UNOVA EXPLORER
A/N: Hi there! Me again, here's Chapter 2 Hope you liked chapter 1, so well I've got nothing else to say. On with the Story!
"Pikachu!" - Normal talking (written in BOLD if it's shouting.)
Thoughts'- written in BOLD if it's shouting.
"Flare Blitz!!" - Pokemon moves (verbally said.)
"(Ash!)"- poke-speech will be written in human language of course but the characters will only here what a normal Pokemon says
*"I Caught a Caterpie!"*- Dreams/Daydreams.
_"Hey give me my hat back!"_ - Memories/Flashback.
Disclaimer:I don't own pokemon. Sadly. GRENINJA WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE! T_T
Chapter 2: Self-doubts and a painful scolding
Hours passed, since Ash's mental dispute. The sun had finally risen, it's shining rays illuminate the small town of Pallet and by extension it's outskirts and it's Forests. Pikachu was still perched on the young man's chest, like last night. Only difference was that the electric mouse is asleep.
Many passing by wild Pokemon, that had woken up early ignored the sleeping duo. Their Forest was near Pallet town, so it wasn't surprising for them to find a human and their Pokemon out in the woods together. Having much better things to do than watch them, they all left and went about their morning.
Some time later, a Poliwag enters the scene. Waddling without a care in the world, though he stops when he notices both Ash and Pikachu on the ground asleep, causing a smirk to form on his pinkish red lips.
A mischievous thought came to his mind, keep in mind now, that Poliwags usually have a look of cuteness and innocence, complimenting their child-like, and under developed appearance. But this Poliwag appears to be bigger than normal, implying that this Poliwag is older, most likely it's ready to evolve.
The Poliwag silently went into the water, carefully swimming near the sleeping duo. When he was near enough, the little jokester got out off the water without a single noise. His cheeks puff up, as he readies a weak Bubble beam in his mouth. Creeping slowly he was finally at a perfect spot.
Just about 5 feet away from them, grinning as he took aim at the upper body of the trainer. His plan was to prank Pikachu with a surprise bubble bath, getting Ash soaked was just a bonus for the little Tadpole.
He can see it now. With his head tilted towards the sky, he daydreamed.
*"(Bubble beam!)" The Tadpole unleashed a barrage of large bubbles at the duo, it wasn't strong enough to hurt someone. But strong enough to soak two grown men. Or in this case a Boy and his Pikachu.*
*Both trainer and pokemon, wake up and started flapping their arms around in a comical fashion. They were to startled by the wet wake-up call to think rationally at the moment. The Poliwag was laughing HARD. If he had hands they would've been clutching his sides, from how much laughing the Tadpole did.*
*The two soaked partners thought they were under attack, they ran, only to slip from the puddles formed on the ground, both trainer and pokemon now stumble not unlike a Hariyama balancing itself on a rolling barrel, into the lake with a huge splash.*
Finally coming back to reality, he was determined to make that little dream prank of his come true. The wild Poliwag once again aimed at the sleeping twosome, with a huge grin plastered on his face.
Only to see Pikachu, awake and staring at him in a lazy-like fashion. His paw was outstretched, with the index finger (claw) pointing at the surprised Tadpole.
The poor Poliwag almost gulped all the water, from seeing his target now only one feet away from him.
"(If you're gonna sneak up on a sleeping Mon, make sure he can't hear your giggling rookie)" Deadpans Pikachu, with eyes half-lidded, furrowed eyebrows and his mouth curled down into a frown. (AN:Just think of the expression shikamaru always has)
He sends a small bolt of electricity from his fingertip, striking the Tadpole on the space between where his eyes were.
It was at this moment, that Poliwag wished he wasn't a Water-type. Small as the bolt might have been, Pikachu was in a far higher level than what the water-type expected, and so he suffered through an electrocution in his system, having a mouthful of water didn't exactly help his situation.
"(Gaaagh!)" It was absolute hell. It was almost comical, with the Tadpole twitching erratically, as his bones flash from time to time like an X-ray.
With the light show having ended, Poliwag was now covered in soot, resembling an overcooked fish. He fell backwards, his eyes now two swirls. Indicating that he was knocked out
"(Troublesome, little brat)" sighs the yellow mouse. he sent the trouble making Poliwag flying towards the lake, with a quick sweep of his tail. The Poliwag lands in the water.
Hard.
SPLASH!
