Pikachu smiled to himself as he approached a town, which came closer to him with each step.
He had made it to the Kalos Region and was ready to start another adventure with his partner and best friend, Ash.
"We're almost at Vaniville Town. Think she'll be glad to see us?" He asked, earning a smile from his partner.
"Ash, Ash!" The black haired boy replied to his owner, smiling at Pikachu, who smiled back.
While it was traditional that humans were the ones who captured, Battled and even participated in contests with Pokémon, this reality was different, to which Pokémon were the more evolved and advanced species.
Not only were most Pokémon taller and had human-like appearances, but they wore clothes, like Pikachu, who wore a deep blue jacket, gray pants, black gloves and a cap, while Ash maintained the same appearance as his other dimensional counterparts, only he was naked.
And though public nudity in all realities was frowned upon, being a human in this world, it was overlooked.
Continuing to smile at Ash, Pikachu couldn't help but think of all he and his human had been through.
He remembered how his adventures first started off as a Human Trainer in Pallet Town, where he lived with just his mother, a Plusle, who was a kind and loving mother, while his father had left them a long time ago.
And when Pikachu asked about him, all his mother would say was that he was a Raichu who would be proud of how his son was doing and what he could achieve.
Focusing back on how he started as a Human Trainer, he remembered how he overslept, to which, his friend/rival, Umbreon managed to get the last Human that the Human Professor and his relative, Professor Kecleon was handing to young Pokémon who wanted to become Human Trainers.
And while Pikachu was thought his dream of becoming a Human Master had been put back for another year or so, Professor Kecleon revealed he had one last Human, but was just worried that said Human may prove to be hard to control.
But not quitting on his dream, Pikachu accepted the Human, causing Professor Kecleon to withdraw the final Sepia Ball, the device used to capture Humans, and released the Human, revealing it to be Ash, however it was like Professor Kecleon warned, Ash was dangerous, evident as the moment Pikachu tried to pet Ash, the Human knocked him down with a serious uppercut.
After recovering from Ash's attack, and after Ash was restricted from attacking Pikachu by a leash and collar, the two began their journey, which started off roughly, but after Pikachu risked his well being for Ash, the two soon became great friends, forming an unbreakable bond.
However, as Pikachu thought about the past, he was broken from his thoughts and turned to the present when he heard a familiar female voice call out to him, making him smile.
"Braixen!" Pikachu called rushing over to the young Pokémon, who was wearing a red shirt atop a pink tank top and a pink skirt, which caused Pikachu to comment. "You look amazing."
From his compliment, Braixen blushed a little.
"Tha... thank you." She got out in reply, before adding. "You look great too. It feels like forever since we last saw each other."
Pikachu nodded in reply, while his thoughts drifted back to when he was still a Pichu.
He remembered how he and Braixen, who was still a Fennekin, attended the summer camp together.
And after Braixen got lost in the woods, as well as injured by a startled Human, scared by her, Pikachu came to her aid and not only escorted her back to the campsite, but treated her injury, using a handkerchief as a bandage, something Braixen had kept with her as a way to remember Pikachu's kindness and to never forget about the sweet Pichu.
But now here he was, only he was no longer Pichu, but a Pikachu, one she had to admit was quite handsome.
Curious and wanting to break the silence Braixen then asked. "So how have you been?"
"Pretty good. Recently Ash and I went to Unova and actually took place in the Human League Conference. And while me and my Human partners did our best, we lost, but managed to reach the top eight." Pikachu replied.
"I saw that on TV. You were amazing." Braixen said in reply, before she faced Ash, smiled and add. "You were amazing too."
"Ash, Ash." Ash replied, rubbing the back of his head and blushing a little from the compliment.
Curious, Pikachu asked. "And what about you, Braixen? What have you been up to?"
"Me? Well I have decided I want to be a great performer and the next Kalos Queen." Braixen replied, part of her worried what Pikachu thought, until she saw him smile.
"That sounds great. I bet you'd make an awesome Kalos Queen." Pikachu stated, making Ash smile, nod and say his name several times, showing he too was supportive of Braixen and her dream.
"Thank you both." Braixen said, glad for the confidence boost, which made her tell Pikachu and Ash. "I plan to go to Santalune City and to the next Human Performance in order to show off my new skills and new partner."
