PokeSquad

by FanGirl210

Summary:

Recently, there have been reports of an illness that is causing pokemon to viscously attack themselves and others. As if that wasn't bad enough, one of Team Rocket's plans goes awry, separating Ash and Pikachu.

Ash is recruited to research the strange illness. He accepts, despite his desperation to find Pikachu. In the process, he discovers something shocking not just about himself, but about the person who recruited him.

Meanwhile, Pikachu is quick to befriend a kindly group of pokemon who are happy to help him get home. But, the group's leader carries a secret...one that might change everything.

Notes:

A lot of this story has already been written and posted on Fanfiction.net. Because of this, expect frequent updates until stated otherwise. I hope you like it!

Chapter 1: Prologue

"Man, feel that sun!"

" Piiii-kaaa! "

Seventeen-year-old Ash Ketchum smiled down at the little yellow creature beside him, its tiny arms stretched as high as they could go. Taking time off to relax with Ash's mother and her Mr. Mime, Mimey, came to a halt when Ash had received a ticket to the S.S. Anne in the mail, directly from the Vermilion City Harbor. It was a shame that Ash's mother couldn't be there to enjoy it with them, but at least she had Mimey to keep her company.

Tickets to the exclusive S.S. Anne didn't come every day, and the day couldn't have been more perfect. Warm with a faint breeze, the sky filled with white, fluffy clouds. The ship was smooth-sailing, and the air was filled with the happy cries of people and pokemon alike.

Not to mention the clear blue pool on the deck, glistening in the sun, just waiting for a cannonball. Well, it wouldn't be waiting long!

Ash hiked up his swim trunks. "Race you!"

Pikachu took off after him. At least until a lifeguard reminded them that they weren't allowed to run.

Ah, well. Ash still reached the diving board first. With a wide grin and a cry of "Cannonball!" Ash leaped off the board as the other swimmers gave him a wide berth. He sucked in his breath, curled up his body, and splashed into the shockingly cold water. He swam back up to the surface to find his best friend standing on all fours on the ledge of the pool, laughing as he instinctively shook off the spray. "Come on, Pikachu!"

Pikachu bolted for the diving board-

Rrrrrrrrrrr!

They flinched at the loud whistle, Pikachu stopping short at the very edge of the board. They looked to the source of the noise. A lifeguard with shaggy pale blue hair and sunglasses that covered most of his face stood not far from them. "I'm sorry," he called out in a voice that sounded vaguely familiar, "but there are no electric-type pokemon allowed in the pool."

"Oh, sorry!" Ash called back.

Pikachu's head and ears drooped as he turned and slowly walked on two feet off the diving board. Ash was just as disappointed. He didn't remember that being a rule, but he supposed it made sense; water and electricity didn't mix on or off the battlefield. He almost mentioned the Chinchou swimming below the surface before remembering that it was also a water-type. Ash smiled sympathetically as Pikachu flopped down on a nearby beach chair and stared at him unhappily. It may seem odd for a pure electric-type, but Pikachu really loved to swim.

"Ah, we can swim any time," Ash called out, climbing out of the pool. Pikachu's ears perked up curiously at his trainer's approach. He sat up, and Ash put his hands on his hips. "There's plenty of other things to do!"

Pikachu's head tilted. " Pika-chu? "

"Don't forget; there's a beach not far from home. That's way more fun than a pool, right buddy?"

" Pika! "

To anyone else, it may appear that Ash was just an ordinary trainer who cared about his pokemon. But, it went deeper than that. Ash had always been very in-tune with pokemon and was usually able to piece together what they were feeling or trying to say, though he could never make any more sense of their language than other humans could. But, Pikachu was different. Ash understood Pikachu better than he understood any other pokemon he'd ever met. Granted, he still couldn't figure out the exact words Pikachu was saying, but he just sort of... knew what was being said. Was it because of their closeness? Because of how long they'd been together? Neither of them knew.

"Excuse me." Suddenly, a woman in a sailor uniform appeared. She had magenta-colored hair pulled into a low bun and the same over-sized sunglasses as her co-worker. She seemed familiar too, but this wasn't Ash's first time on the ship. Perhaps those employees were on-duty last time as well. "We don't seem to have any record of your Pikachu being tested."

"Tested?" Ash asked, Pikachu echoing his confusion.

The employee adjusted her sunglasses. "Surely, you know about that strange disease that's been spreading among pokemon."

Ash did recall hearing about it. A group of pokemon just outside of Lavender Town had been reported running into things, attacking each other and humans, even attacking themselves in some sort of frenzy. Supposedly, not even any of the Nurse Joy's could help them. Ash shuddered. Those poor pokemon. As soon as they'd heard about it, he and Pikachu wanted nothing more than to go there and see what they could do. But, Ash's mother wouldn't allow it. "It's too dangerous," she said. "Not to mention a risk to Pikachu."

She had a point. Ash hated seeing innocent pokemon suffer, but what could they do? They didn't know anything about diseases. Besides, the mental image of his best friend driven mad with illness was more than enough for Ash to listen to his mother. If her "Mom voice" wasn't enough already.

"Don't worry," Ash assured the employee. "Pikachu's just fine. Right, buddy?"

Pikachu smiled. " Pika pika! "

"Oh, it's merely a precaution." The woman leaned in close, as if telling some deep secret. "Did you know that some pokemon carry the virus and don't have any symptoms until it's too late?"

" Pika!? "

His blood running cold, Ash looked at Pikachu, who was now checking over himself frantically. "I-I hadn't heard that…"

The woman smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure your Pikachu is fine, but better safe than sorry. I can take him down to the infirmary right now, just to make sure."

"Yeah, of course."

Pikachu let her pick him up. "We have a few other uninformed trainers as well, so there's a bit of a back-up. Why don't you enjoy yourself in the meantime?"

"Alright." Ash forced a smile for his best friend. "Let's meet up in our room at lunch time, okay?"

Pikachu nodded, his smile a little forced as well.

Once they were out of sight, Ash sighed and laid back on the beach chair. He usually tried to pay attention to current events, but he hadn't heard anything about this. And, if they were testing trainers' pokemon now, this illness must be even worse than he'd thought. Not for the first time, Ash wished he had gone to Lavender Town after all. How many were infected now? Was there any sign of a cure? He'd have to check as soon as he could.

Someone cleared their throat next to him. A very short man with thick curly hair and an equally thick beard held out a tray with a single glass of pink liquid. The man - another employee Ash could have sworn he'd seen before - gave him a big grin. His voice was high and scratchy. "You look a little down. How 'bout a complementary fruit punch to raise your spirits?" He winked. "Alcohol-free, for tw- kiddos like you."

Ash thanked him distractedly and took the glass. Pikachu was fine, he told himself as he sipped his drink. (Not bad, but there was a bitter aftertaste he couldn't place.) His partner was as happy and energetic as ever. No need to worry, as Dawn used to say.

Of course, that was when everyone worried the most...

Ash sighed again. He wasn't sure if he could really enjoy himself until he knew his buddy was alright. He downed the rest of his fruit punch - what was that flavor? - and decided to head back to their room. He had planned to check for updates on that virus, but he suddenly felt exhausted , like he hadn't slept in weeks. Odd, since just minutes ago he'd been wide awake, but he was too tired to question it.

Just a quick nap, he decided as he forced his legs to carry him to his room. Pikachu would be back around noon. Then, they could have lunch and learn more about the virus.

Just...a quick...nap…

---

Ash woke up to find that he had been asleep for four hours! It was two o'clock. Why didn't Pikachu wake him up? He rolled out of bed with a grunt, the room spinning as he stood. Maybe he was the one who needed tested.

Once the dizziness passed, Ash checked the door. Still propped open. He looked down both ends of the hall. A family of three, a few Krabby, but no sign of Pikachu. Realizing that he was still in his swim trunks, Ash changed back into his clothes as fast as he could, guilt pricking at him. Pikachu must not have wanted to wake him and decided to head down to the cafeteria. Ash hoped he wasn't still waiting for him to eat.

Another thought chilled him as he raced to the cafeteria, apologizing to the passengers he almost bumped into. What if the medics had found something when they tested Pikachu? He tried to push the thought aside. If Pikachu truly was infected, someone would have contacted Ash, right? If nothing else, they would have left him a note; he had left the door propped.

There was no sign of Pikachu in the cafeteria. Nobody he asked had seen a Pikachu come in. Suddenly, Ash lost his appetite.

He barely registered the people and pokemon he almost bowled over in his mad dash to the infirmary. His mind was filled with images of the various Rattata and Pidgey and Spearow online, throwing themselves around and attacking and scratching themselves and each other to the point of bleeding. Then, those images were replaced with Pikachu - sweet, sensible little Pikachu - clawing at himself and shocking himself and-

It took everything in Ash not to kick open the doors to the infirmary. Instead, he opened them normally and looked around. No one in there but a doctor. No fancy equipment either. Just the tables and medicine cabinets and health posters you'd expect from any doctor's office. Was he in the wrong room?

The doctor stood up from where he'd been doing paperwork. "Can I help you?"

"Where do you do the pokemon testing?"

"Excuse me?"

The dark pit in Ash's stomach expanded. "Uh, that thing that's making pokemon go crazy. Where do you do the testing for it?"

"I'm sorry; I believe you're mistaken. We don't do anything like that on this ship."

---

The last thing Pikachu remembered was that employee giving him a bowl of water. By the time he'd tasted the Sleep Powder in it, it had already taken effect. Now, he reluctantly opened his eyes, trying to get his bearings. He definitely wasn't on the S.S. Anne anymore. The walls around him were red, and he was surrounded by bars. Was he in a cage?

Then, he noticed the two humans, the Meowth, and the Wobuffet huffing and puffing in front of him as their legs spun on their seats. Pikachu could have zapped himself. The blue-haired lifeguard, the familiar scent of the woman who wanted to "have him tested." He bet his tail she'd made up that stuff about carrying the virus without feeling sick. He wondered if they'd sent that ticket too but decided that they probably weren't that clever.

When would Team Rocket give up? Well, they certainly kept Pikachu on his toes. He'd give them that.

"I still can't - huff - believe that worked!" Meowth panted.

"Do you think - huff - the twerp is-is still asleep?" James wondered.

"Who cares?" Jessie said. "We-we finally got Pikachu!"

As they and Wobuffet cried out "Whoo-hoo!" as heartily as they could while gasping for breath, Pikachu's mind went to work. The cage was probably shock-proof. Even if it wasn't, they were most likely in Team Rocket's Magikarp-shaped submarine. Using Thunderbolt underwater wouldn't end well for anybody. Iron Tail was always an option, but Pikachu didn't want them to realize he'd woken up. He could just wait until they reached dry land, but he didn't want to risk ending up at their headquarters or wherever they were taking him.

Wait, how long have those keys been on the floor? Pikachu rolled his eyes but couldn't help a smile. Team Rocket as a whole was nothing to sneeze at. These four? Sometimes Pikachu wondered how they still had jobs.

The cage was just barely big enough to hold him, but if he twisted his body just so…

"Now, if only," Jessie huffed, "our escape - huff - wasn't pedal-powered."

Pikachu's ears squished uncomfortably as he turned his head to the keyring now behind him.

"We need an engine,” James gasped, “or at least someone - huff - to do this for us."

Pikachu stretched his tail as far as it could go. Yes! Slowly, as quietly as possible, he slid the keys closer.

Meowth sounded seconds from collapsing. (How a pokemon had learned to talk like a human, Pikachu would never know, not that he wouldn't like to.) "I-I told you. It's-it's not - huff huff - in the budget."

Almost there…

" We're broke ," Wobuffet whined, though only the other pokemon could understand him.

Swallowing a triumphant squeak, Pikachu picked up the keyring, cringing when the keys jingled together.

Meowth's ears twitched. "Did you hear that?"

Jessie grunted. "Quit yapping - huff huff - and start pedaling!"

"I'm pedaled out," James moaned.

Meowth legs once again spun the bicycle pedals around and around. " You're pedaled out? Think of how-how me and-and Wobuffet feel!"

" I-I want human legs ," Wobuffet said.

Not for the first time, Pikachu felt sorry for them.

As quietly as possible, Pikachu tried the first key. Nothing. Not the second or third either. Something clicked on the fourth. He looked up, but Team Rocket was still preoccupied with trying not to pass out. A relieved smile tugged at his mouth. He pulled out the key but remained in his cage in case one of them decided to check on him.

Now, for the hard part. Pikachu mulled over his options. If they really were underwater, as he suspected, electric-type moves were just asking for trouble. Maybe, he'd call that Plan B. There was a hatch on the ceiling, but it was directly above Team Rocket's heads. Not only that, but he doubted he could open it without flooding the submarine. He was a strong swimmer, but he was no water-type and neither was anyone else in there. He spotted some oxygen tanks and masks on one wall, but there were only three. Of the three, only one was close to Pikachu’s size. For Meowth, no doubt. Pikachu wasn't exactly Team Rocket's number one fan, but he didn't want them to drown. Then again, Jessie and James would still have theirs. Meowth and Wobuffet would be safe inside their Pokeballs-

Did Meowth even have a Pokeball? Come to think of it, Pikachu wasn't sure, nor was he willing to risk it.

So...should he take his chances with Thunderbolt? It had always been his go-to with or without Team Rocket, but there was still the factor of being underwater. Hmm…

Crash!

The submarine lurched, and Pikachu fell out of the cage, his chin colliding painfully with the floor.

"Alright," Jessie snapped, her exhaustion forgotten, "who's the wise guy?"

James's was anything but forgotten. "Remember - huff - the last time this happened?"

Jessie went white when Meowth said, "Maybe a Magikarp - huff - is trying to mate with us again."

Again? Pikachu shuddered as he attempted to shimmy back into the cage

Unfortunately, Pikachu's haste caught Wobuffet's attention. " Ah! Pikachu! Pikachu's out! "

"Tell me I'm translating wrong." Meowth turned around and fell out of his seat. "No, I'm not!"

Jessie and James saw him and screamed. Nobody seemed so tired now. "This is worse than the Magikarp!" cried James.

The submarine lurched again. Then again. Jessie glared daggers at the walls. "Do you mind ? We have bigger problems right now!"

Another lurch then another and another. Pikachu had barely gotten to his feet when an even bigger shift sent him flying directly into Wobuffet.

" I got him! I got him! " Wobuffet cried. But, Pikachu jumped off before Wobuffet could grab him. " Nevermind. "

Crash! Slam! Crash!

Whatever was outside was either really persistent or really dumb. " It's not a real Magikarp! " Pikachu screamed in frustration.

"This thing's made of metal!" Meowth added.

At this point, everyone was aching and scattered all over the already cramped submarine. The two humans - with their long, gangly limbs - were in especially odd positions. The submarine shook even harder, faster.

Thunderbolt, it is!

Pikachu started to gather up electricity, but Jessie (accidentally?) kicked him in her haste. "That's it!" she snapped, rushing to yank one of the oxygen tanks off the wall. "Pikachu is not worth this!" She tossed James an oxygen tank, which he managed to catch. The one she tossed Meowth's way rammed the poor pokemon in the stomach. She pulled off the last one and returned Wobuffet to his Pokeball. "I will not be lovers with another Magikarp!"

"I ain't arguin' with that!" Meowth agreed, quickly strapping on his mask.

"What about Pikachu?" James asked as they were thrown off-balance once again.

Jessie glared at him. "Worry about yourself for once!" James obediently put on his mask.

Another slam, and Pikachu somersaulted backwards, his head colliding with the cage. Dots speckled his vision as Jessie reached for the hatch on the roof. Pikachu barely had time to shake off his disorientation and take in a big gulp of air as she opened it, sea water filling the submarine in less than a second. Team Rocket swam out, Pikachu lagging behind.

Turns out, there really was a Magikarp, but she didn't appear to be in heat. She was flailing and twisting around in a frenzy and moaning, her face pinched in agony, blood welling from a few wounds. Was she infected? Pikachu didn't have time to worry about it. Instead, he propelled himself to the surface as fast he could. Team Rocket quickly disappeared from his line of sight. Pikachu's arms, legs, tail, and lungs worked overtime as he swam and swam, the surface seeming to get farther and farther away. His lungs screamed for air. There were no pokemon around to help him. That Magikarp, who was clearly in no condition to help anyone, must have scared them off.

Eventually, Pikachu's body couldn't take it anymore. His mouth opened automatically, filling his body with water. Suddenly, he thought of Ash in their cruise ship room, wondering where his partner was. Then, there was nothing.

Chapter 2: Enter PokeSquad!

" All things truly wicked start from innocence." - Ernest Hemingway

Pikachu

Something jabs at my chest. I hear a voice, but it's faint, unintelligible. I can't breathe. Everything is black and empty. Suddenly, I'm on my side. I cough over and over, salty water spilling out. The voice is stronger now, asking if I'm okay. I force my eyes open. A brown blur stands before me. I blink a few times, and the blur morphs into a very young Eevee.

The Eevee smiles in relief. "You're awake. Thank goodness."

Memories come flooding back. The ship, Team Rocket, the Magikarp. I groan and try to stand up but can't even manage all-fours. My entire body is sore and cold, and my breaths are still too wet. I collapse and cough up more water.

"Stay here," Eevee says as if I have a choice. "I'll get help!"

As he rushes off via Quick Attack, I scan my surroundings. Sand warms my stomach. Sea water rhythmically brushes the tip of my tail. The beach is very small and deserted. A grassy plane stands at the end of it, speckled by a few trees. Mere inches from me are some large, jagged stones, which I'm very grateful to have avoided.

How did I end up here? Where exactly is here?

"He's over there."

Eevee is back. He climbs down the rocks, a larger pokemon with long white fur around its neck close behind. An Absol, I realize. Don't they usually reside in the mountains? Maybe there's a mountain nearby.

Eevee stands back, his tail wagging nervously, as his companion commands, "Head back and prepare a nest for him."

"Right!"

As Eevee runs off again, Absol turns back to me. "Can you get up?" I try, but waves of pain rock me back on to the sand. My head swims, and my vision gets hazy. "I’ll have to carry you by the scruff. Is that alright?"

I nod, and he lowers his head and picks me up with his teeth. As he carries me into the plane, I ache even worse as I sway, despite Absol's effort to be careful. My head feels foggy, and it takes everything in me to stay awake. Eventually, we find Eevee pacing in front of a tree. A small nest of leaves and dirt is behind him.

He steps aside as we approach and pushes a large dark green leaf closer to the nest. "I found a revival herb."

Absol gently lays me in the nest, and I fight a wail of agony. "Good work, Eevee." He nudges the herb closer to my mouth with his paw. "Here. This will taste bad, but it'll make you feel better."

I take a bite and try not to cringe. Revival herbs are unbearably bitter, but they have very powerful healing properties. With each mouthful, I feel a little less achy. By the time I'm finished, I feel significantly better. I manage to rise up to two feet, albeit rather stiffly.

"Thank you so much," I say sincerely.

Absol smiles and nods to his companion. "Thank Eevee. He's the one who found you."

Eevee grins at him. "Hey, you helped too, Absol!"

Absol chuckles. "Suppose I did." Then, he bends down and checks me over. "Well, your injuries don't look serious, though we should find something to put on those scrapes-"

"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!"

Out of nowhere, a wild Bellsprout wearing a tiny backpack appears, her thin, root-like legs sending her in circles around us as she continues her cry of "Oh my goodness!" Absol crouches down, ready to attack. Eevee and I just watch her curiously.

"What is it, Sprout?" Absol asks. So, she's a friend of theirs? "What happened?"

Sprout stops so suddenly she almost trips over herself. "You guys! I just felt a tingle ! I think I'm going to evolve !"

Absol rights himself, and Eevee gasps. "Really? You're finally evolving?"

Though I don't know Sprout, I'm happy for her. Evolution is a way to grow stronger, become a new pokemon, a new you . While I'm content to remain a Pikachu myself, I know that a lot of pokemon dream of the day they finally evolve, and it truly is a wonder to behold.

Sprout shakes her leaves a little and tilts her large head back. "Here...it... gooooeeeesss !" We wait. And, wait. And...wait. Sprout droops so much, her large head almost touches the grass. "I thought for sure that time."

Eevee walks up to her and sympathetically pats her leaf. "Ah, it'll happen some day."

Absol shakes his head, a fond smile on his face. "Poor Sprout," he says to me. "She's been trying to evolve since we've known her. It just isn't happening."

I wonder how long they've known her. "Hey, don't worry about it," I encourage her. "Bellsprout evolve by getting stronger, right? Just keep working at it, and you'll be a Weepinbell in no time. I'm sure of it!"

Sprout nods, still disappointed. "I sure hope so. Wait, I don't know you."

"Pikachu: the mouse pokemon! An electric-type!" I nearly jump out of my skin. I whirl around to find...a Wobbuffet? After what happened with Team Rocket, this is the last thing I need. The Wobuffet continues, blissfully unaware of my discomfort. "Pikachu store electricity in their cheeks. They like to zap tough berries to make them easier to eat." She rubs her stomach. "This also gives the berries a delicious smoky flavor."

Blinking, I glance at the other three. Eevee is curiously sniffing my cheek; I nudge him away. Sprout is staring down at herself and shaking, still trying to evolve. Absol sees my expression and is trying not to laugh.

I find my voice. "What's with the," I wave my hand in the newcomer's direction, "Wobbuffet?"

Absol chuckles. "Don't mind Wobbles. She does pretty much anything she wants to."

"Pikachu are the evolution of Pichu," Wobbles continues, "and they evolve into Raichu through the use of a Thunder Stone."

"I can evolve into Jolteon the same way!" Eevee adds. "I call dibs on the first Thunder Stone we see!"

He can have it. "You seem to know a lot about me," I say to Wobbles, my own experience with her species making me suspicious. In the back of my mind, I know that isn't fair, but I can't help it.

Sprout has apparently given up on evolving for now. "Wobbles knows a lot about pokemon."

Wobbles nods. "Bellsprout: the flower pokemon. A grass- and poison-type. Its thin and flexible body lets it bend and sway in various directions! It digs its feet into the ground to replenish water!"

Sprout bounces on her feet. "Oh, it's true! I do that!"

"So," I say to Wobbles, "you're like a walking Pokedex?"

"I don't know what that means," Wobbles replies.

"Nevermind."

"Either way," Absol says, "weren't you females supposed to be gathering food?"

Pokedex.

Food.

Ash.

Ash!

I burst out of the nest, ignoring the ache that comes with the sudden movement. I check this way, that way, sniff the air.

"What's wrong?" Sprout asks.

I force myself to breathe, to try and steady my heartbeat. Panicking won't fix anything. "Have any of you seen a human?" It's probably a long shot, but I have to ask. "He's really big. Not round-big, but tall and muscular. He has dark hair and a red hat, and he goes by the name Ash?"

The more I look at their confused faces, the lower my heart sinks. Especially when Absol regards me wearily and asks, "Why are you looking for a human?" as if I asked to roll around in trash.

I'm too anxious to think much of it. "He's my friend. My trainer."

"You lost your friend?" Eevee says sympathetically.

I nod sadly. "Yeah. There was...an accident. Do any of you know about Team Rocket?"

That prompted another flurry of "Oh my goodness" from Sprout. After which, she said, "I've heard of them! They're a bunch of humans who kidnap pokemon and make them do bad things!"

"Yeah, pretty much," I confirm. "The short version is they kidnapped me, I escaped, and here I am."

"But, Ace isn't here?" Eevee asks.

"Ash. And no, he's not."

Absol is still staring at me with an expression I can't place. "What I'm getting at is that humans are the reason for your injuries, and you want to find another human?"

This guy is starting to get on my nerves. "Ash isn't affiliated with Team Rocket. He actually cares about pokemon."

Absol turns his head and mutters, "Still a human."

A growl rumbles in my throat, but Wobbles says, "Eh, don't mind Absol. He's not fond of humans." I noticed. "But, you? You are very obviously not a human, so Absol will most likely cave and help you."

Absol turns a sour look on her. "I'm right here, Wobbles."

"Yeah!" Eevee pipes up. "The PokeSquad helps all pokemon!"

"We don't call ourselves that!"

Sprout giggles. "Absol really hates that name."

"Because it's just something pokemon have started calling us, and it's stupid!"

PokeSquad? I wrack my brain, but the name doesn't ring any bells. Of course, Ash and I have been away on Ash's pokemon journey for quite some time, so it's possible that they formed while we were gone.

Eevee happily prances around me. "We wander all over the place and find pokemon in need, and we help them! We meet all kinds of pokemon and see all kinds of cool things. It's fun!"

"And, a little scary sometimes," Sprout adds.

That sounds a lot like what Ash and I do. "So...you all go on a journey together?" I ask.

Wobbles shrugs. "I guess you could put it that way."

Absol shakes his head, but that fond smile is back. "Whatever you want to call it, they aren't wrong. We do help out where we can." He gives me a hard look. "This trainer of yours. He cares for you? He's good to you?"

What is his deal? "Would I want to go back to him if he wasn't?"

Absol nods. "Fair enough. We'll help you look."

"R-really?" Considering how little he thinks of humans, I hadn't expected that response. Then again, he seems like the leader. Maybe he wants to set a good example, especially for Eevee, who can't be more than a few months old. "That's very kind, but I wouldn't want to inconvenience you all."

"Oh, it's not inconvenient," Sprout assures.

"Like Eevee said," Wobbles adds, "we wander. It's not like we have somewhere we need to be."

"Besides," Absol says, "your trainer can't be that far, right?" I sure hope not. Absol addresses the rest of his team. "Pikachu's still recovering, and it'll be dark soon anyway. Why don't we make camp for the night."

The rest of the team runs off to find food and nesting material, and I walk up to Absol on stiff, sore legs. "Anything I can do?"

Absol shakes his head and nudges me back to the nest with his horn. "You can rest. The revival herb helped, but you're still recovering. Wouldn't want you injuring yourself further."

I'm a little annoyed, but I bite my tongue. "Couldn't you just use a potion?" Absol frowns in confusion, and I feel my face heat up. "Uh, nevermind."

I crawl into the nest Eevee made me. As I sit down on the soft leaves, I try to ignore the prickle of unease under my pelt. It's not like Ash and I have never been separated before, I remind myself. By now, he's surely realized that I'm gone. As soon as the ship docks in Vermilion City, he'll come looking for me. Team Rocket couldn't have taken me that far, right?

"Pikachu." Absol brings me back to reality. "Where might we find this trainer of yours?"

"Well," I start, nervously shifting the dirt in front of me, "Vermilion City is a good place to start. Is that anywhere near here?"

Absol hums thoughtfully. "I'm afraid we don't keep track of human civilizations. Sprout knows a few names, but I don't think she's ever mentioned that one."

There's that prickle again. But, just because they don't know the name doesn't mean it's far. Ash and I may be apart now, but it won't be for long. Tomorrow, I'll go with these pokemon to the first "human civilization" we can find and I'm sure it'll be Vermilion City. Ash will be there, and we'll greet each other with open arms. Everything will be fine.

Right?

Chapter 3: Interview With a Wobbuffet

" To save time, let's assume I know everything." - Unknown

Pikachu

Ash takes off down the empty city street, and I'm right by his side. Where are we going? Do we have a destination, or are we just running for fun? I can't remember, but it doesn't matter. As long as my buddy's with me, I don't care what we're doing.

He looks down at me with warm brown eyes and that easy smile of his. " Come on, Pikachu!"

Ash picks up the pace, so I do too. The faster he goes, the faster I go. Eventually, he runs so fast I have to use Quick Attack to keep up. And, he still goes faster, getting farther away from me.

" Hey," I call to his retreating form, "slow down!"

But, that only seems to repel him further. His form shrinks in the distance, and the street only seems to get longer and longer.

" Wait for me!"

He doesn't.

" Ash!"

I can barely see him now.

I run and run, but he's so far away! What if I can't catch up? His silhouette vanishes, but I know he's there! I keep calling to him, but there's no response. Suddenly, the ground shakes, and the city crumbles around me.

I wake with a gasp and practically leap to my feet. It takes a moment for me to remember why I'm in a nest of leaves in the woods. Still reeling from my dream, I give my pelt a good shake and survey my surroundings. It's still dark, not even the break of dawn. The PokeSquad members are still sound asleep. Absol's head is resting on his forepaws. Eevee is curled into a tight ball. Sprout apparently sleeps standing up like a real flower, her legs dug deep into the earth. Wobbles is...nowhere to be found. Her nest is there, but it's vacant. Perhaps she couldn't sleep and decided to go for a walk.

With a sigh, I lay back down. After some tossing and turning, I give up on sleep and look for a way to fill my time until the others wake up. I'd like to just go off and find Ash on my own, but it wouldn't be right to abandon these guys after they were kind enough to nurse me back to health. That revival herb really worked wonders, not to mention the oran berry juice Sprout put on my scrapes.

Maybe I'll look for Wobbles. A traitorous part of me says I shouldn't care about a Wobbuffet, but I push it back. She's not with Team Rocket, and I hate that I have to keep reminding myself of that.

Careful not to wake the others, I sneak over to her nest, take a good whiff, and sniff the air. I follow her scent deeper into the woods, a cool breeze ruffling my short fur. A Noctowl and a few Hoothoot coo above me. I pass over a large flower and apologize when I discover it's actually a sleeping Vileplume. Getting chased out of a Raticate's territory throws me off a little, but I manage to pick up Wobbles's scent again. I follow it to the base of a huge tree. The scent leads upward, and I have to squint to make out the blue speck high up in the branches. Well, Absol did say that Wobbles does whatever she wants.

Curiosity drives me to climb up the tree and see what she's doing. The darkness makes it a little more difficult, but I manage to avoid scratching myself or spooking any pokemon on my way up. Though I did get Wobbles's attention.

"You're up early," she says from the thick branch she's sitting on.

I climb the rest of the way up and, after testing the branch's strength, sit next to her. "I couldn't sleep. Guess I'm not the only one."

"Actually, we Wobbuffet don't need much sleep." She shrugs. "A few hours, and I'm good to go. But, you store electricity in your sleep. You should really get back to that."

"Oh, do you want some privacy?" I hope so. Being this close to her is putting me on edge.

"I didn't say that."

Okay then. "You really do know a lot about pokemon, don't you?"

Wobbles looks back in the direction of camp. "Eevee: the evolution pokemon. A normal-type. Eevee's unstable genetic makeup allows it to easily adapt to even the harshest environments. It has eight possible evolved forms, more than any other pokemon in existence, and our Eevee just can't seem to make up his mind. Not that I blame him."

I hadn't asked for an analysis, but I suppose this is Wobbles's way of telling me about her companions. Or, maybe she's just showing off. "I thought he wanted to be a Jolteon."

"And, before that he wanted to be a Glaceon. Absol: the disaster pokemon," she continues. "A dark-type. Absol can predict natural disasters by sensing changes in weather patterns with its horn. There was a bad flood about a year ago, and if it weren't for our Absol, a lot more pokemon would have been lost."

I nod solemnly. Any casualties at all is a bad thing, but at least those pokemon had some time to prepare.

Wobbles smacks her chest. "Wobbuffet: the patient pokemon. A psychic-type. We are a peaceful race who are completely incapable of initiating attacks. But, touch our tails and, well," she winks at me, "that's another story."

I laugh. "I'll keep that in mind."

"I know I've already mentioned Bellsprout, but did you know that they thrive in high heat and humidity?"

"I did not." Wobbles knowing about her friends' species doesn't surprise me, but she knows a lot about Pikachu as well. "How do you know so much?"

Wobbles shrugs modestly. "I've traveled a lot. Even before I met the PokeSquad." She stares out at the horizon. "Hoenn, Johto, Sinnoh. Name a region, I've been there."

"Oh, yeah? Did you have a trainer?"

"Nope. Never. I've found my own way around."

I have more questions, but my voice leaves me when I finally turn away. The view is spectacular! The sky is full of tiny, twinkling stars surrounding a half moon that gives a silvery glow to everything beneath it. Greenery stretches over the landscape, various pokemon either sleeping or exploring the night. In the distance, I see the faint silhouettes of mountains. Beyond that, I know there's a clear blue ocean. Beyond that, who knows?

No matter how many times I see the horizon, it's always striking. The world truly is a vast and strange place.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Wobbles says. I must have spoken aloud. "Ever since I was a hatchling, I've been curious about the world. Specifically, the pokemon in it. There's such variety, you know?" Her face takes on an awed, starry-eyed quality, her voice a hushed, almost reverent tone. "So many species, types, attacks, and abilities. Some pokemon even have two types or two potential abilities. Then there's evolution. Heck, even two pokemon of the same species can be so, so different from each other in temperament and personality."

"Not to mention," I add, humbled by her passion, "how types can be strong or weak or just average against each other."

Wobbles claps her hands together. "I want to learn everything I can. That's why I go everywhere I can." She pauses, something I can't place crossing her face. "It's usually just me. I pick up travel companions here and there, but they always end up doing their own thing in the end."

Nostalgia sets in. A sad smile pulls at my mouth as I remember all the friends Ash and I have made on our journey. So many, people and pokemon alike, that naming them would take all night. I wonder how they're all doing. Are they well? Are they still working on their own dreams, or do they have new dreams now? Do they ever think about us? My throat tightens. "I know how you feel."

Wobbles gives my head a comforting rub. "Yeah, I guess you do. You and your trainer- What's his name again? Al or something?"

"Ash."

"You and Ash must have made a lot of friends."

Flashes of Ash and our friends play through my mind. No longer trusting my voice, I simply nod.

"I bet I'm not the only one who's well traveled either. You've got the faraway look of someone who's seen some stuff."

I smile and dab at my eyes, hoping she doesn't notice. "I've certainly been around."

She's staring at me in a way that tells me she did notice. "Ever been to the Orre region?"

"No."

"Lucky. The place is a dump." The deadpan way she said that makes me laugh. She grins. "Yeah, you looked like you needed that. But seriously, don't go to Orre. Unless you like pollution and organized crime. In which case, send me a postcard. But, you know what's not a dump? The Orange Islands. You wanna talk about gorgeous? Wow."

"I've been there," I say. "They really are something. But honestly, the Orange Islands don't even compare to the islands of Alola."

Wobbles gasps and claps her hands again. "I love Alola! You know, there are a few things out there I've always wondered about but was never able to really experience. For instance, there's a special kind of attack that trainers in that region can have their pokemon use."

"You mean Z-moves?"

"Oh! Of course! You have a trainer. You must have used Z-moves before."

My smile is so broad now, I feel like my face is being stretched. "A few, yeah! Gigavolt Havoc, Breakneck Blitz, Corkscrew Crash. Though, my favorite is 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt."

"I've never heard of that one."

"Yeah, Ash and I kind of invented it."

Suddenly, Wobbles leans in really close. "You invented a Z-move?"

"Well, uh," I'm starting to feel like a science project, "it just sort of happened when we were battling this Ultra Beast-"

Her forehead is touching mine now. I think I've found the other thing she wanted to learn about. "You battled an Ultra Beast ?"

I guess I sometimes forget just how fantastic my and Ash's adventures can be. Which is probably why I then make the mistake of saying, "Y-yeah. See, we were in Ultra Space-"

"YOU'VE BEEN TO ULTRA SPACE!?"

Cue the startled cries and frightened scattering of the tree's inhabitants.

What follows is a series of questions thrown at me so fast, it all sounds like one giant sentence; everything from how many Ultra Beasts I've seen to what Z-moves smell like. ("Why would they have a smell ?" "So, Z-moves are odorless! That is most fascinating!") At some points, she gets so excited I have to steady her so she doesn't fall. At other points, I have to dodge her flailing arms so she doesn't knock me over.

And yet, I'm happy. I always enjoy telling stories, talking about my adventures, but no one's ever been this enthusiastic about them. It's nice to meet a fellow traveler, someone who's been all over the place and can relate to the nostalgia and wistfulness I feel sometimes. Ash understands, of course, but a new perspective, someone who hasn't experienced the same things as me, is refreshing.

But, it works the other way too. When my friends tell me of their own experiences, it helps me see the world from their perspective, to understand how those experiences shaped them into who they are today.

I would love to hear some of Wobbles's stories, if she could only take a breath.

She shuts up when we notice the hoard of irritated pokemon growling at us. I shiver under their glares. An apology is on the tip of my tongue, but Wobbles grabs me, crushing my insides as she wordlessly leaps down the tree. Luckily, no one is chasing us. They're either too tired or are just glad we're gone. I shrink into Wobbles's grip as branches come dangerously close to my face, but somehow we both avoid injury.

At long last, Wobbles slams feet-first on the ground, her torso rocketing forward then springing back up and shaking, me along with it. "And, that's why they call me Wobbles." She flings her arms wide, and I fall ungracefully into the soft grass. "Well, that and I was a really clumsy Wynaut."

Despite my disorientation, I start giggling which quickly turns into hysterical laughter. Maybe it's stress, or maybe it's just Wobbles's...Wobbles-ness, but I feel lighter than I have since Team Rocket showed up. As she looks at me with a mix of curiosity and concern, I realize that I don't see Team Rocket when I look at her; I just see Wobbles the Wobbuffet, my new friend.

Ash, I'm going to find you. Until then, I think I'm going to have a little fun.

Chapter 4: An Offer You Can't Refuse

Notes:

Because I started writing this story long before "Journeys" was complete, it has been written as though the events of the series never happened. Basically, it starts not long after Ash becomes the Alola champion.

" There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full." - Henry Kissinger

Ash

Security found me in the middle of practically turning the ship upside-down. After apologizing for the disturbance I'd caused and explaining myself, they said they'd be on the lookout for a lost Pikachu. Since no one else had reported missing pokemon or anything unusual, all anyone can do is keep searching. As the hours passed, afternoon slowly turning to night, it became painfully obvious that Pikachu isn't here.

I don't know what time it is, but sleeping is impossible when I'm this wound up. I came out to the deck, hoping the fresh sea air would clear my head, but that's not working either. I lean against the safety bars, staring out at the sparkling ocean, the distant horizon, and once again think over everything that happened before Pikachu went missing. There was the lifeguard who wouldn't let him swim. That woman who took him to be tested for the virus. The short man with the odd-tasting punch. For some reason, those three stick out in my mind. Stranger still, I've asked about the woman, but no one knew who I was talking about. She and those two men seemed so familiar though. The lifeguard with the shaggy pale blue hair. The woman with the magenta hair that looked like it would be pretty long out of its bun. The short man with the high, scratchy voice-

I groan. After years of dealing with Team Rocket's various disguises, how is it that I still can't recognize them? I bet that stuff Jessie said about the virus not affecting pokemon until later was made up too. Man, I'm such an idiot!

"Ash? I thought that was you!"

I jump. I was so busy berating myself, I hadn't noticed anyone approach. A woman walks up to me and props one elbow against the bar. Her waist-length black hair blows in the sea breeze. Her dark green eyes are the kind that really bore into you, but the smile on her thin lips is kind, familiar. Seeing Vivian Ketchum (whom I'd dubbed "Aunt V" back when I was too young to pronounce her name) is an unexpected sight but always a welcome one.

My smile is only a little forced. I push some stray hairs out of my face, wishing I'd put on my hat before I came out here. "Hey, Aunt V." I give her a hug. "I didn't expect to see you here."

She pulls back and fixes the neckline of her pastel yellow shirt. "I know the captain. Plus, my team thought that I should take a break. I said no, but then, well." She looks down at her leg. A bandage is wrapped tightly around her calf. "I guess that's what happens when you try to wrangle a sickly Rattata after going three days without sleep and running on nothing but coffee and willpower."

The laughter that bubbles out of me feels good after the day I've had.

"When I heard you were back in Kanto, I made sure you got a ticket as well. Of course, I okayed it with your mom first." So, that's where the ticket came from. "Now, what's up with you? It's been so long since I've seen you in person. You used to be shorter than me!"

I laugh again, just noticing that I have to look down to talk to her. "Guess I kind of shot up. So, how have you been? You must be pretty busy, right? What with everything going on."

My aunt is a researcher, specializing in the biology of pokemon. Since the disease - dubbed "Poke-X," according to the internet - started spreading, she's been the head of the research behind it. Hence the Rattata bite, I suppose.

"Things can be hectic, yes," she says. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. See, in order to understand the virus, we need to understand the pokemon and exactly how they're affected by it. How it alters their behavioral patterns and causes a spike in aggression and what have you."

"That makes sense," I say, only half-understanding.

Aunt V smiles patiently. "I'll just cut to the chase. Seeing you again isn't the only reason I got you that ticket. I was also hoping to recruit you."

I blink, thinking I misheard. "I'm not really a science guy."

"I'm not asking you to be. What I need is a strong trainer, someone who's good with pokemon. You've been all over the place, done all sorts of things since you started your journey." She puts her hands on her hips and smirks. "Don't tell me all that stuff about meeting Legendaries and winning the Alola League is a lie."

Grinning despite myself, I bashfully run my hand through my hair. "Alright, you got me. But, what would I even do?"

The way she speaks makes me think she practiced her response. "Simple. Whenever there's a sighting of an infected pokemon, you and the others - you didn't think I'd send you out there alone, did you? - would go find it then bring it right back to base. The scientists handle the rest. Of course, you'd have to stay with me in Lavender Town, but I'm sure your mom won't mind. Oh!" She snaps her fingers. "One other thing. You would have to keep all your pokemon in their pokeballs while on the premises. You wouldn't want to risk them getting sick." Before I can say anything, she puts her finger to her chin and squints at me. "Speaking of pokemon, I'm seeing a distinct lack of yellow. No Pikachu tonight?"

My joy at seeing her again fades. I tell her about the employee who took Pikachu for testing and my own suspicion that she was actually part of Team Rocket. This leads to me explaining how those three (four if you count Jessie's Wobbuffet) have been after Pikachu for years. Throughout my story, Aunt V has a hand to her cheek, listening intently and nodding occasionally, a thoughtful expression on her face. It feels good to tell someone about this.

When I'm finished, Aunt V drops her hand. "It sounds like that Pikachu has been a lot of trouble for you. Maybe it's good that Team Rocket finally succeeded."

Anger burns in my chest. My aunt has never been known for her tact, and I'm used to her saying whatever she's thinking. Still, I can't stop my hands from shaking and curling into fists. "It's not like that."

Her eyes widen as she realizes what she said. "I-I'm sorry. That didn't come out right. I just meant that you won't have to worry about them anymore, you know?" When that fails to make me feel better, she nervously twirls a lock of hair around her finger. "I just worry about your safety. You're my nephew, and I hate to think of you dealing with criminals all the time."

My temper finally cools. "I know, Aunt V. I just get upset when people talk bad about my friends, especially Pikachu."

She nods, her worried frown now a sympathetic smile. "I'm sure your Pikachu's fine. It probably got away and is still hiding somewhere on the boat. Or, maybe it got confused and started following some other teenager around."

Neither of those scenarios sound like Pikachu, but I'll take them over the alternative, whatever that may be.

"Anyway," she continues, "this just circles right back to what I was talking about. You know a lot about pokemon. You've dealt with them every day since starting your journey, and I know you've played with them before that. I really think you'd be an asset. And, I'm sure you'd get along great with our other field workers. So, what do you say? Wanna help us figure out the Poke-X virus?"

I stare down at my sneakers, thinking. Any other time, I'd say yes right out of the gate. It breaks my heart to think that pokemon are suffering, killing themselves and each other over something they can't control. I'd give anything to stop it.

Anything except…

"What about Pikachu?" I ask. "I want to help; you know I do. But, if Pikachu's not on the ship… Aunt V, what if he shows up in Vermilion City, and I'm not there?"

Aunt V hums and tilts her head. Then, she claps her hands together. "Okay. You know the gym leader, right? Lt. Surge?" I nod. "We'll just give him our cell numbers, and he can keep his eyes open. Maybe Nurse Joy, too. And, maybe we'll give them the number for HQ as well." She leans in eagerly. "Would that work?"

"Well…"

She puts a hand on my shoulder. "Your Pikachu wouldn't want you to waste time moping, would it?"

True.

"What's worse: one missing pokemon that's fine on its own or the potential for hundreds, if not thousands , of pokemon to lose their lives ?"

I flinch, and she drops her hand. Factually, she has a point. Pikachu can take care of himself, and there are so many sick pokemon who can't.

But, what if Pikachu becomes one of- I can't let myself go there.

"How about this," I say, considering. "I'll come to Lavender Town and help with your research. But , I want to stay in Vermilion City for a few days in case Pikachu shows up. Sound good?" And, I can call Mom, Brock, Misty, Professor Oak, and Tracey and have them keep their eyes open as well.

Aunt V grins and nods. "Yes, yes, of course! That's more than fair. Oh, this is gonna be so much fun!" She clears her throat and dons a serious expression. "I-I mean, this is very important work, and I'm glad you're taking part in it." Then, she smiles again. "But, I really am looking forward to spending time with you. I've missed you."

"Me too, Aunt V."

I smile back, but I can't match her enthusiasm. I want to believe that Pikachu is still on the boat or is at least waiting for me in Vermilion City, but something in my gut is telling me that's not the case. I finger the single pokeball strapped to my belt: Pikachu's pokeball.

Buddy, wherever you are, I hope you're okay.

Chapter 5: On Your Gardevoir

"' Jerky' is just a term non-jerks use to bad-mouth innocent jerks." - Stan Pines, Gravity Falls

Pikachu

Two days pass and still no town. We only found two humans, neither of which were familiar to me. Both of them tried to catch Absol. The first time, he simply knocked the pokeball back with his horn, glared at the trainer, and moved on. The second time, the trainer missed and Eevee ended up getting sucked into the pokeball. He popped back out, dazed but otherwise fine. Absol, on the other hand… Well, that was how I found out that he could use Shadow Ball.

The longer we travel, the more anxious I feel. Ash and I have been separated before but never for longer than a day. He must be worried sick about me. Part of me wants to break away from the group and run as fast as Quick Attack can carry me, but I know that isn't wise. These guys seem to know the area better than I do, and it's not like I know where I'm going anyway.

---

It's getting dark, so we decide to make camp for the night. Absol and Eevee are off looking for nesting materials while the females and I split up to search for food. I am following the scent of apples when I hear a pop and a frustrated grunt. Curious, I follow the noise, which is coming from the same direction as the apple-scent, and find a pokemon, a Gardevoir, standing beneath an apple tree.

His tongue sticks out of the corner of his mouth as he holds out his hands, one hanging over the other, and focuses on the small pink orb growing between them. Once it's big enough, he throws the orb - I recognize the attack as Moonblast - into the sky. He then reaches up to it and uses Psychic to stop it from getting too high. At least, I think that's what he's trying to do. The orb instead pops in a puff of glittery smoke. Gardevoir throws his head back and groans dramatically.

"Um," I start. Gardevoir jumps and whips around, the white protrusions hanging from his waist whipping around him. "Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you. I just thought that looked kind of cool."

Gardevoir relaxes but doesn't smile. "Eh, it's not really anything yet, but thanks." He starts up a new Moonblast. "What I'm trying to do is use Psychic to power this up even further." He throws it into the air and uses Psychic but gets the same result. He turns back to me and shrugs. "I'll get the hang of it."

I stare up at the shimmering pink-gray cloud. This almost sounds like the kind of move coordinators would use in pokemon contests, at least in the first round, which is all about the spectacle. Though, it could certainly be useful in battle as well, giving you quite the power boost.

"It could be that you're focusing on too many things at once," I say. His red eyes regard me with interest. "Maybe it would be easier to try using Psychic on someone else's attack first and work your way up to your own. Wanna try it with one of my attacks?"

He puts a hand to his chin and finally smiles. "Yeah, that's not a bad idea. Oh, I'm Gardevoir, by the way."

"Pikachu." My cheeks fizz with electricity, which moves along my skin, finally reaching my tail as I launch Electroweb into the sky.

Gardevoir holds out his arms, sticks out his tongue in concentration, and briefly manages to pause my attack with Psychic. But, Electro Web just as quickly continues its path until it lands high up in the apple tree, forming a sparking yellow web. I call an apology to the startled pokemon that fly off. Thankfully, it doesn't look like anyone was hurt.

Gardevoir puts his hands on his hips and glares at the slowly dissipating web. "Well, that was a little better, I guess."

"You stopped it," I say encouragingly. "I'd call that an improvement. Wanna try again?"

He agrees, and this time I'm careful not to hit anything. Gardevoir uses Psychic, but the same thing happens, and I have to launch a fresh Electro Web to keep the now-falling one from hitting us.

As they collide, resulting in a small explosion, Gardevoir crosses his arms. "Well, that didn't work."

"Practice makes perfect," I say. My eyes roam over to the apple tree. "Aw geez! I'm supposed to be gathering food."

"Got some friends waiting for you?" Gardevoir asks, using Psychic to bring a few apples down from the tree.

"Oh, thank you!" I say as they land in front of me.

Gardevoir smiles down at me. "Hey, you scratched my back, my turn to scratch yours. Is that enough?"

Three apples definitely won't feed all five of us, especially Absol and Wobbles, but I wouldn't want to trouble Gardevoir any further. But, he seems to be reading my mind, because he brings down six more.

"Thanks," I say. I try to gather them up but find that I can only carry three. "Think you could give me a hand? And, maybe you'd like to eat with us too? I'm sure my friends would," I drop one of the apples, "be willing to," trying to pick it up just results in dropping another, "to help you train."

As I continue my cycle of drop-grab-drop, Gardevoir hums and looks off somewhere. "I'm kind of waiting for someone. I promised I'd stay here 'til he got back." I'd be more understanding if these apples would stop rolling out of my arms. Taking pity on me, Gardevoir bends over and gathers up the remaining apples (meaning all but two of them). "But, I suppose this won't take long. You friends aren't far from here, are they?"

Holding on tightly to my apples, I smile in both gratitude and embarrassment. "Not at all. Thanks again."

---

"And then, a Gyarados jumped out of the water and went rrraaaaahh !"

The next morning, the PokeSquad and I continue our trek to the nearest town, and Eevee is telling us about the dream he had.

Absol smiles at him in amusement. "It said 'rah?'"

Eevee runs forward to catch up to him. "You're saying it wrong. It's rrraaaaahh !" He leaps forward in emphasis and lands face-first in a large bush. Just as suddenly, he screams, pulls himself out, and turns to us with a look of horror. "First Pikachu, now Gardevoir? Why am I so good at finding bodies?"

"I'm not touching that one," I say before processing what he said. If it really is the same Gardevoir, what happened? He seemed fine yesterday!

We all push our way through the thick foliage, the branches scratching us as we break through to the other side. Gardevoir is in the exact same spot where I met him yesterday. Instead of training, however, he is lying on the ground, his long legs on top of a rock, his white protrusions splayed out around him, his mouth wide open.

"All of you, wait here," Absol commands. The rest of us huddle together nervously as Absol cautiously approaches Gardevoir.

Then, we hear a loud snore and let out the breaths we'd been holding.

Absol turns back to us with a smirk. "I think he's alright."

"But, wasn't he waiting for his friend?" Sprout says, echoing my thought.

Absol nudges Gardevoir, who wakes with a loud snort and mutters something that sounds like, "extra cheese." He blinks sleepy eyes at Absol. "You're not the waiter."

"I don't even know what a waiter is," Absol says matter-of-factly. "Or, cheese."

With a grunt, Gardevoir rearranges himself into a sitting position. "A waiter is a guy who brings you food. And, cheese is delicious. You should try it." He watches the rest of us walk up to him, and his situation slowly dawns on him. "Oh, did-did I fall asleep?" He looks up. "Is it morning ?" He curses and launches himself to his feet. He looks this way and that then rubs his arms and starts pacing. "He-he's never late. He probably got caught up in a battle or something. Yeah, I," he takes a breath, "I just need to wait it out."

"You mean your friend never showed up?" Eevee asks.

Gardevoir blinks as if just remembering he's not alone. "I'm sure he's on his way."

"Oh my goodness!" Sprout exclaims. "What if something happened to him!"

"If he isn't here by now," Wobbles adds, "he's either in trouble or you've been had."

Gardevoir looks like he's trying to use Glare. "Are you suggesting he left me here ?"

Wobbles raises her hands in a shrug. "I'm just saying it's possible."

"He would never do that." Gardevoir takes a dangerous step toward her.

Absol and I jump in between them. "Both of you calm down," Absol demands. "Fighting won't help anyone."

"We need to focus on finding Gardevoir's friend," I add.

"Really?" Gardevoir asks hopefully. "You'll help?"

Eevee smiles at him. "Of course! We're the PokeSquad!" Absol rolls his eyes at the name. "We help everyone!"

"Alright, team," Absol addresses us. "Gardevoir's friend is missing. We'll split up and search for him. Wobbles and Sprout, Eevee's with me, Pikachu stays with Gardevoir." We all nod in confirmation, but then Absol blinks at me sheepishly, remembering that I'm not actually part of the team. "I-If that's alright."

"Of course!" I say. "We all need to do our part."

Absol nods then turns back to Gardevoir. "Gardevoir, what's your friend's name, and what are we looking for?"

"His name's Evan. He's a human," Absol stiffens a bit, "my trainer. He has red hair, blue eyes, pale skin, probably wearing a flannel shirt. You know, one of those long-sleeved shirts with all the squares. I can't thank you guys enough."

---

The others left to search, but Gardevoir refused to go anywhere in case Evan showed up. If he hasn't shown up yet, I doubt that he will, but I can understand Gardevoir's point of view. He obviously trusts his trainer a lot.

Gardevoir said that I could go and search as well, but I'm not comfortable leaving him here alone. Still, sitting around like this is making me antsy. It doesn't help that Gardevoir's missing trainer has thoughts of my own trainer at the front of my mind. But, I know Ash wouldn't want me to ignore a pokemon in need, and frankly I don't think I could do that anyway.

Gardevoir sits on the rock he'd been sleeping half-on while I am perched in the apple tree, snacking as I search from above for a red-haired human in a flannel shirt. Or, a black-haired one in a red cap.

"Anything?" Gardevoir calls up to me.

Swallowing my last bite of apple, I look for a trash can before remembering where I am and tossing the core to the ground. "Just pokemon." I turn around and spy something in the distance. A speck of dark blue, the coppery color that humans for some reason consider "red" hair. "Hey," I call back down, "I think I found him!" Gardevoir practically jumps off the rock as I climb down as fast as I can. "Come on!"

I bolt in the direction of the specks, Gardevoir hot on my trail. I reach the human first. He is facing away from me, staring at a map and muttering, " Stupid map. "

"Oh," Gardevoir appears beside me, his voice breathy with relief, "he just got lost."

Equally relieved, I smile up at him. "Looks like that's all it was."

Evan hears us talking and turns around. He blinks and lowers his map. " G-Gardevoir? "

Gardevoir runs up and gives Evan a hug. I'm about to leave them be when Evan's frown deepens and he pulls back.

He opens his mouth, shuts it, opens it, shuts it, then sighs. " Gardevoir, you know I wanted a Gallade, right? " I freeze in place. So does Gardevoir. " That was the whole purpose of catching a male Kirlia. "

While both genders of Kirlia can evolve into Gardevoir, only the males can evolve into the psychic- and fighting-type Gallade, but a Dawn Stone is required for that to happen.

"I-I wanted to be a Gardevoir," Gardevoir says lamely, though Evan most likely can't understand him.

Suddenly, I remember a Charmander, lying in the rain, desperately clinging to life.

"Don't get me wrong. You're still a really cool pokemon. It's just… I mean, you knew I wanted a Gallade. Then, you evolved before I could find a Dawn Stone."

Next, a Chimchar who spent so much time without love that he sobbed his heart out when he finally got it.

" I tried to let it go. I did! But, you're just…not what I thought you'd be. "

Finally, a Tepig left tied to a stake in the ground and later found dirty and half-starved.

" Then, I released you, and you just kept following me. I thought maybe you'd get the hint if I told to wait there -"

My skin prickles with electricity, but Gardevoir steps in front of me before I can barbecue Evan. Even after hearing all this, Gardevoir is still protecting his trainer. Wobbles's pokedex description rings through my head. "Gardevoir: the embrace pokemon. A psychic- and fairy-type. Gardevoir are known for their loyalty and will gladly lay down their lives for those they care about. Especially their trainers."

Evan finally notices me and forces a smile at Gardevoir. " See? You've already got a friend. You don't even need me. " He turns around and says, " I…I'm sorry, " before walking away.

I can't take it anymore. I run past Gardevoir. My tail hardens in an iron tail, but Gardevoir tells me to stop. I whirl on him, still seeing red. "Gardevoir-"

Gardevoir's voice is emotionless. "It's his call."

I want to go after Evan anyway, but Gardevoir's face is pinched and his eyes are filled with tears. I can't just leave him like this. "Gardevoir, this isn't okay. He has no right to do this to you! You should at least let me give him a quick jolt. He deserves it for leaving you for no reason!"

Gardevoir just shakes his head sadly. "I don't expect you to understand." He starts to walk away. "You don't have a trainer."

One sentence, five words, and I feel like I've been Sucker Punched in the stomach. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the meeting spot. May as well tell everyone to stop bothering."

---

I had expected Absol to have some rude comment about humans, but luckily he holds his tongue. Instead, like the rest of us, he is quick to offer cuddles and gentle licks when Gardevoir eventually breaks down crying. I heard Wobbles mutter something along the lines of, "Saw that coming," but Gardevoir didn't seem to hear, so I ignored her.

Later, we are all sitting together, eating lunch, though no one has much of an appetite. Sprout is sadly rolling a mago berry between her leaves. Wobbles is eating but very slowly. Absol is alternating between scowling at his food and glancing over at me. (If he says one cruel word about Ash, I'll zap him the way I should have done with Evan.) Eevee is snuggled up to Gardevoir, who is simply staring at cheri berry in his hand.

The silence quickly becomes too much. "You know, some of my friends were abandoned by their trainers, too." Gardevoir blinks at me and looks over the other pokemon. "Not these guys," I clarify. "This was before I met any of them."

I don't know if talking about this will help, especially since they are my friends' stories to tell, so I feel a little weird revealing them. But, everyone's eyes are on me now, so I may as well continue. I suddenly find it difficult to face them, however, and am speaking more to my untouched fruit than the pokemon around me.

"There was a Charmander whose trainer thought he wasn't strong enough, so he told Charmander to-to wait for him to come back." I can only imagine what Gardevoir must look like right now. "There was a bad storm. I remember Charmander was holding a big leaf over his head, trying to stay dry. He was really weak when we found him."

"Then, there was Chimchar. His trainer was really mean, always making him take hit after hit so that his Blaze ability would activate. His trainer thought that Chimchar wasn't strong without it. Then, Chimchar clammed up during a battle, and that was that." I clenched my fists, swallowing rising anger. "Though, I suspect Paul was just looking for any excuse."

"Anyway, Tepig was the other one. He lost a battle, and his trainer left him tied to a stake in the ground. He broke free, but… When we found him, he was starving and so dirty you couldn't tell what color he was."

I look up at Gardevoir, who's staring at me in rapt attention. It isn't fair. Pokemon have feelings. We laugh and cry and love and hate just as easily as humans, though some humans seem to forget that. There are plenty of good ones in the world, but there are also bad ones and everything in between.

Come to think of it, aside from Wobbles, I don't know any of my new friends' stories. I wonder if any of them have a similar story to Gardevoir. It would certainly explain a few things about Absol.

"Where are they now?" Gardevoir asks. "Do you know?"

Charizard, fierce and bold. Infernape, courageous and full of energy. Pignite, kind and confident. I smile, pride overtaking me. "They're great. They're evolved and they're all friends, and…and it really makes me happy, you know?"

"See, Gardevoir?" Sprout says. "You feel bad now, but soon you'll be happy again!"

Absol nods. "They say when you're at your lowest point, you can only go up."

Eevee jumps and wags his tail. "Yeah! You've got to prove to Evan just how wrong he is!"

"You'll more likely never see him again," Wobbles says. "But, that doesn't mean you can't live your life."

Gardevoir contemplates our encouraging smiles for a long time. Then, he drops his berry and stands up. "Thanks for the food. Sorry for wasting your time."

"Where are you going?" Wobbles asks.

Gardevoir sighs. "I don't know. Just going, I guess." He shrugs. "What else am I supposed to do?"

Eevee props his forepaws on Gardevoir's leg. "You could stay with us. We're friendly."

Gardevoir smiles sadly and gently shakes him off. "Thanks, but I need time to think. Maybe someday," he adds when Eevee's ears droop. "Hey, if Pikachu's friends made it on their own in those conditions, I'm sure I'll figure something out."

I don't tell him that my friends weren't on their own, that they flourished under Ash's care. Instead I say, "There's a human I know. His name is Ash, and he helped my friends when their trainers left. If you find him, I know he'll help you with anything you need."

"Be careful," Absol says.

"Make lots of friends!" Sprout exclaims.

"So many, you forget all their names!" Eevee adds.

"Try not to get had again." We all glare at Wobbles, who frowns at us. "Too soon?"

We all say our goodbyes, and Gardevoir walks off. As we watch him leave, I try to ignore the weight in my chest. It doesn't feel right, just letting him leave after that heartache. I've always been able to help abandoned pokemon in the past. Why not now?

Because Ash was always there, I realize. My chest feels heavier. Ash would have caught Gardevoir without a second thought. They would have been great friends, and Gardevoir would have gotten stronger and stronger just like Charizard, Infernape, and Pignite. The thought hits me like Take Down. It was Ash who trained them, gave them comfort and care, taught them about love and family.

What did I do? I was there , sure. I gave them advice and a listening ear, but Ash did the heavy lifting. What did I really do?

Sprout's voice breaks through my thoughts. "Are you thinking about your friends?"

I wonder how my face must look. "Yeah," I say. It's not a lie. "Do you think… Do you guys think we could have done more?"

Eevee shuffles his feet. "I don't know."

Wobbles shugs. "I doubt it. I may be a psychic-type, but I can't change Evan's mind for him. None of us can."

Sprout nods. "I guess sometimes you just have to figure things out on your own. We could have let Gardevoir come along with us, at least for a little while, but would that have helped him at all? He must not think so, or he would have taken Eevee's offer."

"I feel like I didn't do enough," I say, but at this point I'm not sure if I'm still talking about Gardevoir.

Absol sighs and shakes his head. "The whole thing is just a mess. But, like Wobbles said, we can't change Evan's mind. And, who knows? Maybe Gardevoir is better off without a trainer." Did he just glance at me? Or, did I imagine that? "The problem is that humans are fickle. If things don't go their way, they overreact. They want us to do what they say, even if we hate it. If you ask me, that's no way to live." Now, I know he looked my way.

I'm about to retort, but to my surprise, Sprout does it for me. "Not all humans are like that." Her tone isn't unkind, but it doesn't invite argument. "Some of them are really nice."

Absol blinks sympathetically - curiouser and curiouser - but doesn't respond. He instead addresses all of us, back to his unspoken role of the leader. "There's nothing more we can do for Gardevoir. He needs to find his own path now. We've delayed Pikachu's mission-" Is that what we're calling it? "-long enough. Let's finish eating and move on. The town shouldn't be too much further."

As we finish our meals, though my own appetite is nonexistent, my thoughts are filled with Gardevoir and Charmander, Chimchar, Tepig, and Ash, Ash, Ash. He would have done everything he could and then some for Gardevoir, and what did I do? I let a heartbroken pokemon walk away. I shake off the thought. Absol's right. What more could we have done? I just hope Gardevoir is okay, wherever he ends up.

Chapter 6: Getting the Ball Rolling

" Maybe we should try a six-week plan next time." - The Fairly OddParents

Pikachu

It turns out that "the town shouldn't be too much further" really means "the town is another day or two away." This gives me plenty of time to think about Gardevoir. Where is he now? Is he alright? Did he make any friends? Did he perfect that Moonblast/Psychic combo?

"Wheeee!"

The cry is a sudden but welcome interruption to my thoughts.

"Look out!"

It's coming from behind us. We turn around and look up the steep hill we just climbed down. A red and white ball-like pokemon - spinning so fast that I can't tell if they're a Voltorb or an Electrode - is rolling down the hill, heading straight for us.

"I can't stop!"

We leap out of the way just in time, and the pokemon - now that they're closer, their size tells me that they're a Voltorb - speeds past us with another cry of, "Wheeee!"

So…are they scared or are they having fun?

We all stand there, staring at their retreating form. Eventually, Sprout breaks the stunned silence. "Um…what was that?"

"Voltorb: the ball pokemon. An electric-type," Wobbles replies. "Voltorb often gather in areas with strong electrical currents. They also explode when startled. Or, angry. Or, happy. Or, just because." Suddenly, we hear a boom and an oddly familiar scream and smoke puffs up in the distance. "Like that."

"Sounds like someone was caught in the blast," Absol says. "We better check it out."

We all run in the direction of the blast, arriving at a small patch of grass that's been burned away. Part of a tree trunk is also blackened, though the Voltorb themself seems fine. Of course, they're probably used to blowing up. Whoever got caught in the blast is gone, so they must be okay.

Voltorb blinks at us and grins. At least, I think they're grinning. It's hard to tell with pokemon who don't have visible mouths. "Oh, hi there! You're the guys I almost rolled over! Did you see the guy I exploded? He was a Meowth, and he was really mad! He was okay. He was just really mad."

A Meowth? No, there are plenty of Meowth in Kanto. It can't be that Meowth, right? And, Voltorb didn't say anything about humans or a Wobbuffet.

"Uh," Sprout says, "are you okay?"

Voltorb nods. "Oh, yeah. I explode all the time." Suddenly, they start rolling around, circling the ring of charred earth. "I like to explode. I also like to roll around and around, but sometimes I forget how to stop! Then, I roll into something or my friend grabs me, and then I stop."

I've met plenty of Voltorb, but they're always serious at best, downright mean at worst. This one is…perky. My friends appear equally stunned, staring at Voltorb in bewilderment. Except for Eevee, who likely has never seen a Voltorb and doesn't know what they're usually like.

"I like you!" Eevee giggles. "I'm Eevee."

Voltorb stops rolling. "I'm Voltorb." They resume their circle. "I like you! I like everything! I like rolling! I like exploding!" They stop. "Wanna see me explode?" We all protest loudly, and Voltorb sobers a little. "Why does no one ever wanna see?"

Absol clears his throat. "Well, if everyone's okay, we're just gonna move on."

Eevee's ears droop, but Absol can't seem to get away fast enough. Before we go, I approach Voltorb and hold up my hand, stopping their continued circle. Voltorb rights themself and looks at me. "We're heading for a place called Vermilion City," I say. "Do you know where that is?"

Voltorb looks down. I can practically see the gears turning in their mind. "There's a place nearby. I live there with my friend. I'm pretty sure that's what it's called."

The weight in my chest lifts. Will my own friend be there?

"Oh my goodness!" Sprout says, echoing my thoughts. "We're almost there!"

Eevee wags his tail, Wobbles has her usual blank expression, and Absol shoots me an apprehensive look - I'm too excited to care - and nods at Voltorb. "Lead the way."

Voltorb jumps up and rolls off. "This way! This way!"

As we follow them, they regale us with various facts about their life. I gather that the friend they mentioned is their trainer, but I quickly start to tune them out. Despite myself, I start to envision what will happen when we get to Vermilion City.

Ash will be standing at the entrance. When he sees me, his eyes will light up, his ever-present smile will grow wider. He'll run up to me and scoop me up and hold me against his firm chest, swaddling me in his huge hands as his heart beats rapidly against my ear. The scrawny ten-year-old I once knew had grown into a six-foot-seven beast of a man, but he still holds me in a way that makes me feel like the most precious thing in the world.

I press my mouth shut to keep from laughing. No wonder our pokemon friends call me a romantic. Still, the more we walk, the more I want to sprint ahead.

Then, Voltorb stops and turns back to us. "I-I don't think I'm supposed to be here." Their gaze darts this way and that. "Yep. I almost went to the place I'm not supposed to go. Silly me!"

"What do you mean?" I ask. Is the path unsafe? Is there a dangerous pokemon nearby?

They mentioned a Meowth. Is it Team Rocket? My pelt prickles at the thought of having to deal with those jerks now .

Voltorb blinks at me. "I mean I'm not supposed to go there. What aren't you getting?"

And now I'm just irritated.

"Why can't you go there?" Sprout asks, her eyes darting around like she expects us to be ambushed.

"'Cause my friend said so," Voltorb says unhelpfully.

Sprout and Eevee look confused, Absol seems to be physically biting his tongue, and I'm considering blindly trekking through "the place Voltorb isn't supposed to go."

Wobbles, however, is her usual self. She smacks her forehead with a groan. "Is there another way to the city?" Voltorb starts to reply. "And, if so, please take us that way."

Voltorb bounces. "Okay! We can, uh…" After scanning the area for a bit, they deflate. "I don't know another way."

Unbelievable. "Well, do you know why your friend doesn't want you in this place?" I ask, trying not to let my frustration show.

Voltorb nods. "Something bad happened." Ah, now we're getting somewhere. "Something really bad."

"I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle," Absol replies. "Besides, you're not allowed to go there, but nothing says we can't."

Voltorbs hums, as if Absol just told them the meaning of life. "That's a very good point. Okay!" Voltorb turns back to "the place they're not supposed to go." "Go this way until you see some bluk berry bushes. Then, eat some bluk berries because they're in season and they're really juicy and yummy." From the sound of things, I'm not the only one stifling a groan. "Head left and keep going and then you'll be there."

"Thanks," I say and run forward.

My friends shout at me to wait up, but I barely notice. I'm almost there. Vermilion City is so close! With any luck, Ash will still be there. No doubt, he's pieced together that Team Rocket kidnapped me, and he's probably sick with worry. I reach the bushes and take a sharp left, hope making my footsteps feel lighter, faster. I'm coming, Ash!

Then, I notice a strange, coppery stench. I slow down and sniff the air, more cautious now. The closer I get, the stronger the smell, the more my fur stands on end. Something's not right. Then, it dawns on me, and I stop entirely.

Blood. I'm smelling fresh blood. Someone's hurt!

"Pikachu!" Absol is the first to catch up to me. "You can't just run off like-" He sniffs the air, a grim expression on his face. The others are getting closer, but Absol stops them. "Do you all smell that?" They all take a whiff and cringe. "Stay there. I'll check it out." He heads toward the smell. I start to follow, but he nudges me with his back paw. "You stay, too."

"But, what if you need help?" I ask. "We don't know what's over there."

Absol considers me then nods. "Alright, but stay close."

We forge on, the stench getting stronger and stronger, my stomach knotting up more the closer we get. Soon, we hear footsteps besides our own, the slow, heavy footsteps of an adult human or a large pokemon.

Absol puts a paw in front of me, blocking my path, and lifts his head. Being about three times my height, he has a much better view of whatever's ahead. "Come on," he urges, breaking into a run.

"What's over there?" I ask, right by his side.

"A pokemon. Not sure of the species," he says. "Too far to tell if they're the source of the smell."

But, as we get closer, the coppery stench only grows stronger.

Then, the pokemon comes into view. She resembles a very muscular human with blue-gray skin and an extra pair of arms attached to her shoulders; a Machamp, I recognize. And, her legs are covered in blood. How is she still walking?

"Ma'am," Absol calls as we race over. His voice is calm but with an urgent edge to his tone. "Ma'am, you shouldn't be walking."

Machamp blinks at us - how is she so calm? - then glances down at the thick, dark red splotches covering her from the knees down. "Oh! Oh, don't worry. This isn't mine." Her voice is very deep for a female. "Hey, did you just ma'am me?" She adds, pointing accusingly at Absol. "I ain't that old, am I?"

Absol huffs, and I ask Machamp, "You're not hurt? Then, who is? Are they okay?"

Machamp sucks in a breath, puts three hands on her hips, and rubs the back of her head with the other one. "Well, uh, what's your definition of 'okay?'"

I guess that's my answer.

"Where are they?" Absol asks. "Maybe we can help."

Machamp looks sadly back the way she came. "I'm afraid that Drowzee is way beyond help now."

My chest tightens. "I-I'm so sorry. Were they a friend of yours?"

"Do you know what happened?" Absol asks kindly.

Machamp shakes her head. "Never seen him before in my life. As for what happened, I can make a guess. I was just heading to the river to wash all this off." She gives her leg a little kick. The Drowzee's blood speckles the grass. "Let's talk more down there."

" Sarge ," someone calls. A male human rushes toward us through the wood, nearly tripping over a tree root in the process. He has brown hair hanging around his face and an exasperated expression behind his glasses. " Sarge, tell me you're not going to wash that off in the river. "

Machamp- Sarge looks down at her legs and shrugs at the human. "I don't see the problem."

The human pushes up his glasses with his index finger. " Under normal circumstances, that would be bad enough. Don't forget that Drowzee was sick. Very sick, " he adds with a pointed look.

Sarge flinches and laughs sheepishly. "Didn't think of that."

The human sighs up at the sky, but I can hear the affection in his voice when he says to her, " What am I gonna do with you? "

The way their dialogue flawlessly bounces off one another makes me wonder if this human can understand Sarge. Any time I see a human and pokemon speak to each other in such a way, I wonder if they have a connection like the one I have with Ash. So far, the answer has been no, but there's always a chance, right?

Something the human said hits me then. The Drowzee was sick? I had forgotten all about the Poke-X virus. But, that couldn't have been it, could it? It started near Lavender Town. How close are we? Has it spread very far?

The human notices Absol and myself with a gasp, runs up to us, and waves his hands in our faces. " Shoo! Shoo! Don't get near her- " Sarge pulls him away before Absol can bite him. Absol continues growling even as the human hangs back. " She's contaminated, " the human continues more calmly, " and you don't want to get sick. "

Sarge reaches up - the human is about a head taller than her - and pats his head. "This is Korou. He's my trainer, and he's very paranoid."

" Come on, Sarge, " Korou says, rolling his eyes and grabbing her by the wrist, " we need to get you disinfected. "

As he leads her away, she turns back to us and waves. "Be careful out there, you two."

---

Regrouping back by those bushes led to me having to explain the Poke-X virus to everyone. I'm a little surprised that none of them had heard of it, but I guess it is still fairly new.

"Fascinating," is Wobbles’s response.

I gape at her. "How-how is pokemon killing themselves fascinating?"

Wobbles just shrugs. "It's a pokemon thing I've never heard of." She leans in, a too-wide smile on her face. "Tell me more ."

Sometimes I forget why she's our friend. "There's nothing else to tell. I just know that it exists."

"So, it's a deadly illness, and we don't know what it is or how you catch it or if there's even a cure?" Sprout starts shaking all over. "Oh my goodness! I don't like that !"

Eevee's ears flatten, and he shrinks back and looks among us. "Anyone could have it! Even us !"

"Oh my goodness!"

There was a flash of fear in Absol's eyes while I was explaining, but it's been replaced with what I've come to think of as his "leader face." "Nobody panic. From what Pikachu said, we would know if one of us was sick. This Poke-X is definitely something to watch for, but it doesn't sound widespread. All we can do is remain cautious-"

"Wheee!"

"Oh, not this again!"

Sprout squeaks and starts running in circles. "Oh my goodness oh my goodness where are they oh my goodness-"

Voltorb suddenly appears out of a bush, bowls over Sprout, and keeps going until they collide with a tree and explode. We are immediately blasted with hot smoke and even hotter debris. We all shake off the pain as Voltorb spins around, giggling.

Absol growls at them. "What's so funny?"

"I stopped all by myself!" Voltorb says, still spinning.

Eevee pauses in licking his wounds. "I thought the tree stopped you."

Voltorb stills. "There was a tree? Oh! You're the guys who wanted to go to the city! Did you find it?"

"Does it look like we found it?" Absol asks with thinning patience.

Sprout groans and shakily picks herself up. "What just happened?" She reaches behind her, fiddles with her backpack, and sighs in relief. What does she keep in that thing, anyway?

I'm about to ask if she's okay, but a new voice screams, " Yo, Voltorb! Where you at? "

Voltorb jumps up with a happy squeak. "My friend is here!"

A female human with dark brown skin and a head of very curly black hair is stomping through the brush. Her face is full of frustration, but the look turns to a tired relief when Voltorb rushes up to her and starts circling her legs, chanting, "Oh boy oh boy oh boy!" in a more child-like rendition of Sprout's "Oh my goodness."

The human shakes her head and stops Voltorb by placing her dirty white sneaker on them, leaving them perched upside-down. " Man, you gotta stop doing this. You're gonna roll all the way to Hoenn if you ain't careful. " She nods to the rest of us. " Now, you say bye-bye to your friends, 'cause we gotta head back. "

"Bye-bye!" Voltorb chirps at us. "Oh! Oh! We're going to the city! You can follow us if you want. Lorette won't mind." They gaze up at her. "You don't mind, do you?"

But, Lorette has already started away. She looks back and says, " You coming, or are you riding back in your pokeball? "

Voltorb seriously considers her question. "I think…I'll just follow you. Come on, new friends! We're going to Vermilion City!"

"We're not your friends!" Absol snaps.

But, we all follow. Lorette is confused by our presence - she definitely can't understand Voltorb - but she goes along with it when Voltorb starts weaving between us and saying please over and over. Eevee is the only one who enjoys this, as he can't stop laughing at Voltorb's antics. Sprout jumps on Absol's back, afraid of getting run over again. Wobbles just watches Voltorb with interest. Absol is scowling. I'm both eager to get moving and worried I'll get blown up.

Voltorb doesn't stop until Lorette says, " Alright, alright, I get it. They can do what they want. But, you, Absol, you stop staring at us like that. "

---

This isn't Vermilion City. There are no cars on the roads. Heck, these pathways can barely be considered roads. This place isn't run-down, but there is a lot of grass and trees and other plant life. There are very few houses and people, and there is a huge building not far from us that, if memory serves, is a pokemon graveyard, though the name escapes me.

"Vermilion City?" Sarge says when I ask about it. Turns out that she and Korou are friends with Voltorb and Lorette. "No, no, no, this Lavender Town."

Their trainers work in a place that doesn't allow pokemon on the premises, so they are free to roam outside during work hours. Sarge, Voltorb, the PokeSquad, and myself are all gathered outside of the big, gray building that Lorette and Korou work in. It's a warm, beautiful day, the flying-types are chirping in the background, we're all having what should be a pleasant conversation, and I can't bring myself to enjoy it.

Because, this isn't the right place . If nothing else, it explains the presence of Poke-X, though that's still bad in its own right.

Sarge, clean now, is sitting on the stone steps with one leg crossed over the other. "This is probably my fault. This morning, I was telling Voltorb about this battle I had with the Vermilion City gym leader's Raichu. I lost, but it was a heck of a battle! Anyway, Voltorb gets confused sometimes." Voltorb, who is asleep against her hip, mumbles something at the sound of their name. I guess all that rolling and exploding would tucker anyone out. Sarge rests a hand on their head. "I guess they were so into my story, they forgot where they actually live."

"But, Vermilion City's not far from here, right?" I ask.

Sarge scratches her head thoughtfully. "I think it’s close."

"Will there be other Sarge when we get there?" Eevee asks.

"Other Sarge?"

"Yeah! I wanna see lots more of them!"

"Oh!" Sarge laughs and ruffles Eevee's long neck fur. "Sarge is my nickname, kid. My species is called-"

Wobbles clears her throat. "Machamp: the superpower pokemon. A fighting-type. Machamp are strong enough to knock a truck over without even trying. But, don't ask them to do anything requiring dexterity."

"Hey!" Sarge snaps. Voltorb's eyes flutter open. "For your information, Korou's shirt lost a button the other day, and I sewed that sucker right back on."

"It took three hours, and the button popped off," Voltorb says groggily.

Sarge glares at them. "Well, look who's up."

Sprout shivers and steps back, shooting Voltorb nervous glances. "Um, Sarge, you said Vermilion City isn't far, right? Do you have a map? That would help. I can read!"

"You can?" I ask. Color me impressed. The most I can do is recognize certain words.

Sprout nods. "Uh-huh. I've never read a map before, but how different can it be?"

"Sarge can read, too," Voltorb says.

Sarge smiles modestly. "Not very well. And, reading a map is a lot harder than reading words. The pictures don't make any sense. Not that I could find one, anyway." She points a thumb back at the building. "I'd ask someone inside, but… Well, you know."

I think back to the way she spoke with Korou.

"There aren't any pokemon you can ask?" Absol says.

"I told you," Sarge replies, "pokemon aren't allowed in there."

"Why is that? You didn't say."

"Didn't I? Well, you see, the folks in there are researching the Poke-X virus. You all know what that is?" We confirm that we do, Wobbles looking especially interested. "Then, you can see why pokemon can't go in. We have to either stay in our pokeballs or roam free outside. I think most of the researchers leave their pokemon at home, though. Voltorb and I like to explore, so here we are. Korou wanted to keep me in my ball, said it'd be safer," she winks, "but he knows he can't stop me."

"The Drowzee you mentioned," I say, a knot in my stomach, "he had Poke-X, didn't he? That was his blood on you."

Sarge holds up two of her hands. "I know what you're thinking, but don't worry. It's only spread through bodily fluids."

"What does that mean?" Eevee asks, his already fluffy fur standing up.

"If I had any open wounds for the blood to seep into, that would be a problem. But, I didn't, and I didn't get blood in my mouth or anything, so I'm safe."

Wobbles's hands are pressed together. "Interesting. Is that why you weren't allowed near there, Voltorb? Were you injured?"

"Voltorb? Nah." Sarge pats Voltorb on the head. "I just didn't want them getting in the way while the humans came and did their science thing. Voltorb's kind of prone to random bursts of energy, as you've noticed. I call it crazy mode."

Voltorb scowls up at her. "I'm right here."

"So…" I say, eager to get back on track. "Vermilion City?"

Sarge shakes her head. "Can't help you." My whole body droops, then Sarge rubs her chin in thought. "Well, there is someone who might know where that is."

"Really?" Please tell me they're nearby!

"There's an abandoned power plant just north of here. A horde of Voltorb and Electrode live there, and they're all pretty well traveled, especially the Alpha."

Voltorb makes a small sound and huddles closer to Sarge. "They're mean." Sarge pats them sympathetically. "They're mean," Voltorb repeats. I wonder how familiar they are with this horde.

"Yeah, they're not a friendly bunch," Sarge continues, "but they tend to be more welcoming of other electric-types." She nods at me. "If Pikachu's with you, they might at least hear you out."

"I can evolve into an electric-type," Eevee says. "Will they like me?"

Sarge hums and wiggles her hand in a "maybe" gesture.

Absol stands up. "Well, it's a place to start." He addresses the rest of us. "We should move out while there's still daylight."

Wobbles raises her hand. "Hold on, buddy. I wanna hear more about this Poke-X thing first. How it's contracted, the effects it has, how to cure it. Basically, I wanna know absolutely everything about it."

Sprout nods rapidly. "I wanna know, too. What if we get sick? We should learn everything we can!"

Sarge crosses two of her arms. "Not much to tell I'm afraid. Don't swallow their blood or spit," she lists, checking things off with a third hand, "they attack themselves, they attack everyone else. Just stay far away from anyone who's screaming about something attacking them."

Her voice is casual but there's fear in her eyes and her fourth hand is nervously rubbing Voltorb's head. Not that they seem to mind.

Screaming about something- I shiver. I don't even want to know what that implies.

We thank Sarge for the information and start north, Sprout using Vine Whip to drag Wobbles, who is still asking questions about the virus like nothing's happening, along with us. I wish Sarge and Voltorb could have told us more. I've seen the videos online- Well, part of a video. Ash and I had quickly realized that we didn't want to watch more than twelve seconds. But, I thought that I'd at least gotten the gist of what Poke-X does. Now, I'm not so sure. Seeing a video is one thing, but seeing something in person is very, very different. Especially something unpleasant.

But, I can't think like that now. I need to focus on getting to the power plant. Hopefully that horde will be welcoming of electric-types like Sarge said. At this point, it's my best chance of finding Ash.

Ash.

"Wait," I tell my friends and run back to Sarge and Voltorb.

Sarge is walking away from the research facility with Voltorb sitting comfortably in her hand. She stops and turns around at my approach. "What's up?"

"Hi, Pikachu!" squeaks Voltorb.

"Hi, Voltorb," I say before addressing Sarge. "Sarge, this might be a weird question, but can Korou understand you?"

Sarge snorts and grins. "Understand me?"

My face heats up. Ever since Ash first started understanding me I've been paying close attention to how other humans speak to their pokemon. Usually, pokemon have to make an effort for their trainers to even get a clue. Those who are particularly close have an easier time with it, but they still lack verbal communication. (Except for Chatot, but the best they can do is squawk out a few human words before they get tired.) But, sometimes a pokemon will say something, and their trainer will respond perfectly, the way Korou did with Sarge in the forest.

Ash has always had a unique way with pokemon, bonding with them quickly or in unexpected ways. Greninja is the best example, their closeness unlocking a unique ability that made him one of Ash's strongest pokemon ever. Yet, they still didn't have that effortless communication; Ash could not understand Greninja on a verbal level. It's fun to feel like I have my own little thing with my best friend, but I've always wondered if it's truly our thing or if there's another human and pokemon out there like that.

At times like this, I think that I should just stop asking. Sarge's reaction is one of the better ones.

"It's just…" I say, trying to save face. "In the forest, you and Korou were talking, and…" I trail off, my voice failing me.

Sarge chuckles and waves a free hand. "Nah. That was just dumb luck. Whoever heard of a human who speaks pokemon?"

Voltorb blinks thoughtfully. "That would be neat, though. I could talk to Lorette all the time! I could talk and talk and talk and talk and-"

Sarge pats their head with a little grin. "Maybe it's good that they can't understand us."

I thank her and retreat back to my group. They are all looking at me curiously. "What was that about?" Sprout asks.

I give my pelt an embarrassed shake. "Don't worry about it."

Chapter 7: New Friends, Old Enemies

" I wake up with a good attitude every day. Then idiots happen." - Unknown

Ash

Aunt V was kind enough to give me a week, but it didn't do any good. I hated leaving Vermilion City, but a promise is a promise. Now, she and I are walking up to the Pokemon Research Facility just outside of Lavender Town. Aunt V said that it was a warehouse that had long been abandoned. She and her team had converted it to a research building several years ago, and now the scientists inside are focusing on the Poke-X virus.

My shoulder feels empty. Pikachu's out there in the middle of all this. A chill runs through me when I remember that he's just as susceptible as any other pokemon. Unless he's at Team Rocket's headquarters. I'm not sure which is worse.

"Ash, you've been a worry-wart since the ship," Aunt V says as we pass some children playing hopscotch on the sidewalk. "Try to relax. You'll find Pikachu eventually."

I shove my hands in the pockets of my denim jacket. She's trying to comfort me, I know, but she makes it sound like I lost a hairbrush. Hairbrushes can't catch deadly diseases. They can't be tortured or forced into servitude or whatever by bad guys. If they go missing, it's inconvenient, but ultimately no one really cares.

Pikachu is not a hairbrush. I can't just go to the store and buy a new one.

"I think you'll like the other field workers," Aunt V says, oblivious to my mood. "Korou is quiet but very smart. And, Lorette takes some getting used to, but she's nice enough."

I just nod along, only half-listening as she names off a few of the scientists. Pikachu can take care of himself just fine, but grim thoughts still blow through my head like Gust. Where is he? Is he back in Vermilion City, expecting to see me there? Is he alone? Afraid? Injured? If he's with Team Rocket, what are they doing to him? If he's sick - I shudder at the thought - what is he doing to himself ?

We stop in front of the research building as two workers walk out the door. One is a man with light brown hair that almost reaches his shoulders, glasses, and a white polo shirt tucked into khaki pants, making me wonder if he also works in a library or something. His co-worker is a petite black woman with kinky hair and an orange shirt that looks more like a bra with sleeves.

"I'm telling you," the woman is saying with a big grin on her face, "it was all squishy-like!"

Her co-worker looks away in disgust and holds up a hand. "And, I'm telling you, I don't need to hear any more. Oh, Dr. Ketchum, welcome back." Sighing in relief, he walks down the steps, the woman close behind. He looks up at me. "And, you are?"

"This is Ash," Aunt V says for me. "I told you guys my nephew would be joining you, right? Ash, this is Korou. And, that's Lorette."

I smile and tip my hat, grateful for the distraction and eager to meet my fellow field workers. "It's great to meet you both."

Lorette is looking me up and down, assessing me, and Korou says, "It's nice to meet you, too." He frowns thoughtfully. "Though, I could have sworn your aunt told us you were seventeen. Maybe I'm thinking of someone else."

"No, that's right," I assure, knowing where this is going. This happens every time someone new learns my age. It was a little weird at first, but I've gotten used to it. "But, I'll be eighteen next month."

Both of them stare at me in shock. Korou mumbles an apology, and Lorette's mouth drops open. "You're seventeen, and you're this big ?"

I laugh awkwardly and rub the back of my neck. "Yeah, I guess so."

As I lower my hand, Lorette grabs my wrist. She can't be much taller than five feet, so my hand practically swallows hers as she presses them together. "Look at your hand! That is the beefiest hand I have ever seen!"

Well, that's a new one.

"Lorette," Korou admonishes.

Lorette whips her head around. "Are you seeing this? It's like a white baseball mitt!"

Also a new one.

Aunt V puts her hand on my arm. "I'll let you three get acquainted."

She heads inside, and Korou pulls Lorette's hand down and bows in apology. "I'm so sorry about her. She's not great with first impressions. When we met, she asked if I were a librarian," he adds with a chuckle.

Funny, I had the same thought. "You mean, you're not?"

Lorette bursts out laughing.

---

Turns out, they had just gotten off work. They offered to let me meet their pokemon, so of course I agreed. Like Aunt V had said, pokemon aren't allowed in the facility due to the risk of them getting sick. Korou had considered leaving Sarge - a Machamp - at home or in her pokeball, but apparently Sarge isn't fond of being cooped up in there all day and would jump right back out if you put her in. (Reminds me of a certain electric-type I know.) Lorette's Voltorb, in her own words, "does whatever the hell it wants, much like this hair, though I do make it work." Korou had shaken his head fondly at that.

Their pokemon like to play in the nearby forest, they said. On our way there, the two of them naturally have their own questions for me. Aunt V had told them I'd been a trainer since my tenth birthday and that I'm "a skilled traveler who knows a lot about pokemon" but not much else.

"So, what about you, Ash?" Korou says. "Who was your first pokemon?"

Sarge and Voltorb were Korou's and Lorette's first pokemon respectively. Korou had raised Sarge from a Machop egg, and Lorette said she'd heard about a Zapdos sighting but had found Voltorb instead.

"Was it Bulbasaur?" Lorette guesses. "You seem like a Bulbasaur kind of guy."

Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander are the three pokemon a new trainer can choose from in the Kanto Region, and I've caught all three at one point or another. "I actually do have a Bulbasaur," I confirm, "but he wasn't my first pokemon."

"So, who was?" Korou presses.

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing, but the truth is that I slept through my alarm on my tenth birthday. By the time I got to Professor Oak's lab, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander were already taken. So, Professor Oak gave me a Pikachu." I think back to the day we met, how the first thing my buddy did was zap me, and chuckle. "Pikachu didn't really like me at first, but," my heart aches, "we've really come to love each other, you know?"

Lorette smiles sweetly. "Aw, you're just a big ol' softie, aren't you?"

I look away sheepishly.

"So, will we be getting to meet this Pikachu?" Korou asks. "Or, is it a Raichu now?"

"Nah," I say, "Pikachu's never been interested in evolving. And, as for meeting him," God, I hope so, "he's actually not here."

We're in the forest now. Lorette steps around a resting Ratata in her path. "You didn't bring him with you?"

"I don't blame you, Ash." A tree whacks Korou in the forehead. He fixes his glasses. "What with everything going on. I'd leave Sarge firmly in her pokeball if I thought I could get away with it."

I'm not in the mood to explain about Team Rocket and their…antics, so I simply nod and finger the pokeball still strapped to my belt.

There's some kind of commotion ahead. I can see a large group of pokemon gathered and cheering.

"Oh, I didn't realize it was today," Korou says.

"What's today?" I ask.

"A few days each week, Sarge hosts some sort of game for pokemon. It seems to be a pokemon wrestling match."

"Pokemon wrestling match?"

"Right. From what I can tell, the goal is to pin down your opponent for three seconds just like in a regular wrestling tournament. And if you use your attacks, you're disqualified."

"It's dumb," Lorette says with a grin, "but it sure is fun to watch."

It does sound interesting.

The crowd roars. We run on ahead and peer over the various heads. In the middle of the clearing, surrounded by screaming pokemon, is a Primeape with his arms raised in triumph, his foot perched on the stomach of a Wigglytuff. A Voltorb - I can only assume they're Lorette's - is merrily rolling back and forth. Primeape steps back and helps Wigglytuff to her feet. I don't know what they're saying, but it's clear that they're friends or at least good sports.

A Machamp - she's the only Machamp here, so she must be Sarge - steps into the "ring" and ushers the competitors back into the crowd. " Champ champ champ. Mahchamp mahchamp! "

The crowd cheers even louder. Beside me, Lorette is screaming along with them, her arms flailing above her, though I doubt she understands Sarge any better than I do. Their excitement is contagious, however, and I find myself calling out for more as well. Korou is much more relaxed. His arms are crossed as he simply observes, but his eyes betray the love he has for his partner pokemon, who spots him and nods in acknowledgement.

Sarge calls out something else and points to one end of the ring. A Tyrogue pushes his way through the crowd, the much smaller pokemon quickly adopting a fighting stance. On the other end, Sarge calls in a Raticate who raises his tiny hands and growls.

Sarge stands back. " Maaah… " She raises two arms on one side. The new competitors grin in anticipation. Sarge quickly swipes her arms down. " Champ! "

Tyrogue and Raticate charge at each other as the crowd eggs them on. The two lock hands at first, staring one another down. Then, Raticate sneaks his tail around Tyrogue's legs, knocking him over. Raticate tries to leap on him, but Tyrogue counters by kicking his legs out, pushing Raticate off balance enough for Tyrogue to grab him and hold him down.

Voltorb rolls in, acting as the referee. " Vol. Vol. "

Raticate uses his tail to push Tyrogue off. Voltorbs flees back to his place next to Sarge.

"Go, Tyrogue!" Lorette cries. "Go, Raticate!"

I cup my hands around my mouth and shout, "Keep it up!"

"Raticate's tail gives it an advantage," Korou observes. "If Tyrogue could find a workaround, it would stand a much better chance."

As if he'd heard that, Tyrogue grabs hold of Raticate's tail, whirls him into the air, slams him into the ground, and stands on his exposed stomach.

Voltorb comes back. " Vol. Vol. Vol. Voltooooooorrrrb! "

The crowd, including myself and Lorette, goes wild. Korou nods. "Impressive, isn't it?"

"Impressive?" I exclaim. "This is awesome!"

I spent the past week worrying about Pikachu, feeling worse each day, barely sleeping at night, constantly checking Pikachu's pokeball because if it broke on its own that would mean the worst happened. I needed this. I needed some levity, something to keep me from falling down the hole my mind's dug.

Sarge says something, and the crowd disperses. My enthusiasm is replaced by disappointment. It can't be over already. I was just getting psyched!

Korou chuckles, seeing my expression. "Don't worry, Ash. I think they're just taking a break."

I scan the area, curious as to what they all do during their break. Most of the pokemon are mingling, speaking to each other in words I'd give anything to understand. Off to the side, a Slowpoke is using Heal Pulse on Tyrogue and Raticate and several other pokemon who must have already competed. Wow, they even have a medic!

"Never seen that pokemon before," Lorette says. "Wonder what it is."

Korou follows her gaze. "I'm not sure."

The pokemon in question is a Gardevoir, who is standing apart from the others and looking a little lost. If Lorette and Korou have never seen him before, then he must be as new as I am.

"That's a Gardevoir," I inform. I dig into my pants pocket and pull out my pokedex, a new one that Professor Oak gave me when he found out I'd be researching the virus. "Here, I'll show you."

Lorette and Korou gather around me as I point my pokedex at Gardevoir and let the machine do the talking. The pokemon's picture appears on the screen. ' Gardevoir: the embrace pokemon. A psychic- and fairy-type. Fiercely loyal, Gardevoir will do anything its trainer commands. If someone it cares for is in danger, it will release all of its psychic energy at once to protect them. '

Lorette whistles. "I'd hate to be on that thing's bad side."

"Yeah, they're pretty strong," I say, slipping the pokedex back in my pocket. I walk up to Gardevoir, who gazes up at me with interest. "First time here?" Gardevoir nods. "Me too. It sure looks like fun."

" Vwarh! " Gardevoir confirms.

Korou calls to me, and I turn back around. He and Lorette are standing before us, their pokemon at their sides. "I'd like you to meet Sarge," Korou says, holding out a hand to his Machamp, who greets me with a wink, a thumbs-up, and a hearty, " Mahchamp! "

Lorette gazes down at the much smaller pokemon at her feet. "And, this here's Voltorb."

" Voltorb! " her partner chirps.

"It's nice to meet you both. I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. And, this is-" My heart lurches. On instinct, I'd almost introduced Pikachu. "This is Gardevoir." I say instead. "It's his first time here too." Gardevoir is looking at me kind of funny now. I wonder what's going through his head. "Gardevoir, meet Korou and Lorette."

Gardevoir breaks from his stupor and lowers his head to the others in greeting.

Lorette puts her hands on her hips. "So, you're a new guy, huh? Enjoying the show?"

Gardevoir nods.

"About that," I say. "I was wondering if humans were eligible." They all stare at me like I've turned into a Lotad. "Hey, why not? The pokemon aren't allowed to use their attacks, so it's not like I'll have that big a disadvantage, right?"

"Uh," Korou turns his wide eyes at his partner, "Sarge?"

Sarge eyeballs me and shrugs with all four arms. " Mah-champ. "

Lorette shakes her head. "Ash Ketchum, you are one crazy dude. I think we're gonna get along."

"Or, get killed," Korou adds good-naturedly. "Whatever comes first."

---

I don't know much about wrestling, but I know you're supposed to go shirtless. Because of this, I had Lorette and Korou hold my tank top, jacket, bag, and hat, along with my pokedex, and Pikachu's pokeball for me. I must have caught them off-guard; the second I whipped off my tank, their eyes had grown huge.

"Hubba hubba," Lorette had muttered.

"He's a minor," was Korou's response.

"I know that."

"I wasn't talking to you."

I have no idea who he was talking to.

If the audience thinks it's weird for a human to join their competition, they don't show it. I stand at the ready in the ring as Sarge calls in my opponent. I'm expecting a pokemon roughly my size, but the much more petite Gardevoir steps in instead. Psychic-types tend to be less physically strong then other pokemon - particularly fighting-types, which seem to make up most of the pokemon here - so maybe that's the reason. Since I'm the only human, I guess Sarge doesn't want me to take on anyone too tough. Not that I'm underestimating Gardevoir, of course.

Sarge raises two arms then slashes them down with a shout. Gardevoir charges at me, but I grab his arms and throw him to the ground. The crowd screams for more. Gardevoir swipes his legs up and into the backs of my knees, knocking facedown in the grass. My opponent jumps on my back, hoping to pin me down. I grab one of the long, white protrusions around his waist and yank him off. He lands on his back with a grunt. I quickly roll on top of him and pin his thin arms in place.

As he struggles beneath me, Voltorb approaches and calls it. " Vol. Vol. Vol. Voltooooooorrrrb! "

The audience roars. Still hot with adrenaline, I pick myself up and help Gardevoir to his feet. He dusts himself off and grins at me. I can tell he's as fired up as I am.

"Man, you were awesome!" I tell him. "But, next time you might wanna keep an eye on those things around your waist. They're pretty grabbable, you know."

Gardevoir laughs and shakes my hand. If I thought Lorette's hand was small in mine, Gardevoir's may as well belong to a baby.

" Vol-torb vol-torb! " Voltorb is gazing at us with happy eyes.

Gardevoir looks away mock-bashfully. " Gar deh. "

"Hey, Sarge," I call, "can I go again?"

Sarge smirks like she knew I would say that and addresses the crowd. " Mah mah-champ? "

The cheering gets even louder. Above it, I can hear Lorette screaming, "Yeah, Ash!" Korou is giving me a thumbs-up.

Ah, what the heck? "Sarge, I want you to be my next opponent!"

Sarge's smirk gets wider.

---

I lasted a whole second. No regrets, but I think my entire back is bruised. My chest, too, where Sarge had pinned me down with two of her massive biceps. Thank goodness for Slowpoke's Heal Pulse. I kneel down in front of him as he shoots dark pink waves at me from his mouth. They feel warm as a pleasant summer day and make my skin tingle all over, my pain quickly fading away. I thank him and stand as Korou, Lorette, and Gardevoir approach.

Lorette is giggling as she brings her forefingers together and points at me. "I like you. I really like you. You're a maniac."

"What can I say?" I chuckle. "For while, I-" I catch myself.

"For a while, what?" Korou says, noticing the change in my demeanor. Lorette and Gardevoir are now eyeing me with concern as well.

Dang it. I've never been good at hiding my emotions. "Truth is, I've had kind of a rough week. It's just nice to forget about all the bad stuff for a while, you know?"

"I hear ya," Lorette says kindly. "Sometimes, all you need is to drown yourself in something stupid."

Gardevoir nods, and Korou gazes over at Sarge, who is calling in a Breloom and a Makuhita. "I think that's why Sarge started doing this. She won't show it in public, but it really scares her to see other pokemon in such terrible states."

"Yeah," Lorette agrees. "Voltorb gets scared too. But then, who wouldn't?"

"I've seen it online," I say, leaving out the fact I couldn't even finish the one video I'd clicked on. "It's pretty bad."

Korou sighs. "It's much worse in person."

"I believe it."

Gardevoir looks confused. Maybe he doesn't know about Poke-X.

Lorette grunts and shakes her head. "Weren't we just talking about wanting a break from the world's crap? Let's cut the doom and gloom and let's-"

Korou's cry of "What in the world?" directs our attention back to the ring.

A strong wind is blowing but only where the pokemon are. It sends them hurdling into the brush, even the larger, heavier ones succumbing to its force. Korou and Lorette cry out for Sarge and Voltorb, and we all rush in. But, we're too late. As quick as it started, the wind was gone, taking all pokemon with it. Except, it wasn't just some random wind. Before us is a massive red machine on wheels. It's carrying a huge glass bowl, the pokemon trapped inside, begging for help. Some are attacking the barrier, Sarge among them, but it doesn't even crack. They stop when something explodes inside, leaving them all charred and stunned. Given the species' tendency to blow themselves up, I'm guessing that was Voltorb's attempt to break free.

I hear laughter, the laughter of people who think they can get away with something. My fists tighten. "Hey, I know who they are!"

Four all-too familiar figures appear on top of the machine, jumping right into the old routine.

"Prepare for trouble," Jessie begins, "you know us well."

"And, make it double," James continues, "you're under our spell."

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all people within our nation."

God, I want to climb up there and shut them up. But, if there's one thing I know about these creeps, it's that things go much more smoothly if you let them get through their motto first.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"And, James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light."

"Surrender now, or prepare for a familiar fight!"

"Meowth!" the talking pokemon jumps in. "That's right!"

" Waaa-buh-feht. " Wobbuffet signals the end.

"Team Rocket!" I shout, shaking as thoughts of Pikachu fill my head.

"You know them?" Korou asks.

"Yeah, they're bad guys who are always trying to steal pokemon!"

"Gee, I hadn't noticed," Lorette drawls.

Team Rocket finally spots me with startled cries. "Twerp alert!" gasps Jessie.

"What is he doing here?" James adds.

Meowth flails his arms. "We don't have our story straight!"

Wobbuffet copies Meowth's panicked movements. " Wobba wobba! "

I don't get it. They almost seem afraid of me. They're the ones with Pikachu, so why-

My heart stops. What was that about having their story straight? Pikachu's pokeball was still intact, last I checked, which means he's alive. But, that doesn't mean he's safe, I realize with a jolt.

"Am I crazy," Lorette exclaims, "or is that Meowth using human words?"

"You hear it too?" Korou sighs in relief. "I thought I was the crazy one."

All I can think about is those people on the ship, the disease that's killing pokemon, how I still don't know where Pikachu is. Everything else disappears. It's just me and the ones who took him. But, then…aren't I the one who fell for their trick, handed Pikachu right to them? I store the thought away. Guilt can come later. For now… "Where's Pikachu?" All four of them visibly flinch. Not a good sign. "What did you do to him?"

Team Rocket stammers a bit before Jessie snaps, "That's on a need-to-know basis, twerp!"

"A-and, you don't need to know," James adds.

Meowth grins and puts his paws on his hips. "It's so need-to-know, we don't even know!"

Wobbuffet does his signature salute. " Waaa-buhfeht. "

I swear, if a single hair is missing from my buddy's pelt…

A small hand lands on my arm. Lorette gazes at me pointedly. "I'll have some questions later," she points to the pokemon still trapped, "but we have a situation!"

"Let those pokemon go!" Korou demands.

Jessie crosses her arms and looks away haughtily. "Fat chance. Strong pokemon like these are just what Team Rocket needs."

"And, it looks like we missed one," Meowth says, holding up some kind of remote. I look over my shoulder and realize that Gardevoir is still behind me, his face twisted with rage. "Let's fix that!"

Meowth presses a button, and a panel slides open on the machine. A massive claw-like tube bursts out, and we just as quickly discover where the wind came from. The vacuum points directly at Gardevoir, who is immediately pulled in that direction.

Oh, no you don't!

I sprint in and push Gardevoir out of the way, only to be pulled in myself. I grab the edge and hang on for dear life, though the suction is so powerful, it feels like it's trying to pull my skin off. A fleeting thought has me hoping my belt holds. Lorette and Korou cry out my name and suddenly two sets of hands are on me, trying to pull me back, though as Korou's glasses fly off, it's clear that my new friends are barely hanging on. If I let go, we'll all be sucked in!

"What are you three doing?" James calls in outrage.

Meowth echoes his frustration. "Uncooperative twerps are the worst kind!"

My fingers are slipping. Off to the side, I see a large pink orb fly out. The accompanying cry tells me Gardevoir is attacking the machine. I hear a loud pop over the rush of wind, but nothing changes. Whatever Gardevoir did must not have worked.

My grip gives, and I'm thrust through the tube, Korou and Lorette right behind. Already scraped and burning from being rushed against metal, we fall into a pile of pokemon. I land on a Mankey, who is held back from attacking me by a Hitmonchan. Korou is lucky enough to be caught by Sarge, and the two hold tight to each other while Sarge hands him his glasses. Lorette is unlucky enough to land directly on top of Voltorb, who explodes on impact. It's a much smaller explosion than before, with Lorette taking the brunt of it, but she shakily assures us that she's used to it.

"We've caught twerps!" I can hear James's muffled reaction.

"Which means they can't do any more damage," says Jessie.

"Now for that Gardevoir!" Meowth adds.

Then, Wobbuffet chimes in. " Wobbuh feht! "

Panicked now, I push my way to the barrier and find Gardevoir with his fists clenched, his red eyes narrowed dangerously, and…his body with a strange white glow? Wait, didn't the pokedex say something about Gardevoir releasing all its power to protect others?

Gardevoir moves his hands close together, a pink sphere that I now recognize as Moonblast getting bigger and bigger. By the time Team Rocket positions their vacuum in front of him, the sphere has grown to almost Gardevoir's size. The vacuum's suction does nothing as Gardevoir flings Moonblast high in the air. Was is he doing?

I can't see the sphere from where I am, but I can see Gardevoir's eyes glowing blue as he stares at the sky with his hands raised. The forest takes on an odd, pinkish tint. Is he trying to power up Moonblast with Psychic? If so, it must be working, because the pink light gets brighter and Team Rocket starts screaming.

Before I can process what's happening the machine is caving in, glass shattering, metal crunching and splintering, and somehow all the broken pieces avoid those of us trapped. When the light returns to normal, the machine has practically disintegrated, there's a huge ring of charred earth around us, not a single person or pokemon within the barrier was harmed. As for Team Rocket, they are lying in a burnt pile nearby.

As I laugh with relief and the pokemon cheer, Sarge finally puts Korou down. "So, that's what happens when you release all your power at once," Korou says. Sarge nods, impressed.

Lorette is holding Voltorb and bouncing them like a baby. "Real glad I'm not on Gardevoir's bad side." Voltorb chirps in agreement.

Gardevoir himself is now being lifted up by some of the larger pokemon. He laughs as they all chant out their gratitude. Our eyes meet, and I call out to him. Gardevoir says something to the others. They put him down, and he tries to approach me but starts swaying on his feet. I guess that's also what happens when you release all your power at once. I catch him and help him stand. He shakes his head and blinks a few times, seeming tired but no worse for wear.

"You were using Psychic to power up Moonblast right?" I ask. Gardevoir puts his hands on his hips and raises his head proudly. "Man, I never would have thought of that. It was like whoosh , and then it went boom ! And, it was so awesome!" Gardevoir just laughs again.

Team Rocket moans and slowly sits up, ruining my excitement. "What was that?" Jessie asks.

James hangs his head. "I feel like I've been hit by a bus."

"Ten buses," Meowth says, his eyes still closed.

" Feeehhh, " Wobbuffet groans.

Then, they shrink into each other as they find themselves surrounded by some very unhappy pokemon, as well as three equally unhappy humans.

"You guys have a lot of nerve!" Korou snaps.

"Kidnapping pokemon and us?" Lorette adds with a snarl. "What's wrong with you?"

"This is what they do," I say.

And, that's all it takes. If there's one good thing about my size, it's this: when you're just over six foot seven, over three hundred pounds of pure muscle from years of training with your pokemon, and you get angry, people listen when you talk.

First, I check in with my friends and all the pokemon. "Is everyone alright?" Some reassuring noises, then I turn to Team Rocket, who cower under my stare. This is the first time I've seen them genuinely afraid of me without Pikachu present.

"You guys just don't quit, do you?" I start. "No one was seriously hurt, so I'm willing to skip over that part. I only have one question, and I think you know what it is."

Defiant to the end, Jessie crosses her arms and whips her head to the side. "I don't know what you're talking about."

James, however, has always been the cooperative one. "It was chaos! We thought Pikachu was behind us, I swear!"

There are tears in his eyes as Jessie slams her hand over his mouth and tells him to shut it. Under normal circumstances, I might be more sympathetic. But, I'm covered in scrapes and burns, I'm surrounded by pokemon who were almost taken by force to Lord knows where, my human friends almost suffered the same fate, guilt from handing over Pikachu on a silver platter is peeking through my heart again, the ones cowering before me are the cause of all of this, and I am pissed .

"What do you mean 'behind you?' What kind of chaos?"

They all huddle closer together, shivering. James whispers something that sounds like, "Has the twerp always been this big?"

"I miss the pint-sized twerp," Meowth whispers back.

"Fine!" Jessie snaps. She acts like I'm inconveniencing her, but her shaking betrays just how terrified she is. "S-so, we lost Pikachu. Happy?"

No, I'm not. I've been freaking out for the past week, not knowing what to think. I spent sleepless nights wondering just what Team Rocket does to the pokemon they capture. I had nightmares about pokemon who had been driven mad with illness, hurting themselves, bleeding, dying, even ripping off parts of themselves and others. Every one of those nightmares ended when Pikachu was the one covered in blood and gore, forcing me awake and sweating and shaking and clutching his pokeball to my chest. This whole mess wouldn't be half as bad if it weren't for that virus.

Now these creeps think they can drop in and steal all these innocent pokemon like nothing's changed. So no, I'm not happy. As a week's worth of fear bubbles up to the surface and turns into something else, I'm anything but happy.

"What do you mean you lost him?"

At this point, Wobbuffet grabs his pokeball from Jessie, bonks it against his head, and a red light coats him and returns him to the ball. Jessie glares at it and calls her pokemon a deserter.

Meowth shakes his head rapidly and flails his arms. "It wasn't our fault! We just didn't wanna be mates with a Magikarp!" I don't know what that means, and I don't think I want to.

"One minute, Pikachu was swimming right behind us," James says, "then suddenly he was gone!"

"You're saying too much!" Jessie screams.

Swimming. My blood freezes over. Were they in the water ? Did they lose Pikachu, who can swim but isn't exactly a water-type, in the water ? I don't dare check his pokeball now. "So, you don't know where he is." They frantically shake their heads. "Alright. I've said my piece."

"Forget Gardevoir," Korou mutters to Lorette as I back off to join them. "I'd hate to be on Ash's bad side."

Lorette nods then rubs her hands together. "Either way, I've been itching to do this."

" Vol torb! " I don't know how they got there, but Voltorb is sitting with Team Rocket, who shriek at their sudden appearance.

His fears briefly forgotten, Meowth glares at them. "Hey, you're the guy who blew me up!"

"And, if it blows up…" James says.

"Then, that means…" Jessie adds as realization crashes down on them.

"Yeah, it does!" Lorette confirms. "Voltorb, use Self-Destruct. Send them sky-high!"

Team Rocket screams as Voltorb glows a blinding white. The rest of us back up as Voltorb explodes in a huge burst of heat and smoke. I can't see anything, but a familiar cry of, "We're blasting off agaaaiiiiin!" tells me that Team Rocket's been successfully "sent sky-high."

The smoke clears, and everyone starts checking on each other, making sure everyone's really okay. Lorette rushes over to Voltorb, who is teetering in all directions, dizzy from the hefty amount of recoil damage their attack causes.

While she picks up her pokemon and checks that they're alright, I bolt for my stuff, which is lying miraculously untouched under a tree. I move my clothes aside and find Pikachu's pokeball hiding under my ball cap. Heart pounding, I examine it for even the tiniest crack or mark. I nearly weep with relief. Perfect condition, just the way I left it. I can't guarantee that Pikachu isn't hurt or something, but at least I know he's alive.

" Gar. " I turn my head and look up at Gardevoir, who points to the pokeball. " Gar-deh? "

"It's fine. I'm fine," I amend when he keeps frowning. I stand up. "I guess you're wondering who Pikachu is." Gardevoir tilts his head. "He's my…" Best friend? Partner? Brother? Emotion rolls over me. "He's my buddy. About a week ago, those guys tricked me into handing him over to them." My grip on Pikachu's pokeball tightens. "It's good that they don't have him now, but I have no idea where he is or-or if he's even okay!" Though, from the way Team Rocket was acting, it's possible that they think Pikachu is dead. That means they won't go after him. That's something, at least.

Then, I spot Korou, Sarge, Lorette, and Voltorb. When did they get here? They watch me with pity as I blink away tears that had sprung from nowhere. "I'm really sorry you guys had to see me like that," I say. The fact that I'd come so close to losing my temper only makes me feel worse. I know how intimidating a guy my size can be, so I always try to keep my cool. I'm usually better at it than this. "I know I went kind of far there."

"Far?" Lorette blinks at me. "You didn't go far enough. If it was Voltorb, oof, man, I'd have smacked them into next Tuesday. Then blown them up."

" Torb torb, " Voltorb agrees, still in their trainer's arms.

Korou gazes thoughtfully at Pikachu's pokeball. "I'd been wondering about that pokeball. You told us you didn't bring any pokemon with you, and I guess now we know why." He smiles sympathetically. "Try not to blame yourself, Ash. I may not know the whole story, but I'm certain it isn't your fault. It's entirely theirs." Sarge nods with two arms crossed.

"Still." I sigh, desperately wanting to believe that. "Pikachu means everything to me. He's tough, he's smart, but I just don't know-"

I hear what sounds like a zipper and realize that Gardevoir is rummaging through my backpack with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Before I can ask what he's doing, he stands up and presents me a pokeball.

Wait, does this mean…?

"Well, would you look at that," Lorette says.

"It seems Gardevoir wants to be your pokemon," Korou says, echoing my thoughts.

"Is that true, Gardevoir?" I ask him. Gardevoir holds the pokeball out further.

This isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened, but it's always a shock. A good shock, one that always leaves me with a warm feeling in my chest, but still unexpected. Pokemon don't just come along with trainers. Traditionally, a pokemon needs to be roughed up in a battle before it can be caught. Most aren't un trusting of humans, but nine times out of ten, a pokemon isn't just going to crawl inside of a pokeball. Sure, there are exceptions, and I have had to battle before catching, but I seem to attract that one out of ten. I don't know if there's something about me or if I'm just lucky.

All I know is that after the events of the past week, the mess we all went through today…I need some levity.

I take the pokeball from Gardevoir. "It's not that simple. If a trainer wants to catch a pokemon, they have to battle it first."

---

" Maaah… "

Gardevoir stares me down from the end of the ring, a new determination in his eyes. The crowd, my friends included, are silent with anticipation.

" Champ! "

Noise explodes around me. Gardevoir lunges at me. I reach out to grab him, but he makes a sharp turn. As my own force leaves me bent over, Gardevoir jumps on my back. The sudden extra weight almost topples me over, but I catch myself, grab his shoulders, and flip him over my head. He lays in the grass, dazed.

I reach for the empty pokeball strapped to my belt and throw it with a cry of, "Go, pokeball!"

It hits him square in the chest, opens up, and a red light brings him inside. Voltorb rolls into the ring and watches closely as the pokeball shakes. " Vol. " Shakes. " Vol. " Shakes. " Vol. " A tiny click and a flash of light. " Voltooooooorrrrb! "

"Yes!" The crowd echoes my triumph, and my heart soars higher than it's been in days. I just caught a Gardevoir!

…It's kind of weird without Pikachu here. I push the thought away, pick up the pokeball, and send Gardevoir out. His eyes are wide with a mix of nervousness and excitement. "We're gonna be great friends, Gardevoir," I assure him. "There's a lot of bad stuff in the world right now, but we're gonna get through it together!"

I raise my fist, expecting him to bump it against his own. Instead, he throws his arms around me. Laughing - a cuddle-bug, I see - I hug him back. Everyone, people and pokemon alike, gather around us, congratulating us, giving us their own hugs, smothering us with praise. Gardevoir is acting embarrassed while also making it obvious that he likes being the center of attention.

Me? I'm giggling like an idiot. This is how it should be, I think. Humans and pokemon together in harmony, in friendship. None of these pokemon batted an eye when I, a human, joined in on their fun. They didn't think twice about welcoming me into their group. Now, they're celebrating one of their own being caught by me. This is just one of the many wonderful things about pokemon. They don't see species. They see you . What you are physically doesn't matter to them. They look for character, for what's in your heart. If the whole world could be like that, man, that would just be awesome.

But, the world isn't perfect. It's full of pain and fear and anger. But, if everyone did even the smallest thing to make it better, show a little kindness every day… Maybe I'm just being optimistic, but I think we could achieve that some day. Maybe not in our lifetime, but some day.

I'll find Pikachu, but first I have to do my own part by working hard to stop Poke-X and protect these pokemon and all the others.

Chapter 8: An Electrifying Encounter

" Puberty forgot about my height." - Unknown

Pikachu

There's a dampness in the air, the sky is slowly being covered by dark gray clouds, and the scent of coming rain tickles my nose. As we trek through the forest, I feel the slightest bite of static skitter along my raised tail. I inform my friends of the coming thunderstorm, and our pace quickens. Luckily, there is a large, gray building up ahead. Its walls are littered with holes and plantlife, so it could be the abandoned power plant Sarge told us about. If so, hopefully the hoard she mentioned is welcoming. If it's not the power plant, it will provide shelter if nothing else. Assuming the roof is intact.

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do," Absol says as the clouds continue to roll in, darkening the area around us. "If this is the power plant, then the Voltorb and Electrode horde will be there. Sarge said they like fellow electric-types, so Pikachu, I want you to act as leader. If they think you're in charge, they might be more hospitable. Do you mind?"

The prickle in my tail is getting stronger. I try not to let it worry me. "Not at all. That makes a lot of sense." And, it's not like I've never had to take on the leader role before.

Absol falls back, allowing me to take the lead. Behind me, I hear Eevee ask, "What's the big deal? That other Voltorb was really nice. Even if these ones only like electric-types, how bad can they be?"

"Most Voltorb aren't like that, Eevee," Sprout says.

"The one in Lavender Town was an exception," Wobbles adds. "In my experience, most Voltorb - and, by extension, Electrode - aren't nearly as," she fights for the right word before settling on, "bubbly." She clears her throat. "Electrode: the ball pokemon and the evolved form of Voltorb. An electric-type. It tends to store up more electricity than it needs, so it releases the excess energy by exploding. Unlike its pre-evolution, Electrode has total control over its explosions. Basically, if they blow up in your face, they're just being jerks."

Apprehension makes me tune out the rest of their conversation. Any pokemon can tell you when it's going to rain, but as an electric-type, I can tell you when it's going to storm. The subtle static in my tail is slowly turning into a pins-and-needles sensation, as though I've sat on it for too long. I'm really hoping that it's simply because there is a horde of fellow electric-types up ahead. The alternative is dangerous. Very dangerous, by the feel of it.

As we approach the building, I see an Electrode standing guard at a big, gaping opening. "Halt!" they call with a sharp glare. "We don't take kindly to trespassers. Move along!"

Well, we're off to a great start. "We just need shelter," I say, copying Absol's leader-voice. "You're an electric-type. Surely, you can feel how bad the storm's going to be."

"I wasn't talking to you. Electric-types are more than welcome here." Electrode turns to my friends with a hard look. "The rest of you, scram!" Sparks fizzle over their skin.

Sprout and Eevee yelp, Absol growls, and Wobbles huffs indignantly. I jump in front of them, forcing my fur to lie flat. "They're my horde, and I'm not leaving them out in this weather."

Electrode stares at me with a deep frown. "Eh, let me ask the alpha. Don't move."

They roll inside, and almost instantly something drips on my head. Then, there's a loud boom of thunder.

"We don't have time for this," Absol says. "Let's just come back when the storm passes."

Everyone else is agreeing with him, but I'm willing to wait it out. If there's even a chance that someone in this hoard knows how to get to Vermilion City, I don't care how drenched I get. On the other hand, I won't be able to sleep if I abandon the PokeSquad in the middle of a storm. The rain is coming down faster now. Maybe Absol's right.

But, just as we're about to leave, another Electrode rolls through the entrance. Now I see why the opening is so big; this pokemon is massive . The average Electrode is roughly Absol's height. This one, definitely the alpha, is twice that size. And, alpha pokemon aren't just bigger than average; they're stronger, too.

I stand a little taller (not saying much, since I'm still on all-fours) and remember what my mother told me about interacting with alpha pokemon: be respectful, but don't let them push you around. "Remember, Pichu," Mama would add with a wink and little spark in her cheeks, "you're my son."

Alpha Electrode's gaze is unreadable as they stare us down. We must look pathetic, standing in the cold rain. Sprout is whimpering. Grass-types like rain, but they do not like the cold. It doesn't help that it's pouring now and lightning is illuminating the sky above us. Despite my own shivering, I meet Electrode's gaze head-on, prepared to fight for my friends' safety.

Then, Alpha surprises me. "Why are you still standing there? Get in, all of you."

We all breathe out at once and make a break for the entrance as Alpha moves aside.

"But-but, they're not all electric-types," the guard stammers.

"We ain't savages," Alpha snaps at them.

As the guard mumbles and squirms under their leader's gaze, my friends and I practically throw ourselves inside. Those of us with fur give our pelts a firm shake. Those without cry out their discomfort at being peppered by the spray. I'm too relieved to care.

We all thank Alpha, who chuckles. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. This weather ain't even fit for water-types." Coincidentally, thunder roars outside and lightning flashes. Wind blasts at us through the gaping hole in the wall.

The room we're in now must have been an office at some point. There is a desk that smells like it's now used to store food. An old, box-shaped computer with a cracked screen rests on top. On the floor beneath it, a hatchling Voltorb is giggling as they roll back and forth across the keyboard.

Alpha smiles fondly when they see us looking. "Yeah, the little ones like to play on those clicky-things."

"Keyboards," I correct.

Alpha blinks at me. "Is that what they're called? Heh. You learn something new every day."

Nearby, two younglings are playing with a charred swivel chair, one positioned in the seat as the other jumps up and knocks the seat in circles. This sends the chair rolling around the room, though I notice they're careful to avoid us and the hatchling. The Voltorb in the seat is shrieking with delight as they explode periodically. That explains the charring.

"That looks fun!" Eevee says. He turns to Absol. "Can I play too? Pikachu?" he adds, remembering that I'm the acting leader.

Personally, I'd rather he not get blown up, but it seems that the Voltorb only do that when they're the ones spinning. "I don't see why not. Alpha?"

I know that this hoard only likes electric-types, so I'm not surprised when Alpha says, "The answer's no." Eevee's ears droop, but Alpha either doesn't notice or doesn't care. "This way."

We follow Alpha out of the office and down the hall, passing curious and/or suspicious Voltorb and Electrode, plantlife poking out of the cracks in the walls and floor, and a variety of broken human things. I peek into the rooms we pass and find mostly more of the same, though there are a handful of other electric-types as well: mostly Magnemite and Magneton, though there are also two Electabuzz playing with two Elekid, who I can only assume are their sons.

I'm on high alert as the storm continues to rage outside. My tail is almost itchy now, and I don't think it's from the presence of so many electric-types. I've never felt a storm this severe before. I glance behind me at Absol, who is his usual calm but cautious self. I take some comfort in the lack of change in his demeanor. Absol are capable of predicting natural disasters. Though I don't know what it looks like when they do this, I'm certain that our Absol would have said something.

"Um, Alpha?" Eevee peeps nervously. "Can I please say something?"

"Yeah, what?" Alpha replies.

A pause, then it sounds like Eevee has planted his feet to the ground just to scream, "You're so big !"

We all stop moving. "Eevee," Absol scolds, "no screaming."

Eevee lowers his voice but keeps gawking at Alpha. "I've never seen an Alpha before. You're so big ! You're the size of an Onix!"

"Have you ever… seen an Onix?" Because I have, and Alpha is nowhere near that size.

"No, but I know they're really big."

Alpha huffs a laugh. "Cute kid. Let's keep moving. We're almost to the main room. Once we're there, we'll go over some ground rules."

I don't like the way he said that. My friends and I exchange apprehensive looks, but the rapid-fire sounds of thunder and lightning make our decision for us.

---

The main room must have been a lobby at some point. There is a desk with a computer that looks like it's been split in half, and I can hear giggling and rapid clicking coming from behind the desk; someone must be playing with that keyboard too. There are broken and/or overturned chairs and some smashed things that I think used to be tables. Pokemon are scattered throughout the room: mostly Voltorb and Electrode, with some more Magnemite and a handful of other species mixed in. Most of the pokemon don't pay us any mind, though I hear a few comments on how odd it is that non-electric-types were allowed in here. I know they're talking about the PokeSquad, and I feel self-conscious on my friends' behalf.

We stand uncomfortably in the doorway as Alpha's serious gaze rakes over us. "Alright, here's how this is gonna work. Pikachu- That is your name, right?" I nod. Though most pokemon simply go by their species name, some do have nicknames they prefer, so it's polite to ask if you don't know already. "Pikachu, you're free to roam around. If you get hungry, you can probably smell out the food or you can ask someone. Help yourself. If you wanna battle, take it outside. This place is messy enough as it is," they add with a chuckle.

That would be great, except that they were addressing me specifically.

"As for the rest of you, you're to stay in this room. If you get hungry, someone will bring you something. Mingle if you want, but don't expect to get chummy with Electrode Horde; that's all the Voltorb and Electrode. I can't speak for anyone else. The battle rule is the same, but if you piss off one of my horde," they smirk, a threatening gleam in their eyes, "I'll look the other way."

"Seriously?" I snap, though I'm not sure what I was expecting.

"Throw us a bone, man!" Wobbles says, throwing her arms in the air.

"I wanna go play with the chair," Eevee whines.

Electrode huffs superiorly. "My territory, my rules."

I'm about to argue further, but Absol says calmly, "It's fine." I open my mouth to argue with him instead, but he cuts me off. "Look, I'd be lying if I said I approved, but the fact is it's safer in here than it is outside. Yes, we're confined to one room, but it's not as if we're isolated or going to starve. All things considered, I didn't think we'd be treated this well."

Sprout is staring anxiously up at Alpha. "Plus, I'm not prepared to argue. Eevee's right; you're so big !"

Alpha rolls their eyes and mutters, "It was only cute when the kid said it."

I ignore them. "So, you guys are all okay with this?"

Most of them reluctantly confirm, but Wobbles snaps, "No!" As if the weather could hear her, the thunder crashes even louder. "Yes!"

Absol does have a point; as long we follow the rules, none of us are in danger. Staying here is certainly better than the alternative. Besides, if we want Alpha to point us in the right direction, we're better off not picking fights.

Eevee spots something behind me, and his eyes get big. "There's a Jolteon! Can I go say hi, Alpha?"

"Whatever," Alpha says. "Just behave yourself. That goes for all of you." That, at least, was directed at me as well as my friends.

Alpha rolls off somewhere, Eevee bolts - no pun intended - after the Jolteon across the room, and Absol says to me, "Well? You wanted directions, didn't you?"

Anyone not part of Electrode Horde is ignoring us, but I don't like the way those in the horde are staring at my friends. I shuffle my feet. "I don't wanna leave you guys alone."

Sprout huddles closer to Absol and hugs his leg as her eyes dart around. "I-I don't wanna be left alone." Absol gives her head a comforting lick.

Wobbles just shrugs. "Eevee seems fine."

I follow her gaze and find Eevee bouncing around and wagging his tail, Jolteon smiling patiently at the rambunctious hatchling. The sight brings me some peace of mind; not everyone here is a jerk. I spot Alpha in another end of the room with some Electrode and tell my friends, "Just stay together."

I ignore Wobbles's retort of, "Don't tell me what to do," and head in Alpha's direction.

The Electrode see me approaching. Alpha Electrode turns around, and I ask, "Am I interrupting?"

"Nah," Alpha Electrode says and shoos the others away. Alpha smirks at me. "Let me guess; you're gonna argue about your horde again."

My fur bristles. "That depends on how your horde behaves." Alpha blinks in surprise - not used to being talked back to, I assume - but doesn't retort. "But, one thing at a time. Now, I'm told that you're well-traveled."

"I've been around. Why?"

"My friends and I are looking for a place called Vermi-"

"Hold that thought."

I'm annoyed but then I see sparks covering Alpha's body. Small, soft sparks, not the harsher ones that signal an attack. Electric-types can speak to one another by sending waves of electricity through the atmosphere. Someone is sending Alpha a message, and the fierce, focused look on their face tells me it's important. The sparks fade just as quickly. New ones take their place as Alpha responds. Or, so I thought, but I hear a faint buzz and discover that Alpha is signaling their hoard. Every Voltorb and Electrode in the room has stopped what they're doing and is listening intently. I check on my friends. Eevee is close enough that I can hear Jolteon explaining what's happening. Farther away, Wobbles is speaking to Absol and Sprout, likely describing the scene herself.

Suddenly, all the members of Electrode Horde roll out of the room, talking excitedly. I try to make out what they're saying, but it's impossible with everyone speaking at once. It doesn't help that some of the Voltorb are exploding on their way out. Sprout is panicking, Absol is holding her in place with his teeth, Wobbles is standing in front of them and shielding them with Mirror Coat, and Eevee and Jolteon are taking it all in with a cautious interest. The remaining electric-types seem as confused as I am.

Alpha chuckles at our reactions. "Pikachu, you came at a good time." They send out another message, and my fur stands up and my cheeks prickle. It looks like this message is for electric-types who aren't part of the hoard. ' This is Alpha Electrode. I've just received word that Zapdos is on his way. ' My stomach flips. Zapdos, the Legendary Pokemon, the Lord of Lightning, one of the most powerful pokemon in the world. That explains why the weather is so bad. Zapdos doesn't create storms, though his presence would certainly amplify them. ' When he gets here, he'll be resting from his journey, so don't bother him. My horde is preparing the Lord's Room right now for his arrival. Stay out of their way. '

There's a nervous energy in the air as the other electric-types start talking amongst themselves. Some of them head straight for Alpha, looking for information. I am rooted in place, remembering the last time I saw Zapdos.

It was years ago. Zapdos - along with Moltres and Articuno, the other two Elemental Birds - had been captured by a pokemon collector. This ended up sending the world in chaos, as tampering with the three Elemental Birds results in tampering with the balance of nature itself. The gist is that Ash turned out to be a part of a prophecy - "the Chosen One," it called him - to save them and the world. Pride swells in my chest. That was only one of the many times Ash saved the planet from destruction. We seem to attract that stuff, I think with a grin.

Absol calls my name, bringing me back to the here and now. Sprout and Wobbles are on his heels. "What's going on?" he asks me.

I start to answer, but Eevee comes running up to me, his dark brown eyes wide and his tail lashing. "Pikachu! Jolteon says that Zapdos is coming! Is it true? Also, who's Zapdos?"

My friends' eyes are all on me now, especially Wobbles's. I clear my throat and set my nerves aside. "Zapdos is a Legendary Pokemon. The Lord of Lightning, they call him. And, yeah, Alpha says he's coming."

"Oh my goodness!" Sprout shouts. " He's coming here ? Please tell me he's friendly!"

"I'm not sure how friendly he is," I say honestly. "He wasn't last time I saw him, but the circumstances weren't great, so-"

Wobbles bends over, her intent gaze practically touching my face. "You've met Zapdos ?"

I have to start watching what I say around her. "Y-Yeah." I take a few steps back. "It's a long story, and I'll tell you all about it later," I add when she leans in closer, "but yeah, I've met him before. I didn't really get a chance to talk to him, though."

Wobbles straightens, grins manically, and claps her hands together, and I immediately feel sorry for Zapdos. "Well, I'm getting my chance!"

She starts for the hallway, but Absol jabs his horn into her head. "No, you're not. You, of all pokemon, should know how powerful Legendaries are. The last thing we need is to annoy Zapdos."

"Absol's right," I agree. "Zapdos is incredibly strong. I've seen him battle, and he's no pushover. No Legendary is."

"Plus," Sprout adds, "Alpha wants us to stay in here, and I don't wanna make them mad."

"They’re the size of an Onix," Eevee says seriously.

I stare at the hallway's entrance, wondering if Zapdos remembers me. Ash was The Chosen One; I was right by his side, but he did all the important stuff. Ash is always doing the important stuff while I just sit on his shoulder and cheer him on. The only time I ever actually do anything is when he gives me a command. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt. Pikachu, knock it down with Iron Tail. Depending on the situation, I'm either a weapon or an accessory. I push the thought away and move with a purpose.

"Where are you going, Pikachu?" Eevee asks.

I stop and turn around. "I'm going to see if Zapdos remembers me."

Sprout makes a strangled sound and shakes her leaves. "You're going to see the Lord of Lightning ?"

"Can I come?" Wobbles asks.

I shake my head. "I can move around freely, but you guys can't. I don't want you getting in trouble with Alpha Electrode."

"Can I come?" Wobbles repeats.

"Can I also come?" Eevee asks, crouched down as though ready to pounce. "I've never seen a Legendary Pokemon before!"

Absol's furrowed brow shoots them both down. "Too risky. There are too many members of Electrode Horde. Even if we all charged in at once, I don't like the odds."

"I can assess the situation and report back," I suggest.

"Fine by me," Absol says.

"Oh my goodness," Sprout says, " please be careful!"

I nod at her and walk away, Wobbles's cry of, "Give me all the juicy details. I want the juice!" following me.

---

"The Lord's Room" is easy enough to find; just see which door has the most Voltorb and Electrode streaming in and out of it, leaving trails of rainwater in their wake. The room must not have a ceiling, which I suppose makes sense if Zapdos comes regularly. As I head that way, I'm stopped by a harsh wave of electricity, a sign that a very powerful electric-type is nearby. My stomach swims, but I press on. One of the passing horde members warns me not to disturb Zapdos's roost. I nod in acknowledgment but otherwise ignore them. I can't make out any words, but I hear two voices coming from the Lord's Room. One is Alpha's, and the other, much deeper voice must be Zapdos's. The horde members have cleared away by the time I reach the door. I stare up at it, willing myself to open it. The hinges look rusted, and I've seen the limbless horde members push it open on both sides. It's easy, I tell myself. You don't have to worry about reaching the doorknob. Just push the door open.

But, what would I even say to Zapdos? Hi, it's me. The Chosen One's friend. I know you remember him. He was the guy who prevented the apocalypse. What about me, you ask? Well, I was there, so surely you remember me.

Maybe this isn't a good idea.

The door opens, and a soaking-wet Alpha rolls out and gives me a hard look. "I hope you're not here to see Zapdos. The Lord is resting from his travels. You'll have to come back later."

"So, he is here," I confirm. "Out of curiosity, Alpha, why does Zapdos choose to roost here?"

Alpha's eyes shine with pride. "Well, you see, the Lord's Room has a big honkin' human thing in it. According to my parents, that room used to be used for training. The human thing soaked up a lot of electricity and seemed to start creating its own because of that."

"Could it be a generator?" I suggest. "If this place was abandoned by humans, it's possible that you guys restarted it from training around it so much."

Alpha hums thoughtfully. "Maybe. You seem to know a lot of human terms."

Unsure of how they would react to my history with humankind, I just say, "A lot of my friends have trainers." It isn't a lie.

Alpha accepts my vague response. "Anywho, Zapdos likes to perch on that, uh, gen…"

"Generator."

"Yeah, that. He sits there, and the electricity restores his strength, lets him rest up after a long journey. Not sure where he goes, but this is where he relaxes."

So, Zapdos really does come here a lot. "Wow. You guys are so lucky."

"Yeah," Alpha says, staring reverently at the dilapidated door. "He's been coming here since way before I was born. It's a real honor, you know?" Then, they narrow their black eyes at me. "Like I said, he's tired and needs his rest. He'll call us in when he's good and ready. Only then will anyone get to talk to him."

I understand, of course, but that doesn't mean I'm not a little disappointed. How often does one get to meet a Legendary Pokemon face to face? Well, Ash and I have met them more often that most, but even so, it doesn't happen every day.

My doubts spring back up. If Ash were here, there's no doubt that the Lord of Lightning would recognize the Chosen One. Would Zapdos really recognize one little Pikachu?

Suddenly, my skin prickles. Alpha watches me with interest as energy skitters over me. It feels like receiving a message, but there are no words. It's almost like someone is trying to get a feel for me, for lack of a better term. Then, there are words.

' I thought so. '

Chapter 9: A Sport in a Storm

" I may be small, but I am fierce." - Unknown

Pikachu

The static leaves me, and a deep, rumbling voice calls out from the Lord's Room, "Send him in, Electrode. I know this one."

Alpha sputters and their eyes dart from the door to me and back. "Of-of course, my Lord!"

My fur stands up, and my pulse quickens. That was Zapdos's energy I'd felt. He does remember me!

"Well, what are you waiting for, a lick on the cheek?" Alpha rolls behind me and nudges me forward, though the sheer mass of them makes me worry about being squished. "Lord Zapdos wants to see you!" They lower their voice. "Is it good or bad that he knows you?"

They sound less like they're concerned for me and more like they're debating throwing me out on my tail. I don't have an answer, though I'm hoping for good. Steeling myself, I push open the door only to be bombarded by cold rain. But, then I look up, and my physical discomfort is overshadowed by anxiety.

At a first glance, the Lord of Lightning doesn't seem like much; people often imagine Legendaries to be the size of buildings, but that isn't the case for most. Zapdos, for instance, is actually a little bit shorter than Alpha Electrode. His body is covered in yellow feathers, and the ones on his wings, head, and tail are longer and have an almost spiky appearance. My body is practically vibrating from the sheer force of electricity in his presence, and the thunderstorm doesn't help. It's not a bad feeling, but the suddenness of it makes me flinch.

