Chapter 2. I hope you guys like it. Please review!

I got into the lab. After a little chat, he started about what he wanted to ask me. "My problem is... In the last couple of years, I have developed a great knowledge about pokémon. I know all about them, including pikachu. But knowing about them isn't everything... If you really want to understand pokémon and what they're doing, you have to become one. Unfortunately, that is not possible. At least, not yet." he smiled. "There are some rumours here and there that say scientists have created a potion or machine that transforms you, but all of them didn't work. Anyway, do you watch Discovery Channel?" he asked me. "Yeah, frequently. Mythbusters is one of my favourites." I answered. "Alright, have you ever watched the program "Into the pride"?" he asked me.

I looked at Oak. "Well yes, but I only watched one or two episodes, why?" I had a vague suspicion what he was going to ask me... Would he really do that? Would he really ask me to...? No, that couldn't be possible. That was out of the question. "You see, I think you already know what I want to ask to you, now I said this." he continued. "I want you to..." but I interrupted him. "Are you serious?"

"Do you really want me to go into a colony of pikachu? I mean, it's not that I don't want to or something - but I thought you didn't want to interfere with nature and that you just wanted to do research from a distance... Or to pokémon that are ill or even death... To examine their body structures or to examine how they get their powers and... And..." I stopped. I had no more arguments left. At least, not for now.

"You are right." Oak said. "You're right about all of that - but that's also the problem. As pokémon professor I got fame all over the world and we - I mean pokémon scientists from all over the world - agreed we shouldn't interfere with nature or kill pokémon to study them - OF COURSE you shouldn't kill them!" I interrupted him. He continued like nothing happened. "When we study them, we should respect them and let them life in their natural habitat, or we should examine them when they are caught by trainers. The problem is - some things can't be researched by only watching or by a single pokémon, which makes me come to the point I want to talk with you about." he said while he sat down. "Take a seat."

"You see, I already spent a lot of time looking for the bond between pokémon and human. Trainers are perfect study material, as well as pet pokémon are. I learned a lot and it's very interesting to see. But now, as a pokémon professor, I'm wondering how this goes in the wild. How do wild pikachu life? We know basic stuff. They eat berries, apples, fruit, stuff like that. They like to life in a forest area, they like to live in groups or colonies, and when several gather you could get thunderstorms. But how do they live in groups? We know there's always a leader. Is it the strongest? The smartest? How do pikachu choose their leader? After several studies to several pikachu colonies I found out that the strongest isn't always the leader. It depends on something. But I don't have a clue what. Same goes for females. Which male has the right to mate with a female? We don't have a clue yet. Group policy? What are the rules inside such a colony? The same as us humans? Or are they different? Colony wars? Stuff like that. And that's what I want to ask you." he said while he watched me. "I want you to join a group of pikachu somewhere around here. We have several of colonies around Pallet and they all seem suitable to me. The closest one is about two kilometres from this lab, inside the forest. Join them, or another colony. Try to gain their trust, and then try to find out all that stuff I just asked you."

I remained silent for a while. The plan of joining a group of pikachu... I mean, I love those guys but jeez, joining a colony for real...?

"Why me?" I asked. "Because you can handle pokémon so well. You have a natural talent of doing it. I don't know what you did, got, or do, but they all seem to like you one way or another. Remember that nuzleaf I found recently? He just wouldn't trust me. It was out of the question. Then you came and less than five minutes later everything was fine...!" he said with a semi surprised face.

I smiled. That was certainly true. I calmed down that nuzleaf within five minutes and after that the little guy was released back to the wild. But that was nothing... Was it?

"I don't know..." I said. "I like the idea, but..."

"Look, I'm not forcing you to. If you want to try, but want to quit after 1 day, one week, one month, year, decade, I don't care, you can quit. You can quit at any time, you don't have to stay there if you don't want to." he said. "But I'd love to see you tried." he added quickly and with a smile.

I was thinking... This was actually a pretty good chance to do something with pokémon, something I already wanted since I was a little kid. After being a trainer for a short period, it was even more confirmed, in my opinion. So why not try? That wouldn't hurt. I made my decision.

"I'll do it!" I said to Oak. "Excellent!" he exclaimed and he almost jumped of joy. "Oh, I never thought you'd do it... Alright, I'll do your supplies. Meet me next week here at... Let's say at 13:00 at my lab. Is that good to you?"

I nodded. "Yep, that's fine to me..."

One week later I was at Oak's lab. After a week of thinking, I actually found it pretty cool. This would be the first time someone "really" joined a group of pikachu! At least, as a human. Rumours of people turning into pikachu always exist, but hey, I wouldn't be able to keep them apart from the real pikachu, so what's the deal. I think they would adapt to their new life very quick, if they would even exist. My family responded mixed. My father thought this was a great idea - my mother however was worried sick. I said I could take care of myself, I mean, I just trained pokémon for three months so where should she be worried of? Plus, I would be visiting them every month if I would make it that far.

I stepped into Oak's jeep and we headed towards the forest. After just five minutes or so, he stopped. "Alright, I'm gonna drop you here. There are pikachu around here. I'd say good luck finding a group!" he smiled and drove off.

I saw the jeep driving away. It went smaller and turned a corner and was gone. I was on my own now...