"New partner?" Pikachu asked, making him ask next. "Does that mean you caught a Human?"
"Not so much as caught, more like I found her Santalune Forest, where I caught her performing in front of the other Humans. And once I made my presence known to her and told her that I too wanted to perform, she followed me home." Braixen explained in reply.
"Well what do you say we have a Battle in order to test out her skills?" Pikachu offered.
"Alright then." Braixen replied, withdrawing a Sepia Ball. "Let's go for it!"
Deciding which Human would be Battling for him, Pikachu faced his partner and asked. "Ash, you ready, pal?"
"Ash!" Ash replied in a determined tone, taking place before his Trainer.
"And I choose you!" Braixen called, throwing her Sepia Ball. "Come on out, Serena!"
With her command, the Sepia Ball opened, causing the Human inside it to appear before Braixen, revealing her to have honey blonde coloured hair, blue coloured eyes and a medium skin tone.
And just like Ash, she too was naked.
"Wow. She does look impressive." Pikachu commented, only to then say. "But let's see how well she Battles."
"Ready Ash?" Pikachu asked, expecting his Human to reply in determination, however, Ash just remained quiet.
And Ash wasn't the only one.
Braixen's Human remained quiet too, both stared at each other and couldn't believe it.
'Is it really you?' They both thought.
While Pikachu and Braixen had met each other in the past, becoming friends over several days, Ash and Serena knew each other for years when they were younger and were still living in the wilderness.
That was until a group of Human Hunters found them and began to attack and capture any Human they could.
And while Serena managed to escape, thanks to Ash protecting her as best he could, he too was captured, but managed to escape, wandering through the vast Regions until eventually Professor Kecleon found him and brought him back to his lab.
However, despite Professor Kecleon doing his best to treat him and make him feel comfortable, his experience with the Human Hunters left Ash bitter and was the source as to why Ash disliked all Pokémon before meeting Pikachu.
But now here Serena was, only now he had to fight her, conflicting Ash on what to do.
And it seemed Serena felt the same, while their Trainers were oblivious.
"C'mon Ash." Pikachu called. "Let's go!"
"You too, Serena." Braixen told her Human, before she commanded. "Start off with Scratch attack!"
Finding it hard to do, Serena obeyed and charged at Ash, drawing out her right hand as she prepared to strike.
"Ash, counter with Karate Chop!" Pikachu called out.
Seeing Serena coming for him and hearing the command given by his Trainer, Ash held his arm up, letting out a small hiss as Serena's nails pierced his skin, before he fought back, striking Serena in her side with the side of his hand, causing Serena to fall to her knees from the strike.
"Serena!" Braixen called out, concerned, while Pikachu saw an opening for more and commanded. "Keep it up, Ash. Use Mega Punch!"
From Pikachu's call, Ash pulled his right arm back, before Serena looked up at him, causing Ash to leave his arm in place, which began to shake somewhat.
Confused, Pikachu questioned. "Ash, what are you doing?"
"Giving us a chance to strike back." Braixen said, before she instructed. "Serena, Double Slap!"
As much as it hurt her, Serena obeyed, hitting Ash's face over and over, causing him to stammer backwards until he tripped back and fell.
With Ash down, Braixen continued and called out. "Nice going Serena! Now use Bite!"
"Sere." Serena replied loyally, hesitant for a moment, before she pounced on top of Ash and sunk her teeth into his neck, making him cry out as they broke through the skin.
Hearing Ash in pain, Serena quickly removed her teeth from his neck and looked at Ash with concern, confusing Braixen.
"Looks like the tables have turned." Pikachu commented, before he called out. "Ash, now's your chance. Fight back with Strength!"
Caught up in the rush of Battle, Ash suddenly grabbed Serena and lifted her up, while he rose to his feet, only for both Pikachu and Braixen to find themselves confused when Ash stopped his attack halfway, leaving him holding Serena up, by her waist, staring at her, while she stared back, before both blushed a little at the position they found themselves in.
However, Ash suddenly threw Serena away, not because he was attacking, but protecting her, for a black box shot out and hit Ash, causing two sections of tough plastic to emerge from the sides and wrap around Ash's arms and body.
