Eternatus: Thank you :D With Gary, not only is he having to reconcile with what happened to Ash but he's always hit me as the kind to think first and act later so he's thinking ahead and trying to get into the habit of calling Ash Red in his mind now. It's one of those where once it's internalized there's much less chance of making a mistake.
As for the rest of y'all, feel free to drop a comment, I always look forward to hearing what ya have to say. Theories, ideas, remarks. Hit me with them! That said, enjoy the chap!
Chapter 8
Planning
"So, let me see if I understand this." Nurse Joy stated softly, after reading Red's scribbled note. "You want to borrow Chansey so your Pikachu has a sparring partner?" Red nodded, his expression serious. The nurse frowned, looking over to where the blind pokemon was repeatedly whacking his tail against one of Chansey's paws, simulating an Iron Tail. "I'm not sure about this."
After laying in bed the night before, sorting through their dilemma, Red eventually dozed off sometime in the early morning. Waking from his surprise nap, he'd found food for both him and Pikachu on the table beside his bed. He'd gotten his starter up to eat and, after they finished, the mouse had been antsy to do something besides lay around. While Red could agree that getting started on training would be a good thing, he was still confined to bed until standing didn't make him want to hurl anymore.
Nurse Joy and Chansey arrived sometime later to change their bandages, and Red had been amused when Pikachu attempted to convince Chansey to let him use the egg pokemon as a punching bag. Chansey had swiftly laid down the law when it came to which moves the electric type could use on her. Now though, the trainer was trying to convince a reluctant Nurse Joy to let them use the center's battlefield. Pikachu seriously needed to work out some of his frustrations against an actual sparring partner.
Seeing how protective the nurse was of her pokemon partner, Red quickly reclaimed the pen and paper and began scribbling. When he turned back to her, it read: We won't do anything too strenuous and, if you believe we're going too far, you can call it quits. I just want him to get some exercise before he starts shocking somebody. He knew she would read the 'somebody' as him. She'd already seen Pikachu do it once when he'd tried to stop the mouse from picking a fight with Chansey.
Of course, he was ignoring the fact she'd panicked for nothing since he did little more than cough up a ball of smoke. He'd been shocked by Pikachu so many times before and after waking up in Gary's camp, he was used to most of what the mouse could do. Red wasn't too sure about the Thunderbolt-sized ones but he also wasn't keen on that either.
The nurse carefully analyzed the pokemon, and Red could practically see the gears turning. "Chansey does seem to be having fun. Maybe for just a little while." Red grinned, before hiding the expression when she turned to glare at him. "But, if either of you overdo it, by even a little, I'm putting you both on bed rest. And no more sparring, or even running around in circles, for the remainder of the week. Am I understood?"
Red was quick to nod. He knew Nurse Joy would follow through on her word if he didn't listen. Seeing his agreement, the nurse's expression relaxed, and she turned back to the pokemon.
"Chansey, Pikachu, come here please." The egg pokemon caught Pikachu's tail in her paws, effortlessly hoisting the mouse into her arms before waddling over to them. When Pikachu didn't shock the normal type, Red was glad the mouse was willing to listen to someone else, even if only by that much. A part of him somehow knew the stubborn electric type would only listen to a handful of people. Since the trainer couldn't speak, it would fall on Nurse Joy to call him to order until Red figured out a way to communicate beyond telepathy.
Further on, nonverbal communication would come in handy for tripping up their opponents but, until the kinks were ironed out, Red foresaw a long road of trial and error ahead. One that likely meant anyone else trying to order the mouse around would get the shock of a lifetime.
Chansey set Pikachu on the bed, the mouse angling his ears in the nurse's direction while he sat up straight. The normal type moved until she was standing at attention in front of Nurse Joy. The nurse smiled, reaching out to pat the egg pokemon's head. "I understand you two want to spar but, Chansey, you have to remember Pikachu is injured. You can't let him overexert himself."
When the egg pokemon nodded with a quiet, "Chans." the nurse turned to the electric type. "And Pikachu, since your trainer can't command you, you'll have to listen to either I or Chansey if we tell you to stop. You don't want Red getting anymore hurt trying to ensure you don't overexert yourself, now do you?"
The thought of actually hurting Red bothered the electric type. That was obvious by how Pikachu's ears and tail drooped, head lowered in sadness. "Pikapi chu." The mouse mumbled wholeheartedly.
"Never." There was that quiet voice again, popping into Red's mind the same way it had earlier. The trainer had his suspicions over who the voice belonged to but, until he could say for sure, he didn't want to get his hopes up. Even still, he reached forward and scratched under Pikachu's chin, causing the starter to hum happily.
