The next morning, the group bids farewell to the Sensational Sisters and Tracey before heading to Saffron City. On the way, they run into Chaz and some grunts, but Pika and Pachirisu are able to handle the situation with ease. The path to Saffron City is straightforward, and the group gets there after a day of traveling. While Aurora and Granite are sleeping, Dillon takes Pika outside to a clearing behind the Pokemon Center.
"Alright, dude. We've had plenty of time." He says, which earns him a confused head tilt from Pika. Dillon shows him a pokeball. "We need to help you get over your fear." The electric rodent flinches as he intently stares at the pokeball. "Relax. Scyther listens to me. I've been training him while you're not around."
"Pika pi chu" Pika cowers before the pokeball.
"Hey! We're not weak, Pika! You can do this, and I'm here to help you!"
"Pi kaaa" He shakes his head and his ears droop.
"What are you gonna do one day when we're battling against a Scyther? What if we're facing Ash and you're my last pokemon, and his last pokemon is a Scyther? Do you want us to lose just like that?" Pika looks away from his trainer. "You better not run away too!" Exclaims the boy as he throws the pokeball. Scyther pops out and smiles at Dillon. He then looks at the scared Pika and smiles.
"Scy!" he extends a blade, which causes Pika to jolt back a few feet. "Scy?" the bug pokemon asks his trainer.
Dillong sighs. "He's scared of Scythers." The boy then walks past Scyther and towards Pika. He crouches down and block's Pika's view of Scyther. "Hey. He's not gonna hurt you. Don't be rude and at least say hi."
"Pikaaa" The yellow mouse shakes his head.
Dillon sighs in defeat. "Fine. Until you overcome your fear, I won't be battling with you. You're a liability if someone has a Scyther. I can't take that risk." He then returns Scyther and walks towards the Pokemon Center. "Let's go." He tells the trembling electric mouse.
Pokemon Center: Pachirisu's POV
Once Pika returns, I quickly approach him. "Where'd you go?" I ask him. He doesn't respond, rather, he avoids my gaze. When he left, he was a lot more chipper than this. "PIka, what's wrong?"
After a long pause, he answers, "Dillon tried to help me get over my fear."
I nod in understanding. "How'd it go?" I ask him hopefully. Maybe things are working out! But seeing the frown on his face and his slumped shoulders prove otherwise.
"He says he won't battle with me until I overcome my fear. He says I'm a liability." Oh. Damn it, Dillon! Just when I was starting to think you're a nice person, you go and say hurtful things again. I guess Pika notices my anger because he says, "No. Dillon is right. I am a liability."
"Pika, we're gonna get through this together!" I tell him determinedly. He gives me some surprised eyes.
"Really?"
"Yeah! We're friends! What are friends for?" I smile at him. I'm happy to see him smile back at me and nod. Yeah. We'll get through this together. Dillon and Pika have helped me and Aurora plenty. It's time I return the favor. Maybe I'll talk to Scyther tomorrow.
No POV
The gang decide to check out the fighting dojo next to the gym today. They manage to defeat the trainers and beat the dojo master. He gives Dillon a Hitmonlee, Aurora a Hitmontop, and Granite a Hitmonchan. Granite then leaves to explore Saffron City while Aurora and Dillong look for a clearing to train. While training, Aurora's Abra evolves into a Kadabra. Their training is interrupted when someone enters their area of the clearing. Dillon gets ready to tell the person to "bug off" when he notices the familiar spiky brown hair.
"Hey Kaz." He nods to the teen.
Aurora now turns her attention to the new trainer. "Oh. Hey Kaz!" She smiles at him.
After nodding to Dillon, Kaz greets Aurora. "Ready to lose again, Dil?"
"Nah. This one is mine." Dillon snickers at the boy. Aurora rolls her eyes before the three of them step to their positions with her refereeing the match. Vaporeon manages to knock out Kaz's Golbat and Bellossom before fainting from Electrode. Vileplume does a lot of damage to Electrode, but Kaz has it use self-destruct so both pokemon faint. Dillon then uses Coal while Kaz sends out Tank. After a lot of back and forth, Coal faints. Persian is able to finish off the weakened Tank as well as doing a lot of damage to Kaz's Magmar before fainting.