The Poliwag resurfaced from the water after sinking like a stone, still knocked out. Pikachu just stares as the water carries him away. It was fortunate for him to sidestep that splash before it hit him.
He DID NOT want to be soaked to the bone this early in the morning. And he felt sorry for any poor sap that got wet in this breeze at this Arceus forsaken hour.
"Argh!, Cold!" A startled yell snaps Pikachu out from his musing.
The Electric mouse, looked behind him and found that his trainer was now awake. Sitting upright, shaking like a leaf from the cold water that had rudely awaken him.
"(Whoops, hehehehe)" Pikachu chuckled, rubbing the back of his head in a sheepish manner. "(Ugh, Good morning?)" he greeted awkwardly, his smile sheepish as well. '(I forgot that he was behind me.)' seems as though Ash was that poor sap.
Turning his head towards the sound, he finally sees his yellow starter. "P-p-pikach-ch-chu?" He stuttered out, still freezing from the water. The morning breeze didn't help his situation either.
30 minutes later.
Both Trainer and Pokemon had moved to a nearby tree. Ash took off both his wet shirt and shorts, and hanged them on one of the lower branches, leaving them to be dried by the wind.
Clad only in his boxers, Ash leans against the aforementioned tree. The events of last night finally came back to him. Which led to the young raven haired trainer's current somber expression, this did not sit well with the yellow mouse.
Not one bit.
Pikachu's expression grew serious, furrowed brows and frowning lips. It was now or never right? there was no doubt he needed to address this now, lest his Pikapi do something he might regret.
"(Hey, Ash)" he called out, but no answer came from him. Not even a hint that Ash noticed the little mouse. Eyes narrowed Pikachu moved closer to his Pikapi, hoping that the brooding young man would finally notice."(Ash!)"
Nothing.
Sighing, Pikachu charged up a small spark between his tiny claws. "(Pay attention!)" launching himself up towards Ash, he bopped him right on the noggin, the electricity spread through his trainer's almost dry body, giving him a small shock to his system.
"GAH!" Being snapped out of his inner turmoil, he jumped two feet in the air from the hit. The electricity now coursing through the young man's body, giving a very uncomfortable tingling sensation in his spinal cord. he swore his legs almost buckled from a momentary numbness in his legs.
Recollecting himself, he shot a small glare at the perpetrator, who was standing there, with an impatient expression plastered on his furry face. "What did you do that for?!" he yelled at the Yellow mouse. It didn't hurt really, but any form of electricity is bound to make any person uncomfortable, making Ash wonder what would make his partner do that.
"(Well, maybe if you'd pay attention, You would've known that I wanted to talk!)" he snarked at Ash, all the while making gestures to his ears and mouth for the sake of making his Pikapi understand what he's saying faster.
It worked as the young man got the gist of what his starter was saying.
"You wanted to talk?" he asked, prompting a nod from the yellow mouse. "Then why didn't you just say so?! You didn't have to shock me!" he exclaimed. Pikachu scoffed at his trainer's words though, his memories beg to differ, he remembers their early adventures a lot better than Ash gives him credit for.
"(If I had a Ketchup bottle for every time you needed a good shock, I'd be as big as a Snorlax.)" That made Ash's right eye twitch in annoyance. He may not understand Pokemon language completely, but he always figures out what they mean in general. Eventually.
"What did you want to talk about anyway?" Ash sighed, knowing that the yellow mouse would up the voltage of the next one if he didn't.
"(You know what I'm talking about)" Pikachu retorted, his arms now crossed. His expression stern, making Ash flinch a bit as it dawned to him what his starter was pertaining to.
Ash was silent for a moment, out of all his Pokemon, it was Pikachu he could understand the best. They spoke to each other in a way that wasn't always faltered by a language barrier, it shows just how deep their bond has become over the 5 years of Traveling.
He clung to a small hope that maybe his partner might not be implying about his late night emotional sprint through Pallet. He didn't want Pikachu to get worried again.
*Tap* *Tap.*
He halts his wandering thoughts once more to see Pikachu with his right eye twitching, his patience was wearing as thin as it could be with the present situation.
"No I don't know what you mean." He lied, hoping for the yellow mouse to just let it drop. Unfortunately it didn't go unnoticed, Pikachu was getting fed up of beating around the bush. But he needed to start this slowly, Pikachu knew rushing could mean a lot of drama.
"(I saw what happened last night Ash.)" he revealed, his voice almost to a shout. The yellow mouse saw Ash pale a bit, he knew that his squeaking had finally registered in his head.
