So, this has been sitting in a folder on my computer for a while. It started off as a prequel to a Pokemon BW story I'm writing right now that you might know, Pokemon Cold Gray, and was supposed to explain what happened a couple of years prior to the beginning of the story alongside of a "modified" recount of what happened in Pokemon Yellow–AKA that game where Pikachu is the starter like in the anime. But I ditched the first half of that idea and decided to focus solely on the Pokemon Yellow part of the story. Of course, it's not exactly entirely the same as the game's story. How different is it? Well, you can read the first scene down there and find out. I'm not sure if I'll ever try to finish this, but at least I'll know I posted it.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Pokémon series or any of its characters. I only own my telling of the Generation I story.

Story Summary: Just about everyone in Kanto knows who Red Ketchum is: one of the youngest Champions of the Indigo League who defeated a criminal organization. But before, he was an outcast from Pallet Town with a freaky Pikachu who went on a journey to be like any normal kid and instead found trouble every other day.

Chapter Summary: On the day that 10-year old Red leaves home on a journey across Kanto, instead of a rare, special Pokémon, he was given a disobedient, ordinary Pikachu. Or at least he thought it was ordinary...

X-X-X

"Hey, Ketchup!"

At the young age of 4 years old, I'd been skipped ahead several grades. I was classmates with kids who would probably begin registering for their trainer licenses the moment they graduated, all because I performed higher than an average kid of my age, and even higher than older ones. A lot of kids labeled me as 'a nerd baby'. Adults like my mother and teacher labeled me as 'a gifted child with great potential'. I liked to think I was just a kid who got a hang of things faster.

"Ketch-up!"

But there were those who seemed to think my academic talent made me an easy target for bullying. I'd grown used to it, though. I simply continued to sit down under the tree, hoping I could fall asleep again…until I was kicked in my shin. The sudden pain made me open my eyes and faced the scabby knees of the older kids who were picking on me.

"This is a playground, not a nap-ground!"

"If you wanna take a nap, why don't you go back where all the other babies are for naptime?"

"Yeah, ya baby!"

By the time they started laughing, I had already closed my eyes. It wasn't just an attempt to block out their childish bullying. I often got headaches. Usually, Mom would give me something to make it better, but when I told the teachers about it, they usually told me to lay my head down and take a nap—hence the baby insults. Unfortunately, for the boys in front of me, they wanted me well awake for their bullying. I found myself being kicked in the shin again.

"Don't ignore me, you weirdo! It's rude to sleep when people are talking to you! Didn't they teach you that in your baby grade?"

Before the boy finished, I began closing my eyes. Instead of a kick to the shin, I felt myself being shoved back into the tree. The back of my head hit the tree with painful impact. The boy in front of me said something, but I was more concerned with the pain I was feeling. I felt something wet dripping down the back of my neck. I wiped it off and held my hand out. My hand was red. I was bleeding. I'd seen blood before when other kids would scratch or cut themselves, but I never actually bled until that point of my life. The sight of it seemed to have an effect on me. I cried. I screamed. The pain of my headache seemed to amplify. I have no idea how long I sat there crying, but I only stopped when I heard my mother's voice.

"Shh-shh-shh…! It's okay, Red. Mama's here, sweetheart." I opened my eyes to the sight of my worried mother kneeling before me. She was wiping away my tears while she was crying herself. "I'm so glad you're okay…!" She wrapped her arms around me and whispered soothing words. I looked over her shoulder and saw people tending to their own children. They all had blank stares, none of them moving. I honestly had no idea what had happened. All I knew was that people were staring at me as if I'd done something wrong.

X-X-X

~Chapter 1: The First Step is the Hardest~

"All boys have to leave home someday. It's a natural part of life. The baby bird learns to fly and…leaves the mother in her nest all alone…!"

I really wished that she wouldn't do this, but it was expected. I was her only son—her only family in this world. That's why she considered me as precious as a Starmie's gem, and why she hugged me so tightly. To be honest, a little part of me was scared and worried. The world was full of danger and people who might easily misunderstand or hate me for something I couldn't control being born with. And Mom would be left alone—she didn't really have many friends in-town…not since what happened, anyway.