"Ash!" Pikachu called out, rushing over to his partner in concern, but was suddenly hit by a second box and found himself restrained as well.
"Ash! Pikachu!" Braixen called out, before asking in worry. "What's going on?"
"What's going on is we've caught the twerp and his human." An unknown voice to Braixen's ears told her.
"And you're next!" A second added, to which Braixen turned and saw the same device used on Pikachu and Ash come at her.
However, Serena got in the way.
"Serena!" She yelled, using her Double Slap attack to smack the box away before it could activate and cuff her too.
"Medel Some Human." The first voice said, annoyed, making Braixen search for who it was that was attacking her and her friends, before she and Serena saw two Pokémon hiding amongst the trees.
The first was a Wobbuffet, who had an angered look on its face.
The second was a Meowth, who had a more humanoid body and looked as irked as his friend.
But what Braixen noticed the most was their clothing, to which both were wearing white uniforms that had a large, light red 'R' on the shirt.
Demanding answers as to why the unknown Pokémon were attacking, Braixen questioned. "Who are you? And what do you want?"
"What we want is that Human." The Meowth said.
"As for who we are, you're about to find out." Wobbuffet added.
Prepare for trouble!
And make it Double.
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!
Wobbuffet
Meowth
Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!
Surrender now, or prepare to fight!
With their motto over and landing before the four, Pikachu and Ash glared at the Pokémon
"Team Rocket!" Pikachu snarled.
Hearing Pikachu respond to them, Braixen asked. "Pikachu, you know these guys?"
"Unfortunately I do. Ever since Ash beat these guys back in Kanto, they have been after me, trying to steal him and my other Humans." Pikachu explained, continuing to break free from the plastic cuff around him.
"And we won't stop until Ash is ours'." Meowth said in reply, which angered and disgusted Braixen and Serena, causing both to stand before Pikachu and Ash.
"You'll have to get past us first!" Braixen said back, making Serena nod, while staring angrily at the duo.
"Gladly." Wobbuffet replied, gaining a smirk as he withdrew a Sepia Ball, as did Meowth.
"Come on out Jessie!" Wobbuffet called, causing woman with long, dark purple coloured hair to appear before him.
"You too, Cassidy!" Meowth added, doubling the trouble as a blonde haired woman appeared beside Wobbuffet's Human.
"Alright, Jessie, teach this twerpette to mind her own business and take down her Human with Mach Punch!" Wobbuffet commanded, to which Meowth added. "And Cassidy, follow that up with Low Sweep!"
Gladly following their Trainer's orders, Jessie attacked Serena, who brought her arms up and managed to block the attack, but left her vulnerable to Cassidy and tripped Serena, knocking her down.
"Good work." Meowth commented, before commanding both Humans. "Now, both of you take her down with Low Kick!"
Glad to obey, Jessie and Cassidy got around Serena and began to kick Serena over and over, enjoying seeing their enemy suffer.
"Serena!" Braixen cried out, horrified to see her Human in peril.
Pikachu felt the same, while anger filled Ash upon seeing the villains taking joy in attacking the defenceless.
Especially when the defenceless was someone he cared about.
As Jessie and Cassidy were about to kick Serena again, both stopped when they were struck and knocked back, shocking them, Wobbuffet and Meowth to see Ash had broken free from the plastic cuff and was now standing before Serena, ready to protect her.
"Serena." She said, smiling at Ash.
"Ash, Asha, Ash, Ash." Ash replied, which caused Serena to nod and move away.
Curious, Wobbuffet asked. "Meowth, what did they say?"
"The one called Serena thanked Ash, and Ash told her that seeing her in danger gave him the strength to escape. Now while she goes to free Pikachu, he's going to fights us." Meowth replied, understanding human's as if they were speaking like Pokémon.
"If he wants to fight, I'll give him one." Wobbuffet stated, before calling to Jessie. "Jessie, charm him into submission with Attract."
Obeying the command, Jessie winked at Ash, trying to flirt with him and make him fall in love with her.
However, it failed miserably, for Ash just remained with the same angered face, before he attacked Jessie, using his Headbutt attack to ram into the woman's gut and knock her down.
"Alright Ash!" Braixen cheered.
"Nice going, pal!" Pikachu added, just as Serena tore through the cuff and freed him.