Nurse Joy smiled at the sight, then clapped her hands, catching the attention of all three. "I don't see any reason to hesitate then. Chansey, could you please escort Pikachu outside while I bring his trainer?"
"Chan, sey, sey!" The egg pokemon cheered before she picked up Pikachu and scurried through the door. While they left, Nurse Joy walked over to a wheelchair sitting in a corner of the room, well out of the way of anyone's path. She rolled it over and Red grimaced, causing her lips to curl into a small, shaky smile. She seemed to be trying to avoid laughing.
"Considering the way you act, I doubt you'll need this more than a couple of days before you'll be standing on your own." She admitted, that same amusement coloring her tone. Red just snorted, ignoring the burning igniting in his throat from the gesture. Even if she was right, he wasn't going to add to her amusement. Once he was settled there, she wheeled him out and around the side of the building. He'd known from Gary that the center had a field outback. But he didn't know it also had one at the side of the building.
This second one was where Chansey had taken Pikachu, settling the mouse in the middle of the field so he could sniff around and explore while they waited for their trainers to arrive. Nurse Joy dragged the chair to the sidelines, parking it near the middle of the field before she came to stand beside it. Even if Red didn't like it, he understood it was the nurse's way of making sure he didn't try to go overboard if he got drawn into the adrenaline of the battle.
"Now then," She called to gain the attention of the pokemon. "Chansey, I'm giving you free rein to use your moves any way you choose, just be careful not to go too hard until you see the same from Pikachu."
"Ans, sey!" The egg pokemon saluted.
Red watched Pikachu sniff the dirt under his paws, scratching at it here and there as if trying to get a feel for his surroundings. Knowing the mouse was disoriented, Red reached out for him, spotting the starter's ears perk to attention. "Dirt field, usual design. Chansey's fifty feet ahead. Begin with an Iron Tail, and pay attention to the sound of her footsteps."
Pikachu subtly nodded, dropping down to all fours, before charging straight ahead. When the start of the maneuver was delayed, Red sighed, setting his head in his hands. He had a feeling trial, error, and repetition were about to become three terms he and Pikachu would be getting intimately familiar with.
XxX
"We need a way to ensure you know when to dodge attacks, and when to make them." Red stared at the mouse lying across the foot of the bed. Pikachu's spar with Chansey a few hours before had revealed some glaringly large holes in their battle strategy. The trainer knew they needed ironing out before the pair could even consider themselves a fighting team. The initial delay in attacks, inability to dodge effectively, and Pikachu's hesitancy to run around the field, meant they had to find a strategy that could utilize the electric mouse's speed, while also factoring in Red's muteness.
Yes, his ability to mentally communicate with the electric type helped when giving orders, but there was a significant delay between those orders being given and them being enacted. Which meant… "Are you even listening to me?" He asked exasperatedly.
Pikachu's tail swayed lazily. Since the mouse had had his exercise he seemed more than content to doze the rest of the afternoon away. Red scowled. "Oh no, you don't. We're not doing this. Come here!" The trainer lurched forward, wrapping his arms around the pokemon, despite the angry protests that followed the movement. He would pay for it later, but currently, he was more annoyed with Pikachu for ignoring him.
The mouse yelped, sending a sharp shock traveling up Red's arms. The trainer smirked, moving a hand across Pikachu's stomach in a way that left the starter giggling in happiness. "Pika! Chu, pikapi!"
"Surrender!" That quiet voice filled his ears again. His smirk faded into a smile, and he ceased his tickle attack. After a moment, Pikachu stood up and gave the trainer his full attention. Red had a theory—more of a hunch, really—that the voice he'd heard throughout the day belonged to his partner. If so, it would be a big help. But, until they understood this new development, Red had another plan in mind.
"Now. Your hearing is extremely fine. I've seen you hone in on the food cart before Chansey even pulls it out of the kitchen. We're going to use that to our advantage. When I snap my fingers, I want you to jump." Raising his hand, the trainer did just that. Pikachu jumped, if only a little, off the bed and Red sighed. "Come on, you have to jump higher than that. What if that was a Low Sweep? You would have been kicked into the wall."
"Pipi pika!" The mouse retorted. Even if Red couldn't understand the words, he somehow knew it was a sarcastic remark.
"Try it again." He snapped his fingers, and this time Pikachu jumped almost to eye level. "Good. Each snap should be a jump that high or higher. As for dodging…" Okay, he had to admit, he hadn't really thought much about this, but the trainer knew it had to be done. "When I click my teeth that'll be the sign for you to dart to the left. When I do it twice, dart to the right."