We stood hugging each other for several minutes before Mom let go of me. "Alright… You go over to the Pokémon Lab now. You wouldn't want to keep a busy man like Professor Oak waiting, would you?" I made a little hum. "Are you nervous? Don't worry! You're going to be getting a Pokémon for the first time! It doesn't matter which one you pick, either, because no matter what, it will become one of your closest friends." Mom turned me around and began pushing me out the door.

I walked out the into the dirt road and turned around to look at my house, my eyes taking in its details: the little flower garden beneath the window, the mailbox with the brightly-colored pinwheel on it, the small set of Pokémon-shaped lawn ornaments with just enough of them to catch the eye without seeming too garish. I'd learned to control my emotions years ago, but right now, they were a swirling storm despite my straight face. A part of me didn't want to leave the safety of home or leave Mom all alone. Even if I was a quiet child, it'd be even quieter without me around to prompt her to speak, I'm sure. It wasn't until the curtain in the window was pushed aside and I saw her face that the emotions ceased.

I didn't look a thing like my mother: her hair was a light shade of brown and her eyes an even darker brown. My hair was black while my eyes were a shade of red that, added to my pale skin, made me seem like a ghost from an old-time horror movie on my worst days. And even if she wasn't chatty, she smiled a lot, like she was doing then as she made a little waving gesture with her hand—just like she did when I was going to school. And for that, my mask broke. I waved right back, and if I could see my reflection in the mirror, I'd probably have seen a 10-year boy straining not to cry as he left on a journey across the land that would take heaven knows how long to accomplish.

"I love you," I spoke slowly enough for her to recognize what I was saying. "I'll miss you."

"So do I," I read her lips. "And I'll miss you, too."

With a deep breath, I turned around and began walking down the dirt road. I quickly regained my composure, although my heart was still aching a bit. I tried to focus my mind on the first and most important task of my journey's beginning: getting my first Pokémon.

Pallet Town was small and quaint, and had little to offer. There was no Pokémon Center, just a little at-home clinic with old-fashioned medicine where people took their sick and injured Pokémon. No Pokémon Gym to attract trainers, as most people who lived there only kept Pokémon as pets. The only real reason someone would want to visit our town was Professor Oak, the famous Pokémon Professor, expert on the Pokémon of Kanto, and recently the creator of the device known as the Pokédex. The same Professor Oak who had actually chosen me as one of the children allowed to obtain a rare Pokémon and a Pokédex. It was an honor awarded to only a handful of beginning trainers—and being told I was one of them a year ago made me happier than I had been in years. I'd spent the last year preparing for my journey, researching Gym Leaders, coming up with potential teams of Pokémon. Was I ridiculously overly prepared? Maybe. But I didn't care in the slightest if my methods were different from other kids. My goal was to become the Indigo League champion, and maybe, just maybe…I could finally be…

"Hey, Red!" The sound of a loud, obnoxious voice made me snap out of my thoughts. It came from the boy with the spiky orange hair dressed in blue, standing right in front of me with his hands on his hips and a smirk on his face. "Where're you heading off to in such a hurry, huh?" Blue Oak. He was the grandson of Professor Oak, which may have had something to do with that ego of his. Despite his attitude problems, he was one of the few people who spoke to me—albeit like a bully and a jerk, but he was only 10, fancy boarding school education or not. We were friends once, but these last couple of years, we'd been rivals who both had the same goal. "I'm off to get a Pokémon from Gramps that'll help me become the champion of the Pokémon League!" Ordinary boy stuff…

I took the time to adjust my cap, straighten up my vest, and clear my throat. It was moments of silence like this that annoyed Blue, and while I wouldn't admit it out loud, a childish part of me just loved to do that in revenge for all those moments where he had to have the first and last words. "Me, too."

Blue's jaw dropped in surprise. "What?! Seriously?!" He then regained his normal smirk. "I bet you're probably gonna get one of the normal starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. Me, on the other hand… Gramps said that he had a super special Pokémon that nobody else was getting—just me!"

