Chapter 279: Nincada in the Field! The Star Who Can't Sing

"Then it's settled. I'll take care of the rest. Natsume, just sit back and look forward to it," Yamada Kaichou said with great enthusiasm.

Natsume smiled. "I'll leave it to you, Yamada Kaichou."

After briefly discussing the details with Natsume, Yamada Kaichou went off to make the necessary arrangements. Natsume, meanwhile, continued harvesting the Hearty Grains with Sandslash and the others.

It had to be said, Scyther and Kabutops were incredibly efficient. With their help, a large area of land was quickly cleared.

"Natsume, I found something amazing!" Diancie suddenly exclaimed from the fields.

"What is it?" Natsume walked over to Diancie.

Diancie and a few Carbink were gathered around a Pokémon that had been dug up from the ground.

"Sandshrew."

The nearby Sandshrew also curiously approached.

Natsume stepped forward and looked at the Pokémon. "Isn't this a Nincada?"

Nincada, a Bug- and Ground-type Pokémon. They resemble gray ants and can evolve into Ninjask or Shedinja. Nincada usually live under large trees, surviving by absorbing nutrients from the roots. This Nincada had likely been hiding underground due to the rich life energy in the soil.

This Nincada was level 19, almost ready to evolve.

"Nincada."

The Nincada nervously looked at the Pokémon surrounding it. As it tried to back away, Arcanine stepped forward, pawed at it a couple of times, and then picked it up with its mouth.

The poor Nincada froze in fear at the sight of Arcanine's large head.

Natsume patted Arcanine. "Don't scare the little one. Put it down."

"Awooo~"

Arcanine obeyed, gently placing the Nincada back on the ground.

"Hello there, little one," Natsume said, looking at it. "Have you been living here all along?"

The Nincada timidly nodded at Natsume.

Natsume smiled. "A native, huh? In that case, you can keep living here."

The Nincada looked at Natsume with gratitude.

"By the way, you're almost ready to level up. How about joining a Poké Ball? I can help you train for a couple of days to speed up your evolution."

Hearing this, the Nincada immediately nodded in agreement.

"Then come on in."

Natsume took out a Poké Ball and tapped it on the Nincada.

Shake~ Ding~.

Nincada, successfully captured.

"Dragonite."

The sound of Dragonite's cry echoed from the sky.

Whoosh~

Dragonite flapped its wings, ruffling everyone's hair and clothes. The surrounding Hearty Grains swayed and bent under the gust.

"Sandslash."

Sandslash waved its claws in protest at Dragonite in the sky.

"Dragonite~"

Dragonite landed in front of Natsume.

"Tone it down a bit. You're like a helicopter," Natsume said, tapping Dragonite's head.

Dragonite scratched its head sheepishly, then eagerly looked at Natsume.

Natsume smiled. "You're well-informed, huh?"

"Dragonite~"

Dragonite explained that Rina had mentioned it while picking up the cakes.

"That's right," Natsume nodded. "We're holding an autumn harvest festival here. By evening, vendors will start setting up stalls. There'll also be a fireworks display. It's going to be lively."

Natsume himself was starting to look forward to it.

"Dragonite~"

Behind Dragonite, Aiko jumped down from the back of a Dragonair. She enthusiastically gave Natsume a hug.

"Long time no see."

Natsume patted Aiko's soft waist, then let go and looked at the woman beside her. "And who's this?"

Aiko playfully blinked. "Natsume, does she look familiar?"

The woman next to Aiko was dressed simply, but her natural elegance couldn't be hidden by her clothes. Her impressive figure was still noticeable even under a white long-sleeve shirt. Her legs were long, and the high-waisted pants seemed to fit her perfectly. Under her hat, her face was clean, likely without makeup. Yet, even without it, she was stunning, with natural lip color. However, her expression was somewhat melancholic, giving off a somber vibe.

Natsume studied her carefully and indeed found her familiar.

"Natsume."

"My name is Misuzu."

As Natsume was observing her, the woman named Misuzu took off her hat. After all, the man in front of her was currently Japan's most powerful and legendary Trainer. His experiences were even more fantastical than those in fantasy movies. Although Misuzu was indeed very famous, she paled in comparison to Natsume.

Natsume suddenly realized. "Ah, I know you. I've seen many of your movies. I didn't expect to meet you in person today."

Misuzu was a very famous Pokémon movie star who also wrote her own songs and lyrics. She was a talented actress and singer.

Misuzu forced a smile. "I'm glad you like my work, Natsume. I also really enjoy watching your battles. I look forward to seeing one in person."

"Lopunny."

The Lopunny, who had recognized Misuzu, hopped over excitedly. The Lopunny loved watching movies in their free time, so they were big fans of the woman in front of them. Seeing her in person, they happily greeted her.

Natsume noticed that Aiko seemed to have something she wanted to discuss.

"Lopunny, why don't you show Misuzu around the farm?"

"Lopunny~"

After they walked away, Natsume turned to Aiko. "Is something wrong with her?"

The usually cheerful Aiko now looked troubled. "Natsume, how can someone suddenly lose the ability to sing without any apparent reason?"

"Huh?"

Natsume looked surprised and turned his gaze toward Misuzu, who was walking along the field with Lopunny.

"You're saying she can't sing anymore? Did she lose her hearing or something?"

Aiko shook her head. "No, her hearing is fine, and her vocal cords aren't damaged. She just... can't sing anymore."

Natsume frowned slightly. "I think this might be a psychological issue, like some kind of trauma or mental block. Did something happen to Misuzu?"