Seeing how both captives were now free and the fight was now two against two, Wobbuffet groaned in annoyance.
"That's it. If at first you don't succeed, cheat." Wobbuffet then said, to which he and Meowth both withdrew concealed blasters and threw them to their Humans.
"Fire away!" Both commanded, to which Jessie and Cassidy pulled the triggers of the weapons, causing a surge of electricity to shoot from them, which struck Ash and Serena, making both cry out as they were electrocuted.
"Ash!" Pikachu called out, concerned for his Human.
"Serena!" Braixen called, equally concerned, watching as Ash and Serena fell to their knees.
"And that was just the low setting." Wobbuffet said, smirking.
"Turn up the juice and fire again!" He then ordered.
Following the command, Jessie and Cassidy turned a dial on the blasters, increasing the voltage, before they fired at Ash and Serena once again.
However, before the blast could hit her, Ash quickly rose to his feet, got before Serena and took the hit, making him scream as the blast struck him and electricity circulated through his being.
"Ash!" Pikachu and Braixen called out, while Serena let out a horrified cry, watching as Ash then fell to his hands and knees.
Approaching the fallen Human, Serena questioned, sounding highly concerned. "Serena, Sere, Sere?"
"Ash, Ash... Asha..." Ash managed to get out.
"Interesting." Meowth commented.
"She asked why Ash protected her and he said he did it because he couldn't bare to see her harmed again." He then said.
Hearing that amazed Pikachu and Braixen, making them realize why their Humans were hesitant in their fighting.
"How sweet. Looks like the twerp's Human is in love." Wobbuffet said in a mock tone, before looking down at Ash and telling him. "But don't worry. After we beat you, we'll capture you and your little girlfriend."
Ash just glared at Wobbuffet, Meowth and their Humans, determined not to let them harm Serena, to which Pikachu felt similar emotions, making him want to stop Team Rocket as well.
That's when Pikachu noticed the damaged boxes that had been used to trap him and Ash.
"Fire away!" Meowth then called, causing Jessie and Cassidy to aim the blasters at Ash.
But before they could strike down Ash, both were hit as Pikachu threw the boxes at Jessie and Cassidy, causing both to misfire and the blasts to narrowly avoid striking Pikachu's Human.
"Hey, you can't throw stuff in the middle of a Battle, that's cheating!" Meowth whined.
"Nice shot!" Braixen commented, before saying. "But now I think it's our turn."
"Serena, Play Rough!" Braixen commanded, to which Serena gladly obeyed, before she lunged at Jessie and Cassidy, consuming the three in a cloud of dust, where their heads, arms and legs poked out of, before Jessie and Cassidy were knocked out of the attack and collided with Wobbuffet and Meowth, dropping their blasters in the process.
"Ash, give them a taste of their own medicine!" Pikachu called out, making Ash nod in reply, before he picked up a blaster and set it to their maximum power.
"ASH!" Ash exclaimed, unleashing a powerful shot that struck the four and created a huge explosion.
And with the blast, the two thieves and their Human were sent hurtling towards the sky.
"I don't believe this. Beaten by our own weapons." Wobbuffet whined.
"Next time we should put a safety lock on them so only we can use them. But for now..." Meowth began to say.
"We're blasting off again!" He and Wobbuffet called out as the duo and their Humans flew off over the horizon, vanishing in a twinkle of light.
With Team Rocket gone and their Humans safe, Braixen smiled joyfully as she wrapped her arms around Pikachu.
"Alright Pikachu, you did it!" She cheered, making Pikachu blush from Braixen embracing him, before he smiled back and embraced her back.
"Thanks, but the real hero is Ash." Pikachu commented in reply, before he and Braixen looked over and smiled to see Serena seemed to agree with them, as she was beside Ash, nuzzling her head against his in a show of appreciation and affection.
Seeing Ash and Serena so close, Braixen smiled as an idea came to her.
"What do you say we call the Battle a draw and give these two some time alone?" Braixen asked, making Pikachu smile and nod.
"Sounds like a good idea." Pikachu replied as he grabbed her hand and rushed to Vaniville Town, which made Braixen blush a little, before she smiled.
"We'll see you guys later." She smiled, leaving Ash and Serena alone.