"Oh. Good for you." The Professor probably only told him that because Blue begged him for something unique. Blue did tend to act like a spoiled brat sometimes. Maybe he'd mature a little on his journey… Who am I kidding? The world would enter another ice age before Blue would grow up. I tried to step around him, but the blue-clad boy just blocked me off. "Blue…" I trailed off, starting to get annoyed.

"Not so fast, Rapidash! If anyone's gonna be the first to get their Pokémon, it'll be me!" He exclaimed as he turned around and ran off down the road. "Smell ya later, Red!"

I waited for Blue's figure to disappear from my sight before I started walking again. If there was one upside to leaving Pallet Town, it would be that the likelihood of running into Blue Oak again was slim. Thank goodness…

X-X-X

I arrived at Professor Oak's laboratory minutes later. Behind the large building was a fenced off area where there were Pokémon that the Professor researched. I remember often going there after school to watch the Pokémon outside. Taking only a momentary glance at the Pokémon resting in the field, I walked through the sliding doors of the lab. I felt the air conditioning hit me and I started to cool down. Nearby, a man in a lab coat was working on a computer—one of the professor's assistants. I approached the man and spoke loud enough for him to hear, "Excuse me."

"Yes?" The man asked without looking at me. He was too focused on his work, and a part of me was relieved because of that. Most locals couldn't help but be a bit intimidated by me.

"Where is Professor Oak? I was told to come to receive a Pokémon."

"Oh, so you're the one who's going to receive it. Lucky kid. It's not quite as rare as one of the Pokémon that the professor usually gives away, but it's certainly one of the most interesting." It? He must've been talking about whatever Pokémon Blue was going to receive. "The professor is in the backroom. He's talking with his grandson first, though, so you'll probably have to wait."

"I see. Thank you very much." I left the front room and entered the room in the back. It was Professor Oak's personal working space, filled with books and files of his research. Standing in front of his desk was Professor Oak, dressed in a red shirt and beige pants with a white lab coat, and his grandson Blue, who seemed upset.

"It's not fair, Gramps! You told me you were going to give me a unique Pokémon unlike the others you give away! Are you gonna break your promise?!" Blue noticed me out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to look at me. "Red! There you are! Now we can settle this!"

I blinked. "Settle what? What do you think I did now?"

Blue frowned and pointed back at his grandfather. "It's what he did! Go on, tell 'em, Gramps!"

Professor Oak flinched from being put on the spot. He gave a nervous laugh as he scratched his head. "Heh-heh-heh… W-well… It would seem that I promised to give you and Blue the same Pokémon!"

My eyes widened in surprise for a moment. "…The same Pokémon? But aren't I going to receive one of the usual starters?"

The professor regained some confidence. "Well, you see, I received this Pokémon after getting some new information from a colleague in Johto and I thought that Red would be a good choice to help me by giving him the Pokémon. But I also promised Blue that I would give him the same Pokémon! Isn't that funny?"

"Hardly," Blue grumbled. "Now you've got a choice to make, Gramps! Either give the Pokémon to me or to Red!"

"Now, Blue, don't rush me. It isn't like I can choose so easily," Professor Oak spoke with a stern expression. "Both you and Red do have certain qualities that might help in tapping in its hidden potential."

"Hidden potential? What sort of Pokémon is it, anyway?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"Oh, yes. I suppose I should show you what it is before I just hand it over." The professor picked a Poké Ball off of his desk and released what was inside. It turned out to be an Eevee, small, brown and canine-like, it yipped excitedly and began to play with the hem of Professor Oak's pants. "Do you boys know what this Pokémon is?"

"It's an Eevee!" Blue exclaimed. "It's got three different evolved forms and supposedly has the potential to have even more!" And there he went, flaunting his knowledge. But he did have a point. Eevee was a popular Pokémon because of its multiple evolutions as well as its cute appearance. "It's so cool!"

I stared at said Eevee as it started to sniff and paw at the tip of my sneaker. "You…want us to help find a new evolution for Eevee?" I asked. "When you said I'd be helping you with your research, I thought it'd be something like…delivering parcels or something."

"Hmmm? Are you disappointed, Red?" The Professor asked as he kneeled down to pet the Eevee on the head.