Dillon looks at Pika, "Go hide if you want." He says before throwing out Scyther's pokeball. Pika visibly freezes next to Dillon, and Aurora and Pachirisu notice. "Quick attack!" Dillon orders, and the attack is enough to take down the weakened Magmar.
"Okay. You got me down to my last pokemon. I expect nothing less from my rival." Kaz smirks and throws out a Rhydon. After exchanging a few moves and Scyther trying to dodge a bunch of rock slides, Scyther faints. "You gonna use Pika's irontail to finish us?" Kaz calls from across the arena as Dillon returns Scyther.
Dillon looks at his last pokemon who is visibly still shaken up from seeing Scyther. "Nah. I forfeit." he says and walks towards the Pokemon Center to heal his pokemon while leaving the scared Pikachu all alone.
Kaz returns Rhydon and gives Aurora a confused look. "Why didn't he use Pika?"
Aurora sighs and walks over to pick up the trembling Pikachu. "He's scared of Scythers."
Kaz seems to realize something as he walks with Aurora to the Pokemon Center. "I remember my dad telling me he saved Pika from a swarm of Scythers many years ago! Pika was all bloody and barely breathing. There was another Pikachu with him that didn't make it." Kaz looks down sadly.
"That must have been his family or friend." Aurora holds the curled up Pika closer. "I wish Dillon would just stop using Scyther if he scares Pika this much."
Kaz shakes his head. "No. Dillon is doing the right thing." She gives him a questioning look. "Pika being scared of a pokemon is a liability in battle. Scyther isn't scared of any pokemon, so Dillon trusts he won't freeze up."
Aurora nods and looks down at Pika. "I wish we could help him get over his fear."
Kaz smiles before he scratches Pika's back and then the concerned Pachirisu behind the ears. Pachirisu has been perched on Aurora's shoulder since the battle. "If anyone can help him, it's all of you guys. He's got a pretty good support group."
Aurora gives him a smile back. "Why don't you travel with us, Kaz?" she offers.
"No thanks." He laughs. "I like traveling alone. I go at my own pace."
"That's what Dillon said, but he seems to like us now." Aurora laughs.
Kaz laughs too. "I appreciate the offer, but Dillon and I are rivals, and we're very different people. But thank you though, Aurora." They smile at each other as they reach the Pokemon Center. Kaz heals his pokemon and heads out. He told Aurora that he already got his Marsh Badge from Sabrina when he noticed them in the field nearby. He's currently on his way to Fuschia City to challenge Janine.
Aurora is sitting in the Pokemon Center lobby with Pika curled up sadly on her lap after she checked in Pachirisu to Nurse Joy. The white mouse had said she wanted to talk with Scyther. Granite walks in and sees his friend so he sits beside her. "Where's Dillon?"
At the name of his trainer, Pika's ears droop lower. "I don't know. He had a battle with Kaz and then left after coming here.
"Why'd he leave Pika?"
"He used Scyther in the battle." She softly replies. Granite nods now that he understands the situation.
He scratches Pika on the back. "It's okay, Pika. It takes time to get over our fears." The electric mouse buries his head between his arms.
"I don't know how to help." Aurora sighs.
Granite smiles at her. "You're doing it right now." She raises an eyebrow at him. "You're soothing Pika's nerves. I know Dillon trains Scyther when Pika isn't around. He is trying to bring them together. And I bet Pachirisu is also a great support system for Pika. We just gotta show him he's not alone in this, and no one will ever hurt him like that again. He'll come around."
"I don't think Dillon has that patience." She sadly says.
"Dillon doesn't give up easily." He claps Aurora on the back. "You should know that already, Aurora." He smiles and goes to check his pokemon in to Nurse Joy.
The teen girl looks down at Pika. "He's right, Pika. We're not gonna give up, and neither should you!" She exclaims to him. His ears twitch, and she deems that is good enough for now.