Hi everybody, a new chapter! I hope you like it. Gotta warn before reading: The first part is a bit more action packed than the rest of the entire story. But it's nature... I guess. Hope you like it! Any comments, ideas and other stuff are welcome through PM and reviews. Happy pentecost!
A pain shot through me. I opened my eyes and saw three arbok near me, and one had its teeth deep inside my leg! Pichu and pikachu screaming surrounded me and I used my other foot to kick it as quickly as I could. It let go and I whined in pain. It hissed fiercely at me. No poisonous bite, that was for sure, but the arbok had done serious damage to me. Another arbok had grabbed a pichu. The little rodent screamed and struggled as hard as it could, but it was no use. The arbok bit down on the rodent... A snapping sound could be heard as the pichu's neck broke... The creature didn't move anymore and was gulped down in one go.
The third arbok was sliding to me quickly, targeting the little pichu that had slept just near my head. I quickly grabbed it, stood up and stumbled away from the snakes, but was tackled by the arbok that had grabbed my leg. I fell down and rolled on my back, the pichu in my hands. It used its speed to bite me again and I screamed in pain as it's teeth made their way into my soft skin. The third arbok appeared. It didn't even look for me, but immediately targeted the pichu in my hands. Knowing I had nowhere to go, I defended the pichu all I could. It struck - pain erupted from my hands, but I didn't let go. But the arbok wasn't done yet. It struck again, with me unable to dodge any attack. Grunting heavily from pain and despair, I had to let go the pichu as the feeling inside my hands was completely gone. The arbok simply pushed them aside and then struck for the pichu. "NO!" was the only thing I could shout before the little rodent was captured. The arbok that bit my leg now released me and went over to the third arbok. Both started fighting about the prey. It grabbed the pichu from the other arbok and pulled. But it didn't let go this meal, instead, it bit down even harder to prevent the other arbok from stealing its lunch. The pain cries from the pichu were unbearable while it now was pulled from either sides. Both arbok pulled harder... Until the pichu was teared completely apart by both strong jaws. I watched speechless and in complete horror as the both arbok completed their meal and now focussed on me. Any attempt to escape had only led to a lot of pain and I faced both predators. One of them looked at me... I knew my end was near... After only one day, I was done for, captured while sleeping. The arbok faced over me, pulled back, got ready for a attack, I got ready to face death... The snake then came at me with incredible speed, its jaws wide open revealing its teeth striking within milliseconds and... Everything went black.
I sat straight up, breathing heavily, all sweaty, adrenaline running through me. I looked around quickly. It was sunny, pichu had snuggled up against me, Lukas was lying next to me with one pichu under his tail, and I saw Volt looking around and guarding us... It had all been a nightmare...
I sighed in relief, shook my head, got everything together and looked at all the pichu. They were all peacefully resting, except two. The one on my sweater (that acted as pillow) had been awakened rudely by my reflex and stared at me. I watched her and smiled. Another was restless and moved back and forth releasing soft whines and... Sparks. My virtual bite wound was at the exact spot the pichu was resting his cheek against mine, causing it to be black and a bit burned. I wasn't the only one dreaming! I gently shook the pichu awake. It looked at me sleepy for a moment, curled up against my leg again and continued his nap. I turned to the pichu that had been sleeping near me.
"Just a horrible, horrible dream... " I said to her. She looked at me and smiled.
"Pichu?" it said on a cute tone.
"Yeah, I'm alright... Don't worry." I said while removing the sweat of my forehead. I watched my phone - I had been barely sleeping for fifteen minutes, which meant the pichu also had only a short nap. Laying down against the surprised rodent, I gently lay my arms around her while I rubbed against her cheeks. She purred gently and snuggled against my face.
"Pichu..." she said slowly and releasing a deep sigh.
"Sorry for waking you up... I couldn't help it... I dreamed you were eaten... It was horrible..." I said to the little creature while gently stroking her. She opened her eyes and looked at me.
"Pichu pi...?" she said.
"Don't think about it... You need to sleep..." I said, smiling widely and getting in sleeping position. The pichu smiled and nuzzled my face, followed by a gentle lick. I raised my head, looked surprised at the pichu and lay down again.
"You are a very cute but strange pichu..." I said gently. My heartbeat had lowered quickly after realising it was only a dream. Stroking the pichu one more time I saw it had fallen asleep. I laid my head close to her and fell asleep quickly after her...