Zapdos is perched on a large generator, and I can see the electricity radiating from it to him, as if the lightning itself has solidified. Which, in a way, I suppose it has. Zapdos had been facing away from me when I entered, but now he turns his head around and looks at me with unreadable black eyes.

"Pikachu." He turns fully and hops off the generator, plunging the "room" into the darkness of the storm. He seems unaffected by the weather. "I thought I recognized that energy." He steps forward, his talons clicking against the tiled floor. "It has been a long time."

I hope I'm only shaking from the cold. "Y-Yeah. I mean, yes, it has. My Lord," I quickly add with a bow of my head.

Zapdos huffs in amusement, and my skin heats up. I lift my head to find him gazing around and I bet I know what for. "I assume your partner is here as well?" he asks.

I hate how grateful I am that he didn't refer to Ash as the Chosen One or the hero or something. But, my heart hurts all the same when I tell him, "No, Ash isn't here."

"Hm. What a shame. I'd like to see him again."

So would I. Ash would love this. I blink quickly as my eyes start to burn. There is no way I am getting emotional in front of the Lord of Lightning.

Unfortunately, the Lord picks up on my mood, and his eyes narrow down at me. "Something happened."

"Yeah, but Ash is fine." I hope. "I just…don't know where he is. I've been searching for a while now."

Zapdos relaxes slightly but stares at me with pity, which is somehow worse. Then, to my surprise, he bends down and scratches my head with his beak. Then, he straightens and nods. "I remember your strength back then, and I can feel that you've grown stronger since. I imagine Ash has as well. You will both be fine. A bond like yours is a rarity that is meant to be preserved. I am confident that you will find each other again."

Oh! That was… I hadn't expected that level of kindness. Then again, I am Ash Ketchum's partner. I choke back a bizarre mix of longing and pride and bitterness. "Um, thank you. But, what do you mean about our bond?"

Zapdos chuckles and gives me a side-eye. "A human can understand you and no other pokemon, and you ask what I mean? I remember hearing you two talk. Moltres, Articuno, and myself were most intrigued."

My heart skips. For years, I've been wondering how it was possible for Ash to understand me. Could I be about to get answers? "My Lord, do you…know something about that?"

"You do not?" the Lord asks with a head tilt. "Hm. Tell me, has Ash reached maturity yet?"

Well, that was random. Zapdos is surprising me left and right. "Maturity?" That's eighteen years for humans, right? Yes, I remember how excited Ash was to be a "legal adult, then I can finally get a tattoo without Mom's permission." And, then he showed me the design he wanted. I still have no idea what a tattoo is, but I fight a smile and say, "He will pretty soon."

"Interesting." He turns and, beckoning me with a nod, walks back to the generator. More confused and curious than ever, I follow but stop when he leaps on top with a flap of his large wings, spreading a thin layer of static in the process. "Sit with me, Pikachu."

I obediently climb on to the generator. Electricity shoots over my skin and into my cheeks with every footstep. It actually feels quite nice, I muse. The generator isn't huge, but it's tall and flat on the sides and slippery from the rain, so climbing takes some effort. Perhaps it's the extra jolts I'm receiving, but I'm not the least bit cold or winded when I eventually make it to the top and sit down. There is just barely enough room for both of us.

"What happens when Ash reaches maturity?" I ask.

Zapdos hums. "I cannot say for certain, but I am reminded of someone; a human named Akari, who could speak to pokemon, could hear their voices as though their language were her own."

"Do-Do you mean… all pokemon?" My blood is pumping as if I'm in the heat of battle. Does that mean that Ash…? I have to meet this girl! Ash has to meet this girl!

"Don't get too excited," Zapdos says. "This was before your time. Akari, and all who knew her besides myself, are long gone, I'm afraid."

"Oh." I turn away so he can't see how disappointed I am. Is it possible to grieve for someone you've never heard of?

Zapdos preens his wing then continues. "Gone, she may be, but I would never forget such a unique human. Akari existed back when the harmony between humans and pokemon was still forming. At that time, most humans were terrified of us and our power. But, she was not. I remember, I was relaxing on a mountain top when I saw her. She was cautious at first but quickly realized that I wasn't hostile. I can't begin to describe how shocked I was when she began to converse so flawlessly with me. I asked her what a human was doing so high in the mountain, and she revealed that she was one of several humans working together to study pokemon. All that they learned would eventually become the world's first…pokedex, I believe it's called."

"The first pokedex?" I gasp. "That's amazing!"

Zapdos chuckles. "I thought you might be interested. Anyway, I asked Akari how she learned to communicate with pokemon."

"What did she say?" I ask, trying not to seem too eager. When Ash first started to really hear me, he said it just sort of happened. Even more curious is that he can't understand other pokemon, only me. Unless you count Team Rocket's Meowth, but Meowth learned to use the human language himself somehow, so everyone can understand him.

"She didn't know," Zapdos continues. "According to her, it began with a Zorua she was very close to." Just like Ash with me! "Years later, she woke up one day and could suddenly hear the voices of pokemon. She said it happened after she 'became a woman,' as she put it. I assumed that meant she'd reached maturity. That's why I asked about Ash's age." Zapdos smiles nostalgically. "We struck up a sort of companionship, she and I. Zoroark - the evolved Zorua - as well, after his initial shyness. I don't usually associate with humans, but Akari was too interesting to ignore."

My mind is reeling. A human who understood pokemon; not just one specific pokemon, but all of them. Could Ash… Is it possible that… The thought excites me but also disappoints me a little. As much as I want to know how our connection works, I'm not sure how to feel about sharing it. It's selfish, I know, but it's always just been our thing. It's unique, it's special, it's ours . If Ash does one day hear all pokemon, of course I'll be happy for him, but…what would we have then? We'd still be best friends; we were even before he could hear me. It would just be, well, different. Not a big deal- Okay, a big deal but not in a bad way.

Ashton Satoshi Ketchum. There's something about him. I don't know what it is, but it's there. He shines with it. Even when I first met him, back when he was more arrogant, more temperamental, he was still kind, caring, thoughtful. Pokemon are drawn to him somehow. Even those who don't like him grow to love him; I'm living proof of that. He connects to pokemon in a way that other humans don't, and he can't even understand them verbally. If Ash does have some kind of ability, if he can one day talk to pokemon, he'll be over the moon.

I remember his reaction when he heard me the first time. Confusion, like he wasn't sure, then shock then the biggest smile I'd ever seen, followed by laughter and a tight hug. He said that it felt natural, like it was just supposed to happen. " It's like…like I've been waiting for something, but I didn't know what it was until now, " he'd said. Of course Brock and Misty thought he was crazy until Misty hid something and I had to tell Ash what it was and where it was. It was a tampon, and Misty had put it in a garbage can in the girls' bathroom in the Pokemon Center. She was certain that he wouldn't even think to look for it, let alone actually find it. I don't know what a tampon is, but Ash was not happy when he came out of that bathroom.

"Ah," Zapdos brings me back to the present, "here it comes."

He's staring eagerly up at the thundering, flashing clouds. I squint against the rain, trying to figure out what he's looking at.

He shakes out his feathers, sparks wafting off of them. "Tell me, Pikachu, have you ever been struck by lightning?"

What ? "I-Isn't that dangerous?"

He spreads out his wings, raises his head to the sky. "To others, it is a deadly occurrence. But, you and I, we are electric-types."

That's when it hits. I squeeze my eyes shut against a blinding light. White-hot pain sears at my flesh. My fur feels like it's being ripped out. My very bones are crackling with electricity.

It's…incredible.

It hurts. It hurts in ways I've never felt. But, at the same, I feel powerful, alive, refreshed, even. The feeling lasts only a moment, maybe less, but Mew's tail, that feeling . I'm left with energy like I've never experienced, I feel stronger than I've ever felt in my life. Colors are sharper and duller at the same time. I can't stop giggling.

Vaguely, I think I hear Zapdos laughing. "Amazing, isn't it?"

So much energy! My hands knead at the hard metal beneath me, the generator bringing me even more power. So much energy! My darting eyes land on the mass of feathers and lightning next to me. "Battle me," I blurt.

Zapdos blinks in surprise. "Excuse me?"

I jump up and crouch, ready to pounce while my hands continue kneading. "Battle me, Zapdos. I-I wanna battle you!"

Zapdos stares at me for a while - too long too long so much energy - then raises his head and laughs heartily. Then, he shakes out his feathers. "I can see why mortals avoid lightning."

What does that mean? Why won't you battle me?

"Alright," he says after so long . "I accept your challenge. If only so you don't end up overcharged because of this."

When an electric-type takes in too much electricity, they risk becoming overcharged. This leaves them in a weakened, feverish state. But, that won't happen to me! I'm handling the extra power just fine!

"Hey, can my friends watch?" I ask. "They're not allowed out of the main room because they're not electric-types. Unrelated, but I can taste purple now. Is that normal?"

---

It's still pouring rain, but there is enough ceiling for the hoard to sit under. After a thorough chewing out from Zapdos - I assume, as the message was sent via sparks - Alpha Electrode allowed my friends to watch the battle as well. Electrode Hoard is muttering amongst themselves and shooting me glances, and my friends stare at me in disbelief and concern as I pace back and forth and babble about my upcoming battle.

"A battle," Absol says when I take a breath. "With Zapdos. You challenged Zapdos . To a battle. In the middle of a thunderstorm, no less. "

Sprout shakes her leaves. "Why would you even do that ?"

I suddenly feel the urge to twirl around on two feet, so I do just that. "I've been struck by lightning, and it's making me a little crazy!" My friends make strangled noises. "Zapdos got struck too, and he's not crazy 'cause, uh, uh- What was I saying?"

" Lightning ?" Eevee exclaims. "And, you didn't die?"

I twirl in the opposite direction as Wobbles hums. "Actually, that makes sense. He is an electric-type, after all." I start to spin past her, and she stops me by putting her hand on my head. "So, this is what happens when an electric-type gets struck by lightning. At least, a non-Legendary one. Fascinating. A little alarming, but fascinating."

Zapdos calls me from across the room. "Are you ready?"

"You bet!" I charge back into the downpour - I'm already soaked through, so I barely notice, or maybe it's just mania - and take my place on the other side, a safe distance from the other pokemon.

My body tenses, my blood heats up, electricity warms me further. The thrill of battle, especially with a strong opponent, it's what I live for. And, with my buddy by my side-

I'm instantly sober. Ash isn't here. I have to battle without him. I'm battling a Legendary Pokemon without him. Someone says something I can't hear. What was I thinking, challenging the Lord of Lightning without Ash. He should be watching this battle, cheering me on-

Pain erupts all over me and I fly, landing hard against the wall, falling off and on to the cold, wet floor. Shoot, the battle's begun.

I pick myself up and shake off the pain, as Zapdos soars high into the air. White streaks pour over him like water as he descends; he's using Aerial Ace, a move that hits its target no matter what.

Focus, Pikachu. You challenged him . You are the reason this battle is happening. If Ash can't be here, I have to at least make this a battle he would be proud of.

When a move can never miss, your best bet is to hit it head-on. My fur flattens, and my legs move at an impossible pace. I jump, ramming him with Quick Attack. The collision hurts us both, propels us backwards. I spin mid-air and land on all-fours, sliding a bit on the slippery ground. Zapdos shakily remains air-born. Did he take more damage from that than I did? Or, am I imagining it?

While he's disoriented, I let out a Thunderbolt, but he dodges. Then, his beak glows, and his body spins, heading in my direction. My tail hardens, and I leap and twirl midair, my Iron Tail colliding with his Drill Peck. Then, while my tail's still on him, I use it to flip myself over him and, Iron Tail still active, nail his back. He cries out in pain, and crashes to the ground. He lays there stunned, and I leap off of him and land a safe distance away, waiting to see what he does next.

"Impressive," Zapdos grunts, carefully climbing to his feet and shaking out his feathers. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me." Electricity gathers over him, and he spreads his wings. "But, this battle isn't over yet."

Multiple tiny lightning bolts shoot out of him. Discharge is hard to avoid, so I try to use Quick Attack to weave around it. A few bolts, I avoid. Most of them graze my skin. The burning almost breaks my stride, but I press on. Any other time, electric- or flying-type attacks wouldn't cause this much damage on me, but this is a Legendary Pokemon; raw power is just one of the many things they're known for.

Keep it up, Pikachu! In my head, I can hear Ash cheering me on. You got this!

He may not be here in person, but my buddy's with me in spirit. The thought encourages me, and my feet move faster. I'm still taking damage, but I barely notice. I get closer and closer to my target. Once I'm right in front, I jump, ready to ram him in the stomach.

But, Zapdos jumps too. Before I can process what's happening, Aerial Ace smashes me into the floor, and waves of agony explode over me. Everything aches. My vision is tilting, but I'm not through yet! My body screams as I force it to stand quadrupedal.

I look up. Zapdos is hovering high above me, injured but not as badly. "Tell me, Pikachu," large waves of electricity roll over him, making him look like part of the storm, "are you still feeling the lightning's effects? How about now?"

Thunder is one of the most powerful electric-type attacks in the world. And, in the still-pouring rain, it's a guaranteed hit. All I can do is hit it head-on.

Thunderbolt isn't as powerful, but it's the strongest move I've got, not to mention my and Ash's favorite of my attacks.

A massive yellow lightning bolt blasts at me, and I blast it right back. We are at a standstill, trying to overpower each other. The storm rages over us. Zapdos slowly descends, still using Thunder, the closer range making it harder for me to fight back. I'm exhausted, but I wrench up my limbs and force myself closer to him. Seconds pass; they feel like hours. Thunder creeps over my skin, tiny jolts burning my flesh. Strong, too strong.

Don't give up, Pikachu!

I won't, Ash. We don't quit until it's over.

I scream and fire off Thunderbolt with everything in me. I am pain and power and love and agony. Distantly, I hear Zapdos cry out. I'm starting to break through.

Then, we cancel each other out. Our attacks explode, throwing us in opposite directions. I am once again smashed into the wall. I collapse to the ground and force myself up. Zapdos is across from me, struggling to his feet.

Everything hurts. Everything's spinning.

Everything's blurry…

---

"Why won't he wake up?" I hear a voice. I think it's Eevee.

"He just lost a battle with a Legendary Pokemon." Absol. "It's going to take time."

"He'll wake up when his body is ready." Sprout.

"But, he's been sleeping forever !" Eevee again.

I'm so sore, just opening my eyes is a struggle. The high I felt from the lightning is long gone. At least I'm dry now.

Eevee is standing over me, his tail lashing anxiously. There are tears in his eyes, but then he looks down at me. "Pikachu!" He buries his face in my chest, which doesn't do my body any favors. "I-I thought you died!" Eevee sobs.

"Hey, I'm alright," I croak out. "Um, you're kind of hurting me."

Eevee squeaks and jumps back. I look around and see that we're in a large room full of human things - a former storage room? - and I'm lying in a nest of leaves. I'm alone with three out of four PokeSquad members. I internally groan; I have a pretty good idea of where a certain Wobbuffet might be.

Sprout helps me sit upright on the old torn cushion I'm resting on. I hiss at the movement. "Take it easy," she says gently. "Where does it hurt?"

I stare at her. "Yes."

She laughs sheepishly. "Right. Well, now that you're awake I'm gonna grab you a revival herb. One of the Voltorb brought some in."

As she makes her way to the small pile of herbs nearby, Absol clears his throat, a little smirk gracing his mouth. "Well, Pikachu, it seems I've underestimated you. That was quite a battle."

My face heats up, and I can't help a proud grin. "Thanks, but I'm pretty sure I lost."

Eevee, his fears forgotten, pipes up, "Yeah, but you were so cool ! You were like-like," he jumps and twirls mid-air, " bam ! And, zap ! And, another zap !"

Ha ha! He sounds like Ash. Ash…who didn't see any of that battle. Sprout returns with a revival herb. I chew on it, letting the horrible taste distract me. After swallowing, my soreness quickly fades away. Too bad herbs can't fix the ache in my heart.

The door opens, and Alpha Electrode rolls in. A few younglings try to follow them, but Alpha shoos them away and shuts the door. Then, Alpha wordlessly rolls my way and stares at me in a new way, almost the same way they regard Zapdos. "Why didn't you tell me you were the Chosen One's Pikachu?" How do they know about that? "'Course, I guess I wouldn't have believed you if Zapdos hadn't told us."

"Chosen One?" Absol asks.

I ignore him. "Alpha, how-how do you know about that?"

"Zapdos tells us stories about his travels when he comes here," they explain. "The Chosen One story is particularly popular among the little ones. The idea of some human kid saving the world makes them think anything's possible. It's actually turned into one of their favorite games."

Longing, pride, bitterness; there's that mix again.

The PokeSquad are staring at me quizzically. Alpha takes notice. "What, you didn't tell your own horde about that?" They make it sound like I committed some crime.

I sheepishly rub the back of my head. "It never really came up…"

Alpha huffs indignantly. "I say, your horde should know the pokemon in charge of them. My horde knows everything that went on in my past and everything that goes on in my head."

"Really?" Absol almost sounds uncomfortable. Yet again, I find myself wondering what his story is. "No secrets at all?"

"Zilch in that department. If you trust your horde, they'll trust you."

Wistfulness gets thrown into my mix. I smile sadly. "My mother was the same way. She was the alpha of the horde I grew up in, you see."

"An alpha's son, eh?" Alpha says. "That explains where your strength comes from."

I blush at the compliment. "Well, Daddy wasn't exactly a slouch either."

"Your dad's an alpha too?" Sprout asks.

"No, he wasn't. But, when he battled, I tell you, there was no stopping him."

Absol nudges me playfully. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Eevee fluffs up his fur excitedly. "I bet your whole family is strong! I bet there's a whole bunch of alphas in your family!"

I giggle and swipe at my ear in embarrassment.

Then, static fizzles over my fur. ' Ah, you're awake at last. ' Zapdos is signaling me. ' Are you feeling up to a visit? '

' Of course, ' I respond. Maybe I can ask him more about Akari. Between the lightning and the battle, I'd completely forgotten about her until now.

' Also, would you mind taking your friend back? She is…a lot. '

I smile and shake my head. ' Sorry about her. She's just excited to meet a Legendary Pokemon. She's harmless. ' Mostly harmless.

' A harmless nuisance. '

I laugh as the connection breaks. "I think I found Wobbles."

Absol groans. "I knew it."

"We better go get her," Sprout says.

"PIIIIIIKAAACHUUUUUU!"

Oh, boy. Wobbles throws herself through the door and grabs me before I can process what's happening. Thank goodness for that revival herb; Wobbles is shaking me so hard she might have killed me without it. "Everyone's talking about a prophecy! You said you knew Zapdos, but you said nothing about a prophecy!"

My cheeks charge up.

"Wobbles, stop that!" Absol demands.

She ignores both him and the Vine Whip Sprout is sneaking her way. " You said nothing !"

I shoot off Thunderbolt on instinct. I hear more than one scream, and Wobbles lets go of me. My attack dies off, and I discover that the other screams came from the rest of the PokeSquad. They're close enough to me that I accidentally zapped them too. Now, all four of them are charred and dazed. I cringe and apologize.

Alpha Electrode bursts out laughing at the sight. "At least you're not overcharged!"

Eevee starts giggling. Maybe it's adrenaline, maybe laughter really is contagious, or maybe we're all just a little crazy, but the rest of us start laughing too.

Then, Zapdos pokes his head through the door, and we all fall silent. "Now, don't stop on my account." He steps fully into the room and tilts his head at my friends' blackened states. Wobbles makes a bizarre squee-ing sound and scitters toward him. His feathers spark threateningly. "Can someone do something about this one?"

Alpha shoots a murderous glare her way. "Have you been bothering him?"

Wobbles scoffs at them. "I just wanna know how he was born. And, about that Chosen One thing everyone's going about, Pikachu ."

I shrug helplessly. "I said I'd tell you later!"

"But, you didn't give us any details. Anyway, My Lord, why did you come here to begin with? Did you create the world's first thunderstorm like the legend says? How much wood would a Bidoof chuck if a Bidoof could- mmmm ."

Sprout had cut her off by wrapping Vine Whip around her body and mouth. Not that this has deterred Wobbles from speaking; we just can't understand her now. "I'm so sorry, My Lord!" Sprout exclaims with a bow.

Zapdos sighs and shakes his head. "Just keep her away from me." He turns a much friendlier gaze my way. "I just wanted to see if you were well enough for story time."

"Story time?" Eevee gasps, his eyes wide.

Zapdos chuckles at him. "Indeed, little one. Whenever I visit, I like to share stories with Electrode Horde and their guests."

"Oh, yeah," I say with a nod at Alpha, "Alpha mentioned that."

Wobbles wiggles excitedly. Sprout fixes her with a firm look. "If I let you go, do you promise to behave?" Wobbles nods. "Okay."

Sprout releases her, and Wobbles claps her hands and bounces on her feet. "I would very much like to hear your stories, Zapdos! All your stories!"

Zapdos glares at her. " You can sit in the back."

Wobbles raises her hand in her species' signature salute. "Fine by me."

"I'll keep an eye on her," Alpha says.

"Thank you," Zapdos says to them. "Anyway, Pikachu, I was hoping you would share the story of the Chosen One. I thought everyone, myself included, would like to hear it from your point of view. You were right at the Chosen One's side, after all."

Of course. Everything always circles back to Ash. And, why wouldn't it? Ash is amazing. He's kind, brave, selfless- So, why don't I feel happy? I love talking about our adventures. Even if they are really his adventures. I guess I helped, but mostly I was just kind of there…

I shake out my pelt, as if that will somehow dislodge the bad feelings, and force some enthusiasm. "Sure. I'd love to!"

Zapdos nods. "Excellent. I'll meet you in the main room." He starts for the door but turns around at the last minute. "By the way, I really enjoyed our battle. Let's have another one some time."

All dark feelings fade away, pride and real enthusiasm taking their place. Zapdos wants to battle me again! That means we're friends now, right? Am I friends with a Legendary Pokemon? I smirk. "Next time, I'm gonna win!"

He smirks back at me. "We shall see."

He leaves and Electrode follows him out to gather the hoard. Now, it's just me and the PokeSquad.

" Well ," Wobbles says, her hands on her hips. "Looks like I'm gonna hear the story after all!"

I roll my eyes. "I said I'd tell you. It's just gonna be for a bigger audience now."

"Either way, I can't wait to hear it," Sprout says with a grin.

Eevee bolts for the door. "Let's go right now!"

Absol chuckles and says, "Whenever you're ready, Pikachu," before chasing after the hatchling.

I slowly stand up on two feet, testing my limbs. Everything feels good, so the rest of us start two follow them out, but Wobbles stops us. "Oh, I almost forgot. Hey, Pikachu."

Wary now, I take a step back. "Yeah?"

I'm expecting her to freak out again. Instead, she calmly slaps her hands over my cheeks. "I wanna touch your face."

How do you respond to that?

"Wobbles, do I have to tie you up again?" Sprout threatens.

"I just need to see something." Then, Wobbles leans in and stares at my face. Thoroughly creeped out, I squirm, but she just holds on tighter. "Everything looks normal."

I try to pull away, but her grip just tightens. All of a Pikachu's electricity is stored in their cheeks. Because of this, the cheeks are the most sensitive part of their bodies. In other words, Wobbles is now hurting me . My cheeks start to vibrate. Sprout sees this and scurries out of the room, knowing what's about to happen.

Wobbles, however, is oblivious. "I'm sure I saw-" And, then I shock her again. Once that passes, her hands are still on my face, but at least she isn't squeezing me anymore. "I forgot how sensitive your cheeks are," she croaks.

Equal parts confused and irritated now, I back away and let her face-plant on to the hard floor. "Okay, seriously, what's wrong with you?"

"I'm fine, thanks," she says to the floor. Groaning, she slowly rises to her feet. "When you were battling, your eyes looked like they were glowing. I wanted to look at them."

Glowing? What is she talking about? "Wobbles, we were two electric-types battling in a thunderstorm."

Wobbles arches her back and hisses in pain. "Yeah, I guess the lighting was kind of weird. Just forget about it."

But, I can feel her eyes on me as we make our way to the main room.

---

I wasn't sure what to make of story time at first, but it turned out to be a lot of fun! All eyes were on me as I recalled the day Ash saved the Elemental Birds from that pokemon hunter, restoring the balance of nature in the process. I answered a lot of questions and even got requests to hear more stories. Even Zapdos himself was eager to hear about my and Ash's many adventures! Naturally, I was happy to oblige.

It helped that Alpha Electrode gave Wobbles a quick shock every time she strayed too close. Though, I am a little worried she'll become an electric-type herself if this keeps up.

Overall, I had a blast! It was nice to be the center of attention for once, hearing the audience praise me for my actions, despite the fact that I was just doing what I was told. (And, if I left out that particular detail, well, no harm done.) The best part was when one of the children asked to be my friend. Then, another and another until an argument broke out over who should be friends with me. I happily agreed to be friends with anyone who wanted to be. This turned the fighting into a round of rather adorable cheering. I even overheard Eevee declaring that he was already my friend, prompting a youngling to tell him how lucky he was. The whole scene had made my heart sing.

Even so, I couldn't completely ignore the mental image of Ash sitting among the pokemon, listening to stories he already knows, laughing at the silly parts, cowering at the scary parts, cuddling up to someone during the sad parts despite knowing that everything turns out alright in the end.

" It's the way you do it, " he told me once when I asked why he always listened so intently when I told our friends stories he'd heard before or was actually a part of. " You're so passionate. Your hands go all around, you act out some of it, you do voices, and sometimes you even get a little emotional yourself. "

"I guess I never noticed," I'd said.

" Ha ha! Yeah, you get really into it. When you tell a story, even if I've heard it a million times, it always feels like I'm hearing it for the first time. You make it so exciting that I really feel like I'm there! And, when it's one of our stories, I remember that I was there, and that makes it even more awesome! "

The memory encouraged me, and my tales of battles and bad guys and Legendaries spread on until I realized that the rain had stopped and the sun had set. I should have been upset about another day of searching, but I was on such a roll that I kept going until the little ones started to doze off.

Now as their parents usher them off to bed, despite their children's protests, the remaining pokemon offer me more praise and ask some questions. I try not to let the attention get to my head, but I can't help eating it up just a little. Once the crowd dies off, the PokeSquad, as well as Zapdos and Alpha Electrode, approach me. The only one missing is Eevee, who is sprawled out on the floor, having passed out just after the tale of my and Ash's victory at the Manalo Conference.

"Oh, you have such a rich life," Sprout says with a big smile.

Absol nods. "If I hadn't watched you battle a Legendary Pokemon, I probably wouldn't believe half of those stories."

Alpha chuckles. "I'm starting to see why you don't tell them everything. There's a lot to tell, and some of it's pretty unbelievable."

"I believe it," Zapdos says. "Every word. And, I'm quite confident that's not all of it."

Fresh praise means a fresh warmth in my chest that makes me giggle. "Not even close!"

Wobbles just keeps staring at me. I try not to think about what that could be building up to.

Gggrrrggrrrr.

Sprout jumps. "What was that?"

Gggrrrggrrrr.

Finding the sound and the feeling itself familiar, I smile awkwardly. "I guess I was having so much fun, I forgot to eat." Everyone laughs, startling Eevee awake.

"I'll show you where the grub is," Alpha says, "then we can find you a place to nest." To my friends, they say coldly, "you all can sleep outside." Zapdos loudly clears his throat, and Alpha cringes and amends, "I-I mean, you can stay with Pikachu."

I fight a smirk. "I'll catch up. I wanna talk to Zapdos."

"So do I!" Wobbles says.

She tries to say more, but Sprout wraps her in Vine Whip and drags her away. Absol rouses a sleepy Eevee, and they all follow Alpha down the hall.

"I was wondering if you could tell me anything else about Akari," I say once I'm alone with Zapdos.

"I thought you might say that." But to my disappointment, all he says is, "If Ash is the same way, and I suspect that he is, then you'll find out in time."

---

The next morning, I finally remember to ask Alpha Electrode about Vermilion City. They point us in (what they think is) the right direction, and we say our goodbyes to Electrode Horde and their other guests. Wobbles is once again restrained by Vine Whip, though supposedly she did get some one-on-one time with Zapdos last night once she calmed down. And, had strict supervision from Alpha.

I'm pleasantly surprised to see that everyone in the building has come outside to see us off and even more surprised when some of the younger ones start crying and begging me not to leave. I'm honestly kind of sad myself. Despite a rocky start, I've had a great time here. Plus, a traitorous part of me thinks, nobody here sees someone's pokemon; everyone sees me .

Still, I miss Ash terribly.

"Now, now," Absol soothes the children. "Pikachu's on a mission to find his trainer. He can't do that if he stays here forever."

That halts all the crying, and one of the hatchling Voltorb asks him, "Do you mean Ash? The Chosen One?"

"Come to think of it," a Magneton says, "where is Ash? Pikachu made it sound like they're always together."

There's a curious murmuring among the crowd. Before I can answer, Alpha whispers to me, "Why do I get the feeling you're not actually the leader of your horde?"

I shrink back, a bit ashamed of our ruse. "Sorry, Alpha. We figured you wouldn't let us in if you knew Absol was in charge."

"They wouldn't have," Zapdos mutters. Alpha suddenly seems very interested in the sky. Zapdos shakes out his feathers and addresses the crowd. "How about one final story before our new friends part?"

Everyone agrees, the youngest ones roll - or run, in terms of the two Elekid - to the front, Eevee plants himself down among them, and how can I say no?

I climb up a tree and sit on one of the low branches, offering me a better view of the many eager faces. "Okay. Several days ago, Ash received an invitation…"

I go on to explain how Ash and I were having fun on the S.S. Anne when that employee came to get me. Turns out they all knew already about Poke-X, though they hadn't known what it was called until now. I continue on, telling them about how the employee was actually part of Team Rocket. I explain how I escaped from the cage they'd locked me in, and tell them about the sickly Magikarp who was unwittingly responsible for freeing me from the submarine. I end with being found by Eevee and saying how grateful I am for the PokeSquad's willingness to help me. The PokeSquad all smile at that.

"And, here we are," I conclude.

"So, if you're still in the story," one of the Elekid says, "does that mean it's not over yet?"

I nod. "Right. But, once I find Ash, I promise I'll come back and finish the story."

Chapter 10: The First Assignment

" I'm really afraid to feel happy because it never lasts." - Unknown

Ash

My aunt lives in a log cabin just outside of Lavender Town, walking distance from the research center, and the furniture is also made of wood. "Is it a fire hazard?" she'd said when I first walked in. "Probably, but it sure is cozy!" And, I agreed. If it weren't for the basic amenities like electricity and indoor plumbing, her house would fit right in on one of those old camping movies.

But, sitting on her couch with my arms crossed, my heart battered, my thoughts a jumbled mess, my eyes glaring down at my knees like it's their fault, I don't feel very cozy.

It's their routine, Korou had told me. After one of their jobs, everyone gets cleaned up and meets up to relax and try to talk things through, to make sense of how they're feeling after everything. It's therapeutic, he'd said. It reminds you that you aren't dealing with this alone.

That's why my friends and I are at my aunt's house right now. Aunt V is still working, so we have the place to ourselves for another hour. It's for the best; she was hesitant enough about having just Gardevoir in here, let alone two more pokemon, one of whom has a pension for physically exploding at random. At least Sarge and Voltorb aren't temporarily living here like me and Gardevoir.

"I just feel a little weird about having a pokemon roaming free in my house," Aunt V had said. I didn't push, and she seemed to grudgingly accept Gardevoir once she realized I wasn't willing to keep him outside or in his pokeball all day anyway.

Actually, Gardevoir is a bit of a mystery to me. When I brought him to the cabin the first time, he didn't have the child-like, wide-eyed awe most wild pokemon get when they first lay eyes on a human "den," with all our "strange and colorful human things," as Pikachu had put it. Gardevoir had gazed around at the decor, of course, but it was more reminiscent of going into a new friend's house and seeing how different theirs is from your own. More curiously, Gardevoir is currently in the kitchen making tea. He was a wild pokemon a few days ago, and he knows how to make tea .

Come to think of it, Gardevoir isn't a pokemon you find in the Kanto Region. Mostly, the Ralts-line can be found in Hoenn, with a few sprinkled in some other parts of the world, but not here in Kanto. That, along with his familiarity with human stuff, makes me wonder if he had a trainer before me.

"You're pretty quiet," Lorette says from her spot next to mine. "I don't blame you. I was a mess the first time." She looks behind us to where Sarge and Voltorb are conversing quietly in the corner of the room. "Voltorb was worse, though."

Korou sighs, leaning back in the armchair. "I'm sure this one was worse for Sarge. This is the first time we've had a fighting-type in such a state. I'm not sure if they were friends, but the fact that she knows Tyrogue can't be helping matters."

I shutter and touch Pikachu's pokeball for the umpteenth time.

The day had started out alright. I was on my first assignment as a Poke-X research field worker. As such, I was given a reddish-brown wristband with what looks like a tiny laser attached to it. Supposedly, it functions in a similar way to a pokeball; press a button, and the pokemon gets sucked in. Only instead of being caught, the infected pokemon we use them on are transferred to the lab for observation and so the scientists can try to figure out how to help them. (Science is so amazing!)

My friends had reiterated how awful Poke-X was in person and that they understood if I needed to step back since it was my first time. I was nervous, of course, but after everything I've seen and done after almost eight years of my pokemon journey, I thought I could handle it.

I was wrong.

---

There was a small meadow deep in the forest. Flowers of all shapes and sizes and colors bloomed there. It should have been a peaceful place; I'm sure it usually is.

When we arrived, most of those flowers were coated in red. We had all cringed at the sight. I'm not particularly squeamish, but the mere knowledge of where all that blood came from made my stomach churn. Pokemon blood is as thick as honey, and their skin is incredibly tough. For about half the field to be covered, something truly awful must have happened.

My friends and I tried to return our pokemon to their pokeballs, but they wouldn't have it, not that we thought they would. Seeing this kind of damage, knowing that the blood contained such a terrible illness, I would have even returned Pikachu, who can't stand being in a pokeball. He would have been furious with me; I wouldn't have cared.

There wasn't a wild pokemon in sight; they had the good sense to stay away.

Then, we heard the screams. A small group of terrified pokemon - all healthy and uninjured - burst into the field, saw the blood, and stopped, staring in horror. The one in front had short, stubby arms and a green mushroom-shaped head; it was a Breloom I recognized from wrestling. He recognized us as well and desperately called us over.

Steeling myself, I ran through the bloody flowers, my friends hot on my trail. Beside me, Sarge had Voltorb in one hand and had apparently thrown Gardevoir over her other shoulder like a sack. Gardevoir was shouting at her and pounding on her back, apparently forgetting that he had a type-advantage over her. Any other time, the scene would have been kind of funny, but this was Sarge's way of keeping Voltorb and Gardevoir away from the blood. Nevermind the fact that she herself was recklessly charging through it.

One of the pokemon, a Gloom, broke away from the group and beckoned us to follow. Two others, a Paras and a Tangela, tried to send us in another direction. Breloom started barking and waving his arms in protest, sparking an argument among the four of them.

" There must be more than one sick pokemon," Korou concluded.

" Then, we split up," I said. "Gardevoir and I will follow Breloom. Korou, Sarge, you guys go with Paras and Tangela. Lorette, Voltorb, you're with Gloom."

Sarge set Voltorb and Gardevoir down, and Lorette said, "Are you sure, Ash?"

No, but I nodded anyway. "We have to find everyone before things get worse."

" Ash is right," Korou agreed. "We just need to keep a sharp eye on our pokemon. The wild ones as well."

---

My thoughts are broken by a teacup tapping my nose. Gardevoir is standing in front of me, his concerned eyes on me as he holds the cup in my face. Lorette and Korou are already sipping their tea. Sarge and Voltorb must have finished their conversation. Now, Voltorb is in Lorette's lap, and Sarge is sitting cross-legged on the floor next to her own trainer.

I thank Gardevoir and take the cup from him, barely tasting the chamomile tea inside. He sits down on my other side and rests one arm over my shoulders. I lean into the touch, my mind still locked in the events of today.

---

Tyrogue was lying against a bloody tree trunk when we found him. I could see more blood leaking from some open wounds that I know he gave to himself. I suppressed a shiver. Even worse, I recognized this Tyrogue from the wrestling match. I wonder if he's friends with Sarge.

"Breh breh!"

Tyrogue looked up at Breloom's call. The motion itself seemed to cause him pain. He winced and moaned in response.

I'd heard about this. The infected pokemon are actively hostile and extremely violent to themselves and those around them, but there are also periods where they are lucid, eerily calm, quietly suffering. Do they know what they've done during their fits of rage? Are they aware of what happens during those periods?

Pikachu…

Breloom tried to run up to his friend, but Gardevoir smartly held him back.

" Both of you stay there," I commanded. "I don't want either of you getting sick." Gardevoir tried to protest as I rolled up my sleeves. "Humans can't get it." As far as I know. "I'll be fine."

I knelt down in front of Tyrogue and took off my backpack. I dug out a potion, a pack of sanitary clothes, and a roll of bandages. Technically, I'd been instructed to just aim the transporter and send the pokemon to the lab, no hesitation. But, that's just not me. I get it if the pokemon is in a frenzied state, but Tyrogue wasn't. He was just laying there, staring at me with dull, sad eyes. This wasn't the spitfire who'd flipped a Raticate mere days ago. No, this was a pokemon in need.

" Here, let's get you patched up," I said, pasting on a smile for Tyrogue's sake. He didn't respond, only moaned some more as I cleaned and bandaged him. "You're in a lot of pain, huh?" Tyrogue squeaked pathetically, a few tears dripping down his face. My heart broke at the sight. I wiped his cheeks with my thumb. "I wanna help you, Tyrogue. See this thing on my arm?" I showed him the transporter. "If I point it at you, it'll send you somewhere with people who are working hard to help sick pokemon like you. They'll do everything they can to make you stop hurting. Then, you can get back in the ring. Maybe you can even take me on!" I added with a wink. Tyrogue cracked a little smile. "So, can I send you there? So that you can get better?"

Gardevoir and Breloom called out their encouragement. Tyrogue nodded, the tiniest hint of hope in his eyes.

" You'll be just fine," I said before firing off the transporter. A thin red light, not unlike that of a pokeball, shot out at Tyrogue, making him glow red, as if combining him with the light, and sucked him into the tiny machine.

I shivered as I rose, despite knowing that he would appear in the research lab, knowing that he would be among people who cared. All the scientists would help him, help all the sick pokemon. They would all be fine.

My throat closed up as my thoughts wandered back to Pikachu. My buddy's strong, really strong. But, that wouldn't stop him from getting sick. My hand meets his pokeball, still strapped on to my belt, right next to Gardevoir's. An intact pokeball means Pikachu's alive, but that doesn't tell me that he isn't hurt or…or sick. He could have Poke-X, and I'd never know! What if he's lying somewhere, bleeding and wishing for help? What if he's in a frenzy and hurting someone? Oh, he would never forgive himself!

"Gardedeh."

Gardevoir's calm voice stopped me from having a full-blown panic attack. I put on a fresh smile and turned around. Gardevoir was crouched down with his arms around a shaking Breloom. My heart broke further, but I pushed through it and approached them. I crouched down next to them and wiped my blood-covered hands - in hindsight, I probably should have brought disposable gloves - in the grass.

" Tyrogue's your buddy, huh?" I asked. Breloom turned his wet, scared eyes to me and nodded. I reached out to pat his head but thought better of it and pulled back. I couldn't risk it. "The guys at the lab are really good at this stuff. Your buddy's in good hands, Breloom."

Gardevoir echoed my assurance, and Breloom calmed down a little.

" There you are."

I looked up and saw Korou walking toward us, his face pale. Sarge was close behind with a solemn expression. This didn't bode well. I stood and swallowed hard. "I got the pokemon. It was a Tyrogue." Sarge started at that. I couldn't look her in the eye. "The…one from wrestling."

Sarge sucked in a breath through her teeth and looked anywhere but at me or the blood. Korou put a hand on her shoulder and stood a little closer to her. He opened his mouth then saw Gardevoir and Breloom still holding each other. Korou leaned in and whispered to me. "I called in the clean-up crew, then I met up with Lorette. She said there were two Rattata both-both dead." His voice broke on the last word. My stomach curdled. Korou cleared his throat. "I guess Voltorb got scared and rolled off somewhere. Lorette's looking for it now."

Suddenly, we heard an explosion and a scream in the distance.

" I…guess she found it," Korou said.

" What about you?" I asked, hoping he wouldn't see how badly my hands were shaking. "Did you find anything?"

He takes a moment - too long a moment - to answer. "There was something. A pokemon, I-I think."

Dear God. "You think ?"

" It was, uh, unrecognizable…"

And, that was when I stumbled away and threw up into a bush.

---

' Tyrogue: the scuffle pokemon. A fighting-type. Known for its strong competitive spirit, Tyrogue becomes stressed if it does not train every day. It will happily take on any opponent, regardless of the opponent's size. '

I sigh and put my pokedex back in my pocket. "I don't think Tyrogue is gonna be training for a while," I say. I down the rest of my now-cold tea and set the cup on the table.

Korou leans over and sets my cup on a coaster. Lorette and I just look at him. He shrugs. "What?"

"You're a dork," Lorette says. "That's all."

"Do you want rings on our boss's coffee table?" is his indignant response. Grinning like a bratty child, Lorette lets her cup hover over the table. Korou points threateningly at her. "Don't. Don't even think about it."

Despite my grim thoughts, I chuckle at the display. "You guys are like me and my friend, Iris. We used to pick on each other all the time. Well, it was mostly her picking on me." Out of nowhere, Gardevoir snatches my hat off my head. "Hey!" He puts it on backwards and lies back on the couch with his legs propped up on my lap and his hands resting behind his head. His tongue sticks out as he regards me with a smug smile. I smirk at him. "What are you doing?"

"He's messing with you, duh," Lorette says through her giggles.

"You've had a tough day," Korou adds, grinning. "Gardevoir's trying to make you laugh."

I shake my head, though I have to admit that I do feel a little bit better. "Alright, Gardevoir, hand it over." He uses Psychic to levitate my hat over his head, just out of my reach. "Seriously, give it back!"

" Champ champ! "

I turn around to see Sarge waving all four arms in the air. Gardevoir sends my hat flying over to her. She catches it and places it on her own head. I try to grab it, but she throws it to Lorette, who throws it to Korou, who throws it to Voltorb. It should be easy to grab something from a pokemon who doesn't have limbs, but Voltorb rolls back to Sarge, who picks my hat up. Before I know it, we're all playing keep-away, and none of us can stop laughing. Even when Voltorb explodes, covering both Sarge and themself in ash, we're all still giggling like idiots. For just a few moments, we've forgotten everything bad in the world in favor of acting like children. I've only known these guys for a few days, and we're already great friends. I love when that happens.

When our laughter dies down, we hear a banging at the back door. "I'll get it," I say, taking my hat back from Korou and putting it back on my head where it belongs.

I'm still grinning when I walk through the kitchen and open the door, but my mood darkens once more when I look down and see who's standing there, his small hands knocking into each other shyly. I bend down, but he doesn't meet my gaze. "Hey, you're Tyrogue's buddy, right?" Breloom nods, shuffling his feet. "I can't really tell you anything. He got there safely, but that's all I know. Sorry."

He coos sadly and turns to leave. I can't stand it. "Uh, Breloom?" He looks over his shoulder at me. I rub the back of my neck. "You can…come inside, if you want." He turns around fully and tilts his head. "My friends have been doing this stuff longer than I have. They might know more than me."

Breloom agrees, and I stand up and move aside. As expected, Breloom's eyes grow huge, and he steps inside and gazes around at the kitchen, making tiny, awestruck noises all the while. I grin. It's always fun to watch a pokemon enter a building for the first time. It's like bringing a little kid into a toy store. While he's distracted, I pull my pokedex back out and aim it at him.

' Breloom: the mushroom pokemon. A grass- and fighting-type. Breloom is incredibly light on its feet. It stretches its short arms to throw punches at speeds that are virtually invisible to the human eye. '

"Lots of neat stuff in here, huh?" I say, putting my pokedex away. Breloom ignores me, spinning around slowly to take it all in. Huffing a laugh, I bend over and tap his head. He looks up at me. "This way."

I lead him back to the living room. Voltorb, who'd been circling the couch for some reason, is the first to notice us and chirps curiously at Breloom. This draws everyone else's attention. Breloom hides behind my leg.

"Hey," Lorette says, "isn't that the Breloom from before?"

Korou frowns. "I assume you're wondering about Tyrogue." Breloom peeks out from behind me and nods. Korou shrugs. "I'm afraid there's nothing to tell. The scientists are doing everything they can, but it's too soon for us to have any real information."

Breloom sighs. Sarge, Gardevoir, and Voltorb approach him, matching sympathy on their faces. I step back, giving the four of them space. Gardevoir wordlessly kneels down to hug Breloom. Sarge raises a fist and offers what sounds like encouragement. Voltorb jumps up and down, supposedly echoing whatever Sarge said. Gardevoir stands up and coos kindly at Breloom, who smiles back and chirps his thanks.

There's something mesmerizing about hearing pokemon converse. Their voices are limited to only a handful of syllables, with some pokemon only grunting or growling, each species having its own assortment of sounds, yet they all understand each other perfectly. They can even understand us humans, yet our traitorous ears refuse to understand them in return.

The only exception - for me, at least - is Pikachu. Not all Pikachu, just my buddy. It didn't start out that way, but one day I just suddenly started understanding him. It's weird. On the surface, it still sounds like a bunch of nonsense. But, when Pikachu speaks, I just kind of know what it all means. It's instinct, I guess. The closest I've ever found to something similar was back in the Kalos Region with Greninja. But, even then, I could only really hear him when his Battle Bond ability was activated, and even then it was telepathy; I wasn't actually hearing his voice. I've never found another pokemon I could hear all the time like Pikachu.

Well, except for Team Rocket's Meowth, but he can (somehow) physically speak like a human, so I don't think he counts.

We let Breloom stay with us until my aunt gets home. We ask her about Tyrogue, but it turns out that it really is too soon to tell. Then, Aunt V tells us to "take it outside," referring to Breloom. She says that she doesn't want him in here since he was with Tyrogue, which makes sense, I suppose.

Breloom keeps shooting nervous glances at Aunt V as I walk him out. "You'll have to excuse her," I say. "She's pretty much the definition of 'brutal honesty.'"

" Brehloom… " He's anxiously scanning his body as I let him out the door.

"I don't think you'll get sick," I assure. "Uh, you didn't get any blood or anything in your mouth, did you?" Breloom grimaces and shakes his head. "And, it doesn't look like you're hurt at all, so you'll be just fine." I explain how this virus is transferred, and he agrees to let others know. There's a new determination in his eyes as turns to leave. I stop him. "I'll be sure to keep you updated on Tyrogue." Breloom smiles his thanks.

---

All of the pokemon I've caught over the years, with a few exceptions, live on Professor Oak's ranch. Other trainers have pokemon living there as well, but I think most of them are mine. Professor Oak has special drones set up there that allow trainers to see their pokemon, and vice-versa, even from across the world. Trainers can control these drones from a computer or smartphone. (Again, science is so amazing!)

After the events of today, I have to check on my friends. Professor Oak told me that they know about the virus - hard to keep something like that a secret - but they don't know about Pikachu. He thought it would be better if they heard it from me. I get it, but I'd rather not have to relive my own damn stupidity. Still, I know they'd figure it out eventually. Why put off the inevitable? Besides, I want to introduce Gardevoir to everyone.

But, I'm really hoping no one notices Pikachu's absence.

I sit at the computer in the guest room I'm staying in, controlling the drone the best I can (so far, I've only bumped into eight pokemon, so I'd call that an improvement over last time), and Gardevoir is beside me in the chair I'd brought over for him. Seeing my pokemon's smiling faces, plus Gardevoir's own enthusiasm over meeting the many friends I've made over the years, already has me in a better mood. Especially when my thirty Tauros almost stampede over the drone, and Gardevoir starts laughing hysterically as I barely manage to dodge them. Wait until he finds out they do that to me in person as well.

Sadly, it doesn't take long for someone to notice the, in Aunt V's words, distinct lack of yellow.

Three of my fire-type pokemon appear on the screen. Charizard is shooting Flamethrower straight into the sky, Pignite is hopping from one foot to the other, and Infernape is doing back-flips. I have no idea what's going on, but it's during those back-flips that Infernape finally notices me-

" Fern-fern-fernape! "

-and launches himself at the drone, his huge grin taking up the screen.

"Infernape," I laugh, Gardevoir giggling beside me, "we can't see!"

Pignite pulls him off the screen and waves at us. Charizard gives us a thumbs-up.

"Hey, guys! I want you to meet Gardevoir. I just caught him the other day. Gardevoir, meet Charizard, Infernape, and Pignite," I say, pointing to each pokemon in turn.

Everyone greets each other, but Charizard frowns, pats his shoulder, and growls quizzically. I flinch. Infernape and Pignite look at him, then their curious eyes move to my empty shoulder. Infernape presses himself against the screen again, trying to get a better look. This time Charizard pulls him off.

I swallow hard and glance at Gardevoir, who nods solemnly and rests his hand on top of mine. I swallow again. "S-so, about Pikachu. He's kind of- He, uh…"

God, this is harder than I expected. Not only do I have to tell them that Pikachu's missing, but they know about the virus. They know that means Pikachu could be in the thick of it. But, beyond that, I'm the trainer. It's my job to make sure the pokemon in my care are, well, cared for. I'm supposed to protect them, keep them happy and healthy. Their well-being is my top priority. And, I just handed Pikachu to Team Rocket. It doesn't matter that they were in disguise. They've been wearing disguises for years, and I always, always , fall for it. I've let Pikachu down. I've let all my pokemon down.

Pignite sputters, bringing me out of my thoughts. His eyes are darting all over the place. Charizard is frozen where he stands. Infernape looks ready to cry. I've been quiet for too long, and who knows what my face must look like! Moreover, they know I don't normally act like this. Of course , they're going to assume the worst!

"Not dead! Not dead!" I cry, waving my arms in front of me. "Pikachu's not dead ."

As the three of them visibly relax, I take Pikachu's pokeball off my belt and press its button, bringing it to its full size. I roll it between my palms, trying to draw some strength from its cool, smooth surface. A few more of my pokemon - Gible, Torkoal, and Oshawott - have come over to see what all the commotion is. I make some brief introductions for Gardevoir. Pignite speaks to the newcomers, their startled expressions telling me that Pignite is explaining Pikachu's absence.

Gardevoir touches my shoulders and offers a sad but encouraging smile. Right. I can do this.

"See, Team Rocket showed up, and…and they got Pikachu. He got away, but…I haven't seen him since." My throat closes up. I can't bring myself to say anything else.

Gible and Oshawott scream and run in circles. Torkoal bursts into tears, and Pignite and Infernape desperately try to calm him down. Charizard is oddly still, staring at the ground with an unreadable expression and his arms crossed. His lack of reaction is the worst reaction. It's as if he expected something like this to happen.

Forcing myself to smile, I assure, "Hey, hey, Pikachu's tough. We all know that. Wherever he is, he's got this. We'll find him soon. Or, he'll find us. Whatever comes first."

I sound more confident than I feel, but everyone calms down. They're still scared, of course they are, but at least they aren't in a frenzy.

Charizard, however, hasn't moved.

I try to distract myself by checking in with my other pokemon. My heart's not in it, but I press on, pretending that everything's normal. But, as I go over everyone, I notice that several of them aren't as happy to see me as they usually are. Some of my flying-types are circling the sky, as far as the barrier will allow, searching, barely noticing me and Gardevoir. Other pokemon are speaking anxiously with each other. I know that word has spread about Pikachu.

They all love him. They're all worried about him. Imagine how much worse it would be if they knew he'd been missing for almost two weeks, that it's my stupid fault in the first place. I'm too much of a coward to give them the whole story.

Just as I'm about to turn off the program, I spot Charizard off to the side, deep in conversation with Snivy, who is standing on the palm of his hand. I say hi to them, but Snivy only gives me a cursory wave. Charizard won't even look at me. Great, now they're both disappointed in me. I'm sure they aren't the only ones. I can't say I blame them.

Finally, I shut down the program and sigh heavily, holding Pikachu's pokeball to my chest with both hands and resting my chin on it. Where are you, buddy? Please, please , be alright! I love you. Our friends love you. Whatever's going on with you, please stay strong!

Please, don't get sick…

A small hand catches the tear that slips down my cheek. Gardevoir leaps from his chair and hugs me, and I almost break at the contact. I scrub at my face and hold him a little tighter than is necessary. He's only known me for a few days, and this is what he has to put up with. I'm ashamed all over again.

"I'm sorry, Gardevoir," I say once I'm composed enough to speak. Gardevoir looks up at me in confusion. "The whole time I've known you, I haven't been at my best. The guy who you met at wrestling? That's me. At least a better me. I'm not moody like this. I don't normally let things get to me, and I hate that that's the me you know."

Gardevoir blinks at me, his frown deepening as he shakes his head. " Gardeh-vwarh. Deh-vwarh. "

I wish I knew what that meant, but it sounds like reassurance. I gently pull him off me and stand. I walk over to the window and stare outside, as if expecting to find Pikachu standing in the yard, waving at me, giggling in his way (mouth closed, happy noises heard from within, covering his mouth with his hands if he's really amused, as if he wants to laugh out loud but doesn't want to be heard). He wouldn't want to see me like this. He'd tell me not to let my feelings cloud my judgment. It's happened before, he'd remind me, and it's never ended well.

Right. I take in a few deep breaths and turn back to Gardevoir, who is standing with his hands folded in front of him, his head tilted at my change in demeanor. "You know what?" I say, a new determination in my heart. "I'm gonna show you my best." Gardevoir tilts his head the other way, tongue peeking out of the corner of his mouth. "I'm still worried. About Pikachu, about the sick pokemon, about all the pokemon. But, I'm not gonna let it get to me. Not anymore!" I walk up to Gardevoir and pump up the fist without the pokeball. "Determination and a can-do attitude. That's the me I like, and that's what you're gonna see from now on!" I lower my fist for him to bump. "Let's keep on keeping on, Gardevoir!"

Gardevoir grins widely, genuinely, bumps my fist, and wraps me in another hug.

Chapter 11: Shocking, Isn't It?

" Does anybody else have a voice in their head that repeats, 'Slap the idiot! Slap the idiot!' No? Just me? Hmm...odd." - Unknown

Pikachu

"I want you to attack me."

Wobbles hasn't stopped staring at me since yesterday's battle, and I've been waiting for her to grab me and stare at my eyes again. Instead, completely out of the blue, she wants me to attack her? I mean, I'll take that over getting my face squeezed again, but…

"Wobbles, what are you up to?" Absol asks tiredly.

Wobbles puts her hands on her hips and ignores him. "I want to see something. So, Pikachu," she stretches her arms and puffs out her chest, "give me everything you got. My body is ready."

Eevee's tail wags. "Oh! Are you guys gonna battle?"

"But, Wobbles," Sprout says, "you don't even like to battle."

"It's not a battle," Wobbles corrects. "I just want Pikachu to attack me."

I feel like I should be used to her strangeness by now. "Wobbles, I-I'm not going to hurt you for no reason."

Wobbles doesn't move, doesn't drop her eager grin. "There is a reason, and that reason is research. So, show me your moves, Pikachu! Let's start with Quick Attack."

She's serious. She actually wants me to attack her. Unsure of what to do, how to react, I look to the others for guidance. But, everyone just shrugs helplessly. Even they don't know what to do with her.

Wobbles pats her chest and holds out her arms again. Well, if that's really what she wants.

I back up until my tail touches a tree, then I launch myself at her. She doesn't try to dodge or counter. Before I can process that I'm actually going to hit her , my Quick Attack lands dead on. Wobbles is knocked back but is somehow still on her feet. She springs back up.

"Didn't feel a thing," she says, though her eye is twitching. "Now, try Iron Tail."

What? I just gape at her, still baffled. "What are you trying to do, exactly?"

Wobbles ignores everyone's protests. "Just hit me, Pikachu, and make it a good one." As per request, I use Iron Tail. Once again, she is hit dead on and immediately springs back up, though this time she groans softly and rubs the spot on her side where I nailed her. "It's still not working. Try Thunderbolt."

"Wobbles," Sprout says worriedly, "haven't you been electrocuted enough ?"

Eevee tilts his head and asks calmly, "Why do you want Pikachu to kill you?"

"I'm not gonna kill her," I assure him. "Wobbles, will you please tell me what it is you're trying to accomplish?"

"'Cause, right now," Eevee adds, "it looks like you're just trying to get killed."

Wobbles stretches out once more. "I'm testing a theory. Now, zap me, Pikachu!"

"I, uh, o-okay." So, I use Thunderbolt, though I make it weaker than I would normally. Yet, she still ends up swaying, moaning, and maybe paralyzed at the end of it. "Can we stop now?" I ask desperately. She looks a little closer to fainting than I like.

But, she maintains her prone position. "Not yet. Do you have any other attacks?"

Oh, Arceus. "E-Electroweb, but-"

"Hit me."

She's still swaying, still living up to her nickname. "Wobbles, I don't think-"

"Do it, man. I can take it."

Once again, I turn to the others for assistance. Once again, none of them know how to react any better than I do. So, once again, I reluctantly do as I'm told, wrapping Wobbles in a web that electrocutes her on impact.

She stands there, burnt to a crisp, salutes, and proclaims, "Nope. Your eyes did not glow like I thought they would." Then, she plops face-first on to the grass, still locked in a saluting position.

"Glow?" Absol repeats. "What is she talking about?"

I sigh, moving past confusion and now completely miffed that she would have me hurt her over this. "Wobbles thought my eyes were glowing when I was battling Zapdos."

Sprout blinks. "But, you were two electric-types battling in a thunderstorm. The lighting was crazy."

I shrug. "That's what I told her." I guess she just didn't listen. I look back at her unconscious form, feeling a little guilty. "I tried to go easy on her."

Eevee crawls up to Wobbles and sniffs her. "Is she dead? I think she's dead."

It's quiet, but I can hear her mumble, "I'm not dead," into the grass.

As Eevee and I help Wobbles to her feet, and I simultaneously apologize for hurting her and scold her for her recklessness, Absol's head suddenly shoots up. We follow his gaze to find a human standing a safe distance away. How long has she been there?

Having been caught, the human approaches us cautiously. Closer inspection tells me that she is around Ash's age. She has curly dark brown hair in high pigtails and amber-colored eyes behind glasses. She is wearing a black t-shirt with a white lightning bolt on the front, blue denim shorts, and black sneakers. In a group of other humans, she probably wouldn't stand out much, except for one thing: the pokemon on her shoulder.

Said pokemon has white fur and a tail that's bigger than her whole body. Seeing a Pachirisu in the Kanto Region would be odd on its own, but Pachirisu normally have a light blue stripe that starts on their forehead and ends on the tip of their tail, their ears the same color. This Pachirisu? Her stripe and ears are pink . That can only mean that she is a shiny pokemon: a pokemon that's an abnormal color for its species and has an extra sheen to its pelt, which is incredibly rare. I've been traveling for years, and I've only seen a handful of them.

" Um, hi there, " the human says.

"Hiya!" Pachirisu greets. "Sorry for the intrusion. We saw electric-type attacks and came to see the battle." She nods at Wobbles, who is staring at her open-mouthed. Uh-oh. "But, it looks like we missed all the fun."

Wobbles points at her and screams, " Shiny! Shiny pokemon!"

"Wobbles, you're not supposed to scream," Eevee admonishes like a parent scolding a naughty hatchling. "Also, what's a shiny pokemon?"

"It's a pokemon that's a different color than normal," I explain. "They're really, really rare."

Eevee gasps and stares at Pachirisu in a new way. "So, you're super special!"

Pachirisu gives her ear an embarrassed swipe.

Wobbles clears her throat. "Pachirisu: the elesquirrel pokemon. An electric-type. Like Pikachu, it stores electricity in its cheeks. Despite this, electricity is actually released from its tail. It stores electrified clumps of fur with its food to keep the food from being stolen."

During that exchange, the human - I assume she's Pachirisu's trainer - had dropped to her knees and started staring at me the same way Wobbles stares at things that interest her. Great. Wobbles in human form.

But, instead of grabbing me outright, this human says, " Pardon me. It's just… You're just so beautiful! "

Beautiful? Now, it's my turn to swipe at my ear.

" My name's Ella. And, this is my partner, Patches, " the human goes on, with her Pachirisu nodding at the nickname. " This is gonna sound weird, Pikachu, but may I take a closer look at you? "

"I don't know about this," Absol says, an edge to his tone.

Patches hops off her trainer's shoulder and smiles in understanding. "Don't worry. Ella just really loves electric-type pokemon. She'll feel you around, but she'll stop whenever you want."

I'm more than a little uncomfortable, but this human hasn't touched me once. She's grinning with barely contained enthusiasm, but she is waiting for my permission. I have to give her credit for that.

So, I walk a little closer to her, despite Absol protests. Ella gasps with glee and runs her hands over my fur. " Your coat is so soft. Is that muscle I'm feeling? You must battle a lot. " I raise my chin proudly.

"You should have seen him battle yesterday," Eevee chirps. "He battled Zapdos!" Patches sputters at that. "It's true! Pikachu lost, but it was so cool!"

Ella had paused to stare in that blend of amusement and curiosity that most humans get when pokemon speak to each other. Now, she rubs my ears between her fingers. " Not too long, not too short. " She traces my tail with her fingers. " Such sharp edges. "

"Hey, how come she can touch you, and I can't?" Wobbles snaps.

"Maybe because she asked first," Sprout deadpans.

"And, she isn't squeezing me," I add, irritation creeping over my good mood.

"That's fair," Wobbles says sheepishly.

Ella bites her lip nervously. " May I pick you up? Just for a moment? "

"Pikachu," Absol says in warning.

But, I ignore him and nod at Ella. She breathes out softly, wraps her hands around me, and lifts me up very gently, as if I'm an egg that's ready to hatch. " Your weight feels good, too. " She sets me down, brings her fists to her chest, shimmies a little, and actually squeals . " You're the perfect specimen of Pikachu! "

We all jump at the outburst. "P-perfect?" I say, taking a step back. "Me?"

" Perfectly proportioned, exactly the right shade of yellow, flawless from the tips of your ears to the end of your tail! Truly the perfect Pikachu! "

"What's going on?" Eevee asks. No one has an answer.

As Ella whips out her phone and starts taking pictures of me and babbling about how great I am, I'm frozen in both confusion and nervousness. Not only is Ella really starting to weird me out, but I'm half-expecting Wobbles to pounce on me and confirm whether or not I truly am "the perfect Pikachu." Luckily - for me, at least - she is too enamored with Patches to bother.

Wobbles marches up to the shiny Pachirisu and politely asks, "May I touch you in places?"

At least she's trying.

Patches blinks a few times. "I think I know what you mean, so okay." Wobbles starts feeling her fur and mumbling excitedly, and Patches gives me a tired smile. "Sorry about Ella. As I said, she really loves electric-types." She nods at Ella's bright pink backpack. "She actually carries a scrapbook full of pictures of them. Uh, do you guys know what a scrapbook is?" Sprout and I nod, but Absol and Eevee shake their heads. Wobbles is lost in her own world, running her hands over Patches's stripe. "Basically, it's a book that humans put their favorite pictures in. It's lots of fun decorating- Gah !"

Ella lowers her phone at her partner's cry. " What's wrong, Patches? "

"Sorry," Wobbles says, both hands hanging in the air. "Got carried away. Now, you mentioned a scrapbook full of electric-types." So, she was listening. "Can I see it?"

"I wanna see, too!" Eevee chirps.

Sprout and I are also curious. Absol is silent, but the way he's staring at the backpack betrays his own curiosity.

Patches points to the bag and says to her trainer. "Ella, can we show them our scrapbook?"

Ella looks where she's pointing. " Need something? " She takes off her backpack and-

Out of nowhere a mechanical hand shoots out of the bushes. It grabs Patches and pulls her back as she desperately wiggles in its grasp. We all cry out in shock, with Sprout shouting her signature "Oh my goodness!" over and over.

" Patches! " Ella shoots to her feet. " Who did that? That is not your pokemon! "

Then, we hear laughter. Four all-too familiar characters slowly reveal themselves as they say their motto.

" Prepare for trouble; we're fully aware, " Jessie starts.

" And, make it double; we don't really care, " James continues.

" To protect the world from devastation. "

" To unite all people within our nation. "

" To denounce the evils of truth and love! "

" To extend our reach to the stars above! "

" Jessie. "

" And, James. "

" Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light. "

" Surrender now, or prepare for a shiny fight! "

" Meowth! " the talking pokemon chimes in. " That's right! "

Wobbuffet, who is holding the machine, finishes with, "Thaaat's right."

" Team Rocket? " Ella says quizzically. " I don't know what that means, but you better give Patches back right now! "

" Give back a shiny pokemon? " Jessie sneers. " Not likely! "

James rests his hand over his chest and raises the other demurely. " We at Team Rocket love rare pokemon like your Pachirisu. "

"That's them, isn't it, Pikachu?" Absol whispers dangerously.

I scrape my nails into the grass, itching to zap them into charcoal. "Yeah, those are the guys who kidnapped me!"

Absol steps in front of me. "Stay out of sight."

The rest of the PokeSquad crowd around me, much to my annoyance. Kidnapping me is bad enough, but Team Rocket just abandoned me in the ocean! Who knows what could have happened if Eevee hadn't found me! And, what about Ash? He has my pokeball, so he surely knows that I'm alive, but he has no idea that I'm with the PokeSquad. He probably thinks I'm at Team Rocket's headquarters. Or, with that virus going around, he might think that I'm sick and in pain. I don't know what's worse! Ash is surely driving himself mad, wondering where I am and if I'm even in one piece. And, knowing him, he must be berating himself, blaming himself for my disappearance.

But, it's entirely Team Rocket's fault.

Patches tries an electric-type attack, but the mechanical hand nullifies it. I can sympathize.

Meowth wags a finger up at her. " Don't waste your watts. We know how to deal with electric-type pokemon. "

" Whoa! " Ella gasps. " The Meowth talks! "

"The Meowth talks like a human!" Wobbles shouts. She bolts to Meowth fast enough that she almost knocks him over. The rest of Team Rocket stare, dumbfounded, as Wobbles bombards Meowth with questions. "How are you doing that? Were you born that way, or did you learn it? What is the square root of forty-nine?"

Meowth turns desperate eyes on the other Team Rocket pokemon. " Do something, Wobbuffet! She's one of your kind! "

Wobbuffet smartly takes a few steps away. "It's not like we have a secret handshake."

At that point, Sprout pulls Wobbles back with Vine Whip. "What are you doing?" she asks incredulously. "They're bad guys!"

"But, the Meowth talks!" Wobbles argues. "Yet another thing someone forgot to mention," she mutters with a glare at me. I ignore her.

While everyone's distracted, Ella sneaks up to Patches. She manages to grab the hand before Jessie takes notice. " Fine! " Jessie grabs Ella's wrist and pulls the girl close, smiling threateningly. " You wanna act like a twerp, then you get treated like a twerp. "

Ella pulls away and grabs fistfulls of Jessie's long hair, yanking with all her might. " Let Patches go! "

Jessie screams back in a mix of pain and fury. She grabs Ella's pigtails and pulls just as hard. " Let go of my hair! "

" Not until you let go of my friend! "

James shouts over their high-pitched shrieks, " Jessie, we got what we came for! "

Absol takes the opportunity to creep up to the machine, though everyone else is still holding me back. I know they're trying to protect me, but I want to get in there and give Team Rocket a piece of my mind!

" Let's go before someone loses their head! " Meowth suggests.

" No one messes with my hair! " Jessie argues.

Absol's claw glows purple. Wobbuffet is gawking at the hair-based tug-of-war, oblivious until Absol nails his arm with Night Slash. Wobbuffett cries out at the super effective move and drops the machine.

This draws everyone's attention. Ella and Jessie let go of each other, and I break free from my friends. Before anyone can stop me, I run up to Patches and use Iron Tail on the machine, smashing it to bits. Patches thanks me and shakes out her fur. She runs to Ella and jumps into her arms while Team Rocket gapes at me.

"Are you trying to get recaptured?" Absol snaps at me. I ignore him in favor of staring down my former captors.

Jessie blinks and leans closer. " Do my eyes deceive me? "

" Is that Pikachu? " James says hopefully.

Meowth is grinning in relief. " He's alive! "

Wobbuffet raises his hands in triumph. "We're not murderers!"

" Pikachu? " Ella says, she and Patches flicking their gazes between me and Team Rocket. " Alive? "

My cheeks buzz, my blood runs hot and fast through me as I snarl at Team Rocket. "Yeah, I'm alive. No thanks to you jerks! Dumping me in the ocean? That's low even for you!"

" Meowth, what's he saying? " James asks.

Meowth ignores him and flails his paws. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! We didn't dump you anywhere!" He's speaking like a normal Meowth. That tells me just how much I've riled him up. Good. "We looked for you everywhere. I swear we did!"

" What's with the 'meow meow meow?' " Jessie demands, her fists bunched in front of her. " Tell us what Pikachu's saying! "

I take a step forward, letting sparks flow from my cheeks. "Clearly, you didn't look that hard."

Meowth flinches, and Wobbuffet raises his hand and claims, "I was in my pokeball. I have a real excuse."

" Meowth, " James whimpers, " his eyes are glowing. " Wait, what? My eyes are what ? " Please, translate before we find out what glowing eyes mean. "

"R-right." Still staring at me in horror, Meowth clears his throat and switches back to human language. " Suffice to say, Pikachu isn't too happy with us. "

Jessie stomps her foot. " I could have told you that! "

Suddenly, Ella steps in front of me. " I don't know what's going on, " Patches jumps out of her trainer's arms, her cheeks and tail sparking, " but Pikachu's not the only one who's unhappy! "

Then, Team Rocket shrinks into each other, finding themselves surrounded by several angry pokemon and one equally ticked off human.

"We're the PokeSquad," Eevee announces from beside me, "and we don't tolerate bullies!"

"That's telling them, Eevee," Wobbles quips.

" PokeSquad? " Meowth repeats. " That's what you call yourselves? "

Despite everything, Jessie snorts. " What kind of stupid name is that? "

James grimaces. " Is this really the best time to insult them? "

"Pikachu," Wobbuffet says placatingly, "you have every right to be mad, mostly at them," Meowth glares at him, "but we really had no intention of leaving you behind. The situation was crazy. You know that."

"We were so busy freaking out," Meowth continues, "we didn't realize you were gone until it was too late!"

" Translate, Meowth! " Jessie snaps. " We're about to get blasted off here! "

Electricity zips over my fur. I've had enough of these creeps. "Sounds good to me."

With that I unleash Thunderbolt. Everyone else follows my lead; Shadow Ball from Absol, Swift from Eevee, Razor Leaf from Sprout, and Ella has Patches use Discharge. Wobbles is hanging back, as her species doesn't have any moves that cause direct damage.

The combined attacks explode on impact, sending Team Rocket into the sky with the usual cry of, "We're blasting off agaaaiiin!" followed by Wobbuffet's "That's riiiight!"

I shake out my pelt, feeling more satisfied than I usually do when I zap them. "Is everyone alright?" I ask, forcing my fur to lie flat. My friends confirm that they're unharmed.

Ella scoops up Patches and showers her in kisses. Patches giggles endlessly and reiterates over and over that she's okay. They're just like me and Ash, I realize with a pang. An electric-type that rides on its trainer's shoulder. Something about them attracts Team Rocket. And, now they're being openly affectionate with one another (though Ash only kisses me when we cuddle in private and not nearly as aggressively as Ella is kissing Patches).

Oh, Ashton…

"I'll ask you again," Absol snarls at me. "Are you trying to get recaptured?"

"I can't stand Team Rocket," is all I can say without crying.

Absol catches on to my mood. "Right. I understand," he says kindly. "Just try to be more careful."

Eevee lightly headbutts me, and Sprout runs her leaf over my head and says, "We'll get you home, Pikachu."

"Glowing eyes!" Wobbles shouts, oblivious as ever. "Those guys saw it! I knew it! I knew-" Then, she sees my expression and sobers. "Um, sorry."

I swipe my hands over my eyes and give my pelt another shake. "I'm okay," I lie. "I really am." None of them believe me.

" It's okay, Pikachu, " Ella says, still cradling Patches. I hadn't noticed her approach. She kneels down and rubs my head. " The bad guys are gone. We're all safe now. "

Patches stares thoughtfully up at the sky. "That Team Rocket. They didn't seem that smart to me, but," she turns her black eyes on me, "I get the feeling you know differently."

Everyone's eyes are on me now, even Ella's despite her not having a clue what we're saying. "They're clever when they want to be, though they seem to run mostly on dumb luck." I throw in a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. No one laughs. "You might want to be careful, Patches. Like they said, they like rare pokemon."

"Doesn't get much rarer than a shiny," Wobbles adds solemnly. Patches nervously runs her paws through her fur.

" Pikachu, " Ella says, " those guys obviously know you. Are they after you? " I sigh heavily and roll my eyes. She gets the message and holds Patches tighter against her chest, glowering at the ground. " Poachers, " she mutters. I guess she's kind of right. " Of course they're after you. A Pikachu of your pedigree? " I have no idea what a pedigree is. " They'd probably cash in big. " Her eyes turn tender as she gazes at the pokemon in her arms. " They probably wanna do the same to you. " Patches lifts her head and licks her trainer's chin. Ella's breath catches, but her eyes narrow. " Well, I won't let them. "

Ella's steely determination perfectly mirrors the way Ash looks when someone, especially someone he cares about, is in trouble. And, the way she cradles her pokemon in her arms, gazing at Patches like nothing else matters in the world…

How long has it been since I rested in Ash's arms? Since he looked at me in that very same way? And, how much longer until I get that feeling again? There's no sign of him anywhere, not even the faintest scent. How far are we from Vermilion City? What if he's not even there anymore? I swallow a wail. My friends sense my distress and huddle closer, with Eevee licking my cheek. They're trying to comfort me, but their efforts are wasted.

"What's the story with Team Rocket?" Patches asks, jumping out of her trainer's arms. "Why do they want you? I'm certain it has nothing to do with your 'pedigree.'" She adds an eye roll to the last word.

I sigh and shrug. "I honestly don't know. I think at this point they're just annoyed that they can't hold on to me when they do manage to get me."

"Either way," Absol says, "they know you're alive. They were caught off-guard this time, but they'll most likely come after you again. We need to be careful. You too, Patches." We all nod in agreement.

During our exchange, Ella had been rummaging through her backpack. " Hey, Pikachu. " She pulls out- A chill rakes over my body as she proudly displays a pokeball. " What if you were my pokemon? I mean, I'm not a super strong trainer or anything, but I'd really like to keep you safe. You're like Patches; you're a rare beauty that needs to be treasured! A gorgeous display of pokemon that comes around once in a lifetime! An assortment of genes that created the perfect- " Patches gives her a small shock. Ella clears her throat, a little embarrassed now. " Sorry. The point is, I wanna protect you, Pikachu. " She lowers the pokeball to my eye level, and I instinctively take a step back. " Will you come with us? "

"It's not a bad idea," Patches says. "I know Ella's kind of weird, but she really is sweet. We can all look after each other." She flicks at her ear. "And, honestly, I'm the only pokemon she's got. It would be nice to have someone I can have a real conversation with."

Ella's a little hyperactive, but she does seem to care a lot. And, Patches seems kind and sensible. If things were different, I would consider their offer. But, I have a trainer, and seeing these two together only reminds me of how much I miss him.

Wobbles sums it up perfectly. "That's not an option," she says.

Patches gives her a funny look, but Ella frowns then smiles, trying to cover her disappointment as she tosses the pokeball back in her bag. " Alright. I get it. You wanna stay in the wild with your friends. " I have no way of telling her the truth, so I just smile. " I could catch the rest of you, too! Hey, just because electric-types are my favorite doesn't mean I can't catch other pokemon. " My friends shake their heads. Except Absol, who growls softly. Patches glares at him, and Ella shrinks back and holds up her hands in surrender. " Okay, okay, message received! "

Wobbles claps her hands. "Okay, you know what? Let's all just calm down." She inches toward the still-open backpack. "Just relax." She reaches in and pulls out a large, thick book with a sparkly cover. There's something written on it, but "pokemon" is the only word I recognize. "Sprout, what does this say?"

"It says, 'Our Pokemon Journey,'" Sprout responds.

"'Our' meaning mine and Ella's," Patches says. "That's our scrapbook."

" Oh, do you wanna see our scrapbook? " Ella asks. Wobbles nods eagerly. " Yeah, let's all wind down after that mess. " Ella takes the book and sets it on the grass as we all gather around her, though I notice Absol is standing the farthest from her. " I've gotta start a new one of these. This thing's getting full. "

She opens it up and starts talking excitedly as she points at the pictures and reads us the notes that go along with them. I'm actually quite impressed with her work. Not only is there a wide variety of well-photographed pokemon - mostly but not all electric-types - but she's clearly taken a lot of time to do research on them, if what she and Sprout are reading is correct. Her passion for the subject is clear, and if she could tone down her boundless enthusiasm, I muse, she would make a good pokemon professor.

Once again, I see a lot of Ash in her, and my interest in her scrapbook wanes because of it. Ash has never been a crafter - the last time he tried, we spent almost an hour trying to get all the glitter out of my fur - but he does keep memories in his own way. He has boxes filled with the various little trinkets his pokemon have given him over the years. An oddly-shaped rock here, a lost earring there, anything shiny or neat-looking, really. He seemed confused by our gifts in the beginning, but he was always happy to receive them, and he's kept every single one. I didn't find out until later that most humans think our gifts are sweet but pointless at best, outright stupid at worst. I've even seen some trainers toss the gift aside when their pokemon wasn't looking. But, Ash isn't some trainers; he isn't most humans. All those boxes are stacked up in his closet, each one labeled with the gift-giver's name. Mine is the biggest one, the most full, if only because I'm the only one who's constantly out of their pokeball, the one who's been by Ash's side through his entire journey.

I fight another wail as Ella continues to babble, though it all sounds muffled to me now. I have to find Ash. I need to know that he's okay. He needs to know that I'm okay. There's no way for me to tell him. I've never wanted so badly to hold him, to lick his face, to hear his carefree laughter. How much longer until I can have that again?

Chapter 12: Lending a Helping Hand

" You don't have to be crazy to be my friend. I'll train you." - Unknown

Pikachu

It took a while (and about a hundred thousand volts), but I did manage to convince everyone (read: a certain Wobbuffet) that I have no idea why my eyes glow pink sometimes. I'm still not completely convinced that they do that, but Team Rocket wouldn't have any reason to lie about something that bizarre. But, finding out isn't all that important to me at the moment. It's not like I've felt any different when it supposedly happened. When I find Ash, maybe I'll ask him if he's ever noticed it.

Two days after the incident, I wake up to find that Sprout and Eevee are gone. Wobbles and Absol are still asleep, so I decide to go look for the others. I follow their scents and find them battling in a clearing that's just far enough away that they wouldn't wake our friends if they were careful. Sprout and Eevee don't notice me right away, so I sit down and watch. A few other pokemon have gathered to watch as well.

Sprout uses Razor Leaf, and Eevee counters with Swift. The attacks collide and disintegrate each other, but a bit of Razor Leaf leaks through. Eevee dodges and comes at Sprout with Bite, but she is ready for this and uses Vine Whip to grab a tree branch and launch herself upward. Eevee screeches to a halt beneath her. She releases the branch and her body almost seems to blur as she uses Slam to propel herself downward, crushing Eevee to the ground. That attack looked powerful, but Eevee uses Bite while she's still on him. She cries out when Eevee's teeth latch on to her leg and he swings her off. She crashes into the same tree she'd used before but brushes off the attack.

As the battle progresses, the crowd becomes more excited, cheering on the two competitors and placing bets on who will win. There doesn't seem to be a clear favorite, which is fine because I want both of them to win.

Also, I just realized that Sprout is battling with her backpack on. I've been wondering what was in it, but now I'm wondering if it might be something that enhances her strength. Maybe a miracle seed or a poison barb, which strengthen grass-type moves and poison-type moves respectively. If Sprout wants to evolve, as I recall, it would make sense for her to carry around something that helps her strengthen her attacks.

By now, Absol and Wobbles have woken up and joined the rest of us, but there isn't much left to see. Eevee comes at Sprout with Quick Attack, but she meets him head-on with Poison Jab, sending him flying across the clearing. He doesn't get back up.

"I knew the Bellsprout would win," a Farfetch'd comments.

"No, you didn't," a Spearow says.

"I certainly did."

Two Oddish help Eevee to his feet, and Sprout races to him her signature, "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!" Eevee shakes out his pelt as Sprout hurriedly asks, "Are you okay? You're not poisoned this time, are you?"

But, Eevee laughs and shouts, "I wanna do that again!"

The crowd disperses once it's clear that Eevee is fine.

"You two sure are strong," I comment as I and the rest of the team walk up to them. "That was a great battle."

Eevee's tail wags and he grins with all his teeth, exhaustion forgotten. "If you think so, then it must be true 'cause you're super strong!"

I giggle and swipe my hand over my ear, my face heating up at the praise. "I guess I've never actually seen you guys in action before."

"Oh, we train all the time," Sprout says. "I need to train super hard so that I- Oh !" She shakes her body and stares down at herself in excitement. Then, her face falls just as quickly. "I thought I was evolving, but I wasn't."

"It'll happen, Sprout," Absol assures.

Wobbles, on the other hand, is staring at Sprout with that blank look that she gets when she's thinking hard about something.

"Maybe it's 'cause I haven't been training as much," Sprout muses quietly.

"You haven't?" I ask. "Why not?"

She doesn't look at me when she answers. "Well, we gotta get you home as soon as possible, right? Eevee and I were the first ones up, so we figured now was a good time."

"And, now that we're all awake," Eevee says, "it's time to get moving again. Let's go! Let's go!"

"W-wait!" I call when he starts to take off in a random direction. "I-I'm not disrupting your lives, am I?"

Wobbles waves dismissively. "Please. We got all the time in the world. Besides, we haven't exactly been short on cool stuff with you."

Absol nods at that. "You're our priority right now, Pikachu. Don't worry about it."

But, I am worried! I am disrupting their lives! If they weren't busy helping me, would Sprout have evolved by now? What about Eevee? Would he have figured what to evolve into? I don't want to be a "priority" if it means my friends are neglecting themselves!

"You guys don't have to keep helping me," I say desperately. Everyone stares at me in shock. Am I really that needy? "I'm grateful for how far you've taken me, but-but I'll be okay on my own."

Absol fixes me with a stern glare. "I said not to worry about it. Besides, Team Rocket knows you're still around. They captured you once, and they could do it again."

"Well, uh…" My fur bristles. "They just got lucky!"

"And, how do you know they won't get lucky again?" Wobbles asks pointedly. I don't have an answer.

"I just...don't want to hold you back," I confess, feeling oddly embarrassed.

Sprout pats my back with a soft smile. "Don't be silly, Pikachu. You're not holding anyone back."

Eevee springs in front me and headbutts my throat. His tail wags merrily. "Yeah, you're super nice and strong! And, your friends with Zapdos! With you around, maybe we'll meet, uh, uh… Wobbles, name a Legendary Pokemon."

"Uh, Suicune," Wobbles offers.

"We might meet Suicune!"

I actually have met Suicune, but I'm in no mood to tell that story right now. "Maybe I could help you guys train," I suggest.

A huge grin takes over Eevee's face. "That would be so cool!"

"But, what about Ash?" Sprout asks me.

I've been gone for so long, I think miserably. There's nothing I want more than to leap into my buddy's arms. But, at the same time, I've been burdening these guys with my problems for the past two weeks or so-

Two weeks. Oh, Arceus, has it been that long? It's so hard to keep track. Ash's birthday, as well as the day we met, is the first day of April. He'll be an adult then. If Zapdos is right, Ash might even start to understand pokemon. How close is that day? What if I'm not home yet when it happens?

What if it's already passed by?

"Uh, Pikachu?" Wobbles puts her hand on my head and wiggles me a little. I duck away. "You kind of zoned out there."

"Sorry," I say, putting my own needs aside for now. "Look, you guys have been so kind to me. I just want to help you out, you know?" Plus, I'm worried I'm becoming a burden on them, especially since Team Rocket is sure to come looking for me again, but there's no way I'm telling them that.

Absol smiles in a way that tells me he hears what I'm not saying. "If that's all it is."

Eevee bounces and starts circling me. "Let's train right now! I wanna train with Pikachu! And, we'll battle and he'll be so impressed like, ' Whoa ! Eevee's so strong !' And-and- whoa…" Out of nowhere, he slows down and sways on his feet. It seems that his battle with Sprout is catching up to him.

Sprout grabs him, steadying him. "Maybe you should rest first, Eevee."

"In the meantime," I suggest, "maybe you and I could battle, Sprout."

I expect her to agree, but to my surprise, she scitters away, saying, "Oh, no no no no no," and so on until she's hiding behind Absol, who gives her a stern look.

"Sprout, you have to battle tough opponents if you want to be strong enough to evolve," he reminds her.

"Yeah," she drawls, still in hiding, "but I've seen how tough Pikachu is so, no no no no no…"

I've met plenty of pokemon over the years who were afraid to take on tougher opponents. With a little practice, a little encouragement, they all managed to go at it. Even if they lost, every single one of them was proud to say that they gave it their all. I'm certain that Sprout is no different. Granted, it was mostly Ash who gave them confidence, but I was always cheering them on too, right? I can do this without him.

"Just try," I say kindly. "You might surprise yourself."

"Yeah, go for it!" Wobbles encourages a little too eagerly. "I wanna watch!"

I think that's code for "I want to study Pikachu some more," but I let it slide.

"And, then," Eevee chirps, "I can battle when you're done!"

Absol steps away from Sprout. "Come on, Sprout," he encourages. "You want to evolve, don't you?"

Sprout looks at all of us then rubs at her leaf, still anxious. "Well, okay."

---

We stand apart from one another, staring each other down, waiting to see what the other does. Even from this distance, I can practically feel Sprout's nerves, but I am glad she's willing to give it a go. It's not a serious battle, I'd reminded her. It's just training.

Absol and Wobbles are watching quietly, but Eevee is jumping all around, crying, "Go, go, Sprout! Go, go, Pikachu! Go, go, go!"

I turn and grin at him only to find him enveloped in a faint white glow. Sprout and I also start glowing, and I can feel my muscles strengthening, my cheeks warming with power.

"Eevee," Absol says, "isn't Helping Hand kind of pointless if you use it on both sides?"

Eevee stops bouncing and plops down, wagging his tail. "I want both of them to win."

"Oh, Eevee," Wobbles says fondly.

I cover my giggle with my hands. Sprout is doing the same across from me. "Now that we both have a power boost," I say, causing Sprout to stand at attention like a soldier, "let's get down to business." I drop to all-fours. "I'm gonna use Iron Tail. Let's see you deflect it."

"Okay," she calls back. "I'm ready."

True to my word, I sprint her way, Iron Tail at the ready. Sprout's leaves glow purple, a bad call on her part. I swing around, and my attack collides with her Poison Jab and, quite predictably, plows right through it and sends her flying. She lays prone for a moment before getting back on her feet and looking a little confused.

"Poison-type attacks have no effect on steel-type pokemon," I explain. "The same goes for steel-type moves. That's why Poison Jab didn't work there."

Sprout blinks in surprise. "Huh. I didn't know that. About the attacks, I mean."

"Try again. Here I come!" I come at her with another Iron Tail. This time, vines shoot out from beneath her leaves and wrap me up. Before I know it, I'm lying scuffed and dazed on the grass. I spring back up. "Not bad," I praise. Time to switch it up. "Your next goal is to hit me."

"Hit you with what?" Sprout asks eagerly. It seems the thrill of battle - or, at least, her success with Vine Whip - have boosted her confidence.

But, I'm confident too. "Just hit me," I say with a smirk.

I run all around and leap up and through trees, making sure to stay in plain sight but still running at full speed. Maybe even faster with the boost from Helping Hand. Meanwhile, Sprout is gawking at me and trying her best to actually see me in the process. The onlookers, most of which also witnessed the training session with Eevee, are attempting to follow the yellow blur I've surely become.

"Man, this guy's fast!" someone cries out.

"Electric-types are always fast," someone else comments, "but this is impressive!"

That prompts a bout of cockiness, and I can't resist stopping for a moment to wiggle my rear tauntingly. "I told you to hit me, Sprout," I tease before taking off again. "In a real battle, you would have been knocked out by now!"

So, Sprout screams, "Oh my goodness!" over and over while firing off Razor Leaf in all directions. I don't have a scratch, but some of the other pokemon end up getting hit, a few of them taking off.

I slam to a halt and shout, "Sprout, stop!"

She stops but not before I'm knocked over by a stray leaf, which I absolutely deserved. All but the PokeSquad are gone by now, and Sprout is staring at me with wild eyes, like she's expecting me to take off again. I sigh, feeling horrible now. I'm so used to training with Ash and all his other pokemon. Sprout's strong, but she isn't used to competitive battling. I have to remember that.

Absol's withering look and reminder that "No one likes a show-off, Pikachu," only makes me feel worse.

Maybe I can't do this without Ash.

I walk up to Sprout with my tail between my legs, guilt making my feet heavy. I wanted to help and only became more of a burden in the process. "I'm sorry, Sprout. I guess I got carried away."

Sprout finally relaxes. "It's okay. You guys are right. I really should broaden my horizons." She nods to Eevee, who is grinning manically and crouched down with his tail flying back and forth. "Battling Eevee helps, but if I wanna evolve, I really should-"

"I wanna battle Pikachu!" Eevee shouts so fast that it sounds like one word. He hops then resumes his crouch. "Please? Please, Pikachu? Please, please, please let me battle you!"

Wobbles snorts behind her hand and says, "Eevee, didn't you just lose a battle with Sprout?"

"Not to mention," Absol says with barely restrained amusement, "that Pikachu is still feeling the effects of Helping Hand. I'd hardly call that a fair fight."

Eevee straightens and doesn't lose eye contact with me. "I don't care! Let's have at it, Pikachu!"

Eevee's passion for battle mirrors my own. Actually, it reminds me of when I was his age and would constantly challenge the biggest pokemon I could find to battles. I smile at the memory. Man, I drove Daddy nuts. He didn't mind as much when it was my massive alpha mother I would battle, but he would always try to intervene when little Pichu would challenge an Ursaring or a Heracross or whatever. Mama's parenting style, on the other hand, was "let the kid be stupid and realize he's stupid," with some exceptions, of course. Oh, I lost so many battles as a Pichu. But, my parents always reminded me that a loss helps you get stronger, too. I never forgot that lesson.

Still, I'm not going to battle someone who isn't at full health if I don't have to. Especially when I'm still charged up from the power boost that certain someone already gave me.

"Absol and Wobbles are right," I say. "It's not a good idea for us to battle right now." Eevee's whole body deflates. But, I'm sticking to my guns on this one. "Let's do it later, when the battle is more fair."

Eevee sighs. "Okay."

Sprout gently wraps her leaf around him and ushers him away. "Come on, Eevee. Let's go find some berries."

Absol and I start to follow, but Wobbles holds us back. She is frowning deeply at their retreating forms. Absol and I look at each other, wondering what's on her mind.

When our friends are out of earshot, she says, "I'm worried about Sprout."

"Worried?" Absol asks, echoing my surprise. "How come?"

"She seems fine to me," I add.

Wobbles crosses her arms. "I just feel like she should have evolved by now. She's already strong, so what's the problem?"

I don't know enough about Bellsprout to have a real say, but I can see where Wobbles is coming from. Sprout is obviously a strong pokemon. Come to think of it, she mentioned feeling like she was going to evolve more than once. Maybe there is something to Wobbles's worries.

Absol tilts his head. "Maybe she isn't strong enough ?"

Wobbles hums unsurely. Then, she turns to me. "Pikachu, you're an evolved form. How did it feel when you evolved from Pichu?"

"Let's see." It was so long ago, but evolution is a sensation that's hard to forget. "There was a tingling sensation, like something was crawling all over me. Then my body got really hot, so hot I was cold, like I had a bad fever. Then, my body started morphing and growing, and I felt nothing but blinding pain." I shudder at that. "Then, suddenly, I was a Pikachu, and all the pain was gone."

Wobbles nods thoughtfully. "Yeah, that's how it was for me, too. Except the Pikachu part, of course."

Absol looks like he's glad he can't evolve. "Sounds horrible. Wait, you said it felt tingly?" His eyes narrow at the edge of the clearing, where Sprout and Eevee are munching on berries. "Sprout gets that way sometimes."

"Exactly," Wobbles confirms.

Now, I get it. "So, what do you think is holding her back?"

No one has an answer.

---

"It's later!" We've just come out of the forest, and Eevee is practically on top of me. "I feel better now! Can we please battle?"

It really isn't that much later, but Eevee did have a sitrus berry after my training session with Sprout. Sitrus berries have even stronger healing properties than oran berries, and Eevee is clearly feeling its effects. As for me, Helping Hand wore off a while ago, so I'm back at my normal strength.

"I'm pretty strong," I boast playfully, nudging Eevee off of me. "Think you can handle it?"

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" Eevee runs a safe distance away and crouches, his tail lashing behind him. "And, don't go easy on me," he calls. "Let me have it!"

Wobbles rubs her hands together, way too excited. "Oh, this is gonna be good ."

"Maybe go a little easy on him, Pikachu," Sprout suggests worriedly, making me feel guilty all over again.

Absol smiles and shakes his head. "Kid knows what he's getting into. Have at it, Pikachu." It seems he takes a page from my mother when it comes to parenting.

Our friends move a safe distance away, taking their seats in front of a massive boulder, and I drop to four feet. "Ready when you are, Eevee," I call. "You can have the first move."

With that, Eevee takes off running, quite literally, with Quick Attack. I try to meet him head on with Thunderbolt, but he dodges and nails me in the stomach. The impact sends me rolling back until I collide with a tree.

Eevee's fast, but so am I.

I leap to my feet and shake off the pain. Across from me, my opponent is…jumping up and down and celebrating?

"I hit Pikachu!" Eevee shouts to the others who look on in both wariness and amusement. "Did you see me? Did you see me hit him?"

"Pay attention, Eevee," Absol responds.

But, it's too late. By the time Eevee remembers what we're doing, I've already charged at him and sent him flying with Iron Tail. He lands hard on the ground.

"An opponent's not gonna wait for you, Eevee," I inform as he staggers to his feet. "When you're in a battle, the battle is the only thing you focus on."

"Sorry," he says.

"Don't be sorry," I say. "Be alert!"

I charge at him with my own Quick Attack, and he swings his tail, sending stars in my direction. Swift is a move that never misses. I slam to a stop and switch to Electroweb, sending a massive, charged-up web straight at Eevee's attack. The plan is for the stars to dissolve on contact. Instead, to my surprise, the web breaks into smaller pieces, encircling the stars and sending them back toward Eevee in small, staticky balls of light.

That works, too.

Eevee bolts (no pun intended). Swift's accuracy has been diminished, so he manages to avoid most of the counter-attack. Still, a few lights explode against him and knock him back.

"That was so cool!" he yells, pain making his voice hoarse. But, I can see the fire in his eyes as he staggers to his feet. "You are so awesome, Pikachu!"

The more time I spend with Eevee, the more he reminds me of Ash. That drive, that eagerness.

Oh, Ash, you would love this kid.

Focus, Pikachu.

"There it is!" Wobbles shouts suddenly. "I told you! I told you !"

Nope. Not gonna ask. Not even gonna acknowledge her. There's a battle going on.

I rush at Eevee with another Iron Tail. He opens his mouth, catching my tail with Bite, probably trying the same tactic he used on Sprout. It doesn't work, as Iron Tail overpowers him. Now, he's the one rolling backwards, heading straight for our friends, who rush out of the way as Eevee collides with the boulder.

And, the boulder crumbles on contact .

Miraculously, none of the pieces fall on Eevee, who is now lying unconscious in front of the pile. Our friends crowd around Eevee, making sure he is alright.

But, me? I'm frozen, dumbstruck. I know I'm strong. I've caused structural damage during battle before. Hell, that's the risk everyone takes in battle. But, this feels…different, somehow.

Wobbles helps Eevee to his feet. His groggy, barely there look brings me back to reality. Especially, when he almost falls over again and ends up leaning heavily on her. A fresh wave of shame hits me. I went too far again .

"Eevee, I'm so sorry!" I say, running up to him. "Y-you're not hurt real bad are you?"

Eevee blinks at me slowly. "That was," a tiny smile grazes his mouth, "so cool."

We all breathe out in relief. "He'll be fine," Absol says.

"You all saw Pikachu, right?" Wobbles asks. "The eyes? It wasn't just me?"

Unbelievable. She truly has a one-track mind.

"I'm going to regret saying this," Absol says, "but there was something odd."

Wait, what?

Sprout turns to me and nods. "Yeah. Your eyes flashed pink!"

"It was neat!" Eevee chirps, more aware now. "And, then you hit me. And, then I died. And, then I didn't die."

"You weren't dead, Eevee," Absol corrects. "You were just knocked out."

"Wait," I say, trying to process this. "Are you saying my eyes actually glowed?"

Wobbles passes Eevee to Sprout and steps a little too close to me for comfort. "It was more like a flash, like Sprout said, but yes. And, unless I missed my guess, I think you get some kind of power boost." She leans until our faces are almost touching. "What is your ability, Pikachu?"

All pokemon have an ability: something in their biology that assists in battle or just survival in the wild, though isn't inherently necessary for it. There are many different kinds, and each one is helpful in some way, be it protection or scavenging. For instance, my ability is Static, which allows me to paralyze anyone who touches me in a threatening way (or just my opponent in battle). Unlike attacks, abilities cannot be controlled and simply activate on their own.

After taking a step back, I inform Wobbles of my ability. She considers this then asks, "Are you sure?"

Starting to get annoyed, I let a few warning sparks light my cheeks. "Would you like to find out?"

She smartly hangs back. "No, I believe you. And, you really don't know what it means?"

"No, I don't!" I snap. Everyone looks at me, surprised at my outburst. I sigh. As if I don't have enough to feel bad about. "Sorry."

"That's okay," Eevee says. To my relief, he's standing on his own now, albeit shakily. "I'm just glad I got to battle you! I'm gonna train really hard so that I can beat you!"

"And, I'm gonna train so that I can evolve," Sprout says. "Then, maybe I'll stand a chance!" she adds with a chuckle. I'm about to inform her that strength has nothing to do with evolution, but she goes on. "Imagine when you evolve into Raichu. You'll be unstoppable!"

My guilt is fading with each word, a grin spreading wide on my face. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I don't want to evolve."

Sprout's eyes widen in the awestruck way I've come to expect from Eevee. " Really ? But, if you evolve, you'll be bigger and stronger. I figured you, of all pokemon, would want to be fully evolved."

"Yeah," Eevee agrees. "And, I bet Raichu is a really cool pokemon."

That's Wobbles's cue. "Raichu: the mouse pokemon. An electric-type. If it builds up too much electricity, it jams its tail into the ground and releases the excess safely into the dirt. Otherwise, it becomes cranky at best, aggressive at worst. Don't ask me how I know that." She turns to me. "Apart from that though, I can't think of a single reason why you wouldn't want to evolve."

Absol clears his throat. "Uh, hello? Pokemon who isn't even capable of evolving here," he says good-naturedly. Still, the others look away sheepishly.

I chuckle. "Look, when I was a Pichu, all I could think about was evolving into a Raichu like my parents. But, when I became a Pikachu, well, it just felt right, you know? To be honest, I'm not sure I could be happy as a Raichu."

"And, Ash doesn't want you to evolve?" Absol asks. For once, he sounds genuinely curious instead of suspicious regarding a human.

I shrug. "I mean, Ash is always happy when his pokemon evolve, but he also wants us to be happy. He won't force us to evolve if we don't want to. He's always saying that he wants us to be happy and safe above all else. The rest is up to the pokemon."

Sadness creeps over me. Ash has no idea that I'm safe and sound with these guys. Am I happy? For the most part, but it's hard to be entirely happy when my dearest friend is potentially making himself sick worrying about me. I wish there was a way to tell him that I'm alright.

Wobbles nods and claps her hands. "I think I'm gonna like this guy. He sounds like he knows what he's doing."

"When it comes to pokemon, at least." Pride washes over me, but I have to fight off the wave of longing that threatens to overwhelm it.

Sprout puts her leaves on her hips and puffs out her chest. "Well, I want to be a Victreebel. And, the second I become a Weepinbell, I'm gonna start searching for a leaf stone."

I try not to worry too much about what Wobbles said before. For all I know, Absol is right, and Sprout's body simply isn't ready for evolution yet.

"So, I could just stay an Eevee?" Eevee ponders. Then, he groans, his legs giving out from the force of it. "As if I don't have enough options."

I always thought that it was hard enough for pokemon with just two evolution paths. Poor Eevee has eight , nine if you count not evolving at all. "What about your family?" I suggest. "Maybe think about what types they are and go from there."

Absol, Wobbles, and Sprout freeze in place. A sinking feeling hits my stomach.

Eevee is oblivious as he considers my question. "Well, Absol's a dark-type, so that's Umbreon. Wobbles is a psychic-type, so that's Espeon. Sprout is a grass- and poison-type, but I don't have a poison-type evolution, so that's just Leafeon. And, you're an electric-type, so that's Jolteon. You're saying I should pick one of those?"

I barely register that he included myself as part of his family. At this point, I have no intention of telling him that I'd been asking about his parents. "You don't have to, but that at least narrows it down, right?"

"Yeah, but if I were a Flareon, I could breathe fire. And, if I were a Vaporeon, I could swim really fast- Oof ." During his musings, he'd tried to stand up but collapsed again. "A-and, if I were a Glaceon," he continues, steadily nodding off as he speaks, "I could make things cold. And, if I were a…a Sylveon…my attacks would be pretty…"

I guess our battle tuckered him out more than I thought. Absol leans forward and licks the sleeping hatchling's head. "He'll be fine once he rests," he says quietly.

"Where are his parents?" I whisper, figuring it's safe to ask now that the child in question can't hear.

"Heck if we know," Wobbles says with a pitying glance at Eevee.

Sprout shrugs. "We just kind of found his egg. No one claimed it, so we did it ourselves."

So, that's why Eevee's with the PokeSquad. I guess I'd just assumed his parents knew where he was. "And, you have no idea where they are? Or, even who they are?"

They all exchange sad looks. "We have one theory," Absol says. "One day, I sensed a forest fire. It was far away, but not so much that I couldn't detect it coming. By the time we got there, a group of humans- What did you call them, Sprout?"

"Firefighters," she answers. "They and some water-type pokemon were already at work, trying to put out the fire. A bunch of other pokemon were already fleeing the area, and we helped more of them get out."

"And, Eevee?" I ask.

"We found his egg in some bushes by a river," Wobbles responds. "We think it might have rolled down a hill in all the chaos." She sighs heavily. "We can only assume the worst about his parents."

My heart breaks for Eevee. "My parents are gone, too. But…at least I remember them." I gently brush my tail over him. "Does he know about this?"

Wobbles folds her arms and turns away, almost seeming ashamed. "He was…asking about eggs one day. When I told him the species comes from the mother… Ugh , I just can't help spewing factoids!"

She'd raised her voice a bit, and Eevee makes a small noise and twitches his ears. When he resumes his quiet snores, Absol whispers, "It doesn't matter. Eevee's with us. We are his family."

Sprout and Wobbles nod at that, and I swallow the lump in my throat.

Chapter 13: Another Electrifying Encounter

Notes:

Shout-out to Lovwipurthe, who loves this story so much that they're translating it for a Chinese audience! That's quite a compliment!

" Nature is like a runaway dump truck: hot, fast, and full of garbage." - Star vs the Forces of Evil

Gardevoir

It's been two days since the whole mess with Tyrogue, and Ash has been making good on his promise. For the most part, anyway. He's been smiling and laughing more, though there are times when it seems a little too genuine.

I've been thinking a lot about that Pikachu who told me about Ash in the first place. I wonder if he was the same one Ash is missing. It seems like too much of a coincidence.

I ponder this as I sit at the dining table with Ash and munch on pokemon food. Ash is spooning cereal into his mouth like he hasn't eaten in weeks. He eats like this sometimes. At first, I thought it was a coping mechanism. Then, I heard his aunt muttering about "Ketchum men," and I realized that he always eats fast when he's excited. A sharp contrast to Evan, who has to be reminded to eat when he's excited.

Arceus, when am I going to stop comparing the two?

Vivian sits down with her own cereal and coffee cup, shakes her head at Ash's enthusiasm, and asks, " So, what are you up to today? Something fun, I take it? "

Ash tells her about our plans with our friends. At least, I assume that's what he's saying through a mouthful of cereal. Vivian gives him a stern look. He mumbles what sounds like an apology then swallows and tries again. " There's been a Zapdos sighting, so the guys and I are gonna check it out. "

Vivian's spoon hangs midway between the bowl and her mouth, her eyes wide. " Zapdos? As in, Legendary Pokemon, ridiculously strong, possibly murderous? "

Ash snorts into his coffee. " Murderous? "

Vivian shrugs incredulously. Humans and pokemon alike tend to fear and respect Legendaries due to their sheer, unrivaled power. But, murderous ?

Uh, actually, I'm not sure. I've never met a Legendary before. Dammit, now I'm nervous!

" Zapdos isn't murderous, Aunt V, " Ash continues. " I've met him before, and he seemed pretty chill after the planet stopped collapsing. "

He doesn't elaborate. Vivian and I look at each other, equally confused. Two things I've learned while living here: Vivian Ketchum has no verbal filter whatsoever, and Ash Ketchum doesn't always make sense.

Ash gets up and brings his empty cereal bowl and coffee mug to the kitchen. The phone rings, and I hear him pick it up. " Hello? Oh, hey! Any news? "

Must be someone Ash knows. Apparently, he has a whole gaggle of buddies on the look-out for his Pikachu. The kitchen is silent for a while, so I assume Ash is listening to the person on the other end.

But then, Ash speaks, sounding as if he's coming out of a trance. " Yeah. Yeah, I'm here. Sorry. "

He no longer sounds like a goofy teenager who's eager to see a Legendary Pokemon. Now, he sounds…older. We in the Ralts-line are sensitive to the emotions of our trainers, and I can feel his anxiety stirring up my insides. I look at Vivian. She may not be able to feel Ash's emotions, but it's clear from her furrowed brow and crooked frown that she hears the change in her nephew's tone.

" But-but, how did- How ? "

Vivian and I look at each other, both of us thinking the same thing. I'm not crazy about Vivian. I can't sense her emotions, but sometimes I feel like she only lets me live here because I'm her nephew's pokemon. But, she does genuinely care about him, so I can put up with it.

We both jump out of our seats and peer into the kitchen. Ash is facing away from us, one hand holding the phone and the other raking through his perpetually messy black hair. " No, no, it's-it's not your fault, " he says to the person on the other line. " No, I-I'm glad you told me. I'd be much more upset if you hadn't. "

What's going on? Who's he talking to?

" I-I'm okay. Don't worry. Well, do worry, but-but don't worry? " He huffs and smacks his forehead. " You know what I mean. " His hand drops to his side. " Yeah, yeah, I, yeah. And-and, again, it's not your fault. You know how he is. "

He?

Ash hangs up the phone and stands there staring at it for a moment. Then, he sucks in a sharp breath, runs his hands through his hair, tilts his head up to the ceiling, and releases a slow, shaky breath. He freezes for a long time, sniffing occasionally. Bad news, then. Very bad.

Who's "he?" Could it be something with Pikachu? What else could make him react this way?

Eventually, Ash starts to turn around, and Vivian and I practically leap back into our seats. We duck into our breakfast, trying not to look guilty when Ash comes back into the small dining room. He stands listlessly in the doorway, looking at nothing in particular. I don't think he was crying, but his eyes are a little red, like maybe he was trying not to. Now, I'm really worried.

" You were in there a while, " Vivian says with faux nonchalance. " Everything okay? "

" Huh? " Ash blinks at her, a little more aware now. " Oh, yeah, uh, wrong number. Telemarketers, you know? "

" Was it a wrong number or a telemarketer? " Vivian asks with a raised eyebrow. This is the first time she and I have been on the same wavelength. It's both refreshing and a little unnerving.

Unprepared for the question, Ash rubs the back of his neck. " I, uh, well, I-I need to get dressed. "

" You are dressed. "

Ash starts patting his hands over his clothes - dark gray pants, white tank, and the usual unbuttoned denim jacket - as if checking that everything's there. " Well, uh, I need my hat. "

I pick his ball cap - red back and bill, white front with a black half-circle, resembling a pokeball - up off the table and hold it out for him. He just stares at it. I place it backwards on my own head and give him a little smirk, remembering that this amused him before. It doesn't this time. He still only seems half-here. My food feels too heavy in my stomach.

" Ash, what's going on? " Vivian finally asks.

Ash looks between us then blurts, " Teeth! I have to brush my teeth. Yes, because…hygiene. Yes. "

" Ash- "

" I'm fine! " he snaps suddenly. " Stop asking! "

I just learned something else about Ash: he's a terrible liar.

---

Fear is radiating off Ash in waves, and I don't think it's because of Zapdos. He hasn't let go of my hand once since we left Vivian's house, as if I'm some kind of lifeline. He also periodically looks up at the sky, which is even weirder. Despite this, he was all smiles when we met up with Lorette, Korou, and Sarge. Lorette claimed that Voltorb was sick with pokerus and staying at the Pokemon Center.

We believed her until we tried to leave town. Now, a cry of "Wait for meeeeee!" is getting closer and closer. We all turn around to find a perfectly healthy Voltorb bowling after us. They make a hard stop in front of us. "Oh, man! I almost missed you guys!"

The first Lorette grins in a hard, frustrated way. " Voltorb, " she says through gritted teeth. " What are you doing here? "

" Lorette, " Korou says curiously, " didn't you say Voltorb was sick? It looks fine to me. "

Voltorb stares up at him in confusion. "I'm not sick."

With her ruse now useless, Lorette laughs awkwardly as the rest of us frown at her. " Poor thing, " she says. " It's so sick, it doesn't even know it's sick! " She grits her teeth at Voltorb and snaps, " Now, go . Home . "

Voltorb blinks pathetically at her. "But…I love you."

" Why don't you want Voltorb to come? " Ash asks.

" I do want Voltorb to come, " she says. She glares back down at Voltorb, who shrinks back. " But, it can't . Because, it's sick . "

"But…I love you."

" Voltorb. " She kneels down in front of them, much more gentle now. " What if you see those bullies again? I don't wanna see you get picked on. That's all it is. "

"But…I love you."

" Bullies? " Korou asks. " What's going on, Lorette? "

Lorette sighs heavily and rises. " The short version is that when I met Voltorb, it was getting picked on by some other Voltorb. I don't know if they live in the area, and I don't care to find out. "

"They live in the old human den," Voltorb explains. "That's where I'm from."

"You mean the power plant?" I ask. "Isn't that where we're going?"

Sarge crosses her upper arms, puts her lower hands on her hips, and nods. "They're called Electrode Hoard. Let's just say, they're only friendly if you're an electric-type. And, not our pal, here," she adds with a nod at Voltorb.

"I have to go!" Voltorb begs, despite the humans lack of understanding. "What if the meanies hurt Lorette? Who's gonna protect her?"

Sarge taps her chin in mock-thought. "Let's see, I'm strong enough to roll a Snorlax up a steep hill, Gardevoir can disintegrate a huge machine with his mind, Ash is built like a fighting-type, and Korou…is also here."

I shrug at her. "I still don't see why Voltorb can't come. They're not helpless. If nothing else, they can just blow everything up."

"Exactly!" Voltorb chirps.

During our exchange, Ash and Korou were trying to convince Lorette to let Voltorb tag along. " If anything goes wrong, " Korou says, " you can always put Voltorb back in its pokeball. "

" A trainer should look after their pokemon, " Ash adds with a slight edge to his voice. Hm.

Finally, Lorette blows out a defeated breath. " Alright. I give. You can come, Voltorb. "

"Yay!" Voltorb circles her legs and chants, "Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy!" over and over until Lorette stops them by stepping on them.

" But, if those bullies show up, " Lorette says, " You're going in your pokeball. Deal? "

"Yes, ma'am!" Lorette steps off, and Voltorb resumes their circle.

---

Ash is still holding my hand, still periodically checking the sky for…something, still a general bundle of nerves. What really worries me is that he barely even acknowledged Breloom, whom we met shortly after leaving. Korou delivered the news that Tyrogue had been attempting/failing to do push-ups which is probably a good sign? Breloom had chuckled at that. Apparently, the two had grown up together, and he was used to Tyrogue overworking himself. Breloom also mentioned that he'd been spreading the word about Poke-X, talking to all of us as if the humans could understand him. Then, his pride was forgotten when he saw Ash's lack of interest. "What's with him?" he'd asked. No one who could understand Breloom had an answer.

After Breloom leaves, Korou turns to Ash and says, " Ash, is everything alright? "

" Why wouldn't it be? " Ash responds, a little harsher than necessary.

Korou flinches a bit. " Well, for one thing, you've been holding Gardevoir's hand this whole time. "

Ash looks down at our joined hands with a dumb expression on his face. " When did that happen? " He still doesn't let go. Of course, I'm not exactly trying to escape.

" Not to mention, " Korou continues, " you keep looking at the sky like there's- "

Ash huffs and shakes his head. " Why are we still standing here? Zapdos isn't gonna wait around for us. "

His tone is so sharp that we all stare at him like he's another person. Lorette is the first to recover. " Right. Well, come on, y'all. " She turns around and starts back on the path. " Ash is being weirder than usual, so let's just- " She stops suddenly and looks around with an increasingly nervous expression. " Where's Voltorb? "

We all scan the area, but it's true; Voltorb is nowhere to be found. With that virus around, the last thing we should be doing is losing each other! Another spike in adrenaline shoots into me from Ash, so I know he's thinking the same thing. As is everyone else from the look of it.

Lorette claws at her thick curls and curses. " I knew it would do this. This is exactly why it should have stayed home! "

Ash roughly grabs her arm and snarls at her, " I told you a trainer should look after their pokemon! "

Lorette opens and closes her mouth like a beached Magikarp, and I can't say I blame her. I may not have known Ash long, but I know he's a gentle soul. Now, his alpha human (assuming those exist) stature is in full force as he attempts to use Mean Look on Lorette, who is basically a Wurmple compared to him.

What was that phone call about?

Sarge pulls the two apart, and her trainer moves to stand between them. " Calm down. Voltorb couldn't have gotten far. Let's split up and search- "

Boom!

" And, we've found it, " Korou quips.

We follow the sound of the explosion to a small, recently singed clearing. Voltorb is turned away from us and facing a human about Ash's age (though her high pigtails and oversized glasses make her look younger) and a small pokemon I've never seen before, both of whom are covered in soot. The human is tall enough - only a few inches shorter than Ash, by the look of it - that only her lower half is charred, but her poor partner is quite small and completely covered.

" That was such a great explosion! " the human praises.

"If you like that sort of thing," her partner adds, less than amused.

Lorette stomps over to them. " Voltorb! Just what do you think you're doing? "

"Scanning the area for meanies," Voltorb states, as if they're a general reporting back to base. "No meanies here, but I did find these nice ladies. They're not meanies."

" You can't just go rolling off to who-knows-where! " Lorette scolds. " Do you know how freaked I was? "

"But…" Voltorb drawls sheepishly, "I love you."

" Uh, so, Voltorb is your pokemon? " the human confirms. " That's too bad. " She puts her hands on her chin and grins. " It's so cute, I was hoping to catch it! "

"Yes," her pokemon drawls. "What a shame."

As the pokemon grooms her soot-coated fur, beginning with her large, fluffy tail, Ash pulls out his pokedex. I sneak a peek at the screen. The picture reveals that she is supposed to be white with yellow cheeks, light blue ears, and a matching blue stripe that seems to run from her forehead to the end of her tail.

' Pachirisu: the elesquirrel pokemon. An electric-type. Pachirisu releases electricity through the spikes on the end of its tail. Its young rub their cheeks into the mother's fur in order to build up electricity. '

" I thought so, " Ash says, putting his pokedex back in his pocket. " Pachirisu, huh? That's not something you see in Kanto. "

The human brushes off her clothes and smiles. " That's because we're not from Kanto. We're from the Orre region. My name's Ella, and this is Patches. "

Patches takes a break from grooming to say to us, "Nice to meet you."

Korou nods at them and says, " A pleasure. My name's Korou, and this is my partner, Sarge. "

Sarge gives the newcomers a wink, a big grin, and a thumbs-up. "What's up?"

" My name's Ash, " my own trainer greets. He raises my hand which is still connected to his. " And, this is Gardevoir. " I nod in response.

Ella brings her hands to her chest and I swear I can see cartoon hearts behind her glasses. " You hold your pokemon's hand! That's so sweet! "

Ash looks down at our joined hands, blushes, and finally lets go.

Lorette bends down, picks up Voltorb, and regards the rest of us with impatience. " I'm Lorette. This is Voltorb. Everybody knows each other? Great! Let's get a move on. We got a Legendary to find. "

" You guys are looking for Zapdos, too? " Ella chirps.

Korou rubs the back of his neck. " Well, Lorette kind of roped us into it, but yeah. "

Ash chuckles. " Didn't have to rope me into anything- "

Suddenly, he is gaping down at Patches, who has mostly cleaned herself up at this point. And, I can see why he's staring. The pokedex showed that Pachirisu have blue stripes and ears. Patches has pink ones.

" You've got a shiny pokemon! " Ash exclaims, confirming my suspicions. " That's awesome! "

Patches looks away shyly, and Ella giggles as Ash pulls his pokedex back out and shows our friends what a Pachirisu normally looks like.

Shiny pokemon - pokemon with a different coloration and a, well, shinier pelt than normal - are exceedingly rare. I've been around the block even before Evan caught me, yet Patches is the first shiny I've seen. So, yeah, this is pretty awesome.

But, what's even more awesome is that Ash's nerves are starting to settle. He's a pretty friendly guy, so maybe he's just happy to meet new people and pokemon. Or, maybe it's simply the presence of a shiny. I'll take anything if it means he keeps smiling like that.

" Wow! " Korou chimes, gazing awestruck at Patches, who climbs up her trainer and rests on her shoulder (which, for some reason, prompts a flash of sadness from Ash and causes him to rub his own shoulder). " I've always wanted to see a shiny pokemon! "

" Yeah? " Ash says. " Remind me to introduce you to my Noctowl. "

While Korou excitedly questions Ash on that, Sarge grins and rubs two fingers between Patches's ears. "I'm with Ash. This is awesome!"

"It is pretty remarkable," I agree, marveling at the way the shiny's fur almost seems to shimmer in the sunlight.

Patches makes a sound that's somewhere between a laugh and a groan and covers her face with her tail. Ella chuckles at her pokemon's antics.

" Yeah, yeah, yeah, this is all very cool, " Lorette says impatiently, Voltorb now perched under one of her arms. " We can admire the cool thing later, but there's another cool thing we're supposed to be checking out. "

Ella claps her hands together. " Of course! " She grins at her partner, who uncovers her face. " A Legendary Pokemon! We can't miss this! "

Patches headbutts her chin. "What are we still doing here, then?"

" By the way, Lorette, " Ella goes on, " I'm impressed with the way you're carrying Voltorb. " Lorette frowns in confusion and glances down at Voltorb, who looks up at her with their usual half-comprehending expression. " The average Voltorb weighs between twenty and thirty pounds. You must be really strong. "

"Lorette's my friend," Voltorb says.

" This one's on the lighter end, " Lorette says flippantly. She spins around on her heels and starts walking. " Now, let's go. We're burning daylight. "

Korou nods at Ella. " You may as well come too, " he invites. " We're all heading in the same direction. "

Ella happily takes up his offer. By which I mean that she grabs his hand and skips ahead, yanking the poor guy forward before realizing that he knows the way better than she does. Meanwhile, Ash takes Lorette's free arm, gently this time, and holds her and Voltorb in the back with me and Sarge.

" Hey, I'm sorry I was rough with you earlier, " Ash says. " Everything's just…kind of hitting me at once, you know? But, I shouldn't take it out on you. "

Lorette smiles softly. " Thinking about Tyrogue and Pikachu? "

Ash frowns deeper and stares at the ground, the bill of his cap shading his eyes. My chest is tight with his shame. While I can feel my trainer's emotions, I can just as easily tune them out. It's like zoning out during a boring conversation. However, after that phone call this morning, I decided to keep a closer eye on him. From what I can tell, Ash is the type to feel things hard and fast but to never let anyone know if he can help it. I need to be conscious of whether or not he's spiraling.

I never read Evan's emotions, because he didn't like it. I guess now I know why.

Lorette goes on. " Well, I do need to keep a better eye on Voltorb. You're not wrong about that. " She pauses, a strangely tender look on her face. " Do you know what EDD is, Ash? "

Ash nods, realization crossing his face. " Embryo Development Disorder. My Gliscor has it. "

" Then, you see why Voltorb is such a little goober. And, why I can carry it like this. Would you believe Voltorb only weighs five pounds? "

Ash slams to a stop. " What? That's crazy! "

Ella and Korou turn around at his outburst, prompting Lorette to explain what EDD is.

I'd heard about that during my travels with Evan. Embryo Development Disorder is a rare condition that happens when a pokemon doesn't form properly in its egg. Mostly, it affects the brain and how a pokemon thinks and acts, but there can be physical deformities as well. Voltorb makes a little more sense to me now, though now I'm wondering how it affects Ash's Gliscor. (Was he the guy who tried to fly down to the camera but landed in the pond instead? Ash has so many pokemon that it's impossible to keep track after only meeting them once, especially since I'd never seen most of their species before.)

But, Voltorb has their own definition. "It's basically a nice way of saying I'm stupid."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sarge interjects. She steps forward and grabs Voltorb from Ella, who had been holding them with her mouth wide open, clearly shocked at how light they are. Sarge lifts Voltorb to eye level and narrows her eyes. "What's this about you being stupid?"

"Well, that's what Alpha said," Voltorb replies way too casually.

I decide that I don't care for this alpha. "You're not stupid," I say firmly. "Your head's just screwed on differently."

"Just because one pokemon said it doesn't mean it's true," Patches states from her perch on Ella's shoulder. The humans move on at this point, and we follow suit, though Patches leaps off her trainer and on to Sarge's shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Voltorb."

"I'm not being hard on myself," Voltorb - ahem - corrects. "I'm just stating a simple fact."

Sarge puts her three free hands on her hips. "And, your fact is a load of-"

We stop abruptly when Voltorb suddenly turns into a red light and disappears. Lorette is standing in front of us with their pokeball in her hand. " Too close for comfort, Voltorb. " She looks down at the pokeball with a stern expression. " We'll check for jerks, and I'll let you out if it's all clear. "

Ash nods in approval and takes my hand again. He isn't scared out of his mind anymore, thank Arceus, but there is a certain protectiveness that I felt the first time he grabbed my hand today. I decide to shut myself down for a while. Ash seems to be mostly okay now that he has a good distraction, and if we do see Zapdos, I want to have a clear head.

I'm so used to feeling Ash's emotions that it takes a second to realize that it's my own anxiety churning my stomach.

Then Voltorb leaps back out, somehow managing to land in front of our group and just as quickly breaking into a run - er, roll - and calling, "I'll check for meanies!"

Lorette throws her hands in the air. " For God's sake! "

We all chase after Voltorb, but their typing's natural speed makes it impossible to keep up. Luckily, Patches is the same type, so Ella sends her ahead to make sure nothing happens.

Soon, the power plant comes into view. It's a massive building littered with holes and plantlife and has generally seen better days, though it must be structurally sound if a hoard lives there. We find Voltorb and Patches in front of the power plant, being laughed at by another Voltorb and an Electrode.

Patches is in front of Voltorb, and I can see blue sparks skittering over her tail. "I said leave them alone," she threatens.

The Electrode sneers. "So, you're hiding behind your mate, are you?"

"She's not my mate," our Voltorb corrects in earnest confusion.

"Alpha's gonna love this!" the other Voltorb cackles.

Electrode looks up at us. "Ho, there. They're not the only trespassers."

"We can handle these guys," the other Voltorb says before rolling back into the building through an obnoxiously large opening.

Of course, alpha pokemon are pretty big…

Lorette curses and runs to her pokemon, calling their name. But, Electrode leaps over our friends and locks on to her with Rollout. She freezes in panic.

" Gardevoir, Psybeam! " Ash calls as he body slams Lorette out of the way, his hat falling off in the process.

My chest horn heats up, and I launch a dark pink beam of light. It's a direct hit, and Electrode gets knocked back.

"Lorette!" Voltorb screams.

They and Patches rush over to Lorette, who is still laying in the grass with Ash right on top of her. He starts to get up, but Electrode charges at them again, and Ash covers her once more. Every protective instinct in me starts screaming, but Ella beats me to the punch.

" Patches, use Dig! " she calls. " Make a crater! "

At speeds only achievable by an electric-type, Patches leaps in front of Ash and Lorette and spins around and around in the dirt. She jumps out just as Electrode hits her crater. Their momentum sends them swirling and flying out.

That's when Korou jumps in. " Sarge, use Brick Break! "

"Batter up!" Sarge quips. Two of her hands glow white, and she slams Electrode square in the face. The resulting aerial descent leaves them rolling through the grass, unconscious. Sarge puts all four hands on her hips and puffs out her chest. "I'd call that a home run."

I cup my hands over my mouth and breathe out loudly. "The crowd goes wild!" She grins and fist bumps me.

" Is everyone okay? " Korou asks.

" We're fine, " Ash confirms.

" I'm crushed, " Lorette mutters. Ash sheepishly apologizes, grabs his hat, and climbs to his feet. Lorette pushes herself up on her elbows and glares at Voltorb when they roll in front of her. " Will you stop freaking me out? " Voltorb flinches at her tone. " What if we hadn't found you? What would those assholes have done then? "

But, before she can chastise them any further, we hear a low rumbling. Before we know it, we're surrounded by about a dozen Voltorb and Electrode, joined by the one we knocked out, and none of them look happy.

Lorette hops to her feet, gazing around with barely concealed horror. " Where did they come from? "

" I wonder if they live in the power plant, " Korou guesses.

Sarge nods, clenching all four fists. "Yeah, this is the horde I mentioned."

"The one mentioned an alpha," Patches breathes, cheeks and tail sparking.

Ash steps forward. " Listen, all of you. We don't mean any harm. We just wanted to see Zapdos, but if that's a problem, we'll leave. "

" No one needs to fight, " Ella adds.

"Guess again," someone says. The crowd parts at the power plant's huge opening, and a massive Electrode, easily twice the size of the others of their kind, rolls into view. "We don't take kindly to trespassers." Their brow is low on their face, and their grin is anything but welcoming.

And yet, Ella squeals, pulls out her phone, and starts snapping pictures. " It's an Alpha Electrode! " She stops just as quickly. " Wait, this is bad, isn't it? "

I'm seriously tempted to smack her.

"So, you wanna see Zapdos, do ya?" Alpha sneers. "That's fine. But, you know, it's not gonna be that easy."

Their hoard titters around us. Ash curses under his breath. " Looks like we're gonna have to fight our way out of this. "

"Oh, there will be fighting," Alpha says, "but not with you." They, along with the rest of the hoard, lock their gaze on our Voltorb, who makes a small noise and spins around fearfully. "So, you decided to show your face again, eh? That's bold, I'll give you that."

Lorette glowers at the hoard. " I don't like the way they're looking at my buddy. "

"Leave them alone!" Sarge snarls.

Alpha chuckles. "Nice to see you've met some folks who can stand you, Voltorb."

Korou spreads out his hands pleadingly. " Look, we'll go in peace. Just leave Voltorb alone! "

"What did they ever do to you?" Patches demands.

Alpha raises their brow at her, and a thin veil of electricity coats their body. At first, I think they're going to attack, but then I notice Patches's cheeks sparking faintly. She's down on all fours and her hackles are raised, but she doesn't appear threatened by whatever's going on.

Then, the electricity dissipates, and Alpha addresses their hoard. "The fluffy one's an electric-type. Leave her be unless she becomes a problem."

Patches hisses, her fur lighting up more harshly this time.

Alpha ignores the implied threat and returns their attention to Voltorb. "Now, as for you-"

" Oh, the hell with this! " Lorette snaps. She grabs Voltorb's pokeball from her belt and holds it out. " Voltorb, return. "

"But-" is all Voltorb can get out before they are sucked in.

Lorette holds up the pokeball for all to see. " There. Voltorb's gone. Happy now? "

Then, she jerks back as the pokeball bursts open, and Voltorb shoots back out. "But, I have to keep you safe!" they exclaim.

This leaves the crowd in a new fit of laughter, which Alpha silences with a small explosion. "Now, now, everyone. The 'mon wants to keep their trainer safe. Can't fault them for that. Alright, Voltorb, here's how this is gonna go. You and I are gonna battle." Voltorb yelps at this, generating some giggles. Arceus, I hate these guys. " If you win, you and your friends can see Zapdos, no strings attached. But, I win, and… Well, I'm sure even you can remember what we do to trespassers."

"What's your problem with Voltorb, anyway?" I demand.

"They have the brains of a pile of rocks!" someone taunts, causing a few giggles.

To my surprise, Alpha sends a glare in that direction. "Look who's talking, Voltorb." This results in even louder laughter, and the Voltorb who spoke shimmies back in embarrassment. Then, Alpha returns their attention to me. "If you must know, your pal here is a royal nuisance, though you've probably figured that out already."

"Why you-" Sarge steps forward, but Korou presses a hand against her chest. She settles for growling and death-glaring Alpha Electrode.

But, the oversized asshat ignores her. "We've all got our quirks, and some of us, myself included, have dietary restrictions. None of that is an issue." They leer at our Voltorb. "No, this one's problem is that they're always getting into trouble, shoving their face where it doesn't belong, blowing up pokemon who get pissed off and chase the little freak right back here. It was sort of forgivable when they were a hatchling, even a youngling. But, this guy's full-grown and still has the mental capacity of an infant."

The more they speak, the more power runs through me. Based on the electricity sizzling over Patches and the way Sarge growls louder and clenches all four of her fists, I'm not the only one.

"The last straw was when they blew up right in Lord Zapdos's face! We're lucky the Lord is so tolerant, or who knows what could have happened!"

" Enough! " Lorette snaps and stomps in front of Voltorb. " I don't know what you're saying, but clearly it's not anything good! Nobody insults my friends, especially Voltorb, ya hear? "

"Lorette, stop…" Voltorb whimpers.

Ash nudges me and nods with a fierce look on his face, a gesture I read as "be ready for anything."

Then, Alpha chuckles. "Well, Voltorb, at least your trainer likes you. But, back to business. That battle. You in or out?"

"You don't have to do this, Voltorb," Sarge says. "You have nothing to prove."

"Let's just curbstomp these guys and leave!" I add.

Lorette pulls out Voltorb's pokeball once more. " Forget this! Voltorb, get inside. "

But, Voltorb rolls away from the beam of light and hesitantly says to Alpha. "If I battle you, no matter the outcome, you have to leave my friends alone. I don't want them to get hurt. Especially Lorette."

"The brown one?" Alpha confirms. "You have my word that no one will touch her. Or, any of them."

"Then, I accept your challenge."

I hear Patches whisper, "Can Voltorb really beat an alpha?"

Not to underestimate Voltorb, but I don't like their odds. Alpha pokemon are extremely powerful. I don't know how much battling Voltorb does, but my heart races on their behalf.

" I think they're gonna battle, " Ella breathes.

" Voltorb can win, " Ash says certainly.

" I don't think it has a choice. " Korou adds.

Voltorb rolls forward, and Lorette takes the hint. " Alright. If it's a battle you want, it's a battle you're gonna get! Let's do this, Voltorb! "

Voltorb whips around. "No, Lorette! You could get hurt! You gotta stay away!"

Lorette just stares for a moment before nodding. " I get it. There are some things you just have to do on your own. " She takes a few steps back and pumps her fist. " Show this jerk what you're made of! "

Satisfied, Voltorb turns back to their opponent. "Okay. I'm ready."

"Should we start placing bets?" someone snickers.

Someone else laughs. "What's the point?"

It takes everything in me not to annihilate whoever said that.

The battle begins. Electricity runs over Voltorb, who blasts a wave of it at Alpha. Shock Wave always hits its target, so I'm not surprised when it hits Alpha Electrode dead on. What does surprise me is that Alpha doesn't move, as if the attack had no effect at all.

"Not bad," Alpha says. "But, it's my turn."

Alpha spins and spins, their body glowing a silvery-white as they come at Voltorb with Gyro Ball. Voltorb tries to dodge but gets grazed and sent rolling into the crowd. Some hoard members get plowed into and sent rolling in various directions, which would be pretty satisfying if Voltorb hadn't gotten hurt in the process.

Voltorb rolls back into the fray with some visible effort then transitions into Rollout. Alpha dodges then hits them with Swift, sending them back and flying in Korou's direction. Sarge jumps in front and catches Voltorb with two hands, holding them upside-down.

" Thanks, Sarge, " Korou says.

Sarge nods at him then asks Voltorb, "You alright?"

"Uh-huh," Voltorb pants.

Sarge reluctantly lets go. Harsh volts coat Voltorb's body, giving them a bright yellow glow as they roll Spark at their opponent. Alpha counters with their own Spark, sending Voltorb flying back once more.

This time, Lorette is the one getting smashed into the ground. She sits up, and a tiny red trickle runs down the back of her arm. " Are you okay? " she asks Voltorb, who's panicked gaze is on her.

" Lorette, you're arm! " Ella exclaims.

Lorette reaches over and feels the back of her arm. She pulls her hand back and looks down at the red splotch. Our human friends all comically bump into each other in their mad dash to help. Ash is the first to reach her. While he pulls medical supplies out of his backpack, Voltorb slowly turns back to Alpha Electrode, the look on the pre-evolution's face giving me chills. The horde seems a little uneasy now.

"You hurt Lorette," they growl.

Alpha blinks, the only indication that they're taken back by this. "I didn't do it on purpose."

Voltorb screams and leaps back into the battle. Their body glows white as they roll at full speed into Alpha. By the time anyone can stop Voltorb, they explode. Self-Destruct is a powerful attack, but it comes with a price: the user takes heavy recoil damage. Combine that with the damage Voltorb has already taken…

To my relief, Voltorb is still conscious, though barely, given their heavy breaths and the way they teeter this way and that. The closest hoard members have also taken damage, and I can't help a little grin at the sight.

Then, my stomach drops. Alpha Electrode is peppered with soot and scuff marks, but they are still grinning and even start laughing . "Of all attacks, you pick that one ? Even when it matters, you screw up." They gaze around at the crowd. "Everyone okay after that?" Some affirmative noises, then, "What's say I wrap this up?" Cheers ring out. Harsh bolts run over Alpha. "Last chance to surrender, Voltorb."

"Y-you hurt Lorette…" Voltorb whimpers with whatever strength they have remaining.

Alpha rolls their eyes. "Again, that was an accident. But, I get the message."

One of the Electrode starts chanting, "Thunder! Thunder!" and the rest of the crowd follows suit.

" I've seen enough. " The voice is so low and dangerous that I almost don't recognize it as Ash's. He stands and reaches up to turn his cap backwards. There is raw rage in his eyes as he glares at Alpha. I like where he's going, and I'm really glad that look isn't directed at me. " Gardevoir- "

But, he's cut off when Lorette cries out Voltorb's name and sprints into the battlefield. Lorette dives in front of Voltorb just as Thunder hits . We are all frozen, unable to do anything while our friend screams in agony, taking the impact for her pokemon.

" What is she doing? " Ella exclaims.

Ash's response is quiet, solemn. " Exactly what we would do. "

No one contradicts him.

Alpha halts their attack and blinks uncomprehendingly. "Uh…oops," they say stupidly.

Mutters of "Is she okay?" and the like ring through the crowd. But, they were all for attacking us on purpose? What hypocrites.

" Lorette, " Korou calls in panic, " are you alright? Say something! "

Lorette collapses and visible static runs over her; she's paralyzed, I think in horror. Then, she groans and opens her dazed dark brown eyes. Her face is tight with pain but softens considerably at the trembling pokemon who rolls in front of her. " Aw, don't cry, sweetie. " She slowly raises her hand, pauses at a wave of static, and gently runs her palm over Voltorb's head. " Mama's okay. Mama's okay. "

It's such a tender moment that I'm not sure I should be watching. Beside me, Ash releases a breath that's just barely reminiscent of a sob. I look up to find all traces of anger gone. His eyes are full of tears, and I know he's thinking of Pikachu. I take his hand once more. He squeezes back.

But, of course, Alpha Asshat over here decides to ruin the moment. "Uh, so, this is awkward." They clear their throat. "Heh. Uh, you wanna just call this a draw, Voltorb? We can, uh, we can get her some herbs. Eh, one of you go get some-"

Voltorb slowly turns around to face Alpha. "You hurt Lorette." Their voice is as low and dangerous as Ash's was a moment ago.

" Voltorb… " Lorette croaks.

But, Voltorb ignores her. "You promised not to hurt her." It's then that I realize it's not anger making their voice lower. Their voice shouldn't be that deep, no matter the emotion.

Then, I find out why.

Voltorb's body glows, encased in a rainbow of swirling, shimmering lights. The clearing echoes with surprised noises as Voltorb's body grows and grows, until they are three times the size of the foot-tall-with-change form they used to have. Then, the light dissipates, revealing a pokemon of the same round shape but with reversed coloring: white on the top-half, red on the bottom.

Voltorb - Electrode - tries to roll Lorette back to us, but Sarge and I rush over and help her to her feet. She hisses as static pauses her movements, but we manage to bring her back to our group and prop her against a tree. Ash and Korou sit on either side of her, keeping her in place as Ella and Patches tend to her.

Satisfied, Electrode turns back to Alpha. Before their opponent can react, Electrode repeats their earlier actions: screaming and rushing in with Self-Destruct. Only, their glow is brighter, beams of light shooting off them.

That's not Self-Destruct.

The detonation is louder, stronger, sending shock waves (not the attack) all over, as if the planet itself has exploded. Once the smoke clears, Ash comments, " I think they just learned Explosion. "

And, it looks like it did its job. The closest horde members have been knocked out by the blast, and Alpha, while still upright, is covered in soot and grimacing in pain. Explosion is the most powerful attack there is, but it causes even greater recoil damage than Self-Destruct. While the sight twists my insides, it doesn't surprise me in the least to see Electrode on their side and dead to the world.

"Well," Alpha pants, "that didn't go like I thought it would."

" Vol- Electrode! " Lorette pushes past Ella and stumbles to her pokemon's side. The paralyze heal Ella used seems to be working, but Lorette still slumps to her knees with a hard grunt. She rolls Electrode upright. They blink themselves awake but still teeter a little. Lorette keeps a hand on their cheek, steadying them. Her voice breaks. " You didn't evolve just for me, did you? "

Electrode just notices that she's there. There is so much love and tenderness in their eyes that I once again question whether I should be watching. "You're my friend," they say simply.

