!"

"The elders of Blackthorn City often speak of you," Clair said with a smile. "The ability to sense Dragon-types' hearts... Even among Johto's Dragon Clan, it's rare."

Lance: "?"

Lance: "Isn’t that basic?"

Clair: "...Don’t get cocky, cousin."

Lance, regaining his composure: "Dragons are mighty creatures. Taming them requires bearing equal risks. If you have any Dragon-type questions, come to me, Iris."

Silver: "Sure they’re not Flying-type questions?"

A vein throbbed on Lance’s forehead. "Gold! Stop logging into Silver’s account!"

Silver, deadpan: "That wasn’t me just now."

"Thank you, Uncle Lance!" Iris beamed.

Lance: "..."

...Have I really grown so old that there’s a generational gap between me and new trainers?

Technically, Iris wasn’t wrong—she addressed both Drayden and Alder as "Grandpa."

Though younger than Ash, Iris had become Unova Champion, thanks in no small part to her Dragon Heart ability.

Since Generation I, Dragon-types symbolized rarity and power.

But after Fairy-types were introduced, their dominance plummeted.

Worse, Pokémon designers seemed obsessed with slapping the "Dragon" label on anything, further diluting their prestige.

If, in Gen V, Lance the Birdbrain could still bond with Hydreigon...

By Gen VIII, he’d be stuck trying to commune with Flapple and Dracovish...

"Compared to 'Dragon Heart,' Lucian’s 'Speed-Reading' seems way more practical," Natsume mused.

Among special abilities, Yellow, Lance, and Giovanni all possessed Aura of Viridian, but with different applications:

Yellow leaned toward bursts of power and healing; Lance synced with Dragonair for strategy; Giovanni excelled in endurance.

Natsume’s current abilities—The Power of One and Aura of Ripple—were both highly practical.

Still, he envied Ash’s True Newcomer Physique... which frankly surpassed human limits.

After welcoming Iris to the group, Natsume seriously considered inviting Elesa—

No, no. He needed to focus on the imminent Opelucid City ice crisis.

"We’re just passing through Opelucid City today... And even though Ash is with us..."

Natsume’s mood was complicated.

"...Surely it won’t be that coincidental?"

……

Lacunosa Town, Giant Chasm

Inside the dark aerial battleship, the Plasma Frigate stood docked.

Team Plasma's scientist, Colress, adjusted his glasses.

"Shadow Triad... Where's my intel?"

From Colress's shadow, three masked men knelt in unison, speaking as one:

"The 'DNA Splicers' are under the custody of Opelucid City's Mayor Drayden... According to legend, they possess the power to fuse two into one."

"I see..."

Colress's gaze flickered as he glanced down at the console before him.

"Relying on ancient relics like the 'DNA Splicers' to fuse Kyurem... How uninspiring." A flash of blue light reflected off his lenses, a momentary glimpse of his mad scientific conviction before his tone steadied. "No matter. It's the most efficient method."

No need to complicate things with untested technology.

"And if the operation fails?" the Shadow Triad rasped.

"Fails?"

Colress's lips curled into a sneer.

"Under the genius of Colress, failure is impossible!"

"Team Plasma moves out—"

Colress's voice turned icy.

"Destination: Opelucid City!"