What...what is this?

He jumped to his feet and scanned his surroundings mercilessly. No longer was he in the forest, left for dead. Rather, he was inside a building. The walls were a fuchsia. A rather bright fuchsia, that somewhat hurt his weakened eyes. The atmosphere inside this mysterious place was pleasant and friendly. Nothing like what he had been used to after the events of yesterday. He felt something taped to his head. A bandage, perhaps?

Where am I?

"...Don't worry! This Pikachu will be just as good as new after a good night's rest!"

He swiftly turned his head to the non-threatening voice. There was a human...no, two. Both females, and they were blocked from each other by means of a large glass...counter. Something similar to what he had seen back in his home, though rather than circular, this object was more rectangular.

"Dank you, ma'am! May I pwease see the Pikychu now?"

Oh?

He now turned to the other human. She was much shorter than the other one. He blinked at her curiously. His head turned back to the taller of the women when her own head turned to him.

"Oh! It seems as though it's awake. You can talk to it for a minute, but it also needs some rest!"

The girl innocently pranced over to the other side of the fallen glass pillar. She fell to her knees and picked him up. She gave him a smile that was innocent. Energetic. Yet...disturbing.

"Hiya! I'm Katalin. I found you in duh road with a buncha boo-boos! I bought you alllll da way here so the noise could help ya!"

You...saved me? You braved the dangers of that forest for the sake of me?

"Do you wanna be my Pokuhmon!? We could be da best a friends!"

Mm...so she also wishes to befriend me, much like that boy I met in the forest. Why is it that I am so well accepted by humans, yet forced out by my own kind?

He grew a small smile, thinking about the irony.

I must thank you for saving me, though I must also decline your request. I have said it before, and I shall say it again; though you may not know it now, I have a deformity...a curse...a problem, and I am quite sure that you will dislike me when you find out about it. I shall be useless to you. Once more, thank you for saving me.

He jumped out of her lap and dashed out of the building, leaving the automatic doors behind him.

"Wait!"

"Where ya goin, Pikychu!?"

He felt the vibrations in the ground beneath him. He was being followed by that girl again. Does she really wish to take care of him so much? Is she willing to go so far as to chase him in order to help him? To become friends with him? He stopped and looked back at her.

"Oh, dank goodness you stopped! I'm alllllll outta breath! Huff! Huff!"

He couldn't stop the laughter from rising up from the bottom of his insides and out of his mouth.

Though I must confess that I am not very wise in the way of humans, I do not believe it's necessary to actually say 'huff'...

This girl put her hands against her waist, as if ready to scold the creature. Though, she may not even be capable of such a feat. She was much too kind to think about degrading such a being.

"You're still hert, mistir! You need to stay in the Pokeymon Centar where the noise can help you!"

I'm sorry. I don't have the time to rest in one place. I must continue. Endure the pain that still lasts inside of me. It is the only way I can feel free from the wrath of the clan that I once called my own.

Once more, he dashed away and out of her reach. As he passed over many sharp pebbles, and, contrastably, soft blades of grass, he thought about the girl's kindness, then about the boy.

Would that boy...have also saved me? I wonder?

He disappeared into a forest of trees, cloaking himself in the veil of brush.

"Wait...come back, Pikychu..."

He fell to the base of a healthy maple tree, resting his back against its very fiber. A downtrodded sigh escaped him.

Perhaps...it was time. Perhaps that human was supposed to be my first companion after my clan, and family.

He looked around the tree and to the other side of it. He somehow still spotted the girl in the distance. She was sitting down on the dusty trail. Perhaps waiting for him to come back.

No, it mustn't be. It is my destiny to not get accepted. I refuse to go through another episode of what happened back in the forest. Neglected once my friends found out about my disability. That did naught but waste everybody's time...likewise, I shall not waste this precious girl's time with me, either. She is so innocent and neutral...yet, I owe her my life.

He prayed for the girl, then forced his body to stand up. He was forced to continue...in whatever direction he was going.

Perhaps I should have asked for a compass...

He chuckled.