Lorette lets out a sob and throws her arms around Electrode, who closes their eyes and leans into the touch. My chest tightens at the sight. The still-conscious hoard members collectively "aww." Even their alpha seems humbled.

"I think they'll be alright," Patches says before her own trainer picks her up and holds her against her shoulder. Patches snuggles into her neck.

Ella gazes at the furry bundle through misty eyes and gently strokes her fur. " Pokemon are really something. "

" I'll say. " Korou agrees. He leans over and kisses Sarge on the cheek. She smiles and wraps two arms around him in a side-hug.

My heart full, I look up at Ash and my mood darkens a little. His gaze is locked on to the duo before us. His lip is wobbling, and he blinks too quickly as his eyes threaten to overflow. I don't know how much is Pikachu and how much is that phone call. I don't know if they're one and the same. I don't know if it would be better or worse if they were.

"Ash?" I say.

He releases my hand and pulls me in a tight hug, leaning on me like he's about to fall over. I can't help feeling a little like a stand-in. But, a quick check of his emotions tells me that's not the case. There is the grief and sorrow that I expected, but there's also trust, affection, love directed straight at me. I return his embrace and shut myself off, feeling guilty for doubting him.

Then, someone gasps, cutting the moment short. The knocked out horde members are slowly regaining consciousness, and one of them is staring with wide, scared eyes at something past Lorette and Electrode, who turn their attention in that direction with the rest of us. A pokemon I've never seen before is standing a short distance away. He is roughly Lorette's height and has large wings covered in jagged yellow feathers; some kind of flying-type?. He has a bright orange beak and sharp talons the same color. He also, quite frankly, looks like he wants to be anywhere else.

He smiles awkwardly at the on-lookers. "I, uh, I can come back later."

"No, no!" Alpha sputters when the new pokemon starts to back away. "No worries. We were just…having a friendly battle." They survey the wide-eyed trainers, who are still holding their pokemon. "And, it took kind of a weird turn. We didn't mean to wake you."

"Oh, my nap wasn't all that interesting. Though, it seems I missed all the fun."

The maybe-flying-type walks up to the group, who all stare at him with faces that scream, "Well, we're boned." Perhaps Alpha Electrode isn't the one in charge after all.

So, I say to the newcomer, "I'd hardly call this a friendly battle."

The pokemon stops and raises his brow at me. "Oh?"

Alpha rolls in front of him. Being taller and broader, they are completely blocking the new guy's view of me. "Don't mind him. He showed up late. He doesn't know what's going on."

"Yeah, he does," Sarge defends, crossing her upper arms and planting her lower hands on her hips. "These guys ambushed us!"

The new guy flaps his wings and hops over Alpha. His wings send tiny yellow volts into the air as he lands. An electric- and flying-type, then? Same as Zapdos, if my hunch is correct.

The new guy opens his beak then closes it when a thin layer of static rolls over his feathers just like what happened with Patches. Now, I remember; electric-types can communicate with each other with electro-magnetic-something-something. I don't know how it works, but the nearby crackle of electricity me tells me who's doing the talking. Sarge and I look over at Patches, who still rests in her trainer's arm - Ella is using her free hand to take endless pictures on her phone - and turns her head to give us a shit-eating grin. We don't need to ask what she's telling the new guy, and neither does the horde, by the way they tremble and whisper to each other.

The new guy's expression is unreadable as the static vanishes, and his voice also reveals nothing. He turns his head over his shoulder at Alpha, who would probably have pissed themself by now if they were human. "It seems we have a lot to discuss."

"Sir, it's my fault," Alpha begs. "Please, don't be mad at these guys. They were just following my orders!"

"I know you, Electrode. You don't make your horde do things they aren't comfortable with." The new guy's stern gaze rakes over the rest of the hoard. "Everyone here acted of their own accord." And, suddenly, that same everyone has something else to look at. A smirk grazes my mouth.

Then, the new guy's black eyes soften as he approaches Lorette, whose eyes and mouth are wide open, and our Electrode, who stares up at him in awe and…recognition? Of course, I think. Electrode used to live here. This was probably their leader back then. But, if that's the case, why was Alpha allowed to kick them out? Though, now that I think about it, Alpha never specified who kicked out Electrode.

But, it couldn't have been this guy. There's no malice or anything in the way he speaks to our friend. "My apologies on their behalf." He nods at Lorette. "They told me you had a trainer now. Though, they said nothing about your new form. I'm glad you're doing well."

"New form?" Electrode stares down at themself in confusion and shimmies a little. "Did I evolve?"

The new guy laughs. "It's that new, is it? Congratulations!"

Up to this point, the humans have been quiet. But, now Ash speaks up. " Hey, Zapdos? " And, my heart stops as a result. " Zapdos? Over here! "

Zapdos? This guy is Zapdos ? The Lord of Lightning himself? No wonder the horde is so nervous! I check to see if everyone is as freaked as me. Korou has Sarge's arm in a two-handed death grip. The Machamp herself is staring blankly around, as if expecting someone to jump out and say that we've been pranked. Ella continues taking pictures with a dopey grin on her face. Patches is staring at nothing, probably processing the fact that she just casually tattled on someone to a Legendary Pokemon .

And, then, there's Ash who is smiling and waving. He lowers his hand when freaking Zapdos tilts his head at him. "Zapdos, do you remember me? I mean, I guess it's been years." He chuckles and turns his hat the right way and shyly plays with the bill. "I look pretty different, now."

" Yo, Ketchum, " Lorette calls. " You know Zapdos? "

Zapdos blinks and stares at Ash in a new…almost reverent way. "Ash Ketchum. Of course."

" Yeah, " Ash answers Lorette. " We met when I was…a kid… "

He trails off as the hoard starts whispering excitedly. It's clear that they've at least heard of Ash, but I catch the phrase "Chosen One" more than once, and now I'm really curious. Especially when our Electrode gapes at Ash and asks if he's really " that Ash Ketchum." But, nothing catches my attention like the variations of "Does anyone know where Pikachu is?" making their way around. Then, the whispers turn fearful as it dawns on them that they've been threatening friends of Zapdos's apparent friend. One of them mumbles, "We're dead! We're dead! Zapdos is gonna kill us! And, then we'll be dead!"

"Silence." Zapdos doesn't raise his voice, doesn't even glance at the horde, but the murmuring stops as quickly as it starts. "None of you knew Ash was here, so I am willing to leave that part out of our discussion." Everyone calms slightly. Zapdos calmly walks up to Ash, and the two gaze at each other, familiar, even friendly. "Ash Ketchum. It has been far too long." He pauses and leans in a little, his brow cocked as if anticipating something. "Pikachu and I had quite the battle."

What? Did he battle Ash's Pikachu? So, Pikachu was here, then. And, he battled Zapdos ? I'd love to hear the story behind that.

Ash grins and says to our very confused companions, " Hey, guys. I think Zapdos remembers me! "

Zapdos huffs a laugh and mutters, "Not quite yet," whatever that means. He turns around and dramatically spreads his wings, spreading tiny bolts of lightning that prickle my skin. "The Chosen One is among us. Let us welcome him and his companions with open arms." He pauses, as if remembering that he is speaking to literal balls with faces. "You know what I mean." He folds his wings and looks over his shoulder at the rest of us. "They won't harm you now. Come inside for a spell. Bring your trainers." He smiles wider at Ash. "Especially this one."

"Um, Gardevoir," Sarge says as Zapdos follows the crowd back inside while telling them to take Lorette and Electrode to the infirmary. "What's all this about?"

Patches leaps out of Ella's embrace and latches on to my arm. "Yeah, what's this Chosen One business?"

"First I'm hearing of it," I answer. Though, I do recall Ash mentioning that "the planet stopped collapsing." Could that have something to do with it?

Ash starts to follow Zapdos then stops and turns around. " You guys coming? "

" I-I guess? " Korou says, still clutching Sarge's arm. Sarge shrugs with all of her free arms.

Ella brings her fists to her chest and grins manically at him. " If Zapdos is friends with Ash, then I'm sure it's fine! "

When Korou hesitates, she grabs his arm and pulls him free of his partner, half-dragging his agitated self to the entrance. Patches sighs and shakes her head before hopping off of me and following them.

"Hopefully someone in there can explain all of this," Sarge says before joining the others.

Now, it's just me and Ash, who holds out his hand for me. His smile is broad, and his eyes are bright. It's like that phone call never happened. But, after the way he was this morning, there is no way that whatever it was is completely gone from his mind. But, that's a problem for later, I decide. Right now, my trainer is happy and eager. Determination and a can-do attitude, like he promised. Not to mention whatever Zapdos and Electrode Horde were talking about, which must be pretty amazing if the Lord of Lightning himself likes Ash so much.

For the umpteenth time today, but this time for a much happier reason, I take my trainer's hand.

Chapter 14: The Fiery Spirit of Friendship

" Behind every mask there is a face, and behind that a story." - Marty Rubin

Ash

The power plant is as run down on the inside as it is on the outside. Anything man-made - tables, chairs, computers, ex cetera - is either broken or barely hanging on. Plantlife shoots through every crack and opening. Yet, it's a sort of controlled chaos. The longer roots and vines are laying along the edges of the former lobby, like someone had pushed them out of the way but wasn't willing to disturb the plants' growth. Certain parts of the walls are covered by flat chunks of wood or whatever man-made objects they could find, a pokemon's way of repairing its home. The building is old and worn, but its inhabitants take good care of it.

As soon as we were all inside, Zapdos called the horde to attention and I assume explained our presence on their territory. And, there are a lot of pokemon on their territory, though I can't say whether or not they all live here. Voltorb and Electrode seem to make up the bulk of the horde, but there are a handful of other species as well. All electric-types, I notice. I wonder how they feel about Sarge and Gardevoir being here. I noticed some suspicious looks when we first walked in.

Zapdos had started cawing and making hand- Er, wing gestures at us, mostly at me. (I still can't believe he remembers me!) Then they all looked at me with, to my surprise, awe and respect. Me of all people! As soon as Zapdos had stepped aside, a few younger Voltorb had rolled up to me, slowly joined by more and more until I was surrounded by spherical children. It was honestly a little embarrassing - and terrifying, considering that most of these guys could explode at the drop of a hat - and I have to wonder what Zapdos told them.

The others had backed away to a safe distance, though Ella looked kind of jealous. Luckily, the children's parents managed to pry their kids away from me. Alpha Electrode made some kind of announcement, and everyone gave us more space afterwards, though I still received a fair helping of attention.

Now, I find myself constantly surrounded by new friends who want me to pet them and chat with them. It's a sharp contrast from when we'd first arrived. I'd love to know what that was about. Lorette and her new Electrode had been carted off somewhere, and they came back looking much better. Apparently, they'd been brought to a makeshift infirmary and given healing herbs and berries. It's nice to see that not everyone here hates us.

Though, from the death glares and harsh tones that Alpha Electrode and the ambushers were getting from Sarge, Patches, and Gardevoir during the ambush, it's clear that the only ones who can explain are the ones who can't speak. Oh, well. I look up from the Electrode I'm petting to see that Lorette's Electrode is happily chatting with several of their kind. Lorette isn't straying too far from her partner, not that I blame her. I'd be the same way if it was one of my pokemon-

My pokemon…

The Electrode before me moves aside, and I receive the perfect distraction in the form of two Electabuzz holding hands and presenting me with two very young Elekid, one just a little bit older than the other, who stare nervously at me with their hands behind their backs. I kneel and give them my warmest smile. "Hey, you two! My name's Ash." The hatchlings don't respond. "Come on. I don't bite." I hold out my hands, and the boys look curiously at them. The parents nod, so I tentatively hang my hands over their children's head. When the boys don't move away, I lower my hands and run my palms over the short, bristly fur on their heads. The boys coo happily, and the sound lifts my spirits. "See? I'm not that scary."

Man, Pikachu would lose his mind in this place. I can picture him rubbing cheeks with everyone, sharing electricity the way electric-types do to say hello. If he were here, he would have put these Elekid to ease before they and their parents had even approached me. My buddy has always had a way with others, people and pokemon alike. With him around, maybe we could have even talked a way around that ambush.

And if not, I know someone who would have taken Alpha Electrode down in an instant…

" Ash? It's Professor Oak."

" Oh, hey! Any news?"

" Well, yes, but not about Pikachu. Ash…we need to discuss Charizard."

Don't think about it. Gardevoir can sense your emotions. You promised him your best, and you've screwed that up enough today. So, for his sake, just don't think about it .

" Chi chi pah chi pah! "

Thank God for well-timed distractions. Patches comes from nowhere and throws herself at me, knocking me on my ass and scaring the Elekid and their parents. The shiny Pachirisu climbs into my jacket and crawls on to my back, shivering as she clings to my tank. I almost laugh when I find out why. Some hatchling Voltorb are rolling our way, and I shoot to my feet when they start randomly exploding as their kind are infamous for doing. The Electabuzz smartly hold their sons back as the Voltorb stop at my feet and eagerly jump up and down, trying to get to Patches, I assume. The poor thing starts whimpering, and her grip tightens.

I try to keep the amusement out of my voice as I tell the Voltorb, "Sorry guys. I don't think Patches feels like playing."

The group deflates, but the Elekid chirp happily at them. The kids run/roll off to play, and the Electabuzz coo gratefully at me, thanking me for being so kind to their sons, I imagine. I nod in acknowledgement and give Patches the all clear. She cautiously pokes her head out of my collar and sighs in relief.

I scratch her chin. "Why don't we get you back to your trainer."

I scan the room. Korou is watching some Magneton float around. Behind him, Sarge is picking up Voltorb one by one and rolling them across the room like bowling balls. They explode when they hit the wall. Korou freaks out when he sees this, though everyone involved seems to be having fun.

Not far from them, Lorette is on her knees, petting a Jolteon. Electrode is right beside her and seems to be policing anyone who gets too close. I watch as they send two other - rather irritated-looking - Electrode on their way but let another of their kind say hello to Lorette. There is a noticeable change in Electrode now that they've evolved. They seem more serious, more mature even. I noticed it right away. Granted, it could simply be the environment, what with some of the horde attacking us and all, but it isn't unheard of for a pokemon's personality to change after it evolves.

Charizard, for instance.

Don't think about it. Focus on finding Ella.

Elsewhere, Gardevoir picks up some Voltorb and Electrode with Psychic and starts juggling them with a few twirls of his wrist. Soon, the participants start blowing up mid-air, and Gardevoir shrinks back and covers his head, dropping everyone. They lay there for a moment before shrieking with joy and crowding around Gardevoir, demanding another round. My eye-wided pokemon looks my way, silently begging for help.

But, I know a losing battle when I see one. "You made your bed, Gardevoir. Now you have to lie in it." Patches giggles. I try not to echo her. Gardevoir starts shouting at me, and I don't need a translator to tell me that I'm being cussed out. "Look, I need to find Ella. I'll be back soon." Maybe it's mean, but I can't resist waving and adding, "Have fun!"

He gives me the most human gesture I've ever seen from a pokemon.

---

I walk the down halls, calling for Ella. Patches is sitting on my shoulder (I'm going to pretend that's not Pikachu's spot), doing the same. I guess everyone's congregated in the lobby, because apart from the occasional straggler, it's just me and Patches. Then, we are approached by a small pokemon I'm not familiar with. He kind of looks like a plump orange Pikachu with a shorter tail and fat forearms. Patches makes a curious sound, so I don't think she knows what he is either.

I pull out my pokedex. ' Pawmi: the mouse pokemon. An electric-type. In addition to the electric sacs in its cheeks, Pawmi has special organs in its forepaws that generate electricity. If it feels threatened, it rubs its forepaws against its cheeks, preparing an attack. '

Well, this Pawmi is smiling and wagging his tail, so I don't think we have anything to worry about. Especially once Patches (finally) jumps off my shoulder and rubs cheeks with him, generating tiny, happy sparks.

Come to think of it, they both kind of look like Pikachu. More so with Pawmi, though Patches certainly has similar facial features.

Focus.

I kneel down and hold out a hand for the newcomer. "It's nice to meet you, Pawmi," I greet.

He sniffs me and, deciding that I mean no harm, cheerfully bats my finger with his paw. Patches squeaks in approval.

"I'd love to get to know you," I say, running two fingers between his large ears, "but we're looking for her trainer."

Patches chitters at Pawmi, who points to a door at the end of the hall. We thank him and head that way. The door in question suddenly flies open, and several Voltorb and Electrode roll out. We leap to the wall, trying not to get run over, but the group stops and stares at me. These are the guys who ambushed us, I realize. Some avert their eyes, and some are shrinking back like they think I'm going to hit them or something. I'd really like to know what Zapdos said.

I raise my hands placatingly. "Guys, it's okay. I don't know what all that was about out there, but you were just defending your territory from a bunch of strangers, right? You probably just targeted Electrode because they're one of your kind. Better the devil you know, as they say." Patches hisses at that. I look down to find her fur fluffed up and her cheeks puffed and staticky. "Come on, Patches. We can't fault them for defending their home."

" Chu pah ," she snarls. Her fur is still raised, but the static is gone. Small victories.

I turn back to the group. "I forgive you guys, but I can't speak for everyone else."

Everyone visibly relaxes, and a few send Patches smug looks. She squeaks harshly at those ones, and they laugh and follow the others down the hall. Not for the first time, I long for the ability to understand pokemon.

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" I ask her. She responds by grumbling and kneading the cracked tile floor. Huh. "Let's just find Ella."

The door the others came out of shows its age. It's so cracked that I don't know how it's still in one piece. It somehow latches, though the hinges swing both ways, which I suppose is useful for pokemon with no limbs. The door itself is surprisingly wide, like maybe people used to move machinery or something through it before this place was abandoned by humans. Considering that all the other doorways are crumbled on the sides and missing doors altogether, this must be the only entryway the alpha didn't have to alter to use.

I gingerly push the door open, cautious of breaking the one door they might actually want, and try to process what I'm seeing. It's a large room filled with broken machinery, including a huge generator that's lit up like it might somehow still be functioning. Given Pawmi's directions, I expected to see Ella in here.

Just not with Zapdos and Alpha Electrode.

Ella's long legs are spread apart like she's ready to flee, though her hand is hovering tentatively. Zapdos is standing in front of her, a wary but encouraging look in his dark eyes as he leans in closer. Beside him, Alpha watches with the same protectiveness that I saw in Lorette's partner.

Ella slowly lowers her hand to Zapdos's head then snaps back with a yelp when electricity cracks at her. He smiles apologetically, but a dopey grin pulls at Ella's mouth. "Thank you for-for letting me…try to pet you." Zapdos chirps kindly.

That's when Alpha spots me, and their serious gaze wavers. " Trode elec… "

Zapdos looks my way, and Ella's eyes follow. Ella grins and skips up to me. "Hey, Ash!" She starts as Patches climbs up her leg and rests on her shoulder. Ella brings a hand to her partner's cheek, bringing her closer. "Patches! I was wondering where you went." Patches nuzzles her neck, and Ella brings her fists to her chest. "Zapdos is so friendly! I thought a Legendary Pokemon would be intimidating, but it's so nice! I asked to feel its feathers, and it just let me! My hand kind of hurts now, but who cares?"

Anyone who sees a Legendary Pokemon and instantly asks to pet it is okay in my book.

While Ella babbles excitedly, Zapdos and Alpha Electrode walk/roll our way. Patches squeaks and hops to Ella's other shoulder, bringing her farther from the larger pokemon. Ella looks down at Zapdos when he nudges her arm and jerks his head at the door.

"You want me to leave?" she asks, disappointed.

Zapdos looks at me. Then he nudges her and nods at the door.

"I think he wants to talk to me," I interpret. "For lack of a better term."

"He? Zapdos is a boy?" Ella clarifies.

Patches throws her tail over her face in embarrassment, Alpha sighs and rolls their eyes, and Zapdos just looks amused. Frankly, I'm a mixed bag. Unless there is a physical difference, such as a Pikachu's tail or a Hippowdon's coloration, no one ever seems to know a pokemon's gender without asking it. It always seemed so obvious to me, but even seasoned pokemon professors call a pokemon "it" unless they can confirm otherwise. Pikachu says that males, females, and genderless all have an underlying scent that human noses can't detect, so maybe that's the problem. But, I don't smell anything, so how come I can tell?

Realizing that she'd voiced her confusion, Ella blushes and stammers out an excuse to leave. She rushes out the door, Patches in tow, leaving me with Zapdos and Alpha Electrode.

Anyone else would probably be quaking in their boots at the prospect of being so close to a Legendary Pokemon with lightning powers and what is essentially a six-foot tall bomb, but I've seen worse. Which says kind of a lot, I suppose. Either way, Zapdos made it perfectly clear that he has no intention of hurting me, so if he wants to see me for some reason, I'm more curious than concerned.

Alpha Electrode is the nervous one. They still won't look me in the eye. In fact, they seem ashamed. I wonder if Zapdos told them and our other attackers about my friends and I saving him, Moltres, and Articuno. That would explain a lot about how eager everyone is to see me.

"Uh, Alpha? I'm not mad anymore." Alpha looks up at me in surprise. "I mean, I don't like that you targeted my friend, but you were just protecting your home. I get it."

Alpha visibly relaxes until Zapdos gives them a side-eye and chirps at them. Then, they flinch and roll out the door. I wonder if I'll ever learn the whole story.

Zapdos taps his beak to my shoulder. At my blank stare, he repeats the motion and shakes some static from his feathers.

It clicks. "Uh, Pikachu?" He nods, and my heart sinks. I should have expected this. He remembers me, so of course he remembers Pikachu. "He's…not here, I'm afraid."

Zapdos shakes his head. He taps my shoulder again then takes a few steps back. He flaps his wings toward me twice, cawing and shooting off sparks with each flap. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out what a pokemon's trying to tell me, but I'm really coming up empty with this one.

Feeling embarrassed, I rub the back of my neck. "I-I'm sorry. I'm not getting this."

He smiles and shrugs, as if he'd expected this and isn't upset. Whatever he was trying to say must not have been very important.

There is a comfortable silence as we head back to the lobby. When we walk in, everyone stops talking and turns to stare, making me decidedly un comfortable. Zapdos shakes his head and chuckles. He squawks for a while, then everyone returns to their conversations. There is an obvious respect from the hoard members, but there's a familiarity as well. Zapdos must come here more often than I thought.

The Legendary turns toward me, taps my shoulder again, and gestures to the crowd with his wing. I rack my brain for the meaning. A shoulder tap means Pikachu, I think. And, the pokemon seem to be important…

"Is-is Pikachu here?" I ask, but Zapdos shakes his head. " Was he here?" A smile and nod from him, but the rush of hope is all mine. "So, I guess you know what's been going on with us." A sympathetic head tilt. "Did he…look okay?"

Once again Zapdos flaps his wings and shoots off tiny lightning bolts.

"Does that mean yes?"

He winks at me before joining the crowd. I would have expected him to be as disappointed in me as some of my pokemon seemed to be. Particularly Charizard.  But, Zapdos doesn't seem the slightest bit upset with me. I wonder how much Pikachu told him.

Actually, Zapdos doesn't seem concerned at all. It's like it's a simple fact to him. The sky is blue, the grass is green, Pikachu is missing. It makes me a little angry. How dare he not care! Who knows how long it's been since those two saw each other? Even if it was as recent as this morning, Zapdos shouldn't be so damn flippant about the whole thing!

" Gardedeh? "

I nearly jump out of my skin. Gardevoir is suddenly right beside me. I throw a hand over my heart, as if that will slow its rapid beat. " Jesus , Gardevoir!" I snap. He flinches. I force myself to relax. I'm being irrational; I know I am. "I'm sorry." Then, I spot the handful of Voltorb and Electrode behind him. "I'm also sorry for, well, leaving you," I add with a glance down at the group.

Gardevoir turns around and shoos them away. Once they're gone, he turns back to me and places his hand on my chest.

"Yes," I confirm, "you almost gave me a heart attack."

He frowns deeper and shakes his head. He pats my chest then puts his hand over the small red horn on his own.

Of course. Gardevoir must have sensed my rising temper and came to check on me. I wonder how that works for him. Does he feel my emotions like they were his own? Or, is it more like background noise? Or, somewhere in between? I hope it's the second one. I feel horrible enough without the thought of having to share all this mess inside me. It's bad enough that he has to put up with it as a bystander.

Whatever the case, I can't keep this from him. If I'm going to be an asshole, I should at least explain myself. But, this isn't the time. "Later," I promise.

He nods but stays by my side when I put on a smile and venture back into the crowd. Fortunately, my smile isn't fake for long. Various pokemon, Pawmi included, gather around me, demanding attention. Gardevoir tries to police them like Electrode, but I tell him not to worry about it. He must feel my heightened spirits, because he backs off and lets me play with everyone.

I look up from the two Voltorb I'm petting to see Zapdos across the room with Korou and Sarge. Korou looks less terrified of the Legendary but still keeps close to Sarge. Sarge is laughing at something Zapdos said.

When Zapdos leaves, I excuse myself and head over, Gardevoir not far behind. "Zapdos is awesome, isn't he?"

Sarge gives me a cheeky grin and a thumbs-up a move so distinctly Charizard that I inwardly cringe. Korou smiles weakly and brushes his fingers through his longish hair. "Well, it's- He's certainly less intimidating than I expected." He looks around with a thoughtful frown. "Though, I must say, it's quite a juxtaposition."

"A what-position?"

Sarge shrugs, but Korou chuckles and pushes up his glasses with his index finger. "I mean that now is a huge difference from when we first got here. I have to wonder what exactly was going on."

"Yeah, I hear you," I agree. "Personally, I think it was just a territory thing. We were strangers to them, and I imagine they don't see a lot of humans."

Korou ponders this. "I suppose that makes sense. And, Electrode is their own kind. Maybe they felt some sort of betrayal or something, and that's why they targeted it."

"I hadn't thought of it like that, but that makes sense too." We spot Sarge and Gardevoir glaring meaningfully at each other, a hidden message that doesn't need words. "Unless our pokemon learn to talk, I guess we'll never know."

"I don't care what the reason is," Lorette says, sauntering our way with Electrode by her side. "If anyone tries to mess with my buddy again, they're gonna hear from me." Electrode snuggles her hip, and she scratches their head.

They're so much like me and Pikachu that it feels like they've just thrown a rock at my chest. Gardevoir stands a little closer, silently offering support. I try to push the bad feeling away, but it doesn't do anything but sit there, weighing down my heart.

Lorette ponders whether she can still lift her partner and bends over to try. She moans and struggles for a while before finally giving up. At Electrode's distress at the idea of her never carrying them around again, she says, "Hey, at least petting you is easier. Plus, there's more room to rub." She proves this by aggressively rubbing their smooth, hard surface. Electrode coos and closes their eyes, pleased with the compromise.

"That's not so bad, is it, Electrode?" Korou chuckles. Sarge laughs and shakes her head.

"Hey, where'd Ella and Patches go?" I wonder.

I search the crowd just in time for the two of them to come running up to us. Well, more like staggering quickly, in Ella's case. She's charred and burned all over, and her pigtails are huge from static. She also has a manic grin on her face and a Joltik on her head.

I'm about to ask her what happened, but Lorette beats me to it. Sort of. "Girl, you look like you lost a fight with a hundred power cords."

"Are you alright?" Korou asks.

"Am I alright?" Ella spreads her arms out and spins around. "I'm surrounded by my favorite pokemon type, and I've never been electrocuted so much in my life!"

"Maybe you've been electrocuted too much?" I suggest with a chuckle, and Gardevoir laughs with me. Ella would probably squeeze Pikachu's cheeks just to get him to zap her.

She stops twirling, and I notice her eyes are a little unfocused. "There's never too much! And, now I know what purple tastes like!"

Patches sighs tolerantly, used to her trainer's antics.

"I think you need a break, Ella," Korou comments, properly concerned. "Or, maybe a hospital."

Before Ella can argue, I wrap my arm around her waist. "Let's get you some fresh air."

"You do that," Lorette says. "I'm gonna get some one-on-one time with Zapdos. He seems like a cool dude." She stabs her finger at my chest and narrows her eyes. "And, when you get back, you better tell us how you know him."

"Me too!" Ella chirps.

"Yeah," Korou agrees. "That has to be quite a story."

"I promise, you'll hear all about it," I say. "Now, let's go, Ella."

She struggles against me as I guide her out but relents when I threaten to throw her over my shoulder and carry her like a potato sack. I bring her outside, and we take off our backpacks and sit next to each other against the wall.

She crosses her arms and pouts like an angry toddler. "I still say I'm fine."

"You were tasting purple," I argue. "I've been shocked enough times to know that means you need a breather."

And honestly, I could use a breather myself. Any more time around electric-types and trainers and pokemon who love each other so fiercely, and I'll surely lose whatever composure I have left. I steal a second to survey the sky again. I don't know why I keep bothering. I know Charizard's not going to be there.

I was already a mess over Pikachu's disappearance. And, now…

No, Ash. No . Stop clenching the grass in your fists. Get the image of Charizard glaring at the ground and ignoring you out of your mind. Forget about what happened when he evolved from Charmander. This isn't like that. Because, this can't be like that.

Distraction. I need a distraction.

"Um, you didn't introduce us to your buddy," I say around the lump in my throat.

Ella blinks at me in confusion. "You already met Patches."

"No, silly." I point at the tiny yellow pokemon still resting in her hair. He squeaks and shrinks back. Not great with strangers, huh?

Ella raises a hand to pat her head, only for her eyes to widen when she taps Joltik's back instead. Having been caught, Joltik reluctantly crawls on to her hand and down her arm.

"I thought something felt off." Ella lowers her arm and smiles warmly at the little guy. "Well, hello there! What were you doing on my head?" Joltik squeaks again and squeezes his four blue eyes shut, trembling as if expecting to be punished. I can practically see Ella's heart melt. "Aw, it's okay." She carefully strokes Joltik's tiny head with her index finger. "It's okay, Joltik."

"So, I'm guessing this isn't your pokemon," I say as Joltik calms down and leans into the touch.

"Nope. Patches is my only one. I've never even seen a Joltik in person before."

"I have. Its evolution, too."

I pull my pokedex out of my back pocket, scan our new friend, and show Ella the screen. She stares intently, soaking in the data like a sponge. ' Joltik: the attaching pokemon. A bug- and electric-type. It is unable to generate its own electricity. Instead, it absorbs electricity from outside sources, such as other pokemon or electrical appliances. '

"Makes sense that it would be here, then," Ella comments. "This place must be like an all-you-can-eat buffet."

I put my pokedex away, as a lightbulb flashes in my head. "I wonder if that's why he latched onto you." I chuckle at the thought. "You've been electrocuted so much, he probably thinks you're an electric-type, yourself!" Her hair isn't puffy anymore, I notice, which proves my theory.

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Is Ash right?" she asks Joltik. "Am I a tasty snack?"

" Johl, johl, " Joltik mutters, shuffling his forefeet.

Ella brings him closer and nuzzles her nose on his fuzzy face. "That's okay! I don't need electricity like you do. Chow down!"

I grin. "I'm pretty sure they don't actually eat electricity, Ella."

"Whatever." She giggles when Joltik starts gently nibbling on her nose. "See? I am a snack!"

This is exactly what I needed. There is nothing like watching a new bond form between a trainer and a pokemon. "Joltik sure seems to like you. Why don't you catch him?"

Ella's eyes shoot up at me so fast that Joltik almost falls off her arm. "C-catch him?" She smiles sheepishly and twirls a pigtail with her free hand. "To be honest, I've never done that before."

Now, that's the last thing I expected. Of course, just because she's a teenager doesn't mean she hasn't just started her journey. Even so, with her enthusiasm and the fact that she's from another region, I would have expected at least one catch. "Never? But, what about Patches? You caught her, didn't you?" Unless Pachirisu are starter pokemon in the Orre region, though I doubt a professor would use a shiny for that.

"Actually, my mother caught her. She found Patches while gardening and recognized her as a shiny. Patches kind of became the family pet after that."

"And then she came with you on your journey? That's awesome!" A memory strikes that warms me completely. "My mom has a Mr. Mime, Mime Jr. back then, who I really wanted to travel with when I was little. But, Mimey prefers the quiet life. He's pretty content with my mom."

"So, who was your first pokemon, then?"

"Oh, a Pikachu," I say, pretending my throat isn't closing up again.

Luckily, Ella doesn't notice my discomfort. "That's funny, because I saw the most amazing Pikachu the other day!"

My pulse quickens, but I can't let myself get excited. There are plenty of Pikachu in Kanto if you know where to look.

Ella goes on, repositioning herself so that she's on her knees. Joltik crawls onto her upper arm. "And, not just a Pikachu. The perfect Pikachu!" She brings her hands to her chin and sighs dreamily. "Fur the exact color of a ripe lemon, perfectly circular scarlet cheeks, a tail with edges sharp enough to cut your hair on!" She does a little shimmy and lets out a weird squeeing sound. "And, just imagine him as a Raichu!" She sighs again. I'm pretty sure she stopped talking to me a while ago.

"You had me, and you lost me," I say, though I can certainly relate to her passion for pokemon. That said, if there's even the slightest chance that it could be my buddy… "If that Pikachu was that impressive, why didn't you catch him?"

She deflates slightly. "I asked, but he didn't want to come with me. I guess he didn't want to leave his friends. I offered to catch them too, but they said no."

Friends? My mind snaps to Charizard. If he and Pikachu had found each other, I would feel so, so much better about the whole thing. But, as soon as the thought hits, I realize that it isn't possible. Ella said that she saw this Pikachu the other day, and Professor Oak wouldn't wait a few days to tell me about Charizard. The thought of Pikachu having travel buddies brings me comfort though. Assuming this is my Pikachu Ella's talking about.

"That reminds me," Ella says after a moment. "I should warn you about the poachers."

"Poachers?" I say. As if there isn't enough going on, now are poachers in the area?

"They call themselves Team Rocket. They showed up out of nowhere and tried to steal Patches from me!" So, Team Rocket is still around. Figures. "And, get this. That perfect Pikachu? It sounded like they were after him, too." My heart stops. Ella crosses her arms, and her next words sound far away. "We got rid of them - me and Patches and Pikachu and his friends - but they didn't get what they wanted, so they might come back. We should warn Lorette and Korou, too. Plus, all those other pokemon."

I finally find my voice, and I somehow manage to keep it steady. "Ella, by any chance, did these guys have a talking Meowth with them?"

I half-expect her to think I'm nuts, but instead her jaw drops. "You know them? Wait, the Meowth really does talk? I thought I was losing my mind."

That clinches it. I want to take Ella by the shoulders and throw a million questions at her. Where is Pikachu? How did he look? Who are his friends? Did Team Rocket hurt him? Did he seem unwell in any way? I reign myself in before my desperation can freak her out.

My voice weakens when I speak, but through some miracle, it doesn't shake. "Ella, two weeks ago…my Pikachu was taken by a group of guys with a talking Meowth ."

I watch as my words sink in. Even Joltik tenses up. Ella whips around so fast that Joltik cries out and barely holds on. "I took pictures!" she cries as she digs around in her backpack. "Where's my phone? Here's my phone!"

She plays with her pink and rhinestoned cell phone, and I clutch my jacket to keep from taking her phone and searching through it myself. I can't work myself up. What if it's just a coincidence? With where my head's been today, I might actually break down crying if it's not him. I have to calm down and just breathe, but my lungs aren't working.

After an eternity, and a mumbling of "Wow, I took a lot of pictures today," she breathlessly asks me, "Is this him?"

She shows me the picture. It's all there. Dark brown, almost black eyes that lighten when he gets emotional. Ears that react to his emotions (in the picture, one is upright and the other is lopsided as he stares mystified at the camera). A rigid lightning-bolt-shaped tail, the only part of his appearance that he genuinely cares about.

It's my buddy. He looks completely dazed, but there isn't a mark on him. He's not sick. He's unharmed.

Wherever Pikachu is, he is completely fine.

"He is your Pikachu, isn't he?" Ella exclaims. She lowers her phone. "What about his friends? Are you missing any other-"

"Charizard?" I croak out. Now, my voice is trembling, and I can't stop it. "W-was there a Charizard?" I don't even know why I'm asking, but it could be possible, couldn't it?

Ella narrows her eyes in thought. "Let's see. Eevee, Bellsprout, Wobbuffet. There was another one, but I can't remember the name. What does Charizard look like?"

I don't trust myself to describe him, so I turn to pull out my pokedex and subtly dab my eyes on my sleeve. My heart races as I type in Charizard's name and show Ella the screen.

' Charizard: the flame pokemon. A fire- and flying-type. It breathes out flames hot enough to melt nearly any material. Fortunately, it has complete control over its fire's temperature and reserves more powerful flames for battling strong opponents. '

As the pokedex did its thing, I saw no spark of familiarity on Ella's face. I knew that would be the case, but I had to try. "So, that's a no, huh?" I say, my arm unusually heavy as I put my pokedex away.

"Sorry," Ella says sheepishly. "The other one had long white fur and a black horn on its head, and it walked on all-fours."

I try to picture it. "Could it have been an Absol?"

"Yeah. That sounds right."

An Absol and a non-Team Rocket Wobbuffet in the Kanto region? Unexpected, but I suppose anything is possible. But, it doesn't matter what pokemon they are. What matters is that Pikachu isn't alone.

So, where does that leave Charizard?

"Hey, give me your number," Ella says suddenly. "That way if I see Pikachu or Charizard, I can let you know."

"Really?" I ask. "You'd do that?"

She grins determinedly. "Of course! If they were my pokemon, I'd want someone to do that for me." Joltik chirps in agreement, and Ella glances down at him. "Oh, Joltik. Sorry, I forgot you were there."

"So, are you gonna catch him or what?"

"Well, I should see if Patches likes him first."

"Good call." We pull out our phones and exchange numbers. "I really appreciate you doing this, Ella. Especially since we just met."

Her amber eyes harden suddenly. "Hey, those poachers took your pokemon from you." They didn't take Charizard, but I don't have the balls to correct her. "And, did you hear about that Poke-X thing?"

"Actually, I'm part of the research team for it, and my aunt's in charge of it, so yeah."

She blinks, the only indication that this surprises her. "Then, you know how serious it is. It hasn't spread much yet, has it?" I shake my head. "Well, that doesn't mean your pokemon aren't still in danger." She raises her hand in front of her and makes a fist. "And, I won't stand for that!"

Who is this person, and where is that goofy girl who got electrocuted on purpose? "Are you me as a girl or something? 'Cause that sounds like stuff I would say."

She giggles, collects her backpack, and stands. I do the same. "Well, I'm feeling a lot less shocky now," she says. She smiles at Joltik. "I'm thinking you had a hand in that."

Joltik responds by crawling back on to her head.

I chuckle. "If he and Patches get along, you might have to get used to wearing a hat." I tip my own for emphasis.

"Fine by me!" Ella says.

"By the way," I add, "would you mind sending me that picture of Pikachu? Or, would that be weird?"

Her eyes turn tender. "Why would that be weird?" She digs into her backpack and pulls her phone back out. "How many do you want? I took…" She swipes her finger over the screen for a while. "I took thirty-three." At my expression, she shrugs. "Pure perfection covered in fur. I got excited."

Part of me wants all of them, but even I have to admit that would be ridiculous. "Uh, just a couple, I guess."

"Okay. I'll scroll through later and send you the best ones. Why don't we head back inside?" She winks at me. "I promise not to get shocked again."

I want to go back inside and pretend that everything's fine, that my thoughts aren't occupied by lightning and fire. I want to walk into a room full of friendly electric-type pokemon and not imagine Pikachu having the time of his life. I want to look at Alpha Electrode and not envision Charizard challenging them to a battle just for the fun of it.

My friends can take care of themselves, and at least one of them isn't alone.

But, my heart has never felt heavier.

When my emotions threaten to overwhelm me, it's like alarm bells ring in my head. Red alert, red alert, evacuation protocol, like in those disaster movies my mom likes. I hate getting upset, and I hate others seeing me upset even more. So, I say to Ella, "You go ahead. I, uh," I jerk my thumb behind me, "I have to use the bush."

"Oh, okay," Ella replies. "I'll see you inside." She starts for the hole in the wall we'd come out of.

"Don't catch Joltik without me. Oh, and Ella?" She stops and turns around. "Could you…not mention anything to Lorette and Korou?" She and Joltik give me funny looks. "I just really don't wanna think about bad stuff right now." It's only half a lie. The whole truth is that I just remembered that those two don't know about Charizard, and I don't have the strength to tell them right now. Later, of course, when my heart isn't wedged into my throat, but not now.

Ella raises an eyebrow. "They do know about your pokemon, right?" I nod because they know about a pokemon, so it's not technically a lie. "Alright. I won't say anything. Come on, Joltik. Let's go meet Patches."

When I'm finally alone, I slump back down into the grass. I unclip Pikachu's pokeball from my belt and bring it to full size, giving it another thorough examination. Still no cracks or marks. There's no guarantee that nothing bad happened since Ella saw him, but knowing he's alive is good. Sometimes it feels like this pokeball is the only thing keeping me sane. I should have Professor Oak send over Charizard's.

Charizard. I remember when I met that Charmander who was sitting in the rain with nothing but a big leaf as shelter. He was on death's doorstep when we met, and now he's one of the strongest pokemon I know.

Charmander was a shy but friendly pokemon. Then, he evolved and did a total one-eighty. Charmeleon ignored me in battle, constantly disobeyed me and seemed to outright hate me. It got even worse when he evolved into Charizard. I never found out what happened. I asked Pikachu countless times back then, as he and Charizard were still close despite this, but even he wasn't sure.

Things changed when Charizard got knocked out by a powerful Ice Beam and ended up with a horrible case of frostbite. I'd stayed up all night talking to him and trying to keep him warm. Then, he finally cared about me the way he did as a Charmander. I'd walked on eggshells around him for a while after this, terrified that I would do something to start that awful cycle all over again. But, thankfully, his friendship and loyalty were here to stay.

At least, that's what I thought.

A tear lands on the pokeball and rolls down the side. I squeeze my eyes shut before more can fall. I have to pull myself together. If I don't go back in soon, someone will come looking for me.

" Gardedeh? "

I jump and make a very unmanly sound. "Son of a bitch," I mutter. "Where do you keep coming from?"

Gardevoir is cross-legged beside me, his face pinched in concern. When did he get here? He must have felt my change in mood. I'd promised him my best, and I'm still screwing it up!

I put the pokeball back on my belt and scrub at my face. "I'm fine. It's, uh, the pollen, is all." Gardevoir narrows his eyes, silently calling me out. I sigh heavily. "What am I doing? You can feel what I'm feeling. I can't hide anything from you." He stiffens. "Yeah, I know you can do that. I don't mind," I add quickly. "But, uh, are you able to turn it off?" He hesitates then nods, still too tense for my liking. It's like I've caught him doing something wrong, and he expects me to be angry. Still, it's a huge relief to know that he can stop whenever he wants. "Like I said, I don't mind. I just hope I haven't messed you up because of it." He shakes his head, relaxing a little. "I assume you've been doing it a lot today, and I can see why."

Gardevoir scoots closer to me, silently urging me to continue. I may as well. He deserves an explanation, and I'm sick of hiding this.

"I should have said something this morning. I just… I just wanted to keep my promise to you. Plus, we had this Zapdos thing planned. Adventures like this are normal for me, and…I just…I just wanted to feel normal ."

Gardevoir wraps his arm around me when I swipe at my eyes again and compose myself.

"That phone call this morning. You probably figured out that it wasn't telemarketers or whatever the hell I said. No, it was Professor Oak. You met him when you met my other pokemon. Remember?" He nods. "Well, he called this morning about-about Charizard. The one with the big wings who was breathing fire?" Another nod. "Apparently, he…he got out somehow. Nobody can figure how, but…" I blink against the fresh tears and sniff. "I guess I have two friends missing now."

Gardevoir is silent for a moment, then he takes Pikachu's pokeball and holds it up.

"Yeah. The working theory is that he's looking for Pikachu." He puts the pokeball back. I almost don't want to say what else is on my mind, but at this point I can't stop. "But…I'm worried that…that it's something else. You see, when I first caught Charmander, he was so sweet and kind of timid even. But, then he evolved and-and Charmeleon just-just hated me for some reason. And, God, don't get me started on when he evolved into Charizard."

Gardevoir frowns deeply and tilts his head, his tongue peeking out of his mouth.

"I don't get it either. This went on for a long time, and then he lost a really tough battle. I spent all night talking to him and nursing his wounds, and things were better after that. Things were amazing, actually." Just keep going, Ash. You can do this. "But, now, I'm worried that-that with Pikachu gone… When I told everyone, he wouldn't even look my way. I'm scared that…that he knows it's my fault and…" Now, I'm shaking and tears are dripping down my face. I no longer care. "W-what if he hates me all over again? *hic* What if he d-doesn't w-want to be my pokemon anymore ?"

As soon as I put the thought out there, the dam bursts. Harsh sobs overtake me, and I muffle them by throwing my hands over my mouth. I bring my knees to my chest, scrunching into a ball as if making myself smaller will make the hurt smaller.

I can picture them as clearly as if they were standing right in front of me. Pikachu and Charmander playing together, training together. Even after Charmander evolved and changed in the worst way, those two remained brothers in every way but blood. Oh, they had their arguments, mostly about Charmeleon/Charizard's treatment of me, based on Pikachu's side of it. I recall several occasions when Pikachu and Charmeleon/Charizard would go at it when they thought no one could hear them. There was even a particularly explosive fight after my mess of an attempt at the Indigo Plateau. That day will forever live in infamy, not as my first serious loss, but as "the day Pikachu snapped."

Yet, through every harsh word plus Pikachu's meltdown on that particular day (which, in hindsight, was kind of funny considering that Charizard was cowering in fear of someone who is roughly the size of his foot ), they always made up somehow. Pikachu could laugh at something Charizard said. Charizard knew Pikachu's favorite places to be scratched. Pikachu would never admit it, but when we come home from other regions, Charizard is the pokemon he’s the most excited to see outside of a screen.

Now, Pikachu's gone missing in the midst of what could be a disastrous outbreak. I'm the trainer, and my pokemon's safety is my responsibility. Charizard knows that. That's surely why he left.

I've never truly hated myself until today.

Once my sobs slow down, I hear a quiet, " Gardedeh, " and force my head up. Gardevoir cups my face and wipes my wet cheeks. Thoroughly embarrassed, I finish the job by wiping my nose on my sleeve. Gardevoir narrows his eyes and beats his fist against his chest. " Gardeh-vwarh. "

I sniff. "Are you saying you have my back?" He smiles and beats his chest again. My heart feels a little bit lighter. "Thank you. I admit, it does feel good to get all that off my chest."

Gardevoir smiles in relief, but that undoes some of the progress. I broke my promise to be better, to be myself. I try, but I keep going back to being a wreck. That's not the real me, but it's the only me he knows, and I hate that. And, I won't let this go on.

I stand up and hold out a hand for Gardevoir. Curious now, he takes it, and I help him to his feet. I reach up to turn my hat around then put my hands on my hips. "Listen, Gardevoir. What you just saw was a setback. Everyone has setbacks, and I'm no exception. Hell, you should have seen me in the Unova region. Oof, puberty hit me hard ." He laughs at what I wish was a joke. "Anyway, here's how it works for me. When I'm upset, I stew for a while, shed a few tears if I'm really bummed. But then, I pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back on track. You've been so supportive and patient, and I can't tell you how much that means to me, but no more. I'm sick of having to lean on you all the time. I'm supposed to be one who gets leaned on, and I absolutely hate myself for being anything else."

" Gardeh gardevwarh- "

I raise my hand, stopping his protests. "Take me as I am, Gardevoir." He crosses his arms but doesn't argue. "I'm scared. I'm scared of Poke-X and what it does to pokemon. I'm scared for the pokemon themselves. And, I'm especially scared for Pikachu and Charizard. But, falling apart isn't going to fix anything. Like I said, what you just saw was a setback. I won't lie to you; depending on what happens, there could be another one. But, if that's the case, all it will do is slow me down. It will not stop me. I don't quit until it's over, and it's nowhere near over, you got that?"

Gardevoir's smile is just as fierce as I'm sure mine is.

"That's the spirit. And, one more thing. Have you ever heard the saying 'friendship is a two-way street?'" He shakes his head. "It means that love and support goes both ways. You can count on me just as much as I've been counting on you. I want you to know that you can come to me for anything. I can't guarantee that I'll understand- Actually, I can guarantee that I won't understand." He huffs a laugh. "But, I'm here. If you need a shoulder to cry on or something, I've got you, Gardevoir. You're not the only one who can initiate a hug, you know."

He responds with a warm smile and a tight hug.

"Hey, what did I just say?" I jest and wrap my own arms around him. "We should get back in there before we're missed."

" Vwarh, " he agrees.

The second we step back inside, most of our friends are there to greet us. "There you two are." Korou says. He takes a better look at me and frowns. "Ash, are you okay?"

Crap. I forgot how red in the face I get when I cry. "Uh, yeah, yeah. I-I kind of pissed off a poison-type pokemon."

"By pissing on it?" Lorette asks with a wide grin that fades when no one laughs. Even Electrode looks annoyed. "Sorry. Ella said you were doing your thing, and I couldn't resist. But, seriously, everything good, man?"

I may be feeling better than when I left, but I'm not sure I'm stable enough to explain. I resolve to tell them about Charizard when we get back to Lavender Town. "Where is Ella, anyway?" I ask instead of answering. "We keep losing that girl."

Sarge points somewhere in the crowd. " Champ mahchamp. "

We spot Ella's dark brown pigtails among all the red and white and head that direction. Ella is crouched down and fingering her bright pink backpack. She is laser-focused on Patches and Joltik, who are a short distance away and totally oblivious. Patches points to her cheek, and Joltik hesitantly touches it, calming when he soaks in her electricity. I think it's safe to say that those two are getting along.

I bend down and tap Ella's shoulder. "So, are you gonna catch that Joltik?"

"Catch Joltik?" Korou repeats.

Lorette chuckles and shakes her head. "Man, that thing was sitting on her for so long, I assumed it was already hers."

Ella blushes and unzips her backpack. She pulls out a pokeball, brings it to full size, and switches her gaze between it and Joltik, rinse and repeat. "What if he doesn't want to be caught?"

"There's only one way to find out," Korou encourages. The rest of us nod.

Ella stares at us before turning back around and crawling toward the Patches and Joltik. "Joltik?" Joltik looks up at her. "Um, do you wanna come with us, maybe?"

A broad grin takes over Patches's face. She chitters at Joltik, who patters his feet on the ground in excitement. Looks like a yes to me!

"Really? You really wanna be my pokemon?" Ella confirms. Unbeknownst to her, Zapdos and a few others heard this and turned to watch. "Okay. Here we go!"

She taps the pokeball on Joltik's head, sending him inside. The ball shakes for a moment in her hand before clicking. Patches wags her tail and squeaks in pleasure, and some of the on-lookers chant their own congratulations.

"Alright!" I cheer. "You just caught a Joltik!"

Gardevoir echoes my joy. Sarge grabs Ella's shirt, lifts her to her feet, slaps her back so hard that she's almost on the floor again. Electrode gleefully circles Ella's feet. Zapdos caws and bobs his head, which everyone takes notice of. Anyone who didn't already congratulate Ella does so as a result.

"Looks like you've got Zapdos's approval," Korou comments.

"Zapdos is a cool dude," Lorette says. "I'm glad I got him pegged right."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

Lorette gives me a side-eye. "My book, doofus. I mean I think I portrayed him right in my book."

"You wrote a book?" I exclaim. "Why am I just hearing about this?"

Korou raises an eyebrow at her. "You never told him?"

Lorette hums and touches a finger to her chin. "I thought I did. Maybe I didn't." She bends over in a mock-bow. "Anyway, Lorette Jenkins. Author of several works of fiction. Nice to meet you, Ketchum."

" Several ?" This is getting more awesome by the minute! "I read all kinds of stuff! How come I've never heard of you?"

She shrugs. "I don't know. There are a lot of authors out there. Anyway, that's why I wanted to see Zapdos so badly. My latest work involves him in a big way. The story's already on the brink of publication, but I wanted to see how accurate I was. Besides, who doesn't wanna see a Legendary Pokemon up close and personal?"

"Man, I've gotta read that book. I've gotta read all your books!"

Lorette gives me a big toothy grin, and Korou says, "You should definitely check them out. Now, what's up with Ella?"

It turns out that Ella had spent our entire exchange staring at Joltik's pokeball with an unreadable expression. Our pokemon are gathered around her, poking and prodding her, trying to break her from her daze.

It isn't until Patches shoos everyone back and releases a bright blue Discharge that Ella finally wakes up. So much for not getting shocked again. She's burned to a crisp, and her pigtails have morphed back into giant fuzzballs, but at least she's lucid enough to raise her pokeball, kick one leg in the air, and shout, "I did it! I caught my first pokemon!" She shakes the pokeball. "Come on, Joltik! Come out of there!"

Joltik shoots out the pokeball and lands on his new trainer's head. He spins around twice before settling in.

I have to laugh. "Looks like you've got a new hat."

Lorette giggles. "It's very stylish."

"So," Korou adds, "are you gonna give Joltik a nickname like you did Patches?"

"Maybe if I can come up with something," Ella answers.

Patches climbs on to her trainer's shoulder and squeaks at Joltik, who chirps and waves in reply.

Zapdos walks up to Ella, and she and Patches stare down at him in awe. Joltik hides his face in Ella's hair and trembles. Zapdos lowers his head. Taking the hint, Ella does the same. Zapdos then reaches up and scratches Joltik's back with his beak. Joltik slowly turns around, and the Legendary chirps soothingly at him.

"Zapdos really is as awesome as I remember," I comment.

"You still haven't told us how you guys met," Ella says.

Zapdos coos at this and flaps in my direction, calling out to everyone. Before I know it, I have curious eyes all around me.

"I think you have an audience," Korou says in amusement.

"Well, I can't be the only storyteller here." Lorette sits cross-legged on the ground. "Tell us what's up. Now's as good a time as any."

My other friends, human and pokemon alike, follow her lead. Once again, thoughts of Pikachu and Charizard fill my mind. They were right beside me that day. They should be here to help me tell the story.

But, Pikachu has friends, and Charizard is, well, Charizard . Granted, that doesn't mean that they're safe. It doesn't mean that Charizard isn't angry with me for letting Pikachu get captured. For all I know, Pikachu himself could be angry with me as well-

No. Put those thoughts away. It's time to get back on track.

I clap my hands together and say to my audience, "Okay. Here's how it all went down."

Chapter 15: Let Butter-Freedom Ring

" Hey, you. Yeah, you. No, not you. The other guy. Yes, you. Do you like tacos?" - Unknown

Charizard

Professor Oak's Ranch is encircled by a barrier specifically designed to keep pokemon from getting out. Don't ask me how it works. It sounds stifling, like a prison or something, but there's so much space on the ranch that you don't notice until you bump into an invisible wall. And, there are plenty of other pokemon, so we never feel lonely. On the contrary, we're all quite comfortable living there, though some of us miss the call of adventure.

I guess that's partly why I left. That and the fact that the only non-human or -fire-type that I could casually call my brother has gone missing. In the midst of an outbreak of some fatal illness that the humans call "Poke-X," no less. Not a great name, but whatever.

I don't know how Snivy figured out that escape route, but I owe her big time. Not so much that I would let her come with me, no matter how strong she is or how badly she wanted to help. She's persuasive when she wants to be, but I refuse to have someone else to worry about. In the end, she angrily relented, merely telling me to "just be careful, you glorified campfire."

I love that bitch.

By now, I'm sure that Ash knows about my absence. Professor Oak always lets trainers know of anything significant that happens to their pokemon, and I'd say this qualifies. Ash is probably furious, but he'll change his tune if and when I find Pikachu.

That said, I've been at this since yesterday, and I'm not making any progress. I've asked anyone who would stop to listen, and all I learned was that several Pikachu lived in Viridian Forest. My own friend was born there, so I already knew about that, but it was something. Sadly, I didn't recognize any of those Pikachu, and none of them recognized me or the name Ash Ketchum. I even scanned for Raichu (a long shot, but you never know), but the few I found were dead ends.

I took flight after that, and now I find myself leaning against a tree just outside of some city and wondering what my next move is. I won't give up on Pikachu. No matter what. After all that he and Ash have done for me, I owe them that much and more.

"Why, you look like a fellow with a head full of thoughts." I look up and find a Butterfree clinging upside-down to the tree trunk and staring down at me with those huge red eyes. He skitters down until he is too close for comfort. I step away, and he stops when we're at eye-level. "I can relate. I got thoughts in my head too, yup yup."

Any other time, I would ignore him and move on. But, there's something about him… "Do I know you?" I ask. "You seem familiar."

Butterfree tilts his head at me and hums loudly. "Well, I've been told I got one of them faces." His huge white wings propel him off the tree, and he flies all around me, stopping in front of my face. "Though, you got something about you, yup yup. Curious. I don't recall ever meeting no, eh…"

"Charizard."

"That name." He clicks his tongue in rapid succession. "That there name."

We stand there, staring each other down. Clearly, we've met before, but where? Suddenly, I recall that Ash had a Butterfree on the team in his early days as a trainer. Said pokemon fell in love with a female Butterfree and left to go be with her. We were all sad to see him go, but we weren't going to deny him his happiness.

But, this can't be that guy, can he?

This Butterfree continues babbling. "Now, I knew a Char mander back in the day. Maybe that's why the name gets me. Sounds kind of similar."

"By any chance," I begin, suspicious now, "does the name Ash Ketchum mean anything?"

His eyes light up, and I have my answer. "Why, sure 'nuff! I used to bebop all over Timbuktu with that feller. His other pokemon too. Let's see. There was Pikachu and Pigeotto and that Charmander I mentioned-"

I laugh in both disbelief (because it's been years since I've seen this guy) and amusement (because he still talks your ear off). I tap a claw against my chest. "That would be me. I'm Charmander! Though, as I've said, my name is Charizard now."

I stifle another laugh as Butterfree's mouth drops open and he stares up and down at me. "Well, tan my hide! You got a heck of a lot bigger!" He flies around me, and I feel him land on my back. "Nice set of wings, too." He crawls along one wing, and I shake him off with a hard flap. He somersaults mid-air but flies back in front of me, undeterred. He crosses his arms and nods sagely. "Mm-hm. I'd say that's a mighty fine form you got there."

The praise warms me, but I reign in my ego, remembering why I'm out here. "Look, I'd love to catch up, Butterfree-"

He lets out a little gasp, the interruption grating me a bit. "Oh, duh! If you're here, that means Ash is too, right?" He twirls with glee. "Yeehaw! I'm as happy as a Psyduck without a headache!"

And, now I have to burst his bubble. Lovely. "Actually, Ash isn't here."

"Oh." He deflates a little then shoves his dopey grin in my face. "Well, he can't be far behind, right?"

How am I supposed to explain this? He's so excited to see Ash again, that the last thing I want is to tell him that Ash is on the opposite side of the region (then again, I have no idea where I am right now). On a more selfish note, I'm going to get enough of an earful for leaving from Ash. And, assuming Butterfree hasn't changed too much, he's never exactly been known for his ability to shut up. A lecture from him could take a while. A long while that Pikachu might not have. Still, I have to tell Butterfree something .

"I'll give you the short version," I decide, pushing him back with my finger. "Team Rocket- Do you remember them?"

"Hard to forget them," he confirms. "You know, they're a peculiar bunch. I always wondered-"

"Anyway," I say before he can go off, "I wasn't there, so I don't know the whole story, but apparently Team Rocket managed to kidnap Pikachu. He got away, but no one's heard from him in a while."

Butterfree shakes his head and clicks his tongue again. "Ah, I do not miss those folks. Sure hope Pikachu's alright." He's not the only one. "So, Ash sent you off as a search party, huh?"

I nod, ignoring a twinge of guilt. But, what Butterfree doesn't know won't hurt him. "I'm going to assume that means you don't know where Pikachu is."

He shrugs helplessly. "My hands are tied, partner." Then, he gets an odd look on his face. "Say, where exactly did Pikachu get captured?"

I like the way he said that. "Not entirely sure," I say honestly.

Given the timeframe, I'd say it was somewhere between Vermilion City and Lavender Town, but that's a pretty wide range. And, for all I know, Team Rocket could have plucked Pikachu right off of the S.S. Whatsitsname. Ash didn't say. He'd been making that face he pulls out when he's holding on for dear life, so I doubt any of us would have asked even if we could use human-language.

Butterfree stares me down, sizing me up like we're preparing for a battle. I can practically smell the smoke, he's thinking so hard. I'm about to run out of patience when he says, "I'll tell you what. I might have something for you. But, if I scratch your back, you gotta scratch mine."

Seriously? I'm tempted to blow fire in his face. Chances are, Pikachu doesn't have time for me to do favors. Then again, I doubt Butterfree would do this if it wasn't important. And, I need everything I can get if it means finding one of my oldest friends. "Fine. What do you want?"

"Let me come with you."

…I don't know what I was expecting, but I know it wasn't that. "Excuse me?"

Butterfree's face suddenly resembles Ash's when things get intense. I can almost picture Butterfree reaching up to flip a ball cap around. "I wanna come along with you, Charizard. Thing is, I've been off searching for Ash for a while now. You know where to find him, right?"

"Well, yes, but-”

"Then, I'll tell you what you wanna know if you bring me to Ash afterwards." He sticks out a hand, though it's not much of a gesture since he doesn't exactly have arms. "We got a done deal?"

Yeah, no. Under normal circumstances, I might go along with this, but I'll cover more ground on my own. Not to mention, I don't know how much Butterfree's kept up with training, if at all. I'm not saying that having a mate and probably kids could make him soft, but it would certainly be a distraction at least.

Come to think of it… "Don't you have a mate? What about her?"

Butterfree's face tightens, and I immediately regret mentioning it. He turns his head and twiddles his thumbs, er, fingers? "Uh, b-both my daughters have trainers now. I, um, I-I got nothing keeping me." No mention of his mate. I don't push the matter. He shakes his head, as if that will dispel whatever bad thoughts were in there. "L-look, I know it's been a long time since I left the team, but I'm tough. I can look after myself. I'll help with forging and I can battle and all that."

"Butterfree…" The implications about his mate make me waver a bit, but I'm not backing down.

But, neither is he. "Come on, Charizard!" He folds his hands desperately in front of him. "Please? Pretty please with tamato berries on top? I can't eat those things. Too spicy for me. For most folks, I reckon. But, I know you fire-types like them. Besides, the place I'm thinking of ain't all that easy to find if you don't know what you're looking for."

I'm wasting time, and I need that information. I sigh through my nose, deliberately blowing smoke in his face and taking more pleasure than I should in watching him cough and wave at the air. "Alright, you've twisted my arm. Tell me what you know, and I'll take you to Ash." Assuming he's still in Lavender Town. Assuming I can find Lavender Town…

Butterfree's eyes brighten. "Yeehaw!" he cries with a triumphant mid-air flip.

"Just one thing. If you're coming along with me, I want to make sure you're aware of something."

"Let me guess," he says slyly. He flutters closer and nudges my chest. "You're a big hot shot final evolution, and you work alone. That's why you're here all by yourself, right?"

Sufficiently annoyed, I push him off me. "Um. No. There's a deadly disease going around. As far as I know, it's isolated to Lavender Town and the surrounding area, but it could have spread. The humans call it Poke-X. Hear anything about it?"

"Poke-X, you say," Butterfree repeats. "No, I can't say that I have. But, it can't be that bad if Ash let you go off on your own." I must make some kind of face, because Butterfree squints at me. "He doesn't know you're out here, does he?" Busted. I try to stammer out an explanation, but he wags his finger at me like I'm a naughty hatchling. "Ah ah ah, I'm a father, Charizard. You cannot, I say I said, you can not lie to me. I'll see through it easier than a Luxray staring at a window." He pauses at my blank expression. "Luxray can see through walls, hence the-the window- Forget it. You know what I mean."

I groan and run a hand over my face. "Fine. Ash doesn't know I'm here. But, he also doesn't know where Pikachu is. This whole thing would be bad enough without Poke-X. I mentioned it so that I know you'll know what to avoid."

"So, I am coming with you?"

"Only because it sounds like I'll need a guide. Now listen. From what I hear, Poke-X causes some sort of hallucination that makes you attack yourself and others. To be honest, I wasn't paying much attention beyond that, but- Uh, are you okay?"

His eyes are somehow wide and narrow at the same time, and there's a catch in the flutter of his wings that makes me worry he'll lose his hover. But, he shakes his head and blinks back to reality. "Sorry, I-I kind of zoned out there. But-but, I heard you. Heard you loud and clear, yup yup. M-makes you, uh, makes you hurt yourself…" His voice trails off, and he doesn't look at me.

The fear in his eyes isn't a fear of the unknown. It's a fear of the familiar . The way he spoke, the way his naturally loud voice grew alarmingly quiet; that's realization.

And, I have my own realization: he still hasn't mentioned his mate.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" I ask not unkindly.

"You know, Ash is probably worried to no end about you," he says suddenly. His voice is hard, but there's a fragility to it, like getting angry will keep him from breaking down. I recognize the tone because Ash also copes through distraction, and that can result in anger on his part as well. "Not to mention Bulbasaur and Squirtle and whoever else Ash has these days."

Oh, he has no idea.

As curious as I am, I'm not going to question him further if he's not willing to talk. I need to be on his good side, and I'm not going to count on simply being old friends to keep it that way. A lot of time has passed, after all.

It has nothing to do with some fear of saying something that will make him feel even worse, nor does it involve me generally sucking at emotions. Getting back to business is purely strategic on my part. Definitely.

But, something occurs to me that I have no choice but to risk mentioning. "You know, Ash is actually at work researching Poke-X."

Butterfree's eyes brighten with interest. "He is?"

"Yeah. I don't know all the details, but I suspect he's seen it up close and personal. If you rejoin the team now… Butterfree you would be on the front lines with him. And, that's assuming he keeps you with him throughout. Now that I think about it, he probably wouldn't want any pokemon with him at all right now." Granted, Ash did catch that Gardevoir, but Arceus knows what the circumstances were.

"He brought Pikachu."

"Pikachu went missing before Ash was recruited." I assume. "Butterfree, I've never seen an infected pokemon, but from what I've heard, it isn't pretty."

"I know it ain't pretty!" Butterfree's hands are shaking, but the look on his face is fierce. A few passing Sentret and a Furret look our way, and Butterfree lowers his voice. "I think I might have seen it, alright? And…and, I know I'll never see anything worse." His voice started breaking at the end, confirming my suspicions. He pounds a fist to his chest. "I can handle anything, Charizard!"

I've never had a mate (some casual flings with Alpha Charla back in Charicific Valley, but I don't think that counts), but I've seen pokemon lose their own mates. It's one thing if it's natural causes. But, I've seen stronger pokemon than me left as complete wrecks from the sudden, unexpected loss of their significant other. I'll give Butterfree some credit; he's on his feet, in a manner of speaking, and he's not wallowing in grief. That I know of, at least.

But, I don't know what would happen if he saw Poke-X in action. Again, from the sound of it.

I shouldn't. I shouldn't ask, but I can't stop myself. "Your mate had it, didn't she?"

I half-expect him to crumble to the ground and sob into the grass. Instead, he scrubs at his huge eyes, retaining that broken determination. "Look. When I lost Flutter, I was in a real funk. I watched my gal tear herself apart, and nothing I tried could stop her. We'd flown off on our own, so the hoard wasn't around to help out. Telling everyone what happened was the hardest thing I ever did. I'm just glad our girls had already left with their trainers before all that."

Butterfree…

He goes on, lost somewhere I could never find him. "I was mad at the world, and I hated myself for not saving her, and nothing felt right anymore. The horde was kind to me, but you wouldn't have wanted to see me then. Then, one day, I finally got sick of the pain and asked myself, 'Butterfree, when's the last time you were really happy?' Flutter wasn't an option. Our girls were off on their own-"

"And, you thought of Ash," I realize.

He blinks back to reality. If he's embarrassed for revealing all that to me, he doesn't show it. "Now, I never forgot him, but I hadn't thought of him that much since he let me go. So, I said my goodbyes, and here we are."

I want to respond, but nothing comes to me.

"You say Ash is looking into this?" he confirms.

"Yes," is the only sound I can make.

Butterfree gives me a firm nod. "Then, I absolutely have to find him. I want to figure out what happened to Flutter."

This guy has more fortitude than I gave him credit for. My resolve finally crumbles. In a perfect world, I'd be at this on my own, with no one else to watch out for except Pikachu. And, when he turned up, I'd deal with whatever state of mind and body he'd be in. We'd make our way to Ash, and then everything would go back to normal. Or, as normal as things can be for our family.

Sadly, if Butterfree's story is anything to go by, the world isn't perfect.

I find my voice. "Pikachu comes first. Then, I'll take you to Ash."

"Right. Absolutely." Butterfree clears his throat. "When I left Butterfree Horde, I stumbled across another horde. This one lives in a big meadow deep in the woods. Kind of a hidden gem. You don't even really notice it by air if you don't think to look for it. And, even then, the trees are bent all funny, so it doesn't look like much-" My turn to clear my throat. "Sorry. Anywho, the horde's chalked full of pokemon of all kinds from all over the place, and I ain't just talking Kanto. They take in folks who've had some kind of trouble, you see."

"Sounds promising."

"And, they're led by an alpha." He pauses dramatically then leans in, as if revealing some big secret. "An Alpha Raichu."

The evolved form of Pikachu. "Even more promising. Are they nearby?"

"About a day or so's travel by air, I reckon."

That's not so bad. "And, you think Pikachu might be there?"

Butterfree shrugs. "Well, I was there a few days ago, and he wasn't, but he could be there now. And, even if he ain't, someone might know something. Like I said, them folks are from all over, yup yup."

It's not a guarantee, but it's the only lead I have. "Good enough. Lead the way."

Butterfree salutes the best he can. "Yes, sir!" We take to the skies. "I think you'll like Alpha Raichu," he says over his shoulder. "She's a tough cookie, but she's real nice, yup yup."

As we fly, he goes on about the horde, and I take mental notes. At least, I try to, but his chatter snaps between important information (like there also being an Alpha Vulpix living there) and random crap (like every single color of every single flower ) so quickly that it doesn't take long for me to tune him out.

Regardless, hearing so much about this horde makes me think of everyone back on the ranch. I'm sure Snivy told them why I left, but that won't stop them from worrying about me. I'm sure Ash won't be the only one yelling at me when I get home. But, it doesn't matter. Finding Pikachu will be worth every harsh word.

Chapter 16: Hattrem's Den

" If I'm upset, hold me and tell me how beautiful I am. If I growl, retreat to a safe distance and throw chocolate." - Unknown

Pikachu

While Eevee rested from our battle, Sprout, Wobbles, and I decided to make ourselves useful by gathering food. Meanwhile, Absol stayed behind to guard the hatchling while he slept. I had spotted a lum berry bush when I'd heard a faint, feminine human voice say the words "powerful pokemon."

" A powerful pokemon, you say, " the response is from another human, this time a male.

" You heard me right! " the female chimes. " I overheard some trainers talking about it. It's called Hattrem, and apparently it lives in this area. Sounds right up our ally, don't you think, boys? "

The next voice belongs to a pokemon. "Hey, you know I'm up for anything."

" Oy vey. I don't know if I'm up for that. " The fourth voice - a high, scratchy one - puzzles me a little. It's human language, but there's something…off about it.

I know these voices. As the four converse, I follow the sounds, hoping to see whom they belong to.

The male human sounds worried as he replies, " Is it your stomach, old chum? "

" Don't tell me it's still bothering you, " the female adds, equally concerned.

" It's probably just something I ate, " the scratchy voice assures. " I'll live. "

The voices are loud enough now that I must be close, but I decide to turn back. I don't want to stray too far and get lost. I got separated from one friend already. I don't want to lose anyone else.

I forget about the familiar-sounding voices when I spot buildings in the distance. We continued our trek after Eevee woke up and we had all eaten. Now, we are all standing at the top of a steep hill, but that doesn't stop me from sprinting down so fast that I end up tripping and rolling the rest of the way down. I end up flat on my back, staring up at the fluffy clouds in the quickly darkening sky. In my disorientation, or perhaps my own desperation to find Ash, I can't help thinking that the biggest one is shaped like one of his signature ball caps.

I'm not sure how long I lay in the grass, blinking away speckles, but eventually Eevee's furry brown head appears in front of me. "Are you dead?" he asks.

"What is your fixation with death?" I reply. Then, I remember what the others told me about his parents and the forest fire, and I inwardly cringe.

But, Eevee just shrugs nonchalantly as the others catch up to him. I roll over and shake out my pelt as Absol - I'm starting to get used to this - scolds me for my recklessness. But, the words roll right past me as I stand there, impatiently kneading at the grass and wishing I could still see the city from here. Alpha Electrode had pointed us in the right direction, and I don't think we've strayed too far from the path. That has to be Vermilion City up ahead! Ash has to still be there! And, if he isn't, maybe someone can contact him or at least tell me where he went.

Just a little longer, Ashton.

Absol swipes his huge paw over my ears, bringing me back to the here and now. "Are you listening to me?" I'm too distracted to do anything but stare up at him. He flicks my ears again. "Look around, Pikachu. Notice anything?"

That's when I look between his long legs and see a small shack up ahead. It's kind of a strange sight since we're still a ways away from the city, but I don't see what the big deal is. "You mean that shack?" I ask. Eevee spots it and squeaks and hides behind me, trembling. Whoever lives there must not be very friendly. "What's going on?"

Absol blinks in surprise. "You don't know?"

"You're forgetting," Sprout says, her fearful eyes locked on the shack. "He's not a wild pokemon. I'm not surprised he doesn't know about Hattrem."

"Hattrem?" I repeat. Wasn't that the pokemon those humans were talking about? "Who's that?"

"Hattrem: the serene pokemon," Wobbles informs. "A psychic-type. Its hair doubles as extra limbs that it uses for all sorts of things. Most famously - or, in famously, I suppose - it uses its hair to beat you senseless if you're being too loud." She shudders. "Learned that the hard way."

"She saw a shiny one and lost her mind," Absol explains with an eye roll. He glares at the Wobbuffet. "Thank Arceus I'm a dark-type."

Wobbles grins sheepishly. "First time seeing a shiny. What can I say?"

Absol just shakes his head "Anyway, Pikachu, the Hattrem who lives here is incredibly dangerous."

Sprout whimpers and shivers her leaves. "They say that she attacks anyone who gets too close! She's attacked us just for saying hello!"

"She's mean!" Eevee adds.

"I-I'm sure Hattrem isn't that bad," I say, ignoring a tingle of nerves. "I mean, no one would be that aggressive for no reason."

"Whatever the case," Absol says, "we stay far away from her."

---

That night, I can't get any sleep. We'd backtracked and made camp a safe distance from the shack, and the others had no trouble nodding off in the soft grass. Me, not so much. My mind is heavy with thoughts of Ash Ketchum. Every time I close my eyes, his face brings me a bout of insomnia. Expressive eyes the color of milk chocolate. Thick black hair that I like to rub my face in, which always generates a giggle from him. A warm, friendly smile that makes you feel like everything will be alright no matter how bad things get.

When I do manage to force him out of my mind, Hattrem takes his place. What's her story? Is she really as scary as my friends say? There must be an explanation.

After tossing and turning for what feels like hours but is probably only a few minutes, I realize that Wobbles is nowhere to be found. She doesn't need as much sleep as the rest of us, and she's had little midnight jaunts before, so it doesn't surprise me. Still, feeling the situation familiar, I decide to follow her scent. Maybe talking to her will bring me comfort the way it did when we first met.

Unless she decides to experiment on me again. I'll take my chances.

I trek through the clearing, thankfully not waking anyone like last time, and find Wobbles crouched behind a shrub and peering over it. I'm about to ask her what she's doing, but I hear a call of "Miriam? Miriam?" coming from the direction she's looking. I step a little heavier, not wanting to startle her as I get closer.

Wobbles looks at me over her shoulder. "What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep," I whisper. "What's going on?"

She hesitates then waves me closer. I approach cautiously then poke my head around the shrub. We're a short distance from the old shack, and there is a pokemon wandering around out front, calling for someone named Miriam. The pokemon is one I've never seen before. She is small, roughly my size, and has a round blue back with a white and pink cone-shaped appendage - a horn, maybe? Two large, round blue feet carry her across the grass. Then, she turns around, and Wobbles drags me back behind the shrug. Luckily, there is a gap in the brush just big enough for me to see through. To my surprise, what I thought was the pokemon's back and feet are actually part of her head. Or, more accurately, it's like someone stuck an enormous wig on a tiny doll. The pokemon has a pink body that resembles a stick-figure drawing in a dress. Her legs are too short to reach the ground, so she is carried by the two round appendages that resemble pigtails. Is she walking on her hair ?

This must be Hattrem, and her cries for Miriam are growing more desperate.

I want to leap out of my hiding place and see if I can help in some way, but Wobbles grabs me before I can. She shakes her head and gives me a look that screams, "don't even think about it."

On one hand, she's more familiar with Hattrem than I am, and the fact that Wobbles is being cautious raises some red flags.

On the other hand, Hattrem is starting to cry.

The sound is killing me. This doesn't sound like an aggressive pokemon. Hattrem is in pain. I wonder who Miriam is and how long Hattrem has been searching for them. My mind instantly goes to Charmander. If Ash, Brock, Misty, and I hadn't found him when we did, how long would he have waited for his old trainer to come back? Forget that; how much longer would he have survived ? And, what about Gardevoir? If we hadn't found him, would he still be sitting under that tree, waiting for Evan to return?

While I'm wrestling with indecision, Hattrem drags herself back into the shack, still crying softly. At last, Wobbles lets go of me. "That was Hattrem," she whispers sadly. "The night after she attacked us before, I was wandering around and happened to see her doing the exact thing you just witnessed."

How long has this been going on? My heart breaks on Hattrem's behalf. "Who's Miriam? Do you know?"

Wobbles frowns deeper and rubs the back of her head. "The locals say that her trainer dumped her here years ago and never came back. That's probably who Miriam is."

"And, Hattrem's been waiting all this time? Do-do the others know about this?"

Wobbles shakes her head. "You weren't there, Pikachu. We were just passing by, and Hattrem went ballistic. Absol and I held her off while Sprout got Eevee out of there. My Counter and Mirror Coat kept the worst of it at bay for me, and we Wobbuffet have really good stamina anyway. Absol ended up with the most damage, but luckily I was able to stun Hattrem with a well-timed Mirror Coat and get him out of there."

"But, you said that Hattrem is a psychic-type, right? Absol should be immune to those kinds of attacks." Said the guy who once knocked out a ground-type with an electric-type attack, I think with less pride than usual.

"I believe I've mentioned Hattrem's other method of attacking," Wobbles says. "Besides, being isolated for so long has clearly given her plenty of time to perfect her psychic powers. She also knew Dazzling Gleam," a fairy-type attack, super effective on a dark-type like Absol, "so that didn't help."

Now, I really want to nail Hattrem with Thunderbolt, but I can't get the sound of her quiet, broken sobs out of my head. "That doesn't explain why you haven't told everyone about her trainer."

"I'm getting to that. Look, Absol was badly hurt, and Eevee was still pretty fresh from his egg at the time. I knew that if I'd said something, everyone would come back to try and reason with Hattrem, and I didn't want to risk anything." She turns back to the shack and sighs. "I'd mostly forgotten about it until we came back here. I only told you all that because, well, you're here to see it. I'd like to help her, but what can I do?"

I'm still confused. None of this explains why Hattrem attacks others on sight. Is her isolation the problem? Is she so desperate for her trainer that she can't stand the sight of anyone else?

Could that have happened to my other friends? Charmander most likely would have died before he got to that point, but what about Chimchar and Tepig? Would Chimchar have spent the rest of his days pining for Paul to take him back? Would Tepig have kept searching for Shamus until he starved to death? And, I don't even know where Gardevoir is.

What about me? I've been desperate to see Ash since I woke up on Team Rocket's submarine. What if I didn't have friendly faces to keep me grounded?

Suddenly, my mind flashes to a time before Ash, before even Professor Oak. A time when my father would wrap my pre-evolved self in his tail and lift me high in the air and run around so that I could pretend I was a flying-type. A time when I would try to eat tamato berries like my mother and she would laugh and laugh when I inevitably spit out the spicy fruit and dunked my head in the river. A time when little Pichu/Pikachu was surrounded by others of his kind, when loneliness was a foreign concept.

And then, the poachers came.

I start for the shack, but Wobbles grabs my tail, an action that would earn her a good shock under normal circumstances. "Oh, no, you don't," she warns.

I yank my tail back. "I just wanna talk to her."

"Did you hear anything I just said?"

"Every word. Look, I'll admit that this is the first time I've seen a Hattrem, but it isn't the first time I've seen a pokemon in pain."

Wobbles glares at me but huffs when she sees that my mind is made up. "Well, I'm going in with you."

"I'll be fine," I insist. "Besides, the others will worry if we're both missing without an explanation."

"You make it sound like you'll be here a while."

I hesitate, preparing for an argument. "I think I'll spend the night if she lets me. After what we just saw, I don't think she should be alone."

To my surprise, Wobbles doesn't try to disway me. In fact, she looks pleased. "Honestly, I was thinking the same thing. You sure you don't want me to come in with you? Hattrem might feel more comfortable with a fellow psychic-type around."

"Like I said, everyone will worry if we're both gone when they wake up. I'll be fine."

Wobbles puts her hands on her hips. "Okay, but we need a signal or something. 'Cause I'm not leaving until I know you're gonna be alright. Or, until I know you're dead. Whatever works."

How encouraging. "If everything looks good, I'll…" I glance up and point to the shack. "I'll stick my tail through that window."

Wobbles looks up at the broken window as if memorizing its location then turns back to me. "And, if you're fighting for your life?"

Damn, this woman. "I…I'll use Thunderbolt. You'll be able to see that pretty easily."

Wobbles nods, satisfied. "Alright. Be careful."

With that, I start away but pause. Just to be safe… "If I'm not back by sunhigh, come find me."

She salutes, and I push through the brush and head for the doorway. Upon closer inspection, the shack doesn't look as rundown as I'd initially thought. Sure, it has some loose boards on the walls and plant life growing up the sides, but it seems structurally sound. There are bushes by the door that are covered in plump qualot berries. A bunch of pretty stones are lined up as a makeshift pathway. Overall, the place looks less like an abandoned building and more like an old home that someone's doing their best to keep nice, even if their attempt is a little iffy.

Of course, I don't know what the inside looks like.

Unsure of how to proceed, I start by knocking on the door, which makes it open slightly. Old house, old hinges, I guess. I look back at Wobbles, who stares intensely at me and salutes again. I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart, and carefully push open the door.

"Hello?" I call. "Hello?"

It's as dark as I expected. Even when my eyes adjust, it's hard to see. I let some sparks come to my cheeks, which helps quite a bit. I survey my surroundings. I'm standing on a bristly mat that was probably red at some point but is now a pale orange (or maybe that's just the yellow light from my cheeks). I step off it and onto a hardwood floor. There is a huge, puffy chair that leaks stuffing in some places. The couch isn't any better and is even charred in multiple places, as if a fire-type had used it for target practice. The coffee table has a cover that appears to be made out of woven vines. I go for a closer look and discover that it really is made of vines that are starting to deteriorate. I wonder if Hattrem made it. If so, she did an excellent job. Overall, apart from the expected wear and tear, the room is actually quite clean.

I hear a rustling and jump. "Hattrem?" I call, starting to feel the main character of a horror movie.

The rustling gets faster. "Miriam?" a voice responds. Hattrem rushes in from another room. The rustle seems to be from Hattrem's feet-like hair hitting the ground. "Miriam?"

The excitement on her face dissolves completely when she sees me. "Um, sorry. I'm not Miriam," I say guiltily. "My name is Pikachu." No response. Just a blank stare. I swallow thickly and shuffle my hands on the floor just for something to do. "Uh…I-I like your tablecloth," I add stupidly. "Did you make it yourself?"

Hattrem's eyes glow blue. Before I can react, something slams into me and knocks me on my stomach. My cheeks give out, plunging everything into darkness. I can't move. I can't fire off an attack..

"Hattrem, please!" I beg. "I just wanna talk!"

Whatever's covering me presses down harder, slowly squishing me into the floorboards, and I still can't move . Panic creeps over me, and I fight it back as much as I can. Think, Pikachu, think !

Suddenly, Wobbles's story pops into my head. "I lost my trainer!" I shout. The cover is still on top of me, but it's no longer pressing down. "I lost my trainer. We-we've been separated for a while now. I…I just wanted to spend the night here. Please?"

For a long time, nothing happens. Then, miraculously, the cover is gone and I can move again. I release the breath I didn't know I was holding and shakily rise to four feet. Hattrem's eyes are still glowing but are fixed on something above me. I look up and watch as the vine tablecloth - that must have been what was holding me down - floats back to its original spot on the coffee table. I want to respark my cheeks, but at this point I'm terrified that she'll assume I'm going to attack. For now, I'll have to make due. Hattrem herself seems to have no problem seeing.

She touches a tiny, fingerless hand to her chest. "Hattrem." She points at me and tilts her head, making her voluminous hair shift.

Okay, this is progress. I stand upright and touch my own chest. "I'm Pikachu."

But, Hattrem shakes her head. "Trainer."

"My trainer's name? It's Ashton. Er, well, everyone calls him Ash, but-but I like to call him Ashton sometimes. I just- I like the way it sounds. I think it-it suits him…" I trail off when I realize I'm babbling. Embarrassed now, I clear my throat. "So, is Miriam your trainer?"

Hattrem’s eyes gloss over, a soft smile crosses her mouth, and she folds her tiny hands over her heart. "Miriam…"

I'm going to assume that means yes. "So…is it okay if I spend the night? I, um… I'm just not used to being alone. 'Cause, Ash always sleeps with me, you know?" It's not the whole truth, but at least I'm not lying. And, it seems like reminding Hattrem that we're in similar boats is keeping her from attacking me again. That said, that blank expression has returned to her face. I scratch my ear nervously. "I-I'm not suggesting we sleep in the same bed or anything. Just, you know… Could I just stay here for the night? Just one night? Please?"

Hattrem sizes me up some more then nods and gestures for me to follow. When she turns around, I nearly collapse with relief. I can't let my guard down, not completely, but I think I'm safe enough.

Before I follow Hattrem, I remember my agreement with Wobbles. Luckily, the torn up chair is positioned directly in front of the window. I climb up the soft, squishy fabric to the very top and manage to stick my tail out the gap in the glass without scratching myself. Then, I spin around and peek out the window and see Wobbles's retreating form. Relieved that she doesn't have to worry (as much) anymore, I follow Hattrem into wherever she's leading me.

That turns out to be the kitchen, which is tiny and contains only a fridge, an oven, and some cabinets. The former two probably don't work, and I'm not sure if Hattrem uses the cabinets. Still, the room is immaculate, and I suspect the other two rooms I noticed are clean as well. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd assume that the house was simply old and worn instead of outright abandoned.

Hattrem and I stand in the middle of the room, the former still using her hair as legs, and I watch as some aspear berries float in from outside, surrounded in a blue glow. Normally, pokemon using Psychic have to focus their gaze on whatever it is they're trying to manipulate, with bipedal pokemon often moving their arms in specific ways. Not Hattrem. She is perfectly still and looking in the opposite direction. The glow of her eyes is the only indication that she's doing anything at all.

"You're really good with Psychic," I comment as the berries float down in front of us.

"Practice," Hattrem says. She picks up her berry and starts whacking it on the floor.

"Can I show you something?" I ask. Hattrem stops and blinks at me. "We electric-types have a certain way of eating these things." She nods and sets the berry down.

Nuts and certain fruits have a hard outer shell that needs to be cracked open to get to the edible parts. Some of these foods, aspear berries for instance, can be especially tough. Luckily, electric-types, my kind in particular, can use our own store of electricity as a makeshift nutcracker. Or, berry-cracker as the case may be.

I lower my face, pressing one berry against each cheek, and let the sparks fly. I freeze at Hattrem's sharp hiss but relax when she doesn't do anything else. I think I made the right call not utilizing my internal flashlight. I pick up one berry, lightly tap it on the floor, and show Hattrem how easily the shell cracks. She hums, impressed, and does the same with the other one.

"Yeah, electric-types are good with this stuff. The Pichu-line in particular are known for it. Our electricity gives it a unique flavor, you see." Hattrem scoops out a handful of the soft flesh, nibbles curiously at it, and mmm 's at the smoky tang. If there's a nut or berry that doesn't pair well with a quick jolt, I have yet to find it. "Say, couldn't you have just opened these with Psychic?" I ask, digging out the large seed inside and biting into it, enjoying the familiar crunch and flavor of smoked nuts.

Hattrem shrugs. "I like the manual process. It feels more satisfying."

I nearly choke on my seed. Here, I was expecting nothing but one-word answers all night.

Hattrem swallows a mouthful of fruit then goes on. "You mentioned Pichu. Are you its evolved form?"

I blink out of my shock. "Y-yeah. Pichu, Pikachu, and then Raichu. What about you?"

"Hatenna, Hattrem, Hatterene." She scoops out more of the fruit and smiles dreamily. "I feel like I will be evolving soon. Miriam will be so happy when she gets back."

My delight at Hattrem using full sentences wavers at the mention of her trainer. "You want to evolve and surprise her?"

Hattrem holds up a hand while she chews then answers after swallowing. "I've already evolved. I was Hatenna when she brought me here. But, I would like to be fully evolved when she returns."

"I see," is all I can say. My appetite vanishes, but I keep eating so Hattrem doesn't ask what's wrong. "So, what's Miriam like?"

Hattrem tilts her head back with a content sigh. "She is brilliant, a truly brilliant woman. And, she has a great sense of humor. And, she is always looking out for her fellow human."

But, not her pokemon, apparently. Arceus, the repercussions of saying that out loud… "She sounds pretty great," I say instead.

"And, Ashton?" Hattrem asks. "Tell me about him."

The words snag on my heart. I knew that not thinking about Ash would be a challenge, but I hadn't expected to be outright asked to think about him. For the umpteenth time tonight, his face pops into my head. All bright smiles and laughter and a genuine love of all creatures, human and pokemon alike.

My throat tightens, and it takes me a moment to speak. "Ash is… Well, kind is the first word that comes to mind. And, he's really good at thinking on his feet. He's also kind of reckless. But, there's no one better in a crisis. Pressure is where Ashton really shines. And, even when he's down, he-he always manages to spring back up." I have to stop before I start crying.

"I am sorry that I attacked you," Hattrem says suddenly. "Other pokemon scare me. They do not understand."

She doesn't elaborate. She doesn't need to. "I understand," I say around the lump still wedged in my throat. "I've made friends since Ash and I got separated, but I still feel lonely, you know? Maybe, instead of attacking other pokemon, you could try befriending them. While you're here, you may as well make the most of it, right?."

Her dark eyes soften even more, and she takes my hand in hers. "You are my friend, Pikachu. My first in a long time."

I can only nod.

We finish our meals in a companionable silence. But, the more I think about all this, the angrier I get. Why does this keep happening? Here we have a sweet, scared pokemon who wants nothing more than her beloved trainer's returned affections. I hope I never meet Miriam. No, I hope I do meet her so that I can zap her into charcoal.

More than that…I wish Ash was here. I would relay Hattrem's story to him, and his heart would break along with mine. He would ask to catch her, to give her a home and all the love and care she deserves. She would say yes because of course she would. She would evolve for someone who truly loves her, who wants her to be happy.

But, Ash isn't here. That means it's my job to make Hattrem happy.

"You said you want to evolve, right?" I confirm, licking the juices off my hands. "How do your kind do that?"

Hattrem is licking her hands as well. "Getting stronger."

"Well, that's easy enough. Let's have a battle, Hattrem!" She pauses mid-lick and looks at me like I've suggested we dance the tango, but I won't let that deter me. "Battling is the best way to get stronger, and I've seen a number of pokemon evolve right in the heat of battle." Then, I remember what time of day - or not day - it is. "I mean, we should probably wait until morning-"

"We can go now," Hattrem interrupts, sending the shell pieces floating back out the window.

I blink in surprise. I'm glad she agreed to battle, but… "Hattrem, it's the middle of the night. Most pokemon are asleep."

She starts toward the door. "No one will hear us." She turns and gestures for me to follow when I fail to do so right away.

I'm hesitant but she seems confident, so I follow.

---

"Are you sure no one will hear us?" I ask. "I'd hate to wake anyone."

I had expected Hattrem to lead me to some remote area, far enough away that we wouldn't be heard by any sleeping pokemon. Instead, we are barely ten feet from the front door of the shack. The forest is far enough from here, I suppose, but I have no doubt that there are sleeping pokemon we can't see.

"It is fine," Hattrem says, walking a good distance away from me. "When you are ready, Pikachu," she calls when she is in position.

I guess I'll have to trust her.

I start off by charging at her, my tail hardening behind me. She doesn't move until I get close. I see a flash of red as I spin around to hit her and make contact with something that sends me flying backwards. I catch myself on all-fours, and it looks like Hattrem had been thrown back as well. But, she recovers just as quickly and claps her hands, firing a dark pink beam of light at me.

I counter her Psybeam with Thunderbolt just long enough to throw her off. Then, I launch myself her way with Quick Attack, managing to nail her and send her flying back once again. She picks herself up after a moment. She growls, low and threatening, but there's a spark in her eyes that tells me she's having fun.

Her hair glows a dark red - Brutal Swing, I realize - and she charges at me. I let her get close then jump out of the way of her swinging pigtails. A wave of static races up my tail, and I throw an Electroweb. A direct hit, and a yellow web holds her on the ground and zaps her a second later. Call that payback for the tablecloth.

She groans but gets back up as her eyes glow blue. She sends me up in the air. A pins-and-needles sensation crawls over me, and I can no longer move. Psychic is a tricky move; difficult to escape from and highly unpredictable, as there's no telling how the opponent will use it. And, I know that Hattrem is very proficient with it. Sometimes I can break out if I use Thunderbolt, as that one doesn't require the use of anything by my own energy. I try this and feel nothing but a tiny jolt in my cheeks. Hattrem's strong.

Then she releases me, but a blinding light appears as I fall. I slam my eyes shut, but this does nothing to stop not only the impact from my landing, but the searing of my skin, like I've been thrown into an oven. Wobbles did mention Dazzling Gleam. Clever of Hattrem to hold me in place and guarantee a hit.

Make that two hits. Before I can recover, Brutal Swing finally does its job and sends me rolling back. I groan as I force myself to my feet. Hattrem is a powerful pokemon, but I have plenty of fight left in me.

Hattrem tries to move but winces when a thin veil of lightning runs over her skin. My Static ability must have activated. It's not the opening I expected, but I'll take it!

I launch another Thunderbolt. Hattrem tries to move but paralysis prevents it. She screams in pain as my attack fries her. I stop and watch her sway from side to side.

Yeah, Pikachu! Keep it up!

That voice. I heard Ash cheering for me in my mind before, when I battled Zapdos. In fact, it's even louder than it was then. Part of me wants to look around and see if he's really here.

The other part sees Hattrem smack her cheeks and regain focus. I wonder if she hears Miriam cheering her on.

Hattrem claps her glowing hands and fires Psybeam. I duck away and charge at her with Quick Attack again. She tries to meet it head-on with Brutal Swing, but she doesn't get the chance. I ram her, and she shoots back. Way back, somehow flying straight through the still-open door of the shack.

How… How did I do that? Not sending her back inside - that was just dumb luck - but launching her that far. Our battle had taken us pretty far from the shack. I know that I'm strong and Hattrem - considering that most of her body is just hair - probably doesn't weigh that much, but-

Actually, this is similar to what happened when I trained with Eevee. Everything was normal, and then I got that random power boost. That had been Iron Tail, and now Quick Attack? Is it something with my physical attacks?

"Damn, you're strong!"

A new voice startles me out of my confusion. I look up to find a large blue pokemon with narrow eyes and a wide mouth that seems to take up most of his face. His long blue and purple wings propel him down beside me. At first, I wonder if Hattrem was wrong and we did wake someone, but then I remember that Golbat are nocturnal.

"And, how'd you manage to battle that quietly?" Golbat asks in amazement.

Quietly? That's not a word I ever thought would be used to describe a battle. And, this one was no exception. "I-I'm not sure. Are you here to see Hattrem?" I ask, praying that I'm not really the only friend she has.

But, Golbat disappoints me with a loud laugh. "The psycho-psychic? Not a chance! I just happened to be flying by and saw the battle. 'Bout time someone put that bitch in her place."

My blood runs hot, and it's not just leftover adrenaline. "Hey, don't talk about her like that!"

Golbat blinks, stunned at my outburst. Then, he sighs and shakes his massive head. "You're not from around here, are you? Buddy, let me give you some advice." He points a wing toward the shack. "The female in there? There's a reason we call her the psycho-psychic. She attacks on sight, no questions asked. Not everyone who gets too close gets out in one piece. And, that's when they get out. You just might be the first pokemon to beat her."

I fight the fizz in my cheeks and the rise in my temper, but a little bite leaks into my words. "Maybe you should get to know her before you listen to rumors."

Golbat huffs. "Rumors, my ass. I fly crooked because of that bitch, and she got me when I was a Zubat! You wanna make nice, knock yourself out, but don't say I didn't warn you."

I swallow a growl, but I suppose I can't fault Golbat for feeling this way. He doesn't know how scared and lonely Hattrem is. True, her story doesn't excuse her aggressiveness toward strangers, but I find it impossible to hate her for it now that I've spent time with her. Maybe now that she knows how nice it is to have a friend, she'll be more willing to be kind to strangers.

"By the way," Golbat calls as I head back to the shack, "what was that pink move you used at the end there?"

Hattrem had apparently crash-landed into the now-shattered coffee table. I return to find her struggling to her feet (her actual feet). I help her up and notice that her hair is frizzy and puffed up, like someone tried to pull her pigtails out of their ties. Or, maybe the ties are also just hair. It's hard to tell with so little light.

I ask Hattrem if she's okay, and she smiles at me. Her hair flattens back into place, and she rises back up on her pigtails. She stretches out her whole body and grunts happily. "I will evolve very soon, Pikachu."

My chest warms, and I can feel my tail wagging. "I can tell. Your voice is different." It's true. Her voice is lower, a little raspy even. "That's a good sign. I'm so happy for you, Hattrem!" Then, I remember what Golbat had said. "So, how did you manage to keep anyone from hearing us?"

"I simply manipulated the air around us while we were battling."

How- She- What?

Hattrem presses her hands together and hums, examining me. "Will you evolve soon?"

Okay… I guess we're going to ignore the fact that she somehow manipulated the air . "Actually, I'd need a Thunderstone to evolve. But, it doesn't matter, because I don't want to evolve anyway."

Hattrem tilts her head. "Ashton does not want you to evolve?"

"Not if I don't want it myself."

"He does not prioritize strength?"

I frown. "He prioritizes happiness. Being a Raichu wouldn't make me happy, so he doesn't want that any more than I do." I want to add that strength has nothing to do with evolution, but her comment bothers me. "Does Miriam prioritize strength?" Could that have something to do with her abandoning her pokemon?

Hattrem considers this for a long time. "Miriam likes things that are useful. We pokemon may like our pretty things, but Miriam will not accept something that is merely pleasant to look at. So, to answer your question, a powerful pokemon is, indeed, worth something to her."

I don't really know what to say to that. "Why did Miriam bring you here?" My stomach knots up. I don't know why I asked that. The question just flew out of my mouth, and there's no taking it back.

But, thank Arceus, Hattrem doesn't get angry. "She brought me here to keep me safe."

Whatever I was expecting, that wasn't it. "Keep you safe? From what?"

"As I've said, Miriam is a brilliant woman," Hattrem says with pride. "She is a master of chemistry and is always experimenting, and I am more than happy to assist. But, there are those who do not appreciate her genius." Hattrem balls her fists, getting angrier as she speaks. "Small-minded creatures who do not understand her. They called her mad. They wanted to hurt her!"

Out of nowhere, she and I are pelted with sharp bits of wood. What was left of the table had physically exploded. The vine tablecloth appears to have been shredded by them, and tiny splinters are everywhere. Hattrem does nothing to acknowledge the explosion or the fragments now stuck in her hair.

My stomach churns. After hearing what she did while battling, I have no doubt that Hattrem made the table explode, whether intentionally or not. Her eyes weren't even glowing, so she wasn't using Psychic. Wobbles wasn't kidding when she said that Hattrem had perfected her psychic powers.

I am really glad that I'm on her good side, and I fully intend to stay there.

Hattrem clears her throat, and the fragments slide out of her hair and onto the floor. "Bad people were after Miriam. She didn't want me to end up in the cross-fire. So, she brought me here and said she would come back once it was safe."

The story sobers me. Wobbles had said that Hattrem has been here for several years. So, either Miriam lied or she's still in danger…or she's dead. I don't like any of those options.

"Ash and I were separated by bad people too," I tell her. "They're a group called Team Rocket. They've been after me for years, and they finally got me. I got away, but Ash was nowhere to be found." A familiar weight settles in my chest. "I think I'm getting close, but…" I sigh. "I'm just not sure."

Hattrem hums sympathetically then yawns. "We should get some sleep."

My body finally catches up to me, and I echo her yawn. "Sorry I kept you up."

Hattrem shakes her head and smiles warmly. "No. I am happy you came. Thank you, Pikachu."

Her words lift the weight off my chest. "Of course. I'm just glad I could help."

Finally, finally help.

Gardevoir walked away with a broken heart. Training with Sprout and Eevee was a mess. And, even before all that, I was always useless. Anytime someone needed help, it was Ash doing everything. Ash held their hand. Ash dried their tears. Ash gave advice and encouragement.

And, me? I tried to do the same, but all I really did was piggyback off of what Ash had already done. He didn't need me. No one ever needed me.

At long last, I know how it feels to be needed.

Hattrem and I force our battered bodies up onto the charred couch. I curl up on the cushion and watch in awe as Hattrem's pigtails unravel and wrap around her. She looks like a big clump of hair. I can't even see her face anymore.

A muffled, "Good night, Pikachu," is the only indicator that she's actually in there.

My heart lighter than it has been in weeks, I snuggle closer. "Good night, Hattrem."

---

Thunk!

I grunt and open my blurry eyes. It's too dark to really tell, but nothing else happens, so I sigh and close my eyes once more.

Thunk! Followed by a muffled voice.

Ugh. Fine. To think, I was having such a nice dream about Hattrem and a ten-year-old Ash playing together.

I blink sleepily at Hattrem, who is still cocooned in hair. Not wanting to wake her, I carefully pull myself up and climb off the couch.

Thunk!

" Be careful, Wobbuffet! " The voice is clearer now, human-sounding. Whoever it is must be getting closer. " You'll wake the whole forest! "

The sounds are coming from out front. I tiptoe to the door.

"It's heavy, Jessie," another voice, presumably Wobbuffet, complains. Not that his presumed trainer can understand him.

Wait. Wobbuffet? Jessie?

Those voices I heard in the forest… Arceus, I'm an idiot !

This was going so well. And, no doubt James and Meowth are here as well. I have to get rid of them before Hattrem wakes up. Considering how she tried to squish me just for showing up, I can't imagine what would happen if Team Rocket tried to take her. I don't know who I'm more worried about.

The door creaks open. A light shines into the room. I instinctively duck behind the chair and peer around the side.

Jessie pokes her head in and shines her flashlight around the room. She steps inside and continues her search as Wobbuffet follows, carrying something that's bigger than he is and can only be described as a mechanical tube of toothpaste. Wobbuffet staggers under its weight, knocking the door back in the process.

Fed up, Jessie huffs and shoves the flashlight at her pokemon. " Here! " she whispers. " I'll handle this. " She takes the machine and nearly topples over. She groans and somehow manages to lift it up to her chest. Wobbuffet shines the flashlight under his face, revealing a smug grin. " Oh, shut up! " Jessie snaps, just barely raising her voice. Is it me, or is she extra cranky tonight? " Let's just get Hattrem and go ."

No time for a sneak attack. I leave my hiding place and run up to them, putting some spark in my cheeks. Wobbuffet gasps and snaps the light my way. Jessie nearly drops their machine.

" P-P-Pikachu! " Jessie says too loudly. " What in God's name are you doing here? "

I want to look back and see if Hattrem woke up, but I don't want to give her away. As long as she's tucked in her hair ball, she isn't recognizable.

"I was sleeping," I whisper as viciously as I can. I point to the door. "Now, beat it!"

"Believe me," Wobbuffet says miserably, "that's all I wanna do."

Jessie regains her composure and readjusts the machine in her arms. Thankfully, she lowers her voice again. " Well, Pikachu, we're not here for you, so feel free to ignore us. "

"Well, I'm the only one here," I lie, pressing my hands to my chest, trying to convey this to her. I point to the door again. "Now, leave and let me sleep!"

Jessie rolls her eyes and mutters, " I wish Meowth was here. "

Meowth isn't here? I turn to Wobbuffet who looks away with a forlorn expression. Then, I remember hearing them mention a stomach ache before. Is Meowth sick? Does that mean James isn't here either? Would Jessie and Wobbuffet really come here alone? Maybe they don't know Hattrem's history with strangers. Or, maybe they do, and they want her on their side.

Jessie confirms the latter a moment later. " Look. We know there's a powerful pokemon here, and it is joining Team Rocket whether it wants to or not. I'm not in the mood to deal with you, so- "

Suddenly, she drops the machine, which crashes down and leaves a large dent in the floor. Her face strains and her eyes widen. Her head tilts upward and her mouth is wide and making harsh choking sounds. The rest of her body is frozen in place, and I realize that Wobbuffet has dropped the flashlight and is in the same position, making those same ungodly sounds.

My stomach churns, and I turn around. Hattrem is no longer swaddled. Her pigtails are in place, and there is an eerily serene expression on her face. She's doing this. Whatever this is, I know she's doing it.

"Hattrem." My voice shakes. "Hattrem, you-you need to stop." No response. "Please! Please stop!" Still nothing. It's like I'm talking to the air.

Air. Hattrem can manipulate the air.

The choking gets louder, more frantic. She's suffocating them. She's stealing the air from their bodies or cutting it off completely or something.

I can't let her do this. No matter what Team Rocket's done, this is just cruel.

Electricity runs over me, and I hit Hattrem with Thunderbolt. Her screams of pain make me waver, but I need to bring her down from this. I won't let her kill them.

I release my attack and watch Hattrem collapse back onto the even more charred couch. The sounds of gasping and coughing make me turn around. Jessie and Wobbuffet are on their hands and knees, gulping air back into their lungs. I almost fall over myself but with relief.

"Are you two okay?" I ask.

Wobbuffet is able to nod and nothing else. Jessie is so busy gasping that I doubt she'd respond even if she could understand me. I turn to Hattrem to find her staring at them with hurt, murderous eyes.

No. Not at them. At me .

"You protected them." Hattrem's voice is so cold that I swear she turned into an ice-type.

My body shakes so much that even staying quadrupedal is a challenge. "You…you were…"

I hear Jessie and Wobbuffet rise behind me. Hattrem hops down from the couch, walking on her hair through the shards of table like water. "You are with them."

"No…"

"You lied to me."

"No!"

" Okay, " Jessie pants behind me. I turn to find her inching closer to the door. It's hard to see in the darkness, I know there's raw fear on her face. " Okay. Clearly you're not Team Rocket material, so come on, Wobbuffet! "

She reaches for the doorknob. She pushes and pulls with all her might. Nothing. Wobbuffet grabs the knob and helps her, but it's no good. Hattrem is keeping it in place.

"Hattrem, I didn't lie to you!" Tears blur my vision. "I'm not with them, I swear! I-I'll make them leave. Just don't hurt them."

Hattrem doesn't move, doesn't lose that hateful glare. The table shards rise up. Seeing what she's about to do, I bolt to Jessie and Wobbuffet's side and ram them with Quick Attack. I knock them out of the way just as sharp bits of wood slam into the door. The three of us lay in a pile, breathing heavily, trying not to panic.

"Psychosis," Wobbuffet breathes. I don't know what that is, but now's not the time to ask.

Something thick and sticky coats my head and stings my eye. I wipe the sticky stuff with my hand and stare in shock at the dark red, honey-like substance on it. Then, I notice the white-hot pain in my ear. I must have gotten hit. It is very, very difficult to break a pokemon's skin, let alone enough to warrant this much blood. Hattrem genuinely wants to kill us, and that scares me more than anything.

Wobbuffet gasps, staring at me in horror with his hands over his mouth. The cut must be pretty bad. I gingerly reach up to touch my ear-

-only to find a tiny stump that burns like fire when I touch it.

It doesn't fully register until I find the flashlight conveniently pointed at a bloody yellow and black spike laying on the floor.

Is the room spinning or am I?

Hattrem is staring at my-my ear as well. There is a grim calmness about her that makes me forget everything else. She turns her head and blinks at me, waiting for a reaction. No warmth, no malice, nothing . There's no reasoning with her now.

Jessie stirs, and I turn to check on her. She had landed on her stomach, facing blissfully away from the carnage, and now rolls over with a grunt. Wobbuffet steadies her as she sits up. She presses her palm against her head and groans. She seems okay but for how long?

Then, she finally opens her eyes. She stares groggily at me, and her eyes grow bigger. Her breaths get faster, more shallow as her gaze darts from me to my ear on the floor to Hattrem and repeats the cycle.

Jessie screams, an ear-piercing shriek of terror.

Hattrem makes a sound as well. A quiet snarl that's barely heard under Jessie's fear.

Jessie leaps to her feet, scoops me up, and grabs Wobbuffet's hand. She pulls us to the door and stupidly tries it again, screaming for help, for someone to let us out. A rhythmic slamming makes me think that Wobbuffet is throwing himself against the door. Maybe neither of them knows what else to do.

Jessie has me tucked under her arm, facing what is behind her, and that is Hattrem with her hands covering where her ears would be if she had them. Jessie's long hair is in my face, and blood pours into my eye, but I can still make out Hattrem's pained expression.

Hattrem hates loud noises. That's what Wobbles had said. I can't breathe, can't move, can't think.

There is a loud crash, and Jessie falls back with another shriek, dropping me. Jessie and Wobbuffet land flat on their backs. I land on my stomach and wipe blood or tears or both from my face. I roll over and see that the floorboards in front of the door have shot upward, sticking straight up.

I roll back over and struggle to my feet, my muscles screaming at me to fall back down. I haven't slept enough; I'm still not fully healed from the battle.

Hattrem is glowing now, encased in a shimmering rainbow of lights that's hard to look at in the darkness. At first, I think she is going to use Dazzling Gleam.

But, then she grows taller.

Things just got a whole lot worse.

Chapter 17: Hatterene's Den

" I wouldn't exactly have chosen madness if there had been a choice." - Vincent Van Gogh

Pikachu

We watch Hattrem evolve in a horrified silence. Her small stature grows higher and higher and higher still. She might even be taller than Ash, who is considered quite large by human standards. The light dissipates, throwing the room back into darkness. The coloration is difficult to see, but the new pokemon before us seems to have a gradient of blue on top, pink in the middle, and finally white on the bottom. Her long body is curved in that way that humans consider "shapely," though there's a good chance that it's all just more hair, considering her previous form and the fact that she sports no visible arms or legs. The cone-like thing on her head, which I suspect is also hair, now has a wide brim that makes it resemble a pointy hat. But, what really gets my attention is the long tentacle hanging off it, which ends in what looks like an enormous three-fingered hand. I don't think it's just for show.

Hatterene looks down at us, and I realize that I'm wrong. What gets me are her eyes . Eyes that are devoid of all emotion. Gone is the kind and lonely female who shared her food with me. She has been replaced by a monster.

And, it's my fault. I helped her evolve, helped her turn into this.

"Hatterene," I choke out. My throat is too tight for me to say anything else.

Not that she gives me the chance. With an eerily calm expression that is sure to haunt all three of us, she raises her new tentacle, which glows a dark pink, and swipes it at us.

Jessie cries out and futilely throws her hands over her face, but Wobbuffet jumps in front of her. His body glows orange with Counter. Psycho Cut - because of course Hatterene learned that on top of everything else - makes contact. There's a burst of light, and Hatterene is thrown back, landing in the thankfully-empty fireplace. Her hair spills out around her, revealing a tiny stick-figure-like body that's only slightly larger than it was before evolution. Counter causes that opponent to take twice the damage they'd inflicted on the user. Considering how strong Hatterene was even before evolving, not to mention our battle earlier, she should be down for a while. I hope.

Wobbuffet groans and sways on his feet. I wince at the sight. That's the problem with a move like Counter; it only works when the user takes damage, and Wobbuffet no doubt took a lot, despite a psychic-type's natural resistance to other psychic-type attacks.

" Wobbuffet. " Jessie pulls herself to her knees and steadies her partner. I've never heard such a gentle tone come from her. " Wobbuffet, are you okay? "

Wobbuffet gives himself a hard shake. "Yeah, yeah, I think so." He sounds winded but not close to fainting. Wobbles wasn't kidding about her kind having good stamina.

Jessie grabs something from her belt. " Get in your pokeball, " she commands, bringing the object in question to full size. Wobbuffet makes a pleading noise and frantically shakes his head. Jessie grits her teeth and snarls, " Get in! No arguments! " She returns him to his pokeball before he can respond. She reclips it and turns to me. Her gaze catches on my open wound and something passes over her face, but it's gone just as quickly as it appeared. She ever-so-gently picks me up, and for once I let her. She rises to her feet. " Let's get out of here before that freak wakes up. "

"She's not a freak," I argue weakly.

Predictably, Jessie doesn't respond. She creeps to the door and tries to move the still raised planks, which are flush against the door. She breathes out a string of curses and tiptoes around the shack, her heart beating loud and fast against my remaining ear. As she searches for an exit, she cradles me to her chest in a way that, while strange coming from her, is achingly familiar.

How many times has Ashton held me in a similar way? How many times have I looked up and saw him glare daggers at whoever had hurt or upset me? Watched helplessly as tears fell from his beautiful eyes when the world became too much even for him? Snuggled into his chest as he gazed at me adoringly when we were simply in the mood to cuddle?

Did Miriam ever hold Hatenna that way? Does she care enough, or is she even able to, hold Hatterene like that?

What would Miriam think if she saw what I'd done to her partner, assuming she even cares? She'd be furious. She would scream at me and maybe even hit me, and I would let her. And, what will Ashton do when he sees me with only one ear? He'll be horrified. He'll hold me and stroke me and his hands will shake as he tries to push down his pain because he always wants to be the strong one even when it's killing him.

How will I tell him what I did to Hattrem? There's no guarantee that a pokemon will behave the same way after evolving, but a change in personality is uncommon enough that I hadn't even considered it.

Maybe it wasn't even the evolution. Maybe I just didn't get Jessie and Wobbuffet out fast enough. Maybe I shouldn't have come to their rescue. No. No, I don't regret saving them. Maybe I should have just tried harder to convince Hattrem that I didn't betray her.

Or, maybe I shouldn't have come here at all.

I don't even realize that I've started crying until Jessie shushes me because, " Now's not the time, and I am so bad with crying! "

I choke down my sobs as Jessie attempts to open the broken kitchen window with one hand, the other still holding my pathetic form. Her white Team Rocket uniform is soaked with my blood. Under normal circumstances, she'd have a screaming fit over her clothes getting ruined. For some reason, the image makes me giggle.

" Oh great, " Jessie mutters. " The little shit's hysterical. Better not zap me. "

That only makes me laugh more. Maybe I really am hysterical.

Jessie sets me on the counter top and tries to open the window with both hands. It looks hopeless, but then the window flies open and Jessie almost falls back. She breathes out in relief. " That'll do. You first. "

She reaches for me, but I jump back. I wipe blood out of my eye again and point to her then to the opening, silently begging her to go first.

Jessie gives me a look that would make anyone else obey. " I'm not the one who's bleeding to death! "

A lot of humans don't realize just how long it takes for blood loss to become a problem for a pokemon. We aren't like humans with their delicate skin and blood that flows like bright red water. Sometimes I can't help but wonder how humans as a species have survived for this long. They're just so fragile. They don't even have attacks or abilities. I guess that's what weapons are for.

Jessie reaches for me again, but we both jump back when the window slams shut. Her eyes are wide, and her breathing quickens. " Please tell me that was just gravity doing its thing. "

I look behind her, and my heart pounds harder. Hatterene is standing in the doorway, her voluminous hair back in place, her eyes filled with murder. But, she seems to be swaying a little. She's still weakened from our battle and Wobbuffet's Counter. Maybe we still have a chance.

Especially when Wobbuffet leaps out of his pokeball and stands in front of us, facing Hatterene down with his arms outstretched protectively. I'm not thrilled about someone else being in danger, but I'll take all the help I can get.

Jessie, however, has a different opinion. " Wobbuffet, you were supposed to stay in your pokeball! "

"Do you know me?" he quips in response.

Hatterene stares at us, and a sharp gust of wind blows Jessie and Wobbuffet against the wall, while I end up careening against the oven door. Blood continues to sting my eye, but I've since stopped caring. The oven opens, and pain explodes over my back when the door slams on top of me. I think Hatterene might have done that on purpose, because now I'm pinned to the floor. Hatterene is staring down at me with those empty eyes, and I'm really, really hoping that the oven no longer works.

I hear something clattering nearby, but Hatterene doesn't seem to notice. She just keeps glaring at me-

Suddenly, my lungs constrict, my chest is too tight. As I choke on nothing, I'm brought back to the mishap on Team Rocket's submarine, when I just couldn't hold my breath anymore and saltwater filled my body. The oven door presses harder, as if Hatterene couldn't decide whether to crush me or suffocate me so she's doing both. Dots coat my vision and my limbs flail in panic and my mind is filled with thoughts of friends and family I'll never see again.

Then, it stops as suddenly as it started. The pressure on my back eases and my body goes limp and I gulp down sweet, sweet air. My wound aches and throbs and my eye stings from the blood that poured down my face in my frenzy and left its coppery taste in my mouth. I spit, pray that it is indeed blood from what's left of my ear, and look up.

Jessie must have been rifling around for a weapon, because she is stabbing Hatterene in the side with a rusty knife. Or, trying to, as the knife passes harmlessly through Hatterene's hair. Jessie continues stabbing with a dumbfounded look on her face, muttering, " I don't know why I thought this would work. " Any other time, the scene would be kind of amusing in a grim sort of way. But, there is nothing amusing about the look Hatterene gives Jessie, who holds up the knife and asks with forced cheekiness, " Free haircut? "

Then, Jessie's hands jerk in front of her, and she cries out at the movements that are not her own. Her hands shoot together, clutching the handle of the knife, pointing the blade at her own chest . She lets out a string of quiet no-no-no's and stares wide-eyed at the blade.

I shoot out from under the door and nail Hattrene with Quick Attack. At the same time, Wobbuffet hits her with an empty drawer that breaks on contact. Hatterene goes down, though her hair is still in place, telling me that she's not through yet, and the knife falls from Jessie's hands.

She braces herself against the counter top and pants heavily as tears drip down her face. " Oh God. My life flashed before my eyes. " She turns her horrified gaze toward me and laughs brokenly. " I spent a lot of time chasing after you. "

Against all odds, I laugh too. So does Wobbuffet. I think we're all hysterical at this point.

Hatterene begins to stir, and we all stop laughing.

Wobbuffet nudges me, a surprisingly determined look on his face. "Look after Jessie," he whispers. "I've got an idea."

He leaves the room with no further explanation. Jessie calls after him, and I press down on her boot. I glance in the direction Wobbuffet went and press down again. She nods, getting the message.

Hatterene rises and looks down at us with those eyes , deciding how to proceed, how to spill more blood.

"Hatterene, I'm your friend," I plead, my voice shaking. "I never lied to you. I care about you, Hatterene!"

Deep down, I know that she is beyond reason, but I can't stop myself from trying. After meeting her, battling her, learning her story, I truly have grown to care for her. Hattrem wasn't a bad pokemon. She was lonely yet so afraid of those who couldn't possibly understand her. She had a deep trust and longing for someone she may never see again. She had a deep desire to get stronger for that person.

I related to Hattrem so much. She can't be completely gone.

"I had so much fun battling you!" I shout, my face wet with tears and blood. Hatterene doesn't react. She just keeps staring at me. I take that as a sign to keep talking. "I-I loved talking to you and sharing food and-and I wasn't lying about Ash and I want you to find Miriam! Hatterene…" I run out of words too quickly.

Hatterene lets out a low hiss that makes my fur stand on end.

" Pikachu, " Jessie says, " whatever you're doing, I don't think it's working. "

Where is Wobbuffet? Whatever he's doing, I hope it works at least.

Nothing I do ever seems to work. When it seems like I'm doing something right, I always end up failing in the end. I can't do anything right outside of a battle, and most of the time Ash is guiding me through those anyway.

Oh, Ashton, none of this would have happened if you were here.

Hatterene readies another Psycho Cut. I jump in front of Jessie, who whimpers behind me. As Hatterene swipes her huge hand, I meet it head-on with Quick Attack.

At least, I think it's Quick Attack. Either way, I manage to not only overpower her, but send her and myself crashing through the wall and back into the living room. We land on the chair, toppling it over. We roll into the wall, and her solid mass of hair goes limp once more. I sneeze at the dust that's been kicked up and lay there panting, hot with adrenaline, waiting for Hatterene to get back up. She makes a small sound but doesn't rise.

"Well," Wobbuffet says. He is standing in the kitchen doorway, his face slack in shock though his tone is impressed. He nods at the large tube-thingy he must have been dragging along the floor, the machine that he and Jessie had arrived with. "I was going to suck her into this thing, but it looks like you've got it covered."

He stares at the wall, and my legs scream as I step around the chair and follow his gaze. This is why trainers don't hold pokemon battles in rooms that weren't designed for them. There is a massive hole where the wall should be, and dirt and debris are everywhere. Hatterene and I are filthy, and some deranged part of me is concerned about my open wound getting infected.

Jessie gapes at us for a moment before regaining her composure. " Is it safe? "

I nod, though the action makes my head swim. I'm starting to feel the effects of the blood loss. I hope I can get back to my friends before the adrenaline wears off.

My friends. Arceus, I hadn't even considered how they would react to my missing ear. How long have I been here, anyway? Is it sunhigh yet? Are they looking for me?

Jessie returns Wobbuffet to his pokeball, picks me up once more, and carries me back to the kitchen. She reopens the window, climbs onto the countertop, and crawls out the window with me in tow. I barely register any of this.

My friends in the PokeSquad are going to be so upset, so afraid when they see me now. My family back in Pallet Town, Delia and Mimey and everyone on Professor Oak's ranch, will feel even worse. Charizard in particular is going to want to incinerate Hatterene despite my injury not really being her fault.

And, Ashton… I can already see the look on his face. The fear, the pain, the anger. He'll hate Hatterene in an instant. Will he feel that way when he learns that I'm the reason for Hatterene's anger?

Hatterene. I have to talk to her. I have to apologize, to find a way to fix this. Can I even fix this? I'm not Ash Ketchum. Ash could have calmed Hatterene with a few words and a gentle caress. All I did was attack her.

Attacking. Is that truly the only way I'm any use?

---

I must have lost consciousness. One minute, I was in Jessie's arms, feeling sorry for myself. Now, I'm lying on a blanket in the middle of the forest. The sky is still dark, but the stars are starting to fade as dawn quickly approaches.

Despite my aching, well, everything, I force myself into a sitting position and realize that my fur isn't heavy and sticky anymore. I gingerly touch the sore, throbbing spot where my ear was and feel a rough bandage on my head. Three, actually. Someone cleaned me up and dressed my wound.

"Well," someone says. "Rise and shine, Pikachu."

I look over my shoulder and wince as I turn to face Meowth, who is curled up on the other end of the blanket. That's when I notice the smell. A sharp, sour smell coming from him. His large eyes are glossy and tired, like just keeping his head up is a huge effort. So, he really is sick.

"Are you okay?" I ask and immediately feel stupid. Nothing about him looks okay.

His mouth twitches in false amusement. "Everything's attached, ain't it?" Then, he flinches and hastily apologizes.

" Pikachu? " Jessie's voice is cautious, unsure.

She, James, and Wobbuffet are next to us, sitting around a dwindling fire that James is trying to stoke back to life. But, his efforts are dropped when he sees me awake. The three of them quickly crowd around me, and Meowth tells them to back off. But, he does so in his native tongue, so only Wobbuffet hangs back. Jessie and James are a little too close for comfort.

Jessie is no longer wearing her uniform which is likely ruined. Instead, she is wearing a pale blue shirt with sleeves that only reach her elbows and long jeans. This must be part of her latest civilian disguise. Then, I spot the bandage peeking out from under her sleeve. I have no doubt that she's hurt other places too. How did I not realize? Was I really so caught up in my own problems that I failed to notice that Jessie had been hurt? How selfish is that?

" How's your head feeling? " James asks me, snapping me back to the here and now.

I tilt my head and wince at the soreness. They all get the message.

James smiles sympathetically. " I suppose that's to be expected. " He turns to Jessie. " You did a good job, Jessie, but I think it would be best to have Nurse Joy look at him. " Jessie only nods.

"Jessie patched me up?" I ask. I don't know why this surprises me so much.

"Wouldn't let anyone else touch you," Wobbuffet says.

"Why would she help me? I didn't do anything."

Wobbuffet blinks in disbelief. "You're…kidding, right? In case you've forgotten, you're the reason she and I are here in the first place! You save our lives, Pikachu!"

In the back of my mind, I know he's right. I did protect them. But, could there have been another way? Was there something I could have done to prevent them from needing protection in the first place?

I need to see Hatterene. I need her to understand that my saving Jessie and Wobbuffet doesn't mean I'm with Team Rocket. My friend can't be gone just because she evolved, right?

I remember when Charmander evolved. He went from being sweet and shy to being stubborn as hell and even outright mean at times. But, even if we argued from time to time, even if his poor treatment of Ash grated at me like nails on a chalkboard, we never stopped loving each other. And, he did manage to soften after a time.

But, only because of Ash.

Ash isn't here, and after tonight's events, I'm not sure I can fix this mess without him. But, that won't stop me from trying.

"Meowth, help me out here," Jessie says suddenly. Then, to me, "Why did you save us? We've been enemies since the day we met. You can't just help us when we've been nothing but mean to you. That's not how it works!" James places a calming hand on her shoulder. Jessie shakes it off with tears in her eyes. "If I hadn't been there, you wouldn't… You lost your ear because of me, so why help us?"

Words fail me. Jessie blames herself for this? I suppose their wanting to capture Hatterene is what triggered this whole mess initially. But, if I hadn't helped Hatterene evolve, maybe I could have talked her down. Or, maybe everything started with Miriam leaving her there, whatever the real reason.

Maybe it's no one's fault. Or, maybe it's everyone's fault.

So many maybe's and no answers to speak of.

"I just wanted to help," I say, not sure who I'm talking about.

Jessie and James, who had been watching with a stricken expression, turn to Meowth.

Meowth just moans and blinks at them, unseeing. His chin meets the ground, and my stomach drops. It had only been a few days since I'd last seen him, and he'd seemed completely healthy. Now, he's so unwell that he's barely awake and can't even translate one sentence? I know that diseases can hit pretty hard out of nowhere but-

He couldn't have Poke-X, could he? No, probably not. I don't see any injuries, and I doubt Jessie and Wobbuffet would have left if they thought Meowth was a danger to himself and James. But, whatever Meowth has must be really bad regardless. That stench coming from him, it almost smells…rotten. Arceus, please don't let him have the rotting disease!

As Wobbuffet comfortingly rubs Meowth's back, Jessie and James exchange hard looks. " We can't wait any longer, " James says.

" Agreed, " Jessie replies.

Wobbuffet wordlessly picks up Meowth, who squirms a little but is unable to do anything else. A few days ago, he would probably have clawed Wobbuffet's face.

Jessie says to me, " We're heading to the nearest Pokemon Center, and you're coming with us. " Her tone leaves no room for argument, but I shrink back when she tries to grab me. Her eyes narrow further. " This isn't a trick, if that's what you're worried about. " She throws her hand toward Meowth, who has gone limp, resigned to being carried. " Look at him. Who could fake that? Not even me, and I'm the best actress I know. " Her teammates, Meowth included, collectively roll their eyes. " Now, stop being stubborn. "

She reaches for me again, and I practically leap backwards and shake my head, which turns out to be a bad idea when my head throbs and tiny speckles briefly coat my vision. I need a Pokemon Center. They're not wrong about that. But, I can't just leave my friends, especially when they know or will soon know where I was all night. If they can't find me, who knows what they'll think?

And, if they show up at that shack with Hatterene in her current state… Arceus, I can't think about that.

Luckily, James has always been the sensible one between the two humans. " Jessie, he's probably with the twerps. Or, the twerpy squad. Either way, someone is going to be looking for him. "

Thank you, James, but… "Twerpy squad?" I turn to the pokemon, genuinely offended even if I'm only with the group temporarily.

Wobbuffet gives me a placating look. "Meowth coined it. Blame him."

Meowth is apparently feeling well enough to growl at him.

Jessie scoffs but doesn't object. " Fine. I'll get him where he's going. The rest of you get Meowth to the Pokemon Center. "

"I'm coming with you," Wobbuffet says, handing Meowth off to James. Wobbuffet then moves to my side, places his hand on my back, and looks up at his trainer to convey his wishes.

" You want to come too? " Jessie interprets.

" It's not a bad idea, " James says, rising to his feet and repositioning Meowth in his arms. Meowth weakly argues that he can walk, but he's still not speaking human, so James can only glance at him worriedly. To Jessie, James says, " With Pikachu in this state, whoever he's with is likely to attack first and ask questions later. " He grimaces. " Don't forget our last encounter with his trainer. "

Wait, they saw Ash? I shouldn't be surprised. Jessie's shudder at the reminder shouldn't surprise me either. Considering that these guys are the reason we were separated in the first place, I can only imagine how Ash would have reacted to seeing them again. He's not a violent man in the least, but when a loved one is hurt or in danger, it's like a switch flips. Ashton Ketchum is incredible as a friend and an absolute nightmare as an enemy. It doesn't help that his size would likely make him an alpha human if such a thing existed.

" Fine, " Jessie concedes. " Wobbuffet and I will take Pikachu wherever we're taking him. You just get Meowth some help. "

---

"Why were you guys there alone, anyway?" I ask Wobbuffet.

He, Jessie, and I are walking back to where I'd last seen my friends. Jessie had once again tried to carry me but relented when she saw that I could walk, at least on all-fours. If she or her pokemon notice that I'm walking slower than normal, they don't mention it. My whole body is aching from the movement, but I force myself to press on. These two have been through enough tonight without me adding to their burden. Again.

Wobbuffet shrugs, trying to be nonchalant despite the heaviness of his tone. "Jessie couldn't sleep, and she knows I don't need a lot of sleep anyway. But, I think she was looking for a distraction more than anything."

A distraction from what, I wonder. Then, it hits me. "Meowth is that bad, huh?"

Wobbuffet sighs. "He isn't that good."

"I could smell him. How long's he been like that?"

"'Bout a day. It just kind of hit him. He started out insisting that he just ate something bad, but I don't think so. He just kept getting worse as the day went on."

So, that's what happened. Jessie was overwhelmed by the bad stuff, so she just needed something else to do. Ash is the same way when he's upset. Distraction isn't a bad coping mechanism, but the bad stuff always comes back to hit you in the face. It seems tonight was no different for Jessie. I wonder if Ash has needed any distractions since we were separated.

" I still don't see why you saved us, " Jessie says from the rear. " Unless I missed my guess, there were no issues until we showed up. " Her footsteps stop, then there's a quiet, " And, I'm the reason we showed up. "

Wobbuffet and I turn around. Jessie's arms are crossed, and she is glaring down at the grass. I've never seen Jessie…remorseful before.

"This isn't your fault, Jess," Wobbuffet gently assures.

Jessie scoffs, still not looking at us. " Why am I bothering? It's not like you can respond. "

I know what she means, but she's wrong. I walk up to her and tug on her pant leg, prompting her to finally look at me. I give her a wide smile and tug again, letting her know that I don't blame her for my ear, for anything that happened with Hatterene.

Jessie's stern expression wavers, her eyes blinking too much. She grunts, balls up her shaking fists at her sides, and stares straight ahead. " Just take us where you're taking us, " she commands, her voice breaking a little. I turn back around, satisfied that my message has been received, and hear her mutter, " You twerps make no sense. "

"In her own way," Wobbuffet says as we set off once more, "she really is sweet. I know she can be kind of a hot head, but she's a good person deep down."

I'm starting to realize that. "You guys are really close."

Wobbuffet chuckles, as if there's a joke I'm not privy to. "You should have us in the beginning. Jessie was…not fond of me to say the least. Luckily, I'm the type to just go with the flow. It took some time but we worked it out and now we couldn't be closer."

It's like all the pain in my body has seeped into my heart. "Sounds like me and Ash in reverse."

"You didn't like him at first?"

"Well…"

I'm grateful to these guys for patching me up, even if it sounds like it was mostly Jessie, and it's clear that they aren't totally bad. Wobbuffet always seemed like the most level-headed of the group, just going with the flow as he put it, and Jessie wouldn't understand me anyway. But, I'm not sure I'm ready to share that particular bit of information with them.

Luckily, Wobbuffet gets the hint. "Too personal. Got it." There's a pause, then he changes the subject. "Nice new move, by the way. What was that?"

Now, if only it was a subject I understood. "New move? What are you talking about?"

Wobbuffet frowns at me. "That-that pink move. I thought- Ah, nevermind. Must have been something Hatterene used."

But, his words nag at me. Supposedly, there have been points when my eyes glowed pink and I got a power boost for whatever reason. And, come to think of it, didn't that Golbat ask me about a pink move? I had kind of ignored him at the time, but now I'm wishing I could find him and ask what he'd meant. Wobbles had thought it was an ability, but could I actually be learning a new move?

Come to think of it, this sort of thing happened the last time I learned a new move. While there are thousands of different attacks out there, a pokemon's mind and body can only handle the knowledge of how to use four at most. When a new move is learned, it takes the place of something else. I could use Electro Ball, once upon a time, but one day the move started going haywire and, long story short, morphed into Electroweb. Ordinarily, new moves just appear out of thin air unless you're actively trying, but there are times when a move can take a while to form. Professor Kukui thinks it's because a pokemon's body is trying to prepare itself for the move, though he notes that it usually only happens with particularly powerful moves like Hyper Beam and Giga Impact. Electroweb may not be the strongest attack in my arsenal, but it certainly has its uses.

I have to think about this, because the more I walk, the more my aching body wants to shut down, and Jessie and Wobbuffet have fallen silent. Soon, fatigue starts overriding my need to keep walking, but I refuse to give in no matter how raw and heavy my legs feel. At one point, Wobbuffet offers to carry me, and I hate how weak my voice sounds when I decline. When Jessie tries to outright pick me up, I make the mistake of wasting energy by generating warning sparks. The act not only makes my brain feel like it's melting, but it also prompts Jessie to mumble something rude-sounding about men.

Finally, blissfully , I see a familiar Bellsprout pass by, apparently searching for something. I try to call out to her, but even my throat feels numb.

Sprout must have heard whatever sound I made, because she spins around, sets her fretful gaze on me, and makes a beeline for me. "Pikachu! Oh my goodness! Wobbles told us what…you…" Then, she really looks at me, what's left of me, her wide eyes locked on the bandaged spot on my head.

Jessie awkwardly clears her throat. " So, you must be with the twerps. I, um… Wobbuffet, help me out here. "

Wobbuffet sputters a bit, but before he can say anything coherent-

"OH MY GOODNEEEEEEEESSS!"

I figured Sprout would be the most - ahem - vocal about this, and her scream does nothing for my pounding head. She stands frozen in shock as, one by one, the rest of our group appears. Eevee is the first, taking in my new appearance with a shriek that, to my dismay, is somehow louder than Sprout's. Wobbles is next. She gazes at me with shock that quickly morphs into resignation.

"What's going on?" Last but not least, Absol.

He takes in the sight of Sprout's paralysis and Wobbles holding a now-crying Eevee. Then, he sees me and gasps. Then, his gaze rests on Jessie, and his hackles raise and he bares his teeth, a low, dangerous growl rumbling in his throat.

Wobbuffet's panicked, "It wasn't us," comes at the same time as Jessie's, " I realize this looks bad. "

"It wasn't them." Speaking takes too much effort. I manage to get out, "Hattrem evolved," before the world goes black.

---

The sun is up when I finally come to. The pounding in my head and the soreness of my muscles has eased enough that I at least don't feel like death. Sprout sees my blurry eyes open, gets behind me, and eases me into a sitting position, murmuring gentle encouragement. Eevee, who was curled up next to me, leaps to his feet, his fur wet with tears that start anew when we lock eyes. He tries to speak but whimpers instead.

Feeling horrible, I lick his wet cheeks and stroke his fluffy neck. "I'm okay, Eevee." My throat is scratchy with thirst. Clearing my throat does nothing. "I'm so sorry I scared you. All of you," I add to Sprout.

"Don't worry about us," Sprout coos, still holding me upright. At least she's calmed down. "You just focus on you."

"Psychosis," I hear Wobbles say with carefully contained fear. "You're sure?"

She and Wobbuffet are deep in conversation close by. Jessie is sitting against a tree and watching them with a bored, uncomprehending expression.

Wobbuffet nods, his arms crossed. "Positive. Granted, I've never actually seen a case before, but I'm certain that's what it was."

"I saw it once." Wobbles groans and puts her head in her hands. "I can't believe I didn't think of it!"

"This isn't your fault, Wobbles," Sprout says.

Wobbles looks miserably in our direction. Her face brightens at the sight of me upright than crumbles once more. "Pikachu!" She runs up to me and throws herself at my feet. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have let you go in there alone!"

Everyone's blaming themselves. Yet, I'm the reason for all this grief.

"Wobbles." I rub my hands over her large head, something that helped calm me when I was little and always helps Ash and some of our friends too. "Wobbles, please. You did nothing wrong." She looks up at me with wet eyes that make me feel impossibly worse. "You tried to stop me. I chose not to listen. This isn't your fault."

At that point, Absol appears from the brush, carrying a hunk of dripping-wet moss in his mouth. He makes no comment on the scene before him and instead sets the moss at my feet and says, "Good. You're up." He pushes it toward me. His tone is clipped, professional, yet there's a gentleness to it. "Here. Drink this."

I obediently lap up the cool water, but I barely feel the relief it brings to my dry throat. Everyone's upset because of me, yet everyone is still taking care of me. I messed everything up. Why is no one mad at me?

"You should drink more," Absol says when I stop. "You've barely touched it."

I shake my head. My heart is stuck in my throat, and my stomach feels like it's full of rocks.

"Don't rush him, Absol," Sprout says patiently.

Eevee finally speaks. "I could drink it for him. Would that help?"

No one has the heart to tell him that's not how it works. Wobbles just nudges the moss his way and says, "Give it a try."

While Eevee licks the moss unhappily, Jessie and Wobbuffet, who had been giving us room, cautiously approach, the former on her hands and knees. They stare at me and then each other helplessly, neither knowing quite what to say.

