Natsumi was woken by her PokeGear.
"Who's ringing at this hour?" she asked Kyoko sleepily. The Vulpix just growled and tucked her head under her paws.
"Hello?" Natsumi asked sleepily.
"Natsumi! …Hear…e?"
"Genessa? What's going on?"
"Stor… hit! Prepare… strong….damage!"
"What? Genessa, you're breaking up! I can't hear you!"
"Natsumi! Storm…coming! Get… eady!"
"Genessa? Genessa!"
Natsumi turned to Kyoko, worried.
"The storm's coming. Quick! We need to tell everyone!"
She raced downstairs, Kyoko right behind her. Her mum was sitting on the couch, watching an episode of The Young and the Pokémonless.
"Mum, the storm's coming! We need to get ready!"
"Natsumi, what are you doing up so late?"
"Mum, we need to get ready! Genessa called, and the storm is on its way! It's already at Cherrygrove City!"
Natsumi's mum shook her head, confused.
"What?"
"The storm's coming!"
She jumped to her feet, finally understanding the situation.
"We have to get ready! Natsumi, go warn everyone else!"
Natsumi ran outside, and sprinted to her neighbour's house.
"Mr Hiyama! Mr Hiyama! The storm's coming! We need to warn everyone!"
Mr Hiyama opened the door, scowling.
"Natsumi! What's the meaning of all this racket?"
"Mr Hiyama! The storm's coming, and we need to warn everyone and get ready!"
Mr Hiyama rushed outside and slammed the door.
"I'll take the western side of the village, you warn the rest."
Natsumi nodded and raced away. She knocked on everyone's doors and screamed in the streets until her voice was hoarse. Just a few hours after Genessa had called Natsumi about the storm, New Bark Town was ready to face it. Natsumi returned home and collapsed into bed, exhausted. A grumbling Kyoko joined her.
They were both woken by the roar of thunder. Excited, Natsumi headed downstairs to watch the lightning through the front window. The lightning lit up the sky, turning night into day. Thunder roared and crashed, shaking the house and reverberating through everything in New Bark Town. Strong winds whipped around buildings, uprooting trees and throwing anything not tied down.
For two days the storm raged. For two days the people of New Bark Town were forced to stay inside. But on the third day, the storm vanished. The thunder and lightning just stopped and the rain died off. The clouds vanished, leaving the sky a bright, fresh blue. People emerged from their houses, shouting and laughing excitedly. The clean-up began. All the townspeople joined in, and the town was back to normal by the end of the week. But Natsumi worried about the Pokémon in Haru Forest.
Early one morning, she filled her backpack with medicine and bandages, food and water. But her bag was too small, and she couldn't carry everything.
"Natsumi, use this."
Natsumi's mum joined her on the front lawn, dragging a sled.
"Oh, that's perfect! Thanks mum!"
"Take these too. If you need to carry Pokémon to the Pokémon Centre, it'll be easier if you capture them. You can release them later."
Natsumi's mum handed her the Pokeballs.
"Good luck!"
Natsumi and Kyoko headed into the forest, Natsumi dragging the sled behind her. Soon they found a Pidgey lying on the ground, its leg injured.
"Shhh, it's okay," Natsumi murmured. "I'm here to help you."
The Pidgey watched her every move, eyes bright. Gently Natsumi lifted the Pokémon into her lap. She carefully bandaged the leg and used an Antidote to treat the infection. The Pidgey stood up slowly, and nodded once to Natsumi. With a piercing cry, it flew away.
Natsumi and Kyoko moved on, helping all the Pokémon they came across, in any way they could. Soon Natsumi had captured five Pokémon in need of urgent care at the Pokémon Centre. Taking a pouch from her bag, Natsumi placed the Pokeballs in the pouch and gave it to Kyoko.
"Take this to the Pokémon Center at Cherrygrove City. Hurry!" Kyoko raced off, pouch clutched firmly in her jaws.
Natsumi continued on her way, and captured three more Pokémon; a Spearow, a Pikachu and a Butterfree. Screeching caught her attention, and she headed towards the sound. Walking into a clearing, she saw a flock of Pidgey attacking something. Getting closer, she realised it was an injured Pokémon that had collapsed on the ground. The Pokémon was yellow with black stripes, and had long fangs protruding over its lower jaw.
It growled as Natsumi got closer, warning her to stay away. She ignored the warning and knelt beside the Pokémon, movements slow and careful. The Pokémon had large scratches on its belly, and was bleeding heavily. It needed urgent medical treatment, but the bleeding had to be stopped before the Pokémon could be moved.
"I'm here to help you. Please, let me help."
Natsumi reached forwards slowly, and tried to clean the wound. The Pokémon roared and lashed out, slashing Natsumi's arm. Gritting her teeth, she cleaned her wound and applied a pressure bandaged.
"I'm going to make this easier on both of us, so please don't struggle."
Natsumi threw a Pokeball, and waited anxiously while it shook. It clicked, and she breathed out a sigh of relief. Letting the Pokémon out of the Pokeball, she managed to clean its wound and apply a pressure bandage. Once this was finished, the Pokémon collapsed, exhausted and weak. Calling the Pokémon back, she placed the Pokeball in her bag with the others and raced home. Once home, she dumped her stuff and raced for Cherrygrove City with the injured Pokémon.
She burst into the Pokémon Center and raced to the counter.
"Please… help these… Pokémon."
"Of course. We'll be right back."
Nurse Joy took the Pokeballs Natsumi handed her, and examined the Pokémon within. Hurriedly, she took the Pokeballs containing the Spearow and the Pokémon from the clearing into the Intensive Care Unit. Natsumi sat in the waiting room, exhausted.
Something furry butted her leg, and she looked down to see Kyoko watching her, still holding the pouch.
"Are they all better?"
Kyoko placed the pouch in Natsumi's lap and barked. Natsumi pulled the Pokeballs from the pouch and called out the Pokémon one by one. First she called out a Sentret.
"Are you feeling better?"
The Sentret nodded, and chattered happily. Natsumi grinned, and decided to let the Pokémon run around a while. Next she called out a Hoppip.
"Are you feeling okay now?"
The Hoppip smiled and floated through the air, crying out joyfully. Natsumi let this Pokémon enjoy its time outside the Pokeball. She did the same for a Nidoran, Pidgey and Caterpie. Nurse Joy approached Natsumi, smiling when she saw how happy the Pokémon with her were.
"All your Pokémon are doing well, but I'd like to keep them here for the night. Please follow me to your room."
Natsumi followed Nurse Joy to a room with two bunk beds. One was occupied by an older woman, who was already asleep.
"You can spend the night here. There's a video phone in the waiting room if you need to call home."
Natsumi thanked Nurse Joy and headed back to the waiting room where she called her mum.
"Natsumi! Where are you?"
"I'm at the Pokémon Center in Cherrygrove City. I'll be staying the night to keep an eye on the Pokémon."
"Ok sweetie. How are they?"
"They're okay. Nurse Joy wants to keep them overnight for observation, that's all."
"That's a relief. I'm proud of you sweetheart."
"Thanks Mum. I have to go. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Natsumi called back all the Pokémon she had captured and headed back to the room she was staying in. Exhausted, she collapsed onto the bed, where she was joined by Kyoko, who curled up and promptly fell asleep.
"Goodnight Kyoko."