Ash sat by a fire surrounded by Dawn and Brock, the trainer observing the actions of his Pokemon with a smile on his face. Monferno and Grotle were engrossed in an argument, squabbling back in forth in harmless banter. Ash turned his head and noted Staravia perched upon one of the branches on Grotles back, using her beak to pluck stray feathers from her wings, with Grotle was too engrossed in his argument with Monferno to notice the bird's presence. Gible was…munching upon a rock like normal. Ash let out a snort upon catching the form of his ground/dragon type Pokemon. He saw Dawn and Brocks Pokemon scattered amongst the campfire, doing various activities. It was then the smile slowly faded from the trainers face as he looked across the clearing and spotted a lone Pokemon, covered in various cuts and bruises, and despite his battered body, still refusing to take a pause in his training.
Pikachu rolled across the grass before forming an Electro Ball in his hands, and firing it at a rock. Pikachu then quickly used quick attack to burst towards another rock, and use iron tail to shatter it. Pikachu growled before flexing his fingers, electricity forming in his palms before throwing both arms in front of him and pointing his palms towards a lone rock across the clearing, releasing dozens of small Electro Balls in quick succession. All the electricity caused the rock to explode, covering the clearing in bits of stone and gravel. Pikachu cracked his knuckles before getting into a battle stance, before resuming his training.
Ash sighed as he watched this. While all of his Pokemon enjoyed training and bettering themselves, none of them took it to the extremes like Pikachu did. Ash frowned as memories of a cheerful, laidback electric type began to fill his mind. Ash sighed sadly at the fonder memories. That happy electric type had faded long ago however, and although there were still bits and pieces of that carefree nature still there, the majority of what was left was a far more serious and aggressive Pokemon. Ash continued to remember the better times, how Pikachu would be the first one at the campfire to open up a pack of marshmallows, and would even steal some from Misty, himself and Brock to get more of the tasty treat.
All the smiles and laughter…those were good times. It all died that one day.
That one fight was all it took. That day on Cinnabar Island, in the Kanto Region during the early beginning of Ash's journey; that battle there destroyed the starter Pokemon that Ash had met in pallet town. All that was left now was a shell. An aggressive, angry shell of a mouse, that was determined to never let anything like that happen again.
Ash was pulled out of his memories by Brock's voice.
"How long has he been at it today?"
Ash turned his attention to Brock, who was staring at the mouse with concern in his eyes. Ash spoke;
"He's been at it since four o'clock this morning. A whole three hours before anyone wakes up."
Brock sighed. He was there on Cinnabar, so he understands what drove the mouse to become like this, but he was still worried for his friend's partner.
"Do you remember how he used to be Brock? God he was the most cheerful and friendly Pokemon I had ever met."
Brock frowned as he recalled those earlier times. They were brighter and filled to the brim with innocence and adventure…but that one event awoke all of them to reality. Saddened by the memory of what was almost a previous life, he nodded, before he turned towards Dawn, seeing the bluenet brushing the fur of Pachirisu, oblivious to the entire conversation. However while Dawn wasn't paying attention, Pachirisu was, and quietly stealing glances at Pikachu, wincing at all the angry cuts and scrapes along the older electric types body.
THREE HOURS LATER
Pikachu had his arms crossed as he stared into the camp fire as the snores of his comrades echoed into the night. He scoffed mentally:
'They're sleeping so soundly and yet they accomplished nothing outside of their pointless fun and games! How do any of them expect to win any kind of tournament or contest without the dedication and drive to train to push themselves there?!'
Pikachu had a frown etched on his face, his gaze captured by the dancing embers of the fire. He heard rustling next to him, and didn't even bat an eye as Pachirisu sat down next to him. The squirrel spoke;
"Those wounds look angry. I'm pretty sure that Brock is still awake. Are you sure that you don't want him to take a quick look."Pikachu scoffed, rolling his eyes before he spoke;
"I'm fine. Now beat it brat."
Pachirisu winced at the sharp tone that the larger electric rodent gave off. Pikachu was by far the least approachable of Ash's Pokemon, yet as Pachirisu was a newcomer who had hatched maybe a few weeks before Dawn caught him, he had little to no control over his electricity, and seeing Pikachu, who utilized his thunder in such a professional and precise way, was inspiring. Pachirisu had made numerous attempts to try and establish a friendship with the mouse, yet was rebuffed each time, with Pikachu not even slightly interested in any form of companionship outside of the relationship he has with Ash. Pachirisu closed his eyes as he recalled the first time meeting the larger mouse.
(Flashback about a month earlier)
Pachirisu landed on the grass with a soft "puff" as Dawn released her newly caught Pokemon from the Pokéball. She smiled down at the squirrel as she spoke with a soft smile:
"Alright Pachirisu, now that I'm your trainer, I think it's time for you to acquaint yourself with the others."
Pachirisu looked around in curiosity at the numerous Pokemon before him, with Buneary and Piplup offering kind smiles, as well as the Pokemon of Ash and Brock offering some kind of acknowledgement…except one.
Said individual was away from the group, secluding himself in the clearing where he could train himself in peace. Dawn saw Pachirisu staring at another and followed his line of sight and then blanched when she realized who the squirrel was looking at:
"Acquaint yourself with anybody…except him. Pikachu is kind of mean and doesn't really like anybody. I tried numerous times to introduce myself to him and he either ignores my presence or shocks me if he's angry enough. I would introduce myself to others if I were you."
But Pachirisu wasn't listening to Dawn. His gaze was still on the other electric type as he vigorously trained himself. Pachirisu never really had any Meema or Papa to train him how to use electricity, so his current knowledge is mostly what he's picked up in the wild, and with how his electricity goes everywhere and is a danger to everyone around him, he didn't learn much. However if Pikachu could teach him…
Pachirisu began to walk over to Pikachu, and was so focused on the mouse that he didn't notice how absolutely silent everyone became as they registered what he was doing.
Buneary widened her eyes in alarm:
"WAIT DON'T!"
But it was too late, and Pachirisu had innocently grabbed the elder mouse from behind by the shoulder in an attempt to grasp his attention.
And get his attention he did…bad idea.
Pikachu froze before sharply turning around to the intruder, his eyes narrowed in rage as he zeroed in on the smaller squirrel. His lips pulled into a snarl.
"Hi, I'm Pachiri…"
That was as far as the squirrel was able to introduce himself before the mouse struck, aiming with a fist to the gut to knock the wind out of the smaller Pokemon. As the squirrel became winded, creating another opening to exploit, Pikachu turned his body and used his tail to smash the squirrel away a distance, almost like a bitch slap that knocked him back a few feet. As Pachirisu hit the ground, wondering what the hell just happened, Pikachu looked upon him with an enraged glower:
"Interrupt my training again brat and I'll knock you the hell out!"
Pikachu scoffed in irritation before stalking off further away into the clearing, where he may have better privacy to train in peace.
(End Flashback)
Pachirisu honestly couldn't understand how Pikachu could have been nicer beforehand. But Ash and Brock were honest and trustworthy, at least from what he was able to figure out from the talk of the other Pokemon and his own experiences.
If they were being honest, then what happened that was so horrible, that it turned a supposedly friendly and kind Pokemon into an aggressive individual like Pikachu?