After a peaceful nap (what was left of it) it was time for the pichu to play again, I thought. Wrong. The pikachu led them outside the colony, followed by some males and females to protect them. Lukas was among them, although I noticed he prefered to stay close to me. I wandered after the pichu, knowing that there was something educative going to happen. Since I was probably even worse educated than those pichu (of course, pikachu style, not human) I thought it would be a great time to learn something.
We went through a part of the forest and ended up near a lake. It was quite big. The pichu did not go in the water. One pikachu took the lead, watched the water, and then raised his paw and pointed at the lake.
"Pika! Pikachu-pi. Pika pikachu. Pika pika. Chu-pi-pikachu." he said.
"Pichu, pichu pi?" one of the pichu asked.
"Pikachu." the pikachu said firmly. The pichu them looked to the water and mumbled something. The pikachu watched them interested, but then attracted their attention.
"Pika. Pikachu pi." he said. Then he turned around, charged his cheeks and fired a thunderbolt to the water. The water conducted the electricity immediately and in a range of hundred meters all the water was electrocuted. After that the effect slowly faded. Wondering what the pikachu did, he turned around.
"Pika. Pikachu pi." he said as he looked at the water, as if he was waiting for something. It took about five seconds, but then a magikarp appeared. He floated above the waterline, not moving. I watched the fish pokémon... Was he... Dead?
"Pikachu pi." the pikachu said. "Pika pikachu. Pika pika. Pi-Pikachu pikachu!". The pichu watched in interest (and so did I) as the pikachu turned around and watched the fish. As if he knew, the fish started moving and disappeared under the water. I thought he was gone, but instead of relaxing, the pikachu (all of them) got ready for something. I could feel something was about to happen, the atmosphere and my own instinct told me. Getting ready to protect the pichu (I just couldn't let something happen to them, could I?) I waited for something unknown.
Suddenly the magikarp jumped out of the water and straight for the pichu. The pikachu had a quicker response time than me (and were ready for this) and immediately tackled the magikarp down. The magikarp was splashing on the grassy edge of the water, and looked rather... It looked as a wild magikarp. I couldn't make out any emotions. Two pikachu held it down and sparked their cheeks dangerously at the fish. The pichu had been scared and were hiding behind the bigger pikachu and also behind me. The pikachu called them back and the pikachu gently pushed them back at the place they had been standing. I sat down on my knees and gently pushed the pichu back.
"Go on, we'll protect you." I smiled. The pikachu all looked happy I just went along in what they did.
"Another plus for me" I thought happily. The pikachu that stood in front of the magikarp meanwhile was teaching something to the pichu. He pointed at the magikarp, said something, and then pointed at the lake.
"Pika, pikachu. Pika pika pikachu." he said firmly. The pichu all nodded and then were allowed to check on the magikarp, which they all immediately did. I also moved closed and checked on the magikarp. Then the pichu had to back off, as the pikachu holding the magikarp charged. They both released a strong thunderbolt and fried the magikarp. It didn't move anymore as soon they were done with it... Cruel, yet, this was nature... The magikarp were enemies of the pikachu. After they got rid of the magikarp by simply throwing it into a deeper part of water, the pikachu started washing themselves at the lakeside. I thought it was kinda gross, washing yourself in water you just troubled with a magikarp body. But they didn't seem to care that much. The magikarp was still fresh, so not yet threatening. I decided I would move the body away as soon everybody was done.
I sat down at the lakeside with my feet in the water, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight and the cooling water. Searching the "teacher" pikachu, I saw him and asked him to come. He came and sat near me.
"So, you are the teacher?" I asked him. He looked at me, shook his head and pointed at the other pikachu.
"Pika, pikachu. Pika pikachu pika!" he said. After a while I figured they took turns learning the pichu stuff. They learned the pichu what they were good at. After a while of talking and a lot of gesturing I understood the pikachu was a hunter and guard of the colony. All the males seemed to guard the colony every now and then, like a part time job.
"So you learned them to watch out before they take a swim...?" I asked. He nodded and pointed at the place they had dumped the magikarp.
"Pika. Pika - (he acted as if he ate something) - CHU..."
"Otherwise they get eaten." I said. He nodded happily.
"Pika pikachu!" he said. He sounded rather happy.
"Why so happy?" I smiled at him.
"Pika! Pikachu pika." he said, sighed and pointed at the pichu.
