Chapter 60. Illegal Construction
This time, Natsume's script replaced Giovanni's script.
As a result, there was none of the original plot where Team Rocket clashed with everyone, the St. Anne sank, and the group was stranded on a deserted island.
One week later, the St. Anne docked at a port city.
"Porta Vista, a city with no Gym and no real distinguishing features." Brock pulled out a map.
"Ah, no Gym?" Ash looked a little disappointed.
"However, I've heard they're developing it for tourism. Look over there." Honora pointed toward the sea in the distance.
Out there, an offshore construction base was ringed by numerous ships ferrying supplies back and forth.
The drilling roared, and ripples spread across the surface without pause.
Natsume glanced over and showed a faint look of displeasure.
If he remembered correctly, this was the very city where that Dynamax Tentacruel appeared.
It nearly destroyed the entire city.
"This is illegal construction. Hmph!" Misty suddenly grew indignant.
"Why?" Ash looked at her in confusion.
Misty was in a foul mood and didn't feel like explaining.
Honora, at her side, picked up the thread.
"Construction on this scale will severely impact the Pokémon living in the surrounding sea. I'm sure the person in charge never hired a researcher in Pokémon ecology to make a proper plan." As Honora spoke, she took out a book. "It's written in Mr. Natsume's book."
"Electabuzz will courteously convert secretly buried electrical cables into free charging stations, with a Thunderbolt service appended to collect overdue electricity bills."
—From A Thousand Ways Ecological Destruction Causes Pokémon to Trouble Human Society, author: Natsume.
"Why do you always like writing such weird things?" Misty skimmed the contents.
Although she groused aloud, she actually liked Natsume's satirical approach to promoting Pokémon ecological protection.
"I've got a feeling something's about to go wrong here." Misty looked worriedly at the rippling sea.
"Boh—" Water splashed on the surface, and a sky-blue Pokémon appeared.
"Horsea, my favorite Pokémon. Horsea, my favorite Pokémon."
"Uh, Natsume, how do I switch this Pokédex back from the custom intro to the original version?" Ash scratched his head, embarrassed.
"Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, B, A."
After a series of inputs, Ash entered a side-scrolling action game.
Ash: "???"
"Beat the final boss, Caterpie, and you can switch it back." Natsume gave Ash a thumbs-up.
"Forget it, I'll do it." Misty covered her face and took out her own Pokédex.
"Horsea, the Dragon Pokémon. When it senses danger, it powerfully sprays a special kind of ink from its mouth."
"Huh? This Pokémon doesn't look like a Dragon at all, and the Pokédex only lists it as Water-type, doesn't it?"
Ash leaned in, and the Caterpie mid-fight suddenly turned into a dragon.
He died six times in three seconds; at this rate, his Pokédex might never go back to normal.
"Heh-heh, that's what you don't know. Its final evolution, Kingdra, can have the Dragon type!" Misty explained.
"Wow, I didn't expect you to know that."
"Of course! Water-type Pokémon are my specialty!" Misty puffed out her chest proudly.
"And besides, my affinity with Water-type Pokémon is really strong!" She crouched and beckoned to the Horsea. "Come here, little one."
"Pff—" Horsea forcefully sprayed ink into the water in front of it.
"Haha, it must be because you look too fierce." Ash gloated.
Misty: "…"
"Hold on—don't you think the ink Horsea just sprayed looks a bit strange?" Honora had noticed something.
Everyone looked.
Only then did they realize that the ink Horsea had sprayed resembled two paintings—depicting the shapes of two Pokémon.
"That's… Tentacool and Tentacruel!" Misty cried out.
"Tentacool, my favorite Poké—beep—"
Ash shut off the Pokédex with a blank face.
"Hand it here. I'll enter a cheat code for you." Natsume reached out to Ash.
"Thanks, Natsume."
"Everyone, that Horsea seems to be injured." The observant Brock had found something.
He pointed at the fin on Horsea's back and spoke gravely.
"Could it have been bullied by Tentacool and Tentacruel?" Honora made the connection.
"Boom!"
A sudden, tremendous explosion sounded from the sea not far away.
Everyone turned to look, and their faces changed.
A transport ship had, for some unknown reason, exploded.
Dozens of crew members fell into the ocean.
"Rescue them! Go, Staryu, Starmie, Goldeen!" Misty reacted first.
"Go, Squirtle, Pidgeotto!" Ash followed close behind.
"Hahaha! My ultimate water-resistant Onix can finally be of use!"
Seeing people onshore throwing out Pokémon to save them, the crew were overjoyed—until they caught sight of Onix and nearly blacked out again.
Contrary to expectations, this Onix actually swam freely, and at impressive speed, showing no discomfort at all.
Very soon, in no more than two runs out and back, more than ten crew members were brought to shore.
"Aw, what a shame—Horsea was scared off." Misty looked at the empty sea, a little regretful.
"Oh? You wanted to catch it?" came Natsume's voice from behind.
They turned to see Natsume holding a dripping-wet brick in one hand and, in the other, an incapacitated Horsea.
"Here." Natsume returned Horsea into a Poké Ball and tossed it casually to Misty.
This Horsea might know something about the Dynamax Tentacruel, so it was better to take it along for now.
"Wait—weren't you the one who caught it?"
"Then I'll release it." At some point, the Poké Ball in Misty's hand had been spirited back into Natsume's.
"Hold it, I want it!" Misty hurriedly changed her tune.
"By the way, Natsume, up to now you've only had center-parted, Dragonite, and Rotom. Why not catch a few more?" Ash suddenly asked.
"No worries. I can borrow yours."
"…"
Putting away the sopping-wet brick, Natsume clapped his hands and walked over to the crew members who were still spitting up seawater.
"Are you all crew on this project?" Natsume got straight to the point.
"Yes. Thank you all so much." A slightly plump middle-aged man, seemingly the leader, stepped forward to thank them.
"League Inspector. Take me to your boss."
Natsume produced a black credential case.
At a glance, the crew all blanched.
"R-Right, we'll contact the boss right away and have her come pick you up!"
"Do not contact her to prepare in advance. Take us to her."
Natsume was direct.
With an awkward look, the lead crewman could only nod and guide them ahead.
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