Good. There was no way out of this for him now. They will talk, whether his Pikapi wanted to or not. The yellow mouse was that determined to end this now. He continued when Ash failed to respond.
"(I followed you to this spot, for answers. Then I find you passed out on the ground!)" Ash cringed at the tone of his starter's voice. It was like those times when his mother would catch him running into the woods alone, she was not pleased with that. He couldn't look at him in the eye, since Pikachu was one of the two people who can easily tell when he's lying and hiding something.
"It was nothing Pikachu, just a weird dream." Ash tried to save face with stretching the truth, he 'grinned'. He wasn't lying though, he did dream...just not a good one.
Pikachu saw through that act faster than that time Charmeleon burned that Paras. His eyes narrowed even more, arms crossed tighter and his left foot thumping slowly, aggravatingly.
"(Ash!)" Pikachu growled out in a warning tone. He never enjoyed showing hostility to anyone, especially to his Partner. He just hoped that Ash's stubbornness wouldn't force him to shock the Young man again. '(Just tell me already! We don't have to go that far!)' came the frantic mental cry of the little Mouse.
"Really Pikachu I'm fine!, no need to worry!" He exclaimed in faux cheer, even using a certain bluenette's catch phrase. In hopes that it would convince the mouse. Though that never worked for Dawn, so it wasn't a surprise that it didn't work for Ash
"(That's not gonna work Ash!)" Having up to hear with this, Pikachu's cheeks sparked dangerously. "(Fess up already!)" He hated doing this, glaring at him while he was charging up electricity for his go to move, Thunderbolt. A Thunderbolt meant for his Pikapi. And it was Pikachu that had to do it.
That had to hurt him.
It reminded him of the times where Team Rocket found ways of making him attack his Pikapi. Either through a mind control device or amnesia, he would hurt Ash, and he'd always forgave him after he snapped out of it. Ash didn't even show a sliver of anger or betrayal, just... relief, relieved that he was back to his senses, that it was over. All was forgiven, but he couldn't...he could never forgive himself for harming his Pikapi.
Ash just stared ' Now doesn't this seem familiar' he mused in his head nervously. Unaware to the yellow mouse, Ash too remembered those times from how Pikachu was acting right now. Times that his Partner, his Brother would look at him, with no signs of recognition only looks of distrust, hostility, Fear. And he would plead and beg for the yellow mouse to snap out of it. Only to get hit by a lethal Thunderbolt.
A Thunderbolt meant to hurt Him, like he was the enemy that needed to be rid off. It was like a stab through the heart whenever something like that happens. he even remembered the burning scent that he gave off, be it his crisped clothes, his burnt hair or his flesh that felt like it was being cooked. but all of those where nothing compared to the pain he felt when...
_"I was so worried about you Pikachu" Ash said worriedly,
"(You were? but...Who are you?)" the amnesiac mouse asked confused on what was happening.
"Hey! don't forge' we're you're buddies!" Meowth interrupts them, gaining the yellow mouse's attention he quickly pointed his claw at Ash and the others "They're jus' bad people who want to hurt you!" that statement caused the little mouse to run into Team Rocket's awaiting arms. and settled himself onto James shoulder, and turned to glare at Ash._
When Pikachu listened to their lies and believed it.
When he turned his back to him.
When he ran unto Jame's shoulder instead of his.
Running a hand through his raven locks, he sighs. 'Might as well get this thing over with.' It was no use hiding it now anyways.
"I dreamt about the battle with Tobias again." he admits, his voice despondent.
That certainty caught the yellow mouse's undivided attention. This made Pikachu's assumptions about his Pikapi right. And by Arceus he hated being right about it now of all times.
'(It's Lake Acuity all over again. No, this is different. Ash was depressed at his loss to Paul, yes... But..?)' even in at his lowest no matter how faint, Ash still held a flame in his eye, and that flame would always grow. Grow into an Inferno. But now there was no such flame, no glint of determination, no light. Pikachu didn't like that, especially on what he seeing in his trainer's eyes now.
His eyes...they reflected the eyes of someone who's accepted defeat, who surrendered, who gave up. '(This is far worse)' he grimaced inwardly, and shows worry outwardly, stopping the electricity and stood back straight, he had already guessed that the loss to Tobias wasn't the only thing bothering him.