"Pika pikachu..." he sighed again as he looked at the playing and grooming pi(ka)chu. He jumped up and started to groom himself, just as Lukas showed up. He was a mess and his bandages he still had were all wet. He had clearly been playing with mud, as I saw some pichu and younger pikachu do the same at the background.
"Oh Lukas, look at that!" I said to the pikachu. He looked scared at my response, but quickly recovered and came up to me.
"Ugh..." I said while removing the things. Happily, his wounds were almost clean and were almost healed. How do those pokémon heal so quickly? A human would take at least two weeks to achieve what Lukas had done.
"Your wounds look great, better than I could imagine..." I said with big eyes to the pikachu.
"Pika pikachu!" he said happily as I removed the medical stuff from him.
"There you go, all done. You don't need them anymore." I said to the pikachu. "And you're absolute mess, I thought pikachu were clean pokémon!" I added with a vague smile. "Come here."
As if he was a baby pikachu, I quickly washed all the mud of him using water from the lake. With all my skill from the pokécenter, it would be done in no time. Instead of the response I had been expecting, a whining Lukas that would say he didn't need to be helped, he purred gently as I rubbed the mud out of his back fur. I reached his head, which seduced me to give him a gentle and nice cuddle by gently scratching behind his ears. I smiled as the pikachu relaxed and lay down on his back (which meant I had to start all over cleaning him). His arms were all spread out and his legs and tail were the same as Lukas had his eyes closed and enjoyed the sun and my attention. Knowing that pikachu love being cuddled, at least the domestic ones, I got some water and simply started rubbing his belly with water to clean him. This released more purring and gentle squeaks. Scratching slowly over his soft belly fur was like heaven for the little pikachu and suddenly I saw the pichu standing next to me that had been sleeping next to me. She jumped my leg and looked at Lukas, which squeaked happily every now and then and purred non-stop. She looked at me with a face that told "please-give-me-some-nice-cuddling-too!"
I laughed at the rodent and used my hand I didn't use for Lukas to scratch the pichu under her chin. She also released soft squeaks and she also laid down to enjoying the attention I gave her. After a while, suddenly the elder of the colony was standing next to me. I hadn't noticed him yet, and he watched as I was busy stroking both creatures.
"Pikachu..." he said with his low elderly-voice. I quickly looked back and saw him and stopped cuddling both creatures. But he smiled and ordered me to continue what I was doing. He said something to other pikachu, which looked at me and then nodded, smiling. Yes, it was only my first real day, and it felt like I was really accepted to this colony.
"Pika Pikachu?" he asked me.
"I feel fine, thanks..." I said to him. I just knew he asked me that. "Everyone's very nice to me... Since Espeon has translated some stuff for me I know I smell nice for you guys and that I seem to be good at handling you..." I said while looking at Lukas and the pichu before looking back at the elder.
"Pikachu." he said firmly. "Pika pik-" he said before he was interrupted by a loud splash followed by some pikachus shouting. I watched to the water. A pidgeot came out of the water flapping his wings fiercely, holding the magikarp the pikachu had just killed. It must have spotted it and decided that was a good and free meal. They were known to have very good eyes. With the fish in his claws he landed just next to us and looked at us. Some pikachu already took cover and had their ears flat against their body, waiting if they should flee. I also kept my guard to be sure he wouldn't attack me. Lukas had been awakened by everything and was also looking at the pidgeot. The pikachu closest to the pidgeot slowly backed off while the pidgeot looked at us. He looked around, spotted some pikachu, and then spotted some pichu. He roared, and then he flew to a pichu behind me lightning fast before being attacked by multiple pikachu. Thunderbolts all around him electrocuted him, making him fall to the ground. That was the sign to evacuate and I grabbed my pichu and wanted to flee, like all other pikachu and pichu did.
But, before I could go, the pigeot recovered, quickly looked around, spotted me, and turned around. I stopped. With nowhere to go, since behind me was water, and both left and right would result in a takedown attack from the pidgeot, I waited. The bird pokémon looked straight at me with its eyes, and I looked back. I was used getting negative glares, since some heal procedures required some painful actions. But this was different. The pidgeot was trying to get a desert and was in perfect condition.
The bird spread its wings and I was intimidated by its size when it did. Its width was almost three meters, and knowing that he would use his wings to attack me I wasn't very confident that I was able to protect the pichu in my arms. I slowly backed off, giving the pidgeot angry glares, but the bird slowly came for me. The pichu had buried her face into my chest and I could feel the little creature shiver. Probably they already learned that they should be scared of pidgeot...