"What's psychosis?" I ask just to fill the silence.

Wobbles climes to her feet, wipes her cheeks, and clears her throat. "Well, as you probably already know, each pokemon type has some form of unique, inbred trait that other types don't. Ghost-types can access the underworld, for instance. And, ice-types can survive in extreme cold. But, for psychic-types, it's a little more complicated."

"We psychic-types," Wobbuffet continues, "are theoretically capable of telekinesis."

"What's telekinesis?" Eevee asks.

"That's when you can move things by thinking about it, right?" I confirm.

Wobbuffet nods. "I say theoretically because accessing this ability is extremely dangerous. To put it bluntly, it can screw up your mind big time."

"Hold on," Absol interrupts. "We've seen pokemon move things using Psychic and Confusion, and they seemed fine."

Wobbles takes over. "That's different. Psychic and Confusion utilize the body as well as the mind. When your mind's doing all the work, there can be consequences. Really, the only pokemon with a strong enough psyche to handle telekinesis is the Abra-line. No one else that I'm aware of. Wobbuffet told us what happened to you guys. His theory is that Hattrem was on the verge of psychosis, and the power boost from evolving was…more than she could take, so to speak."

This really is my fault.

When silence falls, Jessie sighs through her nose and says, " Whatever that was, it sounded pretty serious. " She rises on to her knees and turns to Wobbuffet. " But, we should probably get going. " Wobbuffet nods. Jessie gazes at my friends then looks off to the side. " Um, thank you, Pikachu. " She stands up and starts away. " Come on, Wobbuffet. "

Wobbuffet puts his hand on my shoulder, says a sincere, "We owe you for this," and follows his trainer.

When they're gone, Absol turns to me. "Well, we know their side of the story, and we know Wobbles's-"

"I'm sorry!" Wobbles blurts, looking like she might cry again.

Absol gives her head a comforting lick. "We told you; we understand why you never told us about Hattrem." He lowers his voice, but I can just barely hear him. "And, we know that Pikachu's like you in that he does whatever he wants."

I look at my feet in shame. What can I say to that?

Eevee laps up the tear that slips down my cheek. "Don't cry, Pikachu. We still love you."

A small, pathetic whine escapes me. I swipe my hands over my eyes before I can break. I don't have the right to cry it all out, not when I'm the one who screwed everything up.

Useless. Utterly useless . Battling and being the cute, fuzzy thing on Ash's shoulder is all I'm good at.

Sprout rests her leaves on my shoulders. "If you're feeling up to talking, I think we'd like to know your point of view." I look at her over my shoulder. Whatever's on my face makes her jump back and wave her leaves in front of her. "N-no pressure or anything! If you don't wanna talk, you don't have to."

I don't want to talk. I want to crawl into a hole and never come out. I want to go find Hatterene and see if there's even the slightest chance of fixing this. I want to nuzzle Ashton's neck while he holds me and murmurs comforting words.

But, my friends are looking at me with so much fear and concern that the words all tumble out of me.

"When I was a youngling, some poachers came to my hoard. You know that my mother was an alpha…but she was also a shiny pokemon."

"A shiny alpha," Wobbles repeats with less interest than she would normally have. "Now, that's a rarity."

I nod. "And, it made her a prime target. She got captured. So did some of the hoard. Others were scattered, and my father… Daddy pushed me into a deep alcove in a tree. He told me to stay there until it was safe. I was young and scared, so-so I stayed there. I stayed there until I couldn't hear anything, and even then I waited longer. No one ever came for me. Eventually, I came out on my own." My voice shakes. "Everyone was gone. I was alone."

I don't tell them about all the blood and gore. I don't tell them that I can't go in my pokeball because being in there brings me right back to that alcove. I don't tell them that I tried to rouse my father with licks and electrocution until reality crashed into me.

"That's why I wanted to help Hatterene," I say instead. "I know how it feels to be alone, to not know who to trust. I…I don't want anyone to feel like that." I squeeze my misty eyes shut, unwilling to see anyone's faces. "She called me her friend. She was happy and then…and then she wasn't…"

My voice was too high, too wobbly at the end. If I go on, I'm afraid I'll lose whatever composure I have left. No one speaks for a while. The only reaction I know of is Sprout wrapping her leaves around me. I lean into her and try to pretend that everything's normal, that this is just a casual hug from a friend. It's not working.

"What I'm hearing," Absol says eventually, "is that you made a lonely pokemon happy for a while. True?" I force myself to meet his gaze. His normally stoic expression is softened by a sad smile. I nod, and he nods back. "That means more than you might think. Regardless of how it ended."

Sprout tightens her grip. "He's right. You're a sweet pokemon, Pikachu. Even if it doesn't seem like it, I'm sure it meant a lot for Hatterene to have someone there who understood her."

My friends mean well, but they weren't there. They didn't see the way Hatterene looked at me, like I'd spent the whole night torturing her and she was finally getting revenge.

"Um," Eevee starts, shuffling his forepaws. "My parents are gone, too. There was a fire before I hatched, and I guess they didn't make it."

I don't tell him I already know this. I just lick his head and say, "I'm sorry, Eevee. Hey, Wobbles." Wobbles had been staring sadly at the ground with her arms crossed but looks up at my voice. "Could you tell me about Hatterene? I'm not familiar with the species."

"Hatterene: the silent pokemon," she begins with less enthusiasm than usual. I hope she perks up soon, though I get the feeling she's going to be mad at herself for a while. "A psychic- and fairy-type. Like its pre-evolution, it isn't fond of loud noises, but instead of pounding you into the dirt, it uses the claws on the end of its tentacle to-" She grimaces, her gaze falling on my injury as she draws her own conclusion. "Well, you get the gist."

I nod and roll forward in a quadrupedal position. "I'm gonna go see Hatterene." My friends cry out in shock and protest. Absol even asks me if I have a death wish. "We were getting along!" I counter shakily. "We ate together. We talked about our trainers. We even had a battle." More quietly, I add. "I can't forget all of that."

My friends exchange looks, unsure of how to respond. Before they can decide, I start in the direction of the shack. I don't care what they say. I don't care how dangerous it is. I'll never forgive myself if I don't at least try to explain everything to Hatterene, to tell her that I never lied to her and that I genuinely care about her. I know I already tried that, but maybe now that things have calmed down, she'll be willing to listen.

Soon, I hear footsteps behind me and stop as everyone catches up to me. Wobbles salutes and says, "We'll be nearby in case things go south."

Arceus, bless these guys.

---

When we arrive at the shack, Hatterene is sitting cross-legged against the door, her long, long hair spilled out in all directions. A pile of vines sits in front of her, and she is weaving and tying them together with her hands because she likes the manual process. I wonder what she's making.

My friends are hidden in the brush, and I can feel their eyes on me as I walk up to Hatterene and stop a safe distance from her. She is so focused on her task that she doesn't notice me until I say, "Um, hey, Hatterene."

She pauses in her work, large black eyes on me. No emotion.

"I…I know things got…out of hand last night," I continue, ignoring the pounding in my chest, the instinct telling me to get out while I can. "Hatterene, I meant every word I said to you. I didn't lie about anything. I care , Hatterene!" When she doesn't react, I take a chance and cautiously approach her, following the stone pathway. "I get why you were mad. I saved the people who were there to hurt you. That couldn't have looked good, but-but what you were doing wasn't right either! Pokemon are afraid of you because you attack first and ask questions later." I stop walking, now almost directly in front of her, only her long puddle of hair separating us. Hatterene still hasn't moved, but she hasn't attacked me either. A flicker of hope warms me. "I know how it feels to be alone. And, I know what it's like to miss others. I don't like the idea of anyone feeling like that. And, I don't want you to stop trusting me. I want us to trust each other, Hatterene. I want us to be friends."

We stare at each other for so long that my flicker of hope starts to burn out. If Hatterene still hates me, couldn't she at least say something?

The stones along the pathway rise up into the air. Before I can process this, they shoot at me and crush me under them. Pain explodes all over as Hatterene squeezes me like she did with the tablecloth. But, the pressure eases as quickly as it began. I hear cries that sound like Hatterene and Absol as Sprout and Eevee dig me out of the pile.

"Are you okay?" Sprout asks breathlessly. Eevee whimpers beside her, his fur fluffed up.

Before I can answer, Absol is knocked back by a powerful Brutal Swing. Sprout and Eevee whip around at his cry. Hatterene's hair is back in its body-like shape.

Hatterene fires off Dazzling Gleam, but Wobbles jumps in front of Absol, who rises to his feet. Wobbles's body glows a shimmering, pinkish-orange, and her Mirror Coat throws Dazzling Gleam right back at Hatterene ten-fold. Hatterene flies back and lies in the grass, stunned though her hair is still in place.

"Let's get out of here!" Absol commands.

My friends bolt past me, but the gravity of the situation leaves me unable to move. I vaguely register Absol lifting me by the scruff and carrying me to safety. I half-expect Hatterene to follow us into the forest. But, when Absol puts me down, I peer through the brush and watch as Hatterene returns to the spot where she'd been sitting before. Her body lowers to the ground, and her hair falls limp, flowing around her in a pool of blue, pink, and white. She picks up her discarded vines and continues weaving, as if my interruption had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

Of course she didn't chase us. Miriam told her not to leave the shack.

I squeeze my mouth shut, blink hard against the tears, desperate for control.

Eevee lightly headbutts my chin. "Um… I liked your speech," he says sadly.

"You did a good thing, Pikachu," Sprout says. "Even if it doesn't seem like it. I'll find you guys some berries." I don't need to look to know that that part had been directed at Wobbles and Absol, who had done all the fighting while I just laid there like a lump. Sprout lightly touches the bandages on my head, which I now realize had come loose. My wound is throbbing, and I feel a trickle of fresh blood. "I'll look for a new cover for that while I'm at it."

"I'll help you," Eevee offers.

The two run off, and I check on Absol and Wobbles. Absol's fur is messy and he's panting a little but his eyes are clear and serious as he watches Hattrem. Wobbles is scuffed up but seems more upset than anything. All in all, neither of them seem particularly worse for wear. I try to take some comfort in that.

Wobbles sighs. "I know you're gonna say it's not my fault," she starts with a glance at the empty space on my head, "but I still kind of feel responsible."

Absol sighs as well and shakes his head. "Maybe this is no one's fault." Then, he turns to me. There's that soft smile again. "Sprout's right, you know. No matter how it turned out, the fact is that you tried to make Hatterene happy when no one else would even go near her. And, you succeeded, even if it was just for a little while. That speaks volumes about you, Pikachu."

In the back of my mind, I know he means that as a compliment. But, I can't bring myself to see it that way.

The fact is, I let Hatterene down. No, it's worse than that. I earned her trust, and my actions caused her to believe I'd betrayed her. I don't regret saving Jessie and Wobbuffet, but I do regret that I couldn't save Hatterene, that I couldn't stop everyone from getting hurt.

Ash wouldn't have failed so miserably; he wouldn't have failed at all. Even if he didn't catch Hatterene, though I suspect he would have, she still would have been left with a new, brighter attitude toward life. That's just the effect Ash has on others, especially pokemon.

But, I'm not Ash Ketchum. I'm just his Pikachu. And, unless there's a battle or someone needs a fuzzy thing to look at, I can't do anything right.

Chapter 18: Doing the Right Thing Can Be Difficult

" I'm insane, I'm emotional, but I'd rather be that than a robot." - Melanie Martinez

Ash

Yesterday, Professor Oak called and told me they figured out how Charizard escaped. Turns out there was some kind of break in the barrier that was hidden behind the brush, which was immediately fixed. I don't know what possessed me to ask how they'd found it, but Professor Oak reluctantly informed me that they'd caught Snivy trying to sneak out through it. Snivy herself had confirmed that she wanted to search for Pikachu, but I can't help thinking about her conversation with Charizard and wondering if she actually just doesn't trust me anymore. I was too much of a coward to check on her and ask what's really on her mind.

A few hours later, I found out that Tyrogue died. He wasn't the first victim of Poke-X, he probably won't be the last, but his death hurt the most so far. Lorette, Korou, and I brought in a few others, and lost a few others, since we first found Tyrogue, but no one else has had the support system that Tyrogue had. Breloom wasn't the only pokemon who came looking for information. Maybe that's why losing Tyrogue bothers me so much. I'm sure that the other pokemon had friends, but it's different when you actually meet those friends and know how loved that pokemon was.

Yeah, yesterday kind of sucked.

This morning, Sarge and Breloom organized a little memorial service for Tyrogue, which came as a bit of a surprise to me. According to Pikachu, pokemon handle death by simply burying their loved one and grieving however they need to. They don't have a whole funeral like humans do. Maybe having a little gathering at the wrestling spot to share memories - and I don't need a translator to tell me that's what they were doing - was Sarge and Breloom's way of coping. Or, maybe Tyrogue was just that popular. Or, maybe it's because the wrestling group lost one of their own. The reason doesn't matter.

Lorette, Korou, and I had hung back, allowing all the pokemon their space. I think we humans all felt a little out of place. Then a Heracross waved us closer, inviting us into the group. We hesitantly joined the gathering and watched as the pokemon talked and wept and even laughed at certain points. The whole scene made me as emotional as everyone else, despite my best attempts to keep it together. But, crying is expected at a funeral, so I could allow myself a few tears. Korou and Lorette had been crying as well.

That's something that I envy about pokemon: their genuineness. With a handful of exceptions (mainly destructive behavior or a dangerous situation), they don't hide their emotions. Ever. Pokemon are allowed to feel however they need to, no matter how ugly it is, and they're never judged for it. They are mystified by human culture and its dictation that we keep our feelings in check in public. According to Pikachu, some pokemon think that humans have no feelings at all, though whether that's interpreted as bravery or heartlessness depends on who you ask. I wish we had the luxury that pokemon have, especially these days.

And, especially tomorrow: my birthday, which I made no effort to mention to my friends. My tenth birthday was the day I met Pikachu. And, unless he and Charizard miraculously appear on Aunt V's doorstep, I'm not celebrating this year.

---

The first time I met Connor, he'd been wearing a shirt that said, "I like big boobs and I cannot lie." When Korou introduced the man as his husband, I was extremely confused. Connor had laughed at my expression and explained that he "enjoyed messing with your gaydar." I still have no idea what that means, but I'd instantly liked the guy. Especially when I tasted his cooking. He and Korou co-own a cafe here in town called Just Eat! (the exclamation point was Connor's idea), and Korou has been separating his time between there and working on Poke-X research. I haven't tasted Korou's cooking, but if it's half as good as Connor's, I can see why they're in that business.

Their house is a little bigger than Aunt V's and is surprisingly lacking in decor. Apart from some framed photos here and there, their house only has the basic furniture and electronics and stuff. If I didn't know better, I'd assume no one lived here at all. The house seems kind of lonely to me, but its owners seem content with it.

Of course, Connor's wardrobe, which seems to consist mainly of fun shirts, makes up for it in a way. Today, he's sporting a white t-shirt featuring a sleeping Snorlax and the words, "Please Don't Make Me Do Stuff." The shirt's owner is what one might consider a textbook pretty boy: tousled blond hair, large light brown eyes, soft facial features, and a friendly smile.

But, that smile is absent when he makes his appearance, just for a quick visit before he heads back to the cafe. "So, how was the funeral?" he asks, setting two small red boxes on the table.

The guys and I were seated at the dining room table when he arrived. Our pokemon had huddled in the backyard to have their own vent-session. Personally, I'd rather have them here with us, but I guess they needed to talk with friends who could understand them. It makes sense, but I still miss them even though they're right outside.

Lorette sighs heavily. "It was a funeral. What do you expect? Whatcha got there?" she adds, now eyeballing the boxes.

Connor opens one of the boxes he'd brought from Just Eat!, revealing three large chocolate chip cookies. The aroma is so strong that they must be freshly baked. "I figured some comfort food might ease the blow."

Korou smiles sadly at him. "Thank you, Connor, but I don't think any of us have much appetite right now."

"Agreed," Lorette says. "We'll snack later."

I just shrug apologetically. Sadness is one of the few things that ruins my appetite.

Then again… "Maybe I'll just pick at it," I mutter, grabbing a cookie, realizing that it's still warm, and taking a bigger bite than I probably should. Connor's right; there's nothing like warm, chocolatey goodness to perk you up. Still holding the cookie, and ignoring the identical smirks around me, I point to the other box with my pinkie finger. "What's in that one?" I ask through my mouthful.

"These are for your pokemon." He opens the other box, revealing three pokemon-friendly cookies iced to look like pokeballs.

"Sweet," Lorette says. She turns to me and snorts. "In more ways than one."

It isn't until I look at my cookie, the bite-sized remaining piece, that I realize what's so funny. I shrug again. "A big guy's gotta eat," I say and pop the last glorious piece in my mouth.

"And, we thank you for lightening the mood," Korou quips. He turns back to Connor. "Lorette and I will have ours later."

Connor closes the box. "I figured." He looks shyly down at the lid. "I just… I don't know. I felt kind of weird about not going."

"Did you know Tyrogue?" I ask.

"No, not really," he says. "I've seen him wrestle, but we never really interacted. But, Sarge and you guys and…" Suddenly, his voices softens. "But, then I think of Dachsbun, and-" He shakes his head. "I-I don't know. Am I being weird?"

Korou sighs. "It's a weird situation all around, hun."

"Who's Dachsbun?" I ask. Then, I see the flash of pain on Connor's face and regret asking. "Sorry. Uh, nevermind."

"No, it's alright," Connor says solemnly. "Dachsbun was my pokemon." Was. Not is. Was . Now, I really regret asking. Connor pulls up a chair and rests his arms on the table. Korou reaches over and takes his hand. "He got really sick, and…well."

"Ah, man. I'm sorry," I say because what else can I say? Pikachu and Charizard may be gone, but at least I know they aren't gone gone. My pokemon are my family. I can't fathom losing them that way.

Come to think of it, Torkoal was pretty old when I caught him, and that was years ago. And, he's not the only one getting on in years. God, why am I thinking about this?

"It's fine," Connor says. "It's been two years. The ache's dulled, but…" His voice gets quiet again. "I guess this is just…bringing back some stuff, you know?"

So, that's why he didn't come. I can't say I blame him. I don't know if I could go either. My hand meets the three pokeballs strapped to my belt.

"I remember Dachsbun," Lorette says with a nostalgic smile. "He was a lot of fun. Used to play with Electrode all the time. Well, Voltorb, I should say." She huffs.a laugh. "Used to roll Voltorb all over the place like a regular ball."

Korou chuckles. "And then freak out when Voltorb exploded."

Connor grins with tears in his eyes. "He never learned."

My hand tightens around my pokeballs.

---

' Dachsbun: the dog pokemon. A fairy-type. It gives off a pleasant aroma that helps wheat grow, making it a common partner for farmers. Its skin hardens when exposed to intense heat. '

The image on the pokedex is of a brown, quadrupedal pokemon that is apparently not much larger than Pikachu. It has a pronounced snout, round ears that hang limply on the sides of its head, and a tail that bares an odd resemblance to a hairy sweet roll. So, this is Connor's old partner. I wish I could have met him.

I sigh heavily, stick my pokedex back in my pocket, and lean back on Aunt V's couch. Gardevoir is beside me, nibbling on Connor's pokeball cookie half-heartedly, as if just looking for something to do. He's as listless as I am.

"This sucks," I say just to fill the silence. Gardevoir makes an agreeing sound.

Tyrogue is far from the last victim, I know. More research facilities opened up and hired their own field workers like me, Korou, and Lorette. Word is that Poke-X is spreading farther from the areas around Lavender Town. I hope Zapdos and Electrode Hoard are doing okay. I hope Pikachu and Charizard are far, far away from those areas. I hope they found each other. I know they would want to be together.

Even if they don't want to be with me.

I push the thought away and try to focus on the here and now. "Do you think we're doing enough?" Gardevoir looks at me and chews on his last mouthful. "Poke-X, I mean. I know it's spreading slowly, but it's still spreading, you know? It just feels like no one's making any progress."

Gardevoir chirps and spreads his arms out wide.

"I know more people are working on it. But, is it enough?"

Tyrogue was merely a bitter taste of what was to come. The guys were right; it's far worse in person than it is on a computer screen.

---

As soon as Gardevoir and I returned from the power plant, Aunt V had practically thrown me inside. A sickly pokemon had somehow gotten into the house, and poor Aunt V looked like she was struggling not to have a heart attack. I'd ordered - yes, ordered - Gardevoir to wait outside and he obeyed but I could tell he wasn't happy about it. I don't like invoking the "Gardevoir instinctively obey their trainer's commands" thing, but I wasn't willing to risk him getting sick. It's one thing having him with me out in the open. It's another having him surrounded by walls and minimal exits. Looking back, he probably would have stayed in his pokeball if I'd told him to, but I think that would have driven him just as crazy.

Aunt V led me to the kitchen, which was a total mess of broken things and spilled over food and a dark red substance that had to be pokemon blood. The back door was wide open, and Aunt V confessed that she must not have closed it all the way. That's probably how the pokemon got in. A blast of electricity blazed through me before I saw Thundershock's user. At first, I was thankful that Pikachu's constant "love shocks" had made me all but immune to electrocution.

But, then I saw the pokemon.

A Pichu. Out of all the pokemon in the world. A god. Damn. Pichu.

If it had been a Pikachu, I might have seriously snapped. Didn't stop my heart from seizing in my chest.

Pichu are about half the size of their evolved form without their huge diamond-shaped ears. They have large pink circles on their cheeks, mitten-like hands, and a small black tail. Seeing the fuzzy yellow bundle roll out of the cabinet under the sink should have been a cute and funny sight.

There was nothing cute or funny about this.

The Pichu writhed and squealed and rolled through the debris, trailing blood from the cuts littering her body and shooting lightning at odd intervals. She even shocked herself a few times. It's common for Pichu to zap themselves by accident, but I had a feeling she was doing it on purpose here.

All of that would have been bad enough. But, the tip of her ear was missing and her tail was lying on the floor. The cabinet she'd fallen out of was where Aunt V kept her cleaning supplies, and I prayed to God and Arceus and whoever else that she hadn't swallowed anything.

I'd finally broken out of my stupor when she bit into her arm and started pulling on her skin.

" Get my transporter," I commanded, turning my hat around. "It's on my nightstand."

" You didn't bring it with you?" Aunt V asked incredulously.

" I didn't think I'd need it." But, I decided to wear it from that point on. She started wearing one as well after that.

Aunt V ran upstairs, muttering about how she could have dealt with this already, and I lunged. I managed to grab Pichu before she could damage herself further and squish the poor thing against me, forcing her to hold still until help arrived. Her blood drenched my clothes. She growled and sank her teeth into my shirt and electrocuted me and electrocuted herself, something I couldn't prevent. This Pichu wasn't young, but her jolts weren't particularly powerful, like maybe she didn't train much.

She was so small, so fragile. I'd used both hands to hold her down, but she would have been swallowed by just one. I felt like she would fall apart if I moved my pinkie finger the wrong way. I was powerless to do anything but stroke her small, sticky head and murmur false reassurances. And, try not to picture Pikachu in her place.

Aunt V had reappeared and aimed the transporter at Pichu, but I'd turned and blocked the shot. When my aunt demanded to know what in God's name I was doing, I ignored her. Maybe it was stupid of me, but I couldn't send Pichu to the lab in this state. Wouldn't she be even more terrified if she came out of this in a strange environment? Er, stranger than this one, anyway. What about the scientists? I guess they're used to dealing with frenzied pokemon, but what if something happened?

" Let me handle this. And, get the first aid kit." I said to Aunt V, who obeyed but made a face like I'd just said the dumbest thing imaginable. Maybe I had. So be it.

I knelt there on the floor, Pichu still trying to attack and escape, me still trying to settle her, until she eventually fell limp against me. I kept it together even when she started crying weakly into my torn and bloody shirt.

" There, now," I whispered, fighting an instinct to kiss her head. "It's over. My name is Ash, and you're safe with me."

Pichu had looked up at me with wet, fearful eyes that were asking if it was truly over, if he-if she was truly safe. I desperately wanted to lie.

I stroked her head with my thumb. "I won't lie to you. This will happen again." Pichu let out a broken sob. "But, there is good news. I know some humans who know exactly what's wrong with you. They can help you, Pichu."

Pichu blinked cautiously at me.

Aunt V had returned a while ago and had been watching us, waiting for my cue. I waved her over, and she knelt down beside me. "This is Vivian," I introduced. "She's my aunt, and she's in charge of those people. Think of her as their Alpha."

" Uh," Aunt V waved awkwardly, "hello, Pichu." She cleared her throat, switching to a more professional tone. "My nephew is correct. We are working on the cause of your condition."

I nodded. "Will you let us help you, Pichu?"

Pichu moaned but gave me a tiny smile.

" That means yes, right?" Aunt V asks, slightly exasperated. "Can I transport it now?"

" One last thing," I requested. I gingerly sat Pichu down, trying not to wince at her pained whimpers, and opened the first aid kit.

Aunt V raised an eyebrow. "You know they can do that at the lab, right?"

Now I was just trying not to get annoyed. "Humor me and my conscience."

Aunt V threw her hands up in surrender, and I got to work cleaning and bandaging Pichu. All the while, Pichu stared up at me with those scared brown eyes. Patching her up was the only thing keeping me from scooping her up in my arms again.

Not him. Not him. Not him.

" That cabinet you came out of," I said to stop my head from going in that direction. Pichu frowned, and it occurred to me that she probably didn't know what a cabinet was. "Um, that hole over there with the-the funny-looking…plastic things?" I pointed to what I was doing a terrible job of describing; there was a good chance she didn't know what cleaning supplies were either. Pichu grimaced but managed to turn her head enough to follow my finger. "You fell out of there. Do you remember that?"

Pichu nodded as well as she could, and my stomach churned. She remembered something from her fit. Was she conscious throughout? If so, how much?

" Those things are full of cl- Uh, human…water?"

" I think he's trying to ask if you drank any of it," Aunt said for me. I smiled in embarrassed thanks. "Did you?"

Pichu barely shook her head. She had been aware. At least enough that she knew she didn't poison herself. Are other infected pokemon aware of their actions? A chill ran up my spine.

" Good," Aunt V said. "That would have complicated matters."

" That stuff is really toxic if you drink it," I told Pichu. "Take some comfort in knowing that you didn't."

Pichu had calmed down by then but didn't look very reassured. There was nothing I could do about her ear and tail, but I finished bandaging her with no further incident.

Aunt V gave me another exasperated look, but there was a hint of love in there as well. She aimed the transporter. "Are you done now?"

Pichu's fearful eyes shot to the small device, and I gave her head a little scratch. "It's okay. That's a special machine that can send you to the lab. They can help you there. I promise."

Pichu looked up at me and nodded tiredly. She didn't care what we did. She just wanted the pain to stop. She looked so broken that my throat closed up. I couldn't speak. I just nodded at Aunt V, and she fired off the transporter. Pichu vanished in the red light, to reappear wherever in the research facility. I wiped my hands on the clean parts of my jacket, stood up, and walked into the dining room. I needed something less gruesome to look at.

Now that it was over, images of Pikachu were flashing through my mind. How he selflessly stops whatever he's doing when someone needs help. The way his gentle nature switches to a sharp intensity when we battle. The feel of his tiny hands clutching my shirt when we cuddle.

And, then the scenes from my nightmares of him shredded and mad with sickness.

" You just might be the sweetest man on planet Earth," Aunt V said, blissfully ignorant of my thoughts. "Also, why do pokemon like you so much?"

I didn't respond. I just brushed the tears off my cheeks before she could see them. I'd already cried my eyes out over Charizard. I refused to break down twice in one day.

I felt my aunt's hand on my shoulder, right where Pikachu usually rests. "You did well, Ash. You did a little more than you needed to, but I get it." I finally looked at her. Whatever she saw on my face made her go pale and throw her hand over her mouth in a gasp. "Pichu. Pikachu. Oh my god. Oh my god. I- I didn't think. I was gonna call someone, but-but I saw you outside and- Oh my god."

" It's okay," I assure, my voice miraculously steady. "It's okay. I-I mean, I have a lot of pokemon. This sort of thing was bound to happen, right? It just…happened to be a Pichu. But, I-I'm really fine. I promise."

I was lying through my teeth.

---

"Damn it all!" I slam my fist on the couch cushion hard enough that Gardevoir jumps beside me. "What did Tyrogue do? What did- What did Pichu do?" The fight leaves as quickly as it came. I slump forward, resting my forehead in one hand, my other hand dangling off my knee. "What did any of them do that was so bad?"

" Deh vwarh, " Gardevoir says sadly.

"It's not right." My free hand curls into a shaking fist. "It-it's just… It's just horrible!"

Gardevoir is silent.

Suddenly, guilt burns my chest. I sit back up. "What am I doing? Here I am, wallowing in my own misery, and I haven't asked how you were feeling." Gardevoir just shrugs. "Same as me, huh?"

He doesn't deserve this. He didn't sign up for this when he asked me to catch him. Why am I putting him through all this? I wish we could have met before Poke-X happened, back when my biggest concern was looking for my next adventure.

"Maybe I should send you to Professor Oak's ranch. You'd be safe there." His head shoots up at my words, his red eyes wide in disbelief. "Don't look at me like that. I know this isn't what you expected when I caught you. You don't wanna see innocent pokemon die any more than I do. You saw a fun, happy person and…" I sigh and rest my hand on my head. "Look at me. I swear I've cried more in the past few days than I have in the eight years I've been on my journey. And, get this; tomorrow's the anniversary of when I met Pikachu, so unless a miracle happens, don't count on me being all rainbows and sunshine. I'm a goddamn mess."

Gardevoir snatches the hat off my head, places it backwards on his own, and narrows his eyes.

I smile despite myself. "I get it. You don't want to leave. You're in too deep now." I suppose that's my fault too.

Pikachu and Charizard are Lord knows where, and now Gardevoir is smack in the middle of the outbreak. Three of my pokemon are in danger because of me, and Snivy would have been number four if she hadn't been caught.

What kind of trainer am I?

Sensing my spiral, Gardevoir puts my hat back on my head, purposely setting the brim way too low. I adjust it and find him smiling softly, his tongue poking out as usual.

Despite my mood, I can't help but smile back. "I guess I'd rather cry than not care."

" Gar deh-vwarh, " Gardevoir agrees.

Such a kind, patient pokemon. And, there are other pokemon as sweet as him out there, including Pikachu and Charizard. They're all susceptible, and I'm sitting on my ass when I could be doing something about it.

But then, what can I do? Everything I know about science comes from Clemont, one of my friends from the Kalos region, and his techno-babble, as amazing as it sounded, always went in one ear and out the other for me. My brain just isn't wired for science.

But, it is wired for pokemon.

"I wanna do more," I say. Gardevoir makes a curious sound. I cross my arms and lean back. "I'll be frank. All I know about science is that pie isn't just a dessert. Wait, is that science or math?" Gardevoir's blank stare is all the answer I get. "It doesn't matter. The point is I don't get science. But, I do get pokemon. I'm sure I could learn pokemon science."

Gardevoir tilts his head, his tongue peeking though once more, wondering where I'm going with this.

The more I speak, the more I like my idea. "Since I don't do science things, I'm not allowed anywhere but the lobby. Neither are Lorette and Korou. I don't know about them, but I want to be a bigger part of the action. I know quarantining the sick pokemon is important, but it's not enough for me. I can't even go and check on them myself. The guys and I had to ask someone about Tyrogue, and now I'll have to ask about Pichu instead of walking in and seeing her face to face. I guess it's a safety thing, but it just doesn't sit well with me, you know?"

" Gardehvwarh? "

"I've made up my mind, Gardevoir. I'm gonna learn pokemon science, and I'm gonna talk to Aunt V about helping the scientists study the virus. Hell, even if she just makes me an errand boy or something, at least I'd be helping, right?"

Gardevoir hums with interest then frowns deeply. He places one hand on my chest, right over my heart, and gives me a quizzical look.

I remove his hand. "You're right. Seeing all those pokemon like that, it would just kill me. But, you've seen me under pressure. You know I can keep it together. And, if I have to break down at the end of the day, then I'll break down. I wouldn't like it, but I'd do it." Then, I remember that he can feel my emotions whenever he wants and suddenly find it hard to look right at him. "I mean, you probably shouldn't try to check on me if I get the job. I doubt I'd be feeling anything you'd wanna feel."

I look up when Gardevoir places his hand on my shoulder. He gives me a fierce smile and a firm nod.

I grin and tip my hat to him. "You're awesome." I pump my fist. "Alright. Here's the new game plan. We'll keep doing our thing here until everything settles down. Then, we'll go somewhere. You, me, Pikachu, Charizard, and whoever else. We'll go somewhere awesome that we've never been before! Like, uh, uh, like Orre! That's where Ella said she's from, right? You ever been to the Orre region?"

Already looking excited, Gardevoir shakes his head.

"Well, that settles it. Once everything's back to normal, we're heading out!"

" Gar-deh! " Gardevoir chirps, kicking his legs.

I spring off the couch. "Let's look it up right now. Come on!" Then, I spot Aunt V's laptop sitting on the coffee table and sit back down. I'm sure she won't mind if I borrow it.

It feels good to plan my next adventure. Though Pikachu isn't here to bounce ideas off of, though Charizard isn't here to lovingly roll his eyes at my enthusiasm, there's a sense of normalcy to this. I can briefly pretend that nothing's wrong in the world, that the only thing I need to do is bring a new friend to a new place.

At least, until I set the laptop on my lap and open it. Apparently, Aunt V had forgotten to turn it off, because there is a news story on the screen with the title, " Poke-X Causes Human Casualties ." The story goes on to describe how a group of four friends had been picnicking on Route 12 and came across two Corphish - shutter - who had been tearing themselves and each other apart. The humans had tried to stop them and ended up on the receiving end of their massive claws. Only one of the friends had survived. She had sustained serious injuries, and her Trevenant had been infected and taken to one of the new research buildings. The Corphish had died of their own injuries. The article then goes on to assure that the blood of pokemon cannot contaminate the river because blah, blah, blah, science.

I can't concentrate on reading anymore. All I can think about is my own goofy, energetic little Corphish.

You ever feel like the universe just hates you?

I check on Gardevoir, gauging his reaction. He is staring at the screen, no sign of comprehension, and subtly glancing my way as if wondering about my change in demeanor. He must not know how to read. Good.

For his sake, I mentally file the information away and… What was I doing? Oh, yeah! I type "Orre region" into the search bar, though the article still lingers in my mind.

---

We are still doing research when Aunt V gets home, three grocery bags in tow. I offer to help her out, but she declines and brings them into the kitchen. I can hear her putting things away, and she plops herself next to me when she's done.

I expect her to ask what I'm doing, but the first thing out of her mouth is, "Remind me again why you gave me money to buy, and I quote, 'a bunch of cheese samples?'"

" Vwarh? " Gardevoir chimes with interest.

I huff a laugh and jerk my thumb towards him. "That's why."

I had first discovered his love of cheese when I caught him sneaking a slice out of the fridge. When I asked what he was doing, he just ever-so-slowly took a big bite, a gesture that screamed, "What are you gonna do about it?" It reminded me of Pikachu with ketchup. Now, I want to know what Gardevoir's favorite cheeses are. I figure he's earned it, considering how much he has to put up with around here.

Aunt V looks at the screen, which displays information about Mt. Battle (the name alone says that it's right up my alley), and shakes her head with a smirk. "Don't tell me you're already plotting your next adventure."

"Okay, I won't," I quip. "You don't mind me using your laptop, do you?"

"Nah. I honestly forgot I left it out."

I hesitate, then, "You left it on , too."

"Did I?"

"Yeah." I should stop. I should just let this go, but… "You were looking at a news story." My aunt tenses beside me. "You didn't tell me."

Aunt V lets out a breath and looks up as if begging for strength. "Ash…Ash, there's nothing you can for those people-"

"They're dead ." The words come out harsher than I intended. I ignore Gardevoir's gasp next to me. " No one can do shit for them!" Aunt V flinches, and I force myself to calm down. "You know I have a Corphish, right?"

"I thought you had a Kingler."

"One of each. And, when I read that… It just rattled me, okay?" My throat closes up for the umpteenth time. I need to get my act together. "I know there are pokemon attacking humans. But, killing them…and, I…"

Aunt V nods sympathetically, a grim acceptance in her green eyes. "It's different when your own species is affected. Everyone's working hard, but we can't control everything. Can I confide in you for a moment?"

"Of course," I say.

"When I saw the extent of Poke-X, when I saw how it affected humanity, even indirectly, I wanted to quit."

Now, that surprises me. Aunt V always seemed like a go-getter, someone who persevered no matter how hard it got. Supposedly, most of my dad's side of the family is like that, myself included.

Aunt V goes on. "Then, I remembered that life is full of the unexpected. You can't plan out everything. Bad things happen no matter what."

"You make it sound like their deaths don't matter."

"I'm not saying that. I'm saying that the world is full of hurt. We can't stop all of it. But, we can try to make it easier. I never expected Poke-X to affect humans." There's a haunted look in her eyes at that. "All I want to do is make the world safer. That's why I do what I do."

I knew there was a reason we were close. I shut the laptop, set it back on the table, and give my aunt a hard look. "I wanna do more, Aunt V."

She blinks in confusion. "More what?"

"More work. I wanna do more with Poke-X." She looks like she's about to protest, so I go on before she can stop me. "Look, I know I'm not a science guy, but I can learn. I already know some things about a pokemon's biology. I'm sure I could figure out the rest."

She sighs through her nose and doesn't meet my gaze. "Ash, I know you mean well, but this isn't stuff that you can learn overnight. It's not just a matter of memorizing body parts. Everyone doing the hard stuff has years of schooling backing them."

"I went to school in Alola."

"A school that taught the basics of pokemon, which you already knew."

Fair point. "They taught other stuff too. And, I've taken online classes over the years."

"And, how often did you do that versus how often you focused on your pokemon journey?"

Another fair point. I'm running out of arguments. "I still learned things! For instance, did you know that pie isn't just a dessert? It's also a number that goes on forever."

I'd felt so smart when I said it, but the tolerant look on my aunt's face makes me feel the opposite. Was I wrong about pi? Then, out of nowhere, she asks, "Tell me what dopamine is."

Crap. I hadn't expected a quiz! "Uh…" Think, Ash, think! What sounds science-y enough to maybe be right? "It's a…collision of…" that tolerant smile is still there, and my face is getting hotter and hotter, "bone…density…?" Now, she's clearly trying not to laugh. I can even hear Gardevoir's barely restrained giggles. Either he knows what dopamine is, or my answer is just that stupid. I huff and throw my hands in the air in defeat. "Okay, you've made your point. But, there's gotta be something I can help with."

Aunt V rests her hand on my shoulder. "You are helping," she says sympathetically. "I know it doesn't always feel like it, but you are. So are Korou and Lorette and the field workers at the other locations. You bring the infected pokemon in so that they aren't causing any more harm. The scientists are equipped to handle those conditions. Your job is protecting those who aren't."

When you put it that way, it does sound pretty important. But, I'm still not satisfied. I shrug off her hand. "I get all that, but there has to be something I can do in the lab. Anything ! Even if I just run errands or push buttons or something. Please , Aunt V! Just give me a chance."

Aunt V is silent for a long time, drumming her fingers thoughtfully on her knee. I can smell the no coming, but I don't know how else to plead my case. Finally, she speaks, not looking at me. "I haven't forgotten how you were with that Pichu. And, I'm told that the Tyrogue came in bandaged up as well."

Where is she going with this? "So, I patched them up. Isn't that a good thing?"

"It is, but it isn't." She finally looks at me, a weary resignation in her eyes. "Ash, your problem is that you think with your heart before your head. You can't be that way in the lab." She cuts me off when I start to protest. "Do you know why I asked for your help in the first place?"

"Because of my experience with pokemon, right?" Even as I say it, I can already tell that's not the real answer.

Which she confirms. "That was a factor, but the main reason was that I knew you'd show up anyway. I know you, Ash. You can't stand seeing anyone in pain, regardless of their species."

"Well, yeah, but-"

She holds up a hand, cutting me off. "It's not a bad thing, but like I said, you think with your heart. That can be dangerous, Ash. The last thing we need is someone making rash decisions that cause more problems than they fix. I asked for your help because I knew that you would make your way here and not take no for an answer. You'd just go off on your own and do something reckless and stupid. Am I right?"

I'm rapidly losing steam. Everything she's saying makes sense. How many times have I leaped into harm's way to protect someone else? How many times have my friends been held up because I was hurt and they didn't want to leave without me? I like to think I'm more careful now than when I was a kid, but the need to protect only grew stronger with age. I've gotten more than one lecture about my recklessness, but I just can't help it. Maybe my aunt's right; the way I am, I'd be more of a hindrance than a help.

When I don't respond, Aunt V pulls out her ace in the hole. "You're a dedicated pokemon trainer, Ash. You feel a responsibility toward your pokemon's well-being. I seem to remember you once telling me that your pokemon's pain is your own."

"So?" I ask.

"What if Pikachu or Charizard gets the virus?"

My blood freezes at her words.

"Could you keep your cool? Imagine them ripping themselves apart, Charizard melting its own flesh, Pikachu reducing its own tail to ribbons-"

"Oh God, please stop!"

I leap off the couch and take a few steps away, suddenly needing to move, needing to hide the fear that I'm sure is all over my face. My hand has a death grip on my friends' pokeballs. They're alive. They aren't necessarily okay, but alive is good. I feel tiny hands wrap around my elbow, on the arm still latched on to the pokeballs. Gardevoir is purring softly and nuzzling my arm. I try to slow my breathing and use my shaking free hand to stroke his head.

"I'm sorry for being graphic," Aunt V says, "but you need to consider the possibility." I don't tell her that I've been trying not to do that, though the thought is always there. She rises and calmly walks up to me, regarding me with understanding and maybe a little regret. "That's a worst case scenario, but it could still happen, Ash. Could you stay calm if it did?"

Yes. No. I have no idea and no desire to find out.

Aunt V smiles apologetically. "I just don't want you to get hurt. I know it's not what you want to hear-"

"No, it's okay. You've kind of got me pegged. But, um," I add, forcing out the words, "if…if that worst case scenario happens…"

Aunt V stands on her toes to kiss my cheek. "Yes, you can be with them. Now," she puts one hand on her hip and waves the other in front of me, "get all of this sadness out today, because, in case you've somehow forgotten, tomorrow is your birthday." As if I could forget. She taps my nose as she speaks. "No. Sad. Birthday boys. Understood?"

I can't help but laugh. I raise my hand in a mock-salute. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good man. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check in with someone."

"Who's that?" I ask as she pulls her phone out of her pocket.

"Her name is Miriam Waybright. She's an old friend of mine and she offered to come down here and help us with Poke-X." She points to me. "You know, if you want to help, you could pick her up from the airport when she gets here. That way, I know she'll get here in one piece."

Perfect! A chance to help more! I'll take anything at this point. I raise two thumbs up. "Sounds awesome! When does she get here?"

"I'm not quite sure. She was busy doing research in the Johto region at the time, so-" Her phone vibrates in her hand. She looks down at the screen, and her eyes light up. "Oh! Good timing. That's her now. Excuse me."

She heads upstairs to take the call.

When we're alone, Gardevoir nudges my arm. He looks up at me with a cautious curiosity, tongue out, silently asking how I feel about all this.

I put my hands in my pockets and shrug. "Okay. So, that didn't go the way I wanted. Hey, at least she'll let me bring her friend in. This Miriam must be pretty important if Aunt V wants her to have a bodyguard, right?" I throw in a chuckle so that he knows I really am fine.

Well, maybe I'm a little disappointed, but Aunt V isn't wrong about me. Truthfully, I don't know if I could spend entire work days watching pokemon suffer and keep my sanity while doing it. I really admire everyone who does. Who knows what must be going through their heads while they do what they do? Now that I think about it, it sounds like torture.

I'd still like to at least have access to the upper floors. Just so I can see the pokemon myself, so they feel like they have a friend, someone who visits just to visit and isn't getting paid to do so. I know that's what I'd want.

And, if the worst does happen, if Pikachu and Charizard do catch Poke-X, they'll have that if I have to break the doors down to get to them.

Chapter 19: Burning Bright

" I'm not a hot mess. I'm a spicy disaster." - Unknown

Charizard

Any fire-type will tell you that rain sucks. Any fire- and flying-type will tell you that flying in the rain sucks. I will tell you that being out in the rain leaves me with a deep sense of dread and a bizarre urge to find a leaf to cover with. I doubt I could find one big enough these days.

"You wanna land?" Butterfree asks, flying backwards to talk to me. He's having no trouble flying backwards in this weather, and I'm half-hoping he flies into something.

The wind is blowing toward us, pelting me with icy droplets. I'm getting tired, and my tail is aching, the flame on its tip only appearing unaffected. "I've flown in worse conditions," I say. A true statement, though none of those conditions gave me the kind of flashbacks that the pouring rain does. At least it's not a thunderstorm. Now, that would be a nightmare.

Butterfree narrows his eyes, hearing what I'm not saying. "Nah, I know fire-types. We're landing and waiting this out."

He descends before I can argue. I groan but follow him into the trees below. If I knew where Raichu Horde was, I'd ditch him. But, as I fly through the treetops and land on the soggy grass, I can't deny that, despite the rain leaking between the branches, this is immensely more comfortable.

Butterfree surveys the area. "If memory serves, there's a cave nearby that we can wait in. I don't know about you, but I could use a rest anyway."

"You can ride on my back," I suggest. "We'll continue on foot. Just point me in the right direction."

Butterfree gives me a side-eye. "What's more of a delay? Waiting out the rain for maybe the rest of the day or risking being too sick to fly for several days?"

I can't think of a good argument; my typing means I'm likely to be pretty bad off if I don't seek shelter. "So, you mentioned a cave?"

"This-a-way."

I follow Butterfree through the soaked foliage and try to push certain unsavory memories out of my mind. I've been spoiled by the safety of the ranch; I forgot just how badly the rain affects me. It's stupid. Damian abandoned me years ago. Why does being in the rain still bother me?

I tell myself that it's because I'm a fire-type, that it's merely a physical discomfort and nothing more. That's the only reason my pulse picks up. That's why I have nightmares about drowning or about Ash leaving or some combination. That's why, during our travels, I would sleep next to him at night when the weather was bad and we would both pretend we didn't know why I did it. It's my body , not my mind.

Sure wish I believed that.

"How much farther?" I ask impatiently.

"Cool your cucumbers," Butterfree says. "We're getting there."

I huff but am grateful when he picks up the pace. Then that gratitude leaves when we run - fly, in his case - under a break in the treetops. Frigid raindrops cut into my skin. I instinctively turn my head away from them-

-and see something that stops me dead.

Where is Damian? I wondered, clutching the stem tighter. This leaf was the worst umbrella ever. The storm was relentless. Maybe that's why Damian wasn't back yet. Yeah, he must have found shelter. He'd be here when the storm cleared.

So cold. So cold.

"Charizard," Butterfree's indignant tone snaps me back to reality. "Oh, so you can get distracted, but when I see something shiny, you- Hey, where you going?"

I ignore him and run up to what I found. There is a pokemon sprawled out on the grass. He is a small, quadrupedal pokemon with orange fur, a few black stripes on his legs and back, and longer cream-color fur on his chest and tail with a large tuft sticking up off his head. That fur has been matted down by the rain, making the Growlithe look as if he is melting into the grass.

A fellow fire-type caught in the cold rain. I rest the back of my hand on his flank, utterly relieved when his flank rises and falls. His breathing is strong enough that he must have only just collapsed. I carefully scoop him up in my arms and drape both of my wings over him. (Much more efficient than a leaf.)

"Oh." Butterfree lands on my shoulder, his wings fluttering against me worriedly. "Well, that don't look too good. He's a fire-type like you, ain't he?"

I nod. "That cave?"

"Over here," he replies, hopping off of me. "Let's hustle."

As we race to the cave, I hope with every footstep that Growlithe wakes up and screams at me to put him down. He doesn't; he remains limp in my arms, though he feels warm enough that I don't think he's in serious danger.

What's he doing out in this weather, anyway? I don't see any other pokemon around, so everyone else must have already found shelter. Why didn't he?

Arceus, I'm one to talk.

"Bingo!" Butterfree chirps suddenly. "I knew it was around here."

The cave isn't huge, but it's deep enough to keep us all dry. Once inside, I lay Growlithe on the cool but dry stone flooring. Fatigue has long set in, and though Growlithe doesn't weigh that much, it's a physical relief to longer have to carry him. Butterfree lands next to him and tries to nuzzle him awake. I bring my tail around to rest its flame against Growlithe, trying to warm him up.

"Y-you think that's enough?" Butterfree asks.

I realize that he's shivering and bring my flame a little closer to him, positioning it between him and Growlithe. "Hopefully. I could use Flamethrower, but there's no guarantee he has the Flash Fire ability." If he does, then Flamethrower would make him stronger instead of causing damage. If not, well, fire-type attacks may do less damage to fire-type pokemon, but I don't want to risk hurting the guy. "Maybe we could get a regular fire going."

"Good luck with that." Butterfree says uncertainly. "Any kindling is gonna be soaked through by now."

I can't help a flash of arrogance. "Don't insult me," I say with a wink.

He laughs and rises into the air. "Alright, Mr. Ego. I'll see what I can find. You keep the fellow warm." As he flies out, he adds, "I'll be right back."

" I need to go take care of something, Charmander. You wait here for me. I'll be right back."

The chill that runs over me has nothing to do with the cold. I shake the thought away, because I know - I know - that Butterfree will come back. Afterall, it's not just me in here. This Growlithe needs help, and I know that Butterfree wouldn't abandon a pokemon in need.

At least, that's how I remember him from back in the day. It's been years. Folks change. Look at how different I am now versus my days as a Charmander.

But, Butterfree will be back. Because-because he said he'd be back.

So did Damian.

No. I can't go down that route.

Suddenly, I hear a small noise. It sounds like a whimper. I look down at Growlithe. His eyes are mostly closed, but the lids are fluttering. He's starting to come too. Then, glazed dark gray eyes slowly blink up at me.

"How are you feeling?" I ask cautiously.

Growlithe groans and slowly, shakily climbs to his feet. "A bit dizzy, but well enough otherwise." He blinks at the dimly lit cave walls, recovering quicker than I expected. No complaints there. "Dear me, where in the world am I?"

"Some cave in the woods," I respond. "You were out cold, so we brought you in here."

"We?" Growlithe shakes out his pelt and winces, almost collapsing again. "Oof," he mutters, "shouldn't have done that."

I bring my tail-flame closer. He thanks me and sticks his face in the fire then proceeds to warm and dry the rest of his pelt. "There's a Butterfree I've been traveling with. He should be back soon."

" You wait here for me. I'll be right back."

Stop it.

"And, you might be?" Growlithe asks.

"I'm Charizard," I say. "May I assume your name is Growlithe?"

"Oh, do call me Growlie, if you would."

"Growlie, then. Mind telling me what happened?"

At this point, Growlie's fur is completely dry and in the state of fluffiness his kind's fur should be in. He sits down and gives his shoulder an embarrassed lick. "I daresay I overestimated my own capabilities. Mayhap, I pushed myself a trifle too hard, eh chap?"

The way he speaks is so…posh. "What the hell does that mean?"

He licks his other shoulder. "Oh, I'm simply used to having the help with me when I'm out gallivanting." The help? Gallivanting? Seeing my bewilderment, Growlie shuffles his paws and laughs humorlessly. "In other words, I'm unaccustomed to being on my own. Didn't realize how…uncomfortable the rain is." He grunts and shakes his head. "Honestly, how do water-types stand it?"

I process what he said. "Uh, Growlie, please tell me I'm misunderstanding this, but did you just imply that you've never been out in the rain before?"

Growlie shrinks back with a hard grimace, confirming my suspicions. "Well, I-I have . Sometimes, I'd be out for a little jaunt, and it would start to rain. But," his voice gets so quiet I can barely hear him add, "the servants always have my raincoat handy when the weather is overcast…"

Servants? Raincoat? What in the world-

Realization slaps me in the face. This isn't a wild pokemon who bit off more than he could chew. I'm dealing with someone's pet . On top of that, considering that he seems older than me, yet he only just now learned how the weather affects his own typing , he must have been born in captivity. What in Arceus's name is he doing out here? Surely, someone must be looking for him. Pikachu may be lost and alone, but at least I know he can take care of himself. Somehow, I don't think I can say the same for Growlie.

What's taking Butterfree so long? He is coming back…right? There's that stupid fear again. What's wrong with me? I haven't been this anxious since I was a Charmander!

Forget him. Stay focused, and ignore that feeling in the pit of your stomach. "Growlie, do your owners know you're out here?"

He stammers a bit then scoffs, feigning disgust. "And, just what makes you think I have owners ?" He puffs out his chest. "I am a proud wild pokemon like yourself."

I'll correct him later. "Well, for one thing, most wild pokemon don't even know what a raincoat is . Second, wild pokemon do know what rain is."

"I know what rain is," Growlie says defensively.

I'm about to chew him out more, but a weak yet familiar voice calls my name. I look over my shoulder, and an intense relief settles over me when I spot Butterfree at the mouth of the cave.

He came back.

Just as quickly, that relief turns to worry. Butterfree isn't flying like his kind normally do to get around. No, he is on the ground, slowly pushing a large pile of branches toward us.

"Stay here," I command Growlie. Without checking or even caring if he listens, I rush to Butterfree's side. He is grunting and panting as his tiny arms, if you can even call them that, push the branches without making any real progress. "What happened?" I demand. He doesn't appear injured, but who's to say?

Butterfree slumps on the pile with a loud exhale. "Hoo boy. These things are - huff - heavier than-than an Alpha Snorlax. You ever - huff - you ever seen one of-of them things? They's huge!"

He's fine. Exhausted, but fine. Annoyed now, I bend over to pick up the branches and let him crawl on to my arm. He thanks me and roosts on my shoulder. "Did you seriously try to carry all this on your own?" I chastise.

"Well, first I tried wrapping them up in String Shot and dragging them," he explains, "but they kept getting caught on things. So, I tried flying, but I could only carry one at a time, and that's just the small ones."

So, he decided to push them through the cold rain by himself. Sounds like the kind of stupid stunt Ash would pull. They say that pokemon will sometimes emulate their trainer's behavior without meaning to. Butterfree's been away for several years, but clearly some things have stuck. Unless the 'mon is just like that.

"You could have come and got me," I scold, walking us back to where Growlie is waiting. "I would have helped you."

Butterfree shakes his head. "I know fire-types and rain, Charizard." Even the bug-flying-type understands this. Why didn't Growlie until now? How sheltered is he? "Speaking of, looks like the fellow's awake, yup yup."

Growlie nods at Butterfree when we approach. "Ah, you must be Butterfree, yes?"

"Darn straight," Butterfree says. "Glad to see you up and about. Growlithe, I reckon?"

"Growlie," he corrects. I set the branches down, and he adds, "May I assume your spat has been settled?"

I swallow the flames I was about to blow on the branches. "Spat?" This guy is full of weird words.

Butterfree jumps off my shoulder and hovers next to me. "I didn't spit on nothing. Wait, does String Shot count? It comes out of my mouth, but I don't-"

Growlie chuckles. "No, no. Spat as in argument." He sees our confusion and frowns. "Oh, dear me. Was I mistaken? Forgive me. It's just that I heard you say, 'He came back,' Charizard," I can't believe I said that out loud, "and you sounded ever so happy."

"D'aww," Butterfree coos, latching on to my arm and batting his eyes. "Were you worried about little old me?"

I growl and shake him off, trying to preserve whatever dignity I have left. "Growlie misheard." There's a familiar burn in my throat and mouth as I breathe Flamethrower over the branches. The ego-boost from Butterfree's impressed hum when they catch fire makes me feel a little better.

"Lovely," Growlie praises. "Do you chaps mind if I sit in it?"

"By all means," I reply.

"Beg your pardon?" Butterfree says.

Growlie plops his butt down on the branches and purrs in contentment as the flames blaze harmlessly through his fur.

Now, Butterfree is eyeballing the fire curiously. "Fire-types only," I say before he can get any ideas. "Let me summarize; this guy," I point to Growlie, "is some human's pet."

"I never said that," Growlie says indignantly.

"You have servants and a raincoat," I remind him.

"What's a raincoat?" Butterfree asks. I point to him for emphasis and fix Growlie with a hard look.

Having been cornered, Growlie growls softly in defeat. "So, I'm a pet. Or, I should say I was a pet. No longer."

No longer? "Why not?" I ask.

Butterfree lowers himself to the ground and asks gently, "Did something happen to your owners?" His tone tells me he's thinking of his mate.

Just like how I can't stop thinking of Damian. Ugh.

"Well," Growlie shuffles his paws, "it's a long story, but suppose you all did help me out of a tight spot. The short version is that things weren't the same when James left."

James? …It's probably a coincidence.

"Who's James?" Butterfree asks.

Growlie shifts in his seat, making the burning branches crackle beneath him. "He's my dearest companion, really the only one in the house I truly cared for. Not that I don't like the servants, but-" He sees the fire start to die down and breathes out his own Flamethrower, bringing it back to life. "My apologies. I fear I'm hogging the fire. Would you like a turn, Charizard?"

"Thanks," I say, "but you need it more than I do."

"No, no, you lot went to the trouble." Growlie steps out of the flames and gestures with a paw. "At least have a go."

My tail is still aching a little, and he seems to have recovered anyway. I look outside, see it still pouring rain, and decide that we're going to be here a while. I sit down and rest the tip of my tail in the small fire, sighing as my whole body warms at the contact. The flame from my tail should keep the fire going strong until the branches turn to ash.

"Capital," Growlie says. Another weird word, though it sounds like approval. "Anywho, James is a human I grew up alongside." A nostalgic smile pulls at his mouth. "First face I saw when I hatched, matter of fact." So, he was born in captivity. "Sadly," he goes on more somberly, "he left the house quite some time ago and had to go without me."

I snap to attention. "He abandoned you?" I ask, trying to keep the anger out of my voice.

Growlie shakes his head. "Oh, no, no! It's not like that at all. As I've said, it's a very long story, but James simply had to leave."

"Then, why didn't he take you with him?" Now, I'm not even bothering with my tone.

Growlie flinches but goes on defiantly. "Because, he trusted me to look after his parents."

I relax at that, but I'm still not sure what to make of this.

Fortunately, Butterfree has quickly proved himself to be the more open-minded, or maybe just naive, one between us. "What's wrong with his parents?" he asks. "They sick or something?"

Growlie frowns deeply. "Well, no. But-"

I can't listen to this. As if the rain didn't bring back enough old stuff. "If there's nothing wrong with his parents, then there's no reason for him to leave you behind."

Butterfree glares at me. "Let the fellow finish his story."

I ignore him and meet Growlie's own glare. "From what I'm hearing, Damian left you there because he doesn't want you with him."

"Now, wait just a-" Growlie blinks in confusion. "Um, who's Damian?"

My stomach drops. "I-I said James."

"Damian…" Butterfree muses. "Would I know him?"

"I said James!" I snap. They exchange stunned looks, and I run a hand over my face, cursing myself for my slip-up. I'm sure there will be some questions later. "Just finish your story, Growlie." I turn away from his and Butterfree's curious looks. They may not know what's going on in my head, but I've just handed over more than enough for their imaginations.

"Erm…right then." Growlie clears his throat. "Now, I realize what it all sounds like, but I have seen James a few times since he first left."

"Then why didn't he take you with him?" I grumble, not willing to let this go despite Butterfree's wing swatting my foot in warning.

This is starting to sound like Infernape's story; his old trainer was Ash's rival for Mew's sake, so naturally, Infernape had met up with the guy more than once. I can only imagine how awkward that must have been. Although, if you ask him, Infernape will tell you that he felt a sense of closure the last time they battled, and he made peace with Paul's abandonment of him a long time ago. I wonder if that's why Growlie's out here; maybe he's looking for closure too.

Growlie tilts his head. "Well, this is where things become a tad arduous. Seems that James got saddled with this gaggle of ruffians."

"Are those words?" Butterfree asks. I'm glad I'm not the only one who's confused.

Growlie's mouth twitches in amusement. "James is with a bad group, I mean. Can't recall the name of it, but I seem to remember that he was partnered with a human woman and Meowth who spoke in the human tongue, if you can believe such a thing."

You have got to be kidding me. I turn to Butterfree, who stares up at me with a questioning dread. I nod at him, and his large eyes somehow get bigger.

"Forgive me," Growlie says, switching his gaze between us, "but did I miss something?"

Butterfree speaks before I can say something I'll regret. "It's the human-talking Meowth part that got us." Well, he's not lying, and it's probably better to leave it at that for now.

Growlie relaxes at that and chuckles. "Yes, I can see why you lot would be flummoxed by such a thing." This is getting old. If he has to have a connection to Team Rocket, the least he could do is use words we know! "Why, I scarcely believed it myself. Anyway, James explained it to me the last time we met. He said that Team, uh, Team… Oh, whatever it was."

"Team…Rocket?" It comes out like a question, but I already know the answer.

Growlie's face lights up. "Yes! That was it! So, you know of them."

It's Team Rocket's fault that one of my best friends is missing, and some part of me had been holding out hope that I was wrong about James. A wave of fury shoots through me, but I force it back down. Assuming Growlie's telling the truth, and I believe he is, he had nothing to do with what happened to Pikachu. The 'mon isn't even affiliated with Team Rocket; he just happens to love someone who is. That doesn't make the Growlithe himself bad.

"Yeah, we've, uh, heard of them," Butterfree says cautiously. I just nod along; not only is Butterfree more open-minded (or naive) than I am, but he also seems to have more tact. "Now, what did James say about Team Rocket?"

"That they do terrible things," Growlie continues, incredibly sad all of a sudden. "Steal things, particularly pokemon. Mostly, they sound like poachers, taking pokemon from their homes unwillingly, by force more often than not. He also mentioned that there are times when he and his teammates go without food or a comfortable place to sleep during their travels. I don't like the idea of James in such a situation, but it's the life he's trapped in, and he said he doesn't want me to be trapped as well."

Trapped? Is that really the word James used, or is Growlie paraphrasing? If it's the former, and James wasn't just making an excuse, then why does he feel trapped? Yeah, it all sounds pretty awful, but James joined Team Rocket of his own volition. At least…that's what I assumed. Before now, I've never had a reason to believe otherwise.

What am I thinking? Even without the Pikachu situation, Team Rocket is a rotten group full of rotten people. How could I even consider pitying one of them? This rain is scrambling my brain. When the hell is it going to stop?

I check the mouth of the cave. Still raining. Ugh .

"It does sound like a pretty crummy life," Butterfree says, "but what's that got to do with you bebopping around?"

Growlie's ear twitches. "Be…bopping…?"

Ha! He's not the only one who talks funny. At least when Butterfree does it, you can figure out what he's saying. "Now you know how we feel when you use words like 'flummoxed,'" I say with a smirk.

Growlie stares at me then bursts out laughing. "Oh, guilty as charged, good sir! I do have quite the vocabulary, don't I? Blame it on my upbringing."

Butterfree giggles. "I was just asking what brought you to these parts."

Growlie's good mood turns sour. "Oh, I just cannot stand being in that house any longer. I'm going to find James and join him on his adventures, and I don't care how unpleasant they are."

His vehemence shocks me. If he wants to join up with a bad guy like James, how bad are James's parents? "Did his parents do something to you?"

Growlie grumbles under his breath, and he kneads the ground uncomfortably. His eyes dart toward the cave's mouth, as if he's hoping the rain's stopped so he can bolt. But, that must not be an option, because he's still sitting there. "It's…not that they did something. They-they don't hurt me or anything, if that's what you mean. Er, well, perhaps. But-but, it wasn't intentional."

"Still counts," I mutter. Butterfree smacks my foot again. "I'm just saying."

Growlies ignores the exchange. "You see, Adam and Megan - James's father and mother - they expect me to stay at the house all day. Each day, one of the servants takes me for a jaunt around the property, but that's the only time I'm allowed outside." Growlie grimaces. "Unless I have to attend some show ."

"I'm almost afraid to ask," I say, "but what do you mean by 'show?'"

Growlie rolls his eyes. "Oh, it's some competition to see which pokemon is the prettiest and can do the best tricks. It was interesting the first time, but after a while, you start to realize how pretentious the whole thing is. I'm a pokemon! If I want to roll around in the dirt, I'm going to roll around in the dirt, Megan! And, I don't need an extra bath when I'm done!" Butterfree and I stare at him until he realizes that Megan's not here and ducks his head. "Um, yes, shows. Not fun."

"They don't bathe you with water, do they?" I ask, feeling worse and worse for this guy.

"Alas," Growlie sighs.

Butterfree cringes. "Yeesh. That ain't right."

Too stunned to say anything, I just grunt in agreement. It's common knowledge, or so I thought, that fire-types don't bathe the same way as other pokemon. Instead of taking a dip in the river or bathtub, we coat ourselves in our own flames and burn off dirt and debris. Trainers don't even need to help us clean up - how would they? - but some, like Ash, like to rub us down with a dry towel. Does it work? Not really, but it feels nice, so I don't know anyone who objects to it. Granted, those with fur still lick themselves, but our tongues are bone dry unless we're eating. And, even then, our bodily fluids are scalding-hot.

The point is, the last thing anyone should be doing is cleaning a Growlithe with water. Walking in the rain is bad enough. Scrubbing down a wet fire-type? Why don't they just have Growlie sleep on thorns while they're at it?

"Though, I'll admit," Growlie says smugly, "that I had a bit of freedom. I may have snuck out at night a time or two. Mostly to explore the forest, though I had more than a few battles. Acquired a taste for adventure, I did."

"Well, you'll have plenty of those with Team Rocket," Butterfree says, "but I'm not sure they're the kind of adventures you're looking for. Charizard and I are pretty familiar with them folks, and we've seen the kinds of messes they make."

"That's putting it mildly," I add.

Growlie narrows his eyes. "I don't care. I'll be happy as long as I'm with James and far from his parents. Do you know they won't let me evolve? That was the last straw for me. They acquired a huge collection of evolution stones in some sort of decorative ," his spits out the word, "piece in the living room. I climbed up there and actually had my paw on that fire stone. I could feel the evolution process beginning, and what does Adam do? He pulls me away and has the fire stone replaced with a thunder stone."

Butterfree makes a disgusted sound, and I shake my head and say, "Honestly. What's wrong with you evolving? I've seen my fair share of Arcanine, and I always thought they were pretty impressive."

"Me too!" Butterfree chirps.

"Exactly!" Growlie snarls, getting more riled up the more he speaks. "Oh, but that's not the end of it. Adam was scolding me for trying to evolve, and I could have lived with that. But, then Megan steps in and says," at this, he makes his voice high and squeaky, "'Oh dear, he's just a pokemon. He doesn't understand.'"

What? "As if you have no brain!" I snarl, swallowing the smoke rising in my throat.

"If that's their opinion," Butterfree says, his anger better-controlled but still present in his voice, "then I can see why you left, yup yup."

"'Yup yup,' indeed, good sir," Growlie says. "Those two fail to realize that my head isn't filled with fluff. But, James always understood that, and he always wanted me to be happy above all else." Call me crazy, but it sounds like James and Ash have something in common. "So, last night, I snuck out one final time, and here we are."

I'm still on the fence about Growlie joining Team Rocket, but it sounds like that might be the lesser of two evils. There are too many humans who fail to realize that they aren't the only creatures with functioning brains. And, I can't get the idea of taking a wet bath out of my mind. I once sat in a lake all night to prove a point - long, humiliating story - and I regretted it for days. I can't fathom being wet on a regular basis.

"Well, my friend," Butterfree says to Growlie, "that is quite a tale you've told. Quite a tale, yup yup."

I nod. "I get your perspective, Growlie, but I still say this is a bad idea. Dam- James left you behind. What makes you think he wants you around now?"

Instead of answering, Growlie tilts his head and regards me quizzically. "You seem to keep referring to this - what was it? - Damian? Mayhap the fellow doth project too much?"

I can't believe I keep doing that. I don't think I can blame the weather anymore. "You lost me at 'mayhap,' but this isn't about me anyway."

"Whatever it's about," Butterfree says with a curious glance my way, "the fact is that Team Rocket might not be what you want." He raises a hand when Growlie starts to argue. "Now, I'll say that I once left my family to be with someone, and I don't regret a moment of it. I'm the last 'mon who should be telling you not to follow someone you love. But, here's the difference, Growlie. My mate was just a humble Butterfree of an unusual color. She didn't have nothing to do with no evil. She didn't even battle because she didn't like seeing folks get hurt. She was real sweet like that." There's a catch in his voice at the end. Growlie's gaze softens, and I run my knuckles over Butterfree's wing in support. Butterfree clears his throat. "James, on the other hand, is with that gang of ruffles or whatever you called them. Personally, I'd call them bad guys. Bunch of jerks. A roaming of pack ne'er-do-wells-"

I cut Butterfree off before he gets too side-tracked. "We've both seen what Team Rocket is capable of. The group you're looking for is only a small part of it - the mostly harmless part, lucky for you. But, Team Rocket as a whole has caused serious damage. Pokemon get taken, and they don't come back." Except for Pikachu, and I pray that's still the case. "Arceus only knows what happens to them, but I've seen lives ruined because of Team Rocket. I don't know what their goal is, and frankly I don't care." Growlie doesn't respond, but I see his ears twitch uncomfortably as he stares at his feet. Maybe I'm getting through to him. "And, no offense, but night excursions or not, you're still a house pet with no real experience in the wild. I don't like your chances in a group like Team Rocket."

Silence falls as Growlie collects his thoughts. Then, he looks from me to Butterfree, a new fire in his eyes. "I know the risks. This could very well be a suicide mission. But, I want to be with the only one who's ever seen me as an equal."

Loyal to a fault. I can relate. "I can respect that," I say instead. "Though, I still think you're in for a rude awakening."

"Or, he could have a happier life than you think," Butterfree counters. "Sometimes all you need is that one creature who makes everything worth it." He turns away from me. "Guess that's why I'm out here." I stroke his wing again.

"What do you mean?" Growlie asks.

Butterfree gives his wings a hard flap and picks his head up. "I lost my mate recently, you see. After wallowing for a while, I decided that she wouldn't want me to be doing that. So, I'm seeking out my old trainer. He wasn't perfect - temperamental, kind of a brat, if I'm being honest - but he sure made me happy, yup yup."

I stifle a laugh. I forgot that Butterfree only remembers Ash as a child. "Oh, I think you'll find that the Ash you come back to is a little different."

"So, you know the lad, Charizard?" Growlie asks.

I nod. "Just so happens that Ash is my own trainer."

Growlie's mouth falls open. "I-I thought you said you were a wild pokemon."

"No, you assumed that, and I didn't have a reason to correct you."

Growlie hums then turns back to Butterfree. "But, you make it sound as if you're still searching for this Ash."

Butterfree gives me another side-eye. I hope that doesn't become a regular thing, because it's kind of annoying. "Charizard flew the coop."

"I did not!" I snap. He's making it sound like I just took off! Which…I did, so that's fair. "What actually happened is one of my best friends went missing, so I decided to do something about it."

"By flying the coop," Butterfree adds. I blow smoke at him, and he coughs and flutters his wings, blowing it away. "Well, you did !"

Yes, I did , but he doesn't have to say it that way! Still, I have to concede. "Fine. I flew the coop. But, I only did it so I could find my friend."

"And, this friend," Growlie says. "Is that who Damian is?"

Don't snarl, Charizard. He doesn't know, and you brought this on yourself. "Let's just say that Damian is kind of like Adam and Megan." It's sad how proud I am that my voice stayed steady. "No, my friend is a Pikachu." I debate telling Growlie that it's Team Rocket's fault that Pikachu's missing, but I doubt it would do anything to sway him.

"I know Pikachu, too," Butterfree adds. "We're kind of helping each other out."

"I see," Growlie says. "Well, perhaps you could help me as well. I heard talk of a horde that helps those in need. Some group they call the PokeSquad. I thought they could teach me how to be out on my own. Have you heard of them?"

PokeSquad? Stupid team name aside, I'm glad that Growlie at least acknowledges that he's basically a dead 'mon walking if he doesn't learn how to survive without his servants. I shrug. "Can't say that I have. Butterfree?"

"Yeah, reckon so," he confirms. "They led by an Absol?"

Growlie perks up. "Why, yes, so I'm told!"

"Don't get too excited. I don't know where to find them folks." Growlie's ears droop, but he brightens again when Butterfree says, "But, I know a different horde who'd be willing to help out. You ever hear of a horde led by a shiny alpha?"

"A shiny alpha?" Growlie repeats in surprise.

I'm right there with him. "You didn't tell me Alpha Raichu was a shiny," I say to Butterfree. An alpha's one thing. A shiny's another. But, both ?

"Didn't I?" Butterfree grooms his antenna thoughtfully. "I guess it didn't seem important at the time." It springs back upright on his head, and he goes on. "But, yeppers. Raichu's got this whole group of different folks from different places, and they take in anyone who's looking for a place to be taken in, yup yup. And, unlike your PokeSquad, they don't roam around. And, I happen to know the way."

"Really?" Growlie's tail lashes eagerly. "Then, perhaps you could point me in the right direction?"

"I'll do you one better. We was just heading that-a-way ourselves when the rain started up. Soon as it clears, you may as well just come with us." Butterfree looks up at me. "You don't mind none, do you?"

Having an inexperienced housepet around could be more of a hazard than a help. We've wasted too much time - and more to come, it seems - because of the weather. For all I know, Pikachu could be dead in a ditch by now. (…Okay, probably not. He's Pikachu. But, even so.) Besides, I don't like the idea of just handing Team Rocket an innocent pokemon.

But, it doesn't feel right to just leave him behind if we're heading to the same place anyway. And, if James really does love Growlie, maybe it would be okay. It can't be any worse than what Growlie's dealt with as a housepet.

Regular water baths. I hope he bit Adam and Megan at least once. Each. With Fire Fang if he can use it.

I shrug. "May as well."

"Oh, huzzah!" Growlie leaps gleefully to his feet. He's got spirit if nothing else. "I can't wait to get there!"

I check the mouth of the cave again. "Well, unless you wanna chance it," like I do, "you're gonna have to wait. I don't think the rain is letting up anytime soon. But, are you sure about this?" I ask Growlie. "Last chance to back out."

Growlie stomps his foot indignantly. "I want to be with James, and nothing short of death itself is going to stop me."

I'm tempted to remind him that that almost happened, but I hold my tongue. Instead, I say as kindly as I can, "That doesn't necessarily mean he wants to be with you." I raise my hand when he growls at me. "Take it from me, Growlie. Trainers don't always care as much as you want them to. I just think you should have a back-up plan if James doesn't work out."

Growlie grits his teeth, considering. If nothing else, Raichu Horde would probably take him in, if what Butterfree said about them is true.

"Hey, Charizard," Butterfree says thoughtfully. "Didn't you have a trainer before Ash?" I stiffen, though I knew this was coming. "That's who Damian is, isn't it?"

"Maybe," I grudgingly admit. It's my own fault. First, the rain. Then, Growlie's situation. I need the rain to stop so that I can fly and clear my head.

Butterfree nods, oblivious to my annoyance with myself. "Yeah, I remember now. Rotten bastard left you out in the- Oh…"

"This isn't about me!" I snarl, turning away from dual looks of pity. "We head out as soon as it clears up."

We fall silent until Butterfree offers to grab more kindling, denying my offered help and claiming, "Anyone who leaves gets an Air Slash to the face." Predictably, he comes back trying to shove another pile of branches along. This time, I'm ready for him.

Chapter 20: In the Wrong Place at the Right Time

" I don't know what's going on, but I know that I hate it." - FanGirl210

Absol

Sprout had gotten a Caterpie to cover Pikachu's wound with String Shot. That would do for now, but Pikachu really would benefit from a Pokemon Center. Wobbles and I are still smarting from Hatterene's attacks, but the berries Eevee had brought us took most of the edge off. Pikachu had insisted that we all rest before moving on, at least for a little while. Naturally, we vetoed this, though he still tried to fight us on it. Nevermind the fact that he'd just lost his ear . No, somehow everyone else's mild discomfort was more important than losing a body part.

That 'mon worries me sometimes. His heart is in the right place, but I'm quickly learning that there is such a thing as being too nice.

Actually, it was Wobbles who had practically shoved Pikachu in the direction of the city, half-begging, half-demanding that he head straight for a Pokemon Center. Despite everyone's arguments, I know she feels at least partly responsible for Pikachu's injury. I don't think Pikachu feels any resentment toward her, but it's hard to tell.

Pikachu's been quiet since we left Hatterene's den. Not that I blame him, of course, but it's the type of quiet that bothers me. He doesn't seem traumatized; no, he almost seems depressed or something. Oh, he smiles and gives us the old "I'm fine" this and "no need to worry" that, but we aren't stupid.

Our hustle let us get the rest of the way to Vermilion City in record time. Or, so we'd thought until Sprout read some sign and told us that it was actually Saffron City. When she said that, I wasn't sure if Pikachu was going to burst into tears or lightning.

Frankly, all cities are pretty much the same to me. They're full of massive buildings, some of which seem to stretch all the way up to the sky. Cars and trucks constantly zoom over the hard, black-paved streets and spread a pungent smell that stinks up everything. There's an endless stream of noises. And, of course, humans are here, there, and everywhere. There are some pokemon, but I don't know how any self-respecting pokemon, poison-types and steel-types aside, could get used to living in a place like this. To each their own, I suppose.

We duck between buildings and alleys, managing to not draw any unwanted attention. Quite a feat, considering that we are five random, trainer-less pokemon, two of whom aren't exactly a common sight in Kanto. At one point, we ran into a Rattata who'd been digging around in an overturned garbage can, and we asked where the Pokemon Center was. He'd taken one look at Pikachu and didn't hesitate to point us in the right direction.

We had no issues until Pikachu found some gray paper covered in tiny black markings. They must have been words, because he'd asked Spout to read the "date."

"March thirty-first," Sprout had said. "Why do you ask?"

"And-and, that means tomorrow's April, right?" Pikachu asked fearfully. "April first?"

"Not necessarily," Sprout responded, still looking at the paper and not seeing Pikachu relax. Nor, his reaction when she added, "After all, this paper could be days old. Maybe even weeks, for all we know."

At that, I thought that Pikachu was going to burst into tears and lightning. Wobbles, Eevee, and I had no idea what they were talking about, but this "April first" is clearly important to Pikachu. He's been in a fog since he found that paper and has yet to explain what the problem is.

I want to believe it's the situation, that he's waiting until he's been fixed up properly before he lets it all out. But, I think it's more complicated than that. It just isn't natural for someone to keep all their feelings inside the way Pikachu's been doing, and I'm not the only one who's worried.

Eevee in particular has all but attached himself to Pikachu, asking all kinds of questions about cities in a desperate attempt to cheer him up. Any other time, I'm sure Pikachu would be more than happy to educate him on human civilization. But, now Pikachu's answers are clipped and quiet, if he answers at all. It's a sobering sight.

It's a huge relief when we finally reach the Pokemon Center: a large white structure with a bright red roof, making it easy to spot. I may have my reservations about humans, but every pokemon knows that the humans who work here can be trusted. Though, we wild pokemon only come here if it's convenient or if there's a medical issue we can't deal with ourselves. And, if Pikachu tells us he's fine one more time, I'm going to claw his other ear off.

Normally, the doors open on their own when you get near them. They don't do that when we arrive, though pushing on the doors does allow us entrance. The strangeness doesn't end there, however. It is oddly dark in here, with the only light coming in from the large windows. Trainers are milling around or sitting restlessly. Some are talking quietly with one another, others are silent but no less anxious. A few looked at us when we entered, but we are mostly ignored.

"What's going on?" Eevee asks behind me.

Sprout steps forward, taking it all in, her usual caution amplified. "It kind of looks like a power outage."

"Well, that's inconvenient," Wobbles adds.

I've heard of power outages. Human structures can only function with the use of electricity. I don't know why that is or how it works, but I know that losing that electricity can be really bad in a place like this, where humans aren't the only creatures counting on it.

Two females appear out of a door next to the front desk. One is a large, round, pink pokemon with tiny arms and what looks like a big egg sitting in a stomach pouch: Chansey, the head pokemon of most Pokemon Centers. Behind her is a pale-skinned human with dark pink hair pulled back and a short pale pink dress partially covered by a white cloth-thing: Nurse Joy, the head human. Both look forlorn.

" Attention, everyone, " Nurse Joy calls out. " Thank you for your patience, but I'm afraid there's bad news. The circuit box has a blown fuse, and the back-up generator isn't working either. The electrician is doing everything he can, but he says that the only thing left to do is go pick up some new parts. "

A woman who…seems kind of familiar shoots out of her chair. " And, how long will that take? " she shouts. She's wearing a light blue shirt with a bandage peeking out from under her sleeve and glasses with thick purple rims. Her magenta-colored hair is pulled into two buns on top of her head, giving a full view of the fury on her face. " We have a Meowth in there, " she points toward the back room, " who needs surgery! Or, did you forget? "

"Meowth?" Pikachu's voice is so quiet, he may as well have not spoken at all.

I hear footsteps and turn my head to see him running up to the Wobbuffet with the shouting woman. Said pokemon has a weird, bitter smell, as if someone dumped that perfume stuff on him. (Come to think of it, the humans with him smell like that too. Huh.) He wears a furry brown hat with ear-like flaps on the sides and a long yellow cloth wrapped around his shoulders. I can't get a read on him, but he seems as familiar as the woman, and Pikachu must recognize him.

The two speak in hushed tones while a male human stands up. This one has bluish-purple hair just long enough to be pulled in a tail-like style at the base of his skull, though a few strands hang around his face. He wears a brown shirt with sleeves that stretch down to his wrists and glasses with matching rims. That's three familiar faces. Who are they?

The man pulls his female companion back into her seat. " I'm so sorry, " he says to Nurse Joy. The woman growls and crosses her arms but doesn't say anything else. Neither of them have noticed Pikachu yet. Maybe the Wobbuffet's not with them.

Apparently, Chansey and Nurse Joy haven't spotted Pikachu yet either, though from their vantage point, he would be hidden behind Wobbuffet. The nurses simply glare at the woman before regaining their composure. " The electrician just left to pick up the parts, " Nurse Joy goes on, " but the closest place to find them is Cerulean City. "

" But, that's hours from here! " someone exclaims.

" What about our pokemon? " someone else asks.

Nurse Joy folds her hands in front of her. " The good news is that most of our current patients can be treated without electricity. However, we do have a Meowth who needs emergency surgery. But, I am told there could be a way to keep the power going until the electrician returns. "

" Well, don't keep us in suspense! " the shouting woman demands. " That's our Meowth in there! " Her companion takes her hand in his, calming her slightly. They must be mates.

Nurse Joy continues speaking, undeterred. " Do any of you have electric-type pokemon with you? " Oh no. " We can utilize their electricity as a back-up battery. "

" What about just electric-type attacks? " a trainer asks.

But, the nurses shake their heads. " I'm afraid that won't work, " Nurse Joy says. " Electric-type pokemon have an internal source of electricity that other types don't. "

"I'll help!"

Saw that coming.

Pikachu charges up to the nurses, who gasp at the sight of him. I can't say I blame them; his String Shot bandage is looking a little red. "Just tell me what to do! Please!"

The desperation in his voice alarms me. This is the most lively he's been all day but not in a good way.

Before the gang and I can call him back, the blue-haired male begs, " Pikachu, don't! " He holds out his hand and wags his fingers in a "come here" gesture. " Please. You're not fit for this. " His mate is quiet, staring down at her feet as if she wants to melt into the floor. The Wobbuffet looks equally stricken. So, they all know Pikachu. Hm…

" Is this your Pikachu, sir? " Nurse Joy asks.

" No, " he says, " but that hardly matters here. "

Nurse Joy bends down to pick Pikachu up, but he dodges and runs for the door the nurses came out of. "I have to try!" he pleads, his voice high and shaky. "Please, let me try!"

"Not in your condition," I argue. The gang voices their agreement.

Nurse Joy looks pityingly at him for a moment before asking the trainers for able-bodied electric-types. The trainers talk amongst themselves, though it sounds like nobody has any. There's a cold dread in my stomach when I realize that Pikachu might be the only electric-type pokemon here.

"Your friends are right," Chansey says to him, her tone kind but firm, the voice of someone who's dealt with difficult patients before. "We need to get that injury looked at immediately."

But, there's a wildness on Pikachu's face that I've never seen before. He won't take no for an answer. "But, Meowth! He can't- He-"

The gang and I move forward when Pikachu starts hyperventilating, but Chansey holds up a hand to stop us and approaches Pikachu. Everyone in the room watches in awe as a shimmering blue veil surrounds her and creates a soft chiming sound. She is close enough that the veil is touching Pikachu, who slowly begins to relax.

"That would be the move Heal Bell," Wobbles quietly explains to us. "It's a normal-type move that's typically used to remove the user's status condition, but it also has a calming effect on those around the user."

" Thank you, Chansey, " Nurse Joy says once Heal Bell ends. Chansey nods in acknowledgement and steps aside. Nurse Joy turns to the crowd. " Is this Pikachu with anyone? "

"He's with us!" Eevee leaps to the front of the group. "He's our friend and he's acting crazy and-and I don't know why!" I pull him back with a paw, and Sprout takes him in her leaves while he whimpers against her.

"Eevee…" Pikachu says sadly.

Nurse blinks sympathetically, really seeing our group for the first time. " So, a wild pokemon, then? "

" Probably, " a trainer says. " I saw them all come in together. No trainer in sight. "

We have no way of correcting him, though I wish we did. Pikachu looks like he's going to freak out again.

The trainer next to him raises an eyebrow. " Do wild pokemon use Pokemon Centers? "

" For things like this, " Nurse Joy says with a worried look at Pikachu.

"I'm fine," he says adamantly before sticking his hands on the door. "Now, open the door, and tell me what to do!"

"You're in no condition to help," Chansey says with that same nurse-tone.

Nurse Joy kneels down to address Pikachu. " It's good that you want to help, but you could end up hurting yourself worse if that ear isn't treated properly. "

"She's right, Pikachu," Wobbles says.

"Let them fix you up," Sprout begs.

We're all ignored. Pikachu is now pushing on the door, and I know we lost him a while ago.

Eevee nuzzles my leg. "Why is Pikachu crazy?"

I sigh heavily. "I don't know what to tell you, Eevee."

"The problem is that he's both stubborn and selfless," Wobbles says pityingly. "That's a bad combination." Truer words were never spoken.

Nurse Joy confirms that there really are no other electric-type pokemon available, then she grits her teeth and watches Pikachu continue to push on the door. She turns to her partner, who shrugs helplessly.

"Desperate times," Chansey says.

Nurse Joy bites her lip, sees no good options, and frowns in a grim acceptance. " Pikachu? " Pikachu stops pushing and looks up. " We'll take you downstairs, but you have to at least let me replace that webbing on your head. "

When Pikachu shakes his head, Chansey narrows her eyes at him. "It's either that or the proper stitches," she says, "which would take a lot longer. Those are your options."

Pikachu's remaining ear droops, and he nods reluctantly.

After Chansey and Nurse Joy take Pikachu to get patched up, at least temporarily, everyone starts talking about what just happened. Most of it is speculation on whether or not a Pikachu could power a building on its own.

I turn to the gang, who are looking as worried as I feel. "What do you all make of this?"

"I'm not sure," Sprout says. She turns to Wobbles. "Do you think he could do it?"

"Honestly," Wobbles says, "I don't know. If there were other electric-types helping, I wouldn't worry too much, but…"

Eevee shuffles his forepaws. "But, Pikachu's really strong."

Wobbles shakes her head. "This isn't about strength. Needless to say, electric-types have an ample amount of electricity in their bodies. Well, except for Joltik, but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, just because they have a lot of electricity doesn't mean that it's limitless."

This just keeps getting worse. "What happens if he runs out?" I force myself to ask.

Wobbles sucks air through her teeth and leaves it at, "Nothing good."

Then, a small voice. " I just don't understand. "

The source of the voice is the human who was yelling before. She is in the same position, still staring at her feet, but her face is scrunched up like she's trying not to cry. Even I feel bad for her. I wonder what's on her mind.

Wobbuffet rests his hands over her knee. The human's blue-haired mate is biting his lip, still holding her hand. He clears his throat and murmurs to her, " Why don't we get some air. "

As he and Wobbuffet lead the female out the door, I wrack my brain, trying to figure out how I know them. Pikachu obviously does; maybe I'll ask once he gets out of wherever his head is. For his sake, I hope that's sooner rather than later. In the short time I've known him, I've seen the 'mon in a lot of moods, but whatever all that was is a new one. I don't like it.

"I know they're bad guys," Eevee says sympathetically, "but I don't like seeing them so sad." He turns to me. "Can I please go check on them?"

I'm about to humor him, but his words nag me. "Bad guys? What do you mean?"

"Do you recognize them, Eevee?" Sprout asks.

Eevee tilts his head and looks at us like we're idiots. "Yeah. It's Team Rocket. And, the sick Meowth is probably the one who talks like a human."

And, he knows this how? Similar appearances or not, they're scents are way off. I know Eevee has the strongest nose among us, but he couldn't possibly pick up their natural scents under that perfume-stench, could he? I don't know if I'm proud or irritated. Sprout and I glance at each other, equally conflicted.

"Uh, Eevee," Wobbles says, sounding like she can't decide either, "if you knew this, why didn't you say something?"

Eevee shrugs. "You're grown-ups. If I knew, then I just figured you guys knew, too."

Well, that's a blow to my ego. Once I recover from the shock, I tell him, "Um, I'm not sure you should be out there alone with bad guys."

"I'll go with him," Wobbles volunteers.

I'm still not sure, but I doubt Team Rocket is in the trouble-causing mood. "Alright. Go ahead."

"Be careful," Sprout warns as our friends head out. To me, she says, "I'm really worried about Pikachu. And, not just because of what Wobbles said."

"So am I," I agree. "Anyone can see that something is wrong. I'm hoping he'll explain once this whole mess is settled."

Sprout taps the tips of her leaves together. "Maybe." She doesn't sound so sure.

---

Eventually, Wobbles and Eevee come back inside. Neither of them look harmed at all, but they don't look happy either. I'd been pacing, and Sprout had managed to climb onto a chair. Meanwhile, the lights came back on not long ago, so Pikachu must be doing his thing. I hope he's alright.

Sprout slides off her seat and approaches our friends. "How'd it go?"

Eevee's ears are limp on his head. "They're sad."

"Meowth has a tumor in his stomach," Wobbles explains. "Apparently, 'tumor' is the human term for rotting disease."

Sprout and I shiver. Rotting disease is a truly terrible thing. It comes out of nowhere and tears you apart from the inside. If you get that, you're done for unless you can get to a Pokemon Center in time. I don't know a single wild pokemon who knows how to cure that nightmare. Suddenly, Pikachu's ear doesn't seem so bad.

"Do you think Pikachu will last long enough?" Sprout wonders. "I don't know much about surgery, but I know it takes a while."

Wobbles shrugs. "Here's hoping."

Eevee's tail lashes anxiously. "Pikachu's so crazy right now. Can he do it when he's crazy?"

Sprout rests her leaf on his head. "He's not crazy, Eevee. He's just very upset."

"He's been upset all day!" Eevee moans.

"I wish he would just explain himself," I say.

"Maybe it's not that simple," Sprout says. "I've been thinking about it, and I think it has something to do with Ash."

Now, she has my attention. Pikachu's said enough good things about Ash that I haven't worried too much about returning Pikachu to him. That could change depending on what Sprout says next. "What do you mean?" I ask.

"Human culture dictates that you have to keep bad feelings in check at all times. The only time it's socially acceptable to let it all out is when you're alone. It's okay to do it in front of those you trust, as in really, really trust, but some people don't even do that."

That sounds…very unhealthy.

Wobbles crosses her arms. "I see where you're going with this." At my and Eevee's confusion, she says, "Sometimes pokemon with trainers will start to act like those trainers. It's not intentional. It just kind of happens."

I fight the shiver that runs down my spine at her words. "Act like their trainers, you say? How-how often does that happen?"

Wobbles puts her hand on my shoulder, hearing what I'm not saying. "Let me put it to you this way. If you were anything like your trainer and her cronies, none of us would be here right now."

---

Time passes. I don't know how much, but Sprout keeps shooting glances at the clock on the wall and making nervous sounds. Team Rocket, having calmed down at least a little, had come back in shortly after Eevee and Wobbles. Wobbles had made the comment, "Hey, she fixed her makeup," without telling us what happened outside or what makeup is.

At some point a male worker with an Aipom on his head had called Team Rocket over; they must have given fake names, because the man had referred to the humans in the group as "Jacob" and "Jessamine." He said that Meowth's surgery went well, and the 'mon would make a full recovery. Everyone within earshot, the gang and I included, was utterly relieved; no matter how bad you are, no one deserves to die like that. In fact, James had broken down on the spot, covering his mouth in a futile attempt to muffle his sobs.

" Do we have to take you outside now? " Jessie had teased with a watery smile.

The scene had kind of undermined Sprout's claim that humans don't get emotional in public. Then again, when you spend so much time holding it in…

Jessie, James, and Wobbuffet had wanted to see Meowth for themselves, but the worker explained that Meowth needed to sleep off the anesthesia (whatever that is) and that they would keep him under observation for a while after he woke up. The worker emphasized that this was merely a formality, and Meowth would be fine. The worker had promised to call them in when Meowth was ready for visitors.

That was ages ago. The power's been on the whole time, and I don't think the humans fixed it yet. In the meantime, several other patients had been returned to their trainers, yet no one's left the building. I've mostly been ignoring their conversations, though Pikachu's name has come up more than once.

"Is Pikachu still in there?" Eevee asks. I'd been grooming the poor kid to try and relieve both his stress and mine. It's not working, but it gives me something to do, if nothing else.

I finish licking his tail as Wobbles, who had just gotten back from interviewing a pokemon called Togetic, tosses her hands in the air. "I guess so. I feel like he'd be back by now if he wasn't."

Meanwhile, Jessie is pacing back and forth, as is Wobbuffet, though I think he's only doing it because Jessie is. James is still seated with his hands folded in his lap and watching the two of them with a listless expression.

After a while, Jessie stomps her foot with a shout. " Meowth is fine now! Where is that fuzzy little twerp? "

As if in answer, the employee door opens, and we all whip around, hoping for Pikachu. Instead, Nurse Joy comes up to me and the gang with a face that screams "bad news." I brace myself for the worst.

" Pardon me, " she says as she heads our way, " but you all are with Pikachu, correct? " We confirm this, and she kneels down. " Maybe one of you can help. We've told him more than once that Meowth is okay now, but he won't listen. Anyone who tries to pull him away just gets zapped. We've tried wearing rubber gloves, and even the one ground-type we have on staff, but he just uses Iron Tail and doesn't even stop while he's doing that . It seems he's bound and determined to keep the place powered until the electrician gets back. "

Wobbles swears under her breath, echoing my thoughts. The trainers' and pokemon's whispering restarts, mixing with Eevee's fearful whine and Sprout's quiet, "Oh my goodness."

" Is that safe? " James asks. " For Pikachu, I mean. "

Nurse Joy doesn't answer.

Jessie puts her fists on her hips. Wobbuffet copies her pose. " Bring me down there, " Jessie demands. " I'll knock some sense into him. "

"She will," Wobbuffet quips. "She's good at it."

Nurse Joy turns to her. " Are you a friend of Pikachu's? " Jessie frowns deeper and looks away. Wobbuffet just looks uncomfortable. " I think it would be better if someone he was familiar with spoke to him. "

I step forward. "I'll go." The rest of the gang offers to come too, but I shoot them down. "The last thing we wanna do is crowd him."

No one looks happy, but Sprout says, "I guess you're right."

" You're volunteering? " Nurse Joy asks me. I nod, and she stands. " Alright. Follow me. "

Nurse Joy leads me down the hall and to a door way in the back. Chansey is standing in front of it, using Heal Bell.

"Can he feel that from here?" I ask her.

Heal Bell dissipates, and Chansey sighs. "That was for me. I was trying to talk to him but got too close and ended up paralyzed." She then confirms that she's okay when Nurse Joy asks.

My stomach churns. What is going on in Pikachu's head today? It must have something to do with that April first that he and Sprout had been talking about this morning. Naturally, he wasn't himself after what happened with Hatterene, but he was an absolute wreck after he found that paper. I remember what Sprout told us about human culture, and I know that's a big part of the problem. Of all the things to inherit from your trainer, why did Pikachu have to get that ?

Better than the things I could have gotten, I suppose. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones, assuming the gang wasn't lying to me. I hope they would tell me if I was too harsh with them or something.

Nurse Joy opens the door to a flight of stairs going downward. The lights are on, and I wish they weren't. " Would you like me to come down with you? " she offers.

I shake my head. I know I can trust her, but I don't like the idea of being in an enclosed space with a human. Besides, I want to talk to Pikachu alone.

I'm about to descend when Chansey grabs my shoulder. "There's something I should mention," she says worriedly. "When I was leaving, I heard Pikachu say something that really bothered me."

"What was it?" I ask.

"He said, 'I can't screw this up.'"

I throw myself down the stairs.

The basement is a large space filled with shelves and boxes, but you'd have to be blind to not see Pikachu at the end of the room, facing away from me and toward a large metal thing that I think is called a generator. A panel is open on the front, and Pikachu has his hands latched on to something inside. He is surrounded by the yellow glow of Thunderbolt, and there is enough static in the air that my fur is lifting up even at this distance. Has he seriously not moved this whole time?

I approach carefully, every pawstep creating a pins-and-needles sensation. No wonder no one could get him to stop. It's hard enough just to get near him!

I get as close as I can without being shocked. "Pikachu, you need to stop," I plead. "At least take a break!"

"No," is all he says.

It's hard to see through the light, but there's a dark spot on the bandage Nurse Joy gave him. "If nothing else, let someone fix your ear properly." He doesn't answer. "Is this about Meowth? The surgery's over , Pikachu. Meowth is recovering. He's okay now. You can stop!"

His next words only scare me more. "Not until the electrician gets back."

His voice is breathy, tired. How much longer can he last? "What's April first, Pikachu?"

Suddenly, I'm knocked back by Thunderbolt, which was made even more powerful by just that one question. April first is that bad? My skin feels like it's been stabbed by a million needles, not at all helped by the static around me. My body is almost numb from the intensity, but I manage to climb to my feet. The light surrounding Pikachu is so bright that I have to squint and raise a paw to shield my eyes. "I know that's been bothering you, Pikachu. Whatever it is, we can talk about it. We care about you, Pikachu. Please, just stop doing this and let us help. Please ."

Finally , Thunderbolt starts to dissipate, and the static becomes easier to bear. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. I've gotten through to him. Once Thunderbolt dies off completely, we are left in pitch-darkness. Luckily, my dark-typing gives me impeccable night vision. Pikachu stands there motionless, his hands still inside the generator. I expect him to tell me what April first is or apologize for scaring the crap out of us or even just stand there and cry.

I don't expect him to collapse.

"Pikachu!" I leap to his side. "Pikachu, get up!"

But, he just keeps laying there, on his back, looking for all the world as if he'd simply fallen asleep. I shake him, coat his face in licks, but nothing happens. That last blast must have been too much for him. Heart racing, I take him by the scruff and carry him upstairs as fast as possible, thankful that adrenaline has kicked in and removed the numbness in my legs.

Chansey and Nurse Joy are waiting for me, and throw their hands over their mouths at the sight of Pikachu. There's enough light coming in from the windows to see just how bad the situation is. I set him down, and they spring into action. Nurse Joy kneels down and presses a finger to Pikachu's red cheek, where his electricity is stored, and pulls back with a grimace. " He's used too much, " she breathes, and my stomach drops.

His electricity. I knew this was coming the moment I went down there. "W-what do we do?" I ask, trying not to panic.

"If we had power…" Chansey trails off, scowling at the irony of her statement.

Nurse Joy hums thoughtfully, rubbing her chin. " We don't have electric-type pokemon, but we do have pokemon with electric-type attacks. If we could hit him with those… "

"It would still cause damage," Chansey muses, "but he might soak up some of that energy."

" You get what I'm saying? " Nurse Joy asks us. We nod, and hope flares in my chest. Nurse Joy turns to me. " Do you know any electric-type moves? " I shake my head. " What about your friends? " I shake my head again and knead the floor restlessly. " That's okay. We have a pokemon on staff, and there may be more in the lobby. " To Chansey, she says, " Get Granbull and meet us out there. " Chansey takes off, and Nurse Joy gingerly takes Pikachu in her arms. " Come on, Absol. "

We race down the hall. I throw myself against the door and burst into the lobby. "Does anyone know an electric-type move?" I ask the startled pokemon around me.

"Why do you ask?" Wobbles asks, her face pale and knowing.

I hear pounding footsteps and turn around to find Nurse Joy running into the lobby, Pikachu cradled in her arms. Commotion breaks out all around us, even among Team Rocket; Jessie and James are screaming and holding each other, and Wobbuffet has his hands over his mouth in shock. As for the gang: Eevee is crying, Wobbles looks ready to do the same, and Sprout is running in circles with her signature "oh my goodness" on repeat.

I force myself to remain the calm, sensible one. "It's okay. Nurse Joy has an idea."

At the same time, Nurse Joy also takes charge. " Everyone, listen to me! " The commotion stops. Everyone turns to her. Her large blue eyes are hard with determination. Whether she's faking or not, her confidence is a small comfort. " This Pikachu has spent the past six hours keeping this Pokemon Center functioning. He's used up his entire store of electricity, and if we don't do something right now, we're going to lose him. "

The reality of the situation finally slams into me. Pikachu is always thinking of others. Wanting to help Gardevoir, helping us seek shelter from the rain, training with Sprout and Eevee. Those were fine, those were good.

But, it isn't always good. Pikachu offered those training sessions because he felt like a burden, and when they ended the ways they did, he felt that all over again. He befriended Hattrem because he resonated with her loneliness, but it ended not only with her losing her sanity, but also with permanent damage to his own body, not to mention the near-deaths of two others, leaving him feeling like a failure. Simply being in the wrong city made things worse. Finding out about April first - I still don't know what that is! - nearly broke him. He kept the power going, even after he knew Meowth was okay, because he "can't screw this up."

Which leads to the question: did he really do this because he's just that selfless...or is there something darker going on?

I shouldn't think that way. But, now that it's in my head, I can't think about anything else.

Chansey appears in the doorway, a Granbull not far behind, both of them sporting the same grim determination as Nurse Joy.

Nurse Joy nods at them then gently rests Pikachu on his back in the middle of the lobby. She takes a few steps back and addresses the crowd. " I know there are no electric-types here, but if any of your pokemon know electric-type attacks, I need them to aim those attacks at Pikachu. If I'm right, he should absorb the electricity from those attacks. "

" And, if you're wrong? " someone asks.

Nurse Joy frowns deeper. " What difference would it make? " I hate the way she said that. " Granbull. "

Granbull needs no further instruction. He holds out his massive paws as yellow bolts run over him and burst out in a Thunderbolt. The Togetic Wobbles had been talking to launches out Shock Wave after Shock Wave before his trainer can finish giving the command. Pikachu takes the hits with no reaction.

" Is there anyone else? " Nurse Joy asks. But, no other pokemon appear.

"Eevee, try Helping Hand," I command. "Maybe it'll help if you make their attacks stronger."

Eevee nods and jumps up and down, his body glowing white. A trainer sees this and calls out a Volbeat and Illumise, telling them to use the same move. Pokemon have as much awareness as they want to when inside a pokeball, and those two must have been paying attention. They don't even blink at the scene before them. They start up Helping Hand, and just as quickly, Granbull's and Togetic's attacks become stronger. But, Pikachu's still not moving.

"What if it's not enough?" Sprout breathes out.

"It has to be," Wobbles says, but I can tell she doesn't think it is.

All Pikachu wanted was to help others, to get back to his family. This isn't fair. Pikachu is a kind, thoughtful pokemon. He doesn't deserve to go out like this!

"Oh my goodness," Sprout exclaims suddenly, "look at Eevee!"

Eevee has stopped jumping around. He is still glowing, but with an iridescent shimmer that seems to be every color at once before settling on yellow. He is shaking all over, the fur on his face is matted by tears, yet he shoots lightning at Pikachu like he's been using Thunderbolt his whole life.

"Did-did he just learn Thunderbolt?" I ask, stunned by the sight of it.

"No," Wobbles corrects in amazement, "he learned Copycat!"

A move that lets you copy another pokemon's attack. Talk about timing!

A trainer points to Eevee. " Hey, that Eevee's using Copycat! "

Nurse Joy's eyes light up. " Of course! Chansey. "

"On it," Chansey responds, starting up her own Copycat and copying Thunderbolt as well.

Someone nearby tells a Sudowoodo to use Mimic, resulting in the rock-type using yet another Thunderbolt. That makes five pokemon using electric-type attacks. Counting Volbeat and Illumise, who double-up their efforts, that's seven pokemon putting all their strength into saving Pikachu.

But, I realize, it's not just the pokemon. Every human in the room, Team Rocket included, is cheering on the pokemon and screaming for Pikachu, a pokemon most of them don't even know, to wake up. The cynical side of me thinks that it's only because of Pikachu's selfless act. Good behavior gets rewarded, after all.

But, could there be more to it? I know that not all humans treat pokemon badly, but I'm starting to wonder…could some of them care ?

Pokemon care about their trainers. Could some trainers care about their pokemon? Jessie and James's behavior today, now that I think about it, seems to suggest so.

More importantly…did Pikachu's remaining ear just twitch?

" I think it's working, " Nurse Joy exclaims. So, I didn't imagine it! She raises her fist in the air. " Full power, everyone! "

Granbull, Togetic, Sudowoodo, Chansey, and, of course, Eevee throw out as much power as they can. Volbeat and Illumise jump around even faster in their own efforts. All that lightning combined with the dual Helping Hand's makes it almost impossible to see Pikachu. Soon enough, the hum of electricity and the bug-types' cheers are the only sounds in the room.

Then, Pikachu moves. Just a little. Just enough that Nurse Joy calls off the attacks. Once the lightning is gone and the room is dark but for the light outside, she slowly walks up to Pikachu, kneels down, and presses a finger to his cheek. She jerks back with a yelp. " I got a spark, " she breathes out in relief. " He's going to make it. " She smiles at the crowd with misty eyes. " Thanks to all of you, he's going to make it! "

Cheers erupt around the room, and my legs give out from under me. Pikachu's going to be okay. Thank Arceus, he'll live .

"Alright, Eevee!" Wobbles shouts beside me.

Sprout whoops with joy. "Eevee learned a new move!"

Suddenly, a small brown head is in my face. Eevee's deep brown eyes are sparkling with joy, his tail waving excitedly behind him. If this little fluff ball hadn't learned Copycat, perhaps no one would have thought to use those types of attacks. There's a lump in my throat as pride overwhelms me, and all I can do is lick his soft head. He nuzzles my neck, and Sprout and Wobbles jump on me, shrieking with glee.

Pikachu will live.

But, as the celebration dies off, something breaks through our happiness. Pikachu is more awake now, but something's wrong. As Nurse Joy takes him in her arms and rises to her feet, Pikachu starts clutching her clothes and crying softly.

Nurse Joy strokes his head with her thumb, smiling kindly at him. " He's delirious, but that's to be expected. "

Delirious, he may be, but if she could understand the words within the sobs, she would be a little more concerned.

"I'm sorry, Ashton," Pikachu weeps. "I'm sorry. I tried my best. I failed, Ashton. I'm sorry."

The humans are oblivious, but all the pokemon are staring at him, most of them no doubt wondering who Ashton is. It's safe to say that the gang, Wobbuffet, and I all have a pretty good idea.

Nurse Joy, as clueless as the other humans, says to the crowd, " I don't know how to thank you all for this. "

" Personally, " Jessie says, still holding on to James, " I think we're all thanking him . " Everyone voices their agreement.

As Nurse Joy takes Pikachu to finally patch him up properly, Eevee turns to the rest of us, all his joy from before gone. "Why is Pikachu sad? What does duh-lee-ree-us mean?"

"It's what happens when someone gets really sick," Wobbles explains. "Or, in this case, runs out of electricity and then gets a bunch of it jammed back into him." She lifts her hand to the side of her head and moves her hand in a circle. "You get kind of loopy, but it wears off after a while."

"Is anyone else concerned, though?" Sprout asks. "I mean, I get him being out of it, but why was he apologizing to Ash?"

"With any luck, he really is just that out of it," I say, though I don't believe it any more than they do.

I know the kind of standards trainers have for their pokemon. I know what happens when those standards aren't met.

And, I fully plan on finding out what's going on in Pikachu's head.

Chapter 21: The Fault in Our Hearts

" You can never trust anyone once you've had to trap them in a cage." - Matthew J. Kirby

Pikachu

Every part of me is sore, especially what's left of my ear. All I want to do is lay here and sleep, but I hear muffled voices and force my eyes open. I blink until the blurriness goes away and see my friends smiling at me in relief.

"Yay!" Eevee cheers. "It's Pikachu!" He licks my face until Absol tells him to give me some room.

I scan my surroundings. I think this place is called an exam room. The walls are a pale pink and have some white cabinets attached to them. There is a white counter with a sink and some drawers down the front. I'm lying on my stomach on one of those cushioned tables that patients sit on. I gingerly touch the stump on my head, try not to wince, and feel tiny grooves; stitches, I realize. Chansey did say something about that. The space around the stitches feels oddly smooth. Hairless, actually. They must have shaved that area to put the stitches in. I remember one time when Ash needed stitches in his head and had some of his hair shaved off because of it. Didn't matter much to Ash; he's worn ball caps as long as I've known him.

Sprout and Eevee are standing on either side of me. Wobbles is standing on a rolly-chair. Absol is big enough that he is able to rest his forepaws on the table and balance on his hindlegs.

And, the lights are on.

And, I'm not in the basement!

"Did I do it?" I ask breathlessly, perching myself up with my arms and hoping against hope. "Did-did I keep the lights on until the electrician came back?"

Wobbles claps her hands. "Well, no. The electrician came back shortly after you passed out. I hear Nurse Joy gave him an earful. Potentially unrelated, but I also heard something about a Snorlax being asleep on the road."

My arms almost give out. "How's Meowth?" I ask, dreading the answer.

"Oh, that's the good news!" Sprout exclaims, waving her leaves happily. "You held out long enough for his surgery!"

Wobbles leans forward and rests on her elbows, grinning at me. "And, you kept going even longer than thaaa -" She falls off the chair, bumping her head against the table - thank Arceus for the cushioning - and we all cringe at the resulting thud . The chair rolls into the wall.

"You okay?" Absol asks her. Up until now, he'd been staring at me like he was trying to read my mind.

"Never lean on a rolly-chair," she responds. She stands, and the top portion of her face appears over the table. "As the humans say, you just kept on chewing."

"I think you mean trucking," Sprout corrects.

"That doesn't make any sense," Wobbles says. She raises her hand and salutes me. "Anyway, you were charging the place long after Meowth was taken care of. I was both impressed and terrified."

I remember Nurse Joy coming down and telling me that the surgery was finished, that Meowth was alright. I was so happy to hear that I'd done well, that I'd managed to do something on my own for once. She told me there were no other cases that required power to handle, so I had almost halted my Thunderbolt.

Then, I started thinking about all the things that could go wrong. What if there was a problem even after the surgery? What if someone else came in and needed surgery? What if one of the pokemon was in worse shape than they'd initially thought? Someone could die, I thought, and it would be my fault. So, I kept going and going, not wavering when my cheeks ached and my head pounded and my skin felt like my fur was being ripped out.

"And then you died!" Eevee continues excitedly. "You died and then everyone shot you and I shot you too and you weren't dead anymore!"

Sprout explains what actually happened after I collapsed, and I am floored. Everyone who could do so used electric-type attacks to keep me alive when my own electricity ran out. And, Eevee learned Copycat on the spot which spurred on others to use similar attacks, generating more electricity. Even those who couldn't attack were either cheering on those who could or were begging me to wake up.

I don't even know most of their names.

If it wasn't for Eevee and all those strangers, I wouldn't be here. And, as a result, my pokeball would have shattered. Ash would have known I'd died but never would have known what happened. They saved him as much as they saved me.

"I don't know what to say," I say through the lump in my throat.

"No thanks are necessary," Eevee says, his head held high and his grin slightly smug. "I'm just great."

"Don't get an ego, kid," Wobbles warns. Eevee sticks his tongue out at her. Sprout and I just laugh.

Absol, however, has something else on his mind. "What's April first?"

My heart does a one-eighty.

"Is this the time?" Sprout asks.

"It may as well be." Absol straightens his shoulders as much as he while still leaning on the table. Large red eyes drill through me. "Being upset is understandable, even expected, after what happened in Hatterene's den. But then, this April first thing shows up, and-and you're a mess!" His usual no-nonsense demeanor is wavering, slowly being replaced with a wide-eyed desperation. This unflappable pokemon is scared . I've actually scared him. "If-if there's a problem, Pikachu… Look, you don't need to give us the details. Just give us something to go off of!"

The others fail to meet my gaze. They want to know too, but they aren't willing to ask themselves. Ash's birthday has been all I could think about since we found that newspaper. The power outage was a distraction, but even when I was keeping the power going, I kept thinking about Ash.

I could picture him down there, keeping an eye on me, because there's no way he would let me go down there alone. He would have kept my spirits up. He would have babbled about all the fun things we were going to do after the electrician came back, the ways we would celebrate his birthday and our anniversary. He would have seen that I was pushing myself too hard, grabbed me mid-Thunderbolt with his bare hands, and ripped me away because he's just that reckless and stupid and wonderful.

Hold it down, Pikachu. These guys have dealt with enough of your problems. You saved Meowth's life. You did something good and nothing bad came of it. Focus on that.

When I'm able to speak, my voice is quiet but miraculously steady, though I still can't bring myself to look at anything but the table. "April first is…is Ashton's birthday."

"Oh…" Sprout drawls sympathetically.

There is a moment of silence, broken by Wobbles saying, "Okay, am I the only one who doesn't know what that means?"

"See, humans always know the exact day of the year they were born," Sprout explains.

"Elaborate," Absol requests.

Sprout hums thoughtfully. "They have this way of keeping track of days, but it's kind of hard to explain. Just know that birthdays are- Mm, how do I put this? They're basically a celebration of the human being alive another year."

"Makes sense," Wobbles quips. "Humans are pretty delicate."

Keep it together, Pikachu. "We also met on his tenth birthday." Keep it together .

"Oh, Pikachu," Sprout soothes, brushing her leaf over my back.

"I still don't get it," Eevee says, snuggling up to me, "but I don't want you to be sad."

"Some things are making more sense, at least," Absol says.

I don't tell them what Zapdos said: that Ash might be able to understand pokemon now. If I tell them that, I know I'll fall apart. Is Ash talking to a pokemon right now? Maybe he's at the ranch and is chatting away with all his other pokemon. I remember how vague Zapdos was when I asked him to tell me more about Akari, the girl who could speak to all pokemon. Zapdos had said that if Ash was like her, then I would learn more on my own. What does that mean? Even if Zapdos was wrong, I missed seeing Ash become an adult. Did he get that tattoo he wanted? Can he drink alcohol now?

Just as I'm about to lose it, there's a knock at the door. I throw on what I hope is a neutral expression as the door opens. Absol hops off the table, and he and Wobbles step out of Nurse Joy's way.

" Hello there, Pikachu, " Nurse Joy says with a wide smile. " Feeling better? " I nod, because I know she means physically. " Glad to hear it. You gave us quite a scare, you know. " She unzips the bag hanging off her shoulder. " I just want to check on something. Hope you don't mind, " she adds to my friends. Sprout and Eevee hang back while Nurse Joy pulls out a small black remote with wires dangling from it. She sticks one suction-cupped wire to each of my cheeks. Ever wary of humans, Absol walks up to her and gives the remote a cautious sniff. Nurse Joy scratches his head. " This is just to check his wattage. Nothing more. " She turns on the machine, and the suction cups vibrate, my cheeks buzzing instinctively at the sensation. Nurse Joy then really looks at Eevee. " And, you're the little Copycat Eevee, aren't you? That was a brilliant idea you had. "

She runs her free hand through his fur, and Eevee purrs loudly at the contact. "I sure am great," he boasts.

"It wasn't an idea. It was a deus ex machina," Wobbles corrects. She wags her hand at Nurse Joy, who has returned her attention to the device in her hand. "Stop giving him an ego."

The rest of us laugh, and Nurse Joy's mouth twitches upward at our amusement. The device dings , and Nurse Joy removes the suction cups from my cheeks and stores the device back in her bag. " Your wattage is still a little low, but it's not serious. Not anymore. A good night's sleep should take care of the rest. "

A good night's sleep? How late is it? Does it matter?

I missed Ash's birthday. I missed our anniversary.

" Excuse me, " a new voice says. " Is Pikachu up for visitors? "

Of all people, it's James that stands shyly in the doorway, still clad in his civilian disguise. Between that and the stench of cologne, I wouldn't have recognized him in the lobby if I hadn't known about Meowth's situation.

" Yes, " Nurse Joy tells him, " he's doing well. "

She says her goodbyes but James stops her at the door. " Um…would it be okay if I brought him to Meowth? "

What?

Nurse Joy smiles warmly at me. " I had a feeling that Meowth was a friend of yours. " No one corrects her. To James, she says, " If they're both feeling up to it, I don't see why not. "

James thanks her and lets her pass. Once she's gone, he clears his throat and fiddles with a button on his shirt. " I assume you all know who I am? " We all nod. " Right. Well…we told Meowth what you did, Pikachu, and he'd like to speak with you. We all would. Is that okay? "

Meowth wants to talk to me. He's awake.

I climb to my feet and Absol's horn in my face stops me from leaping off the table. "I'm coming with you."

I don't ask why. I don't care why. I just need to see Meowth for myself.

---

Absol insists on carrying me on his back as we follow James down the hall. No one speaks until we reach Meowth's room.

" He's a little groggy, " James warns us, " but he's recovering quite well. " His green eyes glisten with tears, but he is smiling at me. " I…I don't know how to thank you. "

It's weird seeing a member of Team Rocket look at me with so much gratitude. Oddly embarrassed, I bury my face in Absol's long neck fur. He and James chuckle at my reaction.

"Want me to come in with you?" Absol offers.

"No, thanks," I say. "I feel like this is gonna be a private conversation."

"Alright. I'll be out here when you're ready."

I thank him and raise my hands toward James, who stares at me like I've just sprouted wings. Yes, James. I am letting you pick me up. Just this once.

James slowly, ever so slowly, lowers his hands toward me, waiting for some sign that I've changed my mind. When he does finally touch me, he lifts me up like I'm a bomb that will go off if he moves too quickly. I can actually see beads of sweat forming on his brow. Though, I can't say I blame him for being nervous.

Ordinarily, I wouldn't even let him get close. If he tried to reach for me, he'd find himself in a paralyzed heap on the floor. But, not today. Today, as far as I'm concerned, we are equals. Just two creatures who love with everything in us.

Come to think of it, James does love with everything in him. I've seen enough of his interactions with Jessie, Meowth, and Wobbuffet to know how much he cares about them. Not to mention all the pokemon he's had over the years. Looking back on pokemon like Wheezing and Mime Jr. and Inkay and all the others, it occurs to me how much James dotes on his pokemon. Granted, some of his old partners would attack him the second they jumped out of their pokeballs, but you could see in their eyes that it wasn't out of malice. Some folks just have…unique ways of saying hello.

Hell, how many of Ash's own pokemon have attacked him just because they were happy to see him? Charizard's weakened Flamethrower. Gible and Torterra, as a Turtwig, chomping down on Ash's head. All of the Tauros bowling him over at once. Even I myself will zap him on occasion. Ash never complains, not even when we go too far and actually hurt him. He knows this is our way of saying "I love you" without using words.

James must understand that too.

" Right, " he says when I'm resting in the crook of his arm. " In we go. "

Absol seats himself next to the door while James opens it. The room is pretty much the same as the one I was just in. Meowth is curled up on the cushioned table, Jessie is standing next to it, and Wobbuffet is standing on the rolly-chair. They look up when we enter.

"Well, if it isn't the man of the hour," Wobbuffet says with a grin and a salute. "How are you holding up?"

I shrug. "Well enough, I guess."

Jessie points to me, though her narrowed eyes are on James. " Are you holding Pikachu like a baby? "

James looks down at me, still processing, then looks back at her. " Um, I think. "

" And, he's letting you? "

" I think. "

Jessie and Meowth stare at us for a moment before Jessie shakes her head and mutters, " I reiterate, twerps make no sense. " Evidently, she's forgotten that I let her do the same thing just last night. Then again, that was a vastly different situation.

James closes the door and sets me on the table. Meowth blinks sleepily at me, as if he'd just woken up, but his eyes are much clearer than they had been last night.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, my voice thick with emotion.

Meowth grunts and squints at me. "Depends. How many of you are there? Ah, don't make those faces. It's just the medicine. These doctors got me doped up on God-knows-what. I don't get it. I'm a pokemon, for pete's sake! We heal like it's nothing. Why do I need all this crap in my system?"

He's complaining. He really is okay. I didn't mess it all up. I actually saved him.

My eyes burn and my throat tightens. Meowth laughs awkwardly and looks anywhere else. "O-okay, bub. Let's, uh, let's not do that here."

I sniff, swipe at my eyes, and apologize. "I've been kind of a mess today."

"So, I hear." He gives his foreleg a few licks, though the furrow of his brow tells me that he's just trying to get his thoughts together. "Word on the street is that you had kind of a meltdown when you found out I was here, that you almost kicked it just to keep me going." He waves a paw dismissively. "I say that's bogus. You're not gonna risk your neck for someone like me."

He says it so casually, like he's commenting on the weather. "What do you mean, 'someone like you?'"

He rolls his eyes as if I'd said something incredibly stupid. "You know, a jerk. A villain. Do I need more synonyms, or are you getting this?"

Wobbuffet clears his throat. "Need I remind you that he saved me and Jessie just last night?"

"That's different," Meowth argues. "You guys were all in the same boat. In this case, it was just me on death's doorstep. No reason for Pikachu to get involved."

"Maybe I just wanted you to live," I say honestly.

Wobbuffet gestures to me. "Exactly. That's what I've been saying."

Meowth rolls his eyes again and snorts. "Please." He turns back to me. "You got no reason to want me around. I can buy you being a goody-two-shoes and keeping the power on, but these guys told me you flipped out the second you learned I needed surgery. Tell me what really happened, twerp."

"That is what really happened," Wobbuffet mutters. Meowth flicks him with his tail.

What really happened was that I realized how worthless I am if Ash isn't guiding me through life. Unless he tells me what to do, I just make a mess of things. I need to be with Ash if I want to get anything done.

I love Ashton Ketchum with every fiber of my being, and I don't want to use him like that. He doesn't deserve to be a mere crutch. He's always treated me like an equal. He respects me, encourages me.

That's why I have to keep trying. Even if I fail, I can't give up. Ash wouldn't like that.

"It's just…" I begin, fiddling with my hands. "It's been one bad thing after another lately. And, today…it was like something inside me just…broke. I wanted to keep the power on, but I didn't realize how far I'd taken it until I woke up on that table."

Meowth's eyes soften with understanding. "So, it was a last straw kind of thing, eh? I get that."

"I still would have done it!" I say quickly. "Kept the power on, I mean. I just wouldn't have gone overboard the way I did. You don't deserve to die, Meowth, especially not in such a horrible way."

Meowth frowns thoughtfully, drums his claws on the table. "Wow, um… I mean, I'm not complaining, but-"

" I can't take it anymore! " Jessie shouts suddenly. " I don't know what you're saying! "

" Jessie, " James scolds, " you promised you'd let them have a moment. "

" They've had more than a moment- "

" Jessica Musashi! After what those two have been through, they can have as many moments as they want. "

My mouth drops open at James's harsh tone. I've never heard him talk back to Jessie before. I've never heard anyone talk back to Jessie before. And yet, Jessie doesn't retaliate like one would expect. She huffs and crosses her arms in defeat.

Wobbuffet smirks at my expression. "Jessie only takes a tone like that if she really likes you."

"Or, if you're the boss," Meowth adds, "but in that case, she doesn't have much choice." He scowls at Jessie and James and switches to human language. " Leave it to you chuckleheads to kill the mood. And now, I forgot what I was gonna say! " Jessie and James grin sheepishly. Meowth sighs. " You may as well say your piece, Jessie. Unless you got something to say to Pikachu? " he adds to Wobbuffet.

Wobbuffet shrugs helplessly. "I mean, all I can think of is thank you, but that seems kind of lame here."

"I don't think it's lame," I assure him. He smiles and turns his head shyly. I look up at Jessie, who avoids eye contact. "You wanted to say something?"

" Your move, Jess, " Meowth paraphrases.

Jessie says nothing for a moment then sighs through her nose. " I think you already answered this, but, " she gestures to Meowth, " it wasn't like I could tell at the time. So, I'll try again. " She leans down, braces her hands against the table, and finally looks at me. Her pale blue eyes are so intense, I fight the urge to look away. " Why did you save us? Not just me and Wobbuffet, but Meowth too. At this rate, you'll probably save James from an alpha Beedrill or something. "

" But, " James says hastily, " I'd be just as happy if it never came to that. "

Jessie ignores him. " We're enemies, and we've never been anything else. You almost died twice in the span of one day because of us, and that's not even getting into us kidnapping you and jump-starting this whole story, yet you still insist on helping us. Look at you! " She flaps her hand at my head. " If someone cut my ear off, I'd tear off both of theirs! "

"You didn't cut my ear off," I say.

Meowth translates, and Jessie snaps, " Oh, details! What's your angle, Pikachu? Why are you doing all this for us? "

"Why are you questioning it?" I shout. Jessie jumps back, shocked at my outburst even if she can't understand me. All my grief and frustration and self-hatred from the past few days finally boils over, like a pot of water left on the stove too long. I shouldn't yell, but it feels so good. "Why can't I just be nice? I just want to do good! Is that so wrong? I'm sick of messing up! I'm nothing without Ashton, and I hate that !" Tears pool in my eyes as the rush fades away, but I refuse to cry in front of Team Rocket. "I just want to feel useful for change. Without someone telling me how. Is that so hard to understand?"

I realize that everyone is gawking at me, and my face heats up. I can't believe I just said all that. In front of Team Rocket, no less. It's a small comfort that only two of them can understand me and Meowth was too stunned to translate.

Eventually, James clears his throat. " Uh, Meowth? "

"Um…" Meowth stares at me. I just shrug at him, exhausted in every sense of the word. "Um, basically-" He tries again in human words. " Basically, Pikachu is a goody-two-shoes who doesn't like seeing anyone get hurt. "

I smile at him, grateful that he censored my rant so much. He winks at me. Beside him, Wobbuffet mimes zipping his lips.

It's almost like we're friends. In another life, maybe we would have been.

When Meowth doesn't say anything else, Jessie tosses her hands at her sides. " Seriously? I don't need to speak pokemon to know that's not what he said. "

" Some things are for pokemon ears only, " Meowth says, casually grooming his whiskers just to tick her off more.

" I accept the answer, " James says before Jessie argue. " We all know that Pikachu isn't evil like us. None of the twerps are. "

I don't know if "evil" is the word I would use for these guys. I'm not sure if it ever was. Maybe in the beginning, when they were just a bunch of crooks snaring me in a rubber net, but not now. Not in a long time, actually.

They're bad guys, but I don't think they're bad guys .

" So, what? That's it? " Jessie says to me in disbelief. " You did all this just because you're nice ? " I smile at her and tilt my head. " But…huh. "

James gives my head a scratch. " I guess some people, or pokemon, are just naturally selfless. "

" Or, as I keep saying, twerps don't make any sense, " Jessie says with a small smile.

I chuckle at the comment. "Well, you guys don't always make sense to me, so it kind of balances out."

Wobbuffet and Meowth laugh at that. The latter translates, and the humans laugh too. I'm bantering with Team Rocket. We're all laughing together. Maybe we all would have been friends in that other life. Maybe Ash would have too.

"You know, Jessie," I go on with Meowth's help, "you keep saying how I saved you guys, but you saved me too."

" What, you mean cleaning you up? " she asks. " You took care of that psycho in the shack. " I inwardly cringe at her description of Hatterene. " I was simply returning the favor. "

I shake my head. "I mean when she was attacking me in the kitchen. That knife may not have caused any damage, but it did distract her. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be here right now."

" You never mentioned that, Jessie, " James says to her.

Jessie sputters a little then shrugs. " Well, he still pushed me and Wobbuffet out of the way of another attack first. "

"I'm really grateful either way," I chuckle. "I wish I'd told you that sooner, whether you could understand me or not."

Now, Jessie's face is almost the same color as her hair. She puts her hands on her hips and turns away haughtily. " Oh, stop it. This whole day has been weird enough as it is. "

Meowth opens his mouth to speak, but a yawn comes out instead. " Ignore that, " he says.

James hums a laugh and scratches Meowth's ear. " And here, I thought Pikachu would tire out first, " he teases.

" Pikachu isn't doped into oblivion, " Meowth grumbles.

Wobbuffet pats his head. "Ah, the doctors mean well." He smiles sincerely at me. "For what it's worth, Pikachu, you seem to be doing alright without Ash."

"Aside from, you know, the obvious," Meowth adds with a smirk.

My chest warms at the praise. "I'm sorry I went off like that."

"With everything that's been going on," Wobbuffet says, "I'm impressed you didn't go off sooner."

"Amen to that," Meowth says through another yawn. His eyelids lower.

A soft smile pulls at my mouth. "I guess I'll leave you be." I start to turn away but decide at the last minute to give Meowth's forehead a gentle lick, right next to his gold coin-like appendage. His eyes are wide open now, and his mouth is slightly open as well. "Feel better, Meowth." I wink and add, "I look forward to blasting you guys off again. And, you can tell Jessie and James that as well."

With that, I leap off the table. I walk up to the door and look up at the humans. James is the closest, so he opens the door for me.

And, Absol falls face-first into the hard floor. I jump back and stare at him. I should have realized he wouldn't just let me be alone with Team Rocket.

He looks up at everyone, and his fur bristles. "Um… I wasn't listening." He rises to his feet and shakes out his pelt. "So, you're- I guess we're done here." His serious tone is back, but it's hurried by a horrible attempt to cover his embarrassment. I try not to let it amuse me too much. "Come on, Pikachu."

He whips around and saunters into the hall with his head held high. My attempt to not be amused is failing miserably. I wave goodbye to Team Rocket, who wave back with varying degrees of awkwardness, and I follow Absol out. James pulls the door shut.

Once we're alone in the hallway, Absol's bravado is gone. "I'm sorry," he says hastily. "I know I shouldn't have listened, but-but you've been… A-and, with them, I-"

"It's okay," I say. "I know I haven't been myself." Guilt creeps over me. "I really scared everyone, didn't I?"

Absol doesn't answer, but he doesn't have to. The way his eyes dart to the side is answer enough. He sees my expression, and quickly barks, "It's okay! Yeah, we were scared, but you came through, right? And, so did Meowth. Everyone made it. That's what matters."

I suppose he's right. "Still, I shouldn't have taken it as far as I did. I was just so scared of something going wrong…"

Absol smiles in understanding and shakes his head. "Ash isn't here, so you don't have to worry so much."

I frown at the words. "What does Ash have to do with anything?"

Absol tilts his head, regarding me thoughtfully. "Do you remember what happened when everyone revived you?"

I rack my brain, but nothing comes to me. "The last thing I remember is passing out in the basement."

Absol's head lifts up. I turn around and see two doctors coming out of a room and talking to each other. "Let's find somewhere private," he says.

We find an empty exam room, and Absol closes the door behind us, leaving it slightly ajar since neither of us reach the doorknob. Well, theoretically, Absol could open it, but that would be difficult.

When he doesn't say anything, I ask, "What happened when they revived me?"

Absol grimaces, as though afraid to tell me. "You were…crying. And, apologizing to Ash."

Really? If that's true, then I can see why he's so worried. "I don't remember that."

"I'm not surprised. You were pretty out of it." He lowers himself to the ground, laying on his stomach so that we're almost at eye-level. "Do you wanna talk at all?"

Talk about what? How I screw things up all the time? How I'm nothing but a puppet, unable to do anything unless Ash is pulling my strings?

But, Meowth is alive, I remind myself. I did that on my own.

"Ash has been on my mind all day," I confess. "I've been thinking about him since we were separated, but you know why today was so much worse." Absol nods, though I know he still doesn't quite understand. He wouldn't push if I stopped there, but maybe I should get this out of me. I'm so sick of holding it in. "I know he isn't here, but…but he's still in my head. It's like I can see him, hear his voice. He's always with me, and…and I don't want to let him down."

Absol laps at the tears I hadn't noticed and pulls back with a soft smile. "I get it. Trainers have expectations. But, Pikachu, no one here is asking for perfection. No one's going to take away your food or smack you around if you don't perform well."

His voice is calm, as if those words are completely normal. "Ash wouldn't do that," I assure.

"Well, however he does it. The point is that Ash isn't going to punish you." Absol's tone is so matter-of-fact that my heart breaks. "You don't have to push yourself to the breaking point with us. You're safe , Pikachu."

"You had a trainer, didn't you?" I voice it like a question, but I already know the answer.

"I did. So, I know what they're like." No, he doesn't. He sees my face and backtracks. "But, if you're happy in that life, that's fine. You've had a lot of good things to say about Ash, and I won't deny that there are positives to living with a human. I wasn't happy, but if you feel that the rewards outway the risks, then that's fine. I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life-"

"That's not normal." Absol gives me a funny look. I hate being the one to tell him this, but he needs to know. As far as I know, he's the only one of the team who's ever had a trainer; the others can't say it with the certainty I can. "What you're describing, it's not normal, Absol." His face is carefully blank. "Trainers don't punish you for your failures. They encourage your success. When you're down, they build you back up. They're friends, family, not…not tormentors." I rest my hand on his huge paw, trying to keep my voice level for his sake. "Trainers love us as much as we love them. Your trainer was the exception , Absol, not the rule. I'm sorry."

Absol's face is still blank, but there's a tightness to his jaw and his fur is bristling. He shakes his head hard, as if that will shake the thoughts out. "We're getting sidetracked." He's back to his clipped, professional leader voice, though his eyes betray his discomfort. "We're talking about you right now."

I didn't want to hurt him, but someone had to tell him the truth, and I'm the only one who can. Maybe that's the problem. None of the others have any experience with trainers beyond what they've seen in passing. Maybe Absol never felt comfortable discussing his experiences because of that. They might not even know he had a trainer. But, I have one, so Absol must feel more comfortable talking with someone who understands.

Well…someone he thought understood.

Absol returns to the matter at hand, and I let him. I won't force him to talk about his trainer, no matter how many questions I have about them. "So, Ash won't…won't punish you. Then, what's all this about? Being kind is one thing, but this is… What is all of this, Pikachu?"

I was prepared to tell him the truth, to moan and groan about how small I feel around Ash sometimes, but how can I do that now? Absol's trainer outright abused him, from the sound of it. How can I be all woe-is-me over something that I know I do to myself, when Absol's trainer was so awful?

But, I know I have to say something . "It's like I told Meowth. Something just broke in me today." A heavy sigh escapes me when I realize that there is one thing he might understand. Albeit, for a different reason. "You ever feel like…like you're just…an object? Like you can't do anything unless someone else tells you to?"

Absol chews on that for a moment. "To an extent."

"Ash and I have done so many amazing things together, but everyone only remembers Ash. And, why wouldn't they? I never do anything right unless he tells me how."

"I wouldn't say that," Absol assures.

But, I shake my head. "Well, I would. Don't get me wrong. I love Ash so much. And, if he knew how I felt, he would bend over backwards to make me feel better. But, I don't want that. I don't want him to feel like it's his fault, and I know he would! He takes his role as a trainer very seriously. Happiness and safety are his priorities when it comes to his pokemon. You don't know how many times he nearly got himself killed for us. Arceus, it's like he has no sense of self-preservation! Drives us all insane." At this point, I both remember that Absol is here and realize that he is fighting a grin. "What's with the face?"

"Oh, the bush is calling the tree a plant, is all."

"What do you mean?"

He sniffs a laugh. "I'm just thinking of something Wobbles said. It's not important."

Okay then. "The point is that Ash is this-this amazing person, this unstoppable force of nature. And, I'm just…me. I'm just his pokemon, someone who sits on his shoulder and battles sometimes. I'm basically a mascot."

"Well, I don't know what a mascot is," Absol says, "but I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit."

"If you knew Ashton, you wouldn't be saying that. He's always looking out for others, even total strangers, and he's good at it . He gets along with everyone. He could charm a rampaging Primeape. Which he has actually done!" I realize I'm getting worked up and force myself to breathe. I've never told anyone all this before. I'm not even through yet, and I already feel lighter. "I want that. I want to be kind and selfless and not make a mess of it. That's all I want. But, I can't seem to get anything right unless Ashton tells me how to do it! And, I…I hate myself for it." The words are out now. I can't take them back. I don't know if I want to.

Absol seems to stare right through me. "If Ash knew you felt this way," he says carefully, "how would he react?"

I don't need to think about it. "He would hate himself even worse. When something goes wrong, he always takes all the blame! Even when it's not his fault and there's nothing he can do about it!"

I had thrown my hands on my head at the end, and now my fingers graze the stump where my ear should be. The emptiness of the spot shoots through my heart. If I know Ashton Ketchum, he's already overwhelmed by guilt he doesn't deserve. He's replaying the events on the S.S. Anne in his mind and wondering why he didn't see through Team Rocket's disguises.

When he sees this empty space… Arceus, it will destroy him.

"Ash isn't the only one," Absol says, oblivious of my inner turmoil. "You seem to have a habit of taking the blame as well. The whole mess with Hatterene is a prime example."

"I ruined her." I don't realize I've spoken until the words are out of my mouth.

Absol gives me a hard look. "Did you tell her to attack you? Did you cause her psychosis? Did you leave her there for years with the promise to come back? No! What you did was show her kindness when no one else would. Did it end well? No, but it wasn't because of anything you did." He licks my forehead. "Sometimes, bad things just happen. We can't always prevent them, and we can't always work around them."

"I know."

"Then, why are you blaming yourself?"

Because, I…I…

My mind blanks.

Absol goes on, a genuine smile on his face. "You know, you keep talking like Ash is better than you, but from what I'm hearing, you two have a few things in common. And, if he's half as good as you are, then he's a human even I'd like to meet."

I don't know if it's his question about blame, if it's the idea of someone thinking I'm on the same level as Ashton, or if I'm just really tired, but my composure snaps. Sobs erupt from my throat, tears pour down my cheeks. Before I know it, I'm burying my face in Absol's neck, and he's nuzzling me as all of my pain bursts out of me.

Part of me resents breaking down, expects me to be strong like Ash. But, that part is…quiet. Present, but quieter than usual. There's something…freeing about this.

And, Ash wouldn't want me to be strong. The thought hits me out of nowhere, but it's true. Humans as a species aren't fond of negative feelings. They wouldn't hate you for having them, but they don't encourage acting on them either, not publicly at least. Females have it easier, but people are really strict with males, at least from what I can tell. But, Ash isn't like that. He knows that pokemon of all genders wear their hearts on their pelts, and he's made it clear that he doesn't want us to bottle things up just because he does it.