"N-no…! No, that isn't it. I'm honored that you would want to choose me for this, but…since you promised it to Blue, you should give him the Eevee instead."

Blue sucked his teeth and glared at me. "You think you're sooo cool, pulling off that maturity act. Well, whatever! I know I deserve Eevee!"

I stared at Blue in silence for a while. After he started to look annoyed with me, I said, "Yes, Blue. You deserve it. I'll just take one of the three Pokémon the professor normally gives out." I didn't really mind. I didn't have any plans with an Eevee in mind anyway. It would totally mess up the dynamic I had in mind.

Once again, the Professor looked sheepish as he stood up. "A-actually… There are none prepared at the moment. The next trainers entitled to receive one won't come until…a month."

His grandson groaned. "Seriously, Gramps?! You are totally off the ball today!"

"N-now, wait a moment! There's no need to get upset!" I wasn't really upset, though. And Blue seemed more embarrassed than anything. "Now, while I can't give you a rare Pokémon, I could still give you a Pokémon to start your journey with, Red."

I stared up at the man in confusion. "Is…is that allowed?"

Professor Oak smiled. "Of course it is! A trainer doesn't necessarily have to start their journey with Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle! And I really must make up for this fiasco after you've already gotten prepared to leave." I tugged at the straps of my backpack when he said that. "I recently caught a Pokémon just outside of town. While not as rare as an Eevee, their kind is uncommon near Pallet," he explained as he walked over to a computer system in the corner of the room. Beneath the computer screen was an opening with a small pit, likely for Poké Balls. After pressing several computer keys, a Poké Ball popped out, labeled "#25-4". The professor picked up the ball and handed it to me. "Why don't you release it and see for yourself?"

I looked down at the ball with bated breath. Even if it wasn't one of the Pokémon I thought of getting, I couldn't help but be excited about my first Pokémon. Restraining to urge to overreact, I pressed the button and released the creature inside in a flash of red light. What came out was a bright yellow mouse with dark red cheeks—a Pikachu? The professor was right: Pikachu weren't seen around Pallet Town.

The Pikachu looked around in what seemed to be a mixture of anger and panic. Its cheeks sparked and it growled while glaring at all of us.

"Pfft! A Pikachu? That's not even half as cool as an Eevee, or any of the other Pokémon you give out, Gramps!" said Blue. "Why'd you bother even catching it?"

The Pikachu may have understood Blue's comment, because in a second, it was releasing bolts of electricity and shocking us.

X-X-X

Later, after we had recovered from Pikachu's attack, Blue had left, saying how much he pitied me: either I had to wait a month to get another Pokémon or go on my journey with that disobedient Pikachu—which had taken to jumping on top of a bookcase and curling up for a nap. Either way, Blue had a better chance of becoming the Indigo League champion before me. I wanted to be mature about it, but I couldn't help but be sad. Did I really have to wait another month stuck in this town, where people stare at me like I've got the plague?

Professor Oak's hand on my shoulder snapped me out of my thought. Well, at least the professor didn't think poorly of me. "I'll understand if you want to wait a while until I've gotten some new Pokémon, Red. Unlike the Pokémon I usually get that are domesticated from their birth, this Pikachu was only recently caught and brought out of the wild, so it's not well trained. And to add to that, it's quite disobedient. It gets like this even around other Pokémon!" Then why keep it? What was the point of keeping such a disobedient Pokémon? Even if they're uncommon, surely he could've just gone out and caught another Pikachu. "I would've released it back into the wild by now, but this particular Pikachu is…interesting."

"Really? It…looks normal to me, Professor…"

"Just use that Pokédex to scan the Pikachu and you might see what I mean."

I stared at the old man before I picked the Pokédex up off the table, flipped it open and pointed it at the Pikachu. The screen lit up and showed an image of a Pikachu on one side and information like its type, species, and a description. According to the Pokédex, it stored electricity in its cheek sacs, could cause lightning storms in groups, used its tail to monitor its surroundings, and will bite those who try to grab their tail. "I…don't see anything special…"

"Whoops! Hold on a second…" The professor took out another Pokédex behind his desk. "The Pokédex has a feature allowing trainers to observe the skills of the individual Pokémon under their ownership. Right now, this particular Pikachu is mine, so only the Pokédex registered to me can scan its particular skillset. Use your Pokédex to see what sorts of moves Pikachu learn naturally." I did what he said. It could learn Light Screen at some point, but nothing really interesting. "And now I'll scan that Pikachu to see what moves it knows." He did that, showed me the screen, and…I was surprised with what I saw. "It knows…Fire Spin?"