While the pidgeot was intimidating me, multiple pikachu made their way from the forest. They were all sparking their cheeks dangerously and were shouting at the pidgeot to get the hell out of here. The pidgeot turned around so he could face both sides, his wings still spread out and growled angrily and dangerously. But the pikachu teamed up, scattered a bit and were surrounding the bird from the forest side. Then one female charged at the pidgeot and then everything went lightening fast.
The female charged, but missed as the pidgeot took off very quickly. But instead of going away, he looped around and came at all of us with a arial ace. I got ready to dodge, but was way too late. I was lucky since the pidgeot charged at the pikachu which could dodge him. The pidgeot turned around again with incredible speed and now came for me. I had to dodge. Left or right? Left or right? Left or right? Left or... RIGHT! I jumped out of the way, but the pidgeot responded and altered his attack so it would hit me. He hit me spot on and I was thrown into the lake with a enormous amount of energy. While I was hit, I let go loose of the pichu, which was also launched and landed a couple of meters further in the lake, where she disappeared under the waterline.
I emerged from the water and saw bubbles right of me. Looking around where the pichu was, I noticed she wasn't on land, so she must be there. Not knowing if she could swim, I quickly made my way over to her. But the pidgeot wasn't done with us: as soon he hit me, he quickly dashed higher in the air and was now diving at the water. Now I knew for sure: The pichu was there. Couldn't miss it. I swam as fast as I could, but I could never make it to the pichu on time. But the pidgeot needed to catch the pichu... And the pidgeot needed to be in the water to do so... From what I just had learned, the strong pikachu in this colony could easily fry the bird. I watched the waterside. I saw some pikachu standing on the side, but no one got into the water. They were all watching, including Lukas. I could see him standing right next to the elder pikachu. The pidgeot dove. He was almost hitting the water.
"LUKAS! THUNDERSHOCK ME!" I said. Knowing that the pidgeot would be electrocuted, just as the magikarp, I knew that the pichu would be unharmed. But wait, not only him, but also me! I'd forgotten that little detail and panicked. But there was no turning back. With a splash, the pidgeot hit the water and I saw Lukas charging. I could hear his cry and I felt electricity flow through me. I shouted, but knew that the pidgeot would also be hit with double damage. Nothing emerged from the water. I had to be quick. After the thundershock, I swam straight for the place the pidgeot had dove into the water. I watched and saw something yellow under water. The pidgeot was... Gone...? Or not? I didn't really care and dove for the pichu. Before I could grab her, I bumped into something. The pidgeot wasn't visible and his brown feathers made it unseeable from above, but I knew it had to be him. Opening my eyes underwater I could see a yellow, floundering blur which I grabbed, and then got back to the surface. I inhaled deeply and held the yellow creature above the water, who coughed and spit out some water, inhaled air and coughed again. She clung to me while I swam back to the side of the lake, walked out of it when I could feel the bottom of it and put down the pichu on the shore. Immediately her mother came, grabbed her and started to groom her while the pichu started cuddling her. I sighed deeply and was greeted by some pikachu which looked worried at me. I watched back to the lake. The pidgeot must be paralyzed by the shock, because he hadn't emerged yet... I sighed and I knew he had drowned. But again, that was nature. I had only protected myself and my colony. Had I?
The mother came up to me and said something, which must be a thank you.
"Don't thank me, thank that pikachu that has teached the pichu about that electricity trick and thank Lukas for thundershocking me..." I said while smiling. She looked strangely at me, but then also smiled. Lukas came up to me. He looked worried.
"Pika-pi pika pikachu?" he shouted while he stopped at my shoes and scratched my legs.
"I'm fine... A little dizzy, but fine..." I said smiling at him. I picked him up.
"Thanks for thundershocking me. You saved her (I pointed at the pichu) life." He smiled.
"Pika pikachu!" he said happily.
"Yep, and now we're gonna go back to the colony, I have to change clothes before I get sick. That water is freezing cold further in the lake." I said while shivering. We all walked back to the colony.
"Do these things happen every day to you guys?" I said.
"Pika." Lukas said while nodding.
"Jeez, you don't have a easy life." I said.
"Pika." Lukas said again while shaking his head again.
"Oh, and Luuk?" I said.
"Pi?"
"I think we're equal now." I smiled at the pikachu.