It's like I can feel him holding me, kissing my head. Absol is a comfort, but he's not Ashton. No one is.

No one is Ashton Satoshi Ketchum. No one can ever be him.

So…why am I trying?

I admire Ashton's courage, his determination, his unlimited capacity for love. He isn't perfect. He throws himself into danger and isn't always the brightest star in the sky. But, who cares? Perfection doesn't exist.

So, why am I trying to be perfect?

I've made a lot of mistakes, but I've done good things too, haven't I?

I know what Ashton would say. He'd tell me I'm awesome, not because I'm perfect, but because I'm Pikachu . He'd say how proud he was that I tried my best, even if I failed.

He loves me, and I love him.

Because neither of us is perfect.

As my sobs die off, I can feel Absol fidgeting against me and pull back. I'm about to apologize for making him uncomfortable, but something feels off. Not in a bad way, just the opposite. There's a pleasant warmth in me. It's like when I cuddle with Ash but…different?

I look down and realize that I'm glowing pink. And, sparkling? I squint. Are those tiny hearts?

"What the…" I mutter.

"I don't know," Absol's voice is strained, "but it kind of hurts, whatever it is. But-but, it's not that bad," he quickly lies.

I'm barely listening. The glow fades, the warmth with it. I want it back. It's absence makes me miss Ash more than ever. I need to get home. I need to return to his side, where I know I belong.

Return. The word sticks out in my mind. When a pokemon learns an attack spontaneously, even one they've never seen before, they instantly know what it is and, if they already have four moves at their arsenal, what it's replaced. It's instinct, I suppose.

Quick Attack is a thing of the past. I liked that move, but I have no complaints about my new moveset.

"I won't tell Wobbles if you won't," Absol says.

"Return," I say, a real smile slowly pulling at my mouth. "It's a move. It's called Return."

Absol hums with interest. "Return, huh? Well, that solves the mystery of the pink glow. Maybe Wobbles will leave you alone now."

I chuckle. "Somehow, I doubt it."

Absol grins. "So, does this mean you're feeling better?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

He narrows his eyes. "For what?"

"For…" I laugh at myself and toss my hands in the air. "For being sorry, I guess."

Absol shakes his head good-naturedly and rises to a sitting position. "Well, if we're done here, the gang's probably wondering where we are." He stands and nods at the door. "Shall we?"

"Yeah," I say. Absol sticks his horn in the crack in the doorway. Before he can open it, I add, "I'm leaving."

He pauses, removes his horn, and looks at me over his shoulder. "Pardon?"

"I'm leaving, Absol. I'm getting out of here, and I'm going to keep looking for Ash."

Absol turns around fully and fixes me with a "what is wrong with you" kind of look. "You almost died."

I nod. "Twice in one day, yes."

"And, you want to leave the Pokemon Center now ."

"You heard Nurse Joy. All I need now is a good night's sleep. I can get that anywhere."

"And, your stitches?"

"They use a special kind here that dissolve as your wound heals."

"Do I want to know how you know that?"

"Probably not. But, I should be fine as long as I keep it clean and don't battle for a while."

Absol looks up at the ceiling, praying for strength. Then, he lowers his head and states, "I can't decide if you're insane or just stupid."

I grin and shrug. "You heard Jessie. I'm a twerp. I don't make any sense."

Absol rolls his eyes, but there's a small smile on his mouth. "Well, at least you're in good spirits." He starts to turn back to the door then frowns and says to me, "You know you can talk to me, right? I know I'm not always the most tactful 'mon, but I'll listen. We all will."

Guilt pricks at me. "I know. I should have said something sooner. I just…" I suddenly find it hard to look at him. "You guys have been so kind to me. I just don't want to be more of a burden than I already am."

Absol sighs. "Pikachu, look at me." I do as I'm told. "You're not a burden, Pikachu. You didn't force us to help you. We like you. That's why we've stuck with you for so long and why we're going to see this through. And, at this point, I think we all want to meet your trainer. But mostly, we just care about you." My throat tightens, this time in a good way. Then, Absol frowns, not looking at me. "Speaking of trainers…do they care? About their pokemon?"

My heart sinks at the question. "How bad was your trainer?"

I must have answered his question, because he turns back to the door. His voice is a little too tight when he responds. "She…she was a scientist. She and some others. There were experiments."

Experiments. Mew's tail. "Do our friends know?"

"You know everything they do. It's not a secret, but it's not something I enjoy talking about." I don't push the matter. He clears his throat, his leader voice back in place as he wedges his horn into the doorway. "Let's get back to the others."

"I'll catch up," I say as he opens the door. "I wanna say goodbye to Team Rocket first." I get the feeling they'd worry if I just vanished.

---

" What do you mean, you had an epiphany? " Meowth asks.

When I came in, he had been sound asleep. I was torn because I couldn't exactly talk to everyone without him. Wobbuffet had offered to reiterate what I said when he woke up, but Jessie shook Meowth awake with a song of, " Wakey, wakey, please translate-y ." Then, Meowth complained that now he wouldn't get to "play with that hot Meowscarada." (I didn't want to know.) James, not quite as apprehensive about touching me as he was earlier, had lifted me on to the table beside Meowth, where I had stood before.

" Epiphany, my ass! " Jessie growls at me, slamming her hands on the table. " You're staying here if I have to hold you down myself! "

James much more calmly begs, " You've been through a lot, Pikachu. I don't know if leaving so soon is a good idea. "

"I don't care," I say. "My ear… Er, that spot kind of hurts when you touch it, but that's the worst of it. I need to find Ash, and I've wasted too much time as it is. I looked out the window, and there's still light out. I want to get moving before night falls."

" What's he saying, Meowth? " James asks.

Meowth shakes his head pityingly. " He's stubborn. That's the long and short of it. "

" Isn't there any way we can convince you otherwise? " Jessie asks, exasperated. When I shake my head, she looks up at the ceiling the same way Absol did earlier.

Wobbuffet speaks for the first time. "I get it, Pikachu. If I lost Jessie, I'd be the same way."

"Hey," Meowth says, "what are James and I, chopped liver?"

Wobbuffet laughs. "You know what I mean."

Meowth growls under his breath. "No, I don't." His tone is offended, but there's a hint of a smile on his mouth.

"You guys are all just…a family, aren't you?" I say.

Wobbuffet salutes with a grin. "Yeah, we're basically siblings."

Meowth nods. "We have our roles. Jessie's the bossy one, James is the peacemaker, Wobbuffet's the quiet one," he raises his chin haughtily, "and I'm the pretty one."

"Isn't the pretty one usually the stupid one?" Wobbuffet jests.

Meowth hisses at the comment and playfully swings his claws at Wobbuffet. Wobbuffet ducks back and flails his hands in front of him while making a weird "eeehhh" noise. Both start giggling at that, and I find myself laughing at the display as well.

Why have I never noticed this before? I knew they were all friends, but I never realized just how close they were. As sweet as the thought is, it makes me even more homesick.

" Okay, now what's happening? " Jessie asks.

Meowth's whiskers twitch happily. " Eh, we're just goofing around. It's a guy thing. "

James hums a laugh, and Jessie sighs and mutters, " We need more women on this team. "

" Back on topic, " James says to me. " Pikachu, are you absolutely certain you're fit to travel? " I nod, but he doesn't seem convinced. " Must have been quite the epiphany. "

" Yeah, " Meowth says, " what's that about, anyway? "

It's about remembering that no one expects me to be a clone of Ash, but I'm not ready to get into that mess. "Let's just say…that there are some things I need to work on."

Meowth makes the comment of, " What the hell does that mean? " before translating for the humans. Jessie makes a frustrated noise, and James only frowns deeper.

"Whatever it means," Wobbuffet says, saluting me once more, "I wish you the best of luck."

"Thanks," I respond. An idea pops in my head. "Hey, if you guys see Ash before I do, can you give him a message?"

"Of course," Wobbuffet says.

Meowth looks up at the humans. " He wants us to tell the twerp something. "

Jessie shrugs. " Uh, yeah, sure. "

" It's the very least we can do, " James adds.

I debate on what I want to tell Ash. I love you. Please don't hate yourself over this. I learned a new move that makes me feel like you're holding me and I really want to feel that for real. That's all way too personal for Team Rocket. The lines between us may have blurred today, but we're not that close.

"Just tell him that I'm okay," I decide. "And, don't get a tattoo without me." I figure he could get a laugh out of that.

Meowth translates, looking a little confused.

James cups his chin thoughtfully. " A tattoo, you say. Is he old enough? "

"What's today?" I don't know why I'm asking. Maybe some part of me is still holding out hope.
Meowth glances at the calendar on the wall. "It's April first."

Another crack in my heart. "He's old enough." Happy birthday, Ashton.

"Ouch," Wobbuffet says sympathetically.

Meowth looks at me with pity and maybe a little guilt before saying, " Sounds like the twerp just turned eighteen. "

Jessie scoffs. " Don't tell me that. It makes me feel old. "

"Don't," Wobbuffet warns when Meowth opens his mouth.

" If we see Ash, " James says to me, " we'll pass on your message. "

I nod gratefully and register that he just used Ash's name. I didn't know these guys knew his name. Meowth and Wobbuffet sure, since they can understand me, but Jessie and James? I guess it makes sense. We've seen enough of each other over the years that it would be weird if they didn't know his name. I'm just so used to these guys calling him a twerp.

"Well, I guess I'll get out of your hair," I say.

As I turn to leave, Meowth calls to me. He fidgets with his paws and looks generally uncomfortable. "Um, thanks. For…you know."

There's something endearing about how awkward he sounds. "Of course."

On that note, I leap off the table and let James open the door.

Chapter 22: A Happy Birthday! (No, Really)

" Really, a birthday is just a celebration of the fact that you haven't died yet." - FanGirl210

Ash

So, how's Galar?

Nice place. Just met up with a horde of Wooloo. They're crazy friendly. You'd have a field day.

Gary Oak, Professor Oak's grandson and my friend-turned-arch-enemy-turned-friend (it's not as complicated as it sounds) has been working as a traveling researcher for his grandfather since we were teenagers. Right now, he's in the Galar region, learning about the local pokemon. One of which, according to the picture beneath his text, is a quadrupedal pokemon that's either round or just has really, really fluffy white fur. The picture gives me a full view of the tiny horns poking through the fur on its head as well as its black face: big yellow eyes, a tiny, heart-shaped pink nose, and a mouth that's open in mid…whatever sound Wooloo make.

I'll take a dozen.

Here's its evolved form. How many ya want now?

Said evolved form - a quick check tells me it's called Dubwool - sports large black blotches on its still-fluffy white pelt and a mane of gray fur around its neck. It has four black horns - two massive ones on top of its head and two small ones that seem to stick out of its chest.

2 dozen.

No.

But, it's my birthday! 😭

Mine too. Gives me the freedom to say no.

I text him a middle finger emoji and grin when he sends one right back. Then, the good mood he's put me in is ruined by his next message.

Give Pikachu a hug for me.

I should have expected this. Gary knows today is as special for me and Pikachu as it is for him and Blastoise (his starter as a Squirtle). My hands are shaking enough that it takes a minute for me to respond.

Do the same for Blastoise.

I stick my phone in my jacket pocket - Aunt V got me a new denim jacket as both a birthday present and a replacement for the one covered in Pichu blood - and lean my head against the door, praying that's the end of the birthday well-wishes. I should be more grateful. I've been getting birthday texts and calls from friends and family all morning. Those who know my situation all said something along the lines of, "Try to have fun today." I wish it was that easy. Even the messages from friends in other regions - who know nothing about Pikachu and Charizard because why bother worrying them? - tore me in half. At least Gary's came with some fun banter.

I tried to put on a brave face for Aunt V and Gardevoir, on the former's request for "no sad birthday boys," but they saw right through me. Aunt V suggested I get some fresh air, but I don't think she intended for me to sit against the back door and sulk. I wish I'd let Gardevoir come out here with me. I lied when I said I wanted to be alone. I'm just so sick of him seeing me at my worst.

I unclip Pikachu's pokeball from my belt and, with tears in my eyes, hold it tightly to my chest. It's the only hug I can give him right now.

My phone vibrates for the umpteenth time this morning. I swipe at my eyes and mentally prepare myself for another birthday phone call. I pull out my phone, look at the name on the screen-

-and all my grief flies out the window.

I answer the call and try not to sound too excited. "Hey, Dad!"

" Hey, birthday boy! How's eighteen feeling? "

My parents divorced when I was six, but it was amicable so things were never too awkward. Like his twin sister, who insists that being born nine minutes sooner makes her the older sibling, Dad's a pokemon researcher, but he travels the world and has a particular interest in alphas. He can get pretty busy, so it's always a treat to hear from him.

And, since I'm pretty sure he's still in the Hoenn region, I haven't said a word about Pikachu or Charizard. No reason for him to know how eighteen really feels. "'Bout the same as seventeen, I guess."

" Ah, ain't that just how it is- Frank, why is your Ninetales here? We're on a boat. Who brings a fire-type on a boat? "

"You're on a boat? That's awesome!" At least, it is until I remember that Pikachu was taken on a boat.

I'm gonna be doing this all day, aren't I?

Luckily, Dad can't see me through the phone. " It would be if I wasn't surrounded by idiots- HOLY SHIT! "

I jump at that. "W-what's wrong?"

" It's - oh my god - it's huge! "

"What's huge? Dad-"

" It's an Alpha Wailord! Oh my god, it could be its own planet! Oh, I wish you could see it! "

My jaw drops at the mental image. Wailord is vastly considered to be the biggest pokemon in the world, about the size of a skyscraper. I can't imagine how big an Alpha-

" Oh my god, it's coming this way! Bye! "

Dad hangs up. I stare at my phone for a moment before laughter shoots out of me. The few friends who have met my father figured out pretty quickly where I get my thirst for adventure from. I have no doubt he'll be calling back to tell me all about what happened with the Alpha Wailord.

I'm looking forward to it.

---

"Is this a bad time?"

"What makes you say that?"

"That's what I'd like to know."

Dad's phone call, however weird or brief, had put a new spring in my step. I don't want to sound mopey when he inevitably calls back, so I decided that the best way to avoid thinking about Pikachu and Charizard was to think about literally anything else. I decided to think about exercise. I've been putting it off, and I know I'm starting to get puffy, despite Lorette assuring me that she'd call me a hunka-hunka-burning-love if I was legal. I decided not to ask.

And, I figured that Gardevoir may as well get some training in while we're at it. I'd brought it up to him, and he responded by glomping me onto the hardwood floor (ouch). I think, more than anything, he was happy to see me smile. Once upon a time, my smiles were so common that nobody batted an eye at them. I keep telling myself I'm going to fix that.

So, he and I went out into the forest, found ourselves a decent-sized rock, and I whipped off my hat and jacket. Gardevoir would push the rock toward me with Psychic, I would physically push it back at him. He strengthens his brain-muscle - yes, psychic-types have one of those, but don't ask me to pronounce the name of it - and I get to build back the muscle I'd lost from my various spurs of guilt and self-loathing. Win-win!

We'd been at it when Korou found us, and now he's watching us as if he seriously doesn't know what's going on. It seems pretty clear to me.

"I know you're holding back, Gardevoir," I accuse. "Give me everything you got! I wanna get crushed like a grape! Not really," I amend.

I can't see Gardevoir past the rock, but I'm sure he's rolling his eyes. Still, the pressure on my body increases slightly as I push back with all my might, so I know he's listening. Even if he is still holding back. My pokemon always do that when I jump into their training sessions. I know it's because I'm a human, but I wish they wouldn't hold back as much as they do.

My goal since before I even started my journey was to become a Pokemon Master. People often think that means that I want to be the strongest trainer in the world. And, I'll be the first to admit that that used to be what it meant to me. But as I traveled, met and befriended pokemon, grew alongside them, I realized that being a strong trainer is merely a byproduct. No, to me, a Pokemon Master understands pokemon. It's someone who knows how they think, how they feel. I want to be one with pokemon, and I feel like I'm on the right track.

At least…I did before Charizard left.

I shove all my strength and then some into trying to move the floating rock, as if that will also let me push the bad thoughts out of my head.

Happy. I'm going to be happy today.

I push until my arms turn into jelly and the rest of me feels like it's made of fire. Soon, the rock slowly lowers to the ground, and I nearly fall on top of it. You don't realize just how hard you've been going at it until you stop.

Panting heavily, I plop my butt down on the rock. "Yeah, let's-let's take five."

Gardevoir nods, panting and arching his back in a stretch. He walks over to my backpack on the ground and starts rummaging through it.

I wipe sweat from my brow and turn to Korou, who still has a dumbfounded look on his face. You'd think he'd never seen a guy train with his pokemon before. "So, what brings you to-to this neck of the woods?" Gardevoir pulls a water bottle out of my bag, takes a long drink, and hands it to me. "Oh, thanks." I take a few gulps.

Korou breaks from his stupor and clears his throat. "Your aunt said you'd be out here. I was hoping to ask for your help."

It's then that I notice how nervous he seems. He has one hand in his pants pocket and the other is playing with the arm of his glasses. His mouth is turned upward in a smile that looks a little too forced for my liking.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, it's just…" He lets go of his glasses and sticks that hand in his other pocket. "I thought you could give me some advice. I know you have a lot of experience as a trainer, so I figure you have at least a full team of six." He has no idea. "Maybe you could…give me some pointers? On catching pokemon, I mean."

"You wanna catch a pokemon? That's awesome! What kind of-" In my excitement, I'd sprung to my feet and flung out my arms, forgetting that my water bottle was still open. Now, I think the grass is better hydrated than I am. I wave my bottle in that direction. "Ah, that grass probably needed watered anyway." Korou smirks, and Gardevoir snickers. I ignore their amusement. "So, what kind of pokemon do you wanna catch?"

Korou's eyes soften. "It's not me. It's Connor. He really wants a pokemon of his own, but every time he tries to catch one, he ends up backing out." His frown deepens in sympathy. "I know it's because of Dachsbun. He's worried that he'll wind up comparing the two or that he just won't mesh with a new pokemon the same way he did with Dachsbun."

"Oh, yeah. That makes sense," I say somberly, and Gardevoir makes a small sound. I've met plenty of people who have felt similarly after the deaths of their own pokemon. Against my will, my fingers graze the pokeballs on my belt. "So, what? You want me to find him a good match, or…?"

A tiny smile grazes Korou's lips. "Actually, I already have someone in mind."

---

Just Eat! is a cozy cafe that doesn't feel squished despite its size. The cream-colored walls, hardwood floors, mis-matched tables and chairs, and fun pictures and signs on the walls all give the place a homey feeling. Add the tasty food, and you can see why the place is popular among both locals and travelers. A shame it wasn't here when I was making my trek around Kanto, collecting gym badges. Although, maybe this is better; now that I've grown up some, I feel like I can appreciate these sorts of places more.

It's not quite lunch time yet, so the place isn't too busy. I greet a few of the townsfolk, including the bored-looking teenage girl at the counter, and follow Korou into the back. I had returned Gardevoir to his pokeball so he could rest after our workout session, so it's just us humans.

Korou puts a finger to his mouth and opens the door to the kitchen. There are two human workers, Connor being one of them, and two pokemon: Sarge bringing in dishes (and wearing a hairnet despite not having any hair) and…oh.

Connor and Breloom, who is on a step stool, are standing at a prep table. Connor is showing Breloom how to knead dough. Both of them are covered in flour. Sarge grins at them, sees us watching, and winks.

Korou closes the door and turns back to me. "What do you think?"

"I think it's awesome," I say. "But, how did that happen?"

Korou gestures dramatically down the short hallway. "Step into my office. I've always wanted to say that."

I laugh and follow him into the office. The office is pretty small, only enough room for a desk, two chairs, and a filing cabinet. Korou leans against the desk, mindful of the computer perched on the corner of it.

"After what happened with Tyrogue," Korou begins, "Sarge started bringing Breloom here. I guess as a distraction or something; I don't know. She put him to work cleaning up and… Well, Connor just latched on to him, I guess." He chuckles. "I don't even think they know how it happened."

They don't have to know. Sometimes, you just meet a pokemon who clicks with you. You can't explain; you just feel it. You see a pokemon, you lock eyes, and there's a spark in their eyes, a warmth in your chest. Like with any friendship, a connection isn't usually made right out of the gate. But, there are exceptions, I find, when it comes to humans and pokemon. Sometimes, two creatures are just supposed to be together, and they know it without even knowing each other's names. Though, sometimes they are reluctant to acknowledge that feeling at first.

My fingers brush the pokeballs on my belt, lingering on Pikachu's. "They don't need to know how it happened," I say, summarizing my thoughts. "Sometimes, you just see a pokemon," I cross my arms over my chest, "and it's all warm and fuzzy, you know?"

Korou nods. "That's certainly how I felt when Sarge hatched."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot you raised her from an egg."

"Yeah." There's a tenderness in his gaze. "In fact, I think I felt that the moment my parents handed her egg to me."

"Your parents?"

"Mm-hm. See, I was picked on a lot as a kid. I was the quiet, bookish kid, and those tend to be targets. And, somehow word got out that I was gay, so you can imagine what high school was like."

I frown. "What's the big deal about you being gay?"

Korou laughs humorlessly. "Where were you back then? Anyway, my mom and dad were both breeders, so one day, totally out of the blue, they gave me a pokemon egg."

"A Machop egg," I say with a smile.

"Yes, but I didn't know that at the time. I knew the typing from the egg's pattern, but I wanted the species to be a surprise." That tender look is back. "They didn't know the extent of it, but they knew I was being bullied. They thought looking after an egg would, you know, give me a sense of purpose, something to look forward to after a hard day. And, boy did it." Then, he grimaces and blushes furiously. "Woah, I-I'm sorry. That all just kind of flew out of me."

"Don't be sorry," I assure. "I get it, believe me. Truth be told, I wasn't exactly popular either when I was little. But, I always had pokemon, even before I became a trainer." I chuckle at a memory. "The other kids called me the pokemon guy because I spent more time around wild pokemon than I did with humans. It was meant as an insult, but I considered it an honor. Eventually, they realized that and stopped." I giggle at the next part. "I was so upset when they stopped that I…" My giggles slowly shift into full-out laughter. "I ran to my mom, bawling my eyes out over it!"

Korou snorts. "Wait, wait. You were bawling your eyes because they weren't insulting you?"

"I was a weird kid, okay?" At this point, both of us are laughing hysterically.

I'd barely slept last night, knowing that my anniversary with Pikachu would be lacking one key element. I laid in bed, staring at the ceiling and fighting back tears, wondering if Pikachu had any way of keeping track of days, any way of knowing what he was missing. I hope not. He'd be crushed. He's such a sensitive pokemon. Depression can hit him like a truck, and it's not always easy to get him out of it. Even if he is with those pokemon Ella told me about, he'd still feel lonely. I know I did last night.

I was so sure I'd be miserable all day. So, laughing like this, reminiscing with a friend about our love for pokemon, it feels amazing.

Once we calm down, Korou waves a hand vaguely. "But, we're way off-topic. Back to Connor and Breloom. It's obvious they have a connection, but I don't think they quite realize it themselves." He nods at me. "You seem to have a," he rolls his hand in the air, "a certain way with pokemon. I thought maybe you would have some insight."

"Insight, huh?" I tap my chin, considering. "Well, if they can't see their connection… Hm. Maybe they need a test."

Korou adjusts his glasses curiously. "A test, you say? What kind of test?"

Good question. I'd sort of pulled that out of my ass.

In my experience, battle is a great way to test the bond between a human and a pokemon, but Breloom isn't Connor's pokemon. And, if Charizard is anything to go by- It's your birthday, and you're not thinking about bad things . Then, again, if their connection is as real as it sounds, maybe that doesn't matter.

My mind made up, I slam my fist into my other hand. "Trial by fire!"

Korou jerks back at my announcement. "Trial…by fire…?"

"Bring Connor and Breloom behind the Pokemon Center after closing, okay? Thanks!"

"Wait, Ash-"

But, I'm already off and running.

This is good. This is great! Helping others and battling rolled into one. Just what I need on a day like today. The icing on the birthday cake is that this won't just be Connor and Breloom's first battle together; it will be mine and Gardevoir's as well. I bet Pikachu is just as excited as I am.

Except Pikachu isn't here.

The thought slows me to a stop on the sidewalk. I'll be battling without Pikachu. Even when he's not on the battlefield himself, he is always, always , right by my side, cheering on whoever is battling. But, he can't do that today.

I run a hand over my face and take a deep breath. This battle was my idea. With or without Pikachu, I have to follow through. It's what he would want me to do. When I close my eyes, I can see the fierceness in his smile, both ears up in excitement, a fist pumped in front of his chest. " Even if I'm not there, " he would say, " you know I'm still cheering you on! "

His voice is so clear in my mind that I have to scan the area for him. Disappointment weighs on me when I don't see him, but I won't let it get me down. Pikachu wouldn't like that. Neither would Charizard.

As much as I miss those two, I have to put them on the backburner for now.

---

All Pokemon Centers have a battlefield out back, and the one in Lavender Town is no different. When two people meet up behind a Pokemon Center, it's not hard to figure out what's about to happen. So, why Korou and Connor (today his shirt features a smug-looking Delcatty with the caption, "Guess what. I don't care.") are looking at me like that is a mystery.

"I swear," Korou says to his husband, "I knew nothing about this."

What did he think "trial by fire" meant?

Connor blinks out of his stupor. "Ash, you know I don't have a pokemon, right?"

I grin. "Yeah, you do." I point behind them at Breloom, who is talking animatedly with Sarge and Gardevoir not far from us. Well, Sarge is talking. Breloom looks a little scared, and Gardevoir looks like he wishes he had a chair and some popcorn. "And, I'm challenging both of you to a battle!"

"Oh, Breloom's not my pokemon," Connor corrects. I don't miss the way his eyes linger a second too long on the grass-fighting-type.

"Seriously, Ash," Korou says, "if you want to battle, Sarge and I would-"

I hold up a hand. "Nope. It's gotta be Connor and Breloom."

Connor pales. Korou grabs my arm and excuses us, leading me out of earshot. He still lowers his voice when he speaks. "What are you doing? How is forcing them into a battle going to help them?"

"I'm not forcing them. I just-"

"You demand a battle and insist that it has to be them versus you, when they are both clearly uncomfortable. You're forcing them, Ash."

I flinch. When you put it that way… I rub the back of my neck and don't meet his narrowed brown eyes. "I mean, when I battle…it just makes me feel so in sync with my pokemon. I thought that…maybe they would feel that way too." I sigh. "I guess I forgot that battling isn't everyone's thing."

Korou relaxes slightly. "I know you mean well. Connor doesn't hate battling, but he doesn't really seek it out either. And, that was with Dachsbun. You have to remember that, even though Connor and Breloom became fast friends, they're still kind of strangers. What if I handed you a pokemon you barely knew and made you battle Sarge with it?"

I'd be thrilled, but I know what he's trying to say. "I guess it is kind of different."

I agree to call off the battle, and Korou and I walk back to the group, me with my proverbial tail between my legs. I wish Pikachu was here. I could have run the battle idea by him, and he would have sensed a problem immediately. I'm dumb and impulsive; he's smart and sensible. Some might say that we balance each other out. I say that if I hadn't met Pikachu, I wouldn't have made it to eighteen.

Connor is crouched down and talking to Breloom when we approach. I'm about to apologize, but Connor clears his throat. "So, uh, Breloom is willing to battle with me."

Breloom barks in confirmation. Sarge and Gardevoir bump fists smugly. I'm guessing they had a hand in this.

"R-really?" I say, surprised. Maybe this will work after all.

"Are you sure?" Korou asks Connor. "You don't have to."

Connor looks down shyly. "Well…Breloom wants to it, and I haven't battled…in a while." Not since Dachsbun died. I inwardly cringe and touch the pokeballs at my side. Connor pumps a fist and smiles with forced bravado. "So, yeah. Uh," he looks quizzically at Breloom, "what moves do you know?"

"Allow me," I offer and pull out my pokedex. I point it at Breloom and, a few buttons later, Breloom's ability and moveset appear on the screen. "Headbutt, Bullet Seed, Mach Punch, and Force Palm. And, his ability is Poison Heal, though that probably won't matter for this battle." Breloom barks in confirmation.

Connor repeats all that under his breath, committing it to memory. "Okay. Let's do this."

---

Something happens to me when I battle that's hard to describe. It's like…I'm in my pokemon's brain. Or…I get inside their head? Is that the same thing?

The point is that battling makes me feel so connected to my pokemon. As crazy as it sounds, I can actually feel their emotions in battle. Excitement, adrenaline, fear on occasion. I know what they're feeling without even looking at them.

It wasn't always like that. It started when I was about twelve years old, after this whole thing with a Lucario from the distant past (long, totally awesome story). It started out real subtle, so much so that I didn't realize the feelings weren't my own. As the years passed, the sensation got stronger and stronger. These days, my pokemon's emotions are clear as a bell, at least in battle. I guess that's how it feels when Gardevoir checks on me.

Speaking of… "You ready, Gardevoir?" I call out.

He looks at me over his shoulder and gives me a thumbs-up. " Ready when you are, " he says.

I nod at him from my spot just outside the battlefield and let his excitement mingle with my own.

Wait…

…It was probably Korou or Connor. Though the voice was higher than both of theirs, masculine but just shy of being androgynous like Pikachu's.

Gardevoir stands at the ready: feet apart, hands fisted at his sides, no doubt staring down Breloom with narrowed eyes. Could Gardevoir have-

I push the thought away. I didn't get enough sleep last night, and it's making me hear things. That's what happens when you don't sleep enough, right?

"How about you guys?" I yell to my opponents on the other end of the field. "Are you as siked as we are?"

" I am! " Breloom responds, leaning forward with his elbows back-

Did he-

It's a long battlefield, and he's all the way on the opposite side of it. I probably heard wrong.

"Are you sure about this, Connor?" Korou asks. He and Sarge stand at the edge of the center of the field as referees.

When Connor hesitates, Breloom turns to him and says something I can't hear (the usual assortment of incoherent noises, I'm sure, seeing as no one else seems to hear anything out of the ordinary). Even at this distance, I can see a spark in Connor's eyes. "If Breloom's ready, then so am I!"

I knew this battle was a good idea. Those two are totally in sync. I can feel it.

Korou calls it, raising up his arms as he speaks with Sarge copying his movements. "Alright. Battle…begin!"

Ah, those magic words that light a fire in my belly. "Let's kick this off with a bang," I shout. "Use Moonblast!"

A light pink sphere appears in Gardevoir's hands, and he throws it at his opponent.

"Dodge, and use Headbutt!" Connor commands.

Breloom zooms out of the way, his head bowed as he charges at Gardevoir.

"Stop him with Psychic!"

Gardevoir holds out his hands, and Breloom stops mid-run, wriggling against the deep blue glow surrounding him.

"Breloom, uh…" Across the field, Connor freezes up.

And, freezing up is the last thing you want to do in battle. "Hold on, and use Psybeam," I call.

I see Gardevoir touch the horn on his chest-

"Uh, use Bullet Seed!"

Breloom manages to open his mouth and fire tiny glowing seeds at the same time a pink ray shoots off of Gardevoir. Both attacks are direct hits. Both pokemon are sent flying.

But, Gardevoir recovers quickly by - I'm not making this up - cartwheeling into a standing position.

I have to laugh. I've seen a lot of battles, but I've never seen a pokemon do a cartwheel in the middle of one. "Show-off," I tease. "You alright?"

" Yeah, " Gardevoir says.

I can't be imagining this, can I? It sounds so real-

Breloom barrels our way with a shout. I didn't hear Connor's command, but Breloom's speed and glowing white fist tells me it's Mach Punch. By the time I tell Gardevoir to dodge, Mach Punch connects. Luckily, Gardevoir has a dual-type advantage over fighting-types, so Mach Punch doesn't do much beyond making him stumble back.

Then, Connor calls out, "Mach Punch, over and over!" which poses a problem.

Breloom is a fast pokemon, and Mach Punch is a very fast attack. Gardevoir ends up bombarded before I know it, and I can sense him trying not to panic.

"Gardevoir, use Psychic!" I shout. But, Gardevoir, though still on his feet, is too overwhelmed by the lightning-fast jabs at his arms and torso. But, only the arms and torso, I realize. "Cartwheel, Gardevoir!"

A flash of determination, and Gardevoir kicks his legs high in the air, nailing Breloom between his own legs - good thing he isn't human - and sending him soaring with a startled cry. With a spin that would make any cheerleader - or trainer - proud, Gardevoir sends his opponent rolling across the battlefield.

While Connor checks on his partner, I check in with mine. "Nice one! You okay after that?"

Gardevoir stretches his back and gives me a smug look over his shoulder. " And, you mocked my athleticism. "

How is no one hearing this? Is it- Is it like with Pikachu? Is Gardevoir not talking, and I can just hear him? But, I thought I heard Breloom too-

"Use Force Palm!"

Right. Battle. Focus focus focus .

"Use Dazzling Gleam!" I call. As light starts to shimmer around Gardevoir, an idea pops in my head. "But, just get it ready."

" Copy that, " Gardevoir says, actually says , keeping the light condensed around him.

Focus, Ketchum.

Breloom's coming in hot. As soon as he's close enough… "Do it! And, wrap it around you with Psychic!"

A too-bright light bursts out of Gardevoir. It gains a blue tinge as Psychic coils it around both pokemon.

Holy shit, that actually worked.

"Breloom," Connor's frantic voice, "can you see?"

" Kind of? " is Breloom's hesitant answer.

Battle. There is a battle.

"Um, use Bullet Seed?" Connor commands unsurely.

I can barely look at the mass of light in front of me, but I see tiny seeds shooting out of it in all directions. Time to wrap this up. "Let it fly, Gardevoir!"

He gets the idea. The light blasts forward and vanishes as Breloom flies through the air. Connor calls out his name, but Breloom lands with a hard thud and doesn't respond.

"Breloom is unable to battle," Korou announces. He sticks his arm out in my and Gardevoir's direction with Sarge copying him once more. "Ash and Gardevoir are the winners!"

" And, I'm their next opponent, " Sarge adds with an eager grin. I can hear her too?

I don't have time to dwell on it, because Gardevoir almost knocks me off my feet with a hug. "You were so awesome, Gardevoir!" I praise as he snuggles into my chest. He's panting, and I feel him shaking a little. "Was that combo too much?" I ask, feeling a little guilty. "Sorry. I just figured if you could combine Psychic with Moonblast, what else can you do?"

Gardevoir smiles up at me and shrugs. " Apparently, a lot, " he pants.

" Man, that was epic! " A new voice. It sounds human, but it also doesn't.

Just like with Pikachu. Just like with Gardevoir and Breloom and Sarge.

The source of the voice is - oh my God - a Spearow up in a tree. The Farfetch'd next to him adds, " Makes me wish I was a psychic-type. Who knew they could use moves like that? "

The normal-flying-types congratulate Gardevoir, who bows dramatically at the praise. As the duo fly away, I swear I hear the Spearow say, " Makes me think of that Pikachu and the Bellsprout. No shortage of strong pokemon around these parts. "

" Pikachu and Bellsprout, " Gardevoir whispers thoughtfully. Too thoughtfully.

My brain shuts down.

Korou and Connor walk up to me. Behind them, Sarge is carrying Breloom on her shoulders, and both of them are grinning. I think Korou says something, but I don't hear it because what are words and who am I?

Korou snaps his fingers in my face, restarting my brain. "S-sorry, what?" I say.

"We were congratulating you two for winning," Korou says with mild concern. Then, he nudges his husband with a smirk. "And…?"

Connor blushes and scratches his ear. "And…do you have an extra pokeball?"

---

"Man, I miss all the fun," Lorette complains with her arms crossed.

We met up with her in the Pokemon Center, where she had brought Electrode for a check-up. The four of us sit at a round table in the lobby while we all wait for our pokemon to be patched up, though Sarge is just getting a routine check-up like Electrode. The electric-type themself has already finished up and is doing laps around us.

Korou and Connor had been telling Lorette about the battle, but I'm barely listening to the humans. Instead, I am focused on a Wartortle and a Psyduck, who are arguing over which attack is better: Hydro Pump or Water Pulse. Wartortle says that Hydro Pump is one of strongest water-type moves out there. Psyduck points out that Hydro Pump is difficult to aim, and Water Pulse has a chance of confusing the opponent. In an ironic turn of events, Psyduck gets one of the headaches his kind are infamous for, and it causes him to forget what they were talking about. Wartortle just rolls his eyes and agrees to disagree.

"Yo, Ketchum!" Lorette snaps. "You awake over there?"

"Uh, sorry," I say.

"Are you okay?" Korou asks. "You've been a little spacey since the battle."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," I say automatically. Then, I chance it. "Well… Did you guys notice anything… odd about our pokemon?"

Korou and Connor exchange curious looks. Lorette watches them in confusion. Connor replies, "What do you mean, Ash?"

"Just, you know…" I fiddle with the bill of my cap as heat creeps over my cheeks. "The way they… spoke ?"

Electrode stops beside me and hums in interest.

Connor frowns deeper. "Not particularly. How about you?" he asks his husband.

Korou shrugs. "They sounded normal to me."

"And, what do you mean by 'normal?'" I ask. "Like, the usual noises or something more…human?" I finish weakly, not meeting anyone's gaze.

I think I know the answer. Still, I need some kind of confirmation that I'm not losing my mind. Understanding Pikachu a few months after meeting him made sense to me. He and I were incredibly close even then, so as weird as it was, it hadn't surprised me as much as one might expect. But, now I'm suddenly hearing the voices of both pokemon I know well and random strangers. I can't decide if it's really happening or if the stress of the past month is finally catching up to me.

Lorette raises an eyebrow at me. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

I rub the back of my neck. "I don't know. Some?"

"Well, you need a little more."

" You should see Lord Zapdos, " Electrode says. I look down at them, though I'm still not sure if they're actually talking. " He told me that I should tell you to come see him at Electrode Horde once you started hearing pokemon talk. "

Zapdos? Does that mean I'm not insane? Or, am I hearing this because I've gone insane? I'm so confused. I'll have to test this later.

"How'd you come up with that anyway?" Connor asks me.

Before I can embarrass myself (again) by asking what he's talking about, Korou unintentionally comes to my rescue. "Yeah. That thing with Dazzling Gleam was really something."

Ah, they're talking about the combo move. I grin and shrug. "I don't know. Sometimes stuff just comes to me."

"Really?" Connor says, impressed. "You came up with it on the fly? Just like that?"

"I guess," I say, trying not to look as proud as I feel. "When I battle, sometimes an idea hits me like bam !" I beat my fist into the palm of my other hand for emphasis. "It doesn't always work, but when it does, it's awesome!"

Nurse Joy chooses that moment to call Connor, Korou, and myself up to claim our pokemon. Once we gather our pokeballs, Connor starts asking Nurse Joy a million and one questions about raising grass-type pokemon. She patiently answers everything and throws in a lot of advice Connor didn't ask for. Connor eats it all up.

Meanwhile, Korou pulls me aside with a grateful smile. "I don't think I've thanked you yet for this."

I chuckle. "Thank me for what? Connor and Breloom already had a connection. They just had to realize it themselves."

Korou adjusts the arm of his glasses. "Well, you certainly had a hand in that. Guess your little 'trial by fire' wasn't such a bad idea after all."

" When are you gonna see Lord Zapdos? " We jump at the childlike voice. When did Electrode get here? They look up at me with a serious expression. " You need to go see Lord Zapdos. At Electrode Horde. They were nice to Lorette and we should listen to anyone who is nice to Lorette because Lorette is my friend. "

That sentence does not help me feel less crazy.

Fortunately, Electrode's friend stomps up to them and puts her hands on her hips. "What are you doing?" she asks them. "You bothering our buddies?"

" Ash needs to talk to Lord Zapdos, " Electrode informs her.

"Apparently, I need to talk to Zapdos," I say, testing the waters.

Predictably, Korou and Lorette give me strange looks. Electrode, however, nods and confirms that yes, I should definitely talk to Zapdos who was nice to Lorette who is Electrode's friend.

This might actually be happening .

Lorette folds her hands together, points both her index fingers at me and says, "Dude. Sleep. You need it." Korou just nods worriedly.

What I need is another test. Somewhere private, where people won't dismiss me and tell me I need sleep. I'll head back into the forest, I decide, while there's still light out. I'll bring Gardevoir out there, and we'll test this together. He can talk to me, and other pokemon can talk to me as well. If I can have verbal conversations with everyone, then this is totally awesome and I'll pay Electrode Horde a visit. If not, I'll heed my friends' advice and go to bed early.

Chapter 23: Speaking My Language

" Yeah, I talk to dogs. Because sometimes dogs are the only creatures who truly listen." - Bound for Murder by Laura Childs

Ash

A Poliwhirl is teaching his daughter how to use Bubblebeam.

A Beedrill is bragging about his battle skills to another of his kind, who doesn't seem impressed.

An Ivysaur asks a Metapod where he can find some oran berries around here.

All around me, pokemon are having conversations that shouldn't sound like anything but do.

With the exception of Chatot - who can only squawk out a word or two at a time - and Team Rocket's Meowth, pokemon don't talk like humans. Their distinct noises can only be understood by one another. Yet, here I am, some random human, hearing every single word.

And, those words are so…ordinary.

My whole life, I've been saying that people and pokemon were one and the same. Not in body, obviously, but in mind, in soul. Regardless of whether or not anyone believed me, I knew it was true. I've never once thought otherwise.

Pikachu proved that theory beyond a shred of doubt.

I don't even know how it happened. There wasn't some earth-shattering event that triggered it. I wasn't bitten by a radioactive Spinarak or anything. No, a few months after meeting my buddy, all I did was wake up. I'd said good morning to Pikachu and heard a tiny, sleepy "Morning, Ash." I remember scanning the area where we'd made camp, wondering who said that, who had that high voice that I both recognized and didn't. Then, Pikachu asked if I was okay.

After the shock had worn off, all I could feel was joy. There was this…rightness in my heart. This had been one of the few times I had woken up before Brock or Misty, so I had taken Pikachu off somewhere so we could chat uninterrupted. Of course, my buddy was confused and a little concerned, especially when I demanded a conversation that didn't involve hand gestures. He sniffed me and muttered about how I didn't smell sick. I laughed because I didn't know pokemon could smell that sort of thing.

"You can smell if I'm sick?" I giggled, and his mouth fell open.

Pikachu stammered for a moment before blurting, " Repeat back to me what I'm saying. "

I replied with, "Repeat back to me what I'm saying!"

He stared at me for a long time before we started our first completely verbal conversation. It was mostly just us babbling nonsense to one another, but we were having the time of our lives. By the time our friends woke up and found us, we were both on our backs, laughing hysterically because neither of us could understand the other at that point. When we calmed down, I pulled Pikachu against me and just held him.

The memory is a sharp pain in my heart.

I can almost feel Pikachu on my shoulder, nuzzling my cheek, soothing me in that quiet way of his. " Focus, buddy, " he would say. " This is a wonderful thing! "

And, it is. It's like the way I felt back then but on a much, much larger scale. I'm not going crazy. This is real.

I walk. I don't interact with anyone. I just listen.

A Pidgey is preening her feathers and mumbling about her annoying sister.

Four Caterpie are playing tag. The smallest one is "it."

I stop at an opening among the trees and slowly spin around, seeing the pokemon world as if for the first time.

Pokemon are living their lives, speaking those mundane words that only make me love them more. Such beautiful creatures. All different shapes and sizes and colors. All living amongst one another, not knowing how remarkable they truly are. I never understood what people meant about weeping at beauty, but I'm struck by a sudden urge to cry.

I reign it in and call Gardevoir out of his pokeball. He appears in front of me and raises his arms in a long stretch as if just getting out of bed. There is a content smile on his face. He looks at me approvingly and puts his hands on his hips.

" Someone looks happy, " he says.

"I am," I say breathlessly. "You don't know how happy I am!" He gives me an odd look, and I take his hands. "I need to show you something. Er, tell you something? Uh, something happened, and it's awesome!"

Gardevoir gives me a freaked out kind of smile. " I am scared. "

"Don't be. Don't be scared. This is awesome." His eyes widen, and I whirl him around. Pointing to each pokemon in turn, I tell him what they are saying. "Those Weedle are arguing over who gets the last mago berry. That Spearow is giving that other Spearow directions. That Bellossom is telling a story about a Chikorita."

Gardevoir whips back around. He points to me with his mouth wide open, but no sound comes out.

"Say something," I beg, desperate for more. "Say something, Gardevoir!"

He opens and closes his mouth a few times before he finally speaks. " How the fuck are you doing that? "

I laugh at his choice of words. I grab him by the shoulders, plant a long kiss on his forehead, and pull him against me. "I don't know."

---

" So, you just started understanding us? " Gardevoir asks incredulously. " Just like that? No build-up or anything? "

After he recovered from the shock, we continued our trek through the forest. Electrode told me to go see Zapdos, and now that I've confirmed that I'm not insane, I plan on doing just that.

"Pretty much," I say. "The same thing happened with Pikachu when I was ten. Until now, he was the only one. Besides the one Meowth, but you know." I put my hands behind my head. "I don't know what happened. Everything was totally normal up until we battled Breloom."

Gardevoir hums. " I thought you seemed a little off. It was a good battle, though. Sarge even challenged me in the Pokemon Center. " He giggles. " Then, she grabbed Breloom and demanded we have a three-way battle. I think she's getting ahead of herself. "

"You kidding?" I pump my fist at the idea. "A three-way battle sounds awesome! I actually had a few four-way ones back in Alola. Man, what a rush!" Gardevoir shakes his head fondly. "Hey, you could have been a fighting-type like them. Three fighting-types in the ring. That would've been something."

Gardevoir makes a small noise. He stares straight ahead with a tight expression. Oops.

"Oh, I-I didn't mean anything by it," I backtrack.

" I know, " he says quietly.

"Really, I didn't!" I repeat, guilt quickening my speech. "I-I like you the way you are. I really do!"

He waves me off. " Ash, I'm not offended. Relax. "

He says that, and yet… "Then, why do you look so sad?"

" It's nothing. It doesn't matter. "

"It's nothing, or it doesn't matter?" When he doesn't answer, I step in front of him, blocking his path. "I told you, Gardevoir. I can be your rock as much as you've been mine. If something's bothering you, you can tell me."

Gardevoir looks everywhere but at me, plays with the protrusions around his waist, sticks his tongue out thoughtfully, looks generally uncomfortable. When he finally speaks, he still avoids eye contact. " Um, weird question. Given the option, would you have me evolve into Gardevoir…or Gallade? "

Gallade is the other evolution option for male Kirlia, and it's a psychic- and fighting -type. I hope this isn't because of my comment. "Oh, that's easy," I say, putting as much enthusiasm in my voice as I can. "You chose Gardevoir!"

Gardevoir gapes at me for a moment then chuckles. " No, no, no. I mean, if you could have picked what I evolved into, which would it have been? "

Now, I'm just confused. Is this not about my comment? "But, you chose Gardevoir."

Gardevoir smacks his forehead and mutters, " Why are you such a dumbass? " He balls his fists at his sides and tries again, his tone hardened by frustration. " Okay, let's say we met when I was still a Kirlia. In that situation, in your perfect world, would I become a Gardevoir, or would I become a Gallade? "

Now, I'm even more confused. "But…but, you chose Gardevoir." Gardevoir throws his hands in the air and groans. What did I say? Maybe I am a dumbass, because I'm not getting this. "I'm sorry. I-I just don't understand the question. You picked Gardevoir, so why would I pick anything else?"

Gardevoir opens his mouth to argue then processes what I said. " So…you would pick…whatever I picked? You would leave it up to me? "

I swallow a relieved sigh. "Exactly. Even if you wanted to stay a Kirlia or even a Ralts. It's your body, right? You're the one who's got to live in it."

There's a glimmer in his eye that's gone as quickly as it appeared. He looks down with a sad smile and nods.

A lightbulb goes off in my head. "Gardevoir, did someone make you feel bad about evolving?"

There's a light blush on Gardevoir's cheeks. " Oh, uh, no, don't worry about it. "

"Someone did, didn't they?" I say, a bit of anger creeping into my tone. "Who was it? What happened?"

" I-it was just some guy, " Gardevoir stammers. He tosses his hands at his sides, looking suddenly miserable. " Ash, I don't wanna talk about this. "

I force myself to relax as Pikachu's voice fills my mind. " Don't push, Ashton. He'll come to you when he's ready. "

So, I let it go for now. We continue our trek to the power plant in silence. I want to keep listening to the sounds - no, the voices - around me, but I'm too worried about Gardevoir.

Then, Gardevoir speaks, his voice quiet. " I had a trainer before you. "

I snap to attention. Does this tie in with why he's upset? That whole thing about Gallade comes to mind. "I suspected as much," I say. "You seemed pretty familiar with human stuff when I caught you. Hell, you even made tea without being taught how."

He still won't look at me, but there's a little embarrassed grin on his face. " Yeah, I guess I made it kind of obvious. Anyway, he wanted me to be a Gallade and, " he shrugs, " I had other ideas. He wasn't mean about it or anything, and he said he tried to look past it, but… "

My blood boils. "So, what? He just let you go?" Gardevoir doesn't answer. I put my hands in my jacket pockets so he can't see how bad my fists are shaking. "If he wanted a Gallade so badly, he should have just caught another Ralts or a Kirlia or found a wild Gallade and cut out the middle man."

Gardevoir kicks a stone in his path. " I guess that didn't occur to him. Maybe leaving me there was more convenient. "

I stop dead, my temper flaring. "What was that?"

Gardevoir freezes in place.

"Did you say your old trainer left you somewhere ? Does that mean what I think it does?"

Gardevoir turns toward me, his hands behind his back. Why does he look so ashamed? " Well, I mean, I knew what he wanted, and I didn't give him that, so I kind of had it coming- "

"Never say that again!" He jerks back. I shouldn't yell, but I've seen too many pokemon abandoned for stupid reasons. Even some of my own pokemon have a similar story to tell, Charizard being one of them. A pokemon's loyalty knows no bounds, even long after the trainer is out of their lives. So few people can comprehend just how big a pokemon's heart is. I lower my voice for Gardevoir's sake. "From what I'm hearing, you did nothing wrong." Gardevoir looks away, almost curling into himself. I take him by his thin shoulders. "You are your own pokemon, Gardevoir. You have your own thoughts and feelings, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that."

" But? " he says meekly, finally looking up at me.

"But, nothing. Don't let one jerk get to you. You are allowed to be yourself. No one should ever be anyone but themselves." He gives me a watery smile and nods in thanks. Relief floods me until I realize what I just said. I tap my chin in thought. "Well, unless they're, like, a serial killer or a rapist or-or a poacher or something. Then, they should probably be someone else."

Gardevoir bursts out laughing and gives me a big hug. I don't know what I said that was so funny, but I'm glad he's feeling better.

Just when I've wrapped my arms around him, he pulls back with a quiet, " Oh, that's right. " He lets out a breathy laugh. " I can tell you about Pikachu now. "

---

Gardevoir knows Pikachu.

As we continue our walk, he tells me about a Pikachu he met after Evan, his old trainer, abandoned him. This Pikachu had helped him practice his Psychic/Moonblast combo. This Pikachu was keyed up to beat the tar out of Evan when they realized he hadn't planned on coming back. This Pikachu had comforted Gardevoir with stories of his own friends who had been abandoned and were now evolved and happy. This Pikachu had told Gardevoir that I'd be willing to lend him a hand if he needed it. This Pikachu was traveling with the same group that Ella told me about.

When I say nothing, Gardevoir sheepishly says, " I guess it doesn't really matter at this point. It was quite a while ago- "

"It matters," I say. "Even if it was a long time ago, it matters, Gardevoir. Thank you for telling me. Any information, no matter how outdated, is still important."

Gardevoir nods at that. " When he told me about you, I just figured he was a wild pokemon who happened to be friends with a human. I didn't start putting two and two together until you mentioned a missing Pikachu. And even then, I wasn't completely sure until you passed on Ella's findings. "

And, he couldn't exactly tell me before today. "Is that why you asked me to catch you?" I ask. "Because of Pikachu? Were you, like, looking for me or something?"

Gardevoir's tongue peeks out as he gathers his thoughts. " Meeting you was more dumb luck than anything. And, you seemed pretty cool. But, if I'm being honest, I think I just missed having a trainer. I was a wild Kirlia before I met Evan, but I realized that the trainer life… " He shrugs. " I don't know. It suits me. It just kind of feels right. Like how evolving into Gardevoir felt right. Does that make sense? "

"I think so," I assure. "Sometimes, things are just…right. And, you can't explain why." I spread out my arms. "That's how I feel about all this!"

" You mean understanding pokemon language? "

"Well, yeah, definitely. But, I meant pokemon in general. Everything about them." I place my hands over my heart, a wave of affection warming me. "I've always loved pokemon. Even when I was really young, not a day would go by when I didn't go outside just to see them. And, my love for pokemon only grew as I got older, traveled, met and got to know them. And now, I can hear them! I can really, really hear them, and-and- and it's awesome !"

I hadn't meant to shout, but I just couldn't help myself. Pokemon, wild or otherwise, stare at me. Some mumble about how weird humans are. It's as wonderful as it is embarrassing.

" Ash Ketchum? " someone calls. " Is that you? "

I hadn't realized how close we were to the power plant. Up ahead, a Jolteon is perched at the large caved-in entrance. I recognize him from the last time we were here. As Gardevoir and I approach, I pull out my pokedex and scan the yellow, spiky-furred pokemon.

' Jolteon: the lightning pokemon. An electric-type. The cells in its body conduct a low level of electricity. When startled or angered, its fur hardens into needle-like points. '

Gardevoir nudges me as I put my pokedex back in my pants pocket. " Time to put your new skills to the test, " he says with a wink.

Right. Talking directly to a pokemon that isn't my own, one who is mostly a stranger to me. I kneel down and address the small pokemon before me. "Uh, hi there. Is Zapdos around? We really need to talk to him."

Jolteon tilts his head in appraisal. " Can you understand me? " I was not expecting that. " Lord Zapdos said that you'd be back when you could understand pokemon. He didn't want to leave until he spoke to you directly. "

A wide grin spreads over my face. "Yeah? Nice of him to wait for me." A giggle escapes me when Jolteon's mouth falls open. I stand back up and put my hands on my hips. "So, can I talk to him, or what?"

Jolteon's paw rises and points between me and Gardevoir, though he speaks to the latter. " I…didn't think this would actually happen. "

" Oh, it's happening, " Gardevoir says with a chuckle. " And, it makes as much sense as you think it does. "

Jolteon shakes his head clear and stammers, " I-I, um… I-I'm gonna go get Lord Zapdos. I guess. "

With one last bewildered glance at me, he runs back inside. My god, I just had a conversation with a pokemon I've only met once.

" Oh, I can tattle on these guys, " Gardevoir says suddenly.

"Tattle?" I ask.

Gardevoir waves toward the entrance. " Not on Jolteon. He seems nice. No, I mean tattle about what happened last time we were here. When those guys ambushed us. "

"You mean that wasn't a territory thing?"

But, he doesn't have time to respond. A familiar avian pokemon with spiky yellow feathers appears in the entrance. Zapdos may be at least a foot shorter than me, but I know he could turn me to actual ash if rubbed the wrong way. But, I also know that he won't.

"Hey, Zapdos," I say with a wave. "Electrode said you wanted to see me."

Zapdos doesn't reply right away. He leans forward, observing us. Then, " Pikachu and I had quite the battle. "

…I feel like I should be more surprised than I am. Mostly, the image of my buddy taking on a Legendary Pokemon fills me with excitement. And, jealousy because I wish I could have seen it! "You battled Pikachu? Who won? Was it him?"

Zapdos straightens and chuckles, not surprised at all that I can understand him. Though, since he told Electrode to send me over, I guess he knew this was coming. " I won our battle, though he didn't make it easy for me. "

I grin and pump my fist. "That's my buddy."

" Uh, you wanted to see Ash, my Lord? " Gardevoir says, getting us back on track.

" Indeed, " Zapdos confirms. He nods toward the entrance, an invitation.

We follow him, and as soon as we're inside, the horde members gawk at me and murmur amongst themselves. They're excited to see me again. They wonder if I can understand them. I also hear Pikachu's name a few times.

Zapdos spreads his wings low, and the crowd is silent. " Now, now. I'm sure the Chosen One would love to speak with all of you. " Chosen One. I'd forgotten all about that moniker. Zapdos folds his back against his body. " But, I would like some one-on-one time with him first. Gardevoir, you go ahead and mingle. "

Gardevoir bows obediently, and I feel like I'm a character in a fantasy novel who's about to meet the king. In a way, I guess I am.

I give everyone two thumbs-up. "Yeah, when we're done, I'll talk to you guys forever! Well, not forever. My aunt will worry if I'm not back by dark."

Alpha Electrode helps clear a path as Zapdos and I walk through the lobby while everyone chatters excitedly. Zapdos leads me down the hall and into a large room that houses an old generator and lacks a ceiling. Looking up at the sky, I don't think I'll have time to talk to all the horde members before it gets dark. Next time, I'll be sure to come earlier in the day.

Zapdos stops in the center of the "room" and whips out his wings, shaking out tiny sparks. " This is where our battle occurred, in case you were curious. "

Yeah, this does look like a good place for a battle, nice and spacious. "Man, I bet it was awesome."

" It certainly was, " Zapdos says, refolding his wings. " But, we aren't here to discuss battling. We are here to discuss you. "

"What about me?" I ask. "You mean 'cause I can understand you now?"

" Come, " Zapdos says, turning toward the generator behind him. " Let us sit and chat. "

Weird place to sit, but I guess there isn't anywhere else. I follow and watch as he flaps his wings and hops on top of the generator. Then, I watch as very visible bolts of electricity crackle over the thing.

Yeah, I'm not climbing on that. A quick jolt from a pokemon, I can handle. Sitting for an unknown amount of time on a metal thing that's been juiced up by someone whom pokemon refer to as the Lord of Lightning? That would definitely kill me.

When I don't move, Zapdos looks at me over his shoulder then lets out a hearty laugh. He turns around and leaps off the generator, which goes dark again. " Forgive me, " Zapdos says. " I'm so used to having electric-types here with me. In fact, " he nods toward the old machine, " I was sitting up there with Pikachu when he challenged me to a battle ."

"Yeah?" I say, imagining Pikachu sitting there, getting chummy with a Legendary Pokemon. My buddy can get along with anyone, and I have the sense that Zapdos is the same way, albeit more formal. "Bet it was pretty cozy up there for him."

Zapdos grins and there's a restrained laugh in his voice. " You could say that. " I think there's a joke here I'm not getting. Zapdos clears his throat and roosts on the floor. " But, back to business. We have much to discuss now that your ability has awakened. "

I sit cross-legged in front of him. "You mean the pokemon thing? How did you know I'd do that?"

" Because you were conversing so flawlessly with Pikachu the day we met. " He fluffs up his feathers, and I flinch at the bite of static. Zapdos doesn't notice. " It reminded me of a human I once knew. Her name was Akari, and like you can now, she could understand the voices of pokemon. "

"Oh!" I dig into my backpack, remembering that Lorette was handing out signed copies of her new book to me, Korou, and Connor. It may be historical fiction , but it's still historical, right? I pull it out and show it to Zapdos. "Is this her? My friend wrote this book about her. This is Akari on the cover, right?"

Zapdos regards the cover with a tilted head and a raised brow. " I'm afraid not. Frankly, I'm not sure who that human is. Though, Zoroark looks…okay. "

I look at the cover myself, at the girl with the light brown skin and dark brown hair and old-timey gray dress. "I guess it is an artist's rendering."

Zapdos scoffs. " Not a very good one. But, I suppose the artist cannot be blamed. Akari existed long before you or anyone you know. "

In other words, I won't be meeting her anytime soon. "You mentioned a Zoroark, but…" I look real closely at the cover. "I only see this white pokemon. It kind of looks like a Zoroark, though."

" Because, he is. The creature you see on your friend's book is what Zoroark looked like at the time. Not the dark-types you know of today, but normal- and ghost-types. "

"Whoa. Awesome." I put the book away. "I mean, it sucks that they aren't around anymore, but still." Zapdos nods, and there's a wistfulness to the gesture. "What does this have to do with me?"

" Your shared ability, of course. Akari's began when she became close with a Zorua. I suspect yours began with Pikachu. Or, Pichu? "

I shake my head. "He was already evolved when we met."

Zapdos hums in acknowledgement. " Continuing. When I asked Akari how she learned the pokemon language, she was unsure, claiming that her newfound clarity came out of nowhere once she reached adulthood. At least, I assume that's what she meant. She said she 'became a woman,' so… "

"Since she's a girl, she probably meant that she got her period." I can almost see the question marks floating over Zapdos's head. I sheepishly rub the back of my neck. "Nevermind. So, when Akari became an adult, that's when she could understand other pokemon." I grin and jab my thumb at my chest. "Guess that means I'm a big boy now!"

Zapdos chuckles. " You humans have such interesting ways of phrasing things. " I hope I'm not blushing as much as I think I am. " It is an exceedingly rare ability, one acquired only by those who feel an intense connection to the pokemon around them. "

A smile pulls at my lips as love fills my chest once more. "Like me?"

" Like you. But, you're not the only one who will experience changes. Pikachu has something to look forward to as well. "

"Pikachu?" I repeat. "But, he is a pokemon. How is he supposed to learn his own language?"

Zapdos laughs again and shakes his head. " No, no. This has nothing to do with speech. You see there is something that only the beloved partner of a Speaker such as yourself can do. "

"Speaker?"

" Well, that's what I call it. " Zapdos shrugs. " It's not a creative title, but it's less of a mouthful than 'human who speaks pokemon language.’ ” Can't argue with that. " Back to Pikachu. You see, there is a unique and powerful attack known as Return. And, it can only be learned by a pokemon who has a powerful bond with a Speaker. "

"Return, huh? And, you think Pikachu could learn it?"

" Don't ask if he could. Ask when he will. If he hasn't already. "

---

We make our way back to town, but not before Gardevoir informs me of what really happened the day we were ambushed and I chew out our attackers. Maybe it happened a while ago, but I only just found out about it, so of course I'm a little miffed!

" Return, huh? " Gardevoir says after I tell him about my conversation with Zapdos. " If it's as strong as Zapdos says, I'd love to see it. " He sniffs a laugh. " As long as I'm not on the receiving end. " When I don't respond, he looks up at me. " Ash? "

I blink back into focus. "Sorry. My brain's kind of overloaded."

He hums in understanding. " A lot happened today. "

"Yeah."

" Lot of good stuff, though. That battle was great. You can talk to pokemon now. And, Pikachu either has a new move or he will have one. "

I smile. "Yeah. I still wish he and Charizard were here, but overall it's been a good day."

I learned a long time ago that when everything seems to be falling apart, sometimes you need to take a break and focus on the good. Even though Pikachu and Charizard are still missing, this birthday actually was a pretty happy one.

Until we hear a scream.

" What the hell? " Gardevoir blurts.

"It came from over there," I say, already starting in that direction. "Let's move!"

As we sprint, pokemon run or fly past us in terror. Some of their cries are incoherent. Some cry out for help. When I hear at least one mention of blood everywhere, what's happening clicks in my mind.

I come to a stop so quickly that Gardevoir bumps into me. Thankfully, I have about two hundred pounds on him or I'd be in the dirt and lose more time. I spin around, point to the ground, and command, "Stay here. Don't move from this spot until I say so."

" You-you want me to wait for you here? "

The way he says that reminds me of what his old trainer did. I clarify, "I think Poke-X is involved. I don't want you anywhere near it. You have my solemn vow that I will come back for you ."

Satisfied, he nods with a grim expression. " Be careful. I can smell death. "

On that disturbing note, I run toward the danger, not knowing what to expect beyond blood and a corpse. So much for a happy birthday, I think selfishly.

When I arrive on the scene, it's worse than I imagined, and I imagined it would be bad. I've seen sick pokemon torture themselves and others, screaming helplessly (oh God, I'll know what they're saying now), not fully if at all in control of themselves. I've seen them regain lucidity just long enough for what they've done to crash over them. The sight rips my heart to shreds and makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs.

This is the first time I was too late to even get them to the lab.

There is blood everywhere. Blood and… stuff . A Vileplume is lying on his back in the center of it and covered in injuries. The massive petals on his head are bent where he lays. The one in front is missing.

And, there are still pokemon here, too paralyzed to look away, to realize that they need to get far, far away from here. That fact jumpstarts my brain.

"Everyone listen up," I shout. The pokemon turn to me. "You have to get away from that Vileplume. He had a terrible illness that you will catch if you come in contact with any of…that. I know people who can…clean up…the mess. But, until they get here, this area is extremely dangerous . Clear out and spread the word. No one can come back here until tomorrow at least. There's nothing any of you can do for Vileplume. I'm sorry." My voice breaks at the end.

They listen. They clear out, some murmuring, at least one crying.

I call the clean-up crew and tell them to come immediately, as if they wouldn't anyway. When I hang up, I manage to take a few steps away before I hurl. Then, I head back to Gardevoir in a daze and hold him as tightly as I can. He doesn't ask questions, just returns my embrace.

---

" You wanna talk about it? " Gardevoir asks.

I shake my head, every part of me fried. I can hear the clean-up crew somewhere behind me. I can't bear to watch them… work . I shiver, and Gardevoir scoots closer to me. I'd sat down on a log a safe distance away from… that , and he didn't hesitate to sit with me, to comfort me.

To comfort me, again .

"Why do I keep doing this?" I sigh heavily and rest my forehead in my hand. "I know I sound like a broken record, but you keep seeing me at my worst. I should be tougher than this. I used to be. Now, I'm a fucking mess."

" It's a messy situation, Ash, " Gardevoir says. Then, he cringes. " Bad choice of words. "

"I know what you mean. And, you're right. But…but, I used to be better at this. When something bad happened, yeah I'd be upset, but I wouldn't stay down for long." More quietly, I add, "I've never felt so powerless."

" Have you ever been in a situation like this? "

I shake my head.

" Well, there you have it. "

He has a point. Still… "Oh, Gardevoir, I wish you could have known me a year ago. I was at the top of my game. I laughed a lot, and I smiled all the time. What the hell happened to me?"

" Let's see. " Gardevoir checks things off with his fingers. " Pikachu went missing. Charizard wandered off. There's a deadly pokemon disease in the midst of all that. Gee, I wonder what happened. "

The corners of my mouth pull up the tiniest bit. "Fair enough."

He wraps an arm around me in a side-hug. " And, another thing. Will you stop saying that I'm seeing you at your worst? 'Cause I don't see it that way. "

"What do you mean?"

He pats my arm and gives me an honest grin. " Let me tell you what I see when I look at you. I see a guy with a big heart, and he wears that heart on his sleeve. He's not perfect. But, when there's a problem, he's the guy you want on your side. I'm really glad I met you, Ash. "

The cracks in my heart fill just enough. "Thanks, Gardevoir."

---

"I just got the report," Aunt V says, ambushing me and Gardevoir the moment we step through the front door. "You okay, Ash? That couldn't have been fun to walk into. Hell of a birthday, huh?" she adds with forced cheekiness.

I close the door behind me. "My head is still spinning," I say truthfully.

Gardevoir's words brought me comfort, but I can't stop picturing that poor Vileplume. And, he's not the only victim. And, Poke-X is spreading slowly but surely. For the millionth time, I hope and pray that Pikachu and Charizard are nowhere near it. My other pokemon are safe on the ranch, and Poke-X hasn't reached that area yet anyway, but I'm sure they're thinking of those two as much as I am.

Checking in with them after Pikachu vanished was hard enough. I haven't had the guts to call since Charizard left. I don't know if I could handle the looks on their faces.

Aunt V reads my mind. "Thinking of your pokemon?"

"I need a shower," I say in response.

Gardevoir takes my hand and leads me past her. "Look at it this way, Ash," Aunt V says. "If worse comes to worst, you can always catch new ones."

I stop. Gardevoir whips around to send a hard glare at Aunt V.

But, because my aunt doesn't know how to read the room, "Well, a new Charizard might be a tricky find. But, there are plenty of Pikachu in the world if you know where to look. If nothing else, you could always evolve a…"

At this point I've turned around and God only knows what my face looks like.

Aunt V gives me a nervous grin, the kind you show when you know you've fucked up. "Is this one of those moments when I should-"

"Shut. Up," I growl. I stomp up to her. My aunt is tall - most of my father's side is over six feet - but I have a couple inches and a whole bunch of muscle on her. And, she looks like she just remembered that. I don't care if I'm scaring her. She crossed a line. "I can not just 'catch new ones.' You could line up a hundred Pikachu and Charizard in front of me right now, but none of them would appeal to me. You know why? Because none of them would be my Pikachu or my Charizard! They cannot. Be. Replaced. You have never had a pokemon of your own, Aunt Vivian. You can't possibly understand how I feel."

Having said my piece, I whirl around and march upstairs, Gardevoir's light footsteps close behind. Once we're both in my room, I slam the door closed. Then, I take off my backpack and throw it across the room, followed by my hat and jacket so that I wouldn't take my frustrations out on anything else.

I plop down on the bed, and the adrenaline wears off, leaving guilt where the anger was. "Was I too harsh?" I ask Gardevoir.

" Are you kidding? " Gardevoir asks. " If she could understand me, I would have said more than you did, if you know what I mean. "

I almost grin at that. Then, the humor fades and I blow out a breath. I hate getting angry.

I wish my dad would call back. Hearing more about the Alpha Wailord would make a nice distraction. Why hasn't Dad called back yet? Maybe he forgot. If I got tangled up with a pokemon that size, I'd forget everything else too. I'll call him in the morning.

The door opens, and my sheepish aunt steps into the room. When Gardevoir bares his teeth in a snarl, I say to him, "Gardevoir, could you give us a moment?"

Gardevoir frowns at me but doesn't argue. He purposely bumps into Aunt V as he leaves the room. When he closes the door behind him, Aunt V hesitates then seems to come to some decision before sitting next to me on the bed.

"You're wrong about me," she starts. "I did have a pokemon once."

A million questions run through my brain, but the only one I can get out is, "When?"

"Years ago. I think you were…thirteen? Fourteen when I caught it?"

"And, you never told me?" I ask, feeling oddly betrayed. "Why not? I would have loved to meet it."

Aunt V sighs. "I know. But, I was worried."

I huff a laugh. "What? You thought I wouldn't like it?"

"No. I thought it would hurt you."

Now she really has my attention.

Aunt V goes on, staring down at her lap. "I found it on a mountain top in the Hoenn region while doing research. It was battling an Alpha Froslass, and it won. I'd watched the whole battle, and I thought it was impressive. At the time, I was looking for a strong pokemon to aid me in the field. I approached it, and it seemed hesitant but ultimately let me catch it."

"So, what happened?" I ask.

Aunt V shrugs. "It's hard to say. Things were fine for a while, but then something changed. My partner just…snapped one day."

My mind wanders to Charizard. I don't think Aunt V's story ends as well as mine, though. "How do you mean?"

Aunt V bites her lip then slowly lifts her shirt just enough for me to gasp and shrink back at what lies underneath. There are three long reddish-pink scars that start just below her breasts and run diagonally along her skin, ending at her hip. Claw marks, and they look like they were pretty bad at the time.

My aunt gets nervous about having strange pokemon in the house. She's okay with Gardevoir, but that took some time. Now I know why.

"Your partner did that?" I say, horrified and heartbroken on my aunt's behalf.

"I almost died that day," she says from somewhere I can't follow. She lowers her shirt. "Pokemon are dangerous, Ashton. That was a painful reminder. Literally," she adds with a grimace.

Oh, Aunt Vivian… I rest my hand on her thigh. "I don't know what was going on with your partner, but not all pokemon are like that. They have different thoughts and personalities just like people."

"I know. I guess I forget that sometimes."

"That's understandable, given what you've been through. I think I get you a little better now, Aunt V."

"Precisely why I told you." Aunt V smiles ruefully. "Miriam got lucky. She found a Hatenna that did everything she said."

"Hatenna? I'm not familiar with that one." I pull my pokedex out of my pocket and type in the name. Onscreen is a round pink creature with a mop of blue hair that covers its eyes. On its back is a protrusion that gives the pokemon the appearance of wearing a pointed hat, at least from the front.

' Hatenna: the calm pokemon. A psychic-type. Hatenna can sense the emotions of living creatures and becomes anxious if exposed to strong negative feelings. '

"That reminds me," I say. "When is Miriam supposed to get here, anyway?"

Aunt V sighs and rolls her eyes. "Oh, that woman. Turns out she's already in the region."

What? Since when? "I thought I was supposed to pick her up from the airport."

"So did I. But, at least you'll get to meet her when she gets here in town."

"I guess." But, I'm still disappointed. Being an escort isn't much, but it would have been another way for me to help with Poke-X research, albeit a very indirect way. "Will Hatenna be with her? Or, uh…" I tap the screen and check the evolution line. "Or, Hattrem or Hatterene?"

Aunt V thoughtfully tucks a stray hair behind her ear. "Actually, Miriam doesn't have Hatenna anymore."

"Really? Why not?"

Aunt V shrugs and stands up. "You'll have to ask her yourself. She should be here any day now."

"Hey, Aunt V," I stop her as she starts to leave. She turns around. "What was it? Your partner, I mean. You didn't say what pokemon it was. I'm curious."

"Oh. It was an Absol."

Chapter 24: A Spark of Hope

" Sarcastic people tend to be marshmallows underneath the armor." - Stephen King

Charizard

The sun is setting by the time we descend. I didn't spot anything noteworthy from the air, but Butterfree did warn me that Raichu Horde's territory is hard to find. I just have to trust that he knows where he's going.

We land in a densely forested area, and I let Growlie leap out of my arms. Unfortunately, the place is hard for me to maneuver through without bumping into a tree or stone or stepping on something. Butterfree is much smaller than me, and even he is flying erratically to avoid tree branches and wild pokemon. At least Growlie, being the smallest of the three of us, isn't having any issues. He seems to be doing well, all things considered, but I'm still keeping my eye on him.

"Are you sure this is the place?" I ask Butterfree after narrowly avoiding squishing a group of Weedle. I hope there are no Beedrill around for them to tattle to. Weedle's final evolution isn't exactly known for being forgiving, and my dual type-advantage won't stop me from getting poisoned.

"Sure as sugar," Butterfree replies, weaving effortlessly through a particularly tangled mass of branches. The 'mon has some impressive agility; I'll give him that.

I decide that walking around the offending tree is a better option for someone my size. Technically, I could just break off the branches, but even the cruelest of pokemon know not to disturb the environment if they can help it. It's our food, our water, our shelter, and our home in many cases. Even those like Growlie, who are born in captivity, understand that nature is kind to us if we are kind to it.

Though, the weather is a completely separate entity, I think as Growlie trails after me. At least he's in high spirits now that we're presumably closer to Raichu Horde. Emphasis on "presumably," because this still looks like a whole lot of nothing to me.

"So, Charizard," Growlie says after a while, "have you ever met an alpha pokemon before?"

"A few," I say, ducking under a bramble. "Even became close friends with an Alpha Charizard in the Johto region." I wonder how Charla and the others are doing. I've never regretted coming home, but I do miss Charicific Valley sometimes.

"And, are alphas…friendly?"

I snort a laugh. "They're just pokemon, Growlie. The only difference is their size. And, based on what Butterfree's told us, I'm sure we'll be fine."

Growlie accepts my answer but stays close.

"Just up ahead, y'all!" Butterfree chirps. "Look sharp. Charizard, you might wanna suck it in. Bit of a squeeze for a 'mon of your stature."

I know what he means, but I'm offended regardless.

Up ahead is a wall of trees and oversized bushes. It looks like a dead end, but Butterfree flies into it headfirst, though I hear him grunting with the effort of pushing through. There has to be an easier way past, right?

"Is he kidding?" Growlie asks me, echoing my thoughts.

I just shrug, resigned. "He knows this place better than we do."

"C'mon, y'all!" Butterfree calls from the other side. "Don't be a chicken!"

Growlie looks up at me again. "Follow-up question: what is a chicken?"

I shrug again. "Only he knows."

On that note, Growlie hesitantly squeezes through the bushes, muttering, "This better be worth it."

Agreed. I follow him, shutting my eyes against the scratchy brambles and trying to stop myself from clawing them out of my way. Assuming there's no other way in - for Butterfree's sake, there better not be - an alpha wouldn't settle their horde in a place like this if they didn't want to stay hidden. The last thing I want to do is piss off an alpha I don't know, one that might have information, at that.

Once on the other side, I am greeted by a surprising sight.

Given the foliage situation, I'd expected this place to be small and dark. Instead, there is a wide, spacious meadow dappled with flowers of all shapes and colors. Dens made of plant life line the territory. There are a handful of trees, but most of them border the meadow. Like Butterfree had told me, those trees are curved inward, their thick branches mostly obscuring the sky. While the territory is dimmer than the rest of the forest, it somehow still seems bright and inviting.

As for the horde members, I knew there were multiple species, but I'm hard-pressed to find two pokemon in the same evolution-chain, let alone the same species. Some of them aren't even Kanto-natives. A handful, I don't recognize at all. But, at least at a first glance, they don't seem to notice any differences. They are resting together in the sunny spots. They are sharing food and chatting. Two of them are training together with their onlookers cheering them on and shouting out advice.

It's…peaceful. With everything that's been on my mind lately, peace is a welcome sight. Maybe I'll get lucky and find Pikachu napping in a leaf pile. Not likely, but a 'mon can dream.

"Why, this is lovely!" Growlie comments, gazing around in wonder.

"Ain't it just?" Butterfree says. "C'mon. Let's see if we can nab us a shiny."

Right. Alpha Raichu is a shiny pokemon. I still can't wrap my head around that.

Butterfree starts to lead us through the meadow but gets sidetracked by a few pokemon coming over to welcome him back and ask if he found Ash yet. Luckily, he dismisses them with promises to talk later. No enquiries as to where their Alpha is. I'm trying to be patient, but that's never been my strong-suit.

A Vulpix rises from where she had been napping and runs over. Vulpix are typically about Growlie's size, but this one is twice as big; I recall Butterfree mentioning an Alpha Vulpix. "Hey, Butterfree," she greets.

Butterfree gives her a salute. "Howdy-ho, Vulpix. Can't talk now. I'm a 'mon on a mission, yup yup."

He's said that same thing to the last six pokemon, and I've had enough. "We're looking for Alpha Raichu," I say.

"Oh, she's battling Tinkaton," Alpha Vulpix says, flicking her six tails off to the side.

We thank her and head that way, following the sounds of attacks and pained cries. And, the flash of Thunderbolt that makes me do a double-take. There's a battle going on at the bottom of the hill. We walk down - well, Butterfree flies down - for a closer look.

Tinkaton is a humanoid pokemon roughly the size of a small human child. She has dark pink skin and a mass of light pink hair. More notably, she is wielding a hammer that looks like it was constructed out of random pieces of metal. Even more notably, the thing is three times her size , yet Tinkaton swings it around as if it's light as a feather. A steel-type, maybe? Or, a fighting-type? Both?

Her opponent is Alpha Raichu. The average Raichu isn't much taller than Tinkaton, but this female is about the height of a full-grown human, albeit a short one. In addition, Raichu are pale orange with white bellies and yellow cheeks. Not this one. This one still has a round white belly, but she also sports dark orange fur that's almost red and her cheeks are more of a brownish-yellow like the large lightning bolt-shape at the end of her long, long tail.

A shiny alpha. That's not something you see every day.

Tinkaton's hammer gains a silver, iridescent glow and somehow gets even bigger , and she charges at Alpha with a battle cry. Alpha rolls out of the way just as the hammer comes down, sending shockwaves powerful enough to almost knock me off my feet. Growlie does fall over. Butterfree, being obnoxiously airborne, is unaffected.

Alpha is also unfazed and crouches on all-fours with her tail folded along her back. From this angle, I can spot a long, nasty-looking scar on the side of her face that runs from her temple down to her chin, just missing her cheek. I suppress a shudder. Marks like that don't come from a casual battle. Pokemon don't face permanent damage unless someone is out for blood. Alpha Raichu is lucky her electric sac - both of which I know are located in her cheeks - wasn't damaged by whoever did that.

"How many times have I told you not to rely on Gigaton Hammer?" Alpha calls out with mild annoyance. Neither of the battlers have noticed us yet. "It wears you out. You don't see me spamming Volt Tackle, do you?"

Tinkaton lifts her hammer, now its initial gigantic size, over her shoulder, panting. "Yeah, but you get recoil from Volt Tackle. I just get tired."

"That's just as bad. Exhibit A!"

Alpha runs up to Tinkaton on two feet, a fist raised, encased with an intense white glow. Tinkaton is too worn out to dodge and gets nailed by Mega Punch, screaming in pain and getting thrown back, her hammer still in her hand. She lands hard on the ground and doesn't get back up.

Alpha gives her slightly shimmery pelt a triumphant shake. She walks up to Tinkaton, who blinks groggily at her. "You've got other attacks," Alpha reminds. "This battle might have gone differently if you'd used them."

Tinkaton mutters a defeated, "Yeah, yeah," before accepting Alpha's extended hand and pulling herself up.

Butterfree interrupts their teaching moment with a loud, "Hoo-doggy! Never a dull moment 'round these parts. No siree-bob!"

"Well," Alpha says in greeting, "yours is a face I wasn't expecting any time soon."

"Hi, Butterfree," Tinkaton says, walking up to us. "Hi, Butterfree's friends." She rests her hammer at her feet and gestures to it with a wide grin. "Who wants to hold my hammer?"

Odd question. Behind Tinkaton, Alpha rolls her dark blue eyes. Butterfree is whispering, "Don't do it," over and over again in my ear.

Well, now I have to do it.

Growlie paws at the top of the hammer. "It's, uh, quite large," he says apprehensively.

"How heavy can it be?" I say and grab the handle with both hands.

Turns out I was tempting fate. No matter how hard I tug, how much I strain, this forsaken thing is heavy . What is it made of, crushed up Steelix?

As if trying to decimate my ego, Tinkaton laughs, picks up the hammer with one hand, and holds it over her shoulder. Her other hand is on her cocked hip. "Never gets old."

Just as I'm about to Flamethrower her pink ass, Alpha scoffs and shoves her forward. "Will you and your freak-muscles get out of here? I wanna see what all this," she flicks her tail toward the rest of us, "is about."

I've decided that I like Alpha Raichu.

Tinkaton is unphased. She tells us, "Deep down, she's really nice," before sauntering up the hill.

"So," Alpha says, looking from me to Growlie, "which of you jokers is Ash? With a name like, I suspected you'd be a fire-type."

While Growlie and I exchanged confused looks, Butterfree chuckles. "How the hoozit could Ash be a fire-type?"

Growlie clears his throat and says what I'm thinking. "Um, Butterfree? Forgive me, but you did tell everyone here what species Ash is, correct?"

"Well, of course I- Did I? Yeah, I- Did I?"

How did I get saddled with this guy? "I'm Charizard," I introduce, "and this is Growlie."

Growlie politely dips his head. "Greetings, Alpha Raichu."

Alpha waves him off. "Eh, just Raichu is fine. So, what brings you all to my neck of the woods?"

Butterfree tries to put his hands on his hips. As always, his arms are too short for it to look anything but stupid. "They's on a mission. And, I recommended you and your horde, yup yup."

"Quite right," Growlie says. He steps forward, his fur fluffed slightly with nerves even though I assured him that alphas are just really big pokemon. Still, I can't blame him. If you know what size a pokemon would normally be, it's easy to be intimidated by a significantly larger version. "You see, Raichu," Growlie continues, his voice surprisingly steady, "I have decided to leave my mansion and live in the wild."

"And, a mansion is?" Raichu asks cooly.

"It's a type of human dwelling. I-I was, well, born in captivity, and I've left that lifestyle for my own reasons. Trouble is, uh," he kneads his paws on the grass, no doubt remembering how I found him, "I'm not as familiar with life in the wild as I'd anticipated. P-Perhaps someone here could teach me?"

Raichu clicks her tongue a few times, then licks her hand. As she swipes it over her ear, she says, "Part of me thinks you're an idiot and you're lucky to be alive right now." I agree, though I feel a twinge of annoyance at her when Growlie's ears droop in embarrassment. Then Raichu grooms her other ear and adds, "The other part respects your boldness. Not everyone has the guts to turn tail and say 'fuck you' to their old life."

Growlie cringes. "Um, must you use language like that?"

I keep forgetting just how sheltered he is.

Raichu's face scrunches up in confusion. "What other language would I use?"

"Maybe learn his," Butterfree suggests, pointing at Growlie. "He talks funny."

"I do not," Growlie retorts. "My vocabulary is simply more voluminous than yours."

I summarize before this gets long. "Growlie knows a lot of weird human words, is what Butterfree means."

Raichu hums in understanding. "That's fine. The folks here had all sorts of upbringings. I've learned my fair share of human terms. We'll show you the ropes, Growlie."

Growlie's tail lashes in excitement. "Capital! My most gracious thanks, madame! Rest assured, you will find that I am a quick study and my performance will be most reputable in the end."

Raichu stares blankly at him before turning to me with a strained smile. "Charizard, what do you want? And, please use small words to tell me."

I choke down a laugh. "Nothing quite as," I wave toward Growlie, "insert-fancy-word-here." Raichu and Butterfree snort. Growlie just narrows his eyes at me. "Anyway, my situation is a bit of a story."

Raichu nods at Butterfree. "Take fancy pants here," referring to Growlie, "and see if anyone's willing to put up with him."

"Hey!" Growlie barks.

"She means no offense," Butterfree assures as he leads Growlie up the hill. "That's just how she talks."

When they're gone, Raichu says, "I meant a little offense. Now, let's cop a squat and you can tell me what's going on with you."

---

A Ludicolo had brought over some berries, and Raichu and I sit down and eat as we talk. I start from the beginning, the little that I know. I tell her how Pikachu had been taken by Team Rocket, whom she has unsurprisingly heard of, and how he managed to escape but hasn't been found.

I stop when I realize that her cheeks are sparking and the pecha berry in her hand is squished and covering her hand in sticky pink juices. "Are you okay?" I ask hesitantly.

"I'm fine," she says, looking more angry than fine. But, she tells me to continue as she licks the juice off her wrist.

Okay then.

I tell her how, being the strongest in the family, I bravely volunteered to search for Pikachu and bring him home. I mention how they gave me supplies and well-wishes and reminded me of all the places Pikachu might go to hide before they sent me on my way.

So, I fudged some details (and I think Raichu can tell). Sue me.

I finish up with running into Butterfree and then Growlie. And, here we are.

"You've been busy," Raichu says, popping a third tamato berry in her mouth. I had tried to warn her about the spiciness of those things, but she just gave me a smug grin and started eating them, unbothered by the heat. Respect; most non-fire-types won't even touch tamato berries. "Any luck so far?"

"Zero," I lament. "Like I said, when Butterfree mentioned your horde I thought, 'What the heck?'"

Raichu hums thoughtfully then swallows her mouthful and swipes her hands together. "This friend of yours, how powerful is he?"

Interesting question, but I hope it means we're on the right track. "He's pretty strong. What are we comparing him to, exactly?"

"Well, there's this 'mon named Pawmi- Paw mo . He just evolved this morning," Raichu explains. "I'm still getting used to the new name. It's so similar. Anyway, Pawmo splits his time between here and this horde of electric-types that lives a few days foot travel away."

A horde of just electric-types? Why didn't I hear about this sooner? "And, there's a Pikachu there?"

"There was . According to Pawmi- mo , Pikachu and a couple of his buddies just stayed the night to take shelter during a storm." Raichu snorts disdainfully. "I'm surprised the alpha let all of them in. That 'mon's got an issue with anyone who isn't at least part electric-type. Arceus knows why."

I make a mental note of that. It could pose a problem when I get there. "You say Pikachu had some buddies with him?"

"Mm-hm. Pawmo didn't have much to say about them. You missing anyone else?"

"No. Just getting all the information." Though, I'm not surprised to hear that Pikachu made some friends.

"Well, you'll have to talk to Pawmo for the details. Anyway, the reason I asked about your friend's strength was because Pawmo was all keyed up about a battle this Pikachu had."

"With the alpha?"

"With Zapdos ."

The look this alpha gives me is daring me to call her a liar. It says a lot about my life that not only do I believe her and Pawmo, but the idea of Pikachu battling a Legendary Pokemon sounds perfectly normal.

I nod. "Yeah, I could see that."

Raichu's eyes widen and her ears twitch at my nonchalance. Then she shakes her head and laughs. "And, I thought I had stories to tell." She rolls forward on to all-fours. "I assume you'll want to speak to Pawmo. Shall we?"

I follow her up the hill. Near where we came in, Growlie and Butterfree are talking to a small pokemon I've never seen before.

"Good timing," Raichu says, pointing with her tail to the trio. "He's already met your crew."

Pawmo somewhat resembles a Pikachu in both size and shape. He has light orange fur, a cream-colored tail, yellow cheeks, and a puffy tuft of orange hair between his pointed ears. He has long, fat arms and is presumably bipedal despite his very short, almost nonexistent legs.

The bipedal theory is proven when he sees Raichu and me and runs over to us. "Hiya! You're Charizard, right?" He raises his hand toward me. "My name's Pawmo,"

A handshake is not something you see often among wild pokemon. I wonder if this guy used to have a trainer or if he just saw some humans do it. Either way, I lean forward and place my finger in his very small hand and let him shake that. "Nice to meet you," I say.

"Guess what, Charizard," Butterfree says. "Pawmo here can figure out what Growlie's saying!"

"Really?" I say, impressed.

Growlie's ears hang back in annoyance. "My speech isn't that strange."

Pawmo just smiles at him and turns to me. "I stayed with some humans who talked like that during a particularly harsh winter. I guess I picked up on a few words."

Well, it's nice to know that Growlie has at least one pokemon who can communicate with him. "Pawmo, Raichu says that you can tell me about a Pikachu."

Pawmo's eyes light up. "Oh, yeah! You should have been there!"

Butterfree turns to him. "You know Pikachu? Start talking, 'cause I wanna know what you know, yup yup, I do."

Pawmo leads us, including Growlie, over to an open spot near a cave-like structure made of sticks and brambles. The pungent scent of herbs plus the Audino carrying an assortment of berries into it leads me to believe that it's a medicine den. All hordes have some version of one and a handful of pokemon who are experts in such things.

Our group sits down and listens attentively, me even more so, as Pawmo tells us about the Pikachu who showed up at the territory of a group called Electrode Horde. Supposedly, this Pikachu challenged the Legendary Pokemon, Zapdos, to a battle in a thunderstorm, which sounds quite fitting for two electric-types, though Pawmo doesn't know what led up to it. (If it's the Pikachu I think it is, there probably wasn't any build-up at all.) The more Pawmo speaks, the more details about the battle I hear, the more certain I am that this is the Pikachu I know and love. The attacks used - Quick Attack, Thunderbolt, and Iron Tail - are three of my friend's attacks. The strategy of using the momentum from landing an Iron Tail to propel yourself forward for a second hit is something straight out of one of Ash's battles. And then, of course, there's the raw power.

And apparently, Pikachu also told a bunch of stories about his adventures with a human named Ash . Pawmo could have mentioned that sooner!

"Hot beans!" Butterfree chirps with an excited flap of his wings, which accidentally smack both me and Growlie, as the bug-flying-type is sitting between us. "That's gotta be him!"

Pawmo tilts his head at the reaction.

I offer an explanation. "We have a friend who's a Pikachu who's gone missing. He's definitely the 'mon in your story."

"Really?" Pawmo huffs a laugh. "Small world."

"Mayhap, the world could be a bit smaller?" Growlie presses. "I, myself, am searching for a human male called James. Bluish hair, green eyes, beige-colored skin. Possibly with a female human, a Meowth, and a Wobbuffet."

Growlie's hopes are dashed when Pawmo shakes his head. "Doesn't sound familiar. Sorry."

Growlie's ears droop at that. I get where he's coming from, but I'm still on the fence about him joining Team Rocket. But, it's not my call to make and I have other things to worry about.

To Pawmo, I say, "You said Pikachu already left Electrode Horde. Did he say where he was going?"

Pawmo shrugs. "Just that he needed to find this Ash-guy. I didn't catch where he was heading."

That figures. "You said he had some friends with him. What pokemon were they?" A group of pokemon should be easier to spot than a single Pikachu, assuming the group is still together.

Pawmo frowns and tilts his head. "Um, there was an Eevee and a Bellsprout, but I'd never seen the other two before. One had long white fur and a black horn on his head, and the other was blue and kind of round. Sorry I'm not more helpful."

"You're plenty helpful, partner," Butterfree assures. He flutters up and on to my shoulder. "Now we know what to look for, right?"

I nod. To Pawmo, I say, "Thanks, Pawmo. Maybe you could point us in the direction of Electrode Horde while you're at it. Even if Pikachu isn't there anymore, someone there might know where he went."

Pawmo regards me cautiously. "Okay, but you should know that most of them don't care for non-electric-types. Including the alpha."

Oh, yeah. Raichu did warn me about that. Butterfree clicks his tongue. "That'll put a damper on things."

"I'll take my chances," I say.

Butterfree nods, determined. Even if he's only tagging along to find Ash, I have to admit that I appreciate the help. And, maybe the company, too. As annoying as Butterfree can be, he's a good guy.

"As much as I'd like to come with you chaps," Growlie says as we all rise from our seats, "I fear our paths separate here. I'm sure there's plenty you two could teach me about living in the wild, but I won't hold you back from your mission."

"Been a right pleasure, Growlie," Butterfree says. "I learned all sorts of new words from you! Don't know what they all mean, but I sure did learn them, yup yup."

Growlie rolls his eyes, and I sniff a laugh.

Pawmo walks up to Growlie. "You wanna learn about life in the wild, huh? I'd be happy to help. And, I'm sure you'll find more teachers if we ask around."

Growlie's tail wags. "Brilliant! I can hardly wait to begin my lessons!"

I smile at that. Doubts aside, I'm glad that Growlie's getting some help. Looks like all three of us are getting what we wanted. Things are starting to look up.

"Well, you're gonna have to wait." We all turn at Alpha Raichu's voice as she walks over on two feet. She points to the sky with her tail, and I only just realize that night has fallen. "Unless you lot are nocturnal, I suggest you get some shut-eye before you depart."

I'm about to reject the offer, but Butterfree cuts me off with a pointed, "Why thank you kindly, madam." He turns his toward me with a firm look. "We need to be in top form to continue our search. Don't we, Charizard ?"

I blow smoke at him through my nose, making him cough and Raichu snort a laugh.

The alpha winks at me. "Sounds like you and I have something in common, Charizard."

---

Pawmo and his friend, Sableye, allowed Growlie to share their den for the night. (With the condition that Growlie not touch any of Sableye's evolution stones, as Growlie had been eyeing the fire stone. Why a pokemon who can't evolve needs evolution stones so badly is anyone's guess.) I'm glad to see that Growlie's already doing well here so leaving him tomorrow shouldn't be a problem. I just hope when he finds James, it isn't for nothing.

Butterfree, I've noticed, prefers to sleep while latched on to trees and walls. He'd flown high up in a tree to join a Beedrill and a pokemon I think is called Vivillon.

As for me, I'm the largest pokemon here, even taller than Alpha Raichu, and I'm too big to sleep in treetops. I was more than willing to just plop down on the grass, as I usually do, but Raichu said that I could share her den. I said no, but she was insistent.

"Come on, you big lug," had been her response. I know when I'm being summoned, and I don't know Raichu well enough to be comfortable arguing with an alpha.

Most of the horde has already gone to bed when I squeeze myself into Raichu's den. When I say "squeeze," it isn't because the entrance isn't big enough for me. It's because the den itself wasn't designed to accommodate two pokemon our size. If I were still a Charmander or Charmeleon, or if Raichu were a Pichu or Pikachu or even not an alpha at all, there wouldn't be an issue. But, well, we're both kind of big compared to some. The brambles surrounding us wouldn't feel this suffocating otherwise. I know Raichu doesn't actually want us to share a nest.

The shiny alpha lets a few sparks into her cheeks, just enough to give us some light. I've seen Pikachu use the same technique. Raichu's tail is mashed against her back in the enclosed space, but she doesn't seem to mind.

"What's up?" I ask when all she does is stare at me with narrowed blue eyes.

She stares a little longer before coming to some decision. "Tell me about your friend. The Pikachu."

There's a certain weight to her request, but I can't put a finger on why that is. Nor why she had to make that request in private. "What do you want to know?"

"What's he like? Personality-wise, I mean."

"Do you…think you might know him?"

Raichu's gaze wavers, but the moment passes so quickly I wonder if I imagined it. "Maybe."

In that case, "Well, he's nice. A little too nice, if you ask me," I add with a nostalgic chuckle. "He's also kind of sensitive. But, throw him in battle, and there's no stopping him. He's the kind of 'mon you wanna keep on your side, you know?"

Raichu absorbs this information. "What about his family? You know anything about them?"

Where is this going? "Are we talking biologically? 'Cause I can't tell you much there."

"Anything is helpful."

I absently scratch my shoulder and scrounge up something to tell her. Pikachu doesn't talk much about the horde he grew up in. Not that I blame him. If I lost everything to poachers, I'd keep my mouth shut, too.

But, Pikachu has said a few things about his parents. "I know his dad was the nurturer. Guess that's where Pikachu gets it from. Oh, yeah! And, his mom was an alpha. And, I seem to remember him mentioning that she-"

-was a shiny.

Holy shit.

But, this can't be her. Pikachu's parents are dead! He never went into detail about it, but he was so certain!

"Mentioning that she…" Raichu presses, the sparks on her cheeks getting brighter, drawing my eyes to the long scar on the side of her face.

Another memory surfaces. When I traveled with Ash and our new Unovan friends, we stumbled across some very annoyed Scolipede and barely made it out with our limbs attached. That night as we sat around the campfire, Pikachu told us pokemon - and Ash, who translated it for Iris and Cilan - a story about how Pikachu's mother single-handedly fought off an Alpha Scolipede who had been seeking revenge. Pikachu didn't know what the revenge was for, but the Scolipede had went after her egg.

" Thank Arceus, Mama was so strong," Pikachu said at the end, "or I wouldn't be able to tell this story."

"Wow, Pikachu!" Iris exclaimed with stars in her eyes. " Your mom sounds amazing!"

Cilan nodded sagely. " I can picture her perfectly. A rich umami that transitions to a spicy flavor that lingers in the back of your throat."

Dragonite scoffed. "Did she really rip his leg off?"

" Yeah," Excadrill added. "You sure your mom wasn't exaggerating?"

Pikachu wasn't offended. "You didn't know her. She was real nice, but boy, you did not mess with her horde."

" She was a mother defending her egg," Leavanny reminded. "I've no doubt that really happened."

"Man, I wish I could have met her," Ash whispered. He leaned forward and said, " And, I bet your mom made it out completely unscathed!"

" Not quite," Pikachu confessed. He traced a line from his temple along the side of his face and down to his chin. "She had a nasty scar right here. But, since I'd never seen her without it, I never noticed it before she told me that story!"

"Raichu," I say slowly, "do you have a-a son?"

That intense expression grows tighter as she inhales deeply through her nose. "Here's what happens next. You are going to find my son. I'd do it myself, but it sounds like you have a better idea of what you're looking for." She lowers her head and mutters a frustrated, "I probably wouldn't even recognize him…"

Words fail me.

Raichu - Pikachu's not-so-dead mother - turns her fierce gaze back to me. She steps forward and jabs her paw at my chest. "When you find him, you are bringing him here ."

"Of course! Absolutely!" As if she would need to tell me that.

Raichu nods, satisfied. "Now, if you'll excuse me," her voice is a bit shaky now, "I need to have a meltdown somewhere no one I care about can see me."

She shoves me out of her den and takes off in a speedy blur that's painfully familiar. Now, I know why her Thunderbolt gave me pause, too. I watch, stunned, as she sprints through the territory's thick barrier like it's not even there.

Now, for the big question: when I find Pikachu, do I bring him to his grieving mother first or his panicked trainer? On the surface, the choice is obvious. So, why doesn't it feel that way?

Alpha Raichu spent years thinking her entire horde had been killed or taken or at least scattered by poachers. Now, she finds out that her son is still alive but has once again been taken away by humans. She isn't even sure if she'd recognize her own kid because of how long it's been. Pikachu was just a child when they were separated. Raichu doesn't know what kind of pokemon her son has become. And, she needs to know.

On the other hand, Ash watched Pikachu grow up. He watched that timid child turn into a powerhouse who is constantly looking out for others. You only need to take one look at them to see the unique bond between the two of them. Ash can understand Pikachu, for Mew's sake! And, Ash has firsthand experience with Team Rocket as a whole and presumably with Poke-X as well. He knows the extent of the danger Pikachu could be in.

I stand there, weighing my options, until I see a thick, bright yellow bolt of lightning shoot into the sky. Raichu must be having her meltdown. I might have one of my own by the time this is all over.

Chapter 25: Bag Up Your Troubles

Notes:

There's a machine introduced here that is based off the Miniremo units from "Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia." Credit where credit is due.

" Be the reason someone smiles today. Or, the reason they drink. Whatever works." - Unknown

Pikachu

That morning, when Sprout said she wanted to talk to me in private, I assumed it was an excuse to get me away from Wobbles. It turns out that the Wobuffet had never heard of the move Return and had started pelting me with questions. She even begged me for a battle until she remembered that my ear - the little bit that's left - is still healing. Luckily, Absol and Eevee were able to distract her while Sprout pulled me deeper into the forest.

"Thanks, Sprout," I say when we're safely nestled at the bottom of a steep hill and next to the river lined with mossy rocks.

"No problem," Sprout assures. "But, I really do want to talk to you."

I tilt my head, still getting used to the feeling of only one ear flopping over up there. "Is something wrong?"

Sprout waves her leaves in front of her. "No, no! Not at all. Well, not for me." She plays with the straps of her tiny light brown backpack. "Um, did I ever tell where I got this backpack?"

I was curious about it when we first met, but after a while, I was so used to seeing it that I forgot it was there. A lot of stores sell pokemon-sized accessories, so I just figured she got it from one of those stores.

Taking my expression as an answer, Sprout shrugs off the backpack and sets it down between us. "A friend gave it to me. A human friend."

"Your trainer?" I ask.

Sprout shakes her head. "No. Just a nice old man. His name was Hector. We met because he had a really nice garden and…well, me being a grass-type," she adds cheekily. I grin a little. Then, her tone turns nostalgic as she absently runs her leaf over the backpack. "Hector and I didn't really have any family, none that lived close by, so we sort of became each other's family. He taught me how to read and tried to teach me how to write, but apparently that requires thumbs. He even called me his little sprout!"

"That's how you got your nickname."

"Yep. Hector and I looked after each other right up until he died. You could even say that he was kind of my Ash."

Oh, wow. The story warms me. "That's sweet, Sprout. But, why are you telling me this?"

"I've been thinking about Ash's birthday." Which was yesterday, and it still bothers me that I missed it. Sprout pushes her backpack toward me. "See, this thing once belonged to Hector's Pidgey, who passed away before I showed up. Hector found it tucked back in his closest and gave it to me because he wanted someone to get some use out of it." Her expression dulls with grief. "I thought I'd thank him by using it to bring him a present, but…I never got to give it to him."

"I see…" is all I can say.

Sprout shakes her head clear wherever her mind went. "I was thinking about you missing Ash's birthday, and I thought," she goes quiet, shy all of a sudden, "maybe Hector would want someone to have it."

I am floored. "You mean, like, a birthday present? For Ash?"

"I know it'll be late, but I imagine you'd wanna give him something special, right?"

Through the tightness in my throat, I say, "I-I'm touched. But, are you sure?"

Sprout nods. "Mm-hm. But-but, only if you think Ash would like it. Take a look."

Hearing her story, the story behind the object she's been carrying around all this time, I feel unworthy. Besides, Ash would be happy if I gave him nothing more than a twig. Pokemon gifts aren't nearly as flashy as human gifts unless we find some neat human thing lying around, and Ash knows and accepts this.

But, Sprout is insistent, so I unzip the backpack to find a stone inside. I pull it out and examine it. It is a perfectly round stone just a little bigger than my hand and is light gray in color and covered in darker speckles-

Oh.

Oh …

First, I had to break the news to Absol that abusive trainers are less common than he thought. Now, I have to tell Sprout what exactly she's been carrying around with her. Who's heart do I break next, Wobbles's or Eevee's?

"What's with the face?" Sprout asks when I don't respond. When I still say nothing, she flails her leaves in panic. "Oh my goodness! Is there something wrong with it?"

"No, no!" I assure, finding my voice. "No, it's in great condition. It's just…" Sprout leans forward, preparing for the worst. I don't think she realizes what that worst entails. "Sprout…this is an everstone."

Sprout just blinks. "Okay…"

"An everstone stops a pokemon from evolving." I can see the gears turning in her head. "How-how long have you been carrying this around?"

A blank stare is my answer. Then, Sprout turns around and says in the most somber voice I've ever heard from her, "I need to sit down."

She only makes it a few steps before collapsing into the grass. Poor female. At least now we know why she hasn't evolved yet, despite how strong she is. "Look at it this way," I squeak. "Now that we know what the problem was, you should be evolving really soon!"

She just moans. I wrack my brain for some way to cheer her up. But, how do you cheer up someone who just found out their dreams were delayed because of a loved one's keepsake? That's no easy task.

Not for the first time, I wish Ash was here. He has the magic touch with these things-

I shove the thought out of my head. I don't need Ash's help. It's not like he's here to give it, anyway. I can do this. I just need to figure out-

A scream breaks into my thoughts. Sprout hears it too and lifts her head. "What was that?" she asks.

Well, that's one way to get her out of her funk.

More screams and some shouts for help have my fur standing on end. I drop down to all-fours. "Come on," I command, breaking into a run without checking if she's following.

Her cry of, "Wait for me!" tells me that she is.

I don't wait for her. In fact, I catch the sharp, bitter stench of blood and pick up the pace. Thank Arceus, electric-types are naturally fast, and I've been told more than once that I'm faster than most. It takes me no time at all to find the source of the shouts and the smell.

But when I get there, I wish I was slow like a steel- or rock-type.

Four pokemon are here. My fellow rodents, which somehow makes it worse. Three of them are a little bit smaller than me with short pale purple fur, lean bodies, long, thin tails, and large front teeth. The other is twice their height and much rounder with shaggy light brown fur and bigger teeth.

Rattata and their evolved form, Raticate. Seeing them all together shouldn't be as terrifying as it is right now.

Two of the Rattata are scratching and biting each other. Not as a fun wrestling match, but as a brutal assault that has both of them covered in blood. The Raticate is ramming himself into a tree over and over, oblivious of the open wound on his head that keeps getting worse. And, Mew's tail, the words. The stilted, broken voices they shout with.

"Get it out!"

"It hurts!"

"It won't come out!"

I crouch a short but safe distance away, unable to move, unable to breathe, my cheeks buzzing instinctively. I recognize those cries, this sight. When Ash and I saw that video online of pokemon acting like this. We barely watched any of it before we broke. I had leapt off the table and shook out my fluffed up pelt, whimpering and shaking. Ash had clicked off the video, walked too calmly to his bed and sat down, grabbed a pillow, and started punching it with a harsh, ugly look on his usually kind and joyful face. It had been a long time since I'd seen him that rattled. I can't imagine how he would react if he was here.

Poke-X is a thousand times worse in person.

"Help them," a very quiet, raspy voice says. The other Rattata, who is splayed out nearby, leaking red from all over and looking at me with desperate, teary eyes. Did they attack him? Or, is he sick too and in that brief phase of lucidity that the victims get in between the bouts of madness? "Make them stop."

Make them stop? But, how? I can't risk touching any of them, or I could get infected. Think, think! What can I do? Normally when folks are freaking out, I just nail them with Thunderbolt. I can't do that when everyone's already so seriously hurt, not in good conscience.

Maybe Electroweb? It would still hurt a lot, but it's my weakest attack, and I can't think of anything else.

Heart heavy, I breathe out an apology as static creeps along my back and gathers at the tip of my tail. I hurl one very small Electroweb after another, hitting the three pokemon and snaring them in webs. I flinch as they scream in a new pain at the following shock, but when the webs dissipate, the pokemon collapse. I nearly do the same but with relief.

Now what? I could treat their wounds, but how to do that without touching them? And, what if they go back into a frenzy while I'm treating them? This is one thing, I realize, that I truly cannot do without Ash. Poke-X doesn't affect humans. Ash would be at risk of serious injury, yes, but that's nothing compared to what could happen to me!

Am I being selfish? Or, am I being reasonable? Who knows, and who cares?

"Get out of here," the first Rattata rasps, as though reading my mind. "It spreads through blood and stuff. Don't know how long until we lose it again." We. So, it is all four of them. "You should go."

"And, leave you here?" Talking feels impossible. I don't know how I get the words out. "There…there must be something…"

"Human." A new voice, deeper but just as quiet. The Raticate. "There was a human. She had this weird thing that sprayed us. We got Poke-X after."

So, they've heard the name. I suppress a shudder. "Where'd she go?"

Raticate flicks his tail farther down the path, but that simple gesture seems to take a mountain of effort. "That way. Be careful."

I'm about to charge in that direction when I hear my name being called. Damn it all, I forgot about Sprout!

"Pikachu! Oh my goodness! Why are you so fast? Oh my goodness !"

I hold Sprout back, but there's no need. She is paralyzed and not because of my Static ability. She glances from me to the gory scene and back and shakes in my grasp.

"It's Poke-X," I whisper, though I don't know why.

Sprout squeals and jumps way back, her wide eyes still locked on the other pokemon.

I run up to her and try to remain calm. Someone here has to keep a level head. I tell her what Raticate told me about the human and the weird thing that sprayed the four pokemon. That seems to snap her out of it.

Mostly, as she is still one wrong word from a panic attack. "What do we do?"

Good question. At this point, I don't think there's any direct way to help Raticate and the Rattata without risking our own necks. That wouldn't help anyone, and it would only make things worse for our friends. Not to mention Ash and everyone back home if I got sick and didn't survive.

But, there is something I can do.

"I don't think we can do anything for these guys at this point," I say bitterly. "But, I want to find that human they mentioned. If it's what it sounds like, she needs to be stopped before this happens to anyone else!"

Sprout nods, glad to have something to do. "Let's go get the others."

"You get them," I say. "I'll go on ahead."

Sprout grabs my shoulder as I drop to all-fours. "You're not going alone!"

As if I want to. Still, "I'm the fastest. Of the five of us, I have the best chance of both catching up to her and avoiding whatever sprayed these guys. I'll be okay." I hope.

Sprout moans fearfully before conceding. "Okay, but please be careful!"

She turns to leave and makes an eager noise. She bolts for a bush, and relief floods me when I see that there are plump yellow sitrus berries growing on it. Out of all the fruits, sitrus berries have the strongest healing properties. It's not much, but it'll ease the pain. Even if only for a moment.

With that, I weave around the…infected area and sprint in the direction that Raticate indicated. I follow the pungent scent of human as well as the faint spicy-bitter stench I pick up. That must be the spray.

I slow down once I hear someone with a very high voice using human language. I crouch behind a tree and peer my head around. There is a human woman talking on the phone and facing away from me. She is reed-thin and has pale beige skin. Her blond hair is tied back in a high ponytail. She is wearing gray sneakers, blue jeans, and a light green t-shirt. I shiver when I spot the gun strapped to her belt. She is crouched in front of what must be the machine Raticate mentioned, but the woman is blocking my view.

She tinkers with the machine as she speaks with whoever's on the other end of the phone call. " Trial run was a success. Any pokemon who gets too close is gonna get a faceful of juice. This baby really nailed some Rattata and a Raticate. I almost felt sorry for them! " I officially hate this human. And, whoever she's working with. " How's it going on your end? "

The woman rises, and I get a better look at the machine. It's small, not much bigger than me, and somewhat resembles a dark gray fire hydrant. It is perched on four pointed legs, for lack of a better word, and has a lighter band around the top that has little holes in it. Is that where the "juice" comes out? I need to keep my distance.

The woman turns and spots me. She regards me with calculating light blue eyes. I should run, but my legs won't move.

Her next words into the phone only make things worse. " Hey, didn't you mention a Pikachu? 'Cause I just found one with a missing ear. " She pauses, listening to the other person. " Well, if Ash wants a Pikachu so badly- " What? " -just tell him to catch a new one. "

I scan the woman up and down, take a good, long whiff of her scent, but no memory surfaces. I don't know this woman. Ash and I are so rarely apart that I thought we knew the same humans. Or, maybe it's just the person on the phone who knows Ash.

Either way, a human who is purposely killing pokemon knows who Ash is and knows that he has a missing Pikachu. I didn't think it was possible, but I'm glad I lost my ear. For the time being, it makes me anonymous. This woman doesn't seem like she would bring me back to Ash. Not alive, at least.

The woman wanders off as she continues her conversation. Once the coast is clear, I stare down the machine, wondering how close I can get before it activates, deciding that I don't want to know.

I have to destroy it, but how? If it's a device meant to kill pokemon, it's probably meant to withstand attacks. And, if I use Thunderbolt or Electroweb, that woman is liable to notice.

So, I try something else. I double-check that no pokemon are around, then I grab a pebble off the ground and throw it. It bounces off the side of the machine-

-and I leap way back as sparkly liquid bursts out of the holes. My nostrils tingle as that same spicy-bitter smell fills the air. Oh no, am I infected now? None of the spray hit me, but is just smelling it enough? Arceus, I hope not.

So, pelting the machine with rocks is out of the question. Direct contact will just make things worse.

Another idea occurs. I taste the air and decide that the woman is far enough away. I let electricity fill up my cheeks and release a very, very small Thunderbolt, the smallest I can make it. I zap the machine for a while, waiting for something to happen. When nothing does, I halt my attack. Unsurprisingly, the machine is still standing and doesn't have a mark on it.

But, no spray appeared, and that gives me hope.

I'm about to try a bigger Thunderbolt, when I hear multiple footsteps behind me. I recognize the scents and whirl around on all-fours with my hackles up. "Stay back and be quiet," I hiss.

All four members of the PokeSquad stop in their tracks a short distance from me. Sprout still sports a look of wide-eyed panic. Eevee's ears are back and his fur is fluffed up as he shuffles behind Wobbles. The Wobbuffet herself has one hand on his head and a grim expression on her face. And, the raised hairs on Absol's pelt are the only things betraying his nerves.

Wobbles points to the machine. "What's that?"

"I'm not sure," I say, "but I know it's what made the Rattata and Raticate sick."

I quickly tell them about the woman and her phone call, unable to keep the fear out of my voice when I mention Ash.

"Is Ash in danger?" Eevee squeaks, voicing that fear.

I shake my head helplessly. "I don't know. I didn't recognize the woman, and I don't know who she was talking to."

"That's a problem for later," Absol says. He holds out a paw toward the machine. "Our main priority is getting rid of that thing."

"But, you heard Pikachu," Sprout whimpers. "We can't touch it."

"I have an idea," I say. "I tested a small Thunderbolt, and it didn't activate the machine. If we combine our special attacks, maybe we can destroy it."

Absol nods. "That could work."

Wobbles salutes. "I have another idea. You guys could aim your attacks at me, and I could use Mirror Coat to reflect them at the machine."

Sprout glances up at her. "Wouldn't that hurt you? A lot?"

Wobbles throws her hand down. "I wanna contribute, okay?"

"Oh!" Eevee pipes up. "I could use Copycat, and then we'd have two Mirror Coats!"

"Are you sure, Eevee?" Wobbles asks. "Even without your Swift attack, that's still a lot of damage."

Eevee puffs out his chest. "I'm tough!"

"Absol's Shadow Ball would be super effective on Wobbles," I suggest. "That would provide plenty of power for Mirror Coat while the rest of us aim for the machine. We can do Eevee's idea if it doesn't work. You okay with that, Wobbles?"

Wobbles pats her chest. "My body is ready."

Absol growls under his breath. "We're wasting time arguing about it. Let's just try Pikachu's idea before anyone else gets sick."

We creep toward the machine, unsure of how close we can get safely. My friends stop when I do, and we all spread out. They all turn to me, waiting for my signal. At my nod, we strike. Through the yellow light of my Thunderbolt, I can see the others using their own attacks. Sprout has Razor Leaf going. Eevee must have used Copycat, because there's a Thunderbolt of his own in play. Absol hits Wobbles with Shadow Ball, and the Wobbuffet uses the damage taken to blast Mirror Coat at the machine. We keep at it, and I swallow a victorious squeak when the machine starts to crumble in on itself. The longer we fire, the more the machine falls.

Then, the band with the holes starts spinning.

"Cease fire!" I scream, knowing what's coming, and everyone obeys.

"What's it doing?" Eevee squeaks, his pelt fluffed up.

I've already spun around. "It's gonna spray us! Run!"

The horrible smell, stronger than ever, trails after us as we run as fast as our legs can carry us. I thought we'd destroyed that thing. What happened? Was it some sort of failsafe? Something that activates when the machine is broken? Or, did I just have the worst possible idea?

Eventually, we stop running and look back at where the machine was. Based on the smell, I know that blast was so, so much bigger than the one I triggered with the rock. I hope and pray that no one was caught in it.

Logically, I know this isn't my fault, but…

"Sprout?" Eevee says suddenly.

Panic hits me, as my first thought is that she breathed in that spray and-

Sprout's form is encased in a rainbow of light. Her head grows and grows, her thin body seeming to be pulled into it. Without the everstone, I knew Sprout had to be evolving soon. I guess this was enough. At least one good thing came from this.

When the light dissipates, Sprout shakes her new form and looks dazedly at us. She now looks like a floating, bulb-like yellow head with large green leaves at the sides and a small brown stem on top.

Wobbles salutes and does her thing. "Weepinbell: the flycatcher pokemon. A grass- and poison-type. Its leaves are sharp enough to slice through thick branches with ease. It's also capable of spitting acid, so, uh, let's not tick her off."

"Waaahh?" Sprout shakes her leaves, feels over her new form, and it slowly dawns on her.

Eevee leaps into the air. "You evolved! You did it!"

"I-I did it?" Sprout shrieks and "runs" around with a series of gleeful, "Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!"

Absol crouches and whisper-shouts, "Celebrate later. That human might hear you!"

Sprout goes silent and freezes in place.

Wobbles sees something behind us and pales. "Uh, it's a little late for that."

Dread makes my feet heavy, but I turn around.

The woman isn't directly in front of us, but she's too close for comfort. She regards us cooly, her gun out of its holster and in one of the hands resting on her hips. We all stare each other down, waiting for someone to make the first move.

The woman does. " As annoying as that was, I suppose I should thank you. Now I know the failsafe works. " So, that is why it sprayed so much at the end.

She starts to say something else then takes a long look at Absol. Absol is making a face I've never seen on him before. Not even when I nearly died in the Pokemon Center. His red eyes are wide open. His mouth is parted slightly. His fur is fluffed. His hackles are raised, yet his tail is between his legs.

He and the woman know each other, and that's not a good thing.

Could this be Absol's old trainer? Based on the little that I've seen, she's exactly how I pictured his trainer to be. And, she definitely recognizes him.

This is bad. This is very bad.

The woman casually points the gun at Absol, who shrinks back with a small noise. " You know me, " the woman says to him. " I can tell. "

The rest of us cluster in front of him. We all must have drawn the same conclusion, because every one of us is prepared to attack. I've seen the kind of damage guns do to humans. I don't know how badly getting shot would hurt a pokemon, but I don't want to find out.

The woman laughs, and I can't remember the last time I hated someone this much. I try not to flinch when she points the gun at me. " You were the mastermind behind that attack, right? I saw you yammering on to the others. "

"Who says 'yammering?'" Wobbles mutters. I flick her with my tail.

The woman goes on. " I should just kill you all and save us the trouble. " Us? " But, you're proving to be interesting. Especially you, Absol. "

I want to believe she just used Absol's name because she knows his species, but the way she spoke was so…intimate.

The gun is once more pointed at Absol, who is still too trapped in his head to do anything. We squish ourselves together between him and the woman, but at the end of the day, the woman is still much, much taller than any of us. She adjusts her aim and pulls the trigger before we can process what's happening.

Absol cries out. The bitter stench of blood hits my nose as we whirl around. Sprout's shout of "Oh my goodness!" is the only sound any of us makes. Absol has collapsed on his side, and his stark white leg fur is matted by thick dark red liquid. Pokemon are durable and bleed slowly, but that's a bad wound.

Absol was brought back to reality in the worst way. There's an ugly rage on his face as he stares down the woman, who I have no doubt once carried his pokeball.

The others cluster around his injury, and I turn back around to face the woman. There is pride in her smile. " Specially designed to break the skin of pokemon, " she has the audacity to add. " That was just a demonstration. I'd mind my manners if I were you. "

Fire rakes through me, and I can't feel anything beyond that and the static that fills my cheeks so fiercely it hurts. A low hiss escapes me as I rear back to do whatever as long as it's painful.

I don't even care that she's aiming the barrel at me again. " I wouldn't, " she taunts.

Do your worst, bitch.

"Pikachu!" Large leaves grab me from behind, and Sprout hisses, "Pikachu, don't! You saw what it did to Absol. Imagine what it could do to someone your size!"

I don't care I don't care I dont-

"What's worse? Letting her walk away and tell Ash some story about you, or never letting him or any of your friends see you again?"

That breaks through my fury. I force my cheeks to calm, though I can't make my hackles lower or my fur lie flat. Ash and our friends are just the tip of the iceberg. This woman is killing pokemon, and she's happy about it.

But, I know Sprout is right. We aren't prepared to handle that kind of weaponry, and who knows what other tricks this human has up her sleeve.

The woman sees that I've grudgingly surrendered and walks backwards with the gun still drawn. " Until we meet again. And, I'm certain we will. "

When she's out of sight, Sprout and I return to the matter at hand. "How is he?" I ask, still shaking with the remaining dregs of rage.

Wobbles had piled up leaves and is trying to staunch the flow of blood. "I think he's pissed more than anything."

"Of course, I'm pissed!" Absol barks. "That monster was killing pokemon and threatened all of us and…and I froze." He groans and plops his head in the grass. "Arceus, I froze . I can't believe it!"

My anger finally leaves at the revelation that, while Absol is mad at the woman, he's even angrier at himself. He's the tough one, the leader. He wants to be strong so no one else has to. Now something happened that was more than he could handle. Everyone has a limit, and that woman was his.

Come to think of it, Absol is a lot like Ash in that way. And me, I guess. We want to be there for their friends. When we fail to do that, whatever the reason may be, we blame ourselves. Absol is more vocal about it - Ash and I have the bad habit of letting those feelings fester inside us - but the similarity is there.

"Someone once told me that we can't always stop bad things from happening, nor can we always work around them." Absol almost smiles at my reminder. Eevee had been poking at a bush nearby and runs back with a sitrus berry in his mouth as I say, "Absol…that lady was your trainer, wasn't she?"

But, Absol shakes his head then hisses when Wobbles takes the berry and squeezes its healing juices into the wound. "No, she wasn't," Absol says. "But, they worked together. I told you there were other scientists. Besides my trainer, Miriam was the worst."

"Miriam?" I repeat as the knot in my stomach doubles in size. "That lady's name is Miriam?"

"Miriam Waybright," Absol confirms. "One of two names I wish I could forget."

As Wobbles replaces the bloody leaves with fresh ones, she asks the thing I'm afraid to. "Did Miriam have a pokemon?"

"I think so," Absol says with a wince. "They kept all the pokemon separated, so I rarely saw any others. Though, I do recall something following her around. Some pink creature. I never got a good look."

Wobbles and I lock eyes for a split second, and I know we're thinking the same thing. That wasn't Absol's trainer. It was Hatterene's , and the pink creature must have been her pre-evolution, Hatenna.

"All that matters," Sprout says, "is that we destroyed that machine and no one was hurt any worse."

"Sprout's right," Absol says. To me, "That was a smart idea, Pikachu. It may not have worked like we expected, but it did work."

I know he's heaping on the praise because of our conversation at the Pokemon Center, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

"These leaves are helping," Wobbles muses as she continues stanching the blood, "but not as much as they should. Moss would be better."

"I saw some by the river," I recall. "I'll go back and get it."

Absol lifts his head and gives me a stern look despite his pain. "Not by yourself, you won't." He winces, and Wobbles mutters an apology. "No one goes off alone."

"I can come," Eevee offers. "I wanna help."

"I'll come, too," Sprout says. "We can use my backpack to carry more of-" She shakes her leaves and feels her back then flails and shouts, "Oh my goodness, I left it at the river!"

Oh, yeah. I forgot all about that.

Wobbles doesn't look up. "Then, it's a good thing you guys are going back there. I'll keep an eye on the patient."

Sprout, Eevee, and I take off running, and I hear Absol call after us, "Be careful. If you see Miriam, do not engage! Just run like hell!"

He doesn't have to tell us twice.

My typing's signature speed is ramped up by the mental image of such a strong, kind pokemon scared and bleeding and helpless. I make it back to the river long before the others and start pulling the cool, soft moss off the rocks. I have a decent pile by the time my friends catch up.

But, I barely glance at them. I'm too focused on gathering as much as I can. "Will one of you start stuffing that in Sprout's-"

" Where is my backpack ?" the Bellsprout- the Weepinbell screams. "Oh my goodness, where is it ?"

In my haste, I'd forgotten about that again. Though, I feel a lot more guilty about it now.

We search the area, but there's no sign of the backpack until we hear a new voice from the top of the hill. "Oh, sorry."

The voice belongs to a very sheepish Bellossom, who carefully walks down the steep hill toward us. And yes, she is wearing Sprout's backpack.

Bellossom removes the backpack and sets it in front of Sprout, who practically melts with relief. "I found it lying on the river's edge," Bellossom explains. "I thought it had been abandoned."

"No," Sprout says, "I left it here by accident. Thanks for being honest."

Eevee steps forward. "Sprout really loves that backpack. Her friend gave it to her."

Bellossom smiles at Eevee then pops the clasp on the backpack. She pulls open the top and three long leaves poke out. Then to our surprise, a small blue head appears and gazes at us strangers with a cautious curiosity before hopping out and running into Bellossom's awaiting arms.

An Oddish, but a really, really small one. I've never seen one that little. Even infantile ones like him should be twice that size.

"Sorry, sweetie," Bellossom soothes him. "That pouch belongs to someone else."

"This is your son?" I ask. Bellossom nods, and at the risk of being offensive, I add, "Pardon me, but I didn't know Oddish could be that little."

Bellossom's smile is a little more forced. "Normally, they're not. My son doesn't speak either. My mate and I aren't sure why Oddish hatched that way," she caresses her son's head, and he snuggles against her, "but you won't find a sweeter little male."

Embryo Development Disorder , I think, but I don't mention it. Mostly because it'll sound like gibberish to a wild pokemon like Bellossom, and I wouldn't be able to explain it anyway beyond saying that my friend, Gliscor, has it. Besides, it's just a theory and I'm not a doctor.

"Why was he in the backpack?" Eevee asks.

Bellossom holds her son a little tighter. "With that awful disease in the area, my mate and I have been extra watchful of Oddish. When I saw this - What did you call it? - this backpack, it seemed like a good way to make sure he was always with one of us. But, we'll figure something else out. It's no big deal."

My heart breaks.

As Bellossom starts to usher her son away, Sprout says, "No. You can have it."

We all turn to her in question, and I say, "Sprout, Hector gave that to you. Are you sure?"

Sprout hesitates but ultimately, "I'm sure. It won't fit now, anyway. I just evolved," Sprout adds to Bellossom. "And, you said it yourself. Poke-X is out there. Gotta protect the little ones, right?"

Bellossom's eyes fill with tears. "Th-thank you. Thank you so much!"

Little Oddish gives his leaves a happy shake.

Warmth spreads through me at my friend's kindness, but it disappears when my eyes land on my moss pile. "Do you mind if we use it one last time?" I ask. "Our friend got hurt real bad, and he needs moss. I'll bring it back when we're done."

Bellossom is fine with this, and she and her son help us collect moss. While we work, Sprout warns the mother and son about Miriam and her weird machine. Bellossom moves closer to her son and promises to spread the word.

"Pikachu," Eevee whispers while the grass-types talk. He and I are working next to each other. "Will you tell me a story later?"

…This is out of the blue. "What kind of story?"

Eevee picks at the loose moss at his feet. "A story about…my parents."

I freeze with my hands clenched in the moss. "Eevee…I didn't know your parents."

"I know. But, seeing Bellossom and Oddish makes me wonder about them."

Of course. All Eevee knows about his birth parents is that they died in a forest fire when he was still an egg. I hate to disappoint him, but… "Eevee, any story I tell you wouldn't be true."

"But, I want something to go off of. Even if it isn't true."

I'm torn. Making up a story feels like dishonoring his parents' memory. At the same time, I can understand Eevee's desire for knowledge, false or otherwise.

For a brief moment, I'm right back to the day those poachers attacked my horde. The ones who weren't killed were nowhere to be found, including my own mother, who had been taken by them, and I'm sure she wasn't the only one. I could only assume the worst, but I would have loved to have some idea of what had happened. Even if it confirmed the worst.

And then, of course, there's Ash. He doesn't know where I am or what happened to me, but at least I'll be able to fill in the blanks for him once we're reunited. Not everyone can say that. Because not everyone gets a reunion.

So, if Eevee wants a story, he can have it. And, I'll make sure this one has a happy ending.

Chapter 26: The Past Remains Present

" Behind every angry woman stands a man who has absolutely no idea what he did wrong." - Unknown

Absol

Miriam is here. I don't know if that's better than Vivian or worse.

No, it's definitely worse. Vivian was amicable enough that her actions could be perceived as cluelessness. Miriam was a plain old bitch, and it seems that hasn't changed.

And, I haven't either. I thought I was over those memories, but the second I saw Miriam, I was thrown right back in the lab.

I crouched there, whimpering as waves of agony shot through me. It was like something razor-sharp was crawling under my skin.

Miriam turned off the machine and graciously removed the suction cups stuck to me. She clicked her tongue in disapproval. "You just can't take the heat, can you, Absol?"

I ducked my head, embarrassed at my weakness.

But Vivian, always coming to my rescue, looked up from the clipboard she'd been writing on. "Ah, lay off, Miriam. As long as the thing stays alive, we're in good shape."

I tried not to flinch at the implications. I knew by now that Vivian Ketchum typically didn't think before she spoke. Her word choice wasn't always the best.

Miriam shook her head. "You coddle your pokemon worse than you coddle your nephew."

Vivian rolled her eyes and pointed at her with her pen. "Just get your partner set up. Kyle and Jeff will be with you for that one." Miriam gave her a hearty salute before heading out the door. Then Vivian put down her clipboard, walked up to me, and yanked me up by the horn - something she had yet to realize that I hated - with a command of, "On your feet."

But, the sharp things were still under my skin. My legs collapsed underneath me, and my whimpering resumed.

Vivian pulled me up again, her tone sharper. "On. Your. Feet."

It took every scrap of willpower in me, but I managed to stay upright.

Vivian let go of my horn and looked my pathetic form up and down, those vibrant green eyes seeming to stare right through me. Sometimes it was hard to know what would come next after an experiment. Did I do well enough to eat? Or, would I go to sleep with a growling belly because I'd failed? At least this wasn't one of the more physical tests where she would hit me and call it "motivation" when I moved too slow or didn't use enough strength. I didn't get humans.

But, Vivian smiled just enough that I knew I'd eat tonight. "Ignore Miriam. Patience isn't her strong suit. You did well." She hooked her finger, and I stepped off the platform. The pain was starting to subside, but I was still shaky. Vivian knelt down to my level with that proud smile she gets when she talks about her work. "No matter how much it hurts, Absol, remember what we're here for. This work is going to do wondrous things for the world. You are a part of something mankind will never forget! It'll all be worth it in the end. You'll see."

Soothed by her words, I leaned forward to lick her nose. For a split second, she looked oddly sad before schooling her expression and ruffling my neck fur, a gesture I did enjoy. Vivian was right. We were both here for a purpose. I may not have known what exactly everyone was working on, but Vivian kept saying that it would make the world a safer place. Vivian could be ditzy and careless at times, but she had a big heart. That was the most important thing.

Ugh. Little did I know.

My stomach churns as I watch Sprout, Eevee, and Pikachu's retreating forms. I hope Miriam is far away from where the moss is.

I wonder if Vivian is still alive. The last time I saw her, I was half-crazed with desperation and slashed at her. She was bleeding badly on the floor, and I bolted in the resulting chaos. A shiver runs up my spine. Given everything she's done, I shouldn't feel this guilty, but I really hope she survived. If only so my conscience clears.

"You never talked much about your time in the lab," Wobbles says, cutting into my thoughts.

The shock wore off a while ago, and my foreleg is agony incarnate, especially with Wobbles pressing leaves on to it to staunch the bleeding. I'm grateful, but ow . "Can you blame me?" I retort, fighting the instinct to curl up and moan.

"If the other scientists were anything like her," Wobbles says, "not at all." She checks her work. "At the least the bleeding's slowing down."

I'd been afraid to look at my leg, but now I do so. It's mostly covered by unnaturally red leaves, and Wobbles's hands are also stained. But, what I can see of my wound doesn't look as bad as it feels. "It's just a graze." I can't keep the relief out of my voice. "Worst case scenario, I walk with a limp for a while."

"What was up with that woman, anyway?" Wobbles asks. The Wobbuffet can be hard to read, but her brow is narrowed and a hint of fury leaks into her voice. "Humans kill pokemon sometimes for food, and I can understand that. After all, certain pokemon eat other kinds of pokemon. I don't like it, but it's the food chain. It's natural . But-but, this is… This seems so…meaningless! And, I-"

"Wobbles," I interrupt, "can we talk about something else?"

Wobbles ducks her head. "Sorry."

We fall silent, both of us lost in our heads. But, the silence doesn't last long.

"Let's talk about Miriam's pokemon," Wobbles says with a certain weight. "There isn't anything in particular you remember about it?"

She knows something I don't. It's written all over her face. "I told you it was pink. That's all I got." I hiss when she presses too hard, and my leg jerks instinctively, swishing the soiled leaves.

"Sorry," Wobbles says.

She examines the wound and seems satisfied with how much the bleeding has slowed, though the wound continues to seep. She runs off to grab more leaves. From this angle, I can't crane my head to see her, but I hear her talk as she shuffles around.

"There isn't anything noteworthy that you remember?" she asks. "About the pokemon, I mean."

She definitely knows something. I rack my brain. "I guess it had a-a blue head. Wobbles, you don't understand just how briefly I saw the thing. First it was there, then it wasn't."

While she continues gathering without responding, I steal a moment to lick the blood off my fur, letting the harsh sour-bitter taste distract me from the pain. (It doesn't work.) Wobbles is fixated on Miriam's old partner for one reason or another. I wonder what the big deal is. Wobbles had other travel partners before she and I met, so I suppose the 'mon could have been a friend of hers.

Miriam didn't pull it out during our confrontation. I hope that means the creature had escaped somehow.

Wobbles comes back with fresh leaves and resumes her work, much to my leg's displeasure. Talking was a better distraction for me than licking, so I go back to that.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" I ask through a hiss. "What does it matter what pokemon Miriam had?"

Wobbles bites her lip and keeps her gaze firmly on my leg. "I believe the pokemon was called Hatenna."

Hatenna. The name is familiar. The fact that Wobbles doesn't immediately start "pokedexing," as Pikachu has taken to calling it, is alarming. "Do you…know them, Wobbles?"

Wobbles sucks in air between her teeth. "I believe we've met her." We . As in, both of us and possibly the others. "Don't freak out, but…I think it might have been Hatterene."

I've forgotten how words work.

That's why the name shook a branch. Hatenna. Hattrem. Hatterene. A whole evolution line. Did Hatterene recognize me? Did she ever get a better look at me than I did at her?

I hate to say it, but if she really was Miriam's partner, the state was in when we last saw her doesn't surprise me.

Vivian had a trustworthy air to her. She was persuasive and could twirl words around her finger and make them into what you wanted them to be. No matter what she did, I couldn't stop myself from trusting her. I believed she was a good creature at heart and simply did not understand how much she was hurting me. It wasn't as if I could tell her in any way she'd find coherent.

I wonder if it was the same way for Hatterene. Miriam never put on a front with me, but she could have with her own pokemon. Maybe Hatterene was at that shack because she had gotten away and was hiding. I want to run back there and talk to her, but my injured leg isn't the only reason that's a bad idea.

"Maybe I shouldn't have said anything," Wobbles laments.

I find my voice and shake my head. "No. Thank you for telling me. Now I know at least one other pokemon made it out of there." Regardless of her…state of being. "Does Pikachu know?"

"I think so. He said they talked about their trainers."

I wonder what Hatterene told him. I won't make Pikachu relive that night by asking.

Soon, not soon enough, shapes appear in the distance, and my friends' familiar and comforting scents tickle my nose, along with the earthy smell of the moss they're carrying. Pikachu is on two feet and is carrying so much moss that I'm surprised he can see over it. Eevee has a wad in his mouth and is wearing Sprout's overstuffed backpack. The newly evolved Weepinbell herself picks up the rear and has moss in both large leaves and a wad tucked under the stem on her head.

"Finally," I sigh. I hadn't realized how nervous I was for them. "Thanks, you guys."

"Don't thank us until your leg heals," Pikachu says as the three of them set their findings in front of me. He helps Eevee get the backpack off. "I can't stay long. I have to bring this back to its new owner."

"New owner?" Wobbles asks, voicing my own confusion as she starts properly dressing my wound. Which still hurts but not as much as with the leaves.

Sprout tells us about a Bellossom and her malformed son, Oddish, and how Bellossom was hoping to use the backpack to keep her hatchling out of danger.

"I just, you know…" Sprout gives her leaves an embarrassed shake. "With everything going on, we need to help each other. And, the backpack's too small for me now anyway, so…"

A proud smile pulls at my mouth. "You're a good 'mon, Sprout."

Sprout hums a sheepish laugh, and her skin gets a little darker.

Pikachu shakes the backpack upside-down as the last pieces of moss fall out. "Alright. I'm gonna get this to Bellossom."

"Don't go alone," I caution as he puts on the backpack.

"I'll go with him," Sprout offers.

As soon as those two are gone, Eevee asks if he can help at all.

"Thanks, Eevee," Wobbles says, "but the bleeding isn't so bad now. I got this." She nods at me. "Keep this guy entertained. He needs something fun to think about."

I'd argue, but she isn't wrong. The encounter with Miriam has me restless, especially that I know her old partner - who might be the same 'mon who cut off Pikachu's ear in a fit of rage - had escaped like I did. Only Hatterene didn't get out unscathed, not mentally. I recall Wobbles and Wobbuffet explaining how psychic-types lose their minds if they use their inherent telekinetic powers too much. I have to wonder if Miriam pressured Hatterene to use hers, and psychosis was the result.

My musings are interrupted by a brown, fluffy lump of hatchling in my face. "When Pikachu comes back," Eevee squeaks, "he's gonna tell us a story."

