Chapter 105. Gringey City Has a Blackout?
"Speaking of this, it was a few years ago..." Nurse Joy began slowly.
"At the time, Mr. Natsume was invited to Celadon University to help our medical school breed Happiny, but my Happiny wouldn't hatch, and finals were right around the corner, so I was almost in tears."
Nurse Joy cradled her face and, down to the smallest detail, told the story of how Natsume helped her and how the two of them eventually became both teacher and friend.
"Wow, Natsume, you're amazing!" Ash looked at Natsume with admiration.
"Heh-heh-heh, running into Teacher Natsume here was really unexpected."
Nurse Joy smiled faintly, the corners of her eyes curving as she glanced at Natsume.
Honora clenched her hand even tighter.
"There was such a thing?" Natsume looked utterly confused.
Nurse Joy: "..."
"I knew it."
Misty and Brock exchanged a look, deciding Natsume was being his usual self.
"Oh, I remember now."
Maybe the medicine was kicking in, because Natsume felt a bit clearer in the head.
He pointed at Nurse Joy and said:
"You're the ditz of a Nurse Joy who stole my model Egg and incubated it for an entire semester during the demo class!"
"I took the wrong one."
Nurse Joy lowered her head, embarrassed.
"Still, I've never forgotten Natsume's kindness."
"How should I repay you?"
Nurse Joy leaned in with a smile.
"You're doing great."
"I'll sponsor you!"
Honora stepped forward first, put herself between them, and handed over a black card with a Master Ball printed on it.
Nurse Joy didn't take it, only giving Honora a surprised glance.
Thump!
Honora felt something press against her backside.
She looked back.
Natsume had already fainted.
"Mr. Natsume, are you all right!"
Honora cried out.
"To help Teacher Natsume rest well, I added a teensy bit of sleep medicine."
Nurse Joy's voice drifted over.
At that, the corners of everyone's eyes twitched.
"She really has inherited Natsume's true teachings."
Misty muttered under her breath.
"Mhm."
Brock nodded.
Frowning, Honora propped Natsume up and let him lean on her shoulder.
"Nurse Joy, why is my Pikachu still so listless?"
Ash spoke as he lifted Pikachu.
"The medicine won't kick in until tomorrow."
"If you want it to recover faster, send it into a recovery pod."
"Recovery pod?"
"Isn't that only for severely injured Pokémon?"
Brock was startled.
Back then, Charmander had spent a night in one.
That thing is for keeping someone alive, and they don't use it lightly for other conditions.
"Heh~"
Nurse Joy yawned and spoke carelessly.
"I already told you, there aren't many Trainers in Gringey City, so the recovery pods have plenty of idle time."
Saying that, she got up and led everyone into a room.
Inside, rows of machines stood, with transparent, capsule-like pods of various sizes mounted on them.
Inside some of the machines, Pokémon were lying down—mostly Rattata, Magnemite, Meowth, and the like.
"These are mostly Pokémon from nearby factories who are recuperating from workplace injuries."
Nurse Joy spoke as she walked to an empty recovery pod.
"Hiss—"
She pressed a button, and the empty recovery pod opened.
Ash hurried forward and placed Pikachu inside.
Once the door closed and the machine powered up, Nurse Joy smiled faintly.
"In Gringey City, the last thing we lack is electric power—Thud!"
With a crisp sound, the machines around them went dark one after another, and outside went pitch-black as well.
"A blackout?"
Nurse Joy froze for a moment, then her face showed that something was very wrong.
"No, the Pokémon here will be in danger."
Brock reacted first.
"How about letting center-parted supply the power?"
Ash suggested.
"Pika?"
Dozing off, center-parted snapped its eyes open.
Why is it suddenly my problem?
"I'm afraid not."
"These machines draw a lot of power, and center-parted wouldn't last long."
Natsume spoke.
As for Natsume's Dragonite?
Don't even think about it.
It can't control the power in its body at all.
Charging is out of the question, and it might even blow this place up by accident.
"I remember that Pokémon Centers all have generators or something, right?"
Honora turned to Nurse Joy.
"Uh... I don't have one."
Nurse Joy put her hands behind her back and bowed her head, embarrassed.
This is Gringey City, you know?
It's the power hub of the entire Kanto region.
Who would've thought there'd be a blackout here?
"I have an idea!"
As if she'd thought of something, Honora stepped out and took out Natsume's special Great Ball.
"Go, Great Ball Rotom!"
"Rotom!"
Great Ball Rotom appeared and froze for a second the moment it saw Honora.
"Rotom, please—use a Heal Ball on these Pokémon."
Honora put her hands together and pleaded.
Seeing Honora give orders to Natsume's Pokémon, Nurse Joy raised an eyebrow.
"Rotom!"
Several green beams of light appeared, absorbing the Pokémon in the recovery pods.
When they reappeared, the Pokémon looked a little better in the face, but only a few had clearly improved.
Most of the Pokémon still looked uncomfortable, and that included Pikachu.
"Natsume's Pokémon seems to be able to heal injuries, but illnesses still need convalescence."
After a brief check, Nurse Joy found that the Pokémon suffering from workplace injuries had recovered.
In contrast, the ones that were ill hadn't improved much.
"Pikapi pikapi pi!"
The center-parted suddenly called.
"Cough, cough... You're saying you want to go check the Power Plant?"
Natsume's voice came.
"Pika—pi!"
The center-parted jumped, fur standing on end, and looked at Natsume, who had suddenly appeared behind it.
"Why do you show up like a Ghost-type every time?"
Misty covered her face.
"Mr. Natsume, why are you awake?"
Nurse Joy tilted her head, thinking maybe her dosage was too low.
Natsume didn't answer.
He simply wrapped his arms around Honora beside him.
"Eh?"
Honora stiffened in an instant, a rush of heat enveloping her as if she were being wrapped by a blazing furnace.
Her mind went blank, and her whole body froze rigidly on the spot.
A cool touch spread against him, and Natsume felt like he was hugging a big block of ice, which immediately made him feel much better.
As for why Nurse Joy's sleep medicine didn't work on him?
Back at the lab, he got sprayed with Sleep Powder every day.
He'd tried all sorts of sleep aids, and they barely affected him.
Wisps of vapor drifted up, catching Natsume's eye.
He looked down and saw Honora's face red as a ripe berry.
Mm.
Time to cool down a bit.
Natsume let go of Honora.
She froze, her lips quivering, then hugged him of her own accord.
"What are you doing?"
Natsume looked at her, puzzled.
"Mr. Natsume, does this feel a little better?"
Honora asked carefully.
"Yes."
Natsume nodded.
"But you hanging on me is tiring."
As he spoke, Natsume was about to push Honora away.
"It's fine."
"Natsume can hang on me."
In a panic, Honora scooped Natsume up in a princess carry.
Natsume: "?"
How are all of you so strong?
He shot Honora a glare, and she reluctantly set him down.
Natsume looked at everyone.
"Let's go take a look at the Power Plant."
"Okay, let's go now, or these Pokémon could be in danger!"
As a man of action, Ash responded first.
"Pika!"
In a rare turn, center-parted took the lead this time and walked at the very front.
Natsume narrowed his eyes.
In center-parted's hand was not its ever-present blanket.
It was—the booklet he'd given it on records of Legendary Pokémon.
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