I Have Caught a Pokémon

Leaving the Pewter City Gym with Misty, Natsui pointed towards the Science Museum across the street: "The museum here is very famous, it could be considered one of Pewter City's main attractions, what do you think, want to go take a look?"

"Sure," since she had nothing to do anyway, Misty agreed without a second thought.

They crossed the street and a museum of magnificent scale appeared before their eyes. Upon entering the building, Natsui bought two tickets, and together with Misty, entered the first-floor lobby.

The Science Museum was divided into two large areas, the exhibition area and the scientific research area. Unfortunately, the research area was not open to the public, so visitors could not enter and could only walk around and visit the exhibition area.

The exhibition area was divided into two floors, the first was a fossil exhibition. In the display cases were some rare Pokémon from ancient times, and the most important pieces were the fossil skeletons of an Aerodactyl and a Kabutops.

However, Misty didn't seem very interested in these fossils; she barely glanced at each display case before quickly moving on.

"I really don't understand why they display such scary things..."

The two went up to the second floor, and unlike the first, the theme here became space. The objects on display, in addition to historical relics and some meteorites that had fallen on the lunar surface, even included a model of a space shuttle!

When Natsui and Misty stood in front of the model, an old man saw them stop and began to speak on his own: "Several decades have passed in the blink of an eye since man first stepped on the moon. I've heard there are now plans to go to an even more distant red planet. This kind of news related to the universe, whether true or false, always manages to excite me!"

Exchanging a smile with Misty, the two strolled leisurely through the museum a couple more times, then left the Science Museum and found a nearby restaurant.

Although the restaurant wasn't high-end, both the appetizer and the dessert after the meal, once tasted, were very satisfying.

During the meal, Natsui heard Misty retell the story of how she met Ash, and about that unfortunate bicycle.

"You should have seen its pitiful state," to this day, Misty's grudge was still considerable, "I had just bought that bike, and I didn't expect that after using it for only one day, he would turn it into charcoal!"

"So, you're going to follow him like this until he pays you back?"

"That's one of the reasons," Misty smiled, "My goal is to become a Water-type Pokémon Master, and traveling everywhere is the best shortcut!"

Natsui smiled and nodded with a few words. Although he had already seen it in the anime, hearing it again from Misty's own mouth was a different feeling.

At dusk, when they returned to the Pokémon Center, there was still no sign of Ash.

Misty couldn't help but ask: "Ash... he hasn't already left here, has he?"

"That's impossible," Natsui shook his head, "He won't leave Pewter City without defeating Brock. Tonight at the earliest, and tomorrow morning at the latest, I believe he will appear to challenge the Pewter City Gym again."

And just as Natsui had said, after resting for a night, when Natsui and Misty were having breakfast in the restaurant, they once again saw an Ash who, though full of fatigue, was brimming with energy.

"Ash!", Misty waved at him, "Where did you go yesterday?"

"Sorry to worry you," Ash sat down at the table with a plop and messily stuffed some food into his mouth, "Yesterday I ran into Mr. Flint at the gym entrance and, with him, Pikachu and I underwent special energy-charging training."

"Mr. Flint? Energy-charging training?", Misty was perplexed, "But even so, an Electric-type Pikachu can't beat Brock."

"That kind of thing, how will you know if you don't try?", Ash was full of fighting spirit and said without concern, "Besides, today's Pikachu is completely different from yesterday's!"

"Oh, really?", Misty was skeptical, "Is that really so? Well then, I'll wait and see."

Wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin, Natsui suddenly said at that moment: "Good luck, Ash. Too bad I won't be able to witness that moment."

"Why?", Ash asked, puzzled.

Natsui didn't answer directly, but asked in turn: "Your goal is to participate in the Indigo League Conference, right?"

Seeing Ash nod, Natsui looked at his own Pokémon and said solemnly: "That being the case, then we are rivals. Besides, I have my own path to follow, and it's time to set off for the next gym city."

"Huh? You're leaving already?", Misty felt reluctant to let him go. Although she hadn't known Natsui for long, the time they spent together was very relaxed and happy.

And through a day's contact, she could feel the gentleness, consideration, wit, and humor of this man.

Natsui smiled: "No need to be so sad. Although Kanto is very large, our goals are the same, so sooner or later we will meet again. Maybe in the next city, or at the next gym, we'll see each other again."

...

After returning to Vermilion City, Natsui went directly to the Sakuragi Laboratory.

"It's been a very tough journey for you," upon seeing Natsui, Professor Sakuragi said gratefully, "After you delivered the prototype, Professor Oak called me. He praised you for a long time on the phone, so much that even I felt a little embarrassed."

At that moment, Koharu came in from outside with her backpack.

Seeing Eevee, Squirtle, and Charmander, she couldn't help but be surprised and say: "You've already caught so many Pokémon?"

"Yes, I've already gathered the three starters. The next step is to catch one more to form a team," Natsui said, and then gestured to the Pokémon that hadn't seen Koharu, "This is Koharu, come and say hello."

She stroked their foreheads one by one, and upon seeing Kirlia, Koharu's eyes lit up. She walked over to Kirlia and crouched down.

"So this is what Kirlia looks like now? It's so adorable!"

Hearing Koharu's compliment, Kirlia gave her a curtsy, and that docile and quiet appearance made Koharu cover her mouth in surprise.

Seeing the cheerful and harmonious scene between Koharu and the Pokémon, Professor Sakuragi spoke: "By the way, Natsui, I've prepared a dorm room for you in the lab, so in the future, you won't have to stay at the Pokémon Center. Also, the Sakuragi Park is already built, and from now on you can leave your Pokémon there!"

"Sakuragi Park?", Natsui was perplexed.

Professor Sakuragi pointed out the window: "Look, it's that one."

Following the direction Professor Sakuragi's finger was pointing, he saw behind the Sakuragi Laboratory a huge dome-shaped building made of reinforced glass.

Its shape was like a transparent cover, and under the cover, you could see streams and ponds, hills and valleys, and a dense forest.