I try not to flinch when Wobbles spreads fresh moss over my open wound, forming a patch that wraps around my leg. "Yeah? What kind of story?"

Eevee sits on his haunches and swipes a paw over his ear, shy all of a sudden. "Um…a story about my parents."

I blink in surprise. Wobbles stops what she's doing and asks, "Pikachu knew your parents?"

"Well, no." Eevee shuffles his paws. "He's gonna make something up. I just want to have something to say about them."

My heart goes out to him. "You don't mind that it won't be true?"

Eevee shrugs. "It's better than nothing. And, I know Pikachu will make it a good one. He's real good at telling stories." He gasps and slams his forepaws on the ground, his tail wagging. "Do you think there'll be a Legendary Pokemon in it?"

Oh, to be a hatchling again. Life was so simple those days.

By the time Sprout and Pikachu return, my leg is patched up, Eevee has shot off enough story ideas that maybe he should be the one to tell the tale, and I'm actually smiling.

---

Since it's annoyingly clear that I'm not going anywhere for a while, we decide to make camp even though the sun is still high in the sky. And since they all insist that I need a guard - my pride won't let me admit to how grateful I am for this - Pikachu offers to stay with me while the others gather supplies. That group stays together instead of separating like they normally would. They aren't stupid. Miriam could still be in the area, and I won't let anyone go off on their own until further notice.

I'm glad Pikachu's the one who stayed. I want to talk to him, though I'm not sure how this will go.

"How's your leg?" he asks, giving my dressing a sniff.

"Throbbing," I say. "But, it's certainly better than it was."

Pikachu gives the moss an experimental poke that makes me cringe. "It feels a little damp. We might have to change the covering soon. Luckily," he looks over at the pile of leftover moss nearby, "we have plenty of extras. Do you know if pecha berries grow around here? The juices are perfect for staving off infection. Lum berries, too. But, oran and sitrus berries will work in a pinch."

"You know a lot about medicine," I say, impressed.

Pikachu shrugs. "I've been in a lot of scraps. You pick up on things."

A cruel part of me wants to ask where all this knowledge was the other night when he lost his ear, but I bite my tongue. He had…other things on his mind then.

Which brings me to what's currently on my mind. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot," he says, then lets out a guilty hiss. "Sorry."

I know what he means. "Wobbles and I were talking about this while you guys were getting the moss. By any chance, did Hatterene used to be Miriam's pokemon?"

Pikachu's remaining ear goes limp, and there's a deep frown on his mouth. "Maybe. Hatterene told me her trainer's name and that she was a scientist. I don't want to believe it, but it seems like too much of a coincidence." He licks his tiny hands and swipes them over his face while he collects his thoughts. "Hatterene sang praises about her Miriam, but if that was the same Miriam, that wouldn't make any sense, would it?"

He still cares about Hatterene despite what happened. As my Ma used to say, "The 'mon's heart is bigger than his final evolution." And yes, she would also say it about pokemon who were fully evolved or didn't evolve at all. Nostalgia almost makes me smile.

I focus on the matter at hand. "My own trainer had a way with words. She would say something that wasn't a lie, and she had a nice personality, so you would believe she meant well. I have a feeling that Miriam was like that with Hatterene."

Pikachu blinks pityingly. I look away until he says, "Makes me appreciate Ash even more. He's pretty laid-back, but if there's one thing he will not tolerate, it's pokemon abuse. Doesn't matter if it's caused by a human or another pokemon. It's one of the few things that sets him off. Miriam's lucky he wasn't here to see what she did to you."

The more I hear about Ash, the more I want to like him. And, the more I hope that Pikachu isn't delusional like I was and like Hatterene must have been. "I know I've asked this before, but Ash is good to you, right?"

Pikachu's smile is sad but genuine. "Yeah. He's great."

"Glad to hear it."

Pikachu looks down at my dressing and frowns. "You didn't answer my question." I tilt my head, and he gestures to my wound. "Any healing berries nearby?"

"I'm not sure," I say. "Maybe one of the others will bring some back."

Sure enough, once our group is back together, there are plenty of berries to choose from. Pikachu snatches up a pecha berry and some fresh moss and gets to work.

Chapter 27: Vaporeon and Sylveon

Notes:

Pikachu's story is heavily inspired by one of the chapters of "Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers." I was going to use the Waterfall Cave arc, then this came to me.

" I'm gonna write from personal experience, from emotion, from whatever the hell I'm feeling that day." - Melanie Martinez

Pikachu

There once was a young water-type named Vaporeon. He was a cheerful 'mon with a lot of energy and a fierce passion for the world around him. He lived in a cave near a big river, sharing that cave with his friend, Mr. Mime. She was a kind, nurturing 'mon who made sure her rambunctious friend took care of himself, as he would often forget to do that-

---

"Um, Pikachu?" Eevee interrupts.

Night had fallen by the time I perfected my story, and the PokeSquad and I are seated around the small fire we'd made to ward off the chilly spring night. Thank you, Thunderbolt.

At my questioning gaze, Eevee says, "I don't know what a Mr. Mime is."

Wobbles's hand shoots to her forehead. "Mr. Mime: the barrier pokemon. A psychic- and fairy-type. It is capable of creating invisible walls strong enough to act as shields."

To my surprise, Absol joins in with an amused look. "And, if you interrupt its performance to pester it about how those walls are created, it uses Double Slap."

Wobbles glares at him. "Hey, it was one time!"

"And, five slaps!"

We all laugh, even Wobbles a little bit. It feels great after the day we've had, especially seeing Absol in higher spirits. His leg seems to be doing okay all things considered, and we changed its dressing not long ago so he'd have a fresh one for the night.

"I can use a different pokemon, Eevee," I tell him once we quiet down.

"Are you sure?" Eevee asks.

"Of course. This story is for you, after all. What pokemon do you want it to be?"

Eevee thinks for a moment. Then, "A Spearow!"

I swallow a laugh at the irony of that. "Okay. Vaporeon's friend was a Spearow. Moving on…"

---

Today was a very important day for Vaporeon. You see, his dream was to join a horde of explorers. But, these weren't just any explorers. This group was made up of incredibly powerful pokemon, and Vaporeon was lucky enough to get picked! When he arrived at the meeting spot, he and the other recruits would pick a 'mon who would become their partner, as no one was allowed to go out alone for safety reasons. Vaporeon was so excited that he could barely sleep the night before.

Which posed a problem, come morning.

Spearow came in from gathering fresh bedding and found Vaporeon still curled up in his nest! The sun was getting higher and higher in the sky. He should have left by now! Was something wrong? Could her friend have fallen ill on the most important day of his life?

Spearow dropped the bedding and rushed to her friend's side. She rubbed her beak against Vaporeon's neck and was relieved when he blinked his sleepy eyes at her.

" Vaporeon, what are you doing?" she asked.

Vaporeon stretched his whole body. "I was battling a horde of Mankey…"

As relieved as Spearow was that her friend wasn't sick, she was now worried for a different reason. "You know what today is, don't you?"

Vaporeon only blinked at her before his brain started waking up. He bolted for the cave's entrance, saw where the sun was in the sky and cried out a panicked, "Oh no! I'm late!"

---

Sprout giggles. "Vaporeon sounds kind of silly."

I scratch my head with a nostalgic smile. "Ha ha. Yeah…"

---

Meanwhile, at the meeting spot, Alpha Chatot, the leader of the explorers, was pacing restlessly. Vaporeon wasn't present, and he was getting worried. Not just for that new recruit, but for another as well.

The other recruit was Sylveon. All the other new recruits had chosen a partner and were off on their first missions. Not her. You see, fairy-types weren't something you saw in that area, so pokemon were put off by her. Sylveon sighed and rested her head on her paws. She felt so unwanted, and she knew that this "Vaporeon" wouldn't want her either. Maybe she'd get lucky, and he wouldn't show up. She didn't mind exploring on her own. If that wasn't allowed, maybe Alpha Chatot could be her partner. He seemed to be the only one who wanted her here.

At last, Vaporeon spotted a large Chatot, about his size, up ahead. Vaporeon ran up to him, crying, "Alpha Chatot! Alpha Chatot!"

Alpha Chatot calmly approached the young male, who had to stop and catch his breath. "Vaporeon," the alpha said, "you're the last recruit to arrive. I thought something had happened."

" I-I'm sorry," Vaporeon panted. "Please tell me there's someone for me to pair up with! I'll take anyone!"

Alpha Chatot shook out his feathers. "Well, there is someone. She isn't a typing you see in this area, but like you, she did evolve from Eevee."

This knowledge brightened Vaporeon's spirits. "Awesome! That means we already have something in common!"

Sylveon rose to her paws when the alpha pointed her out. She inwardly cringed at the surprise on Vaporeon's face. It was better than the outright disdain that the other pokemon showed her, but she knew that reaction was coming.

And yet, Vaporeon's face lit up almost instantly. "She's so pretty! She's the best one!" He ran up to her, his long tail swaying merrily behind him. "Hi, Sylveon!"

" Uh, hello," Sylveon stammered. After all that rejection, she wasn't prepared for that level of enthusiasm-

That was it, she thought. Vaporeon could see that she was the only option, so he was simply masking his disappointment.

---

"No way!" Eevee squeaks. "I bet Vaporeon really did like Sylveon!"

"Of course he did," I assure. "Sylveon just hasn't figured that out yet."

Wobbles throws her hands in the air. "Can everyone stop interrupting? I wanna hear about their first mission!"

Eevee's tail wags. "Yeah, where'd they go, Pikachu? Tell us!"

I honestly don't mind the interruptions. Seeing the reactions and hearing the thoughts of the listeners is part of the fun of storytelling. "I guess I can skip ahead to that part."

---

Vaporeon and Sylveon trekked through a lush forest. The forest was strange in that, no matter what time of year it was, the trees were always covered in vibrant green leaves. Almost every tree grew an apple of some kind, another aspect that ignored changes in temperature. Because of this, the forest was known as the Apple Woods.

Our heroes' mission was simple: head into the deepest part of the forest and collect a special kind of apple that only grew on the largest and oldest of the apple trees. These apples were called perfect apples. For you see, it was said that no other fruit in the world was as crispy or juicy, and know matter your preferences, the apples themselves seemed to alter their flavor so that you would love them!

Our heroes carried backpacks to help them carry back as many apples as they could. Being the odd one out of the new recruits, Sylveon was eager to do a good job. Vaporeon wanted the same thing, of course, but he wasn't quite as happy about the assignment.

" Is this really all we're doing?" Vaporeon lamented. "Just gathering food? I thought being an explorer would involve discovering unknown places and fighting bad guys and stuff."

" It's only our first assignment," Sylveon reminded. "Alpha Chatot probably doesn't want us to do anything too tough until we have some more experience."

" Yeah, you're probably right," Vaporeon said. They were stopped suddenly by a loud growl. Vaporeon's face went hot when he realized it was his rumbling tummy. "Sorry. I skipped breakfast, and all these apples aren't helping."

Sylveon swallowed a bubble of laughter. "Why don't we grab a snack, then? I'll admit, I was pretty nervous about today, so I didn't eat much."

Vaporeon perked up at that. Now was his chance to prove that he liked Sylveon! "I'll do it! What kind of apples do you like?"

He was trying too hard to be nice again, Sylveon thought. But, she tried not to let her sadness show. "I'm not picky, so anything's fine."

On that note, Vaporeon bolted for the nearest tree but stopped at the base and looked up at it. It just occurred to him that, despite being close friends with a flying-type, he'd never climbed a tree before. But, Sylveon was watching, and he wanted to please her.

He dug his claws into the trunk and started to pull himself up. But, he lost his grip and stumbled on to his paws. He tried again with the same result. A growl rumbled in his throat.

" Do you want me to do it?" Sylveon asked.

But, Vaporeon was determined. "Maybe if I get a running start," he said, backing up.

Once he was far back enough, he sprinted to the trunk and leaped. Claws extended, he made it a short way up the trunk…

… before losing his footing again.

With a startled shout, he landed hard on his back and laid there in a daze.

" Vaporeon!" Sylveon called worriedly. She ran to his side. "Are you okay?"

Blinking the dizziness away, Vaporeon said lamely, "Turns out these paws were made for swimming, not climbing." He rolled over and rose to his feet. "I hope the next mission involves an underwater cavern or something."

The words struck Sylveon, who couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice. "Then, what would I do?"

Vaporeon flinched. "I-I didn't mean it like that-"

Sylveon was in the tree before Vaporeon could finish talking. He watched enviously as the fairy-type hopped from branch to branch without even trying. She knocked two large red apples out of the tree, and they landed beside Vaporeon. He sheepishly thanked her when she climbed back down, and the duo sat down and ate in silence. But, neither of them could really taste the sweet juices of their snacks, for they both had other things on their minds.

After they ate, Sylveon was the first to speak. "Listen, Vaporeon. You don't have to keep pretending to like me."

" Pretending?" Vaporeon barked, aghast. He hopped to his feet. "What's it gonna take for you to realize that I genuinely like you, Sylveon? I don't care if you're a fairy-type. I think all pokemon are great!"

Sylveon rolled her eyes, thoroughly exhausted, and stood up. "Vaporeon, you seem like a kindly 'mon, but I've been going through this whole song and dance since I evolved. Nobody back home likes fairy-types. When I got recruited to Alpha Chatot's Horde, I thought that folks would think differently. But, all they do is look at me like I'm some kind of charity case!" Sylveon's voice was shaking at this point. "Don't act like you're any different. Let's just get the stupid apples and head back so you get a better partner."

Vaporeon didn't know what to say. It was true that fairy-types were unusual back home, but he didn't think they were outright hated. He remembered how excited he was when he finally decided on his own evolution and obtained a water stone. He couldn't imagine being shunned just because of what he chose to evolve into.

A scream broke into their thoughts. "Help! Someone help!"

Our heroes looked at each other, thinking the same thing, and took off in the direction of the scream. The source of that scream turned out to be a Ninetales, who stopped her panicked cries when she spotted our heroes' approach.

" What's wrong?" Vaporeon asked.

" It's my son!" Ninetales exclaimed. "These awful pokemon attacked us, and my son got knocked into the river!"

---

"Oh my goodness!" Sprout shouts suddenly, startling the rest of us. She hovers around in circles. "A fire-type in the water! Oh my goodness oh my goodness!" And, so on and so forth.

Coming from anyone else, I'd think they were mocking me. "Uh, Sprout," I say, "you know these characters are fictional , right?"

Sprout stops, her face darkening in embarrassment. "I guess I got into the story."

That has to be the most awkward compliment I've ever received. Sprout sits back down, though with her new Weepinbell body, it looks more like she's resting the lower half of her head on the ground.

Once everyone is seated around the fire once more, I continue my tale. "You're right, though. It's always bad news when a fire-type gets wet, especially in poor Vulpix's situation."

Eevee twitches his ears. "I don't like getting wet either."

"Fire-types don't just 'not like it,' Eevee," Wobbles explains. "They can get really sick if they don't dry off quickly enough."

I nod and a memory surfaces. "Like my friend, Charizard. He once spent a whole night sitting in a lake. You should have the state he was in after. But, that's a story in and of itself."

Absol shifts his legs, wincing when he moves his bad one. "Let's get back to this story, then. Vaporeon is a water-type, so I assume he got that swimming adventure he was talking about."

"Certainly not the kind he wanted," I say, "but yes."

---

On the way, Ninetales explained that she managed to fight off the attackers, but her son, Vulpix, ended up getting knocked into the river. He was able to pull him up on to a rock, but that left him stranded in the middle of all that water.

Luckily, the river was calm, so there was no danger of Vulpix getting thrown back in, but that didn't make it any less scary for him and his mother.

Vaporeon threw off his backpack, dived into the water, and swam as fast as he could. When he reached the rock, he pressed his forepaws on it and hoisted himself up. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Vulpix was shaking and whimpering too much to speak, so he only nodded.

Vaporeon gave him a reassuring smile. "My name's Vaporeon. I'm gonna take you back to your mom, but you're gonna have to get wet again. Sorry about that."

The rock was too small for Vaporeon to climb up there, so Vulpix had to carefully climb on to Vaporeon's back. Once he felt the hatching clinging tightly to him, Vaporeon dove back in. This time, he made sure to swim as close to the surface as he could, though he knew Vulpix was still getting soaked. But, it was certainly better than the alternative.

The moment Vulpix was back on dry land, he started crying and his mother knelt beside him and wrapped him in her long, fluffy tails.

" There there, sweetie," Ninetales cooed with tears of relief in her own eyes. "It's okay now." She breathed a gentle Flamethrower over her son, dying him instantly and calming him somewhat. To our, and now her and her son's, heroes, Ninetales said, "Thank you. Thank you both so much!"

Sylveon sheepishly groomed one of the feelers attached to her head. "I didn't do anything. Vaporeon's the one you should thank."

Vaporeon grinned and tapped her tail with his. "Hey, you would've helped if you could. Like, if Vulpix was stuck in a tree. You're an awesome climber. When you got those apples for us, man, I was so jealous!"

This time, now that Sylveon was really paying attention, she could see that his praise was sincere. "Speaking of apples," Sylveon said, turning to Ninetales, "Vaporeon and I heard about the tree that grows perfect apples. Now that the danger's passed, maybe you could point us in the right direction?"

Ninetales frowned deeply. "If you're heading that way, be careful. Those pokemon who attacked us, they're looking for the Perfect Tree, too."

That didn't bode well for the rest of the journey.

Ninetales went on. "That's why they attacked in the first place. As you can imagine, we're all very protective of that tree. They asked me where it was, but I could tell right away that they were bad pokemon. I refused, so they tried to force the answer out of me."

" That's horrible!" Vaporeon exclaimed, shrugging back on his backpack.

Vulpix's head poked out from between his mother's tails. "Mommy made them go away, but they pushed me in the river! I think it was an accident, but it was scary!"

Like her partner, Sylveon was fuming. "Accident or not, how could anyone just leave a child like that!"

Ninetales shook her head, not having an answer. "Since you two are obviously good pokemon, I'll tell you where the Perfect Tree is, but be very careful. Especially you," she added to Sylveon, "because both of those pokemon were poison-types."

Vaporeon saw the way his partner's fur stood up. "Is that one of your type weaknesses?" he asked.

" Yeah," Sylveon confirmed. "Let's hope we don't run into them."

But, little did the group know…they were being watched.

---

Eevee gasps. "Was it the bad pokemon?"

A mischievous grin pulls at my mouth. "You'll see."

---

Our heroes followed Ninetales's directions and soon found themselves standing before the famed Perfect Tree. Its trunk was a deep shade of brown and was ten times thicker than any tree they'd ever seen before. The leaves were long and even more vibrant than those of the rest of the forest. And of course, the main attraction, the apples it grew! Even from way down below, our heroes could see how plump and red they were, and the smell alone was making their mouths water!

---

"Is anyone else getting hungry?" Wobbles mutters. We ignore her.

---

" It's beautiful!" Sylveon exclaimed. She took in a long whiff. "And, it smells amazing."

Vaporeon hummed and rubbed his belly. "You think anyone would mind if we sampled a few before we went back?"

Sylveon was about to agreed to the idea, when suddenly a huge cloud of smoke appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them! The sweet smell was overshadowed by a putrid stench that made them cough and close their watering eyes.

" What," Vaporeon coughed, "what's going on?"

" I think it's Smokescreen," Sylveon rasped.

As the smoke began to dissipate, they heard laughter. Not the kind of two creatures having fun, but the kind of wicked beings who thought they were getting away with something.

---

"I knew it!" Eevee squeaks. "It's the bad pokemon!"

"Oh my goodness!" Sprout shouts. "Sylveon's type weakness!"

Wobbles is less concerned. "I'm sure she'll be fine."

"All these interruptions are making it hard to focus," Absol says. "This sounds like it might be the climax."

"Sorry," the others say.

I shake my head fondly and continue.

---

" Hey," Vaporeon shouted, "who are you?"

Two figures began to appear from the smoke. The female was a long, purple, limbless pokemon. The male, also without limbs, was a grayish purple and levitated and appeared to have an extra head attached to him.

" Prepare for trouble," the female called.

" And, make it double," shouted the male.

" To present the world with devastation."

" To unite all ruffians within our nation."

" To denounce the evils of truth and love."

" To extend our reach to the skies above."

" Arbok."

" And, Weezing."

" Team Venom will take you down day or night."

" Surrender now, or prepare for a fight."

---

"Arbok: the Cobra pokemon. A poison-type," Wobbles announces. "Its serpentine body is incredibly strong, enough that if it really wants to squeeze the life out of you, even a steel-type wouldn't stand a chance."

"I don't want to know how you know that," I say, thoroughly disturbed by the mental image.

Wobbles is nonplussed. "No, you don't. Weezing: the poison gas pokemon. Also a poison-type. It inflates and deflates its two heads to mix and strengthen the gasses inside of it. There are rumors that it's possible for Weezing to have three heads, but I've never seen one like that, so I can't confirm."

"Since we're in the middle of an interruption," Absol says pointedly.

"You know I can't help myself!"

"I have to ask. Does anyone else think that motto sounds familiar?"

"Uh, what do you mean? I made it up," I say before anyone can ponder that. "Now, where were we?"

---

" You're the jerks who attacked Vulpix and Ninetales, aren't you?" Vaporeon shouted, baring his teeth.

Arbok's fangs glinted in a smug grin. "And, we thank you for making life easier for us."

Weezing chuckled. "Who knew all we had to do to find the Perfect Tree was spy on a couple of do-gooders?"

" Arceus!" Sylveon cursed, stomping her paw. "They followed us!"

Vaporeon growled and reared back. "We won't let you hurt this tree!"

" Hurt it?" Weezing repeated, aghast. "Are your heads filled with fluff? Have you never tasted the majesty of a perfect apple?"

Arbok flicked the tip of her tail toward the tree. "We're claiming this tree as our own. From now on, anyone who wants an apple needs our permission."

" You can't do that!" Sylveon snapped.

" We won't let you!" Vaporeon agreed.

Weezing sneered at them. "I smell a challenge, Arbok."

Arbok sniffed the air. "Mm-mm! It smells divine! How about this, twerps. We'll have a battle right here and now. The losing team has to hit the road." Her smirk widened when she locked eyes with Sylveon. "Shouldn't be too hard, should it?"

Sylveon didn't let herself flinch under the poison-type's gaze.

Vaporeon noticed his partner tense up and whispered, "We got this."

The words weren't much, but they were a comfort to Sylveon. "Okay. You want a battle? Then, let's battle!"

" Strong words from someone who's about to get her tail handed to her," Arbok taunted.

The battle began.

Both members of Team Venom opened their mouths and shot dual Sludge Bombs. Our heroes leaped out of the way. Vaporeon shot a Water Pulse at Weezing, who didn't see it coming and got thrown back by it.

Arbok hissed and charged at Vaporeon. But, Sylveon jumped in the way and nailed her with Take Down.

" Nice move," Vaporeon praised.

Sylveon smiled at him and felt her tail wag a little.

But, they couldn't relax yet.

" We need to up our game," Weezing said.

With that, he unleashed a huge blast of smoke from his pores, aimed directly at our heroes. Visibility was almost completely gone for them.

Vaporeon saw something lunge at him, but it was too late to dodge. Arbok had her long body coiled tightly around him in a Wrap attack. His limbs, his tail, all but his head were bound. He struggled and struggled, but he couldn't move. Due to the position he was in, he couldn't even turn his head to shoot water at Arbok or bend down enough to Bite her.

" Now, Weezing!" Arbok called.

As the smoke cleared, Sylveon saw her partner in jeopardy and ran in to help. Which means she didn't see Weezing hovering behind her.

By the time Vaporeon could call out a warning, Weezing shot a mass of purple sludge at Sylveon. Sylveon cried out and tripped and rolled over the grass. She tried to get up but flinched at the sharp soreness all over her. The move that Weezing used was Toxic, which means that Sylveon was now badly poisoned.

Vaporeon called her name in distress. Arbok whirled her tail to throw him out of the way, but Vaporeon caught the tip of her tail in his mouth and bit down hard. Arbok cried out in pain and slammed him into a tree trunk.

Vaporeon watched in horror as he was too late to stop Arbok from shooting Venoshock at Sylveon. He knew that since Sylveon was already poisoned, Venoshock would hit extra hard. And with her type disadvantage…

" Aw," Arbok cooed viciously, "poor little fairy-type."

Sylveon had her eyes narrowed and her teeth bared. There was still fight in her, but it was a struggle to stand.

" Let's finish her off," Weezing said.

" No!" Vaporeon shouted.

Quick as a flash, he leapt into the fray, crouched between Sylveon and Team Venom.

" A knight in blubbery armor," Arbok hissed. "How cute."

" I'm not cute!" Vaporeon snarled. "I'm Vaporeon of Alpha Chatot's Horde. Mess with me and my partner, and you'll be sorry!"

Even as it was happening, Sylveon couldn't believe her eyes. No one supported her decision to become a fairy-type. She had so lost many friends just because she was different. Now, this water-type - a type that could be found almost anywhere - was defending her when he could easily let her get hurt.

She'd been so cold with him all day. It was time to fix that.

" Nice speech," Weezing taunted, "but it means nothing for twerps who try to play hero!"

Team Venom prepared an attack. Vaporeon braced himself.

Suddenly, there was a flash of pink at the corner of Vaporeon's vision. Sylveon jumped in the way and unleashed a Dazzling Gleam so powerful that Vaporeon could feel the heat from it and had to shut his eyes against the light.

" So bright!" Arbok shouted.

" I can't see!" Weezing cried.

This gave Vaporeon the perfect opening! Listening to his opponents' pained cries, he aimed in that direction and put all his energy into his next Water Pulse. It was a direct hit, and Team Venom was sent flying back. They struggled to get up and barely had the chance to react when Sylveon fired a huge Moonblast at them.

Realizing that they were being overpowered, Team Venom fled, calling, "Team Venom will be back again!"

Vaporeon watched their retreating forms with a wide grin. "We…we did it!"

" Yeah," Sylveon agreed before her legs gave out. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, she was really starting to feel the poison.

Vaporeon put his paw on her shoulder, silently asking how she was doing. They gazed into each other's eyes, and something clicked. A connection had been made. In that moment, they realized that it was no mistake that they had met. They were destined to be partners.

They were brought out of their thoughts by the sounds of pokemon cheering. All around them, the denizens of the forest, including Vulpix and Ninetales, had come out of hiding. They had watched with rapt attention as our heroes defended their sacred tree from those bullies. As a reward for their good deed, our heroes not only had their wounds and poisoning treated, but were given permission to take as many perfect apples as they pleased and to come back whenever they wanted.

Vaporeon and Sylveon thanked everyone and returned to Alpha Chatot's Horde with their heads held high. They had completed their first mission, and it had left them with a story to tell and a new appreciation for each other. And, they knew there would be many more stories to come.

---

"The end," I conclude.

Wobbles claps. "Not bad, Pikachu. Not bad at all."

Sprout gives her leaves a pleased shake. "I liked it, too! It was a really fun story!"

"How did you come up with that, anyway?" Absol asks. "You can't tell me that you just made it all up."

I smile and swipe at my ear. "Well, to be honest, it started out being based on a true story, but then I started playing around with it."

To be totally honest, the story was meant to be a play on how Ash and I met. But then I remembered that this is supposed to be about Eevee's parents. He should have his own story to tell. Moreover, certain aspects are simply too personal.

Absol accepts my answer. "Wish I had that kind of imagination. What did you think, Eevee?"

Eevee doesn't seem as enthused. He's looking down with a deep, thoughtful expression, and I worry that he didn't like his own story. He looks up when Absol says his name again. "Oh, uh, I liked it. It was a good story." His ears twitch and the tip of his tail flicks back and forth behind him. "I guess I just wish it was real."

Of course. I wondered if he would regret asking me for the story. He wanted to have something to say about his parents. But, his parents might not have been a Sylveon or a Vaporeon. For all we know, his father might not have been in his evolution chain at all. We truly don't know anything about them.

"I'm sure your parents don't mind if you don't know their real story," I assure. "Wherever they are, I know they only care that the fire that took them away couldn't hurt you."

Eevee lifts his head a bit and makes a thoughtful sound as he stares at our campfire. I hope my words gave him at least a little comfort.

"Here's the main question," Wobbles says. I regret sitting next to her when she lies on her belly so we're at eye level and grins at me. "Who's your Sylveon?"

I tilt my head. "Who's…what?"

"You said it was based on a true story."

"Yeah, part of it, but-"

I lean back when Wobbles props herself on her hands to get too close for comfort. "This story is about two pokemon who come to fall in love, right? You're obviously Vaporeon, so who's Sylveon? You didn't tell us you had a mate."

Arceus, help me. I back up further and wave my hands in front of my face. "Whoa, whoa. There's no mate. I do not have a mate."

"So, someone you're courting, then. Who is she?"

"I'm not courting anyone! I am happily single, thank you very much."

Absol chimes in with no shortage of exasperation. "Wobbles, leave the 'mon alone. He never said it was based on one of his stories."

Wobbles considers this for a moment, then she hangs back. "Oh, yeah. My bad."

"Eevee, what are you doing?"

Our heads swerve at Sprout's cry. She had leapt in front of the hatchling, who is reared back with his ears flat against his head.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Sprout turns to him and flails her leaves. "He was gonna touch the fire!"

The rest of us stare at Eevee in shock, and Absol barks, "Why would you even do that?"

"Well, uh," Eevee's voice is real quiet, the way little kids speak when they know they've done something wrong, "Pikachu said that the fire couldn't hurt me. I…"

My pelt prickles with guilt. "Oh, Eevee, that's not what I meant! I was trying to say that you made it out of there in one piece. Of course, fire can still hurt you!"

Wobbles climbs to her feet. "Only fire-types are immune to fire, Eevee. Even if you had a type-advantage over them, you can't just stick your paw into an open flame!"

Eevee rises on to his haunches. He stares at the fire hard enough that I worry he'll try anyway. "I see," is all he says.

Sprout cautiously moves aside, giving me a better view of the normal-type who is fixated on the crackling orange flames. His brow is low, his jaw is set, and the spark in his brown eyes has nothing to do with the fire he's staring at so intently. That's a look I've seen before on some of my other friends.

I hop around Wobbles so that Absol doesn't have to move to hear me. The two females get closer as I whisper, "That's a Flareon in the making."

Absol scoffs, "If you think being stupid makes someone a fire-type-"

"No, I know what he's saying," Wobbles whispers. "It's that look. That kind of…longing determination."

Sprout nods. "You can always tell when a 'mon figures out what they want to be."

Wobbles and I agree, and Absol hums in thought and resumes watching Eevee. "Guess that's another evolution thing I don't understand. Think he'll change his mind this time?"

Eevee speaks before anyone can answer. "Hey, you guys? Do you think I'd make a good Flareon?"

We all smile at each other. I say to Eevee, "We think you'd make a great Flareon."

Chapter 28: Girl Time (Featuring Joltik)

Notes:

This is my favorite chapter so far and also the longest. Enjoy!

“I’m not one of those psycho feminists who want to burn all the bras. Although, I would like to burn all the bras.” - FanGirl210

Hatterene

I remember the day Miriam brought me here. I think about that day, and my time with my dear trainer, often. When one is sequestered in a small human structure, there is little else to do but think.

Neither I nor Miriam know who built this tiny house. We only knew that, by the time we stumbled across it, the original owner was long gone.

“ It’s not ideal, ” Miriam had said, “ but no one will bother us. ”

The electricity still worked then, and the water still ran. Miriam joked that her biggest concern was if the toilet still worked.

While Miriam checked all the amenities, I - curious little Hatenna that I was - had wandered off to explore on my own. Or rather, I tried to. Miriam grabbed me and told me in a stern voice to stay where she could see me. I obeyed, knowing the consequences of doing otherwise.

We stayed there for some time. Miriam worked diligently on… Well, I was never entirely sure what her work entailed. I knew it was something very important, something that she said would benefit humankind. And that I was to assist by allowing her to test her work on me.

But not there. Not in our home. We would go to a lab near a place called Lavender Town for that. The lab was fairly new and run by Miriam’s human friend, Vivian. She too had a partner pokemon, though I’ve never gotten a good look at it. I once caught a glimpse of large white paws and a black tail as it entered a room but nothing substantial.

The testing, I confess, was less than pleasant. It began as simple tests of endurance and strength. I was often pushed beyond my limit, but I didn’t mind. Just the opposite. I liked seeing how far I could go and then working to go farther. I’ve always enjoyed a good battle, and I felt that I was growing a little stronger with each go around in the lab. Miriam was always so pleased when I wanted to keep at it.

“You’ve got a real spitfire, there,” Vivian once commented as she and Miriam watched me eagerly jump up and down in my cage.

My skin had still itched painfully from the substance I had been injected with, but I knew I could handle more no matter what my body said. Anything for my precious trainer.

Miriam’s amusement made the pain worth it. “Guess we know which of us has the stronger pokemon.”

“I don’t know,” Vivian teased. “You’ve never seen my partner in battle.”

“Yeah? Maybe we should test that theory sometime.”

“Ha ha! Challenge accepted.”

We never did get that battle. The very next day, Vivian’s mysterious partner - Absol, I believe was its name - had run off after destroying its pokeball and wounding Vivian almost fatally. Or, so I hear. Miriam and I weren’t there at the time, and rumors have a habit of exaggerating.

I find it hard to believe that any pokemon would want to do harm to its own trainer.

---

Time passes more quickly when I find ways to keep busy. I forge for food when I need it. I clean my home even when it does not need to be cleaned. There was much cleaning to be done after Pikachu Quick Attacked me through the wall. I haven’t quite figured out how to go about repairs yet. When I am especially bored, I like to braid my hair in tiny braids; my small hands will allow for no other kind. This would take up much time when I was a Hattrem. I have yet to try it now that my hair has grown to such an incredible length. Perhaps an entire day would pass and I would have yet to finish.

My favorite pastime is making decorations to brighten up my home. Of course, “my home” is only temporary. Miriam will return one day. Still, I enjoy crafting little trinkets. I weave vines together. I paint stones with berry juice. It doesn’t take long for nature to have its way with my art. Vines shrivel and die in a matter of days. Juice washes off in the rain. It saddens me, but it offers a chance to do it all again. One cannot dwell on negativity without driving themself mad.

“ Oh, wow!”

The exclamation makes me turn around. I am on the front porch, having just hung up my latest creation: a dangling piece of several vines braided together with small yellow flowers weaved through it.

Two creatures stand a short distance away. No, three creatures. The third is a tiny thing and is riding on the white one’s long, fluffy tail. The one who spoke is a human - their trainer, perhaps - but she is not Miriam.

The human, I’d estimate, is taller than Miriam, though still shorter than I am now that I’ve evolved fully. She has beige skin, large round glasses, and dark brown hair with soft curls that are pulled back in twin tails near the top of her head.

The pokemon with the fluffy tail has a small body with very small paws. She has white fur and a pink stripe that starts at her forehead and seems to end at the tip of her tail. It could be a trick of the light, but her pelt seems the slightest bit…shimmery? A shiny, perhaps? I am unfamiliar with the species, so I cannot say with certainty.

The smallest pokemon is a fuzzy yellow male with two blue eyes. Possibly four, as I believe the two tiny dots over his larger eyes just blinked. He has four narrow legs that cling effortlessly to the white one’s tail.

“ Sorry, ” the human says, slightly embarrassed. She presses her fists to her chest. “ It’s just that I’ve never seen a pokemon like you before. You’re so pretty! ”

The fluffy pokemon shakes her head. “You’ll have to excuse Ella. She’s very excitable.”

“ My name’s Ella, ” the human says needlessly. She gestures to her companions. “ This is Patches. And, the little guy on her tail is Joltik. ”

Patches nods in greeting. Joltik buries his face in her fur. A shy one, that.

“ What’s your- ” Ella stops herself. “ I guess you can’t tell me your name. I wish I had a pokedex, ” she adds quietly.

“You can tell us at any rate,” Patches says, referring to herself and Joltik.

I should make them leave. I have no use for anyone who is not Miriam nor someone associated with her. I made that mistake with Pikachu, and look how that turned out.

And yet, my time spent with Pikachu reminded me of how long it’s been since I’ve had companionship. Despite what happened, it was nice to have someone to talk to.

If these three try anything nefarious, I will deal with them accordingly. For now…

“Hatterene,” I say to the pokemon.

“It’s nice to meet you, Hatterene,” Patches says. She looks over her shoulder and wags her tail a smidge. “Come on, Joltik. Say hello.”

Joltik pokes his head up. I can barely hear him when he speaks. “H-hi…”

Ella is ignoring our conversation, not that she would understand it anyway. “ Did you make that? ” she asks, pointing to my vine and flower decoration. I nod, and her eyes light up. “ It’s really nice! I like crafting too. ”

Oh? It appears that we have common ground.

“ Do you live here with your trainer? ” Ella asks.

A pang of longing hits me, but it is not the human’s fault. I shake my head. There is no way for me to explain to her why my trainer is not here. I do hope that she escapes her attackers some day and returns.

I hope the worst did not come to pass.

My sorrow must show, because my visitors’ moods take a turn.

“ Oh no! ” Ella says. “ I’m sorry. ”

Patches steps forward. “May we come in? Would you like some company?”

Yes. I turn away and enter my makeshift home. Talking outside is one thing. But, the gaping hole in the kitchen wall is a permanent reminder of why I should not allow strangers to come inside. No matter how friendly they may seem.

---

Ella

I came to Saffron City because of rumors about a shiny alpha Raichu being spotted in the surrounding area. Now I have a new mission.

“What do you guys think?” I ask, holding up both options while my half-full shopping basket dangles awkwardly from my elbow. “Regular or neon?”

From her position on an empty spot on the shelf, Patches puts one paw under her chin and gives the two marker packs a thoughtful squint. Joltik, sitting beside her, points to both packs and lets out eager chirps.

I roll my eyes fondly. “Joltik, when I give you options, you can’t pick both every time.”

Joltik tilts his head, and Patches starts chittering to him, probably explaining what money is.

I look over the contents of my shopping basket. A pack of colored construction paper, kiddie scissors, a dual pack of glue, a bag of pipe cleaners, a five-pack of glitter glue, and soon a small box of markers. Some people might say that buying all this for a pokemon I just met and don’t even know the name of is ridiculous, and they might be right.

Yet, the sight of that tiny house and its sole occupant remains at the forefront of my mind. I don't know how long that pokemon has been without its trainer, but it must have been quite a while, given the state of disrepair. Alternatively, the trainer could have been very old and no longer able to care for the building. Maybe they passed recently, and their partner stayed until the bitter end and is still in mourning. That thought is even sadder.

I can’t bring back the pokemon’s trainer, but I can bring the poor thing some comfort. I’d want someone to do that for me if I lost someone dear to me.

Luckily, there’s a craft store here in Saffron City, and the pokemon presumably likes arts and crafts.

I decide on the regular colors and double check that the markers are non-toxic before putting them in my basket. “I hope that pokemon likes this stuff,” I say to my partners, who make agreeing noises. “Did you guys catch her name?” They nod and I sigh, wishing they could tell me. “I’m glad some of us know what she is.”

The most I could get was the pokemon’s gender, and that was from a round of “raise one paw for male and two for female or, uh, wag your tail for genderless” with Patches. Too bad Ash wasn’t there to let me borrow his pokedex. Or, to tell me instantly what the gender was; apparently, he has a sixth sense for that.

“Excuse me, miss,” someone says.

I turn around and see a short, stocky elderly woman holding an empty shopping basket with both hands.

“I couldn’t help overhearing,” she says kindly. “You met a pokemon you aren’t familiar with?”

“Yeah. See, I’m new to this region, and there are a lot of pokemon I’ve never seen before.”

“Well, I’ve lived here since I was a girl. Describe this pokemon, and I’ll see if I can identify it.”

Hope blooms in my chest. I raise my hand a couple inches over my head. “It’s really tall. And, it’s blue and pink and white. Like, an ombre kind of thing. And, it looks like it’s wearing a hat.”

The woman frowns in thought. “By any chance, did you see this pokemon near an old shack in the woods?”

She spoke with an edge that makes me nervous. “Is something wrong?”

The woman cups her chin and lowers her gaze. “So, Hattrem evolved,” she mutters.

“Hattrem?” I repeat. “That’s what it's called? Er, was called?” Now that I have a name, I pull my phone out of my back pocket and do some quick research. “It’s called Hatterene now.”

I show the woman the picture on my phone, and she nods as if committing the image to memory. “That pokemon is well-known around these parts and not in a good way.”

“Oh?” I say. Patches and Joltik climb on to either of my shoulders.

“It showed up with its trainer several years ago,” the woman begins. “The trainer was nice enough but a bit of a recluse, you see. When she did come around, there was never a pokemon with her, though she always had a pokeball strapped to her belt. I asked about it one day when I saw her buying a bag of pokemon food. She said that her partner, a Hatenna at the time, was very sickly and that was why it was left behind.”

“All by itself?”

The woman shrugs. “That was my thought, but who am I to tell someone how to care for their pokemon? Particularly one I know nothing about. It’s not a species you find in the wild in Kanto. Anyway, one day the trainer didn’t come around for the usual supply run, and no one ever saw her again.”

Oh, wow. I want to ask how old the trainer was, but that might not mean anything. Living all alone in the woods, with only her Hatenna for company, anything could have happened and no one but her partner would have known.

“What about Hatenna?” I ask.

The woman sighs and shakes her head. “Once word got out that the trainer was gone but the pokemon remained, a few folks took it upon themselves to bring food to the shack for it. At first, it was wary but allowed this. However, the more time passed, the less willing Hatenna became. By the time it evolved into Hattrem, it had a reputation for being truly dangerous and violent. Now folks in these parts stay away from that area if they can help it.”

I ponder this new information. The pokemon I saw didn’t seem dangerous. She seemed… I don’t know. Cautious, definitely. But, probably pretty lonely too. It sounds like her trainer has been gone for a long time. I’ve heard that there are rare occasions when a pokemon’s personality will change when it evolves. Maybe that’s why Hatterene didn’t seem as dangerous as described; she simply isn’t anymore.

“The youngins talk like Hatterene is some sort of monster,” the woman goes on. “But, you know what I think?” She answers without prompting. “I think the poor dear has gone so long without companionship that it’s forgotten what that’s like.”

As if my resolve wasn’t strong enough before.

---

I ended up throwing some yarn and a jewelry making kit in my basket before checking out. Once I left the store, I called Ash on a whim because last time we met, he struck me as the kind of guy to go to for pokemon-related things. I told him I blew a chunk of my budget on a bunch of crafting supplies for a pokemon I knew nothing about and asked if I was crazy.

Ash took a moment to respond. “ My brain says that you’re crazy. ” I was embarrassed until he added cheerfully, “ But, my heart is laughing ‘cause that’s totally something I would do! You want my advice? Listen to your heart. When it comes to pokemon, that’s the best thing you can do. Except when you need to use your brain. Then that’s the best thing you can do. ”

I… think I got the message.

Patches and Joltik trail behind me as I carry the oversized shopping bag back to the old shack. We stop a few feet from the entrance, and I call out, “Hatterene? Are you home? Hatterene?”

After a moment, the door opens, and Hatterene steps out and stands on the patio. She sports that same serious gaze as the first time we met, but now there’s an air of curiosity. The old woman’s story plays through my head, but I won’t be dissuaded.

This pokemon isn’t threatening us, so there’s no reason for my heart rate to pick up or my knees to shake.

“Um,” I start stupidly. I hold up my shopping bag. “We brought you some presents. You seem to like crafting, so-so we picked out some stuff for you.”

Patches chitters, and Joltik cowers behind my sneaker but adds to the conversation.

When Hatterene doesn’t react, I swallow hard and ask, “Do you wanna see what we brought?”

I yelp and almost fall on my face when the bag is yanked out of my hands. Seeing the bag floating toward Hatterene tells me that she’s a psychic-type. Strangely, there’s no obvious glow like there normally is when a pokemon uses Confusion or Psychic. But then, I don’t know much about that particular typing. Electric-types have always been my specialty, and it occurs to me that I might be out of my depth.

Hatterene lets the bag hover open in front of her as she digs into it. She pulls out one of the packages and examines it closely.

“Those are called pipe cleaners,” I explain. “You can bend them in any shape you want. Then you can unbend them and do it all over again.”

Hatterene makes an interested noise, sets the pipe cleaners back in the bag, and pulls out something else.

“Those are markers. If you take off the caps, you can use them to make things colorful. But, they don’t last forever, and you have to keep the caps on when you’re not using them or they’ll last even less time.”

We go on like this until Hatterene knows what each object is and how to use it. Occasionally, Patches and Joltik will throw in their two cents. Each time, my nerves seep out of me a little until my worry is completely gone. Even Joltik has come out from behind me to stand next to Patches.

“Do you like your presents, Hatterene?” I ask.

Hatterene ignores me. The bag is still floating, and Hatterene is trying to rip open the packaging around the kiddie scissors. Surprisingly, she’s using her hands instead of her powers.

“Do you need help?” I ask, starting to jog over to her. “Let me-”

Hatterene’s head swerves my way, and one of the stones around her house lifts off the ground and nails me in the chest. I crash into the grass before I know what’s happening. But, the warning is plain as day.

Joltik scurries to my side to check on me. I raise my head and watch in a mounting horror as Patches jumps in front of me and crouches down, facing Hatterene. My Pachirisu unleashes an angry hiss, and sparks coat her cheeks and tail.

“Patches, don’t!” I command, and her head whips over her shoulder. “Don’t hurt her!”

With another hiss, Patches dissipates her electricity but remains on all-fours in front of me. I usually appreciate how protective she is, but now’s not the time.

Unless it is. Maybe this is one of those times when I’m supposed to use my brain. Right now my brain is screaming, Get out while you can!

But, my heart wants to give Hatterene the benefit of the doubt.

I climb to my feet and ignore the incoming bruise on my chest. “Sorry,” I say to Hatterene, who is totally unphased. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” I hold out my hand. “If you wanna give me those scissors, I can get them out for you.”

Hatterene wordlessly levitates the scissors into my hand. I rip off the packaging, and she floats them back. We repeat this process with everything I brought until there is a pile of plastic and cardboard sitting beside me.

“That should be everything,” I say, my nerves calm once more. I get down on my knees and take off my pink backpack. “Don’t wanna leave this sitting out.”

I move to start stuffing the packaging into my backpack, but Joltik raises a hand to stop me and motions for me to back up. Curious, I do as I’m told. Patches then steps forward and I jerk back and lift an arm in front of my face while she unleashes a mighty Discharge on to the pile. My lips curl in an amused grin when the pile turns to ash.

“That works too,” I tease. Patches proudly raises her chin, and Joltik happily stomps his tiny front feet.

“ Hatter. ” We look up and see Hatterene shaking the giant bag with the long tentacle on her head and with a real smile on her face. “ Hatter-een. ”

The sight makes me shoot to my feet with glee. “I’m so glad you’re happy!” I put my backpack back on. “You have lots of fun with those! Just try not to use them up all at once, okay?”

Joltik makes agreeing noises, but I think Patches is still wary.

“Well,” I say to my partners, “I guess we’ll head out then.” To Hatterene, “Take care of yourself, Hatterene. Bye bye!”

Joltik’s goodbye sounds sincere, but Patches’s has a tone of “good riddance.” Can’t win them all.

Hatterene calls out suddenly. My partners and I turn around and see Hatterene looking as startled as we are.

“What is it, Hatterene?” I ask.

Hatterene stands still for a moment then seems to come to some decision. She shakes the bag and waves her hands between it and my group.

Patches makes an apprehensive sound. I ignore her.

“Do you want us to come in?” I ask.

Hatterene hesitates but nods. A lightness spreads through my chest.

Hatterene

The last time I allowed a stranger into my home, he brought, or at least led, two villains here. Why am I doing it again? Especially when Patches clearly wants to be elsewhere? I’ll have to keep an extra sharp eye on her.

I walk into the living room and hold the door open for the others. Ella walks in first with Joltik and Patches close behind her. The three gaze around with interest, though their eyes all land on the huge hole in the wall that used to separate this room from the kitchen.

“ What happened there? ” Ella asks.

I have no way to give her a proper answer, so I swing out the tentacle on my head and hope she gets what I’m trying to say.

Ella takes another look at the opening. “ Some kind of demolition?”

…She isn’t wrong.

Jolitk looks up at me. “You live here by yourself?”

I nod.

Patches isn’t so quick to trust. She must be the brain of the trio. “Why did you invite us in?”

Joltik flinches and offers me an apologetic look. I am unoffended. Truth be told, I’m still puzzling out the reason myself.

“ Well, hole in the wall aside, this seems like a nice place,” Ella says, twirling around to face us. There’s a slight strain in her voice that tells me she’s lying.

Miriam was the one who took care of this house. I helped where I could, but I don’t know anything about human activities such as “carpentry” or “plumbing” or whatever kept the place from falling apart. Since Miriam left, I’ve been doing what I can, but I know it isn’t enough. I hope she comes back soon. I push away the little voice that tells me she won’t.

I’m not quite sure what to do now, but I spot the bag that is still floating beside me. An idea forms, and I dump the contents on the floor and let the bag flutter to the ground. My eyes are trained on Ella as I gesture to the pile.

It clicks, and Ella claps her hands together. “ Oh! You want us to show you how to use this stuff. Okay! ”

She sits cross-legged on the floor. I’m not ready to let my guard down, so I lower my body to her level and keep my hair in place. My, uh, companions stare in a shocked awe at this before focusing on our current task.

Ella begins by showing me how to use the scissors, which she claimed were the smallest pair she could find. She pulls two of her fingers through the larger hole and her thumb through the smaller one. She pulls the two holes apart and explains how this makes the two small blades cut paper. When I try to hold the scissors, I realize that they are too big for my hands and too small for the claw at the end of my tentacle. Luckily, we all figure out that holding the paper in place with my claw and working the scissors with both hands is doable. Cutting more intricate shapes would be difficult, but at least the scissors won’t go to waste.

We continue like this for some time. Ella will pick up one of the odd human crafting materials and show me how it works. She uses a small section of white construction paper to show off the markers and glitter glue. I admit that I’m particularly excited about the glitter glue. Ella has to stop me from squeezing out an entire pink tube of the stuff.

It gets more hectic from there. Ella cuts her finger on the paper and rummages through her backpack for a bandage. Meanwhile, Joltik accidentally steps in some wet regular glue and gets his foot stuck to the plastic bag. He runs around in a blind panic until he trips over the bag. Given how much larger the bag is than Joltik, this doesn’t take long. Before I know it, I’m watching Ella and Patches wrestle his flailing self out of the bag that’s wound around him. Since the glue hasn’t completely dried yet, they manage to get the bag off without incident. Joltik nuzzles Ella’s chest in embarrassment while his trainer holds her hands over him and coos reassurances. Patches says nothing when she hops on to Ella’s shoulder, but her presence alone seems to be a comfort.

The entire scene is chaotic and weird.

And…nice.

A strange feeling comes over me. One I can’t place a name to. One that is familiar but also not.

All eyes land on me, and all mouths drop open. “ Whoa! ” Ella shouts. “ You mean that’s all hair ? ”

I see a pool of blue and white and pink spread around. With a jolt, I realize that someway, somehow, I relaxed enough that all my hair, including that which formed my tentacle, had gone slack. My tiny thin body is on the floor and vulnerable. I am vulnerable. In front of creatures I’ve known for no time at all.

Why don’t I mind? Why do I feel so… okay about this? It’s similar to how I felt around Pikachu, but…not? I will not lie; I did enjoy my brief time with Pikachu before what happened. That hurt more than I care to say.

Why is it so easy to risk it happening again?

“ That’s so cool! ” Ella exclaims. “ Can I braid it? Please? It’s so pretty! ”

She likes braiding hair as well?

I nod, and she throws herself to the ground. Her pokemon hop off of her and approach me as their trainer crawls behind me and gets to work.

“So,” Patches begins, speaking to me but watching her trainer, “you can control your hair?”

“Yes,” I confirm.

Patches’s wariness has been overshadowed by curiosity. “How does that work?”

“I suppose it works the same way as moving a limb,” I reply.

Joltik chimes in. He does not seem so small now that I am prone on the floor why am I doing this ?. “Does that mean your hair is a limb? Or, um, a bunch of limbs?”

I ponder this then, “I do not know.”

What follows is…comfortable. Ella works in silence while we pokemon talk. Joltik asks to touch my hair, which I allow so long as he does not mess up Ella’s braid. He carefully runs his foot through my colorful locks, and Patches cannot resist doing the same.

Patches giggles suddenly. Joltik asks what’s so funny, and Patches replies. “I just had a flashback of when Ella was a kid and tried to cut her own hair.”

Cut her hair ? “Why would she do that?” I ask, incredulous.

“Humans do that sometimes, get their hair cut,” Patches says, “They usually have someone do it for them, but Ella did it herself one day.”

“How did it look?” Joltik asks.

There’s a slight wag in Patches’s tail and a nostalgic grin on her face. “It was a lot shorter. A lot shorter. Certain parts were longer than others, and one spot was completely bald. I thought it looked cool, but Ella was really upset about it. So were her parents.” Patches shrugs. “I don’t know. Humans are weird.”

They are, indeed. I can think of a number of strange things that Miriam has done. Wearing clothes everywhere she went. Muttering about bills and taxes, whatever those are. Though most of Miriam’s inherent strangeness came from our research. Long nights of her hunched over collected samples and scribbling down notes. Bringing me to the lab and subjecting me to painful tests that would lead up to some unknown thing that would benefit human society.

One in particular will always stand out to me.

I whimpered in agony as Miriam set me on the couch. My short term memory was hazy, but I recalled the sensation of claws under my skin, cutting me beneath the surface. I recalled how desperate I was to get them out. That must have been why I was sore all over and bleeding from wounds I didn’t remember getting. My blood was creating dark stains on the couch. Miriam once spilled coffee on the cushion and when the stain wouldn’t come out, she flipped over the cushion, claiming, “ Out of sight, out of mind. ” I wondered if she’d do that with my blood stains; this was a different cushion, so it wouldn’t be out of the question.

“ That was a rough one, huh? ” Miriam said. She knelt down to my level. Her pale hands and arms were still coated with my blood. She had them laying on the cushion, creating more stains. “ You spent so long unaffected that I didn’t think anything would happen. ”

She was smiling and sounded almost…satisfied. I dismissed it as the pain warping my mind. Miriam and I loved each other dearly. She couldn’t possibly have enjoyed seeing me like that.

Miriam rose to her feet. “ Give me a few minutes to clean up. Then I’ll take care of you. ”

I smiled through the pain. My wounds were still throbbing and seeping, but I could wait. I would show Miriam how strong the experiments have made me. Perhaps I would evolve soon.

After a few minutes of listening to the running water in the bathroom, I hear Miriam’s hurried footsteps. Then she gasps. “ Hatenna! They’re coming! ”

Who’s coming? I wondered. No one good, based on Miriam’s panic. Miriam never panicked, so I was instantly on edge.

She ran up to me and loudly whispered, “ Those people I told you about. They’re coming! I can see them outside! ”

It took a moment to remember, and when I did, my heart stopped. Very recently, Miriam confided in me about a group of terrible humans who ran her out of her hometown. They thought she was evil, trying to hurt people because of her work. They didn’t understand her genius, that she had humankind’s best interests at heart, even if her experiments could be painful. Miriam was lucky to find Vivian and other like-minded people here in the Kanto region.

Now those horrible people found her. What would happen next?

“ I can’t stay here, ” Miriam said. “ I have to leave. ”

She bolted from the room, ignorant of my cries. She must have truly been terrified if she forgot about my injuries. I heard shuffling coming from the bedroom; Miriam was packing up as quickly as she could.

I needed to help her. My body screamed as I heaved myself upright and moved feet that had never felt so heavy before. My attempt to jump off the couch resulted in me tumbling to the floor and rolling on to my back. I couldn’t help a shout of pain, but I persevered, using the bulky flaps on the sides of my head to balance myself as I rose.

Miriam reappeared right when I was about to drag myself to her. Her huge backpack was on her shoulders, and there was a rolling suitcase in her hand. Either moving took longer than I thought, or I underestimated Miriam’s speed.

Miriam made no comment about me bleeding on the floor instead of the couch. “ You know how to patch yourself up, right? You’ll be fine. ”

What?

“ I’m leaving, ” Miriam continued, “ but I can’t take you with me. ”

WHAT?

I stumbled closer, silently begging for an explanation. Miriam gave me one that tore my heart in two. “ I’m not letting you get mixed up in this. I’m going to have to lay low for a while, probably for a really long time. But, I’ll be back as soon as I can. Until then, I want you to stay here. Think you can do that, Hatenna? ”

I fought back the tears in my eyes. I had to be strong for my trainer. “Of course, Miriam! I’ll wait for you forever!” I added. She couldn’t understand me, but it felt important to say the words out loud.

“ Remember, ” Miriam emphasized. “ Do not leave the area. ”

Apparently, that was her way of saying goodbye. I was so upset that I forgot I was hurt until I saw the blood on the hardwood floor and on the couch cushion. I knew where the medical supplies were kept, but even if I was in better condition, I would never be able to reach them on my own. The lesser things like medicine - which I knew better than to touch - and ointments and Band-Aids were behind the mirror above the bathroom sink. The more serious supplies were on a shelf in the closet in the hallway. I wasn’t tall enough for either option.

But, I was a psychic-type.

I concentrated real hard on my Confusion attack, picturing the closet and what I needed, focusing all my power until I heard the door open. I didn’t let myself get excited. I focused even harder to pull out the sprays and bandages I knew I would need.

A new resolve hit me as I worked on tending my wounds. If I couldn’t help Miriam escape from those rotten people, I would make sure she had something to come back to. I would look after myself. I would do whatever I could to keep this house nice. I would grow stronger and stronger. When Miriam returned, her fears would melt away when she saw how happy I was to see her, how nice our home was, how much stronger I had become. Perhaps I would work on evolving. She would love that!

My head was pounding and there was a strange tickle crawling over me, but I still used my power to flip over the soiled couch cushion. Out of sight, out of mind, I thought as the tickle grew worse and those invisible claws raked inside of me once more.

A high but masculine voice breaks into my mind. “Hatterene?” Joltik’s voice. He and Patches are looking at me with concern. “We kind of lost you there. Are you okay?”

Right. That was then. This is now. I am not Hatenna anymore.

Patches scratches her pointed pink ear with a sheepish grin. “Sorry. I guess that story was kind of boring, was it?”

I feel an odd prick of guilt over tuning out the entire story.

An exclamation of “ Phew! That was a work-out! ” comes from behind me.

Ah, yes. Ella.

“ Your hair is so thick, ” Ella comments. “ Way thicker than any hair I’ve ever seen. My arms are kind of tired now! ” she adds with a giggle.

Joltik and Patches run back there to see my new braid. I start to turn to look, but Ella tells me to hold still. There’s a faint click , and Ella rushes to me and practically collapses down to my level. Suddenly, she shoves her phone in my face.

“ Check it out! ” she chimes. “ What do you think? ”

That click must have been her taking a picture. The screen shows my long, long hair in a massive colorful braid on the floor. Patches is admiring it on one side. Joltik has his head buried in it on the other. I feel something crawling around in there; it must be him.

“Joltik,” Patches scolds, “get out of there!”

“I do not mind,” I say and realize that it’s true. The sensation is odd but harmless.

I turn back to Ella and see that only one of her hair tails is still up. Half of her dark brown curls are hanging off her head and pooling on the floor. She sees me looking, and her smile becomes embarrassed. “ I used one of my hair ties to hold your braid in place. Guess I better fix my own hair, huh? ”

She starts to reach for her other hair tie, and I hold my hand up to stop her. I will the other tie to pull itself off of my hair and hover in front of Ella. She takes it with a confused look, so I demonstrate my lack of need for such a thing. I use the braid to pull myself upward. Joltik leaps out with a panicked shriek and scurries behind Patches, who has moved in front of me to watch. Once I have risen to the full height of my hair, I nestle myself between the strands until only my face is visible.

Ella shoots to her feet. “Oh, I see. You can control your hair.” She ties her own hair back into those twin tails. “That’s so cool! You’re such a cool pokemon, Hatterene!”

A light blush creeps over my cheeks. When did I start smiling?

Patches nods in approval. “That’s a good look for you.”

Joltik peeks out from behind her and nods as well.

Ella gasps suddenly and claps her hands together. “ You know what would really make this new look pop? Some super cute accessories! ” Her voice is higher now. “ Let’s crack open that jewelry kit and get to work! ” She punctuates this by throwing her fist in the air and kicking one leg up.

Patches turns to me with a fond but tired smile. “What have you done?” she jests.

Ella snatches the kit off the floor and moves it to the empty spot where the coffee table was before I accidentally destroyed it. She sits cross-legged on the floor and opens the kit with a manic grin.

“She’s very excitable,” Joltik comments.

“You’ll get used to it,” Patches says.

Joltik must be fairly new to their team. This surprises me, as the females treat him as if they have known each other all of their lives.

The two join their trainer, who beckons me with an exaggerated wave of her arm. “ I haven’t done this in years, ” she says when I sit down. My braid is still in place, lying on the floor behind me. “ But, I’m sure it’s like riding a bike. ”

I have no idea what a bike is. The look Joltik sends me says that he doesn’t know either.

Ella explains while she demonstrates what to do. Apparently, all you need to do to make some neck decoration called a “necklace” is slide some beads on to a very thin string of plastic. Then you tie the ends together. Sounds simple enough.

I examine the contents of the white box. There are individual spaces that Ella has already poured the bagged beads into. The beads come in eight different colors and offer so many possibilities.

I look from the beads to the plastic string I cut for myself to the beads again. The beads are incredibly small to a human like Ella, but for one such as me, they are a fair size. I do not want the necklace to be too heavy.

“ There’s no wrong way to do it, ” Ella assures when she sees my paralysis. “ Just pick whatever feels right. ”

That is not as helpful as she thinks. I look to the other pokemon for inspiration. Since Joltik doesn’t have fingers, the two have worked out a system where Joltik grabs a bead with his mandibles and Patches puts it on a long string. The colors and shapes on theirs are seemingly random. I check with Ella, but hers is the same way. I am surprised, however, to see that her string is about the length of mine. How will it fit around her neck? Patches and Joltik have a string that would fit Ella much better.

“Ella,” I say.

She looks up from her work. I stretch my string to its full length, point to hers, then touch my neck.

It takes a moment, but she catches my meaning. “ I don’t wanna use up the whole kit, so I’m making a bracelet. ”

That tells me nothing.

Patches sees my and Joltik’s confusion. “A bracelet is like a necklace,” she explains, “but it goes around your wrist.”

Ah.

Joltik gives Patches a green bead. “Humans are so strange. I’ve only been with Ella for a couple of days, and I already feel like my head is spinning!”

“It’s a lot, I know,” Patches says. “Humans have so many things and customs that we don’t. It can be overwhelming at first.” She slides the bead on to the string, which is halfway full. “I remember the first time I went into Ella’s house. It was huge, and there was so much stuff I’d never seen before.”

“When I first came here with Miriam, my trainer,” I say, “all I wanted to do was explore.”

“Right?” Patches squeaks. “At the time, I wanted to look around, but I was so afraid to touch anything!” Her grin softens when her eyes land on Ella, who is focused on her bracelet. “Ella was just learning to crawl back then.” At my and Joltik’s new bout of confusion, Patches says, “Humans can’t walk right away when they’re born. It takes a long time for them to figure it out, and they start by crawling. Boy, Ella sure did love to crawl! I just followed her around because that seemed like the safest option. Before I knew it, she was following me around! Then one day, I was sitting on the couch, where Ella couldn’t reach me by crawling. She actually took her first steps just to get to me! I couldn’t believe it!” When we say nothing, Patches ducks her head and throws her tail over her face. “Sorry. I guess I got carried away.”

“I thought your story was sweet,” Joltik coos.

I agree. “You and Ella are very close.”

An embarrassed smile peeks out from behind Patches’s tail. “You could say we’re more like sisters than pokemon and trainer.”

Joltik gazes at Ella. “I wonder if I’ll be that close with her some day.”

Patches moves her tail the rest of the way. “Are you kidding? Ella already loves you!”

Something burns within me.

“ All done! ” Ella claims. She holds out her wrist to show off the multi-colored loop around it. “ What do you think? I cut the string too small, but it stretches so I made it work. ”

“It’s so pretty!” Patches exclaims at the same time Joltik says, “I love the colors!”

I simply smile in agreement. Truthfully, I cannot recall the last time I was this relaxed.

Ella frowns when she sees my empty string. “ Hatterene, you haven’t started yet. ”

I hold the string closer to me in shame. I have failed my task. When this happened with Miriam, she would hit me or leave me without food for the night. I am not Ella’s pokemon, so I wonder how-

“ Here. I’ll help you get started. ”

Oh?

Ella gestures toward the open kit. “ Which color do you like best? ”

Have I not failed? I suppose no one said anything about a time limit, but I thought we had to do this ourselves. Joltik is physically incapable of completing this task on his own, so it makes sense for him to have help. Why me?

Ella is waiting, so I point to the color closest to me. “ Purple? Okay. ” She grabs one of the beads between her fingers and holds it in front of me. “ I think that’ll be a great color on you. ”

I take the bead and slide it on to my string. I pinch both ends together so the bead doesn’t fall off.

“Maybe you could use all purple,” Patches suggests. “Or, make a pattern.”

Joltik hands over an orange bead to Patches. “Or, you could do what I’m doing and grab whatever!” he chitters happily.

Patches adds the bead then holds up the two ends of their creation. “I think that’s enough. We don’t want to fill it up too much. What do you think, Joltik?”

Joltik hums as he scans the randomized color pattern. “I don’t know anything about this, so I’m just gonna follow your lead.”

“Then, I guess we’re done,” Patches announces. With deft paws, she ties the two ends into a little knot. “Perfect.”

“It looks great!” Joltik chitters, merrily stomping his front feet on the floor.

He holds one side of the necklace, and Patches holds the other as the duo walks up to their trainer. They call Ella’s attention and raise their creation proudly over their heads.

“ Nice job, you two! ” Ella praises. The duo move closer and raise the necklace higher. Ella’s face slackens in surprise, and she points to her chest. “ Is that for me? ” Patches and Joltik nod proudly, and Ella happily accepts her gift. “ I was wondering why you guys took such a long piece. You’re so sweet! ” She slips the necklace over her head then raises the wrist with the bracelet. “ Now I have a matching set! ”

There’s that burning again. Am I… Am I jealous ? The very thought is absurd and yet…

I shake it off and focus on my task, as I am the only one who has yet to complete it. Based on Ella’s “matching set,” my necklace should have more than one bead.

Yet, looking at that singular purple bead, I wonder if it needs more. I rather like the simplicity. A rainbow of color suits someone as bubbly and energetic as Ella, but this creation is meant to be for me, right? Ella did say that there was no wrong way to do it and that I should do what feels right.

I decide that one bead is enough and tie the ends together before kicking up my legs to slip the necklace over my body and rest it around my neck. The bead is a comfortable weight on my chest.

“That works,” Patches squeaks.

But, it is Ella to whom I turn. “ I guess you are pretty small, ” she says humoredly. “ More than one would be too much. ”

Her response is a relief. I completed the task and did a good job with it as well.

“I still don’t get it,” Joltik adds. “But, this is fun!”

It is fun, isn’t it? What shall we do next? We could draw on the paper or fold the pipe cleaners into different shapes or-

Joltik’s eyes lock on the broken window. “Oh! The sun’s going down.”

I and Patches look, and Ella follows our gazes. Sure enough, the sky is turning a pinkish-orange, and the lighting in here is dimming.

Ella makes a surprised noise. “ I guess we’ve been here a while. We better head out before it gets dark. ”

Her words are a punch to the stomach that I hadn’t expected. I don’t want them to go. I want them to stay here. Bad things happened when I let Pikachu spend the night, but surely one incident cannot define them all!

Ella stands up. I rise up on my braided hair. Patches and Joltik climb up their trainer and hang on to either of her shoulders.

“ We had a lot of fun, Hatterene, ” Ella says. “ I hope you did too. ”

Even if she could understand me, I would not trust myself to speak. I merely nod and touch the bead on my chest. A symbol of our time together.

Why is saying goodbye so hard? Miriam is the only human I have ever cared about.

Until now , a traitorous thought says.

“Hatterene,” Patches says. “I’m sorry I was cross with you. I just don’t like seeing Ella get hurt.”

“I understand,” I assure.

Joltik waves his little leg. “Bye bye, Hatterene!”

This is it, then. They are all leaving. What is this ache in my chest?

Ella has a pained look as she wraps me - well, my hair - in a hug. “ Take care of yourself, Hatterene. ”

I cannot make them stay. I know this. They have no reason to stay with me.

I could go with them.

Where did that come from? I cannot think such a thing! Miriam could be back any day!

She’s been gone for too long.

Ella pulls away, and the sad smile on her face has me battling a wave of grief. “ Um…goodbye, then. ”

Goodbye. I hate that word.

Miriam never said it.

I watch Ella walk around me and toward the door. My necklace is clenched tightly in my fists.

Ella stops with her hand on the doorknob. Suddenly she turns halfway around and her words are rushed, nervous. “We could come back tomorrow!” She doesn’t notice the curious looks from her pokemon. “We’re staying at the Pokemon Center in Saffron City. That’s not far from here. Maybe we could come back in the morning? Would that be okay?”

I should say no. I should ignore the lightness in my chest at the thought of another visit.

“Yes,” I say with the biggest grin I can muster.

Ella practically melts with relief. “ Great! ” she chirps. “ We’ll see you in the morning. ”

Her pokemon are still watching her as she carries them out the door.

The gravity of what I’ve just done hits me the moment the door closes. Three creatures I’ve known for less than a day. One a human on top of it.

A human who is not Miriam.

I had more fun with Ella than I ever did with Miriam.

No, this is fine. There is no harm in making friends. It is only proof that I am doing well on my own. Miriam will be pleased when she returns.

She would have returned by now.

Miriam will be back.

She won’t.

She will!

She won’t.

I bury my face in my hair and scream.

Ella

I’ve been quiet since we left Hatterene’s house, and Patches and Joltik are worried. I don’t know how to explain what I’m feeling. We all had a great time with Hatterene, so I should be in high spirits. Yet as I change into my nightgown in our room at the Pokemon Center, all I can think of is the fact that Hatterene is alone in that house once more.

I didn’t want to leave Hatterene, and I could see that she didn’t want to be left. Maybe that’s why I promised to visit in the morning.

I remove the bracelet I made and the necklace Joltik and Patches made and just hold them for a moment. Then I sigh and set them on the nightstand.

“ Johl? ” Joltik says. He and Patches are standing on the bed and looking up at me in question.

They’ve worried enough; I should give them some answers. “Sorry, guys,” I say. I plop down beside them. “I can’t stop thinking about Hatterene. She’s been alone for so long. Did she say what happened to her trainer?” My partners shake their heads. “I want to do more for her, but I don’t know what. And…” I hesitate, trying to find the words. “I…I have this feeling. I’ve had it since we left Hatterene. It’s like…like I left something important behind.”

Patches and Joltik exchanged concerned looks. I don’t think they could provide answers even if they could speak.

I check the clock on the nightstand. It’s 10:03. I wonder if Ash is still up. My backpack is resting by the bed, so I reach in to grab my phone and take a chance. I hope he’s both awake and doesn’t mind that I keep bugging him about this.

He picks up after a few rings. “ Hey, Ella. ”

“Hi, Ash,” I greet. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”

To my relief, he replies with, “ Nah. What’s up? ”

Now that I’m talking about it, my nerves are simmering. “Um, remember that pokemon I told you about?”

“ Oh, yeah. How’d that go? ”

“It was great! We had a rocky start.” I can’t help a grin at my word choice. “But, then we had so much fun! Hatterene is a little intimidating, but she’s really sweet.”

“ Hatterene, huh? I’ve never heard of that pokemon. ”

“Me neither until today.”

“ Hang on. I got my pokedex here. You mind? ”

I realize that I didn’t bother to do any research, so I say, “Not at all. I wanna hear what it has to say.”

“ Okay. I’m gonna hold it up to the phone. ”

There’s a pause before a digitized voice fills the speaker. ‘ Hatterene: the silent pokemon. A psychic- and fairy-type. Hatterene is extremely territorial and uses its psychic powers and the claws on the end of its tentacle to viciously attack intruders. This behavior has earned it the nickname, ‘the forest witch.’ ’

That explains why she threw a rock at me when I got too close. But, she seemed so docile once she let us all inside.

“ I’m guessing you didn’t call just to ask about Hatterene, ” Ash says.

“I did, but I didn’t,” I say. I tell him about that weird…empty-but-not-quite feeling I’ve had since I left Hatterene’s house. “Does that make any sense?”

Ash is silent for a moment. “ Believe it or not, it does. There are times when you’ll come across a pokemon who - I don’t know - feels right. Like, you just know that you’re meant to be friends. ”

Meant to be friends… “What are you saying? That I should…catch Hatterene?”

“ Not necessarily. But, speaking from experience, if you feel like that, Hatterene does too. The connection between humans and pokemon… It’s really something, you know? ”

I look down at my partners, who are watching with interest and may or may not be able to hear Ash on the other end. “Alright. Thanks, Ash. Sorry I keep bothering you about this.”

“ No way! I’m happy to help! Ah! ”

The exclamation startles me. “What’s wrong?”

Ash sounds like he’s holding back laughter. “ I think Gardevoir’s ready for bed. He just whacked me with my own pillow! I better go before he hits me with something harder. ”

The mental image sets a grin on my face. “You would definitely sleep then!”

“ Ha ha! Good night, Ella. And, good luck with Hatterene. ”

“Thanks. Good night.”

We hang up, and I toss my phone back in my backpack. Then I take off my glasses and place them beside my bracelet and necklace on the nightstand. I get under the covers, but I don’t fall asleep. My mind is full of Ash’s wise words and Hatterene’s content smile.

I hear little sounds and lift my head to better see the blurry white and pink shape and equally blurry yellow shape at the foot of the bed. After the initial incident, Patches and Joltik were getting along well with Hatterene. I think that’s a good sign.

“When we see Hatterene tomorrow,” I tell them, “I’m gonna ask if I can catch her.”

Hatterene

I barely slept. That is nothing new for me, but this time it was not the usual assortment of muddled thoughts keeping me awake. I am eager to see Ella again. And Patches and Joltik, but mostly Ella. There is…a quality to the hyper but gentle human. I cannot place what it is, but I find it…alluring, for lack of a better word.

I did manage to fall asleep, curled in my hair as always, but I instinctively returned my hair to its signature human-like shape and long claw-tipped tentacle upon rising. I only just now notice, and there is no time to return my hair to the braid that Ella made for me. There is a human approaching in the distance. Part of me is worried that Ella will be angry with me for destroying her hard work, but I sense that she will not mind.

I am still wearing the purple bead around my neck and touch it as Ella gets closer.

Wait, that’s not Ella. It’s…

It…it cannot be…

Pale beige skin. Light blond hair currently in a high tail. Stick-thin figure. Yes. Yes! She is as I remember! The closer she gets, the better I can picture those icy blue eyes and the dimple that only appears when she smiles in exactly the right way.

It’s been so long. I knew she would return one day!

“Miriam!”

Tears of joy spill down my cheeks as I sprint toward my beloved trainer-

Miriam whips off the gun at her belt and aims it at me. I stop in cold horror. Miriam stands with one foot back. Both slender hands are holding the gun. Her eyes are daring me to come closer.

I don’t understand! It has been some time, yes, but surely she recognizes me-

I swallow a laugh at my own stupidity. Of course she doesn’t recognize me! I was a Hatenna when she left!

“Miriam!” I nearly shout, pressing my hands to my chest. I know she can’t understand me, but I have to try! “Miriam, it’s me!”

Miriam is still for a long time before her intense expression begins to slacken. “ A Hatterene… That’s… ” She lowers her gun; she recognizes me! “ You can’t possibly be that Hatenna. ”

“Yes! Yes!” I am vibrating with joy, smacking my hands to my chest. “Yes, it’s me! It’s me, Miriam!”

Miriam looks me up and down. A disbelieving smile forms on her face. “ I’ll be damned. ” She puts the gun back in its holster. “ Hold still. Let me get a look at you. ”

I do as I’m told. Miriam slowly circles me, taking in my new form. I find myself longing for the form I was in when she left, as Hatenna are capable of sensing the emotions of others. I could not control it, so it could be quite the hindrance at times, but that ability would give me a better idea of what Miriam is thinking. My trainer has an exceptional “poker face,” as her kind call it.

Miriam goes around me a few times. Her hand is on her chin, and she is…not pleased exactly. Intrigued, most certainly. Pensive, perhaps. As though I am one of her experiments, and she cannot figure out how to proceed.

My stomach churns. My mouth dries. Was it a mistake to let myself evolve? Did she only want me as Hatenna? Arceus, I hope not! Evolution is permanent. How could she accept a Hatterene if she only desires Hatenna?

“ Unexpected, ” Miriam mutters, coming to a stop in front of me and putting her hands on her hips. Her brow is low, but her lips pull upward. “ But, I can work with this. ”

I nearly collapse in relief.

I hear footsteps and a familiar human voice calling my name. That lightness I felt yesterday reappears when I turn around and see Ella running up to me with Patches on her shoulder and Joltik on her head and her necklace and bracelet still on her neck and wrist respectively.

Ella pauses in her stride when she sees Miriam then walks the rest of the way. She approaches with a warm smile. “ Hello, ” Ella greets Miriam. “ Are you a friend of Hatterene’s? ”

“ You could call me that, ” Miriam replies. She holds out a hand for Ella to shake, and Ella does so. “ I’m Miriam, Hatterene’s trainer. ”

Ella jerks her hand back. “ Trainer? But-but, I was told that Hatterene’s trainer disappeared years ago. ”

Miriam hesitates then laughs off Ella’s comment. “ Oh, rumors are so silly! I’ve only been gone about a week. ”

A week ? It has been far longer than that!

“ A week? ” Ella repeats slowly. She is not a fool.

Nor are her pokemon. The two creatures exchange suspicious looks while their trainer is oblivious.

“ I was, ” Miriam says with mild hesitation, “ visiting my mother. She’s allergic to psychic-types, you see, so I couldn’t bring Hatterene with me. ”

That is not true either.

“ Uh-huh, ” Ella says. “ So, you left Hatterene in a rundown old building? ”

Miriam pauses before answering again. “ Oh, heavens, no. Hatterene likes to come out here to play with its little pokemon friends. ”

Why is Miriam lying?

Ella considers this with a thoughtful frown. Patches hisses at Miriam, and Ella places a calming hand on her pokemon’s cheek. “ Well, it’s nice to meet you. Though a little disappointing if I’m being honest. ” Ella turns her gaze to me as if gauging my reaction. “ Truth is, I was going to ask Hatterene if I could catch her. ”

A small gasp escapes me, and both hands fly to the bead around my neck. A life with Ella sounds wonderful. I barely know her, but I find myself wanting to know her as well as Patches, wanting to learn about her alongside Joltik.

“ Sorry to disappoint you, ” Miriam says, “ but that’s not going to happen. ”

I feel guilty for how sad that makes me. Miriam is my trainer. It wouldn’t be right to seek another.

“ Too bad… ” Ella sounds more leery than disappointed. She shakes it off and smiles in a way that doesn’t meet her eyes. “ Where are my manners? My name’s Ella. This is Patches. ” Patches does nothing but glare at Miriam. “ And, that’s Joltik on my head. ” Ever the shy one, Joltik lets out a little “Eep!” and buries his face in one of Ella’s hair tails.

“ A pleasure, ” Miriam says. “ But, I’m afraid we must be going. We have business in Saffron City, and we need to get back to it. ”

Ella perks up at that. She claps her hands together. “ What a coincidence! We’re actually heading that way as well. Maybe we could all go together. ”

“Yeah, totally!” Patches agrees, matching Ella’s not-quite enthusiasm. Joltik is still hiding his face.

I love that idea! It would mean spending more time with Ella and the others!

Miriam’s smile is even more strained, but she says cheerfully. “ Sounds like fun. Just give me a few minutes. ” She hikes up her dark green backpack for emphasis. “ I left some supplies here for safe keeping. I'd like to retrieve them before heading out. ”

That much is true. Miriam left a lot of human things behind in her haste to escape the bad people.

Ella bites her lip but agrees to this. As Miriam and I enter our home, Ella adds, “ Um, I gave Hatterene some crafting supplies. Don’t forget to grab those. ”

As if could ever-

“ We can come back for it, ” Miriam says quickly, not stopping to so much as spare Ella a glance. I wonder if she even heard the younger human.

Something makes me hesitate. I look over at my new friends, who gaze at me with equal levels of trepidation.

Ella leans in and whispers, “ Miriam’s lying, isn’t she? ”

I check that Miriam is not looking before nodding.

“ I don’t know what’s going on, but you don’t have to do what she says. ”

“Ella’s right,” Patches squeaks quietly. “I’m getting a bad vibe from Miriam. Maybe you should just come with us.” Joltik makes an agreeing sound.

Miriam calls to me. I ignore the traitorous part of me that says to flee with Ella and her pokemon. I enter my home and reluctantly close the door.

“ Sounds like you’ve been busy, ” Miriam says. She jerks her thumb toward the hole in the wall that used to separate the living room from the kitchen. “ Looks like it, too. ”

Shameful heat creeps into my cheeks.

Miriam steps forward until she is directly in front of me. She used to seem so large. Now that I have evolved fully, I am far taller than her when using my hair to stand. “ Do you remember how it works between us? ” My confirming nod pleases her. “ Excellent. Then we should have no trouble. And, kudos on surviving, ” she adds as an afterthought.

She is praising me for tending to my injuries, yet the way she said that makes my insides curdle.

She digs into her backpack and pulls out a pokeball that isn’t mine. “ I knew this thing would come in handy one day. ” She brings the pokeball to its full size then sees me eyeing it and sheepishly explains. “ Sorry. There was a problem with your pokeball, so I’m going to have to re-catch you. ”

All I can think is that Ella would have had no issues with catching me. Another traitorous thought I have to berate myself for.

I am Miriam’s partner, her loyal companion. Even if she lied to my friends, there is surely a good reason. I trust Miriam. I always have.

Always.

Making friends does not change that.

I allow myself to be caught and try my best to quiet the little voice telling me that this is wrong, wrong, wrong .

Chapter 29: Friends in Strange Places

Notes:

We have reached the final chapter that's already complete. It takes me a few months to write a chapter - my inspiration is currently locked on to my "Danny Phantom" series, I'm afraid - so please be patient. We still have a ways to go yet for this story. I'm about halfway done with the next chapter, if it's any consolation.😉

"And, they are your friends. No matter how much they scream they're not." - Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach

Ash

My phone's been blowing up all morning, since the moment that story was brought up on the news.

Last night, the power went out at the Saffron City Pokemon Center. Fate must truly be a cruel mistress, as a Meowth had needed emergency surgery at exactly the wrong time. Fate took things a step too far when the electrician was delayed by a Snorlax falling asleep on the road and putting traffic at a stand still.

Luckily, that Meowth survived because of one factor that fate didn't expect: a selfless and powerful Pikachu who very nearly gave up his life by draining his own electricity to keep the power going as long as possible. That Pikachu survived because any pokemon who was present and healthy had shot enough electric-type attacks at him to revive him.

I can think of only one Pikachu who would go that far for a stranger.

My buddy is a hero. I want to hold him and cover him in kisses and tell him how proud I am and how much I love him.

I also want to kill him, but I'm pretty sure that's the fear talking.

Unfortunately, when I arrive at the Saffron City Pokemon Center to ask Nurse Joy about this heroic Pikachu, my excitement morphs into disappointment. Pikachu and his friends, presumably the same group that Ella told me about, had left some time last night. The worst of Pikachu's condition had been treated. Since they were all "wild pokemon" - I inwardly cringed at that - it wasn't as if anyone could force them to stay.

Nurse Joy meets my frustration with a tired, "You're not the first person to ask about that Pikachu, and I'm sure you won't be the last."

I get the sense that she's been having this exact conversation a lot today.

I want to scream over how close I was to seeing my buddy again, but there's nothing to be done. Gardevoir could use a check-up anyway - considering my close involvement with Poke-X, I've been having him checked out more often than I normally would - so I hand over his pokeball.

With a heavy heart, I step outside for some air. There has to be someone around here who's seen something, who has even a general idea of where Pikachu might have gone. Even a simple point in a random direction would be better than nothing!

" Mush! "

The exclamation, coming from a pokemon, captures my attention.

" Mush, my pet! "

The response is less enthusiastic and comes from a pokemon with a slightly deeper voice. " Why did I offer to carry you? "

There is a group of four standing a few feet away from me: two humans and two pokemon. One of the humans is a man with glasses and light blue hair tied back at the nape of his neck. The other is a woman who also wears glasses, though hers have thick purple frames instead of her friend's thin brown ones, and has her magenta-colored hair pulled up in space buns. The pokemon are a Wobbuffet who seems to be regretting his life choices and a Meowth who is having way too much fun sitting on his friend's bulbous head.

A Meowth. Could it be…?

No one has noticed me yet. The trainers are giggling at their pokemon. "You brought this on yourself, Wobbuffet!" the woman says.

"Now you must face the consequences!" the man teases.

" I hate you guys, " Wobbuffet moans.

Meowth thwaps his tail against Wobbuffet's back. " Didn't you hear me? I said muuuhhh… "

His large eyes lock on me. His companions follow his gaze and jump ten feet.

"Sorry," I say. "Your pokemon are just really cute."

That soothes them a bit.

Now that I'm getting a better look at the group, there's something familiar about them. But, it will have to wait.

"Say, uh, this might be a coincidence, but," I turn to Meowth, who shrinks back a bit, "by any chance, are you the Meowth that Pikachu saved?"

The group all look at each other then suddenly gather into a huddle and talk in low tones. Near the end, the Wobbuffet gives his species' signature salute and lets out a hearty, " That's right! "

When the group separates, the man says to me, "Why don't we find a quiet place to talk?"

---

I tell them that I have a pokemon being looked at, so we all sit down at a picnic table by the battle field behind the Pokemon Center. We're the only ones back here. I sit across from the trainers, who identify themselves as Jacob and Jessamine. Meowth sits between us on the table, and Wobbuffet is content to stand beside Jacob.

Taking turns, the trainers explain that Pikachu showed up out of nowhere with some other pokemon, confirmed to be the same group Ella told me about. When Nurse Joy came out and asked if anyone had any electric-types she could borrow, Pikachu was the only one available. He had no reservations about being the only one powering the entire building, and he apparently refused to stop even after Meowth was out of surgery. (Meowth awkwardly cleans his whiskers at that.) What happened next, I already learned from the news.

"So, that's our story," Jessamine concludes, fidgeting with the collar of her blouse.

"And, we're sticking to it," Jacob adds.

Meowth nods, and Wobbuffet salutes again and belts out, " That's right! " I'm guessing he does that a lot.

I hum in acknowledgement. "Any idea where those pokemon went?"

Jessamine shrugs. "Your guess is as good as ours."

"As you can imagine," Jacob runs the back of his hand over Meowth's back, "our minds were on other things."

"I understand," I say. "Thing is…I'm pretty sure that's my Pikachu. It's a long story, but we got separated, and we have been for a while."

Trainers and pokemon get matching strange expressions. Sympathy or…maybe guilt? No, that can't be it. These guys didn't have anything to do with Pikachu's disappearance.

Wobbuffet cups his hands around his mouth and whispers to Meowth, " We have to give him Pikachu's message. "

Message? Pikachu left me a message? With the pokemon? How did he expect me to get it? The last time we saw each other, I couldn't understand any pokemon but him. And, Team Rocket's Meowth, but he doesn't count.

Did Zapdos tell Pikachu about my new ability? Did Pikachu assume I would get it on my birthday, and that's why he left a message with this Meowth and Wobbuffet?

Meowth frowns and inches closer to Wobbuffet. " How do you propose we do that? "

Before I can blurt out that I can understand everything they're saying, Jacob says, "Uh, well, we'll be sure to keep an eye out."

Jessamine grins in the same weird way as her friend. "Push comes to shove, we can always snare him in a net." Jacob elbows her and she glares at him. "Well, we could!"

I only half-hear them. My ears are trained on the pokemon.

" Just come out and say it, " Wobbuffet begs of the normal-type. " What does it matter now? "

Meowth narrows his eyes. " You got leaves for brains? Do you know what this twerp will do if he finds out we're Team Rocket? "

"You're who-what?!" I almost shout.

All eyes are me now. "Is something wrong?" Jacob- James asks me.

I look from one person or pokemon to the next and wonder how I could have been this stupid again . I mean, come on! A woman with magenta-colored hair. A man with bluish hair. A Meowth and a Wobbuffet. They didn't even change their voices! How do I keep doing this?

At least now I know why Pikachu left a message with them. Turns out they do have a means of passing it on.

"You're…you're Team Rocket," I stammer.

Panic shoots across their faces. Jessie masks hers with a grin and a dismissive wave of her hand. "Team Rocket? Who are they?"

James tries to match her expression, but it looks more like a grimace. "They sound like a bunch of rotten ne'er-do-wells."

"Yet, so handsome!" Meowth chimes then slaps his paw over his mouth when he hears the human words. Jessie motions to strangle him, but James holds her back.

" We are so screwed, " Wobbuffet says.

Jessie huffs and crosses her arms. "Fine. Prepare for trouble. Make it double. Blah blah blah. Now, how did you figure it out? I designed these disguises myself."

Meowth opens his mouth. Wobbuffet puts his hand over it.

"Um, so..." I rub the back of my neck. "This is kind of a recent thing, and you're gonna think I'm lying, but," I glance meaningfully at Meowth and Wobbuffet, "I can understand pokemon now."

Blank stares meet my admission. Then, Jessie bursts out laughing. "If you're implying that you have the faintest of what those two were whispering about a moment ago-"

"Jessie, I think he's serious," James says.

Jessie laces her fingers together and props her chin on top of them. "Alright, twerp," she says with a smug grin. "Prove it. Tell us what they were saying."

I gauge the pokemon's reactions. "Wobbuffet was saying how you need to pass on Pikachu's message." Their mouths fall open. "And, Meowth argued that you shouldn't give away that you're Team Rocket."

"What the hell?" Meowth exclaims. "The twerp is me in reverse!"

Jessie and James make incoherent noises and rapidly switch their wide-eyed gazes between Meowth and me.

James recovers first. "You can actually understand what pokemon are saying? How in the world did you manage that?"

I don't feel like going over everything Zapdos told me about it. "It just sort of happened," I say. It's not a lie. "So…Pikachu's message?"

"It's nothing earth-shattering," Jessie says once the shock wears off. "He just wants you to know that, despite everything, he's doing alright."

Meowth wags his finger with a playful grin. "And, don't you go getting a tattoo without him."

That spurs a giggle from me, which I suspect was Pikachu's intention. "As if I would!"

Even if Pikachu isn't here anymore, that message is a comfort in how recent it was. It would have been sent out yesterday at the latest, which implies that Pikachu most likely is still okay and might even still be in the area.

"Thanks for telling me," I say. "It's a real load off my mind."

James smiles. "Pikachu's done a lot for us lately. Passing on that message was the very least we could do in return."

"Hell, if it weren't for Pikachu," Meowth flicks his tail toward James, "this guy would be the only one of us left."

Confused now, I glance at Jessie and Wobbuffet, the former of whom mutters, "You had to bring that up didn't you?"

"It's true, ain't it?" Meowth retorts.

"Back up," I say. "How would Jessie and Wobbuffet not be here?"

" We ran into some trouble on the way here, " Wobbuffet says somberly.

Jessie sighs. "I'll give you the short version. I couldn't sleep, and Wobbuffet doesn't need much sleep anyway, so he and I went after this strong pokemon that lived near where we made camp."

Of course you did, I stop myself from snarking.

"Pikachu was there too, heaven knows why. The pokemon attacked us, and…" Jessie trails off for a moment. "And, Meowth is right. That nut job would have killed me and Wobbuffet if Pikachu hadn't knocked it out."

" Jessie's too proud to say it, " Wobbuffet says, " but we owe Pikachu our lives. "

Meowth nods and wraps his tail around his front paws. "I second that. Or, would it be third? Either way, I still can't wrap my head around it. Not like we ever gave Pikachu a reason to be nice to us."

A sad smile pulls at my lips. "He doesn't need a reason. He's Pikachu! Come on! You guys should know that by now." Something occurs to me, and I ask, "Say, if you guys wanted to repay him, why just pass on a message? Why didn't you take him home? You know where we live."

They respond with dead silence and vacant stares.

"You do know where we live, right?"

Still nothing.

You know those moments in anime when something so stupid happens that the characters can only react by falling over? That's how I feel right now. "Are you telling me that you've been following us around all these years, and you don't know where we live ? I'm not complaining, but isn't that kind of ridiculous?"

Jessie braces her hands on the table and bears her teeth. "First of all, you are not the only person we've ever targeted, twerp! Don't flatter yourself!"

"And, second," James says more calmly, "we don't follow you. We just sort of end up on similar paths."

"We're not really sure how it happens," Meowth says.

Wobbuffet shrugs. " It's kind of freaky. "

I scoff. "Look, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not always the sharpest. But, even I'm not dumb enough to believe that we just so happen to be in the same place at the same time all the time ."

James waves his hands pleadingly. "That's the whole truth and nothing but the truth! I swear it on my nana's grave!"

Jessie balls her fists. "If Pikachu is so familiar with us, why didn't he ask us to take him to…wherever it is twerps frolic? Hm ?"

Why didn't he? The question pings off of my heart.

I fling Jessie's own anger back at her so these guys can't see how rattled I am. "Gee, I don't know. Maybe it's because every time he spends more than five seconds alone with you people, he ends up in a cage! Maybe it's because the last time you guys took him anywhere, we ended up in this fucking mess!"

They all flinch when I slam my fist into the table. Yeah, let them feel bad.

They don't feel half as bad as I do.

Silence falls. Then, I sigh and prop my head in my hand. "Pallet Town." Team Rocket makes curious noises. "I'm from Pallet Town. If you run into Pikachu again before I do, bring him there. Or, Pewter City or Cerulean City. Our friends Brock and Misty live there respectively. Or, Lavender Town. My aunt Vivian lives there, and I've been there helping with her research. Wherever's closest, but Pallet Town would be best."

"Noted," James says.

Jessie folds her arms on the table. "I hate to admit it, but we really owe Pikachu. The guy risked his life for us twice. Even lost a body part in the process!"

My heart stops. I lift my head but am unable to speak.

All four Team Rocket members grimace and go pale then paste on anxious grins. "Oh, that's right!" Jessie chirps. "You don't know about that, do you?"

"It seems there's been a bit of an accident," James adds uselessly.

"Your buddy looks a little different nowadays," Meowth says.

" But, not too different, " Wobbuffet says, " if it's any consolation. "

Pikachu lost a body part. How? Which part? Did it happen fast enough that he didn't feel it? Or, did he suffer in the process?

This is my fault. If I wasn't so stupid all the time, my buddy would never have disappeared, and he would still be in one piece.

"How?" I breathe. When no one answers, I say it louder. " How ?"

Jessie cracks first. She sighs through her nose and adjusts the glasses I'm pretty sure she doesn't need. "It was that pokemon I mentioned. Pikachu pushed me and Wobbuffet out of the way of an attack but took a hit in the process."

And, if I know Pikachu, he didn't worry about himself until everyone else was safe. Goddamn martyr. I'm the same way, and he rightfully calls me a hypocrite any time I point that out about him. Pokemon will often emulate their trainers. I'm terrified that he gets it from me.

I can't look at anything but the picnic table. "What part?" I ask. Was it an arm? A foot? Please don't let it be his tail! He loves his tail!

Meowth points to his ear. "A piece of his ear's missing. Most of it, actually. Good news is that it doesn't seem to have affected his hearing."

"It certainly could have been worse," James says with a strained smile.

It could have, yes, but it still happened. The mental image of Pikachu with only one ear threatens to unravel me.

There's an announcement over the intercom, calling for me because my pokemon is ready for pick-up. I stand up on weak legs. "Thanks for the heads-up," I say to Team Rocket. "That would have really freaked me out when we met up again."

Though, I can't say what I'll do when I see it for myself.

I am numb as I lift my backpack off the ground, throw it over my shoulders, and walk through the back door. Gardevoir hasn't said anything about sensing my emotions lately. I wonder if he still has that ability switched off, for lack of a better term. For his sake, I hope he does.

I spend the walk down the blissfully empty hallway composing myself. I've never been good at hiding my emotions, and the last thing I need is anyone asking what's wrong. Gardevoir, I know I have to tell, but everyone else in the Pokemon Center is a stranger.

My smile must look more real than it feels, because Nurse Joy suspects nothing when she holds out the little tray with a pokeball on it. "Sorry about the wait. Gardevoir took up a little more time than we expected."

My smile fails, and my hand hovers over the pokeball. "Is everything okay?"

Nurse Joy is living up to her name, which settles my nerves. "No worries. Your Gardevoir is in perfect health! But, he and one of our pokemon had gotten to talking, and," she winks, "let's just say he might have a little surprise for you."

Interesting. "Alright." I take the pokeball. "Uh, thank you, ma'am."

I tip my hat, and Nurse Joy and I say our goodbyes. Once I'm out the door and standing on the sidewalk, I let Gardevoir out and strap his pokeball to my belt. He appears in a flash of white light and daintily smoothes the protrusions hanging around his legs.

"I hear you have a surprise for me," I say.

Gardevoir gives me a smug side-eye. " Guilty as charged. There's something I've been working on for a while, but I can't show you right now. "

"Ah, come on! At least give me a hint!"

" I'll think about it…after you tell me what's on your mind. "

Of course. I finger the straps of my backpack and don't meet his eyes. "Were you feeling what I was feeling?"

Gardevoir responds with a sympathetic smile. " I'm a pokemon, Ash. I don't need to be a Gardevoir specifically to know when something's up with my trainer. "

That's true. Pokemon are extremely intuitive.

Another trainer walks out the door, and I whisper to Gardevoir, " Let's go somewhere private. "

A loud psst draws our attention. Wobbuffet is standing at the side of the Pokemon Center and waving me over.

I briefly think it over and say to Gardevoir, "Sorry. Give me a sec," before returning him to his pokeball and walking up to Wobbuffet and dropping to one knee. "What's up?"

" I won't keep you, " Wobbuffet says. " But, there's some stuff about Hatterene that the guys aren't privy to. "

"Hatterene?" The name sparks something in my brain.

" That's what Pikachu called her. The pokemon we mentioned. "

Then it hits me. Hatterene is the name of the pokemon Ella was talking about, the one she befriended and wanted to catch. It couldn't be the same one, could it?

Wobbuffet is oblivious to the torrent inside of me. " I don't know why Pikachu was there in the first place, but it sounded like they were friendly until Jessie and I got there. "

"You think so?" Because friends don't…cause serious damage to friends. Then again, Jessie said that the damage happened while Pikachu was defending them, so…friendly fire?

" Definitely. When Pikachu defended us, it sounded like Hatterene took it as him being on our side. Guess she saw it as a betrayal. "

I suppose that would make sense to a newcomer. My stomach sinks deeper. "I can only imagine how well Pikachu took that."

Wobbuffet rubs the back of his head. " He was pretty upset, to say the least. But, there's something else… "

He tells me about a condition called psychosis. Apparently, when psychic-types use their inherent telekinetic powers too often, it takes a toll on the pokemon's mind. So much so that the pokemon goes completely mad.

" I'm not trying to justify anything, " Wobbuffet concludes. " I just think you should have the whole picture. "

My head is spinning more than ever.

Pikachu befriending a dangerous pokemon is nothing new. But, it's never ended badly before. And, it especially never ended with permanent injuries.

And, what about Ella? On the phone, she sounded like she really cared about the Hatterene she'd stumbled across. What are the odds that it's the same one that hurt Pikachu? Pretty good, if I'm being honest. I checked last night, and Hatterene - and by extension, its evolution line - isn't something you find in this region. But, Ella made it sound like her and her pokemon's visit with Hatterene went great.

There's a story here. I wish I knew what part I was missing.

---

" Ssshhhiiiiiiitttt, " is Gardevoir's drawn out response after I fill him in.

"My thoughts exactly," I reply.

After parting ways with Wobbuffet, I had taken a walk to clear my head. This led to me plopping down on a park bench near a fountain. The only people nearby are some kids playing on the playground with their parents close by, but that's far enough away that I can talk to Gardevoir in low tones without looking insane.

Having two-way conversations with my pokemon in public is taking some getting used to. I did it on the subway on the way here and got some weird looks.

" Do you think it's the same Hatterene? " Gardevoir asks.

"I wanna say no, but it sounds too coincidental. It would be one thing if Hatterene was a normal pokemon to see in Kanto. Even a rare one. But…" I sigh and lean back. "My brain is fried." A low gurgle and a familiar sensation resonates from inside me. "And, my stomach's empty."

Gardevoir shrugs. " I could eat. Worked up quite an appetite in the Pokemon Center. "

I give him a side-eye. "When are you gonna tell me what your little surprise is, anyway?"

Gardevoir hems and haws before raising his chin proudly. " I hope you weren't too attached to Psybeam, because I won't be using that anymore. "

The words flow through my head until a real smile forms on my lips. "You have a new move?"

Gardevoir happily kicks his legs to and fro under the bench. " I've been working with that Slowpoke from the wrestling group. It took some doing, but I can officially say that I can use… "

I wait. And, wait. Until I can't stand that stupid grin. "Stop doing that!"

Gardevoir laughs. " Heal Pulse. I can use Heal Pulse now. "

"Whoa! For real? That's awesome!"

Heal Pulse allows the user to heal another pokemon's injuries. It's one of those attacks - if you can call it that - that is more for use in the field than in battle. Unless it's a multi-battle.

"What made you wanna learn that?" I ask.

Gardevoir folds his hands in his lap and looks down at them in a bout of shyness. " Well, seeing all those sick pokemon… I-I know I can't get too close without risking infection, but I still wanted to help. "

My heart warms. "Gardevoir, that's so sweet."

His blush is very visible over his white face. " I just don't like seeing folks get hurt, you know? Unless it's a battle, but that's different. " He frowns. " And, Poke-X is…just plain scary. "

And, Pikachu is still in the thick of it. Charizard, too. Team Rocket didn't say anything about him. 'Course, I didn't ask. Maybe I should have.

Two figures walking down the street in our direction catch my eye. One is a thin woman with pale blond hair in a high ponytail. I don't know her, but I do know Ella, who is speaking intently to her. Patches is riding on Ella's shoulder as usual. There's a yellow thing on Ella's head that has to be the Joltik she caught at the power plant.

Ella sees me and stops to wave. "Hi, Ash! Hi, Gardevoir!"

I spring off the bench and cross the street with Gardevoir right behind me.

"Hey, you three!" I greet Ella and her pokemon. "Great to see you again!"

"Your name is Ash?" says the older woman. "You wouldn't happen to be Ash Ketchum, would you?"

I scan the woman up and down, but nothing comes to me. "Do I know you?"

She smiles and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You're about to. I'm Miriam Waybright. I believe your aunt mentioned me."

"Oh, you're Miriam!" We shake hands. "It's great to finally meet you. This is my buddy, Gardevoir." Gardevoir curtsies at the introduction. "I assume Aunt V mentioned him?"

Miriam gives Gardevoir a once over. "No, she didn't."

Ella and her partners have been watching the exchange with matching odd, guarded expressions. Now, Ella nudges Miriam and says, "You have a psychic/fairy-type as well, don't you?"

She said that kind of weirdly, but it does remind me that Aunt V mentioned that Miriam used to have a partner pokemon. Hatenna, I think. Aunt V said that they weren't partners anymore, though. Miriam must have caught a pokemon on the way here.

"Really?" I say. "Can I meet it? You wanna meet it too, right, Gardevoir?"

Gardevoir pumps a fist. " Hell, yeah! "

There's a flash of something on Miriam's face, but it's gone so quickly that I wonder if I imagined it. "Of course!" She snaps her fingers. "Hatterene. Out."

Hatterene?

In a burst of light, a pokemon leaps out of its pokeball and lands beside Ella. The pokemon is taller than me, though, her face is just below eye level with mine. She sports a blue to pink to white ombre going from top to bottom. A long tentacle hangs from the top of her head and ends in a large, three-fingered hand. No arms or legs that I can see, though closer inspection suggests a small body hidden beneath a shell of what appears to be hair. A tiny purple bead hangs around her neck. Slanted black eyes gaze at me with interest.

This is a Hatterene. The species of pokemon Ella was trying to befriend. The species of pokemon that attacked Jessie and Wobbuffet and…injured Pikachu.

There's no way…

Oblivious, Miriam happily introduces her pokemon, who realizes where she landed and leaps to her trainer's side. "This is Hatterene. Hatterene, this is Ash, Vivian's nephew."

Hatterene makes a surprised noise when she hears my name and stares at me so hard, I worry she'll shoot lasers from her eyes. Miriam must have told her about me, but this is quite a reaction. That's one intense pokemon!

Wait a second. "Hatterene? Isn't that the final evolved form of Hatenna? Aunt V said you didn't have Hatenna anymore."

Miriam frowns then that friendly smile returns. "Did she? Seems there's been a misunderstanding. I only left Hatterene at home for a while to visit my mother. She's allergic to fairy-types, you see."

Ah, that makes sense.

Ella says just loud enough, "You told me she was allergic to psychic-types."

Miriam almost flinches then brings a hand to her cheek. "Did I say fairy? I meant psychic."

I look from one trainer to the other and wonder how many more pieces can fit into this puzzle. But, I'm going to play under the assumption that this is a different Hatterene, seeing as I have no proof otherwise.

I turn to the pokemon in question and hold out my hand. "Either way, it's nice to meet you, Hatterene."

Those eyes are drilling through my soul…

"...Not a handshaker, I see…"

Miriam chuckles. "Ah, pokemon are a mystery, aren't they?"

Before I can agree, Ella sidesteps Miriam and latches on to Hatterene, an act that finally makes Hatterene stop staring at me. Ella's pokemon mirror her too-wide grin. "Say, uh, now that you've finally let Hatterene out of her pokeball, maybe I can borrow her for a moment?"

Ella doesn't wait for a reply. She just yanks Hatterene a short distance away and starts whispering to her.

Okay…

I glance at Gardevoir, even though I don't expect him to have an answer. Predictably, he just shrugs.

Miriam watches the group for a moment before turning back to me with carefully contained irritation. "Is your friend always like this?"

I rub the back of my neck, embarrassed on Ella's behalf. "I haven't known her long enough to answer that."

" Same, " Gardevoir says.

Miriam hums before letting it go. "So, Ash, I understand you've been assisting with Poke-X. How's that going?"

Even without constantly worrying over Pikachu and Charizard, my answer would be, heart wrenchingly terrifying . But, I don't want Miriam to think that I can't handle it. So, I say, "It's going, I guess. Just wish I could do more."

Miriam tilts her head. "Oh?"

"Aunt V doesn't want me working with the pokemon directly. I mean, I get it. I've never been much of a science guy, but I'd still like to help out more."

Miriam purses her lips and tugs on the straps of her backpack, considering. "I know something you could do that doesn't involve science."

"Yeah?" I prompt.

"Well, technically, it does involve science." She shrugs one shoulder free and whips her backpack in front of her. "But, all you'd have to do is push a button."

Ready and able, I jab my thumb at my chest. "Now, that's something I can do!"

Gardevoir rubs his hands together. " Lay it on us! "

Miriam opens her backpack and pulls out a silver disc that looks like a small dinner plate covered in metal panels. She zips her backpack closed and puts it back on. "This is a special device that your aunt and I made." She turns the disc over and opens the bottom panel, revealing a black button. "When you press this button then set the device face down on the ground, it will expand upward until it kind of resembles a fire hydrant."

Gardevoir and I stare at the disc with rapt attention. "What does it do then?" I ask.

Miriam grins at our enthusiasm. "When a pokemon gets close, it sprays out a special pheromone, causing a chemical imbalance in the immune system that triggers a…" She sees my blank expression and backtracks. "Basically, it helps us achieve our goal."

Of stopping Poke-X, she means. This pheromone - whatever that is - must be the equivalent of getting a vaccine!

"Man, science is so amazing!" I cheer. Gardevoir nods with an affirmative noise. "What do you want me to do?"

"Word is that there's a huge horde of pokemon just outside of the city. I thought it would be a great place to put it. I was gonna do that myself and then head to Lavender Town to help your aunt. But, since you're here…"

"I can do that! I can totally do that! Just tell me where to put it!"

Miriam gives me directions but admits that she doesn't know the exact location of the horde. Only that the territory is surrounded by an incredibly thick layer of foliage that makes it hard to find. No problem. I've found hard-to-find stuff before!

I thank Miriam profusely as she hands me the disc and I stow it in my backpack. Finally, a chance to really do something! I make a mental note to find the horde and explain the situation to them - particularly the alpha or whoever's in charge - before putting strange human stuff in their territory. I hope they're comfortable with humans. If not, Gardevoir will be there. He'll vouch for me.

Miriam mock-bows. "I leave this in your capable hands."

I flash her two thumbs-up. "You can count on us!"

" What he said! " Gardevoir says, copying my gesture.

Satisfied, Miriam turns to Ella and her partners, who are still talking to Hatterene. "Hatterene, we're leaving."

Hatterene turns to her then sends Ella an oddly sad look before Miriam gets impatient and returns Hatterene to her pokeball. Rude, but alright.

"I'll be on my way, then," Miriam says to me. "I'll fill Vivian in when I get there. I assume she knows what you're doing out here?"

"Yeah," I say. "She knows I might be gone for a few days."

"In that case," Miriam says. She turns to Ella, who has rejoined our group. "Thank you for the escort. Perhaps we'll see each other again some time."

Ella's smile is forced, and her pokemon don't bother hiding their sour expressions. Huh. "I certainly hope so," Ella says.

Miriam is nonplussed. She nods at Ella then says to me, "I guess I'll see you back in Lavender Town."

I tip my hat to her. "See you there."

Miriam walks away, and I don't miss the glare Ella and her pokemon send Miriam's way. In fact, most of this encounter has been a stark contrast to the bubbly personality I've come to expect from Ella.

"Is everything alright?" I ask.

Ella glances at me then at the ground. "Um…"

I wager a guess. "Say, uh, by any chance, is Miriam's Hatterene the one you wanted to catch?"

Ella sheepishly fiddles with her glasses. "Yeah. Kind of. But, there's a little more to it."

"Oh?" My stomach chooses that moment to loudly demand food. I grin in embarrassment. "Could we discuss this over lunch?"

---

There's some kind of city-wide mandate that pokemon have to remain outside or in their pokeballs. Pokemon who work indoors with their trainers have to have clearance from the Pokemon Center. I even saw a sign on the gym's door that stated that participating pokemon also need to be given a written bill of health.

Poke-X is the reason for this. I wonder how much worse this will get as it spreads.

Ella and I went into a restaurant and got take-out so we could eat outside with our pokemon. We returned to the park near where we met up and sat across from each other at a picnic table. Now that our pokemon are seated on the grass nearby and munching on their own food, Ella and I pull ours out of the bags.

Between bites of her sandwich, Ella tells me about her first meeting with Miriam, who told her the same story about visiting her mother. However, Ella says that the story she heard from a local was that Hatterene had been living at an old shack for what was implied to be several years.

"And, Hatterene confirmed that Miriam was lying when I asked," Ella concludes. "I don't know what to make of it."

I chew on a forkful of salad as I ponder this. And, wonder once again if it has anything to do with the Hatterene who attacked Jessie, Wobbuffet, and Pikachu. I swallow. "That's a tough one. I'd never met Miriam before today, but she's friends with my aunt, so I'm inclined to believe she's on the up and up. Still," I spear a cherry tomato and some mixed greens with my fork, "I don't think a pokemon would lie."

Ella picks up one of her fries and stares at it listlessly before sighing. "Do you think I'm overthinking it? I mean, Hatterene chose to stay with Miriam. She wouldn't do that if Miriam was, like, hurting her or something, right?"

That's…hard to say. Pokemon have big hearts, bigger than we can comprehend. I've seen pokemon get verbally and/or physically abused and still have nothing but love for their trainers. Some of my own pokemon wouldn't leave their abusers until they were told point-blank that they were unwanted. And, even then...

I swallow my mouthful, though it goes down like a stone. "Pokemon are…loyal. Incredibly so."

My eyes wander to Gardevoir, who is sitting cross-legged beside Ella's Joltik and shiny Pachirisu. Like them, he is chowing down without a care in the world, but I can tell the three of them are listening. It sickens me to think that, while Gardevoir's old trainer abandoning him is awful, other trainers have done much worse to their pokemon.

"That being said," I go on, "Miriam's working to stop Poke-X like me and my aunt and a bunch of other people. How bad can she be?" Saying that doesn't stop the nagging feeling in the back of my mind. "But, I'll be sure to keep an eye on them when I head back to Lavender Town."

Ella is somewhat pacified. "Thank you. Why are you in Saffron City, anyway?"

"Did you see the news this morning?"

She didn't, so I tell her about the Pikachu who powered the Pokemon Center all by himself. I then abbreviate my encounter with Team Rocket that confirmed that the Pikachu was in fact my buddy.

"Whoa! That's nuts!" Ella exclaims.

"That's one way to put it," I say. My salad is mostly finished, but I can't eat any more from the pit reopening in my stomach. "But…there's something else."

I don't want to say it out loud, but I know I'll have to at some point.

I steel myself and work to keep my voice steady. "According to Team Rocket, there was a run-in with-with a really strong pokemon," who may or may not be leaving for Lavender Town with Miriam right now, "and…and Pikachu got hurt."

Ella freezes with her water bottle halfway to her lips. "How hurt?"

Just say it, Ash. Get it over with.

The words won't come if I look Ella in the eye, so I say them to my plastic bowl. "They said he…he…lost an ear."

Ella says nothing for a moment. Then, "WHAT?!"

Her scream startles me so badly that I almost fall out of my seat. Our pokemon are also staring, and I see some people across the road looking as well.

Not that Ella notices. "No! Not my perfect Pikachu!"

My voice is quiet from shock. "Your...what?"

Ella takes great offense to my comment. She shoots to her feet and slams her hands down on the table and leans in as much as she can. I, a burly six-foot-seven, three-hundred-and-change pound man, shrink back as this tall but skinny girl in large glasses and pigtails lays into me. What a sight we must be.

"Don't you understand? Have you never looked at your own pokemon? That sleek fur, those proportions, and don't get me started on that beautiful tail! A pokemon that flawless comes around once in a lifetime-"

She screams again, this time because a blinding rush of electricity overtakes her. I squint against the brightness and wonder what the hell is going on now.

The light blue bolts vanish as quickly as they appeared. Ella slumps down over her seat and on to the ground. A certain shiny hops up on the table, and it all makes sense.

" Sorry about her, " Patches says.

I don't reply. I'm too busy wondering how Ella can be more upset about Pikachu than I am. And, thinking how well Patches would get along with Brock's Croagunk.

" What just happened? " Joltik asks, echoing my thoughts.

" I don't know, " Gardevoir says. He climbs to his feet and walks over to stand behind where Ella lays in the grass. " But, this is as good a time as any to show off. "

Gardevoir touches the red horn on his chest. Circular waves of pale pink light drift off of it and pass over Ella. I stand up for a better view as Ella's burns fade away. Heal Pulse really is an awesome move. I wonder if Gardevoir will want to keep it after all this Poke-X stuff is over.

Despite everything, a proud grin pulls at my lips. "So, you did learn Heal Pulse. That's awesome, Gardevoir!"

Ella shakes her head clear and leaps to her feet like nothing happened. "Thanks, Gardevoir!" My pokemon nods in acknowledgment.

"You okay, Ella?" I ask.

"Oh, that was nothing." Ella gives Patches's neck a scratch. "This one's been zapping me for as long as I can remember. I'm surprised I'm not immune yet!"

" I dread that day, " Patches mutters.

I say to Ella, "That's the risk you take when you raise electric-types. Pikachu zaps me a lot, too."

At the mention of Pikachu, I half-expect Ella to go off again, but she proceeds as if that never happened. "Poor Pikachu. I hope he's alright."

According to Team Rocket, he claims that he is. I don't see what's so "alright" about losing a body part. But then, that's the way my buddy and I are, isn't it? Our philosophy seems to be, "As long as I'm still breathing, I'm a-okay!" It always hits differently when I'm not the one getting hurt.

Plus, we've never faced damage like this before.

Ella sits back down, and I do the same as she asks me, "What kind of pokemon was it? Must have been something pretty scary to cause that kind of damage to another pokemon."

Oh, boy. This conversation is going to be even less fun than the last. "It-it was… Supposedly, it was…a Hatterene."

Ella, Patches, and Joltik, who had climbed on to the table, stare blankly at me. Gardevoir fidgets and looks like he wants to be somewhere else.

Ella shakes her head clear. "Well, it can't be the same Hatterene. Can it?" she adds hesitantly.

"Beats me," I confess. "Did Miriam's Hatterene…attack you or your pokemon at all?"

Ella shrugs. "She threw a rock at me, but her kind are territorial, right? And, she calmed down once she realized we were friendly."

" Do you think it was that Hatterene? " Joltik asks Patches while their trainer is lost in thought.

Patches tilts her head. " I want to say no. Like Ella said, Hatterene was pretty chill after the initial drama. But then, from what we heard, Hatterene aren't found in the wild in Kanto. "

" Let's assume it is the same one, " Gardevoir adds. " Based on what Team Rocket said, the whole thing transpired from a misunderstanding. "

" A misunderstanding? " Patches repeats.

I nod and throw in my two cents. "Wobbuffet caught up with me after we parted ways. Based on the little that he heard, it sounds like Pikachu and Hatterene were friends up to that point. Pikachu was protecting Wobbuffet and Jessie, and Hatterene took that the wrong way. If it is the same one, it doesn't necessarily mean that she's vicious."

Sick, if anything, I think, recalling what Wobbuffet said about psychosis.

" He makes a good point, " Joltik says.

"You said Wobbuffet told you this?" Ella asks. "Like, a Wobbuffet?" Her amber eyes widen, and she presses her hands to the table and leans forward like she's going to jump me again. "Wait, I thought only Team Rocket's Meowth talked! Are you saying their Wobbuffet does too?"

Oh, right. I haven't mentioned that yet. "No, he can't. But, I know what pokemon are saying."

Trainer and pokemon share the same open-mouthed shock. Patches recovers first and scoffs. " He's lying. Humans can't understand us. "

I look the Pachirisu dead in the eyes and say, "Well, this human can."

Patches is so startled that tiny sparks shoot off of her. Joltik looks ready to collapse. Gardevior is amused in a "been there, done that" sort of way.

Ella is still in the same position, leaning against the table with her mouth open. "You can really understand pokemon? Why didn't you tell me?"

I rub the back of my neck, feeling like I'm under a microscope. "Honestly, it just started yesterday. Kinda cropped up out of nowhere. I don't really get it, but it's awesome!"

"That's amazing!" Ella leans forward a little more. "How does that work? Does it sound like real words? Like a person is saying it?"

"Not really," I reply. "Pokemon still sound the same. I just…know what it all means, I guess."

Ella moans and plops down on her seat. "I'm jealous!"

I chuckle. "I'd be happy to tell you more, but Gardevoir and I have work to do."

At the curious looks of Ella and her pokemon, I open my backpack, which is on the bench beside me. I pull out the disc that Miriam gave me and explain how it sprays out…something that's supposed to prevent the spread of Poke-X.

When Ella presses for details, I have to confess. "Okay, the truth is that Miriam tried to explain it, but she lost me after 'fairy moans.'"

Ella scrunches up her face. "Do you mean pheromones ?"

I grin in embarrassment. "Maybe. All I know is that this thing," I hold up the disc, "is supposed to help keep pokemon safe. And, that's all I need to know. What's wrong?" I ask when Ella makes a pensive face.

She shakes her head. "Sorry. It's just… You said Miriam gave that to you, and…" She picks at the colorful bracelet around her wrist. "Am I overthinking again?"

" Nope, " Patches says certainly, her tiny paws on her hips. " I say Miriam is bad news. "

Joltik nods. I turn to Gardevoir, who shrugs and says, " Don't look at me. I wasn't there for the whole Hatterene thing. "

"But, did you get, like, a vibe from her?" I ask him.

He sticks his tongue out in thought then shrugs again. " I don't know. We only spent, like, two minutes with the woman. She seemed a little curt, but that doesn't make her evil. " Patches huffs at that.

Ella's eyes and mouth are wide open. "You really can talk to pokemon!"

"Yep," I say with a thumbs-up. "And, it's awesome! But, back to business. I get why you're worried, Ella. I'm worried about Hatterene too, now that I know the story."

At least, part of it. We still don't know if Miriam's Hatterene is the same one that attacked Pikachu, Jessie, and Wobbuffet. But, knowing me, I'd worry either way. No pokemon, regardless of what they've done in the past, deserves an abusive trainer.

"That being said," I continue, "Miriam is working with my aunt and her team. They're all trying to stop Poke-X, so Miriam can't be that bad, right?"

"I guess." Ella doesn't sound so sure, but she lets it go for now. "So, where are you supposed to put that thing? Just set it in the woods somewhere?"

"Kind of." I stick the disc back in my backpack. "Miriam said there was a big horde that lives nearby. She wants me to put it near there."

Ella's expression lights up with interest. "Hold on. You're not talking about the horde with the Raichu, are you?"

Now it's my turn to be interested. "The Raichu?"

Ella grins and brings her fists to her chest. "I heard there's a super special Raichu that lives in the forest up north of here! That's why I came this way. I have to see it for myself!"

"That does sound pretty cool! What makes it so special?"

Ella adjusts her glasses with an eagerness I can relate to. "Hold on to your hat, 'cause this is big! Literally. The Raichu is an alpha pokemon!"

"Awesome!" I say. "Now, I wanna see it, too." I wonder how big an alpha Raichu is. It's gotta be at least as tall as Gardevoir.

If only Pikachu and Charizard could see it.

But…if Alpha Raichu is part of that horde, maybe it would know something-

Ella raises her index finger. "But, wait. There's more." She leans forward and cups her hand around her mouth as if sharing some great secret. "The alpha Raichu…is also a shiny pokemon."

My jaw drops, as does Gardevoir's. An alpha pokemon is noteworthy. A shiny pokemon is even more noteworthy. A pokemon that's both at the same time is…

Is…Pikachu's…

No, Pikachu said she was dead.

No, wait… He didn't . He said that she was taken by poachers and that he "can only assume the worst."

Is it possible…?

"Ash? Earth to Ash?"

Ella's voice snaps me out of it. But, not totally. "Male or female?" When Ella only stares at me, I clarify. "The Raichu. Is it male or female? Do you know?"

"Does it matter?" Ella asks.

"It-it might," I say.

While the pokemon all glance at each other in confusion, Ella pulls out her phone. "Let me see. There are plenty of pictures online, but not all of them are that great. Oh! Here's a good one." She shows me the screen. "See the tail? That's a female, alright!"

That is a good picture. It shows three pokemon: a Sableye, a Ludicolo, and of course, the shiny alpha Raichu, who is a little taller than Ludicolo. They must all be friends, as they appear to be walking together while talking and eating berries. And, yes, Alpha Raichu's long tail has a blunt tip instead of pointed, marking her as a female. Her head is turned, so I'm not sure if she has that facial scar that Pikachu mentioned.

Could this really be Pikachu's mother? An alpha Raichu or a shiny Raichu could be passed off as a coincidence. A shiny alpha Raichu cannot.

One thing, I can say with certainty: I have to meet this pokemon.

Chapter 30: Same Old, Same Old (Until It Isn't)

"I'm a very relentless individual and have a lot more insanity coming." - Alex Hirsch

Pikachu

"Guys," Wobbles says, shielding her eyes as she stares up at the sky, "I think the sun was lower in the sky when you started."

During our trek through the forest - a slow one, given Absol's limp - Eevee found a map someone had dropped. Sprout and I have been working together on it since. The good news is that this gives Absol a chance to rest, as we all know his leg is hurting him more than he claims.

The bad news is that, even with Sprout's ability to read and my familiarity with what a map looks like, we have no idea what we're doing.

"You said this is Vermillion City, right?" I ask, pointing to a spot on the crinkled and dirty map we've laid out on the grass.

Sprout's head vine twitches. "Yeah." She points to a spot close to it. "And, Saffron City is here. That's where we just were, so…I think we need to retrace our steps."

"Maybe, but which direction are we facing? In reference to the map, I mean."

"Um…"

Absol growls under his breath. He'd been lying under a tree and now carefully climbs to his feet. "Just admit that you don't know what it says."

Sprout turns to him and says with infinite frustration, "I know what the words say! I just-"

Absol nods toward the little brown bundle curled up behind him. "Eevee fell asleep if that tells you anything."

He nudges his back paw at Eevee, who awakens with a loud snort and a groggy, "Are we there yet?"

"Not even close," Wobbles tells him. To me and Sprout, "Admit defeat, guys. We're bored."

I hate to say it, but she's right. I sigh. "Forget it, Sprout. This map is getting us nowhere."

Sprout picks up the map with her massive leaves. "I guess that Machamp was right. Maps are confusing."

A sudden noise makes my remaining ear twitch. My missing ear also twitches…and I realize that makes no sense.

Eevee climbs to his feet and shakes out his pelt, asking, "What was that?"

So, it's not just me.

The sound, a voice, is clearer now. "Help! Stop that bag!"

Sure enough, a large white sack is rolling down the steep hill nearby. A Sableye - not a species I'd expect to see outside of a cave - is running after it but ends up tripping and rolling as well.

"I got him!" Sprout shouts.

The tiny brown stem on her head stretches enough to wrap up the pokemon to stop his fall. Meanwhile, Wobbles happens to be standing directly in the bag's path, and she nearly falls backwards when she catches it. Unfortunately, the bag is upside-down in her gasp, so its contents spill out at her feet.

As if seeing Sableye in this area wasn't weird enough, the bag was full of evolution stones. Those things are usually hard to find, yet I'm seeing two dawn stones, three water stones, a dusk stone, a shiny stone, and two moon stones. And, a thunder stone, which landed about a grass blade's length from my foot. That particular sight makes me bristle and leap backwards.

"Thanks for that," Sableye says as Sprout withdraws her stem. He rushes for his hoard. "Can you guys give me a hand?" His light blue gem-like eyes pass over me and Eevee. "Can some of you give me a hand?" he says to the others.

Absol holds the back open with his teeth while Sableye and Wobbles put the stones back in it. I'm about to ask where he got them in the first place, but Eevee pipes up, "Hey, do you have fire stones?"

"Or, a leaf stone?" Sprout exclaims.

Sableye scoffs and, once all the stones have been returned to the bag, starts to tie it closed. Properly, I hope. "Keep your paws to yourself. And, your leaves. I do have what you're looking for back home, but I don't just give my treasures away."

"Your treasures?" I ask.

"Your kind don't evolve," Wobbles says to him. "Why would you need evolution stones?"

Apparently, that's exactly what this newcomer wanted to hear. He pounds his fist to his chest. "I'm glad you asked! Name's Sableye, and I'm a bit of a collector, you see."

Absol tilts his head. "You collect evolution stones?"

"Sure, if I can find them," Sableye says. He proudly jiggles the bag, which doesn't do much since it's about the same size as him. "Boy, I had a lucky find with these bad boys! They were just sitting in one of those…truck things, or whatever humans drive around in, ripe for the picking! I would have gotten more, but this was all I could fit in my bag!"

…Is anyone going to tell him that he stole those stones?

Absol must be thinking the same thing. "Uh, Sableye, I think you st-"

Sableye raises his index finger. "Oh, but I don't merely collect things. If one of my wares appeals to you, I'd be happy to hand it over. If you can give me something equally cool in return." He strokes his chin and grins slyly at Sprout and Eevee. "You two were asking about some stones. Planning on evolving, are you?"

While those three negotiate, Wobbles whispers to me and Absol, "Are we just gonna let this guy trade stolen goods?"

I shrug. "I mean, there isn't much we can do about it. Even if he got them from somewhere close by, the truck is probably gone by now."

"Why would humans need evolution stones?" Absol wonders.

"To give them to their pokemon," I say.

Absol sits on his haunches and scratches his neck with his back foot. "So, technically Sableye is doing what the humans would do anyway. The stealing part is sketchy, but overall, I don't see any harm."

I suppose he's right, but I still feel weird about it.

Sprout and Eevee turn excitedly toward us, and Eevee chirps, "Do we have anything to trade?"

Sprout shimmies in anticipation. "Oh, I really want that leaf stone!"

"Didn't you just evolve?" Wobbles says in amusement. "Maybe get used to being a Weepinbell before you become a Victreebell."

Sprout shakes her huge head. "No way! I've waited too long for this!"

Sableye chuckles and pats her on the back. "You remind me of my friend, Pawmot. He was Pawmo for all of a day before evolving again!" Sableye looks from one 'mon to the other and eagerly rubs his hands together. "So, anything cool to trade?"

Good question. Since Sprout gave away her backpack, we haven't had a real means of carrying stuff. Does it have to be an object? Maybe Sableye would accept a battle in trade.

Eevee runs over to the map that's still lying on the ground and places his paw on the edge. "All we have is this thing."

"Oh!" Eevee jumps back when Sableye grabs the map and looks over every inch of it. His face is covered, but I can hear the glee in his scratchy voice. "What a strange object! What fascinating colors!" He lowers the map, revealing a grin that shows all his pointed teeth. "What is it?"

"It's called a map," Sprout explains. "Humans use it to find their way around, but we don't really know how it works."

Sableye doesn't mind. "A human thing. Doesn't get much more interesting than that!" He crinkles it into a big ball in his hands. "Yes, this will do nicely." Sprout and Eevee make excited noises that are cut off when Sableye adds, "So, is this in exchange for the fire stone or the leaf stone?" At my friends' blank looks, Sableye chuckles. "You didn't think this was a two-for-one trade, did you?"

This guy is starting to get on my nerves. Absol speaks for me. "Come on. How many pokemon around here even use half those stones?"

"You'd be surprised." Sableye tosses the wadded up paper back and forth in his hands. "I don't just stick to the forest, you know. Human places have all sorts of pokemon in them. And, my horde has a decent variety as well." He stops playing with the map and points it at Eevee. "I've got two fire stones back home. One, I'm thinking about giving to a Growlithe who's staying with us. If he gets any smarter," Sableye adds under his breath. "The other I was gonna give to my buddy, Vulpix," Eevee bristles then relaxes when Sableye says, "but she turned me down. Guess she's happy the way she is. You see? You never know who you're gonna meet." He smacks his bag, making it rattle and slump over. "These evolution stones will go faster than you think."

My battle idea comes back to mind, but now that I think about it, only one of us can battle this guy. Sprout checked my stitches this morning. She said they're only halfway dissolved, so I probably shouldn't battle yet. Absol, with his bad foreleg, is a definite no. Eevee and Wobbles have little to no attacks that could affect a ghost/dark-type like Sableye. Really, Sprout is the only one of us who is both able-bodied and can actually cause damage-

"What about a story?" Eevee suggests.

Or, we could do that.

Eevee's tail swings back and forth as he gazes up at Sableye with wide, pleading eyes. "What if we told you a really great story? Then, can we have two stones?"

Sableye hums and taps his chin. "Yeah. Alright. Who doesn't love a good story? But, it better wow me."

Wobbles slaps me on the back hard enough that I almost lose balance. "Alright," she says. "Get yapping, Pikachu." She slaps me again, and this time I fall on my stomach with my limbs sprawled out. "This guy," she says to Sableye, "has all kinds of crazy stories to tell."

"Will you quit hitting me?" I snap as Absol uses his horn to help me up.

"A Pikachu with crazy stories, eh?" Sableye says thoughtfully. I can't interpret the way he's looking at me. "How crazy we talking?"

I shake out my fur and rise to two feet. "Pretty crazy. Evil doers, tough battles, Legendary Pokemon. I even turned to stone once!"

Everyone gapes at me. Absol says, "Okay, I have to hear that story."

"Personally," Sableye says, "I'd like to hear more about the Legendary Pokemon."

"Oh!" Eevee chirps, bouncing a little. "Tell him about when you met Zapdos! That's a good one!"

"Zapdos?" Sableye repeats in shock. "The Zapdos?" He turns to me in disbelief. "You can't- No."

Sprout wiggles her leaves. "Oh my goodness, it's true! We ran into Zapdos recently, and he confirmed it for us!"

"I met Zapdos!" Wobbles announces, puffing out her chest.

"You annoyed Zapdos," Absol teases. Wobbles sticks her tongue out at him.

Sableye drops his crinkled map on the ground and sits on it, squashing it. "Alright, Pikachu. It's settled." He props his elbows on his knees and rests his chin in his hands. "If this Zapdos story of yours wows me," he nods toward Sprout and Eevee, "your friends here can each pick out an evolution stone."

---

Though my friends have heard this story before, they are as invested as Sableye is. My audience claps or stomps their paws once I'm finished.

"Even better the second time," Wobbles comments.

I giggle and take a bow.

"That was quite a tale, Pikachu," Sableye says with that thoughtful look.

Eevee walks up to him. "Does that mean we get two stones?"

Sableye waves at him in dismissal. "Yeah, yeah, sure. Hey, Pikachu, do you know a 'mon name Paw- Well, I guess he would have been Pawmi, then."

Weird change in subject. "Pawmi?" I repeat. "I don't think so."

"Quadruped? Orange fur? Electric-type rodent like you but smaller?"

The description sparks something. "Would he have been at Electrode Horde?"

Sableye points a finger gun at me, proving that he does spend a lot of time around humans. "Bingo. He's that Pawmot I mentioned. He splits his time between Electrode Horde and the one I live at. He was going on and on about some Pikachu that battled Zapdos!"

Eevee's tail wags. "That's our Pikachu!"

"That's why you wanted to hear the Zapdos story, isn't it?" Wobbles asks. "You wanted to see if this guy was the same Pikachu."

"Darn straight." Sableye stands up and grabs his squished map ball. "You guys gotta come to my horde! If only so I can see the look on Pawmot's face!"

"Can we?" Eevee asks. "I've never seen a Pawmot before!"

Apparently, that's Wobbles's cue. "Pawmot: the hands-on pokemon. An electric- and fighting-type. The hairs on its head store most of its electricity. Its reaction time isn't great normally, but once it enters a battle, look out!" She punches the air a few times.

Sableye sees our lack of reactions and points to Wobbles with a curious, "Does she do that a lot?"

Absol shrugs. "You get used to it."

Sprout glances at Absol's leg. The wound isn't bleeding, but his fur won't grow back for some time, leaving the red, still raw wound exposed. "Does your horde have healer pokemon?" Sprout asks Sableye. "Absol got hurt recently. We know first-aid, but it would be good to have a professional look at it."

"My leg doesn't hurt that bad," Absol argues. He stands up, winces when he puts weight on it, then transfers his weight to his other legs. "It's manageable."

Wobbles smacks his flank. "Stubborn."

"Sprout's right, Absol," I say. "You should have a healer check it out." I reach for the tiny bump on my head and try not to wince at the soreness. "Maybe I can have them double-check my stitches while we're there."

"Yikes," Sableye says, looking between me and Absol with a sympathetic eye. "Sounds like you folks have been having a time."

"That's an understatement," Wobbles mutters.

Sableye opens his bag to toss the map in then ties it shut once more and holds it over his shoulder. "Yeah, we got a few healers. I'll have to grab the stones from my den anyway, so you all may as well join me."

"Shall we, then?" Absol asks.

As we follow Sableye, who drags his bag behind him without issue despite how heavy it must be, Sprout catches up to him and whispers, "Just be patient with Absol. He's still limping, and he might need to sit down."

"I can hear you," Absol growls, "and I'm not helpless."

"But, you are stubborn," Wobbles counters. Absol doesn't deny it.

Sableye chuckles. "You sound like Raichu, Absol."

Any mention of my evolution line peaks my interest. "Who's Raichu?"

Sableye grins at me in realization. "Oh, that's right! You're her pre-evolution. Raichu's my alpha. She's a bit of a jerk sometimes, but she's got a good heart. You'll like her."

Wobbles snorts. "She and Absol will get along!"

Absol gives her a side-eye. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Eevee comes up beside me. "Hey, Pikachu, didn't you say your mom was an alpha?"

"Yeah, she was," I confirm. "Forgive me if I get all nostalgic!"

That comment was meant as a joke, but I genuinely hope I don't embarrass myself. My mother was the only Alpha Raichu - or alpha of any kind from my evolution line - I've ever seen. It shouldn't be too awkward, but I'm worried I'll compare the two. It doesn't help that Sableye's description of his alpha reminds me of my mother.

On second thought, this might be kind of awkward.

But, it is a good idea to pay this Raichu Horde a visit. Not just for the stones and the healers, but it's possible that someone can point us in the right direction assuming Ash is still in Vermillion City.

"Here we are!" Sableye announces, stopping in front of a huge wall of shrubbery.

We look around, but, "There's nothing here," Wobbles announces for us.

Sableye turns to her with a smug grin. "Oh, there's something. Alpha Raichu takes the horde's safety very seriously. There's a reason she picked this spot, and my friends, you're looking at it."

"It does make sense," I say, tilting my head in thought. "Makes the place harder to find. But, how do you get in?"

"You just gotta know where you're going. Follow me."

With no hesitation, Sableye marches through a seemingly random section of branches, his bag trailing behind him. The rest of us exchange looks. I eyeball Absol's injured leg, and I see everyone else doing the same and sneaking glances at what's left of my ear.

Finally, Wobbles shrugs. "Well, somebody's gotta go first." She walks up to the spot Sableye disappeared into, gives the "entrance" some experimental pokes, and pushes through. After a moment, "Hey, guys! It's not that bad in here."

I decide to go next, and I hear the others follow as I break through. Wobbles was right. While the outside appears to be solid plant life, this section is weirdly spacious. I don't know if it's a miracle of nature or if someone did this themselves, but it's quite impressive, and I suspect it's not the only part of the wall like this.

We break through, and it's like stepping into another world. A large field stretches before us, full of flowers and greenery and pokemon of all shapes and colors. The trees are naturally angled so that the sky is covered but not so much that no light breaks through. If the walls aren't a miracle of nature, what lies behind them sure is.

"It's so pretty!" Sprout exclaims.

"How did your alpha find this place?" Absol asks.

"Dumb luck, from what I've heard," Sableye replies. He adjusts his hold on the bag. "Come on. I'll take you to my den. I share it with Pawmot. He- Oh, good timing. There he is now."

The pokemon he points out exits the den on two very short, almost non-existent legs. He is an orange pokemon with yellow cheeks and a patch of much longer fur that sticks straight up between his long ears. His long, fat arms dangle at his sides as he walks, though evolution seems to have made him bipedal. A Growlithe follows him out of the den. Based on the size difference between the two I'd estimate that Pawmot is roughly twice my height when I'm standing.

"Yo, Pawmot," Sableye calls. He gestures for the rest of us to follow as he approaches his friend. "I got someone you'd like to meet."

Growlithe watches us curiously as Pawmot smiles at us then notices Sableye's bag. He points to it and says, "Nice haul. You're usually gone a lot longer."