Ash visibly relaxed when he saw Pikachu stop his sparking. The mouse gave him a gesture and he knew that the yellow starter wanted more information. His eyes still glared at his trainer, though not as intense as earlier. They were sadder, confused, concerned, there was a want, a need to understand in those yes. 'Keep talking huh?' Ash understood, and so he will talk.
"Like I said it was the battle with Tobias." He started.
"It's not the first loss I had in a league. But..but...this one..it just..." he hesitated, he doesn't know how to word this out to Pikachu 'Heck even I don't know, what's going on with me' last night did a number on his head, but he could still remember the memories that relentlessly attacked his very core as a Trainer.
"It just got me thinking about our old battles." He continued somberly, he was still thinking about it. And he couldn't stop this odd feeling that surfaces whenever he thinks hard about those memories...
_"Bayleef, use Body slam!" A sauropod-like pokemon launches itself in the air, aiming to land a hit on the Gary's Blastoise. But it was all for naught when the large Turtle bit on the Leaf-like extension on Bayleef's head. And threw her halfway the field, the dust settles to reveal a fainted Bayleef._
'Gary'
_Charizard went airborne, ready to use another Seismic toss on his Hoenn native counterpart. But before he could even attempt too grab him, Blaziken leaps into the air and nails Charizard on the face with a Blaze kick._
'Harrison'
_Pikachu thrusts forward with his tail covered in a metallic shine. His opponent, a Meowth in boots Counters with his own Iron tail. Both sides collide resulting a massive shock wave so intense, both competitors were sent flying back._
'Tyson'
Those three were just second to Tobias and Paul in terms of skill. Although Gary is studying to be a Professor, he did not let his Pokemon's skill rust especially his Blastoise, Electivire and Umbreon. Harrison is a trainer with a good head on his shoulders, easily countering his unorthodox strategies. Tyson is a trainer with Pokemon of great quality, especially his Meowth.
'They were already ahead of me, even from the beginning How can I compete to that.' came the depressing thought.
"(Ash!)"
Pikachu was looking at Ash in trepidation, he was starting to get scared. Scared about why is Ash like this. One minute he was finally explaining about last night, then he stops and just stares at the empty space the next.
Ash was quiet for a awhile. Pikachu was about to call him once more, but he was cut off.
"Pikachu, do you think it's still worth it?" That question set Pikachu off, just what did he mean by that? But he remained silent, hopefully Ash will answer those for him.
Hopefully.
Turning to look at the yellow mouse in the eye for the first time in this conversation, he repeated his question "Do you think that it's still worth it?" He was shaking a bit, but he still faced the yellow mouse.
"Are we even making progress? Because it seems as though we're even farther from our dream than we were before." It was true, even if he did manage to reach top 4 it took him 5 years for it. Would it have to take him 5 more years to just reach runner up? How many times does he have to battle 'till he wins one league. But even if he did win one, there's still the Elite 4 to fight.
"Why are we even doing this?" He continued with a sullen tone that was strained with self-loathing, fists clenched trying to hold it in.
"(Ash I don't understand, what are you going on about?)" what is this?! Just what was happening to his trainer. Not once has Ash shown this kind of behavior and it is freaking Pikachu out.
"What is the point in of all this?! Why try, when we're just gonna get beaten again whenever we're so close to winning!" pent up frustration finally let out as he screamed his doubts and self-loathing to his baffled starter.
"I don't know what to do anymore Pikachu! it's like a broken record we win until the quarter-finals only to get curb stomped! And at every loss...we learned, we got stronger but it never seems to be enough to get us even closer to winning!" Tears cascade down his cheeks, as his nails finally broke skin, making blood spread all over his palms and drip past his knuckles.
All of his self doubts have been revealed in a cry of frustration that made passing by Pokemon stop what their doing in alarm. All of them wondering what this human was going on about. But they went off quickly instead, deciding that it was really none of their business.
Pikachu's expression was shadowed, his head was tilted downward.
It was a few minutes of silence until Ash continued
"You know it's funny" he let out a hollow chuckle, his eyes now red from his tears but it was also dead, dead eyes that show no emotion. "I'd always go on about how I was gonna become a Pokemon master, how I would catch every kind of Pokemon, how I would be the best." His voice cracks at some points, but he didn't care, he did always say to not let these kind of emotions keep buried inside 'practice what you preach' as they say right?
"But looking at it right now. I was stupid enough to follow a dream I would never be able to reach, all of this has been nothing but a mistake." His voice lower than before, he slumps to his knees looking at the ground. An aura of self-loathing surrounds his being, fists now lax and bloodied. But he couldn't bring himself to care anymore.