"F-Fire Spin?! Oh, thank goodness it decided to use a normal Thunder Shock instead! We could've walked away with burns…!" Professor Oak said with a sigh of relief.

I continued to stare at the list in awe. Thunder Shock, Growl, Tail Whip, Thunder Wave and Quick Attack—those were moves Pikachu could learn naturally, but Fire Spin wasn't even something one could learn through TMs! "Professor, I think there's something wrong with your Pokédex."

"Oh, there's nothing wrong with it. Trust me, I've tried. Yesterday, it knew Sing and sang me to sleep before it stole my lunch! The day before that, it knew Karate Chop and broke one of my poor aides' legs! Heck, the day I found it, it used Self-Destruct and knocked itself out! The point I'm trying to make here, Red, is that this Pikachu is interesting because…it's an anomaly. Every day I check up on it, it seems that one unusual move changes into another."

"I-I see… Then why give it away? It'd be better to just keep it here and research it some more."

"Well, why give Blue an Eevee to help me learn more about its evolutions?" I arched an eyebrow in confusion as the professor chuckled. "When I was young, I went all over with my Pokémon, discovering all I could about them. Unfortunately, I'm not as young as I used to be, and I can't learn everything about a Pokémon by just observing it in the comfort of my lab. That's why I have to rely on young trainers like you and Blue, who are brimming with potential, to learn what you can about Pokémon as you travel. That's why I wanted you to go on your journey with this Pikachu here and learn more about its strange ability. But I suppose that's a tall order…"

I stared up at the Pikachu. "I…I guess…I could do it." I looked at the Professor. "I'll help you, Professor Oak. I…wasn't expecting to get this sort of Pokémon, but I'd be happy to help you with your research."

"Are you sure, Red? It's quite a disobedient Pokémon…"

"Good trainers can get difficult Pokémon to work with them with time and patience."

"Oho! Quite serious then, aren't we? Well…I'd be happy to give you this Pikachu for your first Pokémon. Of course…" The Professor looked up at the sleeping Pikachu. "Now we just need to get it down from there without incurring its wrath… I really hope it doesn't use Fire Spin…!"

X-X-X

Even though I agreed to take the Pikachu along, by the time I arrived in Viridian City, I was regretting my decision the moment we hit the road. The electric rodent refused to go into his ball, so I wound up having to make it follow me by dropping Oran berries from the small plastic box Mom bought for me from the grocery store. I thought I would at least be able to catch another, more obedient Pokémon to train while making Pikachu a bit friendlier towards me, but all my attempts failed. What few Pokémon I came across during the trip along Route 1 didn't really interest me: only Pidgey and Rattata. Of course, some wouldn't let me walk away and attacked me, which prompted me to use my new Pikachu. Big mistake. Half the time, he lounged about. The other half, he used moves I didn't tell him to use. One time he used Fire Spin and almost hit me with it, but Pikachu only laughed about it before being knocked out by a Rattata. By the time I arrived to the Viridian City Pokémon Center, I handed the nurse at the counter Pikachu's Poké Ball and walked over to the payphone. Slipping some change into the slot, I punched in my home number and waited as the dial tone sounded.

"Hello, good afternoon. Ketchum residence."

"Hi, Mom," I spoke, sounded dejected.

"Oh, Red! It's you! I-I mean, you're calling so soon. Is everything okay, sweetie?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to let you know I made it to Viridian City alright." So what if I lied? If I said I was miserable at the beginning of my journey and that things had begun in a rotten way, Mom would only worry.

"Oh, okay. That makes me glad. So, what Pokémon did you choose to start off with?"

"A…Pikachu."

"Pikachu? I didn't think that was a Pokémon they gave out to beginning trainers… But that just goes to show how special you are, sweetie! Getting to start with a different Pokémon! There's a gym in Viridian City, isn't there? I suppose that'll be where you'll get your first gym badge!"