Sableye puffs out his chest. "I got lucky. I'll tell you about it later." He looks at me over his shoulder. "See that Pikachu? He's the one you told me about."

Pawmot's ears perk up, but it's Growlithe who speaks. "Dear me! The one who battled Zapdos?"

My skin heats up. I scratch the back of my neck. "That's me, alright. And, I'm sure you remember my friends, Pawmot."

Sableye chuckles at Growlithe and Pawmot's starstruck expressions. "I'll let you all get acquainted," he says before dragging his bag into the den.

"Oh, wow!" Pawmot exclaims. "I didn't think I'd see you again. Any of you," he adds as an afterthought.

Wobbles puts her hands behind her head. "No need to include us. We know we're unwanted."

Sprout whacks her with her leaf. "Ignore her," the Weepinbell says.

Growlithe loudly clears his throat, catching Pawmot's attention. "Oh, right!" Pawmot pats his friend's head. "This is Growlie. He's new."

Growlie?

"I'm only here temporarily," Growlie says. "A pleasure to meet you, chaps."

Absol dips his head. "The pleasure's ours. I'm Absol, and these are my friends, Sprout, Wobbles, and Eevee. And, you already know who Pikachu is."

Maybe more so than he thinks. "Say, Growlie, have we met before? You seem familiar."

Growlie tilts his head and gives me a good sniff. "Now that you mention it, there is a certain air about you."

"Geez, Pikachu," Wobbles says. "First, Zapdos. Now, Growlie. Do you know everybody?"

I smile sheepishly. "It certainly feels like it sometimes."

Pawmot's eyes light up in realization. "Wait a minute. Pikachu, do you know a Charizard, by any chance?"

My pulse picks up. "Y-yes."

"He really does know everyone, doesn't he?" Wobbles snarks. Sprout whacks her again.

"By jove," Growlie barks, "you're the Pikachu he's been looking for! Oh, heavens, if only you had arrived a bit sooner. I'm afraid Charizard and Butterfree left this morning to continue their search."

Having been quiet up to this point, Eevee speaks up. "Um, who are Charizard and Butterfree?"

"Charizard is-is one of Ash's pokemon," I say mechanically. My friends make shocked noises. "As for Butterfree… Well, it's probably not the one I'm thinking of."

Charizard was here. Very recently, it sounds like. Which means that Ash probably was, too. We missed them, but the fact that they were just here gives me hope.

Sprout follows my line of thinking. "Was there a human with them?"

"A big, muscular one?" I add, my heart pounding. "With beige skin and black hair and possibly a hat?"

Sadly, Pawmot disappoints me by shaking his head and saying, "I didn't see a human. Growlie?"

"Neither did I," Growlie responds. "My sincerest apologies, chap."

Charizard but no Ash? That's odd. I suppose Ash could have sent Charizard to scout the area, but I feel like Charizard would have said something if that was the case. Could it have been a different Charizard? Seems unlikely, but it's not as if that Charizard is the only one of his kind that I've ever met.

Maybe Wobbles is on to something when she says that I know everybody.

"Perhaps they should talk to Raichu," Growlie says to Pawmot. "Didn't she have words with Charizard?"

"Good call, Growlie," Pawmot praises. Then he frowns and his ears twitch. "Though, I can't promise she'll be in the mood to talk."

"Is something wrong?" Sprout asks.

Pawmot shrugs. "She's been spacey all day. Not sure why. She was fine yesterday."

"We'll just have hope for the best, then." Absol had sat down to rest during our discussion. Now he rises to all-fours with a wince. "Where can we find Alpha Raichu?"

Pawmot points to the wall of shrubbery. His tone is laced with concern. "She went for a stroll. Said she needed to clear her head. I don't know when she'll be back."

My heart goes out to the alpha. Whatever happened must have been pretty bad.

---

With nothing else to do for the time being, Sprout, Wobbles and Eevee explore the territory. Meanwhile, Absol and I are being looked at in the medicine den.

Even though I saw the various species who call this horde home, it doesn't really hit me until I see Absol's leg being looked at by an Audino (native to Unova) and have my ear stump being looked at by a Ribombee (native to Alola).

"I have to ask," I say while Ribombee slathers a cool paste of some kind on my injury. "Where did all the horde's pokemon come from?"

"I was wondering that myself," Absol says. "There's quite a variety. I don't even recognize most of them. And, that includes you females," he adds to our healers.

Audino stands up from examining Absol's wound. "We come from all over." Her mood turns somber as she explains. "Everyone here has a story to tell. And, most of them aren't good."

Ribombee nods sadly. "Abusive trainers. Homes or families destroyed by this or that." She shakes her mournfully. "Not everyone's story is a bad one, but…well."

"That's why we're all so grateful for Raichu," Audino adds with a real smile. "She wants her horde to be a safe place. A second chance, if you will."

"That's awesome!" I say, even more excited now to meet this pokemon.

Absol nods in agreement then frowns suddenly. "Speaking of which, Pawmot said that something was up with your alpha."

The females sober once more. "Yeah," Ribombee says. "She's been real distracted today. Something happened between last night and this morning, but I'm not sure what. Audino?"

Audino shakes her head. "I got nothing. Raichu's usually more open than this. Everyone's worried."

That does sound troublesome, and the cause could be any number of things. Poke-X is the first thing that comes to mind. Maybe Raichu saw a case too close to her horde for comfort and isn't sure what to make of it. It certainly threw me and Ash for a loop when we first learned of it.

Audino smiles at me. "Maybe seeing you will cheer her up. We don't see a lot of her evolution line out here, so you'll be a fun surprise."

"I hope so," I say. "I really need to talk to her. You females haven't seen any humans around, have you?" Growlie and Pawmot were a bust, but maybe…?

Ribombee's response gives me hope. "I saw some while I was gathering herbs earlier."

"What did they look like?" I ask.

What the bug-fairy-type says next twists my hope into apprehension. "There was a male and a female. The male had blue hair, and the female had really long dark pink hair." Ribombee squints in thought. "They both wore these weird white clothes with, um…some kind of red design on the front. Does that help at all?"

It does, but it doesn't. "Not really," I say cautiously. "But, you might wanna spread the word about that. It kind of sounds like this group called Team Rocket. Trust me when I say that you don't want them anywhere near this place. You may end up with a few less pokemon if they get too close." Things may have changed between them and me, but they're still Team Rocket.

Ribombee nods solemnly at my warning. Before she can respond, the brambles at the entrance rustle, and Growlie pokes his head into the den. "Beg your pardon," he says, "but might I have a word with you, Pikachu?"

"Uh, sure," I say. "Ribombee, am I good to go?"

Ribombee hums in approval. "Your wound is healing nicely, but I wouldn't battle or anything like that for a few more days."

"Same goes to you, Absol," Audino tells him. "You can walk, but nothing too strenuous until that limp goes away."

"Understood," Absol says with a nod. "Thank you, ma'am."

"And, thank you, Ribombee," I say to her.

On that note, I follow Growlie out of the medicine. He leads me to the edge of the territory, next to one of the thick walls of shrubbery. We sit down, and Growlie gives his ear a nice scratch with his back foot before speaking.

"I've been pondering your query about a human," Growlie barks, "and I may have come to a rather discerning conclusion."

"Okay," I drawl. "Um, what's a query? And, what does 'discerning' mean?"

I can't tell if Growlie is embarrassed or annoyed. "I'll get right to the point. You mentioned that Charizard was one of Ash's pokemon, correct?"

My heart pounds with renewed hope. "Y-yeah. Ash Ketchum. Does that name sound familiar?"

"Well, I don't know his surname, but…"

Growlie explains how he met Charizard and took shelter with him and a Butterfree during a rainfall. They did a lot of talking while waiting it out, during which Growlie learned some interesting tidbits. For one, that Butterfree used to be Ash's pokemon, confirming the suspicions I'd shrugged off. Growlie doesn't say why Butterfree wants to come back to Ash - "Not my story to tell," he claims - but Ash is going to be over the moon. And, frankly, so will I. Though, for Butterfree to leave his mate and horde, it must be quite a story driving him.

The other thing Growlie learned is that Charizard set off on his own to look for me- Wait, what?

"He just took off?" I say in astonishment. "How did he-" I shake my head with a rueful chuckle. "Nevermind. He's Charizard. He'd find a way."

Growlie swishes his tail in amusement. "I did get that impression. Anyway, he mentioned that his trainer's name was 'Ash.'"

"That's my trainer, too! Do you know where Charizard is now?" Even if I don't know where Ash is, finding Charizard would be a huge step in the right direction. That, and I hadn't realized how much I missed the other pokemon until the prospect of meeting up with one of them was presented to me.

Growlie thinks for a moment. "Can't say for certain, though I do believe he was going to check with one 'Electrode Horde,' if that rings any bells."

I inwardly cringe. "It does."

And, I hope Charizard doesn't burn their territory to the ground after meeting their alpha.

"Raichu would know more," Growlie goes one. "She and Charizard spoke for some time upon our arrival."

"Do you know when she'll be back?" I ask.

Growlie shakes his head. "'Fraid not, chap. I do hope she's alright. The poor dear is a might daffy today."

I don't know what that means, but I can take a guess. Although, if Team Rocket is in the area, and if Meowth has recovered enough, then being "daffy" could be the least of Alpha Raichu's problems.

As if he'd read my mind, Eevee runs up to us with an excited grin and a wagging tail. "Pikachu! Alpha Raichu's here!"

"Well, speak of the devil," Growlie says.

Eevee gives Growlie a confused glance before returning his attention to me. "She just got back. Did you know she's a shiny? It's so cool! I mean, I've never seen any Raichu before, but it's still cool!"

My brain fizzled out at the word "shiny," at the idea of a shiny alpha…

There's no way. It's not possible.

Is it?

I push past Eevee and Growlie and bolt into the clearing. My heart hammers in my chest and my stomach does little flips as I gaze at the huge, dark orange, slightly shimmery pokemon standing near the entrance. She is facing away from me, talking to Pawmot and Sableye. I take a long, deep sniff. Alpha Raichu's scent is…familiar. Comforting in some distant, not quite forgotten way.

As if we've met before. As if we'd been close.

Eevee stands beside me and taps his paw to my flank. "Pikachu? Your fur's standing up. Are you okay?"

I don't answer. I can't.

Because Absol, Sprout, and Wobbles just ran up to the shiny alpha Raichu. And, Alpha Raichu just turned to face them.

And, she has a scar on the side of her head. A long scar where the fur never quite grew back. One that starts at her temple, curves just past the electric sac in her cheek, and ends at her chin.

My legs are shaking. The edges of my vision are fuzzy.

Sprout sees us and waves me over. "Oh, you guys! Come meet Alpha Raichu!"

"You can knock off that 'Alpha,'" Raichu says in a voice that's as familiar as her scent. "We're not formal here."

She turns to face me, and her whole face slackens. Time seems to stop as she stares at me with those blue, blue eyes and takes a long whiff of my scent just like I did hers.

And, recognizes it. Just like I did hers.

She doubles over in a hearty laugh that quickly blends into a sob. She lifts her head and gazes at me with eyes full of tears and wonder and love. "I actually thought I wouldn't recognize you."

"Mama!"

I leap into her arms, and we cry together and Mama covers me in licks while everyone gathers around us. Distantly, I hear the chatter of the horde.

"Did he say 'Mama?'"

"I thought her son was dead!"

"Looks like she did too!"

I also hear Wobbles say, "Oh, right. His mom was a shiny alpha. Wait a minute."

When Mama and I calm down, we notice the crowd surrounding us, gazing at us with amazement and curiosity. My eyes linger on Eevee, though if he's jealous, he's hiding it well.

Mama addresses her horde and sounds more like the bucket of snark I once knew. "What is this? A free-for-all? As you were! And, stay out of my fur for a while." She looks at me like I'm the one who put the sun in the sky. "I'm about to be very busy."

The pokemon reluctantly disperse, though I'm sure gossip is going to be flying for the rest of the day.

My friends, however, are too shell-shocked to do anything but stare at Alpha Raichu.

At my mother. Who is alive and holding me in her arms.

Mama turns to them and says, "Sorry, folks, but whatever you need is gonna have to wait."

"Oh, they're with me," I say. "I can relay the message."

"Even better."

Mama adjusts me in her arms, but I climb up and position myself on top of her massive head. It's not as roomy as I remember, but there's still space for me to spread out. A lump of nostalgia wedges itself into my throat. I used to sit on Mama's head all the time. Daddy's too, but Mama's alpha-sized head was bigger, and she could carry me longer.

There's a catch in Mama's voice; she remembers too. "Let's-" She clears her throat. "Let's talk in my den. And, uh, by the way," as she walks on two feet, she reaches up toward the side of my head that's missing an ear, "whatever did that, I hope they walked away looking twice as bad."

That's not a memory I want resurfaced, so I tell her, "Let's just say that she was in pretty bad shape."

"That's my boy."

A few more steps, and I hear Sprout scream, "Oh my goodness! What just happened?!"

---

After all these years, I'd forgotten just how big my mother is compared to other Raichu. She towers over me as we sit across from each other in the shelter of her den. If she wasn't my mother, I would be intimidated by such a big pokemon wanting to talk to me in private.

Or, maybe I wouldn't be. I did challenge Zapdos to a battle. Although to be fair, I had been high on lightning.

Mama is telling the story of how she escaped the poachers, as that had been my biggest question. "They wanted to breed me," she says with disgust. "Something about possibly getting more shiny alphas or at least pokemon who are one or the other. Like I was gonna prance around with anyone but your dad." There's a delicate hope in her next words. "Uh, your dad?"

My heart burns at the memory of Daddy's lifeless body lying prone on the grass. I shake my head.

Mama is disappointed, but I can tell she expected my answer. "I had to ask. What about the others?"

The rest of our horde. "I think most of us got away."

She stews on my choice of words for a moment. "What about you? How did you escape?"

"Daddy pushed me into an alcove in a tree," I say through a wave of old grief.

Mama nods, no doubt with a similar feeling.

"How did you escape?" I ask when the silence becomes too great.

"Wasn't easy," she says. She gives her neck a scratch. "They all wore some weird material they called 'rubber.' I don't know what rubber is, but it seemed to make them immune to electricity. They also had two Golem manhandling me, holding me in a way that wouldn't let me move properly, and since they were ground-types, I was out of luck there, too."

"They made their pokemon help?" I know poachers often utilize their own pokemon in their…endeavors, but the thought still chills me to the bone.

Mama narrows her eyes. "It's sick, I know. And, those Golem wouldn't stop apologizing. I could tell they didn't want to be there. I wasn't mad at them. If anything, I felt sorry for them."

"So, how did you get away? You didn't really have to," I shudder, "go at it with some random pokemon, did you?"

Mama points at me with a triumphant smirk. "That's how I got away. Those humans were stupid enough to put me in a room with a Ditto."

Ditto have the unique ability to shapeshift into any pokemon imaginable. The kicker is that their faces remain unchanged.

"As you can imagine, Ditto didn't wanna be there either. Poor 'mon was scared out of their wits, and my size didn't help. So, we hatched a plan. We waited until the human overseeing us got bored and wanted to know why no nasty was being done. As soon as we saw him move away from the window, I ran to hide beside the door, and Ditto shapeshifted into a Raichu. They couldn't do a shiny or an alpha, but it was enough to confuse the human. I knocked him out with Mega Punch, and Ditto and I bolted for the door."

"And then, what?" I ask.

"Ditto shifted into a Golem and started carrying me through the lab. I pretended to be unconscious so no one would ask why there weren't two Golem carrying me. It was a gamble since Ditto couldn't change their face, but we got lucky and no one looked too closely. But, our luck ran out when the two very real Golem found us as we were about to sneak out the back."

"Did you have to fight them?"

A sad head shake is her response. "They opened the door for us. No questions asked. We offered to let them come with us, but they were loyal to their trainers."

"Even though they didn't like what they were doing?"

Mama shrugs. "I don't get it, but I wasn't gonna force them."

Those poor Golem. I have plenty of experience with poachers, and not just the ones who took my birth horde away. Pokemon in those situations put up a decent front, but it's rare to see any who genuinely enjoy what their trainer is making them do. I can't speak from experience, but I'm confident that it's love and loyalty that keeps them there.

I'm glad Ash is as kind as he is, because I'm certain that I would be one of those pokemon if he wasn't.

Mama concludes her story with a nostalgic smile. "Ditto's mate, Azumarill, was real happy to see them safe. I spent the night with those two, and they said I could stay as long as I wanted. But, I missed Kanto. The Johto region was nice and all, but I didn't exactly choose to be there, you know?"

I nod. "I've been to Johto, and I did like it there, but I wanted to be there. Being forced out of my home was hard enough. I can't imagine getting stuck in a whole different region!"

Guilt creeps through me when I realize that when I "my home," Mama probably thought I meant our old horde. I'm suddenly nervous to tell her about Ash and the rest of my family in Pallet Town.

"It took some doing," Mama goes on, "but I snuck on to…" She twirls her hand, scrunches up her face, looking for the right word. "What do you call them? Those giant metal things that humans ride in the sky?"

"You mean a plane?" I offer.

"Yeah, that sounds right. I snuck on to one of those and, long story very short, I found this place. Been taking in stragglers ever since."

"That's amazing," I say, prouder than ever to call this Raichu my mother.

Happier than ever that she survived.

"You know," Mama walks on two feet to the entrance and pulls the brambles open, offering a view of the gorgeous territory, "there's plenty of space here. If, uh, if you're interested."

Her tone is casual, but her eyes are saying, Please stay.

There's a twinge in my heart because I have to break hers. And, my own. I just found my mother. She just found her son. I would love nothing more than to stay here and make up for our lost years, to see where I fit in with this new world she's built.

Except…

"I…I can't," I say through the lump in my throat. It doubles in size when I see the light go out in her eyes. "If the circumstances were different, I'd say 'yes' without question. But…I have a new horde, too."

"Oh," Mama sighs in relief. "You mean the friends you brought. They can stay too, if they want."

I shake my head. "Not them. Those guys are great, but I…" She's not going to like this. My next words have never been so hard to say. "I have a trainer now."

Her fur bristles, and her eyes grow big. She lowers the brambles and drops to all-fours to better look me in the eye. "Trainer? Like…a human? You work for a human?"

I was expecting to be angry. Not…not scared.

She narrows her eyes and doesn't let me get a word in. "What do they make you do? I-is it really bad? Is that how you lost your ear? What about your friends? Do they-"

"Mama!" I interrupt. "I know why you're worried, but it's not what you think. He doesn't make me do anything. I want to be with him."

Mama gawks at me like I told her I could fly. "Pikachu, you know what humans do. You lived through it, for Mew's sake!"

My pelt prickles, and my cheeks buzz. How can I make her understand? "Not all humans are like that. They all have different thoughts and personalities like pokemon. And, Ash is one of the sweetest-"

"Ash?" Mama's fear is still present, but it's muddled by something I can't quite make out. "Your trainer's name is Ash?"

My heart pounds. "Yeah. Do you know him?" Because if she does, that could go a long way with convincing her-

"I don't know him," Mama says. She squints at me. "But, I might know some folks who do. Do the names 'Charizard' and 'Butterfree' shake any branches?"

"Yeah," I say. "They're my friends, too. Growlie told me they came here."

Mama rolls her eyes and curses under her breath. "They could have told me he was a human," she mutters.

I walked into this den with a spring in my step. At this rate, I'll walk out of it with my tail between my legs. "Mama, I get why you're scared for me. The truth is…I didn't want to be Ash's pokemon at first." Maybe total honesty is the only way to convince her. Or, it'll make things worse. Arceus, please let it be the former! "The thing about Ash is…he," just say it and don't worry about the consequences, "he looks like one of the poachers who invaded our horde. Their leader, in fact. Same hair, same skin color, shape of his ears and nose. It's all really similar. More so now that he's older, but even then. And, his scent is similar, too."

Mama says nothing, but she's staring at me so hard that I feel like her eyes are drilling through mine.

"I treated him like garbage, and looking back, I feel really bad about it. But, at the time… Well, it had been a long time since the horde…scattered. And, I felt like I had moved past it. But, the moment I saw Ash, caught his scent, it all came back to me. I did everything I could to give him a hard time, and I made him pretty mad, but…"

But, he put his life on the line for me despite it all.

The memory brings a fragile smile to my mouth. "He never held it against me. He… Let's just say, he showed me his character. And, I liked what I saw. And, we've been getting closer and closer ever since."

I give Mama the chance to mull this over. The end of her tail whisks back and forth above her. Then, she rises to two feet and pulls open the brambles again, gazing thoughtfully out at her current horde.

At last, she speaks. "I'm not the only one here who's had a bad run-in with humans."

"So, I've heard," I say.

"Humans abuse pokemon for their own gain. They tear up forests to build their weird, colorful structures. They pollute the air with their smelly contraptions and pollute the rivers with their trash."

"Not all of them."

My certainty makes her look down at me. "You sure about that?" I nod and hum in confirmation. "And, this Ash of yours. How does he treat you?"

A tiny, hopeful laugh bubbles out of me. "I'll put it this way. Ash loves pokemon as much as we do!"

Mama scans me over for cracks in my armor. When she finds none, she shakes her head and sighs. "If you're happy," she says, returning her gaze to her horde.

Relief floods me.

"But, you understand if I still don't like you having a trainer."

"I do," I assure. "He and I got separated. But, since you met Charizard, I'm guessing you already knew that." She nods. "Once I find Ash, I'll bring him here." Her fur bristles, but I'm not offended. I know exactly where she's coming from. "You'll love him. Trust me."

She glances at me. "I do trust you, Pikachu."

It's Ash I don't trust, is what she isn't saying. That's okay. As long as she's willing to try.

Mama's expression darkens further, and her ears jerk back. "You'll have to excuse me. Beedrill's heading this way, and he doesn't look too happy."

She runs out on all-fours and meets the bug/poison-type halfway. I can't hear what's being said, but Beedrill's mannerisms are agitated, so it can't be anything good.

But, it will have to wait. Wobbles jumps me so fast, I nearly shock her. She lifts me up by the armpits, and the overexcited glee on her face makes me tempted to do just that.

"Your mom's a shiny alpha!" the Wobbuffet chimes with an open-mouthed grin.

My ear twitches with annoyance. "I told you that."

"I have been waiting patiently for you to introduce me!"

"Wobbles, if you start badgering my mother, she will eat you. And, I don't think that's hyperbole."

Wobbles starts to retort but is cut off by the rest of our group bounding over to us. Though, Absol's limp causes him to trail behind Sprout and Eevee, despite his long legs.

"Wobbles, put him down," the dark-type commands. Wobbles obeys, and Absol says to me once he reaches us, "How'd it go with your mom?"

"Okay, I think," I reply. "She's wary of me staying with Ash, and I feel bad that I can't stay with her." I shake out my pelt as if that will dislodge the guilt knotting my belly. "But, I know where my heart lies."

Before anyone can respond, Sableye interrupts by calling for Sprout and Eevee and running up to them. "I almost forgot your stones. Leaf and fire, right?"

That's right! In all this excitement, those evolution stones completely slipped my mind!

Apparently, they'd slipped everyone else's as well. Sprout's huge leaves shake so much, her whole body shakes with them. "Oh my goodness! I forgot!"

Eevee leaps high in the air with a triumphant, "We're gonna evolve!"

"Now, Eevee," Wobbles cautions, "are you absolutely certain you want to be a Flareon? Once you're there, there's no going back."

Eevee's tail doesn't stop wagging. "It's what I want! I know it!" He turns his grin on me. "Pikachu helped me figure that out!"

"I owe you a thanks too, Pikachu," Sprout says. "If you hadn't told me what an everstone was, I might still be a Bellsprout!"

My heart fills as I give my chest fur an embarrassed lick.

"Do you 'mon wanna keep standing here," Absol jests, "or do you wanna grab those stones?"

Eevee sprints away, shouting, "Let's go! Let's go!"

"Hey, kid!" Sableye calls, heading in a different direction. "My den is this way!"

We run after Sableye, with Absol crying out, "Wait up!" behind us. On the way, I hear pokemon commenting on me, saying how much I smell like their alpha, how much they want to talk to me, what a miracle it is that I'm alive.

It's embarrassing and wonderful and humbling. And, a little sad, seeing as I can't stick around. But, I'd be happy to come back and bring Ash with me.

Assuming Mama lets him in… We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Sableye has already entered his den by the time we reach it. Anticipation fizzes in the air around us, and it only grows when Sableye comes out with a stone in each hand. One is a greenish gray color and has a darker, leaf-like shape etched into it. The other is yellow and more crystalline and appears to have a stagnant flame trapped inside.

A leaf stone and a fire stone. To evolve a Weepinbell into a Victreebell and an Eevee into a Flareon.

"Hey, Pikachu, I've got a thunder stone too, if you're interested," Sableye offers. "I don't normally give stuff to strangers for free, but since you're the long-lost son, I could make an exception," he adds with a wink.

My ear flattens in embarrassment. "Thank you, Sableye. But, I'd rather stay a Pikachu."

Sableye shrugs. "Suit yourself. Sprout. Eevee." He sets the stones down, stands back, and spreads out his arms. "Have at it."

"It's finally happening!" Sprout squeals.

Eevee is panting with glee. "Who goes first?"

"Oh, let's rock-paper-scissors for it!" Sprout suggests.

Eevee tilts his head, and my ear twitches as I eye Sprout's leaves.

"Rock-paper-what-now?" Wobbles asks.

She must turn to Absol, because he says, "Don't look at me."

"It's a human game," I say. "One that requires fingers."

Sprout looks at her leaves and says, "Oh, yeah."

"I'm dying of old age over here," Sableye whines.

Eevee smiles at Sprout. "You can go first, Sprout. You were waiting longer than me."

Sprout bounces and claps her leaves. "Oh my goodness, thank you! Here it gooooeeesss!"

She lifts up the stone in her leaves, and her body is enveloped by a rainbow of lights. We make some room as she doubles in size. Once the light fades, we see that her bulb-like yellow head has flipped upside-down, leaving her mouth just above her eyes and partially covered by a leaf at the top of her head. The leaves at her sides are huge but mostly unchanged, and the short stem on her head is now longer than her body.

Sprout the Victreebel. It has a nice ring to it.

While Sprout squeals and runs around, eliciting congratulations from the pokemon who saw, Wobbles gives a hearty salute and does her thing. "Victreebel: the flycatcher pokemon. A grass- and poison-type. It lures helpless victims into its mouth using its sweet-smelling saliva. Then it swallows them whole."

She said that so cheerfully…

As Sprout continues to run around gleefully, Absol says, "Somehow, I don't think we have anything to worry about. Hey, Sprout!" he calls. The Victreebel stops and turns toward him. "Not to interrupt, but Eevee's gonna evolve without you if you don't get over here."

"I'm coming!" Sprout calls back, scampering back to our group.

Sableye pats her on the side once she's back. "Looking sharp, lady. Your turn, kid," he adds to Eevee, whose fur is fluffed up with excitement.

"Okay," Eevee pants, brown eyes locked on the fire stone before him. "Here I go."

We watch as he places his paw on the stone, and his body glows every color. He doubles in size as well but, unlike Sprout, retains his overall shape. The real change shows when the light fades. The short parts of his fur are a reddish orange, and his fluffy tail and long fur around his neck are a light tan, with a big tuft on his head the same color. His eyes are wider in shape and a very dark blue. I don't think his tail has stopped wagging this whole time.

Eevee- No. Flareon crouches down, still panting happily. His voice is deeper, but he still sounds his age. "How do I look?"

"You look great!" I cheer. "You both do!"

Absol nods, and Sableye grins with a thumbs-up.

Sprout squeals and lifts Flareon up with her leaves. "You're so handsome!"

While she spins a giggling fire-type around, Wobbles salutes again and says, "Flareon: the flame pokemon. A fire-type. It fluffs its neck fur to keep from overheating."

"Fire-types can overheat?" Absol interrupts.

Sprout screams when a few small balls of fire shoot out of Flareon's mouth and fly just past her face and into the sky. Flareon dangles from her leaves, his mouth still open though nothing is coming out of it.

"Yes," Wobbles says, "and this one just learned Ember."

"Cool!" Flareon barks. He adds a sheepish, "Sorry, Sprout."

Sprout is quick to put Flareon down.

Sableye laughs and picks up the stones, both of which have lost their color, useless now. "Good for you guys. Pleasure doing business with the lot of you. I'll leave you all to celebrate."

We call out thank-yous, and he sends us a wave over his shoulder as he walks away, probably to dispose of the once-evolution stones.

"Oh! Oh!" Flareon barks, jumping up and down. "We should have a battle!" He lightly headbutts Sprout's side. "Can we have a celebration battle, please?"

Having gotten over her initial shock at Flareon's new move, Sprout chimes, "Sure! That sounds like fun!"

Wobbles pats Flareon's fluffy head. "You'll have more of a shot at winning now that you're a fire-type."

"What do you mean?" Flareon asks her.

Absol answers. "Hello? Grass-type versus fire-type. You have a type advantage over Sprout now."

Flareon's eyes sparkle. "I do?"

Sprout giggles and sways to and fro. "Don't think that means you're gonna win!"

Flareon stomps his foot and narrows his eyes at her with a wide grin. "I'm totally gonna win! I'm gonna burn you all over the place!"

My heart is fuller than it's been since this adventure started. First, I get a little bit closer to reuniting with Ash. And, Charizard and Butterfree, by the sound of it. Then, I find out my mother not only escaped the poachers, but started her own little community. Now, two of my friends have evolved and are bursting with joy over it.

This is turning out to be a pretty great day. With everything going on, we could all use a few more of those.

Absol steps between our newly evolved friends with an amused flick of his tail. "Alright, you two. Save the trash talk for the battlefield. Let's ask someone where they have battles here."

"I think it's back there," Wobbles says, pointing toward the back of the territory. "I saw some 'mon coming from that way looking kind of rough."

"Let's go! Let's go!" Flareon chirps as he bolts in that direction.

Sprout takes off after him, calling, "Eevee- I mean, Flareon, we don't even know for sure!"

Wobbles follows them with her hands in the air. "I am also running now!"

Absol sends me a fond but long-suffering eye roll then goes after them.

A giggle bubbles in my throat. I start to follow, but my mother calls my name. I turn around as she approaches me on all-fours. Her ears are flat, her tail is folded tightly over her back, and she regards me with a hesitance that makes me think this great day is about to take a turn.

"You guys start without me," I call to my friends.

Absol pauses and looks over his shoulder. He sees the seriousness of the situation and nods before continuing after the others.

"What's wrong, Mama?" I ask her.

Mama gives her shimmery pelt a shake. "I hate to involve you in this, but it's the only way for me to be sure." I don't like the sound of that. "There are some humans out there. They say they know you."

My fur rises, as does my heart rate. There are all sorts of options as to who those humans could be. Some are good. Some are bad. I have no idea which it is. I scent the air, but the smell of forest and pokemon is too thick to pick up on anything else.

"I'm not gonna make you go out and see them," Mama says. "I just want you to get close enough to tell me one way or the other."

I agree to this, and she leads me to a different entrance than the one we came in from. All of the entrances just look like solid walls of bush to me, but I guess when you live here long enough, you know where the openings are.

"Remember," Mama says on the way. "Don't let them see you. Just give them a good sniff and tell me what you think."

Depending on who they are, I wouldn't want to be seen anyway.

She lets me go first, and the smells of the horde start to lessen the closer I get to the other side of the passageway. I take a good, long sniff.

There are a few different scents, but one stands out.

Grass and sweat and male human musk and home.

"Hey! I said stay hidden!"

I ignore my mother's cry and leap through the barrier on shaky legs.

Ash Ketchum stands before me.

Notes:

Calling it early since I haven't even started the next chapter yet, but I predict that it will be roughly twice the length of this one. Before you ask, yes, it will be about how Ash got there, but there's a lot of other ground to cover. Thank you in advance for your patience.☺

Chapter 31: Family Reunion

Notes:

This chapter turned out to not be double the length of the last one like I expected, but it's still just over 16,000 words. Buckle up.

"I am yours. No refunds." - Unknown

Charizard

A run-in with an angry Fearow gets us a little turned around. How were we supposed to know where his territory was? And, we were in the sky for Mew's sake! You can't own a piece of the sky!

Butterfree and I land to lick our wounds from the fight. Nothing serious, but that Fearow was no slouch. And, a complete asshole on top of it.

Butterfree is on the grass beside me and stops licking to look around. "Call me crazy-"

"You're crazy," I quip.

He gives me a look that's half-amused and half-irritated. "-but, I think we went in a circle."

I pause in lapping at a scratch on my arm. "What are you talking about?"

Butterfree flicks his antennae around as he explains. "See the positions of the trees? That big boulder over there? That bush that looks like a Meowth if you squint? It all looks mighty familiar, don't you think?"

"Not really."

Butterfree shakes his head like I'm the crazy one. "Trust me, Charizard. I've got an eye for these things. And, we done went in a confounded circle. Yes, sir, we did."

I scan the area for real just to be sure. Only to growl under my breath when I realize that he's right. This all does look familiar.

"Damn Fearow," I mutter.

"On the bright side," Butterfree says, "this means we know where to find ourselves some oran berries. Those oughta perk us up."

He flaps his wings but plops down on the ground with a hiss. I thought he had a hard landing, but I just assumed he was eager to get away.

I crouch down for a better look. "Are you alright?" Stupid question, I know.

Butterfree squints at me. His voice is slightly strained from the pain. "Reckon my wing got a mite jacked up. I can still move it, so it ain't broke or nothing. Just hurts a lot."

Satisfied that his wing "ain't broke or nothing," I rise to my feet. "I remember where the oran berries are. You stay here. I'll get them."

"Thank you kindly, partner," he says.

I almost tell him not to call me that, but we kind of are partners here, aren't we?

---

Ash

"You really think she's Pikachu's mom?" Ella asks as we trek through the forest.

I nod. "A female shiny alpha Raichu? That can't be a coincidence."

"Even if it's not her," Patches says from her usual spot on Ella's shoulder, "I'm looking forward to meeting another shiny pokemon. I'm the only one I've ever known!"

Joltik shivers on Ella's head. "I hope she isn't too big. Big creatures scare me."

Gardevoir peers around me to say to the smallest member of our group, "You seem fine with all of us."

"And, what about when you still lived at Electrode Horde?" I add, picturing that alpha.

Joltik shuffles his front feet. "I'm fine with big creatures I know won't hurt me. But, meeting new ones is scary."

Ella grunts and slouches a bit. "I wish I knew what pokemon were saying."

"Sorry," I say with a suppressed chuckle. "We were just speculating about Alpha Raichu. Oh, and Joltik gets nervous around larger pokemon he's never met."

"Yeah?" Ella reaches up and rubs her finger over Joltik's back. "I guess that makes sense."

Out of nowhere, Gardevoir darts away from our group. He stops a few feet away then blows out a breath.

"Something wrong, Gardevoir?" I ask.

He turns back to me with a relieved smile. "I thought I saw a fire, but it turned out to be a Charizard's tail."

"What's up?" Ella asks me.

"It's nothing," I assure. "Gardevoir mistook a pokemon's tail for a…a…"

Gardevoir and I lock eyes. The gears in our heads turn.

We ignore Ella and her pokemon calling after us as we bolt in that direction. My heart hammers in my chest then beats even harder when we come face to face with a fire/flying-type I've known since I was ten years old. He is in the process of plucking oran berries from a tree branch. His orange skin is scratched up and there are some minor cuts in a few places, but he is otherwise fine.

He gawks at me, clutching a few oran berries in his clawed hands. The first intelligible words I hear from my Charizard come in the form of a stunned, "Well, shit."

I throw myself at him. The berries fall on the grass and squish under our feet as he stumbles backwards from the force of my hug. He used to seem so large. Now he barely surpasses me in height. Yet, like all my beloved pokemon, he fits so well in my arms, even though I'm mostly hugging his long neck. And, he's so warm and his tail flame is burning bright and strong.

He's okay. Injured, but okay.

My whole body quivers with emotion and my eyes fill with tears as he slowly returns the embrace. Two of my friends have been missing for what feels like years. One has been found. A piece of my heart is fitted back into place.

I pull away first and pat him down, double-checking that he's real even though we just hugged. He grins at me in a sheepish way.

That's when it boils over.

"What. The. Fuck, Charizard?"

"There's the anger," he mutters.

That just makes me madder. "What were you thinking? Do you know how scared everyone is? How scared I am?"

Gardevoir tip-toes to my side and says an awkward, "I-I'm just gonna crawl back in here." He taps his finger to his pokeball and sends himself inside.

Ella's voice makes me peer over my shoulder. "I think Gardevoir has the right idea. We'll be over here." She scampers back the way she came with her pokemon.

"Friends of yours?" Charizard asks.

"Yes," I say before jabbing my finger at his chest. "How could you do this? Why would-"

"Did you just answer my question?"

I start to snap at him to not change the subject, but I realize that he's looking at me in disbelief. I forgot he doesn't know about this yet. "I can understand pokemon now. All pokemon. Not just Pikachu."

I let him chew on that until he drawls a processing, "Okay…"

"Which means that you have no excuse to not give me a damn good explanation!"

Even if it's simply because you don't trust me as your trainer anymore. After what happened with Pikachu, I wouldn't blame you.

"Back up. You know what I'm saying right now?"

"Yes!" I exclaim impatiently.

"The exact words coming out of my mouth-"

"Charizard!"

He growls under his breath in exasperation. "You're just springing this on me, Ash! Forgive me if I'm a little confused."

I need him to answer because my fury is cooling back into fright and hurt, and I'm terrible at concealing my emotions. "Why did you leave?"

"I just wanted to find Pikachu!" Charizard snaps before composing himself. "I wanted to find Pikachu. That's why I snuck out. And, I've finally got a solid lead! There's this horde of electric-types that he visited not that long ago. At least," he scratches his head, "Pawmo made it sound like it wasn't that long ago. Regardless, someone might know something- Uh, Ash? You're-you're laughing?"

It's true. I'm laughing. Cackling, more like. I am doubled over with my arms around my stomach, and I can't. Stop. Laughing.

Because Charizard didn't leave because he hates me. He just wanted to help. For some reason, that is so damn funny to me.

Charizard takes a cautious step back. "N-now you're crying? I am so confused!"

"How do you think I feel?" I straighten, take deep, composing breaths, and wipe the tears off my face. "First Poke-X shows up. Then Pikachu gets kidnapped. Then you zip on off to Timbuktu. I don't know where either one of you is!" I pace back and forth and the more I speak, the more pain and frustration pours out of me. "I… My god, I've watched pokemon die! I've seen their corpses! I watched them tear themselves apart! I watched them sit there and quietly suffer!" I march up to Charizard, who looks horribly guilty but also like he wants to fly out of here. "Do you know me? Do you know what that's done to me? And, on top of it all, two of my friends, both of whom could catch Poke-X like that," I snap my fingers, "are some unknown place where I can't protect them! I'm not mad at Pikachu because it wasn't his fault. But, you vanished on purpose!"

"I…I hadn't thought of it like that," Charizard says meekly. "I'm sorry."

Getting mad drains me too much for me to keep doing it. So, I groan and run my hands over my face and say, "Whatever. I'm just glad you're okay."

"Charizard!" A new voice calls from a distance. A pokemon voice that makes Charizard grimace. "You doing alright?"

Charizard looks in that direction and curses. He jerks his thumb toward the voice and explains, "I picked up a travel buddy, and he got hurt. I'm supposed to be gathering oran berries."

I wince at the all smashed blue fruits on the ground. "I can help. Let me grab Ella and- Oh, even better!"

I release Gardevoir from his pokeball. He appears beside me and asks timidly, "Is it safe?"

"For us, yeah," I tell him. "Charizard has a friend who got hurt. Will you help him while I grab the others? Gardevoir can use Heal Pulse," I explain to Charizard.

"Perfect," Charizard says.

He tells me where to find his friend then takes off in that direction with Gardevoir. Meanwhile, I seek out Ella and her pokemon.

I find them sitting together under a tree and don't give them time to ask questions. "Charizard's friend needs help. I sent Gardevoir with him. Follow me."

"Hey!" Ella calls as I charge away. "At least wait for us!"

I slow down so she and her partners can catch up but still keep a good pace. Until the mental image of too many innocent pokemon covered in their own gore slithers into my mind. I run faster and hope my friends can keep up.

When I reach Charizard and Gardevoir, the latter is crouched down and using Heal Pulse on a Butterfree. That must be Charizard's friend.

His friend…who seems kind of familiar.

Can it be?

Butterfree shakes out his wings after Gardevoir finishes up. "How do you feel?" Gardevoir asks.

"Hoo whee!" Butterfree somersaults in the air as he flutters to Charizard's eye level. "I feel like a spring flower that just bloomed, by golly!"

Gardevoir stands up with a bemused smile. "I'm guessing that's a good thing."

Charizard catches my eye. He frowns in thought then laughs. "Oh, that's right!"

He shoves Butterfree in my face. The bug/flying-type offers me a confused wave and a hesitant, "Howdy ho, stranger."

I hear Ella panting behind me. I'm too preoccupied to check on her.

Butterfree sends me no hint of recognition. I remind myself that I haven't seen this pokemon since I was a scrawny ten-year-old. "Butterfree?"

He nods. "One of many, yup yup."

I press my hands to my chest and feel a smile pull at my lips. "Butterfree, it's me, Ash!"

Butterfree makes a skeptical noise and scans me up and down. "Nah," he mutters. "Ash is, like, half that size."

Charizard nudges Butterfree with his claw. "Remember when you didn't recognize me because the last time you saw me, I was a Charmander? Ash isn't a kid anymore, genius!"

"It is you, isn't it?" I ask breathlessly. "Butterfree…"

A spark of recognition forms in Butterfree's eyes, and he does another mid-air somersault, laughing and kicking his feet. "Well, I'll be a Mankey's uncle! Let me get a look at you!"

I giggle as he flies around me, examining and poking at every part of my young adult body. Butterfree. This Butterfree. I can't believe it!

I have so many questions. How's he been? How's his mate? Do they have kids yet? Does he like his horde? Where are all the other Butterfree, anyway? How did he meet up with Charizard?

"Um, Ash?" Ella says from behind me.

Oops. I totally forgot about her.

Gardevoir gets as close to me as he can when there's a large pokemon fluttering around me. "I'm also confused."

I turn so that I can speak to both of them plus Ella's pokemon. "Guys, this is Butterfree. He was the first pokemon I ever caught, back when I was ten and he was a Caterpie. But, he- Ah! Okay, Butterfree!" I grab his round body and lift him up and away from…that. "I think you've performed a very thorough examination."

Behind me, I swear I hear Charizard trying not to laugh.

Butterfree flicks his antennae sheepishly. "Sorry. I forgot humans are sensitive there."

"No worries," I reply. "Just be careful." I let go of him, and he hovers beside me. I return my attention to the rest of the group. "Anyway, Butterfree left a few months after I caught him because he found a mate. It's been years since we've seen each other!"

"Oh, wow!" Ella exclaims. "Small world!" She steps up to Butterfree. As usual, Patches is on Ella's shoulder, but Joltik has switched from his trainer's head to her other shoulder. "Hi, Butterfree! I'm Ella. And, this is Patches and Joltik."

Patches dips her head. "Nice to meet you."

Butterfree nods back. "Likewise, little missy. Little mister," he adds to Joltik.

"Y-you're a bug-type like me, right?" Joltik asks.

"I ain't never seen your kind before," Butterfree holds out a hand and lets Joltik climb over him and rest between his antennae, "but I reckon so."

Huh. Joltik must be more comfortable around his own typing. Maybe that's why he didn't mind the larger pokemon at Electrode Horde.

"Aw!" Ella places her folded hands under her cheek. "You guys are already friends!"

Patches gives her tail a content wag.

Gardevoir clears his throat, and I say to him, "Oh, sorry." I direct my old friend's attention to one of my newest friends. "Butterfree, meet Gardevoir. He's my latest catch."

Butterfree holds out his stubby hand. "How goes it, partner?"

Gardevoir lets his mouth hang open as he processes the odd wording, then he shakes Butterfree's hand. "It, uh, goes?"

Charizard crosses his arms and says in amusement, "Butterfree always talks like that. You'll get used to it."

If that's the case, then Butterfree is going to be a lot of fun to talk to! "So, how did you guys meet up, anyway?"

"Random chance," Charizard says. "Plain and simple."

I grin. "That's the best way to do it!"

Butterfree turns a skeptical look toward Charizard. "Am I actually crazy, or did he just respond to you?"

"Oh, I guess you don't know yet," Gardevoir says. "Ash can understand us now. It's new."

"What?" is Butterfree's only reply.

I have a feeling I'm going to be explaining this a lot to people and pokemon alike. "It's true." Butterfree's head whips my way. "One minute, it was all gibberish. Then the next, boom!" I clap my hands together. "Zapdos told me a whole story about it."

"Zapdos?" Butterfree drawls as he takes it all in.

Charizard moves to pat him on the head but stops when he remembers Joltik is sitting there. "Life became a lot more entertaining after you left. That came out wrong, but you get the idea."

"I love hearing you talk to pokemon," Ella says to me, "but I'm still really jealous. Tell me what's going on!"

I gesture toward my pokemon friends. "We're all just getting acquainted." I turn back to Butterfree. "What are you doing out here, anyway? And, where's your mate? Is she here too?"

A change comes over Butterfree. "Um…"

Charizard places his hands on our backs and pushes us away. Then, he plucks Joltik off of Butterfree's head. "Why don't you two wander off while I get to know Ash's new friends?" Charizard suggests solemnly.

I do not like these implications.

---

Butterfree explains himself with the somberness of a veteran. His mate - Flutter, he calls her - had been a victim of Poke-X. After losing her, Butterfree fell into a serious funk and eventually decided that he would try to find happiness by joining my team again.

I am as touched as I am heartbroken.

"Butterfree…" is all I can get out.

By the end of the story, I had sat down on a rock and Butterfree was nestled in my lap. One of his huge wings is pressed against my chest, and the wing's edge nearly touches my throat. My arm is bent around it so that my hand lays on his back.

Butterfree looks up at me, his sorrow replaced by a hard determination. "Charizard tells me that you're looking into this Poke-X business. That so?"

"Uh, yeah." How selfish is it that I'm worried this means he changed his mind about coming back?

However, that's not what's on Butterfree's mind. He repositions himself so that he is clinging to my knee and facing me head on. "I want in. I know I probably can't do anything directly, me being susceptible and all, but I'd like to know what all this is about. And, I don't know…" He shuffles his feet, massaging my leg in the process. "Maybe I could get some closure out of it." He misinterprets my silence. "But-but, I wanna stick around anyway! Not just for closure! I'd like to rejoin the team, no matter what that entails! Please?"

"Butterfree, I would love to have you back," I say truthfully. "But, are you sure that's what you want? I don't want you to regret anything if this is just the grief talking or something." I scratch the space between his antennae. "If you really do want to be my pokemon again, I'll pull out a pokeball right now and re-catch you. But, you need to be absolutely certain first."

Butterfree tilts his head, assessing me. "You really ain't a kid anymore, are you? Makes me feel old," he adds humoredly. "This is what I want, Ash. I wouldn't have set out on this little quest if it wasn't."

He seems certain, so I reach into my backpack and fish out an empty pokeball. He stares at it eagerly. This is going to be my most bittersweet catch ever.

I can't give him his mate back, but if this small thing can bring him happiness in the wake of his grief, then I will gladly oblige.

I move the pokeball forward, and he meets me halfway and bops the button with his nose. The pokeball opens and sends him inside in a flash of red light. One, two, three shakes later, and the pokeball clicks.

My chest is warm, and there's a real but sad smile on my face. "Welcome back," I say to the pokeball, which wiggles the slightest bit in response.

I hope Butterfree isn't making a mistake. But if he does change his mind, especially after seeing the extent of the mess I'm in, I won't force him to stay.

Clang!

A loud noise followed by a pained cry makes me jump and turn my head. There are voices coming from the same direction. I can't make out the words, but they sound agitated. Someone's hurt!

I very briefly debate going back to get the rest of my group, but if someone is hurt or in danger, there's no time to waste. I take off in that direction, and the voices get clearer the closer I get.

Clearer…and more familiar. I slow to a stop and listen.

"I thought you said this was ready, James!" comes an angry woman's voice.

"I could have sworn it was!" James replies.

Team Rocket? Here? Now? I should head back and warn-

"Well, fix it!" Jessie commands. "Do you expect that alpha Raichu to just leap into our hands?"

All rational thought leaves my head. I storm through the forest, not caring if those jerks hear.

Team Rocket is huddled around a human-sized cage with some kind of magnet-shaped device attached to the inside. I don't know what it does, and I don't plan on finding out. One of the bars appears to have fallen off and is lying next to Wobbuffet, who is rubbing his head with a tight expression. He must have been the one who cried out. In any other situation, I would have more sympathy. Or, any sympathy.

Meowth spots me first. His mouth falls open as he points to me and makes panicked noises. Wobbuffet follows suit.

Jessie and James don't turn around in time to see me lift them up by the backs of their shirts and toss them backwards. I spin around to try and murder them with my eyes. They stare up at me with blank, shocked faces.

"Uh, prepare for trouble?" Jessie says lamely.

"Make it double?" James adds in the same tone.

I put my hands on my hips. "You dumbasses don't know when to quit, do you? And, didn't Meowth just get out of the Pokemon Center? For shame!"

"We weren't doing anything yet, twerp," Meowth says from behind me. "We're taking a few days off. James was just tinkering, is all."

"Is that a fact?" I say over my shoulder. Then I realize that Meowth isn't merely crouching; he's actually standing on all-fours. "I've never seen you quadrupedal outside of a disguise before. You doing alright?"

Meowth and lifts one paw. "Just peachy for the most part. Might be a day or two before it doesn't hurt to stand like you, though."

Jessie and James climb to their feet. "See?" Jessie says. "No wicked schemes today." She puts one hand on her hips and flicks her fingers at me. "Now run along like a good little twerp."

"Not happening," I say. "If you think I'm gonna let you creeps anywhere near Alpha Raichu, you've got another thing coming!"

That gives them pause. "How do you know about that Raichu?" James asks.

"Through the grapevine." I'm not going to paint a target on Ella's back. Team Rocket has already gone after her shiny Pachirisu. "Butterfree."

He dutifully hops out of his pokeball and hovers beside me. "Awaiting orders, boss! By golly!" he chitters in shock. "I've been back for all of five seconds, and here comes trouble!"

"Make it double," Wobbuffet quips.

"I don't know what your moves are now," I say to Butterfree before pointing to the weird cage, "but pick one and blast that thing to smithereens."

"Hey!" James objects, leaping in front of it. "Do you know how long it took me to set up that magnet?"

I grab him by the shirt collar and push him into Jessie when she tries to get in the way. They collapse on top of each other.

The moment he gets an opening, Butterfree takes it. Meowth and Wobbuffet leap to safety as Butterfree flaps his wings and sends cloud-like whips of air at the cage. The bars are sliced clean through, and the magnet erupts in a mini explosion.

"That was Air Slash," Butterfree says needlessly. "I've also got String Shot, Bug Buzz, and Bug Bite."

"Good to know," I say. "Nice work, by the way."

Butterfree puffs out his chest. "First task complete."

While we talk, Meowth yells at Wobbuffet, "Why didn't you deflect that?"

"Deflect…" Wobbuffet drawls. "Oh, yeah. I have Mirror Coat." Meowth hisses at him.

The humans in the group untangle themselves from each other, and Jessie is the first to her feet. "What is with you, twerp?" she snaps. Her fists are held threateningly in front of her as she bears her teeth. "Since when do you get physical?"

Since I found out that Pikachu's mother might still be alive. And, that she was on Team Rocket's hit list. I know my buddy would do the same for my mother.

"Listen up," I say. "You knuckleheads owe Pikachu a lot, right? He saved three out of four of your hides, didn't he?"

"What about it?" Wobbuffet asks tentatively.

I glare at each Rocket grunt in turn, making sure they can all see how serious I am. I also loom over them a little. I don't usually emphasize how big a guy I am, but my dad's genes do come in handy. "Here's something you can do to repay him. You can leave his mom alone."

"His mom?" Butterfree mutters. I'll fill him in once Team Rocket is gone.

Blank stares meet my demand until Meowth asks, "What's his mom got to do with anything?"

And, I thought I was dense in the head. "Hello? Pikachu? Raichu? Why do you think I'm being so aggressive? That shiny alpha you're after is Pikachu's mother, you dipshits!"

"She's who-what?" Butterfree exclaims. "Good gosh and golly, why am I just hearing this?"

The way he said that… "Butterfree, do you…know Pikachu's mom?"

"Why sure 'nuff, I do!" he exclaims. "In fact, Charizard had a little chit-chat with her just last night. Can you believe that?"

My mouth falls open. "You're-you're kidding! Charizard knows her too?"

"So, it's true?" Jessie asks. "We're seriously targeting Pikachu's mother?"

"Man," Meowth gripes. "Why'd this have to happen after Pikachu saved our butts?"

James's shoulders slump. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't think I'm up for this anymore."

"Me neither," Jessie sighs.

"Or, me," Meowth agrees.

Wobbuffet's salute is less enthusiastic than usual. "That's right."

The tension seeps out of me. That's four less problems to deal with. And, four less reasons for Alpha Raichu to distrust me.

According to Pikachu, I look and smell a lot like the leader of those poachers who destroyed his home and killed several of his horde, including his father. I can't do anything about that, but at least I could do something about this. Plus, from the sound of it, I have Butterfree and Charizard to vouch for me. I hope it's enough.

"Glad we're all on the same page," I say. "Come on, Butterfree."

Butterfree's wings beat a choppy breeze on my back as he follows me back to our friends.

I feel a tug on my jacket at the same time Butterfree lets out a startled, "Hey!"

I whirl around and see that James had yanked on my backpack. Jessie had grabbed Butterfree's wing, and he spins out of her grasp and latches on to my backpack. The sudden extra weight almost pulls me backwards.

"What the hell?" I exclaim to Team Rocket.

James holds up his hands with a nervous smile. "Sorry for startling you, but is there any chance you might be searching for Pikachu's mother as well?"

"What's it to you?" I demand.

Jessie cocks her hips and waves a dismissive hand in front of her. "Don't get so huffy. We're not up to anything sinister. We just want to meet her, is all."

So much for having four less problems…

"Ain't every day a shiny pokemon or an alpha pokemon pops up," Meowth says. "And, this chick's both!" He raises his right paw. "We promise we'll be on our best behavior. Crook's honor."

Wobbuffet salutes again. "Trust us, for we are crooks."

Even if they're sincere, letting them anywhere near Alpha Raichu can only end one way. At the same time, if I say no, there's a good chance they'll follow us. Call me paranoid, but I still don't trust them not to grab Alpha Raichu and blast off with her.

Butterfree whispers a summary of my thoughts. "I don't know about this."

That being said, an idea forms. I say to Team Rocket, "Follow me."

They gawk at me, and I start to walk back to my group and hear them trailing after me.

"Ash, I know I've been gone a while," Butterfree whispers, "but I reckon we can't trust these folks as far as we can throw them, can we?"

"No, but I've got an idea," I breathe. "Will you go on ahead and send Charizard and Gardevoir over here?"

Butterfree makes an intrigued noise but does as he's told.

"So…this Raichu," James says to fill the space. "What's she like? Is she anything like her son?"

Pikachu told me that she's sarcastic and doesn't beat around the bush, so she can come across as a bit of a jerk. But, she has a heart of gold underneath it. "She really was a sweet pokemon," he'd said. "You just had to get used to her."

If my scent and appearance are as similar to that poacher's as Pikachu claims, there's a good chance Alpha Raichu won't let me get used to her. Miriam's device is a suddenly uncomfortable weight in my backpack. Alpha Raichu has to be in charge of, or at least a part of, that horde Miriam told me about. I hope Alpha Raichu is willing to hear me out. Though, I have a horrible feeling that she's going to drive me away the moment she lays eyes on me. Ella, too, just because she's with me. Maybe it would be better to let our pokemon go first-

"Hey, twerp!" Jessie snaps. "James asked you a question."

Oh. Right. For a split second, I'd forgotten that Team Rocket was here.

I stop and turn to face them. They look at me with a cautious interest. "I've never met Alpha Raichu," I say honestly. "But, based on what Pikachu told me, she isn't going to take kindly to a bunch of humans showing up in her territory."

Meowth lashes his tail. "One of those, huh?"

"That's ironic," Wobbuffet says.

Understatement of the year. "Here's what's gonna happen. Ella and I are going to send our pokemon to talk to Alpha Raichu. Depending on what-"

James raises his hand. "Not to interrupt, but who's Ella?"

"You've seen her before," I remind the four of them. "Brown hair, glasses, about my age." When that doesn't spark anything, I sigh and add reluctantly, "Shiny Pachirisu."

"Oh, that chick!" Meowth says.

Jessie flips her hair over her shoulder. "So, she's a twerpette now. Makes sense."

"Anyway," I drawl. "How Alpha Raichu responds to our pokemon will determine whether or not the rest of us talk to her."

If she refuses to speak to me, I'll have to call Aunt V and explain the situation. She'd understand if I didn't want to go behind Alpha Raichu's back, and I hope Miriam would be just as understanding.

The sound of footsteps and Team Rocket's wary looks over my shoulder tell me that reinforcements have arrived. Gardevoir has his hands on his hips and regards Team Rocket cooly. Charizard's teeth are bared, and he flexes his claws.

Given how close Charizard is with Pikachu, maybe including the fire/flying-type wasn't such a good idea. But, it's too late now.

"Butterfree filled us in," Gardevoir says. "What do you need from us, Ash?"

I nod back at Team Rocket. "Keep an eye on these guys. Don't let them go anywhere until I get back."

"Excuse me!" Jessie snaps. "You said you would take us to Raichu!"

"No, I didn't," I correct. "I just told you to follow me."

James clasps his hands together and pleads, "We won't do any harm! We swear!"

"Throw us a bone, twerp!" Meowth begs.

"We gave you our honor as crooks!" Wobbuffet adds.

Charizard ignores all of them and asks a little too eagerly, "Permission to use force?"

"Don't overdo it," I warn. He huffs in response

This isn't like when Pikachu was left with them on the ship, I tell myself as I walk away with a dark feeling in my stomach. Charizard and Gardevoir are going to be watching Team Rocket's every move. And, I'm pretty sure those guys are afraid of their guards anyway. The knowledge won't stop me from worrying, but I do my best to put it out of my mind.

Ella ambushes me as soon as I return. "Where have you been? Butterfree came back and Charizard and Gardevoir left and I don't know what's going on!"

I rub the back of my neck with a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you." I'm not going to add that I forgot she couldn't understand pokemon.

I explain the situation, and she regards me with a thoughtful frown. "You're not actually gonna let them near Raichu, are you?"

"You don't know those guys like I do," I say. "Sometimes they really are sincere. But, I'm going to let Alpha Raichu decide if she's willing to meet them."

Butterfree flies to Ella's side. Joltik is on his head again. "She needs to be willing to meet y'all first," the bug/flying-type says. "She and I get on just fine, so let me do the talking."

I nod at him and paraphrase to Ella, "As luck would have it, Butterfree and Alpha Raichu are friends, so he's gonna take the lead."

"Really?" Ella says. "That is lucky."

Patches climbs on to her trainer's shoulder with a disdainful sniff. "I don't care what you do. Just keep Team Rocket away from me."

Joltik hops off of Butterfree and lands on Ella's other shoulder. "Is Alpha Raichu nice, Butterfree?"

"Sure 'nuff," Butterfree says. He flies forward then turns back to us. "Y'all coming?"

"Just a sec," I say. "Before we go any further, I need to warn you guys about something."

Pikachu's story isn't mine to tell, but I can't predict how Alpha Raichu will react to me. Pikachu was openly antagonistic when we first met. He shocked me and bit me and hissed at me and did everything to make his hatred known. It made sense after he revealed the reason why a few years later, and it would make just as much sense for his mother to behave in a similar way.

Or, a worse way, I realize. Pikachu lost everything, yes, but his mother lost everything and was trapped with those poachers for God knows how long. Who knows what she's been through?

I have to tell my friends something, so I give as much information as I can without revealing too much about Pikachu's story. "There's…a poacher. Apparently he and I look a lot alike. According to…some pokemon I know, we have really similar scents, too."

Ella and her partners frown at me in confusion. Butterfree, however, must have heard about the poachers from Alpha Raichu. He looks like he's putting the pieces together.

"And, from what I've heard," I continue, "this particular Raichu was captured by him once. So, uh, yeah. If she attacks us on sight, you know why."

"I'll…keep that in mind," Ella drawls, still confused.

Patches, I've noticed, is a bit more perceptive than her trainer. "What aren't you telling us?" she asks with a suspicious squint.

I adjust my hat. "Just trying not to betray a confidence."

Patches hums but doesn't reply.

"All the more reason to let me do the talking," Butterfree says. "Got anything else on your chest?"

I knock my fist against my chest. "All good. Lead the way."

"I'm never gonna stop being jealous of your pokemon-talking power," Ella says as we trail after Butterfree. "It's so cool!"

Despite the situation, my lips pull upward. "It is pretty awesome."

Butterfree leads us toward the tallest and longest wall of shrubbery I've ever seen. I expect him to lead us around it.

I don't expect something huge and shimmery and orange to burst through an opening I didn't know was there. Alpha Raichu is massive, which is to be expected of an alpha, easily surpassing Butterfree in height if you include his wings. She is on all-fours, and her long, long tail is folded against her back. Her ears are back, and her teeth are bared. The scar on the side of her face, the mark that confirms that she is Pikachu's mother, is in full view.

And, her brownish yellow cheeks are practically glowing, they're sparking so much. I knew this wouldn't be easy.

"A real shiny alpha Raichu," Ella whispers reverently. I don't think she understands how badly this could go.

I lightly elbow her and whisper, "Let Butterfree do the talking."

Joltik makes a weary sound and shrinks into himself.

Patches leaps to the ground and lands on all-fours with her tail high in the air. Not threatening, but prepared for a fight.

Butterfree is facing away from me, but I can hear the nerves in his voice. "Howdy, Raichu! Nice seeing you. How you been…since this morning… Um…" He glances between me and Raichu then gestures to me. "This is Ash. He's the guy I told you about. He re-caught me. He's my trainer again. He's also Charizard's trainer. Charizard ain't here right now, but, um- And, this is Ella. And, her pokemon, Joltik and Patches. I think 'Patches' is a nickname. Ain't got a clue what her species is."

"Pachirisu," Patches drawls.

Butterfree nods at her. "Thank you kindly." He turns back to Alpha Raichu, who is less hostile but is still staring at me in a way I can't interpret. "Patches is a Pachirisu. And, eh… Ash is a nice guy. And, he ain't no poacher. Reckon he was just a little kid when you got captured, and um… So, Ash is a nice guy…"

This is going horribly.

Alpha Raichu speaks for the first time, keeping her eyes on me. "You cannot be serious."

Ella sucks air between her teeth and whispers to me, "I'm guessing this isn't going well."

Butterfree whirls around and whines to Ella, "I got flustered when Ash said he looked like the poacher!"

I swallow a frustrated sigh. "It's okay, Butterfree."

Alpha Raichu glances at Butterfree and waves her hand toward me. "What the hell is going on here?"

Time to switch tactics.

I clear my throat when Butterfree starts to speak. Then I sit cross-legged on the grass so that Alpha Raichu and I are at eye level. She tilts her head and watches me, never dropping her defensive stance.

"I…" is all that comes out of my mouth.

How do I start this? By saying I know her son? By saying I'm not the poacher? By saying that the mere thought of what she and her son and the rest of their horde had to live through rips me apart from the inside? Alpha Raichu looks like she's debating on whether or not to fry me like a fast food hashbrown.

Here goes something. "Alpha Raichu…I know about the poachers, about what happened to your old horde. I know I look and smell like that man, but I'm not him. Like Butterfree said, I was just a kid when that happened. And…" I shake my head. "My god. I can't fathom it, why anyone would do something so cruel. It breaks my heart to know that…that you had to go through that. And, that your son had to… Oh, he was so young…"

Alpha Raichu breaks through the darkness creeping into my heart by saying, "What do you know about my son?"

"A lot," I reply. "I know a lot about your son."

Alpha Raichu takes a startled step back and turns to Butterfree for confirmation. "Oh, yeah. He can understand us," Butterfree says. "Don't ask me how it works, though."

"W-what in the name of Arceus?" Alpha Raichu sputters. "Humans knowing what pokemon are saying! Now I've heard it all!" She narrows her deep blue eyes at Ella, who has finally grasped the seriousness of the situation and flinches under the weight of the alpha's gaze. "Can you understand us, too?"

"No, she can't," Patches says. "It's just Ash."

"Alpha Raichu," I say. "Please hear me out."

The alpha squints at me then says wearily, "You can just call me 'Raichu.' If you're who you say you are."

I nod. "Okay. Raichu." I swallow thickly. "As I was saying, I know your son. He's alive, Raichu. He's my friend, my partner, the first pokemon I could ever call my own." I clear my throat again when my voice starts to break. "I love him so much. I would never do anything to hurt him. Or, you. Or, any pokemon."

Raichu's ears twitch, but she sits back on her haunches. Her guard is still up, but it's lowered significantly. That makes me breathe a little easier. "If what you're saying is true," she says, "then where's Pikachu?"

My heart hurts again. "We got separated. It's a long story." I push the pain aside for now. "Raichu, we're not here to cause trouble. All we want to do is talk. But, if you'd rather we leave, I understand."

But, I hope she's willing to listen at the very least. If it works the way I'm told, Miriam's machine could be the only thing keeping Raichu and - I assume - her new horde safe from catching Poke-X.

The silence drags on until Raichu turns to Butterfree and says, "Make sure they stay put. I'll be right back." Raichu darts back the way she came.

My legs shake as I climb to my feet. I have to force the air into my lungs.

"What do we do now, Ash?" Ella asks.

I cross my arms because my hands are shaking, too. "We wait."

It's sinking in that I just spoke with my buddy's presumed dead mother. I had a conversation with a walking miracle. One who hates me and has every reason to, even if I'm not who she thinks I am.

I wish I could go back in time and take those poachers down before they could make their move. Even if it meant I never met Pikachu, at least he and his parents and their family would have made it through the day with everything physical and emotional intact.

I remember the night Pikachu told me about the attack. I was thirteen, and we'd had our first of several encounters with a poacher who called herself Hunter J. She'd managed to steal Pikachu alongside several other pokemon, including Team Rocket's Meowth. All the pokemon made it out, but Pikachu had nightmares for several nights in a row. And, he always woke up screaming in terror.

Looking back, I think he was screaming because my face was the first thing he saw.

I didn't want to force him to talk about his nightmares, but after night four, I couldn't stand it any longer. I finally brought him away from our group and begged him to tell me what was on his mind. Maybe he couldn't stand it anymore either, because he told me everything. The attack, how I was near-identical to the poachers' leader, how Pikachu's father hid him in an alcove in a tree, that alcove being the reason he couldn't handle being in his pokeball, his mother's capture along with some others, the bodies, his father's body.

We both cried that night.

Butterfree's guilty tone brings me back to the present. "I'm sorry I was no good at negotiating."

"It's okay," I say. "That still went better than I thought it would."

"Oof." Ella is nervously playing with one of her pigtails. "I really thought we'd have to fight."

"We still might," Patches squeaks. "Raichu clearly doesn't trust us. I wouldn't be surprised if she came back with reinforcements."

Joltik does a nervous shimmy. "I hope she doesn't. I'm an okay battler, but I don't think I could take on an alpha."

We brace ourselves when we see the bushes shake. It's not Raichu who bursts out and stares wide-eyed at us. It's-

My knees give out, thunking down on the grass.

He's lost weight, his fur is scruffy, and his ear - that god damned ear I was warned about - is missing. He looks more like a wild pokemon than a trainer's pokemon. But, he looks healthy.

He looks real.

Tears roll unbidden down my cheeks. "Pikachu…"

My buddy sobs with me as he leaps into my arms and nuzzles his wet face into my neck. He feels so small in my big hands, smaller than he used to, but the familiarity of his fur against my skin, his tiny hands latching on to my clothes, makes me cry harder.

Charizard brought a piece of my heart back. Pikachu brought the rest.

Little sparks prickle my skin once we calm down. A request. As if he needs one.

A wet smile pulls at my lips. "Do it."

It hurts. It always does when he electrocutes me. But, with very few exceptions that are brought on by circumstances out of our control, it is never malicious, never meant to cause damage. It's the gentlest zap he is capable of. Which, if I'm being honest, isn't very gentle. But, the meaning behind it is gentle.

It means, I'm here. I'm happy to see you.

I love you.

The angry red of my skin will go away in a moment. The love between us will last forever.

"Well, that answers that question," Raichu mutters. I didn't see her come out.

Pikachu pulls back enough to grin at his mother in mild embarrassment. "Oh, yeah. Uh, Mama, meet Ash."

A high-pitched squeal catches our attention. Ella standing over us and knocking her fists together. "I can't take it anymore! It's so sweet!"

"Ella? Patches?" Pikachu says. He leaps out of my arms, and Patches joins him where he lands. "This is a surprise."

"We can say the same thing," Patches replies. She and Pikachu rub their electrified cheeks together in greeting, and Patches looks over her shoulder. "Come on, Joltik. Come meet Pikachu."

Ella whips out her phone for pictures while Joltik hops off of Ella to greet my buddy. "Uh, hi. I'm Joltik."

"Hi, Joltik." Pikachu shakes Joltik's tiny claw, sending a few sparks into the smaller pokemon. "I'm Pikachu. But, you know that already."

"Uh, excuse me." Butterfree lowers himself to the ground. "Remember me, partner?"

Pikachu's mouth falls open. "You…you can't be that Butterfree!"

Butterfree gives his wings a proud flap. "Can and am, old pal. It's been a time, ain't it?"

Pikachu laughs in disbelief. "It sure has! You look great!"

"And, you…" Butterfree trails off, and I know he's eyeballing the space where Pikachu's ear used to be.

Pikachu's smile becomes a little forced as he points to that spot. "Oh, the ear? Yeah, that's…recent."

"Is it?" Butterfree asks. "I-I didn't wanna say nothing in case it was, you know, the norm these days."

Patches flicks her tail. "I wasn't gonna bring it up."

Pikachu cautiously turns toward me, gauging my reaction. My reaction must be pretty bad, because he sheepishly lowers his head. "Um, so about that-"

"I know," I say. "I ran into Team Rocket. They told me what happened." I shake my head and a grief stricken chuckle falls out of me. "You are so brave and so stupid. And, I'm not just talking about Hatterene. I know about the Pokemon Center, too."

Pikachu lifts his chin in defiance. "I'd do it again."

"I'd expect nothing less," I say. "Believe me when I say that I'm as proud as I am pissed."

Before Pikachu can reply, his mother calls out, "Yeah, yeah. That's all well and good. Now can someone get this lunatic away from me?" I see now that Ella has lost interest in us and is taking pictures of Raichu on her phone from every angle. Raichu, for her part, seems to be making a conscious effort to not attack Ella. "She keeps staring at me and holding that weird box in front of her face. It's freaking me out!"

I stand up. "Back off, Ella. You're making Raichu uncomfortable."

"Am I? Sorry." Ella puts her phone away and grins manically at Raichu. "But, you're a shiny alpha pokemon! You're so cool!"

"That's nice," Raichu mutters. "Get away from me."

"Don't worry, Mama," Pikachu says. "You can trust them." His ear perks up, and he says to me with a grin, "Oh, my friends! You have to meet my friends!"

"That's right," I say. "Ella mentioned you were with a group of pokemon. Is it the same one she knows?"

"Is it?" Ella asks eagerly.

Pikachu's tail wags as he drops to all-fours, prepared to race off and find his friends. "Yeah. You're gonna love them!"

Which reminds me. "Oh! Charizard and Gardevoir are here too!"

"They are? Wait." Pikachu tilts his head. "When you say Gardevoir…"

Right. He doesn't know about that yet. I give my jacket an awkward tug. "Um, I kind of caught a pokemon without you. But, he said he knows you-"

Pikachu throws his head back and laughs. I don't know why I was so worried. "Why am I not surprised?" He starts back the way he came but stops right as he's about to leap through the bushes and turns around. "He…said he knows me?"

"Why do you sound so surprised by that?" Raichu asks him. "If anything you should be the most used to it."

This is going to be harder to explain. "Um, so this is kind of…new…"

The dawning understanding on Pikachu's face keeps me from saying anything else. The smile on his face is sad but genuine. "Somebody told me this might happen. I'll tell you later. And," he winks, "I'll show you my new move."

"You have a new move? That's awesome!" And, it makes me feel better about essentially learning my own new move without him. "What is it?"

"Later, Ash. But, can you bring out Charizard and Gardevoir?"

Butterfree shakes his head. "Sorry, Pikachu. We ran into some trouble, and they're standing guard."

At Pikachu's questioning look, Joltik says, "There's a group of bad guys called Team Rocket. They wanna meet your mom."

Even towering over him, I can see Pikachu's fur standing on end. Ella nudges me and whispers, "What's going on?" I paraphrase while the pokemon keep talking.

Patches continues the explanation. "Ash says they dropped any evil plans when they heard Raichu was your mother, but he's having Charizard and Gardevoir keep an eye on them just in case." She turns to Raichu, who has been silent up to this point. "Ash wants you to decide for yourself whether or not you're willing to meet them."

"I was there," Butterfree says to Raichu. He flies to her eye level. "They ain't looking for trouble. They just wanna see a shiny alpha. Or so they claim."

"You might as well say yes," Pikachu says in resignation. "If I know Team Rocket, they won't go away unless you agree to meet them. Two of them are humans, word of warning. Honestly, though, they're not that bad when they aren't being jerks."

Raichu considers this then decides with a shrug. "Worst case scenario, I blast them out of existence. Don't need a bunch of bad guys cramping my style."

I…guess that's a yes?

"Hey, Ash," Pikachu says thoughtfully. "Do you know a Growlithe named 'Growlie?'"

I scratch under my hat. "Uh, Growlie? Sounds familiar. Why?"

"I'm gonna go get my friends," Pikachu says instead of answering. "And, I think I need to grab him, too. Just a head's up," he adds as an afterthought. "One of them doesn't like humans any more than my mom does."

"Good to know," I say. Pikachu darts back through the brush, and I say to Ella, "One of Pikachu's friends doesn't like humans."

Ella is unphased. "I bet it's the Absol. That one was kind of frosty with me the last time I saw it."

"While we have a moment." Raichu walks up to me on two feet, putting her at her full height. Which to me and Ella is still pretty small, but for a Raichu is gigantic. "I find it odd that my son, who presumably has been at your side for quite a while, didn't know you could talk to pokemon."

I shrug. "I don't know what to tell you. I've been talking to him since I was ten, but I couldn't understand other pokemon until yesterday. It just kind of cropped up out of nowhere."

Raichu clearly doesn't believe me, but she doesn't comment. "Bottom line, I'm putting up with you humans for my son's sake. So, no funny business. Got it?"

Patches lets out an annoyed hiss. "We told you-"

I hold out my hand to silence her then say to Raichu, "No funny business. I promise."

Ella must have read the room, because she says, "Me, too. We'll be good."

"See that you are," Raichu warns.

Before we know it, Pikachu returns with his friends: a Victreebel, a Flareon, an Absol, a Wobbuffet, and a Growlithe. The former two look roughed up, as if they'd just had a battle. As soon as introductions are made, three of them crowd around me instantly. The fourth - Absol, obviously the one who doesn't like humans - hangs back. He sits down and stares a hole through me. The fifth, Growlie the Growlithe, who does seem vaguely familiar, watches with a cautious interest.

"Oh my goodness, it's you!" shouts Sprout the Victreebell - newly evolved, I assume, since Ella had mentioned a Bellsprout.

Flareon - also probably a recent evolution, as Ella had mentioned an Eevee as well - gazes at me with wide eyes. I can instantly tell that he's the youngest, still a child at that. "Ash is huge!"

"All humans are huge, Flareon," Wobbles the Wobbuffet says analytically.

"Yeah, but Ash is huge!" Flareon counters.

Pikachu joins the party. "Actually, Ash is pretty big by human standards."

"See?" Flareon says pointedly to Wobbles, who makes a noncommittal sound.

I laugh and bend over with my hands on my knees. "It's so great to meet all of you! Thanks for looking out for my buddy. You have no idea how much he means to me."

"Hello?" Ella is waving her arms up and down. "I'm here, too! Remember me? And, Patches? And- Actually, Joltik wasn't there when we all met."

Sprout gives her leaves a shake. "Oh, I remember you guys!"

Flareon's tail wags. "Hi, Ella! Hi, Patches!"

Absol nods in greeting and adds, "And, it's a pleasure to meet you, Joltik."

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Butterfree quips from where he hovers nearby. "I'm Butterfree."

Wobbles flicks her hands dismissively. "Yes, yes, greetings and salutations." She puts her hands on her hips and says to me, "So, Ash, Pikachu tells us that you started understanding pokemon while he was away."

I straighten and say proudly. "Yep! Sure did."

While the rest of the newcomers react with shocked noises and murmurs, Wobbles gets closer and asks quickly and eagerly, "How did that happen? Have you been studying our language? Do you have magic powers? Where did you come from? Where did you go? Where did you come from, Cotton-Eyed Joe?"

"Uh, my-my name is Ash," I stammer.

Absol rolls his eyes. Sprout shakes her head. Flareon gives his chest an embarrassed lick. Pikachu says to me, "I am so sorry."

I get the sense that Wobbles's friends have to apologize for her a lot.

Growlie speaks up for the first time. "Um, pardon me." He takes a few shy steps closer and says to me. "I was told you may be familiar with a human male named James?"

I kneel down with my arms crossed over my knees. "Yeah. You know him?"

Growlie brightens. "I-I do! He's a dear friend, and I've been trying to find him! Will you please take me to him?"

Vaguely, I recall a few incidents involving Team Rocket and… "Oh, man! That's how I know you!"

"Right?" Pikachu says with a happy wag of his tail. "Isn't that wild?"

"At this point," Raichu says curtly, "it might as well happen." She drops to all-fours and shakes out her pelt. "Are we good? Does everyone know each other now? 'Cause I am morbidly curious about where all this nonsense is going."

"Mama," Pikachu scolds, "be nice."

Raichu shrugs. "I am being nice."

Pikachu huffs, and I stand up and say quickly, "I-it's fine, buddy. No worries." Please don't fight, is what I mean. "Let's go meet with Team Rocket. If only so you guys can meet Charizard and- Well, most of you know Gardevoir, but not all of you."

"So, we are taking Raichu to Team Rocket?" Ella asks.

Ugh. I keep forgetting that she doesn't know what's going on. "The short version is that Growlie - that Growlithe - he used to be James's pokemon, and he wants to see him again."

"Oh, wow! Really? The world keeps getting smaller!" She purses her lips and glances at Raichu. "And…Raichu's coming too?"

"We'll make sure nothing happens," I say and hope it's true. "After all, Team Rocket are pretty outnumbered."

But, when has that ever stopped them?

Pikachu leaps on to my shoulder in two strides. The familiar and comforting weight of him, the almost instinctual lack of hesitation on his part, almost makes me cry again. I know Pikachu is feeling the same because he blinks quickly and headbutts my cheek. I bring my hand up to press him closer, and he purrs against me.

He's home.

While we all make the trek back to where we left everyone, I listen to the pokemon's conversations. Patches gets chummy with Raichu after revealing that they are both shinies; Raichu didn't notice because she'd never seen a Pachirisu before. Sprout, Wobbles, and Flareon nearly trip me in their many attempts to get to know me. Pikachu giggles and tells them to give me some breathing room. I don't mind, though. I'm as eager to get to know them as they are to know me.

Wish I could say the same about Absol, who is keeping his distance and watching me out of the corner of his eye. I don't think he wants to know me as much as his friends do.

Suddenly, I see the way he favors his foreleg and the patch of fur missing from it. I kick myself for not noticing sooner-

We all stop in our tracks when Growlie runs ahead suddenly, crying, "Oh, heavens! I can smell him!"

"Growlie!" I call.

"Don't run off!" Ella shouts uselessly. To me, she says worriedly, "What was that about?"

"I think he picked up James's scent," I reply.

Pikachu sniffs the air. "I smell him, too. And, the rest of Team Rocket." He takes another whiff, and his ear perks up. "And, Charizard!"

He leaps off my shoulder and runs ahead as well, and I call out a frustrated, "Ah, come on!" I explain to Ella, "Now Pikachu's got Charizard's scent."

Butterfree flies forward. "I'll keep an eye on them."

Joltik had been riding on his head again but hops on to Ella's shoulder as Butterfree goes after the others.

"Thanks, Butterfree," I call. "Be careful."

"Careful's my middle name, yup yup!" he calls back. "Well, actually I don't got no middle name. Or, last name. But, you get the gist."

"I assume Butterfree's keeping watch?" Ella asks.

I confirm this, and Wobbles says with a salute, "Good luck to him. Pikachu does whatever he wants."

Absol gives her a tired look. "Said the female who does whatever she wants."

"Exactly," Wobbles says without apology. "I know his type."

"Electric?" Flareon asks with a confused head tilt.

Sprout explains, "She means she's familiar with folks who have personalities like Pikachu's."

Flareon barks a drawn out, "Oooohhh."

I laugh. "You guys seem like a lot of fun!"

"They are pretty cute," Ella says.

"Can we keep moving?" Raichu says impatiently. "I just wanna get this over with." She tilts her head. "Why are you all staring at me?"

Because Joltik somehow hitched a ride on her head without anyone noticing.

Now Raichu also notices, reaching up to pat the spot where Joltik shrinks up with an anxious squeak. "Um," he chirps in embarrassment, "we Joltik can't make our own electricity, so we have to take it from others. I'm sorry. I should have asked."

Raichu softens so much that she seems like a different pokemon. "Hey, I'm not here to judge. Just make sure you leave some for me."

Joltik practically melts in relief. "Thank you."

A smile forms on my mouth. I'm starting to see the resemblance between Raichu and Pikachu.

Ella giggles beside me and takes a few pictures on her phone. She sees me watching her and says with a wide grin. "What? They're adorable!"

I agree, but I don't get to say so because Patches squeaks, "Hey, I just thought of something." She climbs up on to Ella's shoulder and asks me, "Does Charizard know about Pikachu's ear?"

Uh…

A scream of, "Sweet Arceus! What did that?!" answers her question.

We don't waste any more time, bolting to where we left Team Rocket. We walk into quite a sight. Team Rocket are huddled together on the ground, and James has Growlie nestled in his arms. Gardevoir and Butterfree are standing/floating awkwardly to the side. Pikachu is held up by both of Charizard's hands. As for Charizard himself, his eyes are bugged out and locked on the now-one-eared Pikachu, and I'm seriously concerned that Charizard's jaw might actually hit the ground.

"Oops," I say sheepishly. "I guess I forgot to warn you about that."

Charizard glances between me and Pikachu, then Pikachu gives a startled squeal when Charizard gives him a hard shake demands to know, "What the fuck happened to you?!"

"Um…" Pikachu drawls. "It's a long story."

"I have time!"

I move to intervene but feel a nudge at my side. Absol is looking up at me with that same calculating expression as he nods for me to follow him.

When I hesitate, Ella says, "Go on. I'll keep an eye on them." She glances at Absol, who has limped a few steps away and is watching me over his shoulder. "That looks important."

I thank her and trail after Absol. Once we are out of hearing range, he sits on his haunches, and I sit crossed-legged in front of him.

"How's your leg?" I ask. I eyeball the bare, slightly red spot that should be covered by long white fur. "That looks pretty recent."

Absol drops forward so that he is lying on his stomach. Taking pressure off his foreleg? "I've had worse. So," he drawls before I can comment further, "you're the famous Ash."

Famous? I smile, but it feels awkward under the weight of Absol's piercing red gaze. And, I thought Miriam's Hatterene was intense! "Guess Pikachu mentioned me, huh?"

"He has," the dark-type says vaguely. "He speaks highly of you."

That should make me happy but, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

Absol shrugs. "It's just that he seems to think a mite too highly of you."

"What does that mean?"

He squints at me for a moment then licks the paw of his good leg and runs it along his horn, forming his thoughts. "I used to have a trainer."

I can't gauge whether or not that's a good thing. "Is that so?"

Absol nods and hums in affirmation. "She had very high expectations for me." He tilts his head, reading me now. "Tell me, Ash. Do you have high expectations for your pokemon?"

I consider the question. "I just want them to do their best."

Absol tilts his head the other way and narrows his eyes in thought. "Maybe I didn't ask the right question. How about this? Do you ever, say…encourage your pokemon?"

The question is so silly, I can't help but laugh. "Of course! I'm always encouraging them!"

Apparently, my answer isn't satisfactory. "Okay, but…do you encourage them too much?"

The severity of his gaze makes the gears in my head turn. "You mean, like, do I pressure them?" I scratch my cheek, "I don't think so. I try not to. Wait," I add as this conversation starts to sink in. "Do you think I pressure Pikachu?"

"I can't answer that," Absol says.

Do I pressure Pikachu? He would tell me if I did, wouldn't he?

Absol stands up, placing more weight on his good leg. "My friends and I have grown fond of Pikachu. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we consider him a member of our group. He's been in some...interesting moods because of you, and they didn't make any of us happy."

"W-what does that mean?" I stammer as my stomach knots.

If Absol was going to respond, the sight of Pikachu's mother - Joltik isn't riding on her anymore - walking quadrupedally to us cuts him off. "Are we interrogating the human?"

Absol gives his pelt a firm shake before walking past her and saying, "All yours."

I turn in my seat to face Raichu and wonder how much more my brain can withstand. What has Pikachu told Absol and their friends? Do I put too much pressure on Pikachu? What kind of "interesting moods" was he in?

On a related note, what does it say about Absol's old trainer that he felt the need to ask me such odd questions?

On another related note, despite the anxiety creeping through me, I'm happy that Pikachu had such a good friend through all this. And, it sounds like Wobbles, Sprout, and Flareon care about my buddy as much as Absol does.

Raichu waits until Absol is out of sight to speak to me. "I'm gonna be blunt with you, Ash. I'm tolerating you because my son trusts you. You obviously know my history, so you understand that, if it weren't for Pikachu, I wouldn't be so welcoming."

This is her being welcoming? I know better than to comment. "Yeah, I get it. But, I promise you that I have no intention of hurting anyone. I adore pokemon, and your son is my best friend in the world!"

"That falls in line with what he told me." Well, that's good at least. "Nevertheless, I spent the past several years assuming my entire family was dead. Now that my son has returned, I don't plan on letting anything happen to him."

I nod. "I feel the same way. About him and you." Her ears flick in surprise. "Do you know how scared I was when I found out that he'd been hurt? Or, how happy I was to see him alive and well? Minus the ear, of course. The hugs and the tears? They weren't fake. I love Pikachu with all my heart, and I never want anything bad to happen to him again! And then, there's you. Pikachu was in the same boat you were, thinking his whole family was dead. Man, I can only imagine how happy he was to see you. No matter what, I would want you to be safe. But, you're my buddy's mom! That doubles - no, triples - how much I care about you."

"We just met," Raichu points out. "Clearly, I'm doing a poor job of driving you away." She hears the humor in her voice and repositions her scowl.

I pretend I didn't notice her brief shift in demeanor. "Bottom line, as long as I'm around, no harm will come to you or your horde. I know Pikachu would say the same thing to my mother."

Raichu hums in acknowledgement then turns around, saying, "Alright then."

She walks back to the group, and I try not to be hurt that she still doesn't trust me. It's not like it's unfounded. Whatever she went through with the poachers couldn't have been good, and that's not even getting into what happened to her original horde, to her family.

My head is swimming. So much has happened in such a short time. I'm having trouble processing it all.

I climb to my feet and hike up my backpack, which reminds me of the reason I came here in the first place.

Pikachu

After my story about Hatterene ends, Charizard proclaims, "In other words, everything was hunky-dory fine until Jessie and Wobbuffet reared their ugly heads." It continues to go as well as I expected.

It's not easy to keep a seven-foot tall, four hundred pound fire-breathing beast with claws and sharp teeth from maiming someone, but the combination of Gardevoir's Psychic and my Thunderbolt gets the job done.

Sort of.

"Well, I can't beat up Hatterene," an extra crispy Charizard complains, "and those two are right there!"

"It wasn't our fault!" Wobbuffet argues. "Hatterene had psychosis. It's a mental illness exclusive to psychic-types."

Meowth chimes in, standing on all-fours in front of a cowering Jessie, James, and Growlie. Meowth's fluffed up fur betrays his anxiety. "Yeah, how were they supposed to know the chick was nuts?"

"She wasn't nuts!" I snap at him. "She was sick!"

Meowth flicks his tail in dismissal. "Potato, potahto."

I bite back a hiss.

"Can we all just breathe?" Sprout shouts, flailing her leaves.

"There's nothing to be done about it now," Absol adds more calmly. He disappeared for a bit then came back near the end of the story.

Ash is still missing though. My mother has vanished as well, probably to escape Team Rocket's ooh-ing and aah-ing at the sight of her.

But, my focus turns elsewhere. While the others try to talk down Charizard from murder and Meowth lets Jessie, James, and Ella (who joined them to listen) know what's going on, a hushed conversation between Ella's pokemon captures my attention.

"Do you think it's the same Hatterene?" Joltik asks.

Patches frowns deeply. "It sounds like they met in the same place. And, Hatterene aren't found in Kanto, right? Now that we know the whole story, it definitely isn't out of the question."

I have to jump in. "You guys know Hatterene?"

Patches hums in confirmation. "We met her at the same old shack you did. Ella wanted to catch her, but then her trainer," she adds with disdain, "showed up."

My fur prickles. Please don't let it be the woman I'm thinking of! "You sound like you don't like her trainer."

Patches lets out a small hiss. "The woman dropped a lie every time she opened her mouth."

Joltik nods. "She told us and Ella that she only left Hatterene there for a few days, but you saw that shack. I don't know much about human structures, but I know it takes a lot longer than that for one to end up in that state."

I hate how right he is. "Hatterene told me a little about Miriam. I assume that's who you're talking about?" They confirm this, and I wish they hadn't. "Hatterene made it sound like something bad happened to Miriam. But, if what you're saying is true…" I sigh and shake my head. "I don't want to think about what that implies."

Patches swipes her paw over her ear. "It gets worse. Miriam came back to the shack, and Hatterene re-joined her party."

Given what we've been talking about, I should have expected that, but it still throws me for a loop. Hatterene was probably over the moon, but Miriam… She has to be the same Miriam who put out that machine that spread Poke-X. I'm more convinced than ever that it's not a coincidence. I hope Hatterene is okay.

"Raichu!" Ash calls, startling me out of my thoughts. "Hey, Raichu!"

I was so engrossed in what Patches and Joltik were telling me that I hadn't noticed my mother return to the group. Ash runs up to her, and the rest of us turn to see what crazy thing is about to happen.

Because at the rate stuff is happening today, not even Arceus themself can tell me what will happen next.

"There's something really important I need to talk to you about," Ash says to my mother.

"Oh, yeah!" Ella chimes. She stands up from her spot with Team Rocket. "That machine!"

Machine? Sounds like I'm not the only one who's been busy.

"I have something to say as well," Growlie says. He hops out of James's lap with an eager wag of his fluffy tail. "Though to you chaps."

"Growlie's got something to tell us," Meowth translates.

James grins and picks up Growlie. "I hope it's an explanation as to what you're doing all the way out here by yourself!"

Jessie stands. "Why don't we step away and chat where we won't have to talk over twerps?"

Gardevoir turns to Ash and asks, "Should we keep an eye on them?"

"Nah," Ash says. "At this point, I don't think we have to worry about them trying anything."

Jessie huffs and cattily flips her hair. "We gave you a crook's honor, didn't we?"

As Team Rocket wanders off with Growlie in tow, Butterfree waves and calls, "Good luck, Growlie!"

Charizard shakes his head fondly and mutters, "He's gonna need it."

Why do I feel like they know something I don't?

Flareon paws at Ash's sneaker. "Why do you have a machine?" The fire-type straightens and wags his tail with interest. "Do you build stuff? Are you one of those scientist things?"

Ash laughs. "Me? No way. But, I know some scientists. In fact," he puffs out his chest and puts his fist over it, "I've been working with my aunt and her crew in Lavender Town to figure out how to stop Poke-X."

"That's so cool!" Flareon barks.

Relief floods me. I should have known Ash wouldn't let himself do nothing but fret over me. It's not his style. When there's a problem he can't solve, he switches focus, keeping that problem on the back burner until a solution presents itself.

"Hold on," Wobbles says suddenly. She turns to me and the PokeSquad with a strange expression. "Weren't we in Lavender Town?"

Uh…

Ash sputters a little. "You… W-when did you go to Lavender Town?"

I'm still brain-dead, so Flareon answers. "It was a couple days after we met Pikachu."

"I got there a week after Pikachu disappeared!" Ash exclaims.

"Wait. Wait." Ella glances rapidly between Ash and me. "Am I interpreting this right? You guys…could have…you know…"

Charizard smacks the side of his head and growls under his breath, "Son of a bitch."

Sprout's whole body shakes. "Oh my goodness! We could have avoided all this!"

Yes. We could have. But, I look around at exactly what we could have avoided. If I'd stayed in Lavender Town, would the PokeSquad and I have been the friends we are? Would I have met Ella, Patches, and Joltik? Probably, since Ash knows them, but even so. And, what about Butterfree? Would he have reunited with Ash if Charizard hadn't been looking for me? Would I have met Electrode Horde or battled Zapdos? What would have happened to Jessie and Wobbuffet when they went after Hattrem? Would Meowth be alive right now if I'd stayed put? Would I have spent the rest of my life thinking my mother was dead?

"I'm glad we left," I decide. When my friends, especially Ash, look at me in surprise, I explain. "We did kind of a lot. Not all of it was good," I turn a meaningful look at my mother, who gazes at me with pure love when I say, "but some of it was pretty great."

"Whatever you have to tell yourself," Wobbles mutters.

Ella turns to Ash and asks, "What did Pikachu say?"

Ash grins in that boyish way he never outgrew. "In short, he and I have a lot to catch up on! But, it'll have to wait." He kneels down and takes off his backpack, setting it between himself and my mother. "Raichu, do you know what Poke-X is?"

"I've heard of it," Mama says cautiously. "What's this about you trying to stop it?"

Ash modestly fiddles with the brim of his cap. "Well, not me specifically. I don't really get all the sciencey stuff, but I'm helping where I can. Right now, that means putting out a special machine in a place with lots of pokemon in it." Ash unzips his backpack and pulls out a metal disk that's a little bigger than his hand. "When I turn this on, it'll release special pharaoh phones-"

Ella snorts. "Pheromones."

"Yeah," Ash says without embarrassment, "those things. When they come into contact with a pokemon, they protect the pokemon from catching Poke-X."

Absol asks the question on everyone's mind. "Does it work?"

"Well," Ash eyeballs the machine. "I haven't seen it in action. But, they wouldn't want it in the field if it didn't work, right? Anyway, Raichu, since you're in charge around here, I wanted to get your permission before I left it near your horde."

"A wise decision," Mama says. She gives the disk an analytical sniff. "Smells weird. But then, so does most human stuff."

"You can trust Ash," I tell her. "I told you he loves pokemon as much as we do. He wouldn't hurt us."

Ash smiles in thanks, and Mama rises to two feet with a disdainful side-eye at my buddy. "I'm not convinced."

"Maybe if you show us how it works?" Joltik suggests.

"Okay," Ash says. "I don't know how big it's supposed to get, so let's make some room."

"Are we sure about this?" Absol ponders as we all back away.

Mama turns to the dark-type and says, "I like you. You have sense."

Absol smiles a little. I decide to ignore the exchange, and Ash seems to be doing the same.

We watch with intrigue as my buddy opens a panel on one side of the disc and presses a button. He closes the panel and sets the machine button-side-down. Then he rises and stands back. Everyone, Ash included, makes curious noises as the machine increases in size until it is about my height. When it reaches its full size, it resembles a silver fire hydrant with four spiky legs and a band with holes around the top…

Sweet merciful Arceus, no…

I'm not the only one who sees it. Sprout screams and runs away until she collides with a tree and falls over. That might be comical in other circumstances.

"Is she okay?" Ella asks.

"She's fine," Wobbles says quickly. She holds out her arms uselessly. "Everyone stay back! That thing doesn't do what he says it does!"

Mama's fur fluffs up in an instant. "What do you mean?" she asks dangerously.

"Guys, it's okay!" Ash says naively. "I know it looks kind of weird, but it's totally safe! See, when a pokemon gets close to it-"

"We know damn well what it does," Absol snarls. His hackles are up, and his teeth are bared. "If you know what's good for you, you'll deactivate it right now!"

"Do what he says!" Flareon is shaking as he hides behind Absol with his reddish paws over his face. "I don't wanna get sick!"

It seems that the PokeSquad and I are the only ones who know what this thing is. Everyone is staring at us in genuine confusion. Except my mother, whose narrowed blue eyes look from Ash to Ella in suspicion.

"Um, Ash?" Ella says carefully. "What's going on?"

"That's what we'd like to know!"

Jessie's voice switches our focus. Team Rocket must have heard the commotion and come running. Growlie is nestled in James's arms, and James looks like he's been crying. I wonder what Growlie told them.

Jessie scoffs and turns her head haughtily. "You twerps are making so much noise, we can't hear Growlie's sob story."

James turns on her with a snarl. "Growlie's plight is not some sob story! Don't demean him!"

"I'm not demeaning anyone," Jessie argues. She points to Ash and demands, "Now, what's with all the noise, twerp? And, what's with the tiny fire hydrant?"

"Uh, Ash?" Butterfree asks cautiously. I just realized he'd perched him high up on a tree branch. A few leaves fall off as he quivers in fear. Maybe the PokeSquad and I aren't the only ones who have seen this machine before. "Where did you get that?"

Ash looks from pokemon to pokemon, his eagerness gone, replaced with a dreadful uncertainty. "I… S-someone who works with my aunt gave it to me." He shakes his head. "You-you're mistaken. This thing isn't dangerous. It… Aunt V wouldn't… She… It's not dangerous!" Desperate brown eyes switch between me, Charizard, Gardevoir, and Butterfree. "You guys know I wouldn't have brought this here if it wasn't safe! Tell them!"

I finally find my voice, but it comes out shaky and hesitant, "I believe you…think this is safe."

Charizard massages his forehead and interrupts Ash's sputtering by saying, "Ash, I don't know what's going on any more than you do, but I think it's best if you turn that thing off for now."

"Charizard's right," Gardevoir says. "I think these guys know something we don't."

He has no idea. None of them do.

Except Butterfree, who says when Ash only stands there, "Ash…remember when I told you I lost my mate to Poke-X?"

What? I'm too panicked to grieve for him.

There's a dawning realization on Ash's face as he nods at Butterfree, who drops the next bomb. "She-she got sprayed by-by one of those things. She got sick after."

Charizard says it for me. "You're kidding."

Ash shakes his head. "It's a coincidence. She… Maybe she was already carrying the virus and-and it was already too late when-"

"Um, Ash," Gardevoir says cautiously, "Absol and Raichu are giving you the evil eye. I think you should turn that thing off."

A shutter rips through me when I see that he's right. Mama and Absol are crouched down, prepared for a fight. Absol is growling, and Mama's cheeks are sparking.

I leap in their way. "You can trust him! Look at him! Does he look like he knows anything about this?"

I whirl around when I hear a thud, but my panic dissipates somewhat when I see that Ash is down on his knees and had simply dropped the device.

"Sorry," he says quietly, unsteadily. "My hands are shaking."

I have never seen Ash like this.

Ella moves to his side to help him with the machine, and I turn back to my mother and the PokeSquad. "You guys don't know Ash like I do. He loves pokemon! Whatever's going on isn't his fault!"

"Pikachu," Mama says carefully.

Charizard interrupts. "No, Raichu, he's right. I don't know what that thing is, but I do know that Ash Ketchum would never knowingly harm a pokemon."

"Ketchum?" Absol barks. "Did you say his last name is Ketchum?" Before Charizard can answer, Absol whirls on me, and I shrink back under the weight of his glare. "You never told us his name was Ash Ketchum."

"I-I guess it never seemed important?" I say unsurely.

"Will someone tell us what in Mew's name is going on?" Wobbuffet demands.

"Yeah," Meowth agrees in the human tongue. He flicks his tail toward Jessie and James, who are crouched down beside him. "These two keep bugging me to tell them what's going on, and all I'm getting is that that doodad the twerp has is bad news!"

I don't even know what's going on at this point.

A groan makes me look over my shoulder. Sprout rolls over from where she'd been laying - forgotten by all of us, I confess - and slowly rights herself.

"Are you alright, madam?" Growlie asks from where he still rests in James's arms.

Sprout shakes herself out. "I had a nightmare that Ash brought a Poke-X machine." Then she takes in the scene and screams, "Oh my goodness! I was awake!"

Nobody breathes until Ash and Ella figure out how to turn that death machine off. Once it's back in its harmless (right?) disc form, Absol leaps past me and leaps in front of Ash and Ella so fast that both humans fall on their rears. "Who gave you that machine?" he demands. "Tell me now!"

As Gardevoir and Charizard work together to pull back a snarling, furious dark-type, Ella asks Ash, "Now what's happening?"

Ash just sits there open-mouthed.

Butterfree has apparently decided that it's safe to come down, and he lands beside me. "Ash, who gave you that thing? You said they work with your aunt?"

Ash blinks back into existence. "Her name is Miriam. She-"

"Miriam Waybright?" Wobbles asks slowly.

There is a desperate hope in Ash's voice. "Y-yeah. You know her?"

Oh, Ashton, what have you gotten yourself into?

Flareon's ears are back as he creeps out from his new hiding place behind Wobbles. "We know her," he says. "She's mean! Really mean!"

"I mean," Ash's Adam's apple bobs, "she was kind of rude, but I wouldn't say-"

"Who's your aunt?" Absol demands, ripping himself out of Charizard and Gardevoir's grip. "You said she works with your aunt. And, that you've been doing the same. Who is your aunt, Ash Ketchum? What's her name?"

"Her-her name?" Ash stammers. "It's Vivian. Vivian Ketchum."

Absol hisses and shrinks back with his teeth bared and a tremble in his gait that wouldn't notice if I weren't right next to him.

My stomach drops, and my fur stands up. I shake my head. "No. Absol, don't tell me."

"Absol?" Flareon prompts when Absol doesn't say anything.

Absol blows out a breath and looks up at the sky for a moment. He lowers his head but doesn't look at me when he drops the next bomb. "Yes, Pikachu, your trainer is related to mine."

Vivian? Ash's Aunt V? That can't be right! Sure, Vivian can be a little insensitive, but she's not a bad person!

"You're that Absol?" Ash exclaims.

"You've heard of me," Absol says.

Adam's apple again. "She said she had a partner who-who just went nuts one day and attacked her. But, that can't be you! I know Pikachu. He-he wouldn't be friends with you if he thought you were dangerous."

Absol chuckles with disdain. "So, she said I was the dangerous one, did she?"

"Okay," Patches squeaks, her tail lashing behind her in frustration. "What the holy hell is happening right now?"

"I have some questions as well," Mama says.

"Only some?" Wobbles asks.

Sprout shouts out another, "Oh my goodness!" and suddenly everyone is talking over each other.

Some, those of us who know Ash, are defending him. Some, namely my mom and Absol, are arguing that we need to drive him and Ella away. Some are just trying to get the full story. The rest are humans who don't have the faintest idea of what's happening.

Until Ash has had enough and slams his hands on the grass and screams, "Everybody shut it!"

Silence.

Ash takes a few breaths and rubs his forehead. "I don't get any of this. But, I trust my aunt."

Absol steps forward. "Are you calling us liars?"

"No!" Ash shakes his head vehemently. "No, I'm not! But…but, Aunt V, she…" He lowers his gaze to the disc-shaped death trap in front of him. "She knows how much pokemon mean to me. And, she loves me. So, she wouldn't… Because if she did, then…" So quietly, he adds, "God, what did I do?"

"Ash?" Ella says worriedly. My buddy doesn't react when Ella places her hand on his back.

He does react when I walk up to him and put my hand on his knee, even if it is just turning panicked brown eyes on me. "Whatever this is," I say to him, "it's not your fault. I know you, Ashton." To everyone else, I say, "I trust Ash implicitly, and I'll be saying that on my deathbed."

"Pikachu," Ash breathes.

Charizard's arms are crossed over his chest. "I second that. If Ash really did bring something dangerous here, he was obviously tricked."

Gardevoir gives a mock-salute. "Ten-four. I think I've known him long enough."

"I'll admit," Butterfree says, "I've been away a while. But, take a gander," he adds with a nod at our still shell-shocked trainer. "You can't fake emotion like that."

"Agreed," Patches says. "I don't know Ash well, but he seems like a good one. Something's up, and I don't think Ash is as involved as that doohickey there would suggest."

"We've known Ash for a long time," Wobbuffet says.

Meowth adds, "He's too much of a goody-goody to pull a stunt like this willingly."

Much to Meowth's annoyance, Jessie starts poking him in the back of the head. "Meowth? What's happening?"

Absol sits on his haunches with a huff. "Fine. We'll assume that Ash is a pawn."

"He is!" I hiss at Absol.

Behind me, Ash makes a small, scared noise.

Sprout comes forward and puts her leaf on Absol's shoulder. "I hate to even suggest this, but maybe it's time you told us about your trainer?" She nods at the machine that's still sitting on the grass. "If she really is involved, then…"

"Maybe Miriam tricked Aunt V?" Ash suggests quietly. "Is that an option?"

"Tricked?" Ella gives Ash a little shake. "Ash, what are you talking about? Help me out here!"

Meowth is the one who helps her out. "The twerp's aunt is bad news, apparently."

"Bad news?" James asks. "How so?"

"I'd like to know, too," Joltik says. He'd been cowering behind Patches through all this but steps into full view. "I'm not following along very well."

"Me neither," Flareon says.

Mama huffs and sits down. "I don't think anyone is. Though," she bops her tail against Absol's head, making him glare at her, "this one seems to have some idea. What's the scoop?"

Absol stands up and slowly spins around to find that everyone is looking at him now. He groans and plops down, facing me, Ash, and Ella. "I knew this would come back to bite me." All the pokemon get closer. Absol's pelt prickles, but he doesn't tell us to back off. He opens his mouth then closes it with a grimace. "Look, I get why Ash and Ella should know, but does Team Rocket need to be here?"

"Hey!" Meowth, Growlie, and Wobbuffet cry at once.

"Probably not," Charizard says, "but someone's gotta translate for Ella and, uh," he points his thumb at Ash, who…might be listening, but he seems to be in a haze, "I think Ash is broken."

I have a hunch that he's going to be even more broken after this. I sincerely hope, for his sake if no one else's, that this really is a misunderstanding.

Because at this point, it sounds as if a member of his family was making him… Arceus, if that's true, what will it do to him?

Meowth waves Ella over. "Hey, twerpette. Yeah, you with the glasses. Get over here so I can tell you what Absol's saying."

Ella looks from him to Absol then crawls over to sit with Team Rocket. "Are we finally getting an explanation?"

"I hope so," James says tiredly with his hand in his blue hair. "My head hurts."

Absol sighs and mutters, "I can't believe I'm doing this." He says to the crowd, "Everyone get comfortable. I may as well start from the beginning."

Chapter 32: Caught in a Lie

"If you think your boss is stupid, remember: you wouldn't have a job if he was any smarter." - John Gotti

Korou

I don't know why I let Lorette talk me into this. By means she insists on calling a "deus ex machina," she somehow obtained two lab coats and a key card for the elevator in Dr. Ketchum's lab. Lorette's goal is to see how the infected pokemon are doing. Get in, take a peek, get out. Sounds simple enough except for the part where we are sneaking into a restricted area and could get arrested if we get caught.

I wish Ash was here to help me talk Lorette out of- Who am I kidding? If he was here, I'd have two nutjobs dragging me along. And, one of them could throw me over his shoulder! At least Lorette weighs a hundred pounds soaking wet, so I should be able to pull her out of here if things get crazy.

That being said, I really would like to see how those poor pokemon are doing. We're just field workers, so we haven't been allowed on the upper floors. It would be nice to see if any progress has been made on treating the infected.

But if we end up behind bars, I'm blaming Lorette.

"You realize people are gonna recognize us," I say. We are standing just outside the lab and putting on the stolen lab coats. (Lorette's doesn't even fit her. She isn't swimming in it, but it's obviously too big.) Meanwhile, I am questioning my life choices.

We complete the look by tying our hair into small professional ponytails, making our faces even more visible…

Lorette waves me off. "Grayson," the receptionist, "might, but he's going on break soon. Be honest, Korou, how often do you see anyone from the upper floors besides the boss lady?" She means Dr. Ketchum. "She's the only one we need to worry about, and I hear she's gonna be busy showing some new chick around, anyway."

Because that's such a comfort.

"Look," Lorette says. "We get in, we look around, and we get out. Simple!"

"Is it?" I ask.

Lorette scoffs and jabs her finger at my chest. "Don't pretend that you don't wanna know what's going down with the sick pokemon. Nobody tells us anything! Ash doesn't even know, he's the boss lady's nephew!"

"I know it's frustrating, but it's not that weird. We aren't trained for this stuff."

Lorette rolls her eyes and waves her hand up and down toward me. "Well, I see you put on the lab coat. That alone tells me you're in."

I finish buttoning the lab coat in question. "I never said I wasn't in. I just think you're crazy."

Lorette grins in that mischievous way of hers. "Well, you agreed to this, so you must be just as crazy."

Can't argue with that logic.

Lorette peers into the window and waves for me to follow her. "The coast is clear. Come on."

My pulse races as we quickly but carefully speed through the lobby and to the elevator. I keep watch and tug my lab coat's collar higher as Lorette pulls the keycard out of her pocket and fumbles with it, betraying her nerves.

It reminds me that I pride myself on being straight-laced, so this impending disaster is way, way out of my comfort zone. Though, I will admit that there's a certain thrill in it.

Get in. Sneak a peek at some pokemon. Get out. Don't get arrested.

Lorette swipes the keycard, and the door opens. We step inside, and I grapple with the urge to push the "close" button over and over again.

"Wonder what floor we need," Lorette says quietly even though it's just us.

I speak quietly as well. "I think it might be floor three."

I press that button and don't breathe until the doors close. So far, so good.

Lorette nudges me. "Remember. If anyone asks, we're visiting from the Saffron City building."

"And, our names are Frank Smith and Hillary Pierce," I recite.

I receive two thumbs-up in reply.

The elevator dings, and my heart rate skyrockets at the sound. I hope I don't sweat too much. That would definitely give us away.

The hallway is nondescript enough. White walls, beige tile flooring. The hall we step into is mostly empty but for the occasional person who actually belongs here.

Lorette tugs on my arm and I follow her, happy to let her take the lead on this one. There are no large windows on the walls surrounding the rooms, so we'll have to chance opening the doors to see what's inside.

"Maybe they aren't locked," Lorette whispers. "Stand guard. I'm gonna try this door."

I turn around and all I can think about is how suspicious this surely looks. I hear the latch give as Lorette opens the door. She closes it immediately and steps back.

"Broom closet," she says. "Not interesting. Let's try another one."

A few steps later, my hand is on a doorknob because, as completely insane as this is, my curiosity is peaked. Seeing the patients might make me worry about them even more, but at least I would have a better idea of how they're doing.

Get in. Check on some pokemon. Get out.

I try the knob, but it barely moves. "Locked," I whisper pointlessly.

Somebody comes out of a room, carrying some beakers on a tray. I have no idea what's in them, and I'm not sure I want to know.

I grab Lorette and tug her just enough to make her move. We walk forward and act like we know where we're going, not relaxing until the footsteps behind us start to quiet.

Lorette braves a look over her shoulder, and sighs in relief. "I think he turned a corner."

I let out the breath I was holding.

Our attempt to blend in took us back toward the broom closet, so we walk past that, and I keep watch once again while Lorette tries a door. I hear this one open and cringe at the sounds coming from the room.

A pokemon is screaming. I can't tell the species, but it sounds scared, in pain. We must have found one of the sickly ones. The scientists sound calm, analytical as they babble about samples and white blood cells and whatever else. I can't concentrate on the human words. I only hear that awful screaming that rips my heart out.

Which is why I can't just stand here and keep watch. Some morbid part of me decides to join Lorette in peeking through the cracked doorway. From my angle, I can't see what's happening very well, but what I can see is more than enough.

The pokemon is a Mankey. It's encased under a clear dome while it writhes and screeches through one of those violent fits that characterize a Poke-X case. The dome looks like the sterile kind I've seen in movies, with thick gloves fitted into it so the scientists can handle the patient safely. Someone is holding the Mankey's arms, doing what they can to stop it from hurting itself. But, the Mankey works around this by reaching up its feet-

I turn away as a shudder rips through me.

Lorette closes the door as quietly as she can while shivering, though I imagine those scientists wouldn't notice if she'd slammed it shut. "How can they be so calm?" she wonders.

"I guess they're used to this," I say heavily.

Lorette's wide brown eyes are still locked on the door. "Where did this even come from?"

Good question. Poke-X just seemed to spring up out of nowhere.

We jump when the elevator dings. Panicking, I grab Lorette by the arm and yank her toward the broom closet. I fumble with the knob in my haste but manage to squeeze us both inside just in time for the elevator doors to slide open. All I can smell is cleaning products. Lorette's face is pressed against my chest, and a shelf is digging into the back of my neck, but neither of us is willing to move.

I curse myself when I see that I failed to shut the door properly, and doing so now would risk attracting attention. So, the two of us remain frozen as two sets of footsteps and two feminine voices drift in through the crack.

"It just seems like overkill to me," the first voice says.

The second voice belongs to Dr. Ketchum. The other woman must be the person she was showing around. "Do you want people to find out about this? Lord knows what would happen if the public learned what's actually going on around here."

Lorette looks up at me in confusion, but I have no answers for her.

"Let's discuss the real weirdness, Miriam." Dr. Ketchum goes on. "Namely, you letting your Hatterene out of its pokeball in this place."

The other woman, Miriam, says in rebuttal, "It survived the early version of Poke-X. I'm curious if it's developed an immunity."

They're getting farther away, and now I have to strain to hear.

"And, if it hasn't?" Vivian asks.

"Then, it gets sick and dies," Miriam replies. "Nothing it wasn't supposed to do initially."

Lorette's mouth is wide open, and if it was safe to speak, I think she'd say something like, You hearing this shit?

I want to run after them and demand answers, but I force myself to stay put. Lorette quivers against me but not from fear this time.

We wait. More footsteps come down the hallway. More chatter is heard, though none of it is particularly noteworthy. Once it's quiet, I mentally count to thirty before poking my head through the door and looking down both ends of the hallway.

"All clear," I whisper.

Lorette and I creep into the hallway, and Lorette whirls on me and whisper-shouts, "What did we just hear?"

"I don't know," I reply. "Something's not right."

"No shit, Sherlock." Lorette pulls the keycard out of her lab coat pocket. "You think this would get us to Dr. Ketchum's office?"

To do some deeper snooping. If I hadn't heard what I heard, I'd be against that. "Let's find out."

Luckily, the elevator is mere feet away from us. Lorette swipes the key card, and we step into the elevator. This time I give in to my desire to spam the "close" button until the doors slide shut.

Lorette examines the panel by the door. "What floor do you think she's on?"

"In all the video games I've played," I say thoughtfully, "the bad guys usually reside either on the top floor or the bottom floor, depending on whether or not the base is underground."

Lorette just stares at me, but there's a tentative grin on her face when she says, "You are such a nerd."

I smile back. Our banter makes for a pleasant icebreaker, but the chill settles back in once I press the button for the top floor.

"So," she says, "you're with me that the boss lady is hiding something?"

I adjust my glasses. "Yeah. I don't think Miriam would have been that casual if she thought Dr. Ketchum would react negatively."

"And, what did Miriam mean about the 'early version' of Poke-X?" Lorette asks rhetorically. "This whole thing spells 'Trouble' with a capital T."

I couldn't agree more.

The doors open, and we cautiously step into the room. The entire top floor is a wide office space. Some furniture is placed haphazardly but the room is mostly empty, as if Dr. Ketchum didn't need the extra space but wanted to do something with it. There's a purple couch with a big stain on the armrest. On the opposite side of the room is a small refrigerator and freezer. A microwave sits on a table next to it. If there were more seats, this place could be used as a break room.

Lorette makes a beeline for the desk at the back of the room. I follow despite every instinct. The longer we're here, the worse an idea this is.

But, after what we heard, I can't bring myself to walk out.

Lorette plops in front of the computer, and I say to her, "It's probably password-protected. Maybe it's written down somewhere."

Lorette jiggles the mouse then stares at the screen with a raised eyebrow. "Or, maybe she left it unlocked."

I walk around the desk and gawk at the screen in disbelief. Sure enough, there is no prompt for a password, only icons and a desktop photo of the beach.

"Is it seriously this easy?" I muse.

Lorette shrugs. "Didn't Ash learn that story about the infected Corphish from his aunt leaving her laptop on? She must do this sort of thing a lot." She chuckles and shakes her head. "The woman is smart, but clearly she's a smart idiot."

As Lorette clicks on various icons, my mind is stuck on one singular thought. "Is this too easy?" Lorette looks up at me in question. "Think about it. No one's stopped to ask who we are. We got into the boss's office no problem. Now we've accessed her computer like that." I snap my fingers. "You're a writer. If this was a scene in one of your books, what would you think?"

Lorette's face slackened in dread with each word I spoke. "That this was too easy, so I'd make something bad happen." She shakes her head clear. "This isn't a book! And besides, we're here now. We may as well keep snooping.

It dawns on me that the only place to hide in this room is under the desk. Great…

The first few files Lorette opens are pages of data and diagrams that make my eyes cross. Lorette's as well from the frustration on her face. A strand of kinky black hair fell out of her ponytail, and she pushes it behind her ear and clicks on a file labeled "Subject 0359." This one appears to be a series of videos. Lorette clicks on the first one.

A pokemon I've never seen before appears on the screen in what looks like a laboratory. It's a quadrupedal creature with long white fur, especially around its neck, and a hairless black face and tail, as well as a thin, curved black horn that juts out from one of its temples and sticks out in an arc over its head. It turns and gazes at the camera with curious red eyes as the holder brings the camera closer.

I recognize Dr. Ketchum's voice. "Recording this for future reference. Species: Absol. Typing: dark. Gender: male. Estimated age: thirty-six years. Height from feet to horn: three feet, nine inches."

Throughout the analysis, the pokemon - Absol - tilts his head one way then the other, and we see his nostrils flare when he leans forward to sniff the lens, which draws a little grin out of me.

Dr. Ketchum goes on. "Weight: 110.2 pounds. So, a little on the hefty side, which surprises me, considering I found this guy on a snowy mountain top." Absol scowls at Dr. Ketchum until she reaches out to ruffle his neck fur, which makes him smile, particularly when she adds, "But these things are omnivores, so we'll assume that means this one's a good hunter. I've also seen it battle, so I wouldn't be surprised if those extra pounds turned out to be muscle weight."

Absol straightens and raises his chin proudly. I smile wider, and Lorette giggles.

"This thing is so cute!" she coos. "Why have we never met it?"

"I don't know," I reply.

The camera pans away, gains a bit of height, wiggles a bit, then goes still. Dr. Ketchum must have put it on a tripod. "In the coming days," Dr. Ketchum says, "this Absol will become an integral part of this experiment. For now, I'm simply going to do a few noninvasive tests. Resting heart rate, blood pressure, hair and saliva samples. Things like that. I might take a blood sample too, but that's as invasive as it'll get. Ah, relax," Dr. Ketchum adds when Absol squints at her. The lower half of her comes into the frame. She grabs Absol's horn and wiggles his head playfully, something he clearly doesn't like. "You'll have plenty left over." She lets go and leaves the frame. "I also won't be feeding you today, as I would like to watch you hunt."

Absol nods and barks in agreement.

Lorette fast forwards, but it's clear that there isn't anything incriminating in the video, so she clicks out of it. "I wonder why Dr. Ketchum never mentioned having a partner. You'd think Ash would have at least said something. He's been staying with her, hasn't he?"

"The timestamp showed that the video was from five years ago," I say with a shrug. "It's possible she doesn't have that Absol anymore. She's only been in this town for about a year. Anything could have happened in the four years between."

Lorette clicks on a video from a little later, three months, by the timestamp on this one. Absol had lost weight by this point. A lot of weight. I don't know what the average weight for an Absol is, but he looks unhealthily thin here. There's a heaviness in his posture as well. He looks exhausted. When he brings up his back foot to scratch his neck, dozens of long white hairs fly off. That's not a good sign.

"Today we'll be doing another endurance test," Dr. Ketchum states from her spot behind the camera she's holding. "Ready, Absol?"

Absol's smile is forced but determined. He is slow and shaky as he rises to all-fours. I don't think he's ready for whatever that test is.

"The poor thing looks sick," I say. "She isn't really going to make him do some test, is she?"

We watch Absol climb on to a platform, and Lorette quips, "Yes, she is."

The camera is held close enough to Absol that I can't get a good look at the machine. I only see the platform and part of a column.

Absol's smile wavers, and he braces himself as his trainer counts down. "Beginning in three, two, one."

Lorette and I, the former with her hands over her mouth, gasp in horror as bright white electricity flashes over Absol's whole body. A pained growl is heard beneath the static. Absol's head is bent, his teeth are gritted, and his claws leave visible scratches on the platform.

Lorette says it for me. "That's an endurance test? What the fuck?"

And, all Dr. Ketchum has to say is, "You're handling this better than last time. I'm gonna raise the voltage a little."

"No, no, no." Lorette slams her hand on the mouse and fast forwards. "I am not watching that."

"Thank you," I say sincerely. I don't want to watch this any more than she does.

How could Dr. Ketchum be so cruel? And, to her own pokemon, no less!

But, from what she and Miriam were talking about… What's really happening in this building?

What have Lorette, Ash, and I really been bringing pokemon into?

Lorette brings the video to a point where the test has finished. Absol is panting heavily and seems to be standing upright through sheer willpower.

He brightens somewhat when Dr. Ketchum says to him, "Not bad. You'll eat tonight."

He'll eat tonight?

Absol tilts his head and makes a concerned sound when Dr. Ketchum audibly breathes out. "Don't mind me. Just that magical time of the month again."

"I hear you, girl," Lorette mutters.

Then Absol does something that's unexpected but, honestly, makes sense. He headbutts his trainer, who cries out and presumably falls into a chair.

"What are you doing?" Dr. Ketchum demands.

Absol ignores her and, despite the pain he is obviously in, jumps up and places his front paws on the counter. He stretches his neck enough to grab a water bottle with his teeth. Then he jumps down and holds out the bottle with a severe look that brings to mind a parent trying to make a child take their medicine.

"Even after all that," I say, "he's still trying to take care of her."

Lorette shakes her head pityingly. "Just like a pokemon." She clicks out of the video and looks up at me. "Should we try a different file?"

I couldn't make heads or tails of those documents, and these videos are giving us more coherent information. Albeit, less direct.

"I think we should watch the last video."

Lorette grimaces. "I was afraid you'd say that."

She clicks on the last video listed, this one taking place just under two months after the second one we watched.

Absol hasn't lost any more weight, but I can't say the same about his fur. He looks scraggly with a few bald patches scattered about. There is something dark, distant in his red eyes. He is being held in place by a clasp that is latched around his flank and attached to something unseen.

Dr. Ketchum holds a syringe up to the camera, and my heart stops at the sight.

Lorette puts her hands over her eyes. "I can't watch."

I can't look away.

"It's time for the first test of our formula," Dr. Ketchum says. "Let's see how the subject responds."

Absol whimpers with his tail between his legs. I still can't tear my eyes away. It's like when you drive by a car accident on the highway. You know you shouldn't look, but you can't not look.

Dr. Ketchum does nothing to ease her pokemon's fears. She callously brings the syringe closer to his neck and says, "Hold still, you."

Absol hisses as the liquid is injected into his skin.

"Now we wait."

We don't wait long.

Absol's face scrunches up, and agonized growls leave his throat. He shakes out his pelt, sending more hairs flying. When that does nothing to ease his pain, he brings up his back foot as well as he can with that clasp there and scratches his shoulder hard enough to draw blood. The sight startles a yelp out of him, and he trembles with the effort of not doing that again. Dark red oozes from his shoulder, and every few seconds, he jerks this way or that, making those awful sounds all the while.

The early version of Poke-X.

"How bad is it?" Lorette asks from behind the safety of her hands.

My voice quakes with the rest of me. "How bad does it sound?"

Lorette peeks through her fingers and instantly shuts her makeshift blinds. "Oh, Jesus."

I can't stand it anymore. I bend over to fast forward past this horrible scene. Lorette slowly lowers her hands, and we watch the little bit that's left of the video.

That clasp is the only thing keeping Absol on his feet. His head is low and his tongue is out as he pants from his conscious effort to not hurt himself.

And, Dr. Ketchum… "Unexpected. The readings show that the virus has already left Absol's system."

"Virus," Lorette breathes. She's connected the dots as well.

Dr. Ketchum does something off-screen that undoes the clasp. Absol collapses, still panting. "Clearly," Dr. Ketchum goes on, "the hallucinogenic property works, but the virus shouldn't have been fought off so quickly, if at all. And, the subject shouldn't have been able to resist."

I keep my eyes on Absol, whose expression shifts as he slowly but surely climbs to his feet.

Dr. Ketchum is oblivious to the way her "subject" glares at her in a way that screams of enough. "Then again, I did use the dosage Miriam gave her Hatenna, which is a significantly smaller pokemon. Perhaps if I up the dosage-"

Absol lunges, claws extended. There's a scream, and the image goes to static for a split second before the video ends.

Lorette and I just stare at the screen while our minds catch up with what we've just uncovered.

We've been sending sickly pokemon here for help. Or, so we thought...

"That's genius," Lorette says suddenly. When I whirl on her in disgust, she clarifies in a spacey tone. "I mean, it's horrible, but think about it. She claims that she's working to stop Poke-X…so that no one will suspect that she's making Poke-X. That's…that's horribly genius! Or, maybe it's genius-ly horrible. Yeah, that's the one."

I think about all the people in this building, and… "How many of these people know about this?"

Lorette slashes the air horizontally. "Do not go there, man." Her eyes widen in a new fear. "Does Ash know?"

That's another good question. He is Dr. Ketchum's nephew. But, I remember the way he spoke about his missing Pikachu and Charizard. The pure, childlike glee radiating from him as he found different ways to prove that he suddenly gained the ability to understand what pokemon are saying.

"Probably not," I decide while hoping and praying that I'm right. "You've seen the way he is with pokemon. I don't think he's involved." Which means that he is not going to like this.

"We gotta tell the cops," Lorette says.

She's right. "We need to show them this video. Let's check the drawers. Maybe Dr. Ketchum has a flash drive tucked away."

We each open a drawer and start digging through the cluttered I-know-where-it-is-so-it's-organized method that Dr. Ketchum apparently uses.

Lorette shoots upright in triumph, a small pink flash drive in her hand. "Got it!"

Too easy. Too easy. Too easy. The words pound through my skull like a heartbeat.

Lorette plugs the flash drive into the computer. "Think I should download all the videos?"

"No time," I say. "Just get the last one. It's the most incriminating."

"Aye aye, captain," Lorette quips.

The downloading process is the speed of molasses, or maybe it just feels like that way because I keep expecting someone to walk in on us. When the video is finally downloaded, Lorette stuffs the flash drive in her pants pocket.

"Now let's bail before-"

The elevator dings, cutting her off. Next thing I know, we are levitating over the desk before plopping unceremoniously on the hard floor. I knew this was too easy.

A thin blond white woman in a lab coat stands over us. Besides her is a tall, limbless pokemon with a blue to pink to white ombre going from top to bottom. The top of the pokemon's head strongly resembles a pointed hat and has a long appendage that ends in a three-fingered hand attached to it.

The woman's voice is the one Dr. Ketchum was talking to in the hall. This must be Miriam. "Korou and Lorette, right? Vivian pointed you out to me on the way here."

Lorette and I scramble to our feet. Lorette is so pale, she could almost pass for caucasian, yet she tries her damndest to get us out of this. "Who are Korou and Lorette? My name is Hillary Frank and this is Smith Pierce."

I mentally curse her out, and I can see that she's doing the same.

Miriam is not amused. "You two shouldn't be here."

Her pokemon sneers at us, and I recall Dr. Ketchum saying that Miriam let her Hatterene out of its pokeball. This must be that Hatterene. I wonder if it's also the Hatenna that Dr. Ketchum mentioned in that video; the name is similar enough.

Miriam rolls her eyes, though there's a fondness in the gesture that's at odds with our current situation. "Let me guess. Vivian forgot to lock her computer again. She's a brilliant woman but so careless."

"The police are on their way!" I blurt out. "If you let us go, we'll tell them to back off."

"Y-yeah!" Lorette stammers. "We won't say a word about this to anyone!"

Until we get out of here, that is. God, how I wish the police really were on their way!

A cruel smile forms on Miriam's lips. "Like I'm gonna believe that. You obviously know more than you should." She turns to her partner. "What shall we do with them, Hatterene?"

Hatterene squints at us, and a shutter rips through me. Without our own pokemon, Lorette and I don't stand a chance. Especially since Hatterene, who is surely a psychic-type, can simply hold us in place with a single thought.

Then it hits me. A possible way out. "Hatterene, you don't have to listen to Miriam. She doesn't care about you! You shouldn't have to take orders from a trainer who doesn't love you!"

Lorette catches on. "Korou's right, Hatterene! We heard Miriam in the hall, saying that she only let you out to see if you would get Poke-X! And, she doesn't care if you die from it! You want a trainer like that?"

Hatterene smirks, not believing a word we say.

"Are you finished?" Miriam asks. Then… "Pokemon can be easily replaced, and Hatterene knows it. It doesn't care."

Oh? Then why did Hatterene make that startled noise and stare open-mouthed at you when you said that?

This is working better than I expected. Miriam is digging her own grave! "All pokemon care about is combat. Why do you think so many people use them in battle? Why do you think they are key components in wars? Do you know how many people are killed or injured by pokemon every day?"

"Sure, pokemon like to battle." Lorette leans forward with her hands on her hips. "But, do you know how many pokemon are ordered by humans to do all that other shit?"

"And, isn't that exactly what you're telling Hatterene to do?" I demand with my fists clenched in front of me. "You're a goddamn hypocrite!"

Monster is the word I should have used, as Miriam is merely bored by us now. "I don't know why I'm engaging with you when I should be silencing you."

Lorette and I back up into the desk. My voice is shrill with panic. "I have a husband! He'll come looking for me. And, so will our pokemon. And, Lorette's pokemon."

"I have an Electrode," Lorette snarls. "It'll blow you to smithereens!"

Miriam shrugs. "I'll figure out some tale to spin. Hatterene, take them out so they can't spill the beans!"

Hatterene…doesn't move. It only stands there, clutching something in the tiny hands I didn't notice before. That something is a purple bead dangling around its neck. It is staring at it, seemingly deep in thought. Maybe there's still a chance?

"Hatterene!" Miriam snaps. "Do as you're told!"

Still nothing. Hope blooms in my chest.

Even more so when Miriam snarls, "Where did you even get that stupid thing? Give me that!"

Hatterene shrieks when Miriam grabs the bead and rips it off her pokemon's neck. She tosses it over her shoulder, and Hatterene screams and throws itself on the floor. I see now that its body is extremely tiny and thin, and that mass that I thought was its body is actually…hair?

The bead bounces and rolls on the floor, and Hatterene crawls after it, too panicked to remember that it can pick up things with its mind. The bead falls into an air duct, lost to the vents. Hatterene is motionless, its eyes glued to where the bead disappeared.

My heart goes out to the pokemon. Not only did it lose something it clearly treasures, but it has a trainer like that.

"Whatcha go and do that for?" Lorette growls.

"That necklace is obviously important to Hatterene!" I snap.

Miriam laughs. I have never wanted to punch someone so much in my life. "I told you, all pokemon care about is fighting. So many people are so delusional."

Is she serious? "The only delusional person in this room is you!"

Miriam throws her hands in the air. "Enough of this. I don't want to hurt you, but I can't have you ruining our plans! Hatterene, use Psycho Cut!"

Hatterene doesn't react.

Frustrated now, Miriam groans and walks over to where Hatterene is still crouched. She kicks her pokemon, sending it rolling into the wall. Somehow, Hatterene's hair is still in place. "Pay attention!" is Miriam's callous demand.

I throw my arms around Lorette to keep her from charging at Miriam, though I would happily do the same. "You bitch!" Lorette shouts as she struggles in my grasp.

Miriam turns back to us with a smug grin. "Call me what you want. It won't change a thing."

Hatterene rises to its full height, and fear shoots through me. Until I see that Hatterene is looking at Miriam the same way Absol looked at Dr. Ketchum in the last video.

Right before he attacked.

Miriam holds her hand out toward us, unaware of the hell that is building up behind her. "I'll say it again. Hatterene, use Psycho Cut!"

Hatterene obeys.

It's the last command Miriam ever gives.

Chapter 33: Once Upon a Time

Notes:

Sorry in advance if you were expecting Absol's chapter to be a long one. I was expecting that too, but then I realized that it would end up being a long chapter about Absol getting tortured. No one wants to see that. I decided to limit myself to writing the basics, since those are what's important to the story. I could have added more about how Ash reacts and the like, but I wanted Absol to have his own chapter. Even if it is the shortest one to date. Don't expect two chapters in the same month again. This and the previous were exceptions due to their lengths and the fact that I was very motivated.

FYI, the frostbite status condition is from Legends: Arceus (and possibly Z-A?). I thought that and drowsy would be more fun to write, not to mention more fair in general, than frozen and sleep. This probably won't come up again in this story, though.

"You always said that I was weak, but the bravest thing I did was leave." - I Am Not Nothing by Beth Crowley

Absol (Five Years Ago)

Alpha Froslass takes my offered horn, and I pull her into a levitating position. "I figured an alpha would put up a good fight," I praise. I raise my chin and lift a paw. "Of course, I put up a better one."

Alpha hums a laugh and brushes a lump of snow off my head. Whether the snow is from her Blizzard attack or the typical mountain weather, I can't say. "Perhaps a rematch the next time we meet. Thank you for your challenge, but now I must return to my horde."

I dip my head. "Of course. Until next time, Alpha."

"Until then."

Alpha floats away, and I stretch out my battered body. I wince when I find that parts of my skin are still so cold, they burn. Frostbitten is easily the worst status condition. Well, besides poisoned, but you don't really see poison-types around here unless a trainer has one, which isn't often.

I confess that I have always been curious about humans. I've battled their pokemon before, and those were some of my toughest opponents. I've never gotten the chance to really talk to a trainer's pokemon, but all the ones I've fought were extremely happy when they won and extremely sad when they lost. You could see how much they wanted to please their trainers.

As the last dredges of frostbite fade away, I spy a figure watching me from behind a boulder. A human, as if my stray thoughts have summoned it. No, her, by the scent blowing toward me.

Having been caught, the female steps into view on her long legs that, like the rest of her, are artificially insulated. I always feel bad for humans and their lack of fur or fat or blubber. The only skin I can see is on her face and is pale beige that is tinted red by the cold. As she gets closer, I see long strands of black hair flying out from under the portion of her fake pelt that's covering her head. She stops a short ways away and studies me with the greenest eyes I've ever seen.

"That was an impressive battle," the human says in her strange language. "You're really strong."

I start to thank her before remembering that humans can't understand me, so I straighten my legs and turn my chin to the sky, hoping to convey my pride in my battle skills. Alpha Froslass had been my fifth win in a row. A new personal best!

The human stuffs her hands into the pockets of her fake pelt. "I've been looking for a powerful pokemon like you. Someone who can take punishment as well as you can. And, you handled that frostbite condition like a champ!"

Aw, so this human is a trainer looking for a sparring partner for her pokemon. I'm sore from my battle with the alpha, but if she is willing to let me rest-

The human kneels down to my level. "But, where are my manners? My name is Vivian. I'm a scientist working on a huge project that I need a strong pokemon to help me carry out."

I don't know what a scientist is, but my interest is piqued. I tilt my head, silently asking for more information.

Which Vivian enthusiastically provides. "I'm in the process of gathering a group of like-minded folks to help me with a project that will benefit the world! And, a pokemon like you would be a big help! You'd have to partake in some experiments, but it wouldn't be anything you couldn't handle."

I'm still confused. If only there was a way to ask her for specifics.

At the same time, no human has ever wanted me for anything besides battle before. Not gonna lie; this is kind of refreshing. And, I am curious.

Vivian fiddles with the weird sack on her back and pulls a pokeball out of it. She holds it out to me with both hands. "So, what do you say? Will you join me? Please answer quickly. It's really cold out here."

I wouldn't have to stay forever, I reason. Just long enough to help with whatever this is. And, to gain a better understanding of why captured pokemon are so dedicated to pleasing their trainers.

What's the worst that could happen?

---

I thought human structures couldn't get any weirder after that "tent" back on the mountain.

The lab is huge. There are long, narrow sections, and certain parts of the walls have rectangular things that swing inward to reveal more rooms. And, the smells! So many smells!

I scan for more pokemon, but I only find humans. I do spy a small pink creature with a pointed blue head entering a room after whom I presume to be its trainer, but the rectangle swings over the gap in the wall before I can get a good look.

Vivian leads me into a room and shuts the rectangle behind her. There are all sorts of shiny things and wide, flat pieces of wood suspended by long, thin pieces of wood lodged under them.

Human stuff is more bizarre than I ever could have imagined.

"Before anything else," Vivian says. "I'm going to check your height and weight. This project is going to require documentation of every variable, so we need to be as thorough as possible."

Whatever you just said, boss.

Vivian opens a compartment in one of the wooden structures and pulls out a small round black thing with a straight bottom. She tugs on the little shiny part, and a long, flat yellow sting with black marks on it trails out but stays attached to the round part. Vivian tells me to stand up as straight as I can. I obey, and she has me place my claw on the little shiny part while she pulls the string higher and longer until it is above my head. How long can that thing get?

Vivian hums in affirmation then retracts the string and heads back to the wood. She picks up a blue stick - a "pen," I think it's called - and writes on something unseen. Or, she's drawing on the wood. I've only been with Vivian for a couple of days, but I'm already acquainted with how strange humans are.

She turns around and points at me with the pen. "I just realized I don't know your gender."

Seriously? I heard human noses were weak, but she can't even smell that?

"Blink once for male, twice for female."

I blink once, and Vivian presumably writes that down. Then, she walks over to a shiny silver stone and tells me to stand on it. I do so, and she instructs me to hold still so she can check my weight…somehow.

Whatever she learns about my weight gets written down. Next thing I know, she is lifting up a dark gray box with a short tube jutting out of it. There is a thing on the end of the tube that kind of reminds me of a very thin round piece of ice.

"Recording this for future reference," Vivian says. "Species: Absol. Typing: dark. Gender: male."

Who is she talking to?

Weird. Humans are weird. There's no other way to describe them.

---

As the days pass, I become more accustomed to life with a trainer.