"I'm sorry for being a no good trainer to you and the others. I'm sorry I let your hopes up. I failed. There's nothing I ca-Thwack! his head sharply turned to the side as he fell back on his backside.
His cheek throbbed from the pain, it was red unnaturally bright red. 'Where did that come from?!' it hurt so badly.
*THUD!*
"Oof!" Something landed hard on his stomach, he raised his head to look at what had landed on him. Only to see a blur of yellow before he was sent flying into another tree.
Managing to sit upright, he leaned against the tree, as the blow to the head had disoriented him. He held up a hand to his bruised cheek, only to retract it after the simple touch made the bruise sting.
"(How...)" Ash heard a low murmur ahead of him and turned to look, only to flinch seeing his Starter who's shoulders were shaking, from what he could guess was anger. His tail was glowing faintly before the glow died down, indicating a use of Iron tail, guess that would explain what hit him.
"(How could you say that?)" The yellow mouse's eye were shadowed, teeth gritting against one another he slowly trudged towards his trainer.
"(How dare you, How dare you Give up!)" grabbing both of the young mans shoulders, he gripped as tight as he could with small paws.
"(Are you that weak!)" he pulled Ash forward and glared at him with watery eyes. "(We have been at this for five years Ash! We've been through just as much as you have, or did you forget!?After EVERY failure and beat down we took, we came right back up! Arceus! We couldn't even look at you in the eye when we lost, we thought you would hate us, scorn us, abandon us!)" Drawing back one paw he let an abundance of electricity flow through it again, and whipped it to his Pikapi's face.
*SMACK!*
"(But you'd always smile and say It's alright!)"
*SMACK!*
"(Always cheering us on! Giving us words of praise!)"
*SMACK!*
"(Giving us a Home, a purpose! A reason to become better than what we are now!)"
*SMACK!*
"(You became our family! The person we'd hate to disappoint because you always believed in us, giving us a choice in what we want.)"
*SMACK!*
"(You never lifted a hand against us even when we disobeyed!)"
*SMACK!*
"(We looked to you for strength, you kept us afloat when we were drowning in our sorrow. Made us happy in our darkest days!)" he shoved the young man with surprising strength, his voice no longer screaming just soft with disappointment seeping in it. Ash just continued looking at his starter with wide eyes slightly, flinching at the look he was receiving. He can't really understand what the yellow mouse was screaming about...but even then it still hurt him.
"(When you caught us, you taught us to never give up. That we'll get stronger, that no matter what we will reach our dreams. Wasn't that why we never stopped battling.)" Ash was still speechless, never before had seen his partner so...so angry and sad. He tried to speak but he was cut off.
"(Was it really just a mistake Ash!? We're we really just mistakes of yours?!") Ash remained silent, for some reason, he found those squeaks coherent, it caused him to stop and just stare bewilderedly.
"(Never give up, if we get pushed down, stand back up stronger than ever. It was you who showed us that Ash.)" with that Pikachu phased out of sight with Agility leaving a bruised trainer, to reflect about what just happened.
With Pikachu
He was running at his fastest easily getting out of the area within 5 minutes. His destination, Professor Oak's Ranch where all of Ash's other Pokemon were kept. He was angry, so damn ANGRY at Ash for what he said it just hurt him that his Trainer, his partner heck his own brother had fallen this far.
But he knew he couldn't blame his Pikapi for thinking like that. Right now the boy was at his lowest probably the depression getting to him, he would need everyone of their pals to help him with getting Ash to realize just how wrong he was about just giving up.
Screeching to a halt he came and see a sight of at the familiar steps that lead to a two story building with a round red roof and yellow walls and what appears to be a garage of the same color as the wall, the most eye catching about it was the windmill behind the building.
Professor Oak's Research lab.
A/N: And scene! Whew sorry it took almost a week for it to finish i got caught up in watching the first series again hehehehe. Well anyways about the scene with the Poliwag honestly it just came to me in a passing thought so i thought it might be a good thing to add it in. You know for comedic purposes, also i have plans for that Poliwag don't worry he won't be just a side-character that appears at random ends of the story(like a certain jigglypuff) and so i hope you enjoy this!
Oh and please review! I would like to know what you think about it. Chapter 3 is coming soon.
Constructive criticism is always welcome. Anyway hoped you like it Bye-Bye
(Chapter Updated: November 20, 2018)