"Yeah. I'm a…little nervous. I haven't gotten much training done." If you could call that pitiful attempt 30 minutes ago training.

"Aw, I'm sure you'll do just fine, dear."

"…Mom? I…" I hesitated to tell her truth. My mouth was open for a few seconds before I changed my mind. "I'll call you when I win my first gym badge."

"Mm-hm! Give 'em heck, sweetie! I love you!"

"I love you, too. Bye…" I hung up the phone and stared at it sadly. Well…I was in a mess. One that my pride and my desire to become champion of the Indigo League wouldn't allow me to get out of. Not until I achieved my goal. But could I really do that with a disobedient Pikachu?

"Red Ketchum! Your Pokémon has been healed! Please report to the front counter to pick up your Pokémon!" A voice came from the speaker, sounding somewhat frantic. I sighed. What had that Pikachu done now…?

When I came to the front, I found the nurse and several of the trainers who had been hanging around in the Pokémon Center standing far away from the countertop, which held a tray with a Poké Ball and Pikachu, who was glaring at everything. All I could do at this sight was sigh.

X-X-X

I stepped out of the Pokémon Center with a sigh, Pikachu following behind me. It wouldn't stay in its Poké Ball, and yet it continued to follow me. Wonder why? Maybe it just took pleasure in seeing me suffer. Was there even any point in challenging the Viridian Gym with only Pikachu? According to all the latest information available on the Indigo League of Kanto, the gym leader of the Viridian Gym specialized in Ground type Pokémon, which were strong against Electric types like Pikachu. If I was able to properly train the disobedient little mouse, maybe I would be able to succeed despite the type disadvantage…with lots and lots of luck.

"Hey, Red!" That voice. Blue? Yeah, that was Blue striding up to me, cocky as always. "Wow, you actually took that Pikachu from Gramps? You must be really impatient if you couldn't wait until he got some more Pokémon!"

A part of me wanted to tell him how this wasn't some garden variety Pikachu, but I decided not to. Special abilities or not, my Pikachu was still pretty mean-tempered. "Did you already challenge the Viridian Gym? How'd it go?"

Blue snorted and folded his arms across his chest. "The gym leader wasn't even there! Can you believe it? What sort of gym leader isn't there to accept trainers' challenges? And the guys inside had the nerve to kick me out and say they didn't know when he'd be back! Hmph!"

"I see…" Talk about a lucky break. "That means I'll have to challenge the Pewter City Gym first. Electric type moves aren't very effective against Rock type Pokémon…and most Rock type Pokémon in Kanto are part Ground type."

"Wait? Don't tell me you're actually thinking of taking on gyms with that electric rat? It'd probably shock the gym leader instead of their Pokémon!"

I stared at the orange-haired boy. "…All Pikachu needs is obedience training. I'll make sure he becomes friendlier." I heard the electric mouse snort like that was a funny idea.

"Ha! I'll believe it when I see it." Blue turned around and pointed to the north. "If you can beat the gym leader over in Pewter City, I'll change my mind about you being worthy to be my rival! Smell ya later, Red!"

I sighed as I watched Blue walk away. If I encountered Blue again during this journey, it'd be too soon no matter how long it was since we last met.

X-X-X

The Viridian Forest on Route 2 was an opportunity to see Pokémon that I couldn't see in my own backyard. It meant Bug type Pokémon—several of which tended to evolve quicker than other kinds of Pokémon, and maybe even a Grass type like Oddish. But most importantly, it meant catching a Pokémon that might listen to me. Although the path through Viridian Forest was dark and foreboding, that thought gave me the courage to not only walk through it, but even walk into the tall grass. Occasionally, I would look down to see if my Pikachu was still there. He was still following behind, looking disinterested in the surroundings.

Along Route 2, it seemed as if every battle I had ended in close call victories—all because Pikachu refused to listen to me. When I told him to be defensive, he was offensive. When I told him to be offensive, he…slept or loafed about. I'm sure we only won because he wouldn't tolerate losing to some Pidgey, Rattata, Caterpie or Weedle. He seemed to have that much pride, at least. Too much, maybe, if he couldn't take orders in a fight.