At home, Vivian mostly leaves me to my own devices, but I am under strict rules, mostly in regards to what I can and can't touch. Which is fair, considering that it isn't my den. Or, "apartment," as she calls it. On the days when I am not brought outside to hunt, Vivian feeds me colorful pellets from a bag. I was apprehensive about the food pellets at first, but they are surprisingly tasty. When I do especially well with the experiments, I am rewarded with special food. Sometimes it is hot cooked meats like steak and bacon. I don't know what kind of pokemon those come from, but they smell and taste amazing. Other times, I am given a blend of leaves and vegetables that Vivian refers to as a "salad." It's not as tasty as the meat but still delicious! I also get extra pets and brushings on those days. The brush is my favorite; it makes my fur look and feel wonderful!

Of course, I quickly discover that the trainer life is not without its drawbacks.

When I don't perform to Vivian's expectations, I am slapped or kicked and am treated to Vivian's stern voice telling me to do better. She never yells, but I almost wish she would. The cold disappointment is somehow worse than if she'd screamed at me. I also don't eat on those days and not by choice.

But, the good days are…pretty good. Hey, if other pokemon can take it, why can't I?

---

Absol (Present Day)

"She did that to you?"

I wasn't aware that Ash had come out of his stupor, though he had the good sense to put that Poke-X machine back in his backpack. "She did," I confirm. "I thought it was commonplace until Pikachu told me otherwise."

I gauge Ash's reaction, but unless he is a damn good actor, his heartache is genuine and plain as day. "She made it sound like you attacked her for no reason."

"I'll bet she did," I say bitterly.

"What about Miriam?" Ella asks from her spot by Team Rocket. "Do you know her?"

I wish I didn't. My pelt prickles with the memories. "She was a lot rougher than Vivian. Vivian at least acted like she gave a shit about me. Miriam made it clear that I was nothing more than a science project."

I describe the way Miriam would slam me with whatever was handy, insult me when I didn't do well, barely acknowledged when I did do well. How on days when she knew I hadn't eaten, she would taunt me by taking a snack or lunch break right in front of me, saying things like, "Only useful creatures get food. There's a reason you went to bed hungry, Absol."

It got into my head, made me feel like something was wrong with me. It also made me more determined than ever to prove myself to Vivian.

Miriam taught me how much worse I could have had it, so I appreciated, even loved, Vivian all the more.

Until…

---

Absol (Five Years Ago)

The tests keep getting harder. At first, they were simple things like how long and fast I could run on the treadmill or just having me sit there while Vivian and the others analyzed my DNA, whatever that is.

Then they involved testing my pain tolerance, the toughness of my skin. Electricity blazing over me. Sharp things pressing deeper and deeper until I bleed. But, I submit willingly because Vivian keeps talking about how important this work is, how much good this project will do for the world.

She never gives me the details, but I've long since stopped caring.

At this point, I just want her to love me again.

Some time ago - I'm not sure how long - we got on something called a "plane." I had been in my pokeball, so I have no idea why we were on it or what a plane even is. But ever since, Vivian has kept me either in my pokeball or in a crate in a new lab. I don't even get to be with the other pokemon. I've heard the scientists talk about other pokemon, so I know they're here. If I have to stay here, why can't I at least be around them?

Vivian doesn't bring me home anymore. Why not? Is she mad at me? Did I fail the tests that badly? I know I haven't been performing well lately, but…

My stomach rumbles as Vivian clasps a metal ring around my flank. I'm so hungry. Cold, too. I've been losing fur for a while. Doesn't Vivian see that? No matter how disappointed she is, surely she hasn't stopped caring!

I ignore that persistent voice that tells me she wouldn't do this if she really cared. She has to care! Humans are just like that!

Does that really make it better? Shut up!

Vivian's voice snaps me out of it. "It's time for the first test of our formula. Let's see how the subject responds."

Whimpers leak out of me when I see the syringe in her hand. I hate injections the most because I never know what will happen afterward. What will this one do? Make me sore all over? Cause my pelt to prickle painfully? The best case scenario is that I'll lose my appetite, which seems impossible because I haven't eaten in three days.

She wouldn't do this if she really loved you. SHUT UP!

"Hold still, you," Vivian says just before the needle pierces my skin. She backs away, studying me, recording my reaction on her camera. She sets the empty syringe on the table behind her. "Now we wait."

At first, nothing.

Then…everything.

Growls burst out of me as something rakes under my skin. It feels like millions of thorns are crawling around inside of me.

No…they are crawling around! I can feel them. Scraping, taunting.

Get out! Get out!

I reach as well as I can with this stupid clasp around me and claw my shoulder with my back foot.

The sight of my own blood makes me come to my senses.

I need to control myself, stamp down the instinct to claw out the thorns inside of me. I thrash against my restraint, determined not to hurt myself worse. But, the urge is powerful.

Why won't Vivian help me?

Because she knew what was in that syringe. Please… She knew this would happen. Please, Vivian…

The pain lasts an eternity before it finally stops. I go limp in the clasp and pant with relief and exhaustion. The worst is over, but my body burns in the aftermath.

Vivian says analytically, "Unexpected. The readings show that the virus has already left Absol's system."

The virus? Why did she put a virus in me?

She…

Something shifts in me. That voice I've been ignoring is louder than ever.

What Vivian says for the camera next clinches it. "Clearly, the hallucinogenic property works, but the virus shouldn't have been fought off so quickly, if at all. And, the subject shouldn't have been able to resist."

She…

She wanted me to die.

One would expect my heart to shatter at the realization but…some part of me must have known all along.

I can't do this anymore. I won't be a victim.

"Then again, I did use the dosage Miriam gave her Hatenna, which is a significantly smaller pokemon. Perhaps if I up the dosage-"

I lunge and slash at her before I can think better of it.

---

Absol (Present Day)

"How did you escape?" Patches asks me.

"Honestly," I say, "I was so crazed and desperate that I don't remember much of it."

I remember slamming the door open and charging down the hall, attacking anything that stood in my way, but no specifics. I definitely remember killing a Pichu for food once I was free, but I'm certainly not going to say that in front of Pikachu.

I also remember the guilt and grief that overtook me when I realized what I'd done, how I'd prayed that Vivian survived.

But, I'll never regret leaving.

"The first thing I did though," I say, "was destroy my pokeball. I wasn't taking any chances."

Silence follows as everyone digests the story of the darkest period of my life.

I hear Jessie whisper to her teammates, "And, thought we had stories to tell."

Raichu shakes her head. "Pikachu, you're not gonna like hearing this, but-"

Pikachu whirls on his mother, bearing his teeth. "Ash and Ella stay! End of story!"

Raichu nods toward the other humans. "And, Team Rocket?"

When Pikachu doesn't respond right away, Meowth snaps, "Hey, I see you hesitating!"

Sprout, Wobbles, and Flareon cluster around me, sapping away my remaining tension with their nearness, their protectiveness.

"Damn," Wobbles says. "I knew it was bad for you, but damn."

"Um, Absol?" Butterfree shuffles his feet. "Pardon me if I'm jumping to conclusions, but what you described… It kind of sounds like-"

"Poke-X?" I say for him. "I've been thinking about that since it first showed up." Suddenly, my body is unbearably heavy, but I force myself to remain on my haunches despite my bad leg's desire for rest. "I think…that might have been what it was."

Whispers surround me, from Ella and Team Rocket as well after Meowth translates, and I wish I could melt into the grass. I hate that I'm the center of attention over something like this. But, I suppose it's nice to have that weight off my chest.

"I don't get it," Flareon says as he nuzzles my good leg. "Vivian said her project was gonna 'benefit the world,' right? How does making pokemon sick do that?"

"You're right, Flareon," Sprout says. "It doesn't make any sense."

James unknowingly echoes those two. "I don't understand. How could Poke-X possibly benefit anyone?"

I don't have an answer, but Wobbuffet does. "If you ask me," he twirls his fingerless hand around the side of his head, "the woman's loopy in the head."

Growlie barks, "She had a whole team though, right? It seems that she wasn't the only one who was, and I quote, 'loopy in the head.'"

"And, Poke-X is still out there," Joltik says. "You guys said that machine Ash has causes it, so-"

Pikachu snarls at him. "Ash didn't know!"

Joltik shrinks back. "I-I'm not saying he knew!"

Pikachu gives his pelt a guilty shake. "Sorry. I… Ugh. This is just a bad situation all around."

And, speaking of Ash, he hasn't looked up from the ground since that comment he made at the beginning of the story. "Ash," I prompt. "Berry for your thoughts?"

Ash blinks back to reality and looks at me like I just told him his whole family died. He clears his throat and stands up, adjusting his hat so that the brim is low over his face. "Will you all excuse me for a moment?"

"Ashton," Pikachu calls as Ash walks away. Pikachu turns to me with a hesitant, "Um, Absol?"

I nod. "Go."

Pikachu takes off after his trainer. Ella and Gardevoir get up to follow. Charizard gets up to hold them back.

"Pikachu's got this," the fire/flying-type says somberly. "Besides, you can't crowd around Ash when he's like this or he'll shut down even more. Give those two some space."

I still don't know exactly what to make of Ash, but Butterfree's right. No matter how good an actor you are, you can't fake that kind of emotion.

Chapter 34: You and Me and Everything in Between

"I've not always been the best man or friend for you. But your love remains true. And I don't know why you always seem to give me another try." - Home by Daughtry

Pikachu

When I find Ash, he is sitting against a tree with his head bowed and his knees tucked against his chest. I hesitate before getting closer. When Ash is in this kind of mood, you need to tread carefully or he'll just yell at you.

Which makes him feel even worse.

"Ashton?" He doesn't respond. Not so much as a twitch. I creep a little closer. "Ash, talk to me."

Ash breathes out a humorless chuckle. "About what? My aunt abusing your friend? Her lying to me about what she's been doing all this time?" His anger grows with every word. "How about the fact that I've been helping her!" He punctuates this by slamming his fist into the grass, making me flinch.

My heart has been hurting since Absol's story began. Now it shatters completely. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Didn't do anything wrong?" Ash spins until he is on his knees and facing me. His face is twisted with rage, but I know it's not directed at me. "Do you know what I've been doing all this time? I've been shipping off any sick pokemon I find to my aunt's lab so she and her cronies can help them! I brought that stupid machine here because I was told-" His face slackens before he groans and throws his hands over his face. "Miriam never said it would stop Poke-X. She said it would help us achieve our goal." He throws his hands on the ground and glares down at them. "I thought we had the same goal. I thought Aunt V and I had the same goal. I…I thought…" He hangs his head even more. "Christ Almighty, I'm stupid."

"Don't say that!" I plead. "Ash, look at me!"

Real quietly, "I can't."

In that case, I walk on all-fours until I am craning my neck back to look at his face.

His eyes widen in surprise for a split second before he grows despondent once more. Though there is the slightest trace of affection in his voice. "I hate it when you do that."

"Ash, you're not stupid," I say. "What I'm hearing is that you were tricked. Or, you didn't have all the information."

"But, I didn't ask questions." He leans back, sitting on his legs with his arms limp at his sides. "Aunt V said that she was researching Poke-X. She made it sound like she was looking for a cure or at least a treatment. I never questioned her. Never."

"She's your aunt," I remind him. "She's always been nice to you and me and our friends. You never had a reason not to trust her."

I don't think he heard me, too lost in his own guilt. "And, Miriam. Ugh." He runs his hand over his face. "Ella, Patches, and Joltik had doubts about her. But, I didn't listen because Miriam works with my aunt. And, I trusted Aunt V. So, I trusted Miriam too! When she handed me that stupid machine, I…I assumed it was going to protect pokemon!" He grunts, takes off his backpack, and whacks it against the tree as if the backpack itself did this instead of the device inside. "I wanna smash the damn thing, but I don't know if that would be safe!"

I want to throw myself into Ash's arms and nuzzle his neck and lick his face, but I remain still, upright on two feet. He needs to vent, so I'm content to listen.

Ash scrubs at his face and threads his hands through his dark hair that's due for a trim, knocking his hat off his head. "I think…" He swallows twice. When he manages to finish his thought, it seems to break him. "I think I killed pokemon."

It breaks me too but not for the same reason. "No. No, Ash, you didn't."

He shakes his head and speaks in a scared, quivering voice. "Pikachu, you don't get it! Me and Lorette and Korou were- Oh, god. Do they…" Whatever he's thinking, he shakes himself out of it. The next part doesn't seem to be directed at me. "No. I've seen them with their pokemon. They can't know."

I have no idea who he's talking about.

"Either way," he says miserably, "the fact remains that I've been sending already sick pokemon to their doom! And, I did it on purpose! How can you stand to look at me?" He chokes up at the end.

I step forward and place my small hands on his huge leg. I narrow my eyes at him. "Answer me this, Ashton. Did you give any of those pokemon Poke-X?"

"No, but-"

"And, did you know you were sending them to bad people?"

"Of course not!"

"Then how could you have sent them to their doom on purpose?" When Ash only looks away, I go on. "The only way you could have done it on purpose was if you knew what would happen to them. And, if they were already sick, they would have died anyway, Ash." I press down on his jeans for emphasis. "This. Is not. Your fault."

Ash makes that angry face again and snaps, "Then why do I feel like this?"

I step back, giving him a little space. "Because you have a big heart. Because you love pokemon so much. Because a member of your family betrayed you. Pick a reason. Just don't put all the blame on yourself. I don't think you're at fault, and if you ask them, nobody else back there will blame you, either."

Except maybe Mama and Absol, I add silently.

Ash only looks at me in that broken, pitiful way before groaning and flopping backwards so that he is lying on the glass with his knees still bent. I walk around his legs to crawl on to his chest. He places his hand on my back, gently pressing me against him. He doesn't speak, only stares listlessly at the sky.

I truly have never seen him like this. But then, we've never been in a situation like this, have we?

After an eternity of silence, Ash speaks. "I wish I was more like you."

What?

Ash's thumb rubs the base of my skull as he continues. "You're so…you. And, I'm so me."

I tilt my head. Sometimes even I don't know what my buddy is saying. "What do you mean?"

Ash keeps his eyes on the clouds above. "You're so gentle and smart. It's like you just know what to say. And, you're so calm. Even when you're really mad, you don't lash out. You never hit things or raise your voice, not if it isn't warranted. And, look at me. I trusted blindly and questioned nothing and ended up doing more harm than good. If you and your friends hadn't recognized that machine… God, I don't wanna think about it. Now, instead of doing anything useful, here I am, totally breaking down."

"You're allowed to break down, Ash. It's not good to keep your emotions inside." A statement I should be heeding more.

"I know. Ah, buddy. I've been really off my game lately. Just knowing that Poke-X existed drove me nuts. Seeing all those pokemon hurting themselves killed me. But, I could handle it because I thought I was helping. Oh, I was helping, alright. Just not who I thought I was helping." Ash releases a quivering breath and rests his arm over his eyes, still keeping the opposite hand on me. "I just… I don't know, bud. I just don't know."

"We'll get through this." I force a smile even though he can't see it. "Just like we do everything else."

Ash takes his arm off his face and manages a small smile for me. "Optimism. That's another thing you're good at."

I turn my head as my face warms. "You make me sound like some kind of saint."

Ash almost laughs. "Well, you're better than me, at any rate."

"I wouldn't say that."

"I would." He watches the clouds again, though I can see that some of the tension has drifted away from him. "Do you remember what I was like as a kid?"

"I do," I say with a grin. "You were pretty wild."

Ash snorts in disdain. "Is that a polite way of calling me brash and obnoxious?"

"You weren't that bad." Though, admittedly, he could be brash and obnoxious back then. But, hey, he was a dumb kid. We're all dumb kids at some point.

Still brushing his thumb through my fur, Ash places his other hand behind his head. There's still an air of melancholy, but he looks and sounds more like himself. "Nevertheless. You were a little temperamental then too, but I think we can chalk that up to you getting used to having a trainer."

Who looks like the poacher who killed, captured, or scattered your horde, goes unsaid.

"People and pokemon alike flock to you. Yeah, for the humans, it usually starts out because you're cute, but they stick to you because of how sweet and patient you are. I was jealous. I wanted people to like me the way they liked you. I wanted to be sweet and thoughtful and stuff."

"But, all those things you're calling me… Ash, I'm jealous of you because you're all those things."

Ash gawks at me before throwing his head against the grass and laughing whole-heartedly. His chest bounces me up and down, and he slips his hand out from behind his head and smacks the ground in his merriment. When his laughter dies down and I'm more confused than ever, he cranes his neck to kiss me on the nose.

"Man, did I need that laugh!" he giggles.

"I-I wasn't making a joke?"

He shakes his head in amusement. "You don't get it, do you? Pikachu, the reason I'm the way I am is because I spent so long trying to emulate you. Sounds to me like you're jealous of yourself!"

Jealous…of…myself?

Ash Ketchum has grown up so much since the day we met. He's calmed down significantly, though he still maintains his zest for life. He's more conscious of others' feelings. He doesn't charge into things like he used to (aside from life-threatening situations…unfortunately).

How long have I admired the man he's become and wished that I was more like that? Now he's saying that he became that man…by emulating me?

It's my turn to burst out laughing. I nuzzle my face into Ash's chest as all my stress bubbles out of me. When I'm reduced to giggles, I say, "I am so stupid."

"So am I," he says with a big, toothy grin. "That's why we get along so well!"

My buddy is back.

Rustling captures my attention, as does a scent I was too focused on Ash to notice. "It's James."

Ash blinks at me, and I maneuver on to his shoulder as he puts his hat back on and climbs to his feet.

Moments later, James is standing before us with a sheepish look, his hand absently resting on a tree trunk. "Hello, tw- Um, Ash. Pikachu."

If my buddy is surprised to hear the older male call him by his name, he doesn't show it. "What's up?"

James drums his fingers against the tree and avoids eye contact. "I was thinking about that device, and…maybe I could take it off your hands?"

My pelt prickles. Ash tenses up beneath me, a barely audible growl in his throat.

James waves his hands in front of him. "Not for anything nefarious, I assure you! But, you see, I'm pretty good with machinery. I might be able to take it apart without it causing any harm."

I'm not picking up any sign that James is lying, but Ash only crosses his arms over his chest and stares James down.

"Come on!" James moans. "After all these years, you don't truly believe I'm that much of a villain, do you?"

I don't. Especially not after seeing him and the rest of Team Rocket in the Pokemon Center when Meowth needed surgery. I didn't see much of the before, but the after showed how much of a family the group is, humans and pokemon alike. And, Ash and I both know how much Jessie and James adore their own pokemon.

Yet, Ash stands firm and speaks with concealed hurt. "James, look at it from my point of view. My own aunt, my father's twin sister, made a disease that…that kills pokemon. And, she tricked me into being a part of it." It takes him a moment to add, "You understand if I have a hard time trusting you if I can't even trust my own family. You may not be a total villain, James, but you're villain enough, you know?"

Neither of us got out of this adventure unscathed. That much is clear. And, the adventure isn't even over yet.

James puts his hands in his pockets and kicks a pebble on the ground. "I understand, but I truly don't mean any harm. Don't forget we've got Meowth and Wobbuffet. And now Growlie. I'm certainly not going to risk any of them! I'd find a hotel room, maybe. Somewhere without pokemon to toy with that device. And, I'd take a long, hot shower afterwards in case there's any resulting contamination. Wash my clothes, too."

He's really thought this through. "I think we should let him," I say to Ash.

Ash is still frowning but glances at me with trust in his brown eyes before kneeling down by the backpack still on the ground. Has Ash always followed my lead this easily? Looking back, maybe he has. Huh. How about that?

I reposition myself as Ash slings his backpack over his shoulders. He hands the deactivated disk-like machine to James. "There's a button hidden beneath a panel on the bottom. That's how you turn it on and off, but I don't know anything else about how it works. Just promise you won't push that button if you don't have to."

"You have my word." James takes the device and positions it under his arm. "I get it. Feeling betrayed by your family."

"Oh?" Ash prompts.

James hesitates before shrugging in a poor attempt at nonchalance. "You've met Jessebelle, right? My," he shutters, "fiancée?"

Ash grimaces. "Yeah. She's hard to forget."

Is she ever. My ear flattens at the memory of that crazy bitch and her just as mean Vileplume.

James shakes his head. "She was part of the reason I ran away from home. I'm sure even now my parents would force me into marriage if they found me. It's not the same thing, I know, but the hurt is still there."

Ash hums in understanding.

James moves his free hand over to drum his fingers on the device. "We'd like to help. With your aunt, I mean. We had a brief discussion, and we agree that we don't like Poke-X any more than you do. Our balloon isn't far from here. We could go on ahead and… I don't know. Do some reconnaissance?" He gives his shirt collar a boastful tug. "We are masters of disguise, as you know."

Team Rocket has proven enough times that they care about pokemon to an extent. But, an offer like this is…something. I probably shouldn't be surprised at this point, but I am. Ash and I lock eyes for a moment, and I can see that his mind is on a similar path.

"James, can I ask you a personal question?" Ash says to him.

"Sure," James replies.

"Why are you guys with Team Rocket? I get Wobbuffet since he's Jessie's pokemon. And, I guess Growlie's probably back to being your pokemon. But, Meowth doesn't have a trainer, does he? And, what about you and Jessie? None of you seem like bad people. I guess I'm just wondering what keeps you there."

I never put much thought into it, but Ash is right. Wobbuffet is kind of saddled with Jessie, but her, James, and Meowth aren't evil. They just work for people who are. There must be a heck of a story here.

James shakes his head with a humorless chuckle. "Look at us, Ash. We're a ragtag bunch of misfits who had nothing until we had each other. We each have our own stories about how we ended up with Team Rocket, but we owe them a lot."

Ash and I chew on that before he voices my unspoken question. "I get that, but why do you stay with them? Surely, you guys can't agree with everything they do."

James scratches his head. "Honestly, we don't know everything they do. We're just low-level grunts. We're kept in the dark about the important stuff so that we can't reveal anything if we get captured." He puts his free hand in his pocket. "To answer your question, we aren't totally comfortable with…certain aspects of our jobs, but it's the only thing we've done for so long. Frankly, I'm not sure what else we would do at this point."

"You could go on a journey!" Ash says suddenly, an eager grin spreading his lips.

James blinks in confusion. "A-a journey?"

Ash is on a roll now. "A journey is all about self-discovery," he explains. "Not to mention, it's a great way to make new friends and have new experiences. You guys probably get vacation days, right?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then, use them! Go somewhere you've never been and figure out who you are! And, if you decide that Team Rocket really is where you belong, that's fine." Ash ends with a thumbs-up that I can't help but copy. "Just as long as you get out there and give it your all!"

"Exactly!" I squeak.

Everything Ash said is true, and James genuinely looks like he's considering the suggestion. He clears his throat, and I don't miss the smile he hides. "I suppose some time off would be nice. Perhaps I'll bring it up to the others. If nothing else, it would help Growlie get acclimated to his new life."

Ash starts to say something else, but his phone vibrates. He pulls it out of his pocket and looks at the screen. I can't make heads or tails of the words, but Ash's shoulders stiffen and his face goes pale.

I feel the blood drain from my skin when he says, "It's Aunt V!"

James steps back as though Ash slapped him. "Y-you mean the Poke-X aunt?"

"I only have one aunt!" Ash glances wildly between me and James. "W-what do I say to her?"

James holds up his hand in a panicked surrender. "How should I know? She's your aunt!"

Ash's eyes land on me. "Don't look at me!" I exclaim.

Ash swallows and stares down at his phone. "Maybe if I just let it ring?"

None of us breathe until the phone stops vibrating. Then it immediately restarts. Vivian's not going to stop calling until Ash answers.

"Answer it," I beg, "or she's gonna know something's up!"

Ash grimaces then takes a fortifying breath before answering the call. "H-h-hey, Aunt V. What's up?" Ash tries to sound casual, but he's never been good at hiding his emotions.

Luckily, Vivian must not hear the tremor in his voice. She sounds distracted, so that might have something to do with it. I lean in as much as I can without falling off Ash's shoulder to listen. "Hey, Ash," Vivian says. "So, um, thanks for all your help with the pokemon," Ash flinches, "but we actually don't need your help anymore. You can, uh, I don't know, come and pick up your things and then head back to Pallet Town or whatever."

This is out of nowhere, at least I think it is. An exchanged look with Ash tells me that I'm right. James watches us carefully. I just shrug at him while Ash talks to his aunt.

"Is everything okay?"

"Fine! Fine!" Vivian replies too cheerfully. "Everything's fine! We've, um, cleared out the area of Poke-X victims, so we don't need field workers anymore. You can go home."

Ash isn't buying this any more than I am. "What about Korou and Lorette? Are they still working with you?"

Vivian hesitates just long enough to ring some alarm bells. "They've been transferred to another building. Somewhere with more cases."

Ash puts his free hand on his hip. "If I call them, will they verify that?"

Another too-long hesitation before Vivian laughs. "Come on, Ash! Don't you trust me?"

Ash's jaw clenches in that way it does when he's trying not to say something he'll regret. "You didn't answer my question."

"...Gotta go! Something came up! Just grab your things when you get back and go home."

Vivian hangs up. Ash stares at his phone with his fingers wrapped around it tightly enough to risk breaking it. "You heard all that, buddy?"

I nod. "Who are Korou and Lorette?"

"They're my friends. I met them when," he shivers, "when I started working with her. I don't think they know about this."

"Hello?" James prompts. "Did you forget that I'm standing right here?" Honestly…we might have for a moment. "Don't leave me in the dark!"

Ash scrolls through his phone. I recognize the format as his contacts list. "Aunt V says she doesn't need my help anymore and that I should go home. She mentioned that some friends I was working with have been transferred. I'm gonna call them and check." He makes a call. The other line rings and rings. Ash gives up when the answering machine speaks. "Korou's not picking up. Let me try Lorette." But, that only provides the same result. Sweat beads on Ash's face as he stows his phone in his back pocket. "I have a bad feeling."

"You don't think she did something to them, do you?" I ask, a pit forming in my stomach.

Ash shakes his head, but it's less of an answer and more of a controlled fear. "I don't think she'd hurt them, but I thought the same about pokemon." He rubs his forehead. "Who am I related to, Pikachu?"

There are a lot of ways I could answer that question. None of them are reassuring.

James squares his shoulders. "Alright. I'm gonna tell the guys we need to move." When Ash and I look at him in question, he adds, "This sounds like an emergency. With our balloon, we can get there in no time flat! Korou and Lorette, right? That's who we're looking for?"

"Y-yeah, but-"

James doesn't let Ash finish talking. "We said we wanted to help, and we do! We can go on ahead look for clues. Where should we look?"

Team Rocket really is going to help us, aren't they? Even after everything, having them on our side is such a novel concept. I'm sure we'll go back to being enemies when this is over; they probably won't bother me anymore, but they're still Team Rocket. For now, being allies is kind of refreshing. And, if the situation is as bad as it sounds, we're going to need all the help we can get.

"Lavender Town," Ash says. "There's a laboratory on the outskirts. Do you remember what Lorette and Korou look like? A short black woman with curly hair and a white guy with hair a little longer than yours and glasses? You saw them when you tried to steal that group of pokemon in the forest."

Again, they're still Team Rocket.

James taps his chin. "Yes, they sound familiar. I'll gather the crew."

"Uh, James?" Ash calls as James starts to leave. "Thanks."

James smiles and flashes a thumbs-up before running back.

Ash doesn't follow. He only remains in place with a hard stare in the direction James went. "Ash?" I prompt.

"Sorry. I…" Ash sighs. "It's a lot."

"It is," I agree, though I can't fathom how much it truly is for him.

Suddenly, Ash reaches up to scratch my neck. "Thanks for talking me through my funk, buddy."

I lick his jaw. "It's what I'm here for."

He closes his eyes, and his lips spread in a gentle smile. A face he makes when he's thinking about someone truly precious to him. He lightly pats my cheek. "You don't know how much you mean to me."

My skin warms. A purr rumbles in my throat as I nuzzle my head against his cheek.

Home. I am finally home.

Ash walks us back to the group. Everyone is talking amongst themselves but falls silent and stares at us when we arrive. I battle the urge to bury my face in Ash's hair.

I hop off of Ash's shoulder when he bows in apology. "I'm sorry I took off like that," he says needlessly. He straightens and avoids looking at anyone. Quite a feat, considering how many of us there are. He scratches his ear. "I get in my own head sometimes and… Well, there's a lot in my head right now."

"That's understandable, Ash," Ella says from where she stands with Jessie and James.

Meowth - who is still on four legs - and the two Wobbuffet are in their own group, and Team Rocket's Wobbuffet shakes his head and says, "This whole thing is nuts. I wish we could do more for you, twerp, but Meowth and I are too at risk."

Meowth hisses indignantly. "I wish I was recovered enough to pose as a human and go in with Jessie and James."

Patches tilts her brow at him. "Posing as a human wouldn't turn you into a human."

Meowth responds by sticking his tongue out at her.

Jessie points at him and says, "You, Growlie, and Wobbuffet are going to guard the balloon. That's your only job."

While Meowth mocks her under his breath, I realize that we are down a few players. "Hey, where are Mama, Charizard, Butterfree, and Growlie?" I ask no one in particular.

Flareon answers. "Your mom said she wanted to show Growlie something, and then they went back to the horde. Charizard and Butterfree went with them to say goodbye to the other pokemon."

Oh, right. Those two will be going back with Ash now. Looks like we all made friends throughout this adventure.

Come to think of it, I'll have to leave the PokeSquad soon. The thought sends a pang through my chest. It never gets easier to say goodbye to my friends. I can only hope that I'll see them again some day.

Jessie puts her hands on her hips and addresses the crowd. "Alright, everyone. Thank you for your hospitality, but we of Team Rocket really must be on our way."

James nods and adds, "We'll leave for Lavender Town as soon as Growlie gets back."

As if summoned, Growlie appears with Mama, Butterfree, and Charizard not far behind. They all look eager, and Growlie in particular has a spring in his step and a wag in his tail. Butterfree is carrying something, but I can't see what it is from this angle.

"Oh, you're back," Butterfree says, making a beeline for Ash. "You're looking better."

Ash opens his mouth, but it's Charizard who speaks. "I told you. Pikachu's good at this stuff."

I grin at the praise.

Ash eyeballs Butterfree. "Is that a fire stone? Where'd you get that?"

"A Sableye in the horde said it's for Growlie," Butterfree replies.

"I've got two fire stones back home. One, I'm thinking about giving to a Growlithe who's staying with us." So, that's who Sableye was talking about.

Growlie does a happy circle. "I didn't want to evolve without James, so here we are!"

"Oh my goodness!" Sprout chimes. "I wanna see!"

"Me too! Me too!" Flareon barks, bouncing around.

Meanwhile, Ash happily tells the humans the situation, and James gasps and lowers himself to Growlie's level. "Is that true, Growlie?" James asks. "You're going to evolve right now?"

Growlie responds by grinning and wagging his tail even harder.

"Gimme that thing!" Jessie snaps suddenly.

She yanks the fire stone out of Butterfree's grip, to which he replies, "Rude."

Jessie hands James the stone, and he holds it out for Growlie. "Here you are, chum," James says. "Your big moment is finally here!"

Excitement fills the air as everyone gathers around. Even if the pokemon is a stranger, evolution is always a bright, happy moment.

"Those in front, give him some room," Absol cautions. "Arcanine are pretty big."

Those in front, myself included even though I already know how big Growlie will get, scamper back. Growlie grins in embarrassment over being the center of attention, but he doesn't hesitate to place his paw on James's offered stone.

A rainbow of lights overtakes Growlie's body, and he doubles, triples in size. When the light dissipates, his overall shape and coloring is the same, but his body is leaner, and the tuft of fur beige-ish fur on his head now covers his entire head but for his eyes and ears, and his chest is also covered in it. His black stripes are now in more of a jagged pattern on his legs and torso.

He lifts a huge paw and strikes a pose, and the first words out of his mouth reveal how much deeper his voice is. "How do I look?"

We all sing praises, but no one does it better than James, who leaps to his feet, throws his arms around his partner, and shouts, "Oh, Growlie! You are beautiful!"

While Growlie covers James's face in licks, Wobbles salutes and does her thing. "Arcanine: the legendary pokemon, which is weird because it's not actually a legendary pokemon. A fire-type. It is known for its speed and endurance, capable of running over 6,000 miles in a single day and night. One tried to eat me once."

Those of us who'd been listening wait for her to elaborate. She does not.

"Hold the phone!" Jessie snaps suddenly. "Wobbuffet and I almost got maimed by a psychopath." I glare at her. She doesn't notice. "Meowth nearly died from a fatal tumor." She jabs her finger at James's chest. "And, you just get handed an Arcanine?"

"Hey, you're right!" Meowth shouts. "That ain't fair!"

Oh, boy.

James, Growlie, and Wobbuffet look like they want to be anywhere else while their friends start yelling at each other. The rest of us just kind of watch.

"I say we push James off a cliff and make Pikachu catch him!" Jessie suggests while bending over with her hands on her hips to talk to Meowth.

"Pikachu's too small!" Meowth retorts. "James is allergic to hazelnuts. Let's jam a few of those down his throat!"

"Do you know how expensive hazelnuts are?"

James is deathly pale as he says weakly, "Perhaps Pikachu could save me from this argument?"

"Stay out of this!" Meowth and Jessie shout.

"You guys might wanna back up," I say to those closest to me.

Absol, Flareon, Ash, and Charizard take a few steps back, but Joltik remains close enough to sap up some of my electricity as I Thunderbolt the nonsense out of Meowth and Jessie. The two scream in pain then collapse in singed heaps on the grass.

The color returns to James's face. "My hero," he says to me.

Growlie looks from one Team Rocket member to the other. "Is this normal?" he asks with some trepidation.

Wobbuffet pats his flank. "Welcome to the team, Growlie." He frowns and looks up at the Arcanine. "Hey, should we keep calling you 'Growlie?'"

"Oh, yeah." Meowth says from where he lays on his stomach. "That's kind of a cutsie name for an Arcanine." He picks himself up and switches to human language for Jessie and James. "Should we keep calling him 'Growlie?'"

Jessie gazes up at Growlie. "I don't know."

James observes his partner, who is now taller than him, then puts his hands on his hips with a smile. "I guess that's up to you, Growlie. What do you think?"

Growlie twists his neck around to gaze at his new body. Meanwhile, Butterfree scoots closer to me and explains, "See, Growlie here was a show 'mon. You know, them pets who get all gussied up and do tricks or…something. I don't rightly know. I just know that he hated it. Supposedly, his trainers even bathed him with water!"

My fur bristles at the thought. "You can't do that to a fire-type!"

Charizard had been listening and snorts in disdain. "Try telling them that."

Flareon shivers. "I never liked getting wet anyway."

"Well now that you're a fire-type," Sprout says to him, "you're gonna have to be extra careful. Especially when it rains."

Finally Growlie comes to a decision. "I suppose 'Growlie' is more of a pet name. Perhaps we forego nicknames. Why not just call me 'Arcanine?'"

Meowth translates, and James claps his hands and says, "Then, it's settled!"

Jessie finally picks herself up and slings a small drawstring bag over her shoulders. There's a round shape sagging in it that makes me think that's how they're carrying the Poke-X device. (Where that bag came from, I have no idea.) "Welcome to the team, Arcanine!" Jessie says. "Now we really must be going."

Meowth's ears and tail droop. "Yeah. Guard duty awaits."

"We don't need that silly balloon," James declares. He places his hand on Arcanine's back. "Arcanine can get us there much faster."

Arcanine snuffles in excitement. "Oh, joy! My first task!"

"Oh! That'll work," Jessie says as Arcanine lowers his belly on to the ground. "Looks like it's Lavender Town or bust!"

"Wow," Ella says. "You guys really are gonna help?"

"We may be villains," James says as he climbs on to Arcanine's back, "but doesn't mean we approve of all villainous acts."

Jessie gets on behind him, and Meowth picks up the rear, saying, "We've got standards."

Wobbuffet tries to squeeze in with his group, but Jessie announces, "Sorry, Wobbuffet. No room."

"Aaahhh," Wobbuffet moans as Jessie returns him to his pokeball.

Once his passengers have a handle on him, Arcanine stands up and says to the rest of the crowd, "I presume I'll be seeing all of you in Lavender Town."

"Most likely," Gardevoir says.

Charizard sends Arcanine a thumbs-up. "Good luck. You'll need it with this group."

"I heard that," Meowth whines in his native tongue.

"Hey, guys," Ash says to Team Rocket. "Thanks again for this. Will you keep an eye out for Lorette and Korou while you're there?"

Jessie scoffs. "We'll look for your twerpish friends, but our priority is the pokemon."

James thrusts his pointer finger forward. "Onward, Arcanine!"

They scream when Arcanine charges on. He stops to check on the passengers that are holding on for dear life. "You chaps alright? Should I slow down?"

"We're fine," Meowth says in shaky human language.

"There's a bit of a learning curve with this," Jessie pants.

"Just keep moving, Arcanine," James says.

Arcanine runs and pays them no mind as they scream out a terrified, "We're blasting off of our own accord!"

Once they're gone, Mama comments, "Those guys are freaks."

"Yes," I agree, "but they're freaks who are willing to help us."

"Should we trust them?" Gardevoir wonders.

"I think they're sincere," Ash says.

Ella asks him, "So, what's the plan now?"

Ash hikes up his backpack. "I'm going back to Lavender Town. I need to talk to my aunt sooner rather than later."

Ella narrows her eyes and raises a fist to her chest. "Well, I'm coming too! I don't like this either. And, if Miriam is as bad as Absol says, I need to make sure Hatterene's okay."

"Don't forget us!" Patches squeaks while she and Joltik climb on to their trainer's shoulders.

Butterfree shoots into the air, joining Charizard and Gardevoir. "If Ash is going, then so are we, I reckon."

"Are you sure, Butterfree?" Charizard asks. "No shame if you'd rather stay out of it."

Butterfree huffs. "You kidding? Now that I know how bad Poke-X is, I want in on this more than ever!"

I recall him saying that his mate died from Poke-X, and I have to admire his courage. "Let's not waste any time," I say. "The longer we stay here, the more pokemon who could get sick."

Mama nudges me with her tail and spins around on all-fours. "If you wouldn't mind wasting a little more time?"

My pelt prickles with apprehension as I follow my mother away from the group, who carry on planning without us. When I check over my shoulder, I spot Ash trying not to watch me go.

Mama doesn't speak until we are far enough away that no one will hear us. She has to lay on her belly to be at my level, even with me standing on two feet. "I can't stop you from going, can I?"

I shake my head. "I'm not a child, Mama. And, I know you don't trust Ash, but I do. I trust Ella, too."

Mama's ears twitch. "And, Team Rocket?"

I shrug. "You'd be surprised how often they're sincere. I truly believe that we're on the same side in this."

Mama straightens her arms, propping herself up. "Well, then I'm going with you."

I had a feeling she was going to say that. It would be wonderful to have an adventure with her. The problem is, "Aren't you a little…conspicuous? It would be one thing if you were just a shiny, but…you're kind of big."

"Charizard is bigger than I am," Mama scoffs.

"Yeah, but he can go in his pokeball. So, unless you'd consent to being temporarily caught…"

Mama lifts one hand off the ground like she wants to escape, her ears flattening against her skull. She recovers quickly enough. "If that's what it takes, then fine."

"You don't mean that. Besides, you've got a horde to look after."

"You're my son." She lowers to the ground, and her tail lashes over her. "I just got you back, damn it!"

My heart hurts, but I know this is for the best. "I just got you back, too. But, we're on different paths, you and me. I've got a horde back home, but at least I'm not the leader of it. They count on me, sure, but not the way your horde counts on you. What if you end up with Poke-X? What then?"

Mama's voice shakes. "What if you end up with it?"

I lick her nose instead of answering. "Our paths may have crossed, Mama, but they're ultimately going in different directions."

I watch a thousand emotions play over my mother's face before she sighs. "You really are my kid, aren't you?"

She storms away, and I run after her with a weight in my chest because I really don't want to leave her.

But, I want to leave Ash even less, and I feel kind of guilty about that.

Mama ignores me when I call after and…heads straight for Ash?

Mama stands on two feet, making herself as tall as possible, though she's still significantly shorter than my buddy. "Listen, Ash," she says with an authority that leaves no room for argument. "You better bring my kid back to me, or I will find you, ya dig?"

I still feel bad about leaving her, but at least now I know she kind of understands. Or, is at least faking it. She's probably faking it.

Ash narrows his eyes with a smile. He moves to pet Mama's head but jerks his hand back when she hisses at him. It doesn't seem to bother him. "Raichu, no harm will come to him. Not on my watch. And once this is all over, we'll come back here and prove it."

I don't get to hear my mother's response, because a tap on my arm makes me turn around. And, look up when I find Absol staring down at me with intent.

"So," he says, "when are we leaving?" When I gawk at him with my head tilted, he adds with that unreadable expression, "I'm coming with you and Ash." The quiver in his brow isn't noticeable if you're not watching as closely as I am. "To make sure Vivian doesn't hurt anyone else."

"Are you sure, Absol?" I ask. "After what she did to you…"

He scowls but not at me. "That's just it, Pikachu. What she did to me, she's now doing even worse to other pokemon. I…" He glares up at the sky before returning his attention to me. "I was a part of this from the start. I want to see it end."

"Don't forget about us!" Sprout chimes in as she and the rest of the PokeSquad join us. "We're coming, too."

Flareon hops on his back feet long enough to wave his forepaws at the air. "I'm gonna smack Vivian!"

Absol shakes his head. "It's too dangerous. I don't want any of you involved."

They are nonplussed. Wobbles raises her hand to her forehead in a salute as she says, "As if you could keep us away. We're a team!"

Despite the seriousness of it all, my tail wags and there's a real smile on my face. "You heard them, Absol. They're coming whether you like it or not!"

Absol barely hides a smile before turning a stern frown on our friends. "Fine. But, stay where I can see you once we get there."

---

Hatterene

Once I pick up the scent, I stop for nothing. Not for food or drink or rest. I am powered by rage and grief and betrayal and longing.

And, the desire to turn back time so that I could have run off with Ella while I had the chance.

My loneliness had gotten the better of me at the time. That will not happen again.

There is a lingering guilt over leaving the brown human and the bespectacled human behind. They clearly had no ill intentions, yet I left them alone with a headless corpse. But, there is no turning back.

Not when there is a hint of Ella's scent in the air. I must be getting close.

Once again, my hands connect to the empty spot on my chest, and a mix of anger and fear boils in me. I hope Ella is not too cross about me losing my only connection to her and her pokemon.

If she is angry, I hope she will look past it to form a new connection. One that should have been made already.

Miriam is no longer an obstacle. I destroyed my pokeball.

Ella's scent grows stronger. It's time for a new beginning.

My pulse races with glee when she comes into view. I want to sprint to her side, but she is not alone.

The tall, broad-shouldered human catches my eye first. He appears to be around Ella's age, maybe a bit older. Ash is his name. I recognize him from when Miriam introduced us. There is no sign of his Gardevoir, though. Perhaps my fellow psychic/fairy-type is in his pokeball. Given Ash's apparent involvement with Miriam, I am hesitant to trust him. Ella seems worried as the two communicate, but she does not appear frightened by him. I will keep a sharp eye on the male.

There is a group of pokemon trailing behind the two humans. An Absol, a Wobbuffet, a Flareon, and a large, bulbous creature that I believe is called a Victreebel. I don't see or smell Patches or Joltik; they must be in their pokeballs as well.

There is, however, a Pikachu with a severed ear.

I have harbored mixed feelings about Pikachu since our last encounter. He brought those wretched fools to my home, preying off of my loneliness and warping my crippled heart to gain them access. The irreparable damage I left him serves as a permanent reminder of his cruelty that night.

At least…that's how it felt before he extended an olive branch the very next day.

Sincerity? Trickery? Idiocy? Some combination of the three? I did not and still do not know what to make of his plea for friendship despite my attempt on his life and the lives of the female human and the Wobbuffet.

The Wobbuffet following Ella is a different one, thank Arceus, though I do recognize her as one of Pikachu's companions. The Absol as well. They both attacked me, but to their credit, they waited until after I attacked Pikachu to do so. I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they were merely protecting their friend.

Did Pikachu genuinely want to be my friend? That, I cannot say. All I know is that he is with Ella, so I must remain vigilant of both him and Ash, who is surely the trainer Pikachu spoke of.

The group nears a small square structure not quite in the forest but not in the city either. I call Ella's name, though she cannot understand me, and run to her, letting my excitement take hold. Everyone turns toward me, and I throw myself against Ella, who shrieks in surprise. I wrap my hair tendril around her and grab her face in my small hands nuzzle my cheek against hers. She smells of floral soap with a hint of city stink or perhaps sweat.

"H-Hatterene?" she gasps, pushing me away enough to gape at me. "What are you doing here?"

A growl stops me from attempting to reply. The pokemon are clustered in front of Pikachu, all locked in threatening stances and expressions, though the Flareon quivers in poorly hidden fear. The Absol is the source of the growl.

Pikachu surprises me by angrily squeaking, "Everyone knock it off." On all-fours, he pushes past his leery companions and stands on two feet to greet me with a warm but nervous smile. "Hi, Hatterene! It's been a while. How have you been?"

Sincerity, trickery, or idiocy? I still can't decide.

"You're Miriam's Hatterene, aren't you?" Ash asks. He looks this way and that with an edge like he is expecting an ambush. "Is she around?"

A laugh that feels oddly maniacal threatens. I stamp it down and let out a loud hiss in its place.

Ash tilts his head with a blank stare, his mouth parted slightly as he tilts his head. "Is that a yes or a no?"

I see this one falls into the category of "idiocy."

"Um, Hatterene?" Ella says. "Can we talk? I'll be right back," she adds to the others before grabbing my tendril and leading me away.

Anxiety bubbles in my stomach. What will I do if she rejects me? I had made a habit of touching the bead around my neck for comfort, but thanks to Miriam, all I feel now is bare skin.

I note with a pang that Ella still wears the colorful necklace and bracelet from our crafting session.

She leads me behind some trees for privacy. "What's up? Why are you here?" She notes my expression and waves her hands frantically in front of her. "Don't get me wrong! It's great to see you!" She lowers her bespectacled amber gaze and presses her index fingers together. "I…learned more about Miriam recently. I've been really worried about you."

Her concern puts me somewhat at ease.

Until she notices the empty space on my chest. "No necklace?" I am startled out of my fear when she grins sheepishly. "I guess that stuff wasn't designed to withstand a pokemon's daily life. That's on me for not buying something that was."

She isn't angry. Thank Arceus.

"So, what are you doing here?" Ella asks. "Isn't Miriam gonna come looking for you?"

No. She won't. She will never look for anyone again.

I ignore a twinge of nonsensical grief and nudge a finger of my tendril to Ella's belt.

"Oh," she chirps. "You want me to bring out Joltik and Patches?"

I would not object to this, but it is not what I am trying to convey. I tap an empty space next to a pokeball.

Ella frowns and mutters, "I should have brought Ash."

How that would make a difference, I am unsure. I keep touching the spot and move my hands between the two of us. Please, Ella…

Her eyes widen in realization. "Wait. Are you asking me to catch you?"

My pulse rises to an impossible speed. I nod and fight the desire to dive into her backpack and dig through it for an empty pokeball.

Ella's mouth flattens into a thin line, and my stomach falls into the tips of the hair that is holding me just above her eye level. Why is she hesitating? She had expressed her desire to catch me right before we parted ways - was that really only this morning? - so why is she not presenting me my new pokeball?

What if she changed her mind?

"Um," Ella says at last, shuffling on her feet and playing with the arm of her glasses. "I really wanna catch you, Hatterene. But-but, what about Miriam? I may not like her, but you're still her pokemon. I can't just-" She tilts her head when I shake mine. "I don't… Is Miriam not your trainer anymore?"

I hold back a smirk and shake my head again.

Ella purses her lips as though wondering how to feel about this development. The suspense makes me want to scream. "I don't know what's going on," Ella says at last, "but I'm glad you're not with her anymore. Was she really bad to you?"

"Pokemon can be easily replaced, and Hatterene knows it. It doesn't care."

I curse myself for the sole teardrop that leaves my eye.

Ella's expression crumbles, and she throws her arms around my hair. "You're safe now, Hatterene. You'll always be safe with me."

My heart sings at the words. I lower my chin on to her shoulder and indulge in a few more tears as I hug her back as well as my small arms will allow.

When Ella pulls back, she brushes her thumb over my damp cheeks with a smile. "I'm still confused, but that's kind of been the norm for me today." She turns her head down toward the pokeballs at her side and lightly knocks them twice each with her fist. "Hey, you two!"

In a flash of white light, Patches and Joltik appear on either of Ella's shoulders and gaze upon me with intrigue.

They must have been listening to the conversation, as Patches says to me, "So, I guess you're joining the team."

"Guess what, you guys," Ella chirps needlessly. "I'm gonna catch Hatterene! Isn't that great?"

Joltik leaps on to Ella's head when she pulls her backpack around to search through the contents.

"Are you gonna be nice to Pikachu?" Joltik asks me worriedly.

Patches squints at me. "You better if you know what's good for you."

So, they all trust Pikachu. Interesting. "If you all trust him," I decide, "then I shall make the attempt."

"Ah ha!" Ella calls in triumph. "I knew I had one!" She hoists her backpack back into position and brings a tiny red and white ball to a larger size. "Ready, Hatterene?"

There is a true smile on my face, and my head bobs up and down eagerly.

Yet, Ella still hesitates. "Are you sure Miriam's not gonna look for you?"

I force solemnity as I nod once more. Ella is sweet, gentle. She would never accept me if she knew of the blood on my hands.

Chapter 35: Confrontation

"I just don't understand why you're doing this, and I hate it all." - Ryan George

Ash

I can feel Charizard seething in his pokeball.

After Ella announced that she had caught Hatterene, Charizard burst free from his spherical container and had only been held back by Pikachu's stern, "Don't even think about it."

The fire/flying-type had then turned to me with a hopeful You're the trainer, so please let me kill a bitch vibe about him. My response? "If Pikachu trusts her, then so should we."

Ella was very confused by the exchange, which is how I find myself explaining the situation while we ride the subway train to Lavender Town. All our pokemon besides Pikachu and Hatterene are in their pokeballs. Pikachu's wild friends are in a separate car, waiting for my buddy to report back to them about his talk with Hatterene.

So far, all Pikachu has done is hide behind me on the seat and peek over my thighs at Hatterene, who sits in the seat across the aisle from us while glaring at the table like it insulted her entire bloodline.

I'm no mind reader, but I think Hatterene is worried about me confirming that she is the same pokemon who cut off Pikachu's ear. Which, unfortunately, is exactly what I need to do. If Hatterene really is a part of Ella's team now, then Ella needs to know what happened. I try to keep my voice down for Hatterene's sake, but you can only be so quiet on a subway train.

I watch Ella fidget across from me. Her eyes are on the table, but she keeps stealing glances in Hatterene's direction. "I mean, I kind of suspected it," Ella says. "After you first brought up the possibility."

"How do you feel about it?" I ask.

Ella shrugs. "I spent a lot of one-on-one time with Hatterene. Well, me and Patches and Joltik. I don't think she's a bad pokemon."

I trail my fingers over Pikachu's head and back. "Pikachu said it was just a misunderstanding. Right, buddy?"

Pikachu nods. "Hatterene was really nice before Team Rocket showed up. She was…defending herself." He fights a grimace. I choose not to ask why. "I didn't want them getting hurt. She took it the wrong way, and it all kind of snowballed after that."

I relay this to Ella, who takes it in with a thoughtful frown. I offer what I hope is a calm smile. "Hatterene's not bad. I'm certain of it. She and Pikachu were just caught in a really bad situation."

Pikachu draws my attention by rubbing his hand against my jeans. "Can you tell Ella that I'm happy to see Hatterene with a trainer who does care about her?"

I do exactly that, and Ella's amber eyes shine with resolve. "Okay," she says. "I'm gonna tell Hatterene that I know what happened and that I still like her!"

I grin and give her a thumbs-up. "That's the spirit!"

Ella moves across the aisle to sit next to Hatterene.

Meanwhile, I look down at Pikachu, who is still cowering behind my legs. "Ella's talking to Hatterene. Maybe you could, too."

Pikachu's ear and tail are flat against him in an effort to make himself as small as possible. "What if she doesn't wanna talk to me?"

"You won't know unless you try," I say. "Maybe now that she knows you and Ella and Ella's pokemon are friends, she'll be more willing to hear you out. Worst case scenario, she turns you away."

"What if that's exactly what she does?"

I bite my lip, knowing that Pikachu's fear is not only valid but entirely possible. I will an encouraging smile back on to my lips. "Then, at least you can say you tried."

Pikachu sighs and drapes himself halfway over my thigh. "You're right. I should just go for it. My friends are expecting a report, anyway."

His friends. Those pokemon.

"My friends and I have grown fond of Pikachu. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we consider him a member of our group." That's what Absol told me, noting that Pikachu has been in "interesting moods" because of me. I still don't know what that means.

The notion has been wriggling in the back of my mind since: is Pikachu really happy with me? He was very happy to see me when we found each other at his mother's horde, but that's not the same thing as being happy with someone.

Once Ella gives Hatterene a big hug, it's clear that their talk is over and that it went well. The sight brightens my mood, but only a little.

Pikachu props himself up on his arms on my leg. His ear is straight back and his tail is high in the air. "Okay. Here I go."

I call Ella back, and understanding blooms on her face when she sees Pikachu leap over my lap. She returns to her spot across from me, and we hold our breath as we watch my buddy move to jump up beside Hatterene. He changes course at the last minute, jumping on the seat across from her before hopping on the table and perching there on all-fours. Pikachu's face is set in a determined frown, and Hatterene observes him with a guarded look.

"Hatterene, I…" Pikachu pauses then shakes out his fur and blurts out quickly, "I wanna be your friend, but if you don't wanna be my friend, I understand!"

My hands curl into fists in my lap while I wait for Hatterene's response.

Hatterene takes too long to speak. She shows no emotion. "Ella, Patches, and Joltik are not fools. They trust you, so I am inclined to do the same."

I have no idea how to interpret that, but Pikachu positively lights up. "Thank you!" he squeaks, tail wagging a mile a minute. "Thank you, Hatterene! We can build from this. It'll be great!" His enthusiasm lessens when Hatterene turns to look out the window, but my buddy doesn't let it get him down. "I can see you want to be left alone. That's fine. I'll leave you be."

The smile Pikachu sends my way can best be described as "cautiously optimistic." Still, I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Looks like it went okay," Ella comments. "As okay as it could have, at least." Her next words, she says a little louder and in her new pokemon's direction. "Do you think Hatterene will give Pikachu a chance? He's really sweet!"

Hatterene barely shifts in her seat, the only indication that she heard.

At my side, Charizard's pokeball wiggles. Unfortunately for him, he is sandwiched between Gardevoir and Butterfree, who knock into his pokeball while inside of theirs. The message is clear: Let it go, Charizard.

I giggle at their antics, prompting Ella to tilt her head and ask me, "What's so funny?"

"It's nothing," I reply.

Ella purses her lips but doesn't question my response. "What's the plan when we get to Lavender Town?"

Any joy I'd felt has just been sucked out of me. I cross my arms and glare down at the table. "Honestly? I don't really have one. I need to confront my aunt, but I also need to find out what happened to Lorette and Korou. I've called them and texted them multiple times, but neither of them has responded. Something's wrong. I can feel it."

"Everything about this is wrong, Ash," Ella says. I lift my head when she hums in thought and starts digging through her backpack, which is next to her on the seat. "Is there Wi-fi in here?"

"It's spotty," I say. "Why?"

Ella pulls out her phone and starts fiddling with it. "I'm gonna see if there's any new Poke-X information. You said Vivian sounded distracted when she called, right? If she doesn't want you around anymore, that could imply that something big is happening."

Which would explain why Lorette and Korou aren't there either. But, why wouldn't they answer their phones?

I jump when Ella shouts, "NO WAY!"

People are staring. I motion for Ella to lower her voice before leaning in with my arms on the table to ask, "What did you find?"

Ella's eyes are practically bugged out of her head. She leans and props her elbows on the table. Her face is close enough to her phone to make my eyes ache. "It says here there was an accident at your aunt's research lab this morning. One of the sick pokemon got loose!"

My stomach knots. "Was anyone hurt?"

"You could say that." Ella grits her teeth and glances at Hatterene before lowering her voice even more. "The article doesn't give any specifics, probably for sensitivity's sake, but someone who works there was killed!"

My heart pounds in my ears. I swallow dryly. "Does it say who it was?"

Maybe I'm a traitor for this, but all I can think is, Please don't say "Vivian Ketchum!"

No, I am a traitor. Because that thought came before, Please don't say "Korou Montgomery" or "Lorette Jenkins!"

Ella sneaks another peek at Hatterene, who is either oblivious or is doing a damn good job of acting like it. "It was Miriam Waybright," Ella reveals.

Well, that's one less thing to worry about.

…Did I just…

I mentally slap myself. No matter how bad Miriam was, was still Hatterene's trainer. And, Hatterene is right over there. And, of course she knows about this! Why else would she have left her trainer's side?

But then I think about how Absol attacked Vivian and booked it because he couldn't take the abuse any longer.

Hatterene cut off Pikachu's ear in an act of misguided self-defense. If she can do that…

"Ash?" Ella is waving her hand in my face. "Are you okay?"

I shake my head clear. "Sorry. My imagination kind of ran away from me."

At least, I hope for Ella's sake that that was the case.

Pikachu

It's common to see wild pokemon hitching a ride if they know where the subway is taking them or if they're simply curious. As a result, the humans don't think too much of it when I bat their legs then place my hands on the doors, silently asking to be let through. They simply coo at me and open the doors. In their minds, I am nothing more than a curious little Pikachu who wants to see the rest of the train.

In actuality, my friends are hiding in the car at the very back.

I smile for the humans, but my insides are all twisted up. Don't get me wrong; I'm happy that Hatterene is willing to give me another chance. But, now that the initial excitement has died down, I realize that she's only willing because her new trainer her pokemon like me.

It's still a step in the right direction, so I can't be too disappointed, right? I'll just have to work extra hard to show Hatterene that I'm sincere, that I truly do want to be her friend.

Speaking of friends…

Flareon is grooming one of Sprout's leaves. Absol is lying on his stomach on one of the seats. Wobbles is dozing on another. I nudge her foot with my tail as I pass, startling her awake.

"How'd it go?" Sprout asks as Wobbles and I approach the rest of the group.

I shrug. "Okay, I guess. Hatterene is hesitant, but I think she's going to make an effort."

"That's good," Absol says cautiously, "but are you sure it's safe?"

My missing ear tingles in response. I shrug again.

"Maybe Hatterene will mellow out now that she has an actually nice trainer," Wobbles suggests. "Psychosis is no joke, and Hatterene will probably always have violent tendencies," I wince, "but she must be exceptionally loyal to have waited around so long for her original trainer to come back."

"What are you saying, Wobbles?" Sprout asks.

The side of Wobbles's hand connects with her forehead. "That Ella should be able to keep her under control, so long as Hatterene is as loyal as I suspect. It won't be easy, but it shouldn't be impossible either."

Words can't describe how much comfort that brings me. "It sounds like she gets along well with Ella's other pokemon. That should help, right?"

"I'm no expert," Absol comments, "but the more support, the better. That's what I think."

Sprout nods. "Like when I first met you and Wobbles. You really made things easier."

Absol and Wobbles smile at her, and I ask, "How did you guys meet, anyway?"

"Remember when I told you I had a human friend who died?" Sprout asks me.

I nod. "Hector, right?"

"Right. As you can imagine, I was pretty upset."

"'Upset,' nothing," Wobbles says sympathetically. "Poor was losing it."

Sprout fidgets, and her skin darkens in embarrassment. "I might have been a little hysterical. I came in through a flap on the door he installed for me, and when I went up to his bed, he wasn't moving. I panicked."

Absol hops down from the seat and sits down beside her. "She was screaming for help, thought her friend was really sick." He gives his head a mournful shake. "Turns out, he was just an old male."

My heart aches at the mental image. "Oh, man. I'm so sorry, Sprout."

Sprout hums in thanks. "I'll always miss Hector, but I try to look at the positives. Like meeting these guys."

Wobbles grins a little. "We let her cling to us while she was grieving, and then she never left!"

Sprout narrows her eyes and points a giant leaf at the Wobbuffet. "Hey, you're the one who invited me to tag along!"

Wobbles giggles. "Don't remind me, sister!"

Sprout shakes her head and laughs. Absol just rolls his eyes.

So, that's how Sprout came around. And, I know the three of them found Flareon as an egg. That leaves… "What about Absol and Wobbles? How did you guys meet?"

"It was a few days after I escaped from Vivian," Absol starts. "We were in the Galar region at the time. One day, it was raining pretty hard, and I was looking for shelter. There was a really thick tree trunk that had a big alcove in it. It was just big enough for me and a smaller pokemon. Who happened to already be using it," he adds with a fond look at Wobbles. "The nutjob was slamming her face into the bark over and over again."

"She what?" I gasp.

"Oh my goodness!" Sprout cries, shaking her leaves. "I never heard that part of the story!"

Flareon's ears shoot upright in shock, and his mouth hangs open.

Wobbles waves off our concern. "It's not as weird as it sounds. I was a Wynaut at the time." She sees that her explanation is not an explanation, so she adds with a hearty salute, "Wynaut: the bright pokemon. A psychic-type. Wynaut build up endurance by pushing and shoving one another, hence why you'll often see them in large groups. Unless it's me and it wants to leave the horde to see the world. Then it finds other methods."

Absol chuckles and says, "Anyway, we got to talking, since we weren't exactly going anywhere until the rain let up, and she asked if I'd be her new travel buddy. I didn't have anywhere to go, so I said to myself, 'Why not?'"

"Ha!" Wobbles barks.

Absol huffs and rolls his eyes. "No pun intended."

"Here's my question," Sprout says to me. "How did you and Ash meet?"

"I never told you guys?" I ask. "Well-"

"Um, Pikachu?" Flareon says quietly, speaking up for the first time. He shuffles his paws. "Are you gonna have to leave soon?"

The mood in the car instantly shifts.

There's a weight in my chest when I say, "Yeah. I think I am."

Flareon's head, ears, and tail droop. Nobody else looks particularly happy either.

But, Sprout nudges Flareon and says, "Sometimes you have to say goodbye to your friends. It's a part of life, Flareon."

Absol smiles kindly and adds, "It doesn't mean we'll never see Pikachu again."

Flareon perks up the slightest bit. "It doesn't?"

"Nah," Wobbles says. "Travel buddies have come and gone for me and Absol, and we have run into our old friends on occasion."

Absol nods. "Like Cufant. He traveled through Galar with us for a while until he met up with a horde of his fellow steel-types." His tail wags at the memory. "We saw him a year later and almost didn't recognize him because he was a Copperajah!"

"And, we thought Cufant was big!" Wobbles giggles.

"Riding on him was a lot easier, though," Absol chuckles.

I have never seen a Cufant or a Copperajah, but the conversation is lessening the ache. And, I can see that the same is happening for Flareon. I move forward to lick his cheek, standing on two feet and still having to reach now that he's taller than me.

"See, Flareon?" I say. "Even when I'm gone, there's always the chance that we'll see each other again. Ash and I have made and said goodbye to a lot of friends over the years, and we do run into them from time to time. You never know!"

Flareon is still upset, I can tell, but it's dulled enough for him to smile. "Okay."

"So," Sprout says to me now that the hard part is out of the way, "how did you and Ash meet? We know it was on his birthday, but how did it happen?"

I back up to give myself some room and plop down on my haunches. "It's a bit of a story. You see…"

---

Lorette

Well, this is a dilly of a pickle.

Vivian showed up while Korou and I were still frozen in shock but after I barfed on her desk. (I choose to believe it was my body's way of getting revenge for all the pokemon that bitch killed.) She screamed and barely acknowledged the Hatterene charging past her and into the elevator. She used her phone to call security, and those guys were either really fast or had heard Vivian's scream and were already on their way.

Long story short, Korou and I are locked in the basement and surrounded by shelves and boxes and boxes on shelves. Oh, and if we have to pee? Vivian was kind enough to provide us with a bucket and a roll of toilet paper. Fun.

The good news is that the annoyingly hot white guys who grabbed me and Korou didn't bother patting us down and only stole our stolen lab coats. That means the flashdrive with the evidence of Vivian's cruelty is still in the pocket of my skinny jeans.

The bad news is that we don't have the key card anymore, so we lost our only exit.

Unlike me, however, Korou brought his phone. Fat lot of good it's doing us underground, though.

"Give it up, man," I plead.

Korou's been inching along the walls on tiptoes and holding up his phone as high as he can. "I can't give up!" he says. "If I give up, I will lose my damn mind!"

Seeing him like this is killing me. I know I didn't force him to come, but it was still my idea. "Korou, I'm sorry about all this-"

"No!" He whirls around and points his phone at me. His brown eyes are wild behind his glasses, and his hair came out of its ponytail in the struggle with the guards. "No apologies! I don't wanna hear it! I just wanna get out of here, kiss my Machamp and my husband and his Breloom, and pretend none of this ever happened!" He resumes his futile quest for a signal, adding, "Come on, you stupid phone!"

I blow out a breath and plop my ass on one of the boxes. I don't know what's in these boxes, and I'm not sure I want to.

I groan and run my hands over my face. Korou's not the only one thinking of his pokemon. Electrode gets anxious if I don't come home around the same time every day. When it was a Voltorb, that meant the risk of a small explosion. That shouldn't be a problem now that it's evolved, but who's to say? Regardless, I have no idea what time it is, and I'm not brave enough to borrow Korou's phone to find out. I just hope Electrode isn't pacing or making those scared little noises.

Or, blowing up our house.

"GOD DAMN IT!"

I almost fall off the box in shock.

Korou is shaking his phone in both hands and yelling at it. "Why are you out of charge?!" He throws it on the floor in frustration. "The one time I forget to charge it!"

He moans as he falls into a sitting position on the floor and stares at the ceiling.

I ask sheepishly, "Am I allowed to apologize now?"

He sighs. "You didn't force me to come, Lorette."

"Yeah, but," I fidget in my makeshift seat, "you wouldn't be here if it weren't for my bright idea."

Korou hugs his knees to his chest. He seems more like himself now. "Your bright idea led to us uncovering the truth." He glares at the ceiling again as if he expects a hole and a ladder to appear. "If only we could get out of here and-" His eyes are wild again when they lock on me. "Do you still have the flashdrive?"

I pat my pocket, letting myself be reassured by the small bulge in the denim. "Yep."

"Oh, thank God," Korou breathes.

We fall silent, lost in our panicked thoughts until my eyes land on the elevator. "I have another bright idea."

"Bright as in good, or bright as in terrible? At this point, it doesn't matter to me. I'm just curious."

The guilt's back. I push it aside and point to the elevator. "Those doors have to open some time, right? When they do, I say we rush 'em. Plough down anyone who's in our way."

Korou picks up his dead phone and tucks it in his back pocket. "That's liable to make things worse for us, but my only idea needs charged, so I'm game."

We both stand up and turn toward the elevator doors. I move one foot back and bend my knees in preparation.

Korou watches me with a raised eyebrow. "You realize it could be hours before someone comes down here."

Not a moment after he says that, the elevator dings and he hurries into the same position as me.

As soon as the doors start to open, I shout, "Gun it!"

Two people step into the room and scream when Korou and I slam into them. The four of us tumble to the ground. The floor is made of stone, and I feel a jarring pain shoot up my elbow, but the man underneath takes the brunt of the impact.

"Get off of me!" the woman under Korou shouts.

The doors close before we can collect ourselves, so Korou screams, "Get a keycard!" as if I wasn't already feeling up my tackle victim for one.

This blue-haired guy is bigger than me, so despite my best efforts, it doesn't take much for him to push me off. I latch on to his lab coat and contort my body and his in my struggle to find a keycard. I hear the magenta-haired woman screaming, "This is assault!" as Korou attempts the same with her.

"Stop it!" Blue Hair snaps, grabbing my arms in an iron grip as I try to pull free. "Ash sent us! We're on your side!"

I stop struggling, and he hesitantly releases me.

"Ash sent you?" Korou asks. He is straddling Magenta Hair and has his hands pinning her arms down.

"Yes!" Magenta Hair snarls. "And, if those hands get any closer, I'm suing you for harassment!"

I try not to laugh as Korou sees that his hands are a little too close to his victim's chest. He blushes as he scurries off of her and fixes his skewed glasses.

Once we're all on our feet and dusting ourselves off, I get a better look at the newcomers. I'd estimate that they're around my and Korou's age. The woman's hair is pulled into a low bun, but several long strands fell out in the skirmish. She has lightly tanned skin and large blue eyes and would probably be pretty if her face wasn't contorted in that teeth-gritted scowl. The man's low ponytail came out completely, and his chin-length hair hangs around his boyishly handsome face. He also has lightly tanned skin, but his eyes are light green. He looks more petrified than angry. Both of them sport lab coats that are now covered in dust. They also lost their glasses, and how Korou didn't do the same is a mystery.

I lean forward with my hands on my hips and squint at the newcomers. "You two look familiar."

The woman flashes a smug grin and cocks her hip. "Prepare for trouble-"

Her friend puts his hand on her shoulder with a tired smile. "I don't think this is the time, Jessie."

Jessie has the decency to look embarrassed. "Sorry. Force of habit."

The name sets off every alarm. Korou and I glance at each other in shock before we both blurt out, "Team Rocket?!"

The man - James - waves his hands in front of his face and begs, "You don't have to say it so loud!"

"We're here to rescue you," Jessie snaps, "so you could at least pretend to appreciate it!"

"Rescue us?" Korou asks.

Which only annoys Jessie more. "Were you too busy feeling me up to listen?"

"I wasn't feeling you-"

"You're little twerpy pal asked us to look for you, and we've found you, so mission accomplished. You're welcome."

These are two of the freaks who stole Ash's Pikachu and attempted to swipe all the pokemon at the wrestling ring, including mine and Korou's. Forgive me if I'm skeptical at the idea of Ash sending them to help us.

I summarize my thoughts. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"We understand if you don't believe us," James says, "but we don't like Poke-X any more than you do. We're criminals, not monsters. We love our pokemon as much as you, no doubt, love yours."

Jessie fixes her hair while continuing her partner's train of thought. "Our goal is to find evidence that this lab isn't what it appears. Ash is beside himself, and he requested that we keep our eyes peeled for the two of you, because he tried calling multiple times and neither of you answered."

Korou voices the thought that springs into my head. "Are you saying…that he knows about what his aunt is doing?"

James grits his teeth in sympathy. He gestures to Jessie and says, "We found out with him, but we don't have time to get into it."

Poor Ash. I can only imagine what's going through his head.

"So, let's not waste any more time," Jessie says. She pulls a key card out of her lab coat pocket. "Unless you've got a way to drill through the ceiling, I suggest you come with us."

"But, what if someone sees us?" Korou asks. "Lorette and I can't just walk around right now, even if it is just through the lobby."

Jessie smirks and winks at him. "Let me worry about that."

Oh, boy.

Jessie swipes the key card, and the four of us pile into the elevator. She instructs us to give her ten seconds - only ten seconds? - before making a break for the door. I don't know what she has planned, but it better work.

James rests his hands on my and Korou's backs as the elevator doors slide open and Jessie saunters into the lobby like she owns the place. My heart races, and I resist the urge to poke my head outside to check for witnesses. I hear Jessie asking all kinds of questions in what I guess is supposed to be a seductive voice. I don't know if the seduction is working, but James ushers us out of the elevator as soon as the doors start to close. I hadn't counted ten seconds yet, but nobody stops us from exiting the building.

The moment we step outside, James grabs our hands, and we break for the forest. I don't know where we're going, but I don't breathe until we see a familiar Meowth and Wobbuffet. The Arcanine is new, but the way it perks up and wags its tail upon our arrival tells me it's with them.

"We should be safe here," James says, slowing us to a stop and releasing his grip.

Korou claps his hands together and says to the sky, "Oh, sweet mercy! I've just been converted to an outdoors person!"

"That's his way of saying, 'Thanks for the save,'" I tell James.

Wobbuffet has his hands on his cheeks and looks around worriedly. "Wob wobba?"

Meowth climbs on to two legs with a grunt and uses Arcanine for support. "Wobbuffet wants to know where Jessie is," Meowth explains, reminding us that he can speak in the human tongue.

Which still freaks me out.

"She should be here soon," James says. "She was distracting the receptionist. Um, should you be standing on two legs, Meowth? How are you feeling?"

Meowth lets go of Arcanine to place his hands on his hips with an indignant, "I ain't no invalid." Then he hisses and his knees buckle. He catches himself on four legs before he can topple over. "But, I might give it another day."

Pity sparks in me, and I find myself scanning the weird-ass normal-type for injuries. I don't see any, but there could be a hidden one in his back leg or something.

James turns to me and Korou before I can ask. "You two stay here for now. Jessie and I need to keep searching the lab."

"So, really do want to stop Poke-X?" Korou asks.

"Of course!" James pleads. "Like I said, we're not monsters. And, just because we partake in evil deeds doesn't mean we approve of all of them. There are some lines you just don't cross, and senseless murder is one of them!"

I shudder at the description. Senseless murder. That's what Poke-X is, isn't it? That's what Vivian and Miriam and God knows who else has been doing.

At least Miriam can't do it anymore…

Nausea rolls over me as that mental image returns. Part of me hopes that Hatterene is okay, and another part hopes I never see it again.

The rest of me remembers the flashdrive.

"You really are on our side?" I ask one last time.

James clasps his hands together in desperation. "Yes! Absolutely! I'll swear on a stack of bibles if I have to!"

"Here, here!" Meowth agrees. "I'm a pokemon, don't forget. I was fatally ill once, and I ain't going down that road again."

Arcanine growls in agreement, and Wobbuffet salutes with a hearty, "Waaahhhh-buh-feht!"

I look up at Korou. He sees me clutching the flashdrive in my pocket and nods. We're not always on the same wavelength, he and I, but we are when it matters.

I pull the flashdrive out of my pocket and hold it up. "Korou and I managed to grab some evidence before all hell broke loose."

Jessie returns just in time to hear Korou and I take turns describing what's on the video. She and James get paler and paler the more we talk, and the pokemon are equally horrified.

"That's sick!" Jessie says once the recap is over. "There are some lines you just don't cross!"

"That's exactly what I said!" James tells her.

"Our plan was to take that flashdrive to the police," Korou explains. "But, as you know, there was a bit of a delay."

"I'm just glad they were too busy figuring out what to do with us to give us a proper pat-down," I add. "It's a miracle we still have this thing!"

Jessie snatches the flashdrive out of my hand faster than I can process. "Leave the rest to us. We usually steer clear of cops, but we can make an exception for this."

"We'll come too," Korou says. "We can give the police more information than you can."

"You go ahead," I say. "I need to check on Electrode."

Meowth scoffs. "I'm sure your partner can survive an extra hour without you."

Korou grimaces because he knows how Electrode gets when it's scared. "No, I think Lorette's right. Her partner has EDD. Embryo Development Disorder," he clarifies when Team Rocket stare blankly at him.

When the clarification does nothing, I add, "You ever see a special needs child? Well, I've got a special needs bomb in my house."

That does the trick. "Arcanine," James says to the fire-type, "why don't you go with her in case there's any trouble?"

Arcanine nods with an affirmative growl.

We all part ways, and as Arcanine and I sneak back to my house, I briefly contemplate riding the fire-type. It's certainly big enough. I just as quickly decide that charging through the streets on a huge pokemon would draw too much attention. So, once civilization hits, I settle for ducking through my neighbors yards and hiding behind fences.

Arcanine is so big that I instruct it to keep its distance. It does so, but I hope none of my neighbors are looking out their windows and wondering whose Arcanine is prancing behind their houses.

I don't breathe until I make it to my fenced-in backyard. I curse when I remember that the latch is on the other side, and I have to climb on Arcanine and leap over the fence to get in. I land quite ungracefully, bruising my ass - not helped by landing on my keys - and slamming into my already bruised elbow. No, make that scraped elbow. Everything happened so fast, I didn't have time to notice it stinging and bleeding.

Arcanine hears the multiple F-bombs I drop and barks in concern. "I'm fine!" I assure. I scramble to my feet and lean against the fence as I wait for the stars to get out of my face. "Might have bopped my head, though." There is a soreness in the back of my skull, but I'm going to assume it's not a concussion.

It better not be. The last thing I need is a trip to the hospital.

Arcanine stretches its neck to peek over the fence. I reach up to pat its cheek. "Thanks for the help. You head on back to your buddies. I'll be fine from here."

I give Arcanine directions to the police station, and it's off and running, no longer having a need for subtlety.

I bolt to my back door and unlock it, mentally prepared for the house to be in burnt shambles. I breathe a sigh of relief when my kitchen is still intact. Stepping into an equally unharmed living room brings me less comfort than it should. I've been gone for too long for Electrode to not be freaking out. I know it's supposed to be less prone to accidental explosions now that it's evolved, but I would have expected some kind of disarray.

Not that I want my pal destroying the place, but I'd sure like a sign that it's okay.

I cup my hands around my mouth and shout, "Electrode! You here, buddy?"

"Eellllleeeeeeccc!"

A big red and white ball rolls down the stairs at top speed. How that thing can get up and down the stairs on its own is one of the earth's greatest mysteries.

Electrode barks like mad and circles me fast enough to make my head spin. Apparently, evolution came with less explosions and more panic attacks or whatever you'd call this.

"Electrode!" I shout. "Electrode, it's okay! I'm okay!"

Electrode stops spinning and nuzzles my legs, sobbing all the while.

Tears fill my own eyes as a combination of love, guilt, and dying adrenalin rushes over me. "Mama's okay," I choke out. I drop to my knees and wrap my partner in my arms, rubbing its hard, round back. "Mama's okay."

I hold on to it until the two of us manage to pull ourselves together. When I pull back, I kiss the space between Electrode's eyes and wipe its tears away. It whimpers and watches me with so much love and fear.

"I'm so sorry, baby," I say. "Mama's been through hell, but she made it out."

Suddenly, my cellphone blares from where I left it on the kitchen table. I debate ignoring it but decide that I should check. It could be Korou.

Electrode follows me into the kitchen. I swipe my hands over my damp cheeks before grabbing my phone. Adrenalin surges once more.

It isn't Korou who's calling. It's Ash.

"I'll explain everything in a minute, baby," I say to Electrode before answering the call. "Glad to hear from you, Ketchum-"

"Oh my fucking Jesus Christ!" Ash interrupts. His speech steadily gets faster. "I've been calling and texting like crazy! Are you okay? Is Korou okay? Why haven't you guys answered your phones? What happened? What did she do to you? Are you hurt-"

A concerned-sounding, "Pikapi?" echoes in the background.

Ash takes a shaky breath. "Sorry, Pikachu. It just hit me all over again."

My heart goes out to the poor guy. He sounds like a total wreck.

Hold on a second. "You found Pikachu?"

"Yeah," Ash replies, a little happier. "And, Charizard and Butterfree!"

I blow out a breath. "Finally, some good news. Wait. Butterfree? You never mentioned a Butterfree."

"That's 'cause he wasn't missing. I'll tell you about it later. Now, what's up with you guys? Why weren't you answering your phones?"

"Me, I left my phone at home," I explain. "As for Korou, well, that's a story. And, not one you're gonna like."

Ash sounds resigned to his fate. "My aunt did something, didn't she?"

I grit my teeth in sympathy. "How much do you know?"

"Too damn much. How much do you and Korou know?"

I sigh and shake my head. "Too damn much. At least, as far as your aunt and her crew are concerned. Um…"

"Rip the band-aid, Lorette," Ash says. "I'm sure my heart can't break any worse at this point."

I hear a sad little chirp over the phone. I feel that, Pikachu. I really do.

As gently as I can, I give Ash and presumably Pikachu a brief rundown of everything that happened from sneaking into the lab to sneaking out of it. Trainer and pokemon alike are eerily silent throughout.

"Ash?" I prompt after I finish my tale of woe and hear no response. "You still there? Pikachu?"

It's Ash who speaks, though I don't think he's speaking to me. "I don't understand…"

Pure disgust swells in me. "You're not the only one. What's the point of Poke-X? Why would anyone think that was a good idea?"

"I don't know," Ash replies. His voice is stronger now. "But, I intend to find out."

"Pika!" is Pikachu's response.

Ash isn't talking to me when he says, "I told you, you're not going in there with me."

Pikachu sounds annoyed. "Pika-chu pi-ka!"

"Exactly! It's dangerous, Pikachu! You're forgetting. That place is crawling with Poke-X. You can't go in there. None of you can."

"Pika-"

"I can't lose you!" Ash snaps shakily. "Any of you! If something happened… If any of you got sick, I… I… I can't…"

Okay… Ash totally forgot that I'm here.

I loudly clear my throat. "Should I hang up?"

Embarrassment carries through the phone. "I-I'm sorry. Where are you? And, where's Korou?"

"I'm at my house. Had to make sure Electrode was okay."

"Is it?"

I glance down at my buddy, who I'm pretty sure hasn't stopped watching me with that nervous frown this entire time. "It's freaked but less freaked than it was when I got here. Korou went to the police station with Team Rocket. They're turning in the flashdrive with the Absol video."

"Good. We're almost in Lavender Town. Me and my pokemon and Ella and her team. You remember Ella, right? From the power plant?"

She's a hard one to forget. "The chick who kept getting zapped on purpose? Yeah, I remember."

"I ran into her, and she's coming too. And, uh," he turns oddly sheepishly, "she might have caught that Hatterene you mentioned."

Processing… "That Hatterene?"

Ash goes on the defensive. "Hatterene isn't a bad pokemon."

"I never said it was." I just think it might be missing a few screws.

Then again, when you've got a trainer like Miriam... At least Ella seems harmless. Also missing some screws, but harmless.

Ash moves past that. "Anyway, Pikachu befriended some wild pokemon. They're coming, too. Including that Absol you mentioned." When I'm too stunned to speak, he adds, "Now you know how I found out about Vivian."

This is the first time I've heard Ash use Vivian's given name. "You got a plan?" I ask.

"Sure do," Ash says with a confidence that puts me at ease until he adds, "I'm gonna charge into the lab and demand to speak to Vivian."

"Coming from someone whose plans have been a crapshoot as of late, that's not a good plan, Ash."

"You asked if I had a plan, and I have one."

Someone speaks to Ash. I can't make out the words, but the voice is human. It's probably Ella.

Which Ash confirms. "Thanks, Ella, but I wanna do this myself. She's my aunt and…and I want to be one who confronts her." To me, "Lorette, I want you and Korou to stay home where I know you'll be safe. I want that, but I have a track record of my friends not doing that."

I smirk and place my hand on my hip. "Then, history's about to repeat, Ketchum! I'll grab Korou, and we'll meet you and Ella at the lab."

I hang up before Ash can argue.

Electrode's tiny, "Ee-lec?" catches my attention.

I clap my hands and rub them together. "Looks like the party's just getting started, Electrode. I'll fill you in on the way."

---

Ash

The closer we get to the lab, the sicker I feel. Not only because I'm about to confront the creator of the Poke-X virus, who also happens to be my own aunt, but because there are so many pokemon with us who don't have pokeballs to keep them safe.

All of Ella's pokemon are tucked away in theirs. Three out of four of my pokemon are as well. The situation isn't dire enough - not yet - for me to be willing to subject Pikachu to his worst trigger, but at least I know I can put him in there if it comes to that.

The rest of Pikachu's friends are wild pokemon. The idea of temporarily catching them crossed my mind, but something tells me they wouldn't like that.

Especially Absol.

"Will you two slow down?" Ella pants behind me.

Pikachu has been keeping pace beside me as we bolt through the open plain, but he stops with me.

I've been thinking about this since we got off the train. The lab is just up ahead. I need to say this now.

"I'm going on ahead," I decide when everyone catches up and Ella has her hands on her knees and is panting. The sight takes me back to the days of traveling with Clemont, but there's no time to get nostalgic. "You guys keep your distance. I don't know what's gonna happen next."

Ella shoots upright. "But, Ash-"

"No, buts," I counter. "This is my-my family," my voice cracks on the word, "and that makes it my problem. No one else needs to get hurt."

Wobbles tosses her hands at her sides. "Now I know where Pikachu gets it from."

Ella's hands curl into fists. "I'm in this now, Ash! I've been in this since I met Hatterene! You can't stop me from helping!"

"You can help," I assure. "I want you to watch over all the pokemon." I turn away from Ella's stricken look and create a similar expression on my buddy's face when I tell him, "You too, Pikachu. In fact, Charizard, Gardevoir, Butterfree!" The all leap out of their pokeballs when called. Three faces gaze at me with grim intent, awaiting orders. Orders they won't like, and they're about to know it. "I want you three to stay here." Their mouths drop open and widen further when I unclip their pokeballs from my belt and shove them into Ella's hands. "Do whatever Ella tells you, alright?"

Charizard bares his pointed teeth. "Not alright!"

"We're not letting you go in there alone!" Gardevoir argues.

Butterfree's wings flap a little harder. "I lost Flutter 'cause of that woman, and I want a piece of this pie!"

A quiet, "Ashton…" is all I hear from Pikachu.

I stand my ground. "Everyone here except me and Ella could get Poke-X, so none of you are going in there. Not even in your pokeballs. Case closed!"

Ella steps forward, eyes wide in desperation. "What about me? You said it yourself. I can't catch Poke-X, so I should come too! The pokemon will be fine as long as they all stay together."

"I'm actually okay with this plan," Sprout says tiredly, plopping her bottom down on the grass. "I've had my fill of scary things for a while."

Flareon lashes his tail. "Well, I wanna help! I'm fully evolved now, and I'm lots stronger!"

"Strength has nothing to do with this," Absol says darkly. He sits on his haunches and speaks to the ground without emotion. "Ash is right. He and Ella are the only ones who can't catch it." There's a slight tremor in his voice when he adds, "And, I don't want any of you going near her."

How many times can a heart break in one day? I have a feeling my remaining pieces are going to shatter very soon.

Sprout runs her vine soothingly along Absol's back. Wobbles and Flareon glance at each other. Pikachu's head is bowed and his ear and tail are drooping. Charizard is staring at the ground with his arms crossed. Gardevoir has his hands on his hips. Butterfree just looks lost.

They're seeing the sense in Absol's words, and they hate it as much as I do.

Ella, unable to hear the meaning behind the Absol's barking, watches me expectantly. Three of my pokeballs are still in her hands.

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. "I don't want to risk anyone, regardless of whether or not they could get sick." My throat tightens out of nowhere. Emotion threatens to boil over. "Watch over everyone, Ella. Please."

Ella starts to argue but stops herself. She nods in resignation.

I turn to leave but a last minute decision stops me. I unclip a fourth pokeball and set the tiny sphere with the others in Ella's hands. "This is Pikachu's. Don't put him in there unless it's an absolute dire emergency. We're talking life or death. Okay?"

Ella's mouth twists in confusion. "Uh, okay."

"Just trust me."

I spin around and race toward the lab, not looking back lest the sight of my beloved pokemon makes me change my mind.

I am laser-focused on the lab until I hear a loud hiss and a man whisper-shouting my name. Relief floods me when I turn my head and see who it was.

Lorette and Korou are standing behind the building. Apart from a large bandage on Lorette's elbow, the two looked scuffed up but unharmed. No sign of their pokemon, but Lorette would have mentioned if Sarge and Electrode had been taken or gotten sick.

I hurry to join them. "Are you guys okay-"

Korou presses his finger to his mouth and shushes me. "Not so loud! We're trying to keep a low profile. The only reason we're this close to the lab is because there are no windows back here."

"Apart from essentially being fugitives," Lorette whispers, "we're fine."

"What about your pokemon?" I ask.

Lorette pats the pokeball at her side. "I got Electrode right here."

Korou unclips the pokeball at his own belt and holds it up. "Sarge, too. Lorette filled me in, so I grabbed Sarge from the cafe. I told Connor it was an emergency. As far as I know, he's been at the cafe since we opened. He didn't know I was missing, and I'm sure he'll lock me in our house when he finds out."

"You'll live," Lorette quips. To me, she says, "You still planning on barging in?"

"I don't have a better idea," I say. "After all this, I don't think I can wait until she comes home to talk to her."

"Or, you can wait it out for a few more minutes," Korou suggests. "Team Rocket are still at the police station as far as I know. The cops are probably on their way as we speak."

It's tempting. There's a cowardly part of me that wants to leave everything to the professionals and go cuddle with my pokemon.

But, Vivian made me a part of this. When did I stop thinking of her as "Aunt V?"

"I need to do this," I say simply. "And, I need to do it myself."

"Ash-"

Lorette places her hand on Korou's shoulder, silencing him. "Let him go, Korou. Some things you just have to do on your own. Remember Electrode taking on that Alpha Electrode at the power plant? It's like that. Right, Ash?"

"Exactly." I point in the direction I left the others. I can see everyone from here. I wish there was more cover, but at least they're keeping their distance. "I left Ella and all the pokemon back there. Why don't you join them? You can meet Pikachu and Charizard and Butterfree. And, Pikachu's new friends."

"Butterfree?" Korou asks.

Lorette shrugs. "He said he'd tell us later." She grabs Korou's hand. "Come on. Let's let the man be a man."

Korous lets himself get dragged away but calls over his shoulder. "Be careful."

I nod in response, though I'm not sure how careful I'll be.

I walk on heavy legs and stand in front of the steps leading to the entrance. I take deep breaths to keep myself from being sick.

Thoughts of the helpless victims of my aunt's creation Poke-X help me pick my feet up and place them on the steps, one at a time.

Tyrogue. Pichu. Flutter. There were others, but those three left the biggest mark.

That's not getting to the victims' loved ones, like Butterfree and Breloom and all the grieving pokemon from the wrestling ring.

And then there are pokemon like Absol and Hatterene, the survivors of the first strain of Poke-X. The test subjects, my heart weeps. At least those two were able to find happiness, but how many others were there?

How many of them weren't so lucky?

When I tell the receptionist that I need to talk to Vivian, siting it as a "family emergency," he takes note of my grim demeanor and doesn't hesitate to swipe his key card through the slot by the elevator. I thank him and step inside. The doors close. The only sound is the humming of the elevator moving upward.

I can't remember the last time my pulse pounded like this.

The top floor office is sparkling clean. You'd never know that someone was killed in here a few hours ago at most. There's something eerie about that.

Vivian is busy at her desk. Her thinly plucked eyebrows are furrowed with an intensity I've never seen from her before as she alternates between typing on her computer and writing things down. She is too focused to see me approaching her desk. Which makes sense, given everything that happened in her place of "business" today.

I could turn around right now and pretend none of this ever happened.

Vivian still doesn't notice me when I'm standing directly in front of her desk. I clear my throat, and she jumps ten feet and slaps her hand over her heart. Her wide green eyes are frozen on me until she recovers enough to ask, "How did you get up here?"

"Magic," I say. She jumps again when I slam the palms of my hands down on her desk, letting myself tower over her. "I know, Vivian. I know what Poke-X really is. I know why your Absol attacked you that day. I. Know. So, start talking."

Vivian relaxes her shoulders, projecting a cool demeanor that is betrayed by the beads of sweat on her forehead and the tremble at the corners of her mouth. "I'm afraid you're the only one who knows anything, Ash-"

"Don't lie!" I scream. "You don't know how sick I am of lies!"

We stare each other down. Her bravado fading as she sees that there's no point in keeping up her charade. Me restraining myself from punching a hole through her desk or bursting into tears and demanding why why why.

"Why get me involved?" I ask. "Let's start there. You know how important pokemon are to me, so why would you-"

"I told you, Ash!" Vivian shoots to her feet. "I knew you would charge into everything and get hurt or worse! I invited you to work with me so I could keep an eye on you!"

"You used me!" I slide all her notebooks and pens and papers off her desk in my building rage. They scatter in ignored piles on the floor. "You made me think you cared about pokemon as much as I do! I thought we were on the same page! You-you lied to me!"

Vivian sounds like she's struggling not to raise her voice. "I never lied to you, Ash! I told you I was working on Poke-X. I told you I needed a strong trainer, that I only brought you here to keep you safe. I never told you a single lie!"

I go over every conversation we've had about Poke-X. And, I realize that she's right. She told me that she was researching the virus. She glossed over the details because she knows my brain and science don't mix. She told me she needed my help with bringing in the sick pokemon.

She never said that she was looking for a cure or a treatment.

I made assumptions because she's my father's sister, because I've known her all my life. I heard her words and painted a picture of what I thought they were describing.

I never pressed for details. Countless pokemon are dead, and I never questioned why no progress seemed to be made in finding a cure.

I don't care what Pikachu says. I killed pokemon.

My knees threaten to buckle. I have to brace my hands on the desk again to stay upright. "What about that machine? The one that spreads Poke-X. Miriam gave that to me to put near a whole horde!"

Now Vivian is braced on the desk. "I didn't know she gave it to you until she told me! I told her you were working with us-"

"And, you didn't tell her how much I hate this, did you?"

Vivian lowers her gaze, having the basic decency to be ashamed of that if nothing else. "It might have slipped my mind."

And, because of that oversight, I almost killed every pokemon that was present for it. Ones who are dear to me. Ones I was only just getting to know.

One of them was Pikachu's mother, who would have been dead for real.

I step back from the desk, my fists balled so tightly at my sides that I feel my nails digging into my skin. "What's the point of all this? What could you possibly have to gain from-from killing pokemon?" I loathe the tremor in my voice. "Why would you do all of this? Help me understand, Vivian Ketchum!"

Vivian closes her eyes and takes a deep, deep breath. When she opens her eyes, there is something haunted in them. "There's a lot you don't know about our family, Ash."

That catches me off-guard.

"Your father did everything he could to keep you out of it-"

"Don't talk about my dad like he's involved!" I snap. "He would never be so cruel!"

Vivian narrows her eyes, but there's a fragility in the look. "Your father isn't a saint, Ash."

"He doesn't have to be a saint to be better than you!"

Vivian flinches but relents, nervously playing with a strand of her long black ponytail that fell over her shoulder. "I suppose I deserved that. Ash, from a young age, your grandparents made certain that your father and I knew how dangerous pokemon truly are."

My fire is instantly cooled. "My-my grandparents?"

I never knew my paternal grandparents. They both died before I was born. Why does that suddenly seem like a good thing?

"Your dad and I grew up knowing what could happen if pokemon were pushed too far," Vivian continues somberly. "Your dad ended up doing his own thing, but me? As technology advanced, I started to realize that pokemon were becoming obsolete."

Obsolete. Like pokemon are objects meant to be thrown away.

"Your grandparents and your dad and I-"

"Leave. My dad. Out of this!" I snap. "He may be your twin, but he is nothing like you!"

Vivian smiles bitterly. "I told you, he ended up doing his own thing. Anyway, we tolerated pokemon because we knew how vital they were to the ecosystem. But, technology is better now than it was when your dad and I were growing up. We humans have our own means of growing healthy plants and building structures and filtering water and the like. Without the assistance of pokemon. We really don't need them, Ash."

My head is spinning.

Vivian spreads out her arms, a steely resolve replacing her desperation. "What we're doing here is going to benefit the world. Without the threat of pokemon, we as a species can thrive in ways we never have before. I'll admit," Vivian adds sheepishly, "that you're not the only one in this building who doesn't know the whole story, but you'll all understand where the rest of us are coming from once the plan is carried out. This is only the beginning, Ash."

Genocide. Her plan is to commit genocide of all pokemon.

Pokemon can be incredibly dangerous, it's true. They have powers we can't comprehend and you always hear cases of people getting hurt or killed by pokemon.

But, pokemon can also be sweet and gentle and understanding in ways that still surprise me to this day. With very few exceptions, they don't discriminate typing or species in one another. When interacting with humans, they don't care about the color of your skin or what gender you fall in love with or anything of the sort.

When they attack humans, there is always a reason for it. That human had hurt their friend. Or, the pokemon's home is threatened. Or, even a simple misunderstanding.

Pokemon are…horrifyingly beautiful. They can cause so much pain, yet the love in their hearts is never-ending. I can't bear the thought of a life without them.

"You're insane," I whisper.

"I don't expect you to understand-"

I take a step back and snarl, "What are you gonna do now that I know? You gonna lock me up like you did Korou and Lorette? I'd like to see you try!"

On instinct, I reach for a pokeball, only to remember that I left all my pokemon with Ella.

Vivian pales. "How do you know about-"

The elevator dings, diverting our attention. Some guy in a lab coat bursts into the room in a carefully contained panic. He quickly bows in apology. "Sorry for the intrusion, Dr. Ketchum, but Officer Jenny wants to speak with you."

I want to throw my head back and laugh.

Especially when Vivian glances at me and turns even paler as she puts the pieces together. "Did she say what about?"

The man shakes his head. "Just that she wants to ask you some questions. And, that it…it would go more smoothly if you came willingly."

Vivian nods, and the man goes back into the elevator. Once the doors close, Vivian shouts at me, "What did you do?!"

My lips spread in a triumphant smirk. I cross my arms over my chest. "If you're so smart, you tell me. It's over, Vivian. If you won't go down there willingly, I'd be more than happy to give Officer Jenny a hand."

Vivian grits her teeth and sizes me up, but we both know I could overpower her.

Grief seeps in, making my voice shake. "I'm giving you a choice, Vivian. Please make this easier for yourself."

Please make this easier for me, is what I mean.

I can see Vivian weighing her options. Then her face slackens with something dark that I at first think means she's giving up.

Then, "Miriam teased me about this. She called it overkill, and maybe she's right. But, I spent years on this project, and I don't want anyone finding a means of reversing it."

The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stand on end. "What are you talking about?"

Vivian blinks at me. I don't think she intended to speak her thoughts out loud.

She recovers and kneels down. Wary now, I look over her desk and find her reaching for something under it.

A moment later, a red light flashes and an alarm siren blares loud enough to make me flinch.

Vivian springs to her feet and throws herself at a handle on the wall I didn't notice before. She pulls it to the side, revealing a hidden stairway.

There is true fear and love on her face when turns back to me. "This is a fire escape. I hope I see you at the bottom of it."

"Vivian?" I call after her as she rushes down the stairwell. "Vivian!"

That's when I smell the smoke.

Chapter 36: Emergency Procedures

"If you're arguing with a woman and she says 'Wow'...run." - Unknown

Pikachu

"IS EVERYBODY OKAY?!"

Ella's scream startles me so badly that I nearly unleash a Thunderbolt on the spot. Based on the shrieks and hisses surrounding me, I'm not the only one who's freaked out.

Ella had been pacing but now stands with her fists at her sides and an embarrassed, "I'm sorry! I'm a little tense right now!"

"You're tense?" Lorette snaps. "Korou and I just got back from being locked in a murderer's basement! You wanna talk about tense?"

By sheer coincidence, Ash's human friends are people the PokeSquad and I have met before. As well as Sarge the Machamp and Voltorb, who is now an Electrode. Those two are sticking close to their trainers. I want to be more interested in all of them, but my mind is on whatever's happening in that laboratory.

I'm not the only one who's distracted. Charizard, Butterfree, and Gardevoir have been huddled together since Ash left. Ella's pokemon came out of their pokeballs and have formed their own group close to their trainer. Absol has been sitting in that same spot and glaring at the lab this whole time, not seeming to notice that Sprout has been rubbing his back with her vine. Flareon tried to talk to Absol to no avail, and Wobbles pulled the young fire-type away.

Like Absol, I've been rooted in place, watching and waiting. I wonder if Absol has the same terrible feeling in his stomach as I do.

There's a low growl behind me, followed by Gardevoir saying, "Let it go, Charizard."

When someone sits next to me, I understand why Charizard became even more agitated.

Well, Hatterene isn't sitting per say. It's more that she lowered her tiny body close to the ground and coiled her hair around it to take up as little space as possible. She looks like a colorful ball with a face peeking out. Not unlike when we fell asleep on the couch together when she was a Hattrem and I had a clear idea as to where I stood with her.

She doesn't say anything, only watches the building up ahead. My pelt prickles in the silence.

Then, "I've been thinking about your request for friendship."

I swallow hard. My fur feels like it's going to pop out of my skin. "Okay…" I say when she doesn't elaborate.

"I enjoyed my time with you the night we met. Until the human and her Wobbuffet appeared, that is."

"I'm not with them," I plead. "I wasn't then, and I'm not now. I was never a part of their group, Hatterene. But," I add reluctantly, keeping my eyes on the tall grass surrounding my shuffling hands, "I understand why you thought I was. It all must have looked pretty bad from your perspective, huh?"

Hatterene lets that simmer for a moment. She still isn't looking at me. "Why did you save them?"

I hesitate because I don't know how Hatterene will react to my answer. But, I don't want to lie to her. "Because they don't deserve to be killed." Hatterene's hair bristles, and I hurry to add, "I know they're bad guys, but hear me out! They do bad things and they hurt pokemon. In fact, they and the rest of their team is the reason Ash and I were separated in the first place, and that wasn't the first time I was the target of their schemes. Even so, the only reason they do bad things is because they work for bad people. One of them even admitted to my and Ash's faces that they don't like what they do. They're just stuck with it."

I'm paraphrasing, but I'm not really lying and my words have the intended effect.

Hatterene's hair smoothes around her. "I suppose I can relate. I despised the experiments Miriam and the other humans would subject me to, yet I craved my trainer's approval, so I was always willing to continue."

My chest aches as I twist my head around to glance at the dark-type who may as well be frozen solid. In other life, I think that Absol and Hatterene would be great friends or would at least be able to lean on each other. I want to mention Absol's similar struggles, but I stop myself at the last minute. Absol's story isn't mine to tell.

"I really do like you, Hatterene," I say instead. "I enjoyed our time together, too. Sharing food and battling and talking about our trainers. It meant something to me. I think it meant something to you, too?"

She doesn't confirm it, but she doesn't deny it either. "Like I said, Ella, Patches, and Joltik trust you. I trust them, so I am willing to give our friendship another try."

My ear flicks. "Because they like me."

"Yes," Hatterene says bluntly. She almost sounds shy when she adds, "But, also because you are correct in that our time together - some of it - was pleasant. I'd been waiting for Miriam for years, and I didn't know how lonely I truly was until you came around."

I stare at the grass again, thinking of that Golbat who called Hatterene - or rather, Hattrem - the "psycho psychic." Bitterness wells in me, but I suppose I can see things from Golbat and the other wild pokemon's perspectives. Hattrem, and Hatenna before her first evolution, lived alone in a weird human structure that was cared for but still in bad shape. She refused to stray far from it and viciously attacked anyone who got too close. She even did that with me before we found common ground in our missing trainers.

Wobbles and Wobbuffet said she had that psychic-type mental illness called psychosis. She got it from using her inherent telekinetic abilities too much, and I bet anything she only did it to make herself stronger for Miriam.

Hatterene made herself sick for someone who only saw her as a science project. My bitterness morphs into pure grief for this pokemon who loves so fiercely that she was willing to destroy herself for a monster.

Wobbles called it loyalty, but there is a fine line between loyalty and blind obedience.

I glance over my other shoulder at the humans and strain to hear their hushed conversation because I catch Hatterene's name being thrown around. The three of them keep sending nervous glances at her. Ella in particular looks like she's going to be sick. I wonder what they're talking about.

If Hatterene has to be blindly obedient, at least it's toward someone who truly cares about her. Wobbles is right that it won't be easy, but I think Ella will be a good trainer for Hatterene.

I smile at Hatterene. "Thank you for giving me another chance. I hope we can be the friends we were in the shack. And, if not, that's fine. I just really wanna be there for you, Hatterene!"

Call me optimistic, but I think Hatterene hides a smile at my words.

Out of nowhere, the mood is killed by Flareon piping up, "Hey, does anyone else smell smoke?"

The rest of us pokemon sniff the air. Sure enough, there is a faint bitter stench in the air.

"Huh," Sarge says. "Maybe someone's having a cook-out."

The humans, with their pathetically weak noses, look from one pokemon to the other in confusion. Korou asks for their group, "Is something wrong?"

Gardevoir hisses suddenly and his face somehow gets whiter. Butterfree asks him, "You okay?"

Gardevoir frowns deeply and places his hands over the red horn on his chest. "I've been monitoring Ash's emotions, and he just had a huge spike in fear."

The gears don't start turning until I return my attention to the lab.

And, see smoke coming out of the windows.

I don't think. I don't wait for everyone to catch up with what's happening. I just run.

Not a moment later, I hear everyone running after me and shouting at me to slow down or stop altogether or wait for them.

How can I do that when the building my buddy went into is on fire?

Maybe he got out. Maybe he's safe and is calling the fire department as we speak. Arceus, I hope so.

I stop a safe distance from the building. Officer Jenny and a few others shoot out the front door. Officer Jenny is calling the fire department. I don't see Ash anywhere. I sniff the air, but the smell of smoke is too strong to pick up on anything else.

Glass explodes out of a window. Several shrieks follow not far from where I'm standing. As well as Sprout running around screaming, "Oh my goodness!" over and over.

"Is everyone alright?" Lorette asks our group.

"Just startled, I think," Korou replies, scanning everyone.

Butterfree asks it for me. "Does anyone see Ash?"

Sirens blare in the distance, quickly getting louder. The two officers who came with Officer Jenny are trying to usher everyone away from the fire. More police cars are pulling in, blocking off the area.

This is exactly the kind of insanity I would be scolding Ash for doing. That doesn't stop me from sprinting for the open doors while everyone's distracted.

Alarms blare in my ears and flash red lights. People in lab coats run around me. I'm so small that I am weaving between legs and being kicked around by the ones I can't avoid. Everyone is too panicked to notice me in their path.

The fire must have started on one of the upper levels. I race for the fire escape everyone is running out of. It's easier to avoid the barrage of shoes because the small space means people have to be more orderly. If anyone notices the Pikachu going up the stairs, they choose to ignore it.

Maybe they're hoping I'll die like the rest of the pokemon here.

Realization crashes over me and gives me a speed boost. If I know Ash as well as I think I do, he's probably still here because he's trying to save as many pokemon as he can. Doesn't he know that, if the pokemon here truly do have the virus, they're going to die anyway?

Of course he does. But, he's Ash.

And, I'm just as stupid for charging into a place crawling with fire and a disease that would kill me slowly and painfully.

But, all I care about is finding my buddy.

I don't know how high I climb before there are few enough humans that I can leap through a door. The heat is unbearable. Smoke fills my lungs and stings my eyes. Tears stream and coughs ravage me, but I press on through whatever floor this is.

I have a gut feeling that Ash is nearby.

Calling for him only results in another coughing fit, so I run blindly. I hear footsteps. They're fast and sound like they're coming from a much bigger creature. Is it Ash?

"Pikachu!"

The voice isn't Ash's or even a human's. It's-

A loud crunch echoes above me. A huge hunk of burning wood, large enough to crush five of me, lands a few feet away. I leap back in shock and smack against something big and leathery.

Charizard stands over me. "I just saved your life," he snarls. "You're welcome, you idiot!"

Before I can reply - or at least try to through the smoke in my lungs - two very small hands lift me into the air. I am soon cradled against a very tiny chest like a baby, just below Gardevoir's horn.

Gardevoir? I get Charizard since he's a fire-type, but what's Gardevoir doing here?

Weirder still, I can breathe again. Fire is still blazing around us, and the heat is atrocious, but I can breathe.

Gardevoir's chest horn is glowing pink and sparkly. Waves of the light waft over me, and suddenly my chest doesn't ache. Gardevoir is using Heal Pulse, I realize.

I should thank him, but my confusion is too great for that. "How are we breathing right now?" I ask when I realize that the psychic/fairy-type isn't coughing up a storm either.

That's when I notice that his eyes carry a faint blue glow. "Psychic," he explains. "I can't normally use it like this, but a Gardevoir's power is off the charts when it's protecting someone it loves. And, I don't need to tell you who's trapped in here."

No, he doesn't. "Have you found Ash yet?"

"Not yet," Charizard says. "Flareon and Arcanine are searching, too. Since even though they don't have psychic powers, they are fire-types," he adds with a hard glare at me.

I ignore the jab. "Arcanine? Is Team Rocket here?"

"They showed up when the fire department did. The firemen are looking for stragglers, too," Gardevoir explains. We all jump when something crashes behind us. "Now, do you wanna keep talking, or do you wanna find Ash before the whole building goes down?"

Gardevoir carries me, using Psychic to keep the flames and smoke away from us as we and Charizard barrel down the hall. We check every room, and so far haven't found a single creature, human or pokemon. I hope that means they all got out of here.

And that our search is a waste of time because Ash is already outside, ready to hug us and scream at us at the same time.

Even with Gardevoir's powers to protect me, the heat is making me dizzy. It must be doing the same for him, because he stumbles into the wall out of nowhere, jostling and nearly losing his grip on me.

Charizard sees this. "New plan. Get yourself and Pikachu out of here."

Gardevoir tightens his grip on me but sways on his feet. "The deal was that I stick with you so I can get Pikachu and Ash out of here."

"Deal's off. You're exhausted and overheated on top of it."

The argument stops when one of the doors up ahead bursts open and a tall, muscular male human collapses into the hallway. One hand is propping him up. The other is holding the collar of his dirty white tank top against his mouth, but it doesn't stop him from coughing.

"Ash!" we all cry at once.

Our trainer's head whips in our direction. His ballcap and denim jacket are missing. His remaining clothes are torn and caked with soot and blood. There are bleeding cuts and ugly burns on his exposed arms and a worrisome scratch on the side of his neck. His brown eyes are wild and leaking tears from the smoke, forming clean streaks through the soot on his face.

But, he's alive.

He drops his ruined tank top and shoots out his hand when the three of us - well, two of us, as Gardevoir is still carrying me - start to charge at him. "Stay back!" We obey out of shock. After some more coughing, Ash cries out, "The sick pokemon! I-I tried to- *cough cough* Their blood is on me! Don't- *cough* Don't touch me!"

Ash isn't here because he's trapped. He's here because he wants to save the infected pokemon. It's exactly as I'd feared.

Gardevoir adjusts his hold on me so he can send waves of Heal Pulse at our trainer. Ash watches without comprehension as his wounds seal shut and smoke swirls away from him. Heal Pulse and Psychic at the same time. Gardevoir leans against the wall with a soft moan. How long can he keep this up?

"Ash, you can't help them!" Charizard pleads. "Did you see the state you were in before Gardevoir healed you? All you'll do is get yourself killed!"

"I can't just leave them here!" Ash shouts.

The tears in my eyes aren't caused by smoke, and I'm starting to suspect it's the same for Ash. "They're going to die anyway, Ash! I know it hurts, but…but wouldn't you rather they die quickly than suffer the way they've been doing?"

Ash only turns away with his teeth gritted. I think I'm getting through to him.

"We don't like this any more than you do," I go on. "But, there's no cure for what they have. You can't help them, no matter how much you want to."

Ash doesn't respond. He just stares vacantly at the room he fell out of. I don't want to know what's in there.

Charizard holds out his hand then retracts it when he remembers that Ash can't touch us right now. "Just come with us. Please, Ash."

A crash - several of them - behind us is a harsh reminder of how little time we have left. My head is hazy, and my fur is prickling.

"Please," Gardevoir begs. "I don't know how much longer I can keep the fire off of us."

That snaps Ash out of it. The one sure-fire way - oof, bad choice of words - to get his attention is to inform him that someone he cares about is sick or injured.

Ash struggles to his feet, using the wall for support until the flames get too close and make him jerk back. He's a lot closer to us now. "Do you think you can get yourself and Pikachu out of here?" he asks Gardevoir.

Charizard is the one who snarls, "You're coming if I have to risk Poke-X to carry you out myself! Don't think I won't do it!"

He will do it, too. Ash knows that, which is why he reluctantly follows us until we come across some firemen who help us out.

Absol

Sprout, Wobbles, and I are crowded around Flareon after he's decided that he's had enough of breaking through flaming debris so the firefighters can get to the people trapped inside. We're praising his bravery and telling him how proud we are of him, but…

"I don't wanna be brave anymore!" the hatchling sobs. "Being brave is scary!"

Really, "bravery" isn't the correct word, is it? "Courageous" suits Flareon better. Courage is taking the plunge despite your fears. Pikachu, Charizard, and Gardevoir did that to find their trainer. (Pikachu's courage was mixed with stupidity, but that's beside the point.) Flareon and Arcanine did that to help people get out of the fire. A bunch of humans in protective attire are doing the same, with the other firefighters and some water-type pokemon spraying the building with hoses and Water Guns respectively.

I wish I were more courageous. Every part of me wants to run in there, but fear and common sense are keeping me rooted.

Along with the guilt coming from the fact that it's not Pikachu or Ash that I'm worried about. Scratch that. I am worried about them, but the guilt is coming from the other person I'm worried about.

Why do I keep looking for Vivian? I shouldn't care that she might still be in a burning building. I shouldn't care that she might die in there.

She tortured me. She tried to kill me and succeeded in killing so many pokemon. She made me love her and used it to her advantage.

I shouldn't care if she dies.

But, I do.

I can't explain it, but I do care. The relief I felt when I learned that she'd survived my attack that day was palpable. Knowing that I was most likely going to see her again after so long made me feel…everything.

I want to bite her and claw at her and demand answers and make her pay.

I want her to get out of that fire alive.

Feelings are confusing by nature, but this is on another level.

While my friends continue comforting Flareon, who is starting to calm down now, I scan the rest of our group. Ella is freaking out because she'd promised to watch over Ash's pokemon. Korou is trying to convince her that Ash will understand. Lorette is keeping her eyes on the open door, watching for anyone we know. Sarge, Electrode, Patches, and Joltik are doing the same. Team Rocket disappeared not long ago.

Hatterene is nowhere to be found which can't lead to anything good.

Someone needs to find her, and it seems I'm the only one who's noticed her absence. I sniff the air and manage to pick up her scent now that the smoke is dying down. I follow the scent while everyone is distracted.

Pikachu may trust Hatterene, but I don't want to risk anyone else getting hurt.

A creature of Hatterene's size and coloration is easy to spot. She'd gone back the way we came and now stands in the clearing. She twists her long, body-like hair to look at me without emotion.

I was going to say something, but I forget what it was when I see the human frozen in front of her.

Vivian Ketchum is locked in a mid-run position, elbows bent at her sides, one leg back, the other planted on the grass, her hair tail suspended behind her. She grunts and screams for Hatterene to release her.

There's no blue glow, which means that Hatterene is using her inherent abilities instead of using Psychic. I can't think about the fact that Hatterene is hurting herself worse. Not when my old trainer is standing (sort of) right in front of me.

My fur ruffles and my heart pounds in my chest. This is the woman who tortured me for so long and created something that was designed to kill pokemon.

I'm relieved to see that she made it out of the fire unharmed.

I hate myself for being relieved.

Hatterene's deep, stoic voice breaks through my paralysis, but barely. "This is the one who caused all this, correct?"

She's speaking to me. I manage a nod.

Hatterene returns her attention to Vivian, who is still yelling to be released. "I should kill her-"

"Don't," I hear myself say in someone else's voice.

Hatterene frowns curiously at me. "I should kill her, but I know that Ella would not approve. You seem familiar with Vivian."

"She was my trainer," I confess. "The same way Miriam was yours."

Vivian quiets.

Call me crazy, but I think I see Hatterene soften. "In that case, perhaps I will allow you to decide her fate."

I shake out my pelt in an effort to pull myself together. Vivian can't hurt me, not when she's stuck like that. "She… We should take her to the police. They'll make sure she's punished."

Hatterene nods-

Something flies in out of nowhere and slams into Vivian. Hatterene cries out and drops the telekinesis in shock. Not that it matters, as Vivian is now flat on her back with ropes tying her arms to her sides. From her angle, she still can't see me as she wiggles and flails her legs.

"Argh!" she grunts. "What is this?"

Two new human voices answer in a way I've heard before.

A female. "Prepare for trouble while it's still brewing."

And, a male. "And, make it double 'cause we know what we're doing."

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all people within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of Poke-X!"

"To aim our traps at the fairer sex!"

Two humans drop down from the treetops, each wearing white uniforms with red symbols on the chests. I was wondering where Team Rocket ran off to.

"Jessie!"

"And, James!"

They come closer until they're looming over Vivian.

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light."

"Surrender now that you've lost the fight!"

Meowth rushes in, apparently feeling well enough to stand bipedal for this. "Meowth! That's right!"

Wobbuffet and Arcanine leap out of their pokeballs to finish up with, "Thaaat's right!"

Once the motto is complete, Arcanine asks Wobbuffet, "How did I do?"

"You're a natural," Wobbuffet praises.

"T-Team Rocket?" Vivian stammers. "I was told you only went after pokemon."

Jessie shrugs. "I'll admit. Capturing humans is out of character for us."

James sneers at Vivian, bending over for effect. "But, we can make an exception for the likes of you!"

As the humans lift a wiggling and snarling Vivian on to Arcanine's back and secure her with more rope, Meowth says to me and Hatterene, "Sorry to intrude, twerps, but we'll take it from here."

"Do I have a say in this?" Vivian shouts. She doesn't get an answer.

Wobbuffet starts to say something, but his mouth falls open, and his expression goes taut. "Hatterene?"

Meowth, who had been tying one last knot into Vivian's binding, whirls around and stares up at my - ahem - companion in horror. "That's Hatterene?"

His use of human language makes Jessie and James freeze in place. Good thing they'd already secured Vivian, who like Arcanine, looks terribly confused.

Jessie is nearly as white as my fur and as a frightened grin on her face. "How…did I miss that?"

Somehow, I forgot that Pikachu isn't the only one who suffered at Hatterene's hands. Hatterene is content to stare in that spine-chillingly blank way, so I step forward. My legs are still made of mud from seeing Vivian again, but I remain upright and project as much confidence as is expected from me.

"Hatterene is on our side," I say. Team Rocket doesn't need to know anything else.

I don't even know anything else.

Meowth translates, but I can no longer hear anything.

Vivian is staring directly at me. I am paralyzed under the weight of those green eyes. She doesn't speak. I can't speak. We only watch each other.

She recognizes me.

And yet, as I take in the scene of her tied up and strapped to one very confused Arcanine… Well, she doesn't seem quite as powerful as I remember.

Time has passed. My body healed. The mental scars will always be there, but they aren't the festering wounds they once were.

I've changed, I realize. Vivian hasn't. With that knowledge, I no longer feel on the verge of collapse.

Wobbuffet comes up to my side and places a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Do you wanna say anything to Vivian?" he whispers kindly. "Meowth can translate."

There's a lot I could say, a lot I've always wanted to say. Why did you do it? How can you hate pokemon that much? Why did you make me love you? Why did you stop loving me?

Did you ever love me?

So many questions, yet I can't form the words. I might regret this later, but for now…for now, I don't think I need to say anything.

I shake my head. Wobbuffet pats my shoulder in understanding. There's a much larger hand stroking my back. I look up and realize that it's Hatterene's hair tendril, though she is still observing Team Rocket.

James awkwardly clears his throat, standing protectively in front of Jessie while keeping his scared eyes on Hatterene. "It's been great catching up, but we need to deliver this heathen to the police."

"W-what?" Vivian stammers, breaking from her stupor.

"Why don't you come along…Absol?" Jessie suggests while trying not to look at Hatterene.

Team Rocket bolts with Vivian screaming for freedom. Hatterene and I watch their retreating forms.

"They are interesting," Hatterene says flatly.

"We should get back to our group," I bark.

We return to what you could call "controlled chaos." The fire is dying off, but the stench of smoke is still thick in the air. The firefighters aren't spraying the building are helping the remaining stragglers out of it. Doctors are helping the injured, with the more severely injured being placed on to thin tables with wheels and rolled into the spacious backs of white, boxy cars; ambulances, I think they're called.

I scan the scene and note with a twinge that Ash Ketchum is one of the humans being placed on a thin table. I can't see the extent of his injuries behind the wall of Lorette, Korou, Ella, and Butterfree, but I get a glimpse of his soot and blood stained face.

He's close enough that I can hear him saying, "Will you guys tell them not to put Pikachu in his pokeball if they don't have to? He gets panic attacks." As he's wheeled into the ambulance, he lifts his head to call out, "And, they need to know that Gardevoir overdid it with his powers. And, I don't think Charizard was hurt, but-"

The doctors cut him off, and I shake my head pityingly. Ash is the one injured and being shipped off to the hospital, yet he's more concerned about everyone else. That explains a lot about Pikachu.

Where is Pikachu? And, Gardevoir and Charizard?

All the pokemon in our group minus Butterfree are huddled together at the edge of the chaos. Hatterene stays put to watch the grim scene, but I rush to Sprout's side, as she is the closest to me.

"Oh my goodness!" she shouts, throwing her leaves in the air. "Where have you been?"

Flareon lunges at me, tackling me in the chest and nearly knocking me over. He curls himself around my good leg - the other one is getting sore - and Wobbles sprints up to me, scanning me for anything amiss.

This isn't the time to get sentimental or feel bad about scaring them. "I'll explain later," I bark. "Fill me in."

Flareon starts off, gazing up at me with wide, frightened eyes. "Pikachu had to go the Pokemon Center!"

"Charizard and Gardevoir, too," Wobbles adds. "We don't know any more than that."

A shiver crawls up my spine. I push it aside for now. "I heard Ash saying that Gardevoir overexerted himself in there."

"I'm not surprised," Wobbles says. "Gardevoir are known to lay down their lives for others if they deem it necessary. Let's just be glad it didn't come to that."

I hope, she doesn't need to add. "What about Ash?" I ask. "I saw him being hulled into an ambulance."

Sprout hisses in sympathy. "He looked pretty banged up when the firemen got him out of there."

"It ain't as bad as it looks." We look up and watch Butterfree fly over and land beside us. "Gardevoir used Heal Pulse to take care of the worst of it. Did the same for Pikachu, I reckon. I think all them heading off their respective doctors is purely precautionary at this point."

"Because of the Poke-X," I wager. "At least for the pokemon."

Butterfree nods somberly and shuffles in hands in the grass. "This is gonna sound real darn loony, but I wish I'd zipped on in there with the rest of the gang. I know I'm a bug-type and I mix with fire even less than Pikachu and Gardevoir do, but I still wish I'd flown in there anyway." He chuckles self-deprecatingly. "Crazy thought, right?"

"Sounds more like self-preservation to me," Wobbles says.

Sprout nods. "You going in there would have gone as well as a grass-type like me going in there. Oh my goodness, no thank you!"

Flareon shifts against me. "Do you think everyone will be okay?"

I don't know, but I lick his head and say, "They'll be fine, Flareon." To everyone else, I ask the other question I've been dreading. "Any word on the sick pokemon?"

The guys and Butterfree turn to each other for answers. I don't know how to react to no one having any.

"What about…" I swallow thickly. "What about Vivian?"

My friends and Butterfree look up at something behind me, and I turn, mindful of Flareon still curled around me, and see that Hatterene has joined us. "I can answer that," she says.

We follow her gaze to one of the police cars, where a tied up Vivian is being muscled inside. No sign of Team Rocket. They must have dropped off Vivian and escaped while everyone's focus was elsewhere.

"You requested that the police decide her punishment," Hatterene says to me. "Is this to your liking?"

That's a hard question to answer. Some bizarre part of me wants to run over there and…and something. But, there's also this…relief so powerful that it threatens to knock me off my feet.

So, I say, "Yeah. It is."

---

Ash

The ambulance ride and all the medical procedures done to me is a blur. My mind is too full to remember how I ended up sitting in a propped up hospital bed and wearing this thin blue gown or when they washed all the Poke-X off of me or when they realized that Gardevoir's overcharged Heal Pulse took care of the worst of my injuries and lung problems.

My body is fine. It's my heart that needs fixing, but that's not something the doctors can do.

It doesn't help that Ella won't stop apologizing for not keeping a closer eye on my pokemon. She and Lorette came some time after I got here, leaving their pokemon in their pokeballs in case I'm still contaminated. Korou, meanwhile, is at the Pokemon Center and is going to call with any word about my pokemon.

"Ella!" I say loudly to halt her hysterical babbling. The poor girl is almost in tears. "Ella, it's okay. I should have known at least one of them would go rogue. I shouldn't have put that on your shoulders on top of everything else."

"But-"

Lorette cuts Ella off by pointing at her and saying, "You feel bad." She points to me. "And, you feel bad. So, why don't you crazy kids call it even?"

Ella presses her hips together, but I say, "That works for me." I only wish it worked for Ella, but there's a lot we need to get through. "Any word from Korou?"

"Not yet." Lorette shrugs and attempts to smile. "But, no news is good news, right?"

My chest tightens and it's not from the smoke inhalation. If Pikachu and Charizard and Gardevoir are badly hurt…or worse, infected…

So much has happened so fast. I fear that I can't take any more pain without falling apart.

"What about," I swallow against the nausea, "the other pokemon?"

I don't need to clarify. They know I'm talking about the sick ones who were in that building.

The ones I tried to gather in hopes of somehow getting as many as I could out of there. Only for them to attack me while in the middle of one of those crazed, self-destructive fits. They were screaming for something only they could see or feel to "get out."

I watched them dive into the flames.

Ella places her hand on my shoulder and says gently, "Breathe, Ash. Breathe."

I can't stop shaking. I'm breathing, but it's quick and choppy. I can smell the smoke, the burnt fur and flesh.

Lorette kneels at my bedside with a stern face. "In and out, man. Follow my lead."

I try to match her breaths. When I can't, Ella squeezes my shoulder and tells me to do the best I can. So, I do. It takes a while, but eventually I can match Lorette's breathing perfectly and I'm not shaking or lightheaded anymore.

With one final sigh, I let myself relax against the pillow behind my head. "Thanks, guys. Sorry you had to see that."

Ella squeezes my shoulder again before letting go. "Don't worry about it, Ash."

Lorette stands up. "You get panic attacks a lot?"

"No," I say. "I've had them before, but it's been a long time since my last one."

Lorette puts her hands on her hips. "Well, I'm not surprised it happened now. Yeesh! We might all have panic attacks by the end of the day. Pretty sure Korou had his while we were locked in the basement."

I wince at the reminder. "What about you? Were you okay down there? Apart from the obvious," I add quickly.

She shrugs. "I was kind of hazy, for the most part. I think I was in shock."

"We've all had a long day," Ella says.

"And, the day's not even over yet," I add. "The other pokemon?" The ones who didn't…

Lorette and Ella glance at each other, and I know the answer before Ella says, "I think you know everything we do."

Translation: We got nothing.

Out of nowhere, I hear piano music. It makes sense once Lorette whips her phone out of her back pocket.

She brightens when she checks the screen. "It's Korou! I'll put it on speaker." She answers the call and holds her phone flat against her palm. "Hey, man, you're on speaker. Ash and Ella are here."

"Ash?" Korou says. "How are you holding up?"

What a loaded question. I swallow a broken laugh. "I'm still kicking. That's more than I thought I'd be able to say. Any word on my pokemon?"

"Charizard's fine. Pikachu's got some smoke inhalation, which is to be expected, but it's not serious. Gardevoir's probably going to sleep clear through to morning, but it sounds like that's the worst of it."

The question sticks in my throat, but thankfully Ella is able to ask it for me. "What about…Poke-X? Did they…"

There's a smile in Korou's voice. "Everyone's in the clear."

I melt into the bedspread. The relief coursing through me has turned my body into mush. They're alive. They'll be okay.

They didn't get the virus.

Lorette blows out a breath. "Best news we've had all day."

Ella nods in agreement.

But, not all my fears have been alleviated. I suspect the worst, but I'll go crazy if I don't find out soon. "Korou, do you know anything about the sick pokemon? The ones in that building?"

All three of us stare at Lorette's phone. It takes too long for Korou to respond. "I haven't heard anything. It might be too soon."

It can't be too soon. I need to know what happened to them. They couldn't all have…jumped in like that. There have to be some who survived!

"They're going to die anyway, Ash! I know it hurts, but…but wouldn't you rather they die quickly than suffer the way they've been doing?"

Pikachu was right. If they have to die, it is better if it happens as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Still…if even one pokemon was able to get out of there, was able to beat the virus… It's wishful thinking, I know, but the idea is keeping me from going numb.

At the very least, maybe without a team to spread it, Poke-X won't spread anymore.

The moment I think it, Ella reads my mind once again. "What about Vivian?" she asks. "Did they catch her?"

"I can answer that," Lorette says with a hint of smugness. "I saw Team Rocket dropping her off at Officer Jenny's feet. Something tells me Vivian won't be bothering us any time soon."

There was a time when I would have raged against the idea of my father's sister being arrested. Now I feel…nothing. Besides another wave of relief, I feel nothing.

"So…it's over?" I ask.

Korou doesn't answer right away. "I'm gonna say yes and no. The root of the problem is in custody, but it's going to take time for the police to sort out who was aware of what was happening and who wasn't."

"You're saying that some of the people working for Vivian didn't know?" Ella asks in disbelief.

This is old news to me, as I recall Vivian telling me as much, but it still rattles me. How many people did she lie to? If she can lie to her own family-

Oh god, I have to tell Mom about this. She's going to freak, assuming she hasn't heard already.

Forget Mom. I have to tell Dad about this. He's probably still blissfully unaware in the Hoenn region. How am I going to tell him that his own twin was killing pokemon?

"Your father isn't a saint, Ash."

I banish the memory. No matter what Vivian says, no matter how Dad was raised, I know he will be devastated to hear about what happened.

I've been tuning out the conversation, but what Lorette says next brings me back into it. "Here's another thing. Poke-X didn't go away just because Vivian's in jail. Even if it fades away on its own, there are still pokemon out there who are suffering as we speak."

"And, those machines," Ella adds. She sees Lorette's confusion and explains, "The virus was spread using these little machines. I'm sure there are still some hidden around."

I glare daggers at my blanket and bunch it up in my trembling fists. "Then we'll find them. And, we'll destroy them. I don't know how, but we'll make it happen. If there's nothing we can do for the pokemon who are already sick, then we can at least try to prevent anyone else from getting sick."

Three sounds of agreement lift some of the weight off my soul.

Korou hangs up because his husband arrives at the Pokemon Center, so it's just me and the ladies now.

"So, these machines," Lorette says, sticking her phone back in her pocket. "How do we go about finding them? And, what do we do when we find them?"

"I'm not sure," I confess.

The only one I've seen was the one Miriam gave me, and I gave that to James. If we do manage to find more, unless Team Rocket decides to join forces with us, we can't count on them to be there every time.

Lorette shrugs. "Well, if they spread Poke-X then we should check the areas with a lot of it, right?"

Ella narrows her eyes and bashes her fist into her palm. "And, when we find one, we could hand it off to the police. Ash knows how to deactivate them safely."

"Then it's settled," I say. "Once everyone's back in shape, we start searching."

"Right!" my friends cheer.

Lorette raises her hands to the ceiling and stretches. "On that note, we'll leave you be. We wanna see your pokemon for ourselves. By the way," she shoots me a stern look and puts her hands on her hips, "you could have mentioned that your Pikachu was missing an ear. That would have made him a little easier to spot in a crowd."

There's a twinge in my chest, and I can't quite look at Lorette. Ella makes an uncomfortable noise and flicks her bespectacled gaze around the room.

Lorette takes the hint and pales. "Oh, is the ear new?"

I shake off the guilt for now. "Pikachu's alive. That's all that matters."

Lorette awkwardly clears her throat and spins around on her heel. "You coming, Ella?"

"You go on ahead," Ella says. "I need to talk to Ash. Alone."

Lorette shrugs, wishes me well, and closes the door on her way out.

Ella grabs the chair resting against the wall to sit at my bedside. All her fire has been snuffed out, to the point that I wonder how much was truly there to begin with.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Ella speaks to the hands resting in her lap. "It's about Hatterene."

My stomach knots. After Lorette told me what Hatterene did to Miriam, I figured that Ella would hear about it soon enough. "Did Lorette and Korou tell you?"

Ella nods, still not looking at me. "Ash…do you think I bit off more than I can chew?"

I breathe in deeply then exhale. Any pokemon is going to be a challenge when first caught, as that's the period when the two of you are just getting to know each other. In many cases, one doesn't know a single thing about the other. You have to get accustomed to each other's quirks and personalities. Some have more annoying quirks or stronger personalities than others, and that can lengthen the process, but with few exceptions, you always get there in the end.

Hatterene is certainly a special case. After Wobbuffet told me about psychosis, I did some research purely because of Gardevoir being a psychic-type.

Like Wobbuffet said, psychosis - apparently, humans call it that as well - is caused by the psychic-type pokemon using their inherent telekinetic powers too much. According to the internet, psychosis manifests in three possible ways. Some pokemon, like Hatterene, become irrationally hostile and violent. Some suffer from severe depression and become actively suicidal. Others outright turn into vegetables. Even worse, there's no cure.

However, based on what I've seen and what I've been told, I don't think Hatterene is too far gone.

"I did some research on psychosis," I say. Ella keeps her eyes on her lap, but I know she's listening. "Most pokemon who have it are…are just gone. There's little to no trace of their true selves left. But, I don't think Hatterene is like that." Ella finally looks at me. I smile at the fragile hope that's plain on her face. "I haven't seen much of Hatterene myself, but I know enough about her to say with confidence that she's still in there. I'm not trying to justify anything that Hatterene's done, but I truly believe that she's a good pokemon at her core." I startle Ella by reaching for her lap and taking her hand. "She just needs the right person to bring her true self back to the surface."

"So," Ella drawls carefully, "you're saying there's a cure?"

I keep smiling despite the fresh grief welling in me. "I'm afraid not, Ella." I give her hand a squeeze. "But, since Hatterene's case isn't as bad as some, she can be treated with therapy and medication. And, of course," I wink, "that right person I mentioned."

Ella bites her lip and lowers her gaze. Her voice is thick and quiet. "What if I'm not the right person?"

"Ella, do you love that Hatterene?"

My friend snaps to attention and gives me a firm, "Yes."

I nod. "Then you're exactly the right person."

---

Everything looks good, the doctor says. I should be discharged pretty soon. Thank God, because I've been alone since Ella left, I'm desperate to see our pokemon friends, particularly my own, and I am generally losing my mind.

I've been sitting here staring at the TV without actually watching the cartoon on the screen. The moment the door opens, I turn off the TV in hopes that it's time for me to get out of here.

The door is only open a crack, and a woman's familiar face is peeking into the room. She huffs out, "Finally!" before opening the door the rest of the way, allowing her companions to enter. As they all enter the room, she says to me, "Do you know how long it took us to find you? You better appreciate this visit, twerp."

To the untrained eye, they are a set of nurses in matching blue scrubs. One is a woman with magenta hair tucked into a bun at the base of her skull. One is a man with blue hair just long enough to be tied back in a low ponytail. The other two are a nondescript Meowth and Wobbuffet.

To me, well, they could have at least tried to mask their faces. This isn't one of their better disguises.

As Wobbuffet shuts the door, I can't help but smirk at the group. "You are aware that it's illegal to impersonate a doctor, right?"

Meowth, still on all-fours, raises his chin and tail proudly. "That's why we're impersonating nurses."

Of course they are.

They all approach my bedside, and James lets Arcanine out of his pokeball. The large fire-type appears in front of my bed. "Salutations, Ash," Arcanine says. "You're looking well."

"I don't know if 'well' is the word I'd use," I tell him, "but I'm feeling a lot better."

"That's good," James says. "We didn't know what to think when we saw you being wheeled into an ambulance."

Jessie scowls and waves her hands in front of her. "That's not to say that we were worried about you. We were just, you know, morbidly curious."

I might believe that if James, Wobbuffet, and Arcanine weren't giving me those secretive smiles.

Meowth leaps on to my bed. "So, what's a twerp like you doing in a place like this?"

"Give us the scoop, Ash," Wobbuffet adds.

Because they've been such a big help, I trust them with the details. I tell them everything that happened after they left us in the forest, ending with how I got to the hospital.

I leave out anything related to why Vivian thinks pokemon are "obsolete." As much as I appreciate what Team Rocket has done for us, I'm not comfortable telling them about my grandparents and their influence.

I don't even like telling myself about it.

"So, is that it then?" James asks at the end. "Is Poke-X over and done with?"

"Not quite," I reply. "I imagine the police are going to do a full investigation."

Jessie purses her lips. "But, the lab burned down, didn't it? I mean, it's still standing, but the damage looked pretty bad. Is there really anything to investigate?"

"There's at least one other research building that I know of," I say. "Beyond that, they're gonna have to interrogate everyone who worked for Vivian."

Including me, I realize. And, Lorette and Korou. That's fine. We have nothing to hide. I hope I don't have to reveal anything about my grandparents, but I will if it comes to that.

"Besides," I continue, "Poke-X is still out there. Once everyone's recovered, my friends and I are gonna look for more of those machines and hand them off to the police. What did you do with the one I gave you, anyway?" I ask James.

James looks away sheepishly and drums his fingers on his arm. "I haven't had the chance to look at it yet. But, I have it tucked away in a secret compartment in our balloon. No one's going to find it there."

I have no choice but to trust his judgement.

Wobbuffet asks me, "What about the infected pokemon?"

"Indeed," Arcanine barks. "What's the plan for them?"

That takes the wind out of my sails. "I don't think there's anything we can do about them. The infected pokemon," I add to Jessie and James.

There's a mournful pause, then Jessie says, "Well, that sucks. But, it sounds like the worst is behind us."

We'll have to take solace in that, though this ache isn't going anywhere. "I hear you guys captured Vivian. I was hoping I'd get the chance to thank you."

All five of my visitors beam with pride. "Think nothing of it," Meowth boasts. "Just don't get used to us being good guys."

"We'll return to our wicked ways," Jessie says, "after our vacation."

"Vacation?" I ask.

James's grin softens a little. "We agreed to take your advice. A break might do us some good."

Meowth puffs out his chest. "We're gonna wait until things calm down around here - you're not the only one who wants to Poke-X out of the way - but we plan on requesting some time off soon."

Wobbuffet gives a hearty salute. "That's right!"

Arcanine nods with a big grin.

The news brings some much needed light into the darkness. "Where are you gonna go?"

"We haven't decided yet," James says.

He starts to say more, but the door opens. Team Rocket turns to face it and goes rigid when they see a fair-skinned man in a dark blue uniform standing in the doorway.

"Pardon me," he says. "Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all, sir!" Jessie, James, and Meowth all say at once.

Lucky for them, the officer doesn't seem to notice Meowth's blatant use of human language. He only gives them and their other pokemon a once-over before saying, "I need to speak with your patient. Is that alright?"

This time Meowth keeps his mouth shut when Jessie and James blurt, "Yes! That's fine!"

James returns Arcanine to his pokeball, and the four remaining members of their group scurry past the officer and into the hallway. I try my hardest not to laugh. Especially when the officer sends me the most confused look I've seen in a while.

I just shrug and say, "I got the weird nurses!"

He stares at me a moment longer before shaking it off and regaining his professionalism. "Ashton Ketchum, I presume?"

"You can call me Ash," I reply.

The officer nods in affirmation. "I'm Officer Crouse with the Lavender Town Police Department. I came to ask you some questions, Ash."

Here we go.

"Ask away," I tell him. "I'd come to you, but I know from experience that if I get up on my own, an alarm will go off and the nurses will yell at me."

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Speaker Duology