"Nido!" A small, purple blur ran past my leg and tackled into Pikachu. I turned around and stared in surprise at the sight of a male Nidoran. They were one of the Poison types the signs outside of the forest warned about: capable of poisoning people easily with the barbs along its body. And it was so close to scratching me with one of them as it ran past. I was so frightened by the thought, I forgot that the Nidoran was there. "Nido…!" It leered at Pikachu, who squeaked in fear. The Nidoran jumped at the Electric type, who dodged and quickly ran up into a tree. The Nidoran began tackling the base of the tree, shaking it hard enough to make leaves fall out.

"Pikachu! Use Thunder Wave to paralyze it!" I called out.

Pikachu glared at me. He began to bare his teeth and open his mouth. With a cry of pain, he blew out fire that wrapped around the Nidoran and gave it burns. The electric mouse looked exhausted, but happy that it was able to get the job done without listening to me…or so he thought before the flaming Nidoran's horn began to glow bright purple and fired pins at Pikachu that had enough force to knock him out of the tree. At that moment, the flames disappeared around the male Nidoran and it began to rear back, preparing to attack. Pikachu didn't look like he was moving. Panicking, I scrambled to grab a Poké Ball from my pocket and threw it at the Nidoran while it was charging. In a flash of light, the Nidoran disappeared into the ball, which shook for a few seconds before it made a clicking noise.

"Phew! Thank goodness…" I muttered as I went to pick up the Poké Ball. My very first Pokémon capture. How exciting! Wait. What about Pikachu? I ran over to the electric mouse and kneeled down in the grass. His eyes were still open, but his face was tinged with blue and he twitched every few seconds. "Could he be…poisoned?" I gulped. I wasn't sure if I could make it back to the Pokémon Center in time to cure him. I would have to cure him myself…unfortunately.

I took an Antidote out of my bag. Antidotes were long, red syringes filled with a poison-healing concoction. I hated needles. I don't like being injected with needles or even the sight of them, and holding one wasn't something I wanted to do, let alone using it. With shaky hands, I held the antidote over Pikachu's back. What if I stabbed something important by accident and wound up killing him? But if I didn't do anything, he would die of poisoning! I steadied my hands as best I could and injected Pikachu in the back. Pushing down on the pump, the liquid inside was injected into the electric rodent until it was emptied out. The blue tinge disappeared from Pikachu's face and his twitching stopped. His breathing was somewhat labored, but Pikachu appeared to be okay. I slipped my new Nidoran's Poké Ball into my bag and took out a bottle of potion.

"I'm not sure if I have to do this…but I'll use this to disinfect the spot where I…injected you. Sorry if it hurts a little," I spoke to the semi-conscious Pokémon. I spritzed some potion onto the injection area, as well as the places where he was injured. I then took out Pikachu's Poké Ball and tried to recall him so he could properly rest. But even while he was injured, he refused to stay inside of the ball. "Look, you can't stay outside of the ball in this condition. You need to rest in your Poké Ball." Pikachu shook his head. "It's not like I have any way of carrying you…" My bag had too much stuff in it for him to be comfortable. The electric mouse got on his feet and resumed walking for only a few seconds before collapsing. Panicking, I scooped the Pikachu into my arms and got on my feet. "O-obviously you're not gonna be able to walk on your own. So I'll help you." His response was to bite my hand. "Ow! …You can do that all you like. But I won't put you down until you ether faint or we get to a Pokémon Center. So swallow your pride and let me help you!"

Pikachu stared up at me with large eyes. He relaxed in my arms and allowed me to carry him through the rest of Viridian Forest. At some point, he even started to snuggle up to my chest. Even if I wasn't sure this meant he liked me now, I was happy. At least we made some progress.

X-X-X

Notes!

In the Kanto games, you're given a Pokémon for the sake of getting to Viridian City safely and going back to give Professor Oak a parcel rather than for your own devices.

In Gen I, the Antidote had a design like a syringe. In Gen III (specifically FRLG), it was redesigned to look like a spray bottle the same as the potions.