Pikachu tilted his head in question, and Red clicked his teeth once, in response to which the mouse took a hesitant step to the right. The trainer huffed in amusement, reaching up to scratch his starter's bandaged head. "Not quite, bud. Remember, once is left, twice is right."
"Pi." The electric type nodded.
XxX
Three days later found the duo back out on the field. Watching Pikachu dart across the packed soil, Red waited, eyeing his starter before giving the next commands.
Two snaps. Click. Wait. Click again.
Nurse Joy still wouldn't let him out of the wheelchair. Though he could see her point about getting well enough to stand on his own first, the trainer knew he needed to be in Pikachu's trainer box. There was a world of difference between watching his pokemon battle from the sidelines and standing at their back, helping to win the battle. But for now, Red bided his time.
Pikachu was getting good at nonverbal commands. When Chansey charged for a Tackle, the mouse jumped, bouncing a second jump off the egg pokemon's head. Then he dove left, veering back toward the trainer's box with the second click. Well...what would have been the trainer's box. Red's position at mid-field was throwing off Pikachu's location.
It was aggravating. Red knew, if he could just get into the trainer's box, some of those issues would be fixed. For now though…
"Pikachu, stop!" The command came two seconds too late, Pikachu digging his paws into the dirt, only for momentum to send the electric type rolling tail over head several times before finally sliding to a halt in front of Red's wheelchair.
"Pikaaa." He groaned, his twitching tail telling Red all he needed to know about that landing. Smiling in amusement, the trainer slowly reached down, picking up the mouse to set him on his lap. When he softly scratched between Pikachu's ears, the pokemon perked up, his cheek sacs humming with happy sparks.
The night before, Nurse Joy deemed they could lessen the number of bandages the pokemon wore, not only giving Pikachu back some maneuverability but also making him seem less of a mummy and more like the yellow ball of fluff he was. All that currently remained were the ones around his chest and eyes. But, from what Red understood, the bandages around Pikachu's eyes were there to stay. Especially if Pikachu was to become a battling pokemon again. They were a weak spot, both in life and in training, and Red knew he would have to keep careful watch.
"Not one of your best landings, now was it?" He asked the electric type amusedly.
Pikachu snorted, those sparks numbing Red's arm in a show of irritation. "Pi, pi, pika, chu, Pikapi." A sharp jolt up Red's arm caused him to snatch the limb away and glare at the smug mouse.
"I was going to convince Nurse Joy to let you have a treat but fine, be that way." No, it was not his imagination. Pikachu had ramped up his sparking cheeks to at least Thunderwave level.
"Red!" Looking up at his name, he found Nurse Joy walking toward him, the usual smile adorning her features a bit tense. When she was close, she stopped and waved for Chansey to come off the field. "Unfortunately, some trainers just came from the gym. I'll need to borrow Chansey for a bit to get them all healed."
Shards of memory floated through Red's mind. Multiple faces, all appearing similar yet different in their own way. All smiling and willing to help. Had he really seen that many Nurse Joys on his journey? He nodded in understanding, and the nurse hesitated, looking around the empty field in thought.
"I suppose I could let you two remain outside for now. It is such a lovely day, and the air would do you both some good. If you want to train some more I won't stop you, but take it easy. You and Pikachu don't need to aggravate your injuries by going too far." At her fierce expression, Red nodded weakly and she smiled, clapping her hands together. "Great. If you get hungry just come on in and Chansey or I will make some lunch."
With that, she and Chansey left. Once they were out of sight, Red grinned. Pikachu was still in his lap and, with no nurses to tell him he couldn't, he was free to do what he'd been wanting since Nurse Joy allowed them on the battlefield three days before. Rolling himself over to the trainer's box, he gently patted Pikachu's head.
"Pikachu?"
"Chu?"
"Battle ready." At the familiar term, Pikachu sat up, turning to face the field. Without needing to be told, the mouse leaped onto the field, running forward a couple more steps than was necessary before he came to a stop.
Red clicked his teeth twice. Without hesitation, Pikachu darted to the right. One click. The mouse changed direction, sidestepping almost instantaneously. When he came to a stop in the middle of the field, Red smirked. "Iron Tail."
Pikachu's tail glowed silver. He didn't release the move though. Instead, he held it, waiting, his ears turned back to Red. After a moment, Red snapped his fingers twice, followed by a double click.
On cue, the electric starter leaped into the air. Pulling a front flip, he slammed into the ground hard enough to leave an indent. The impact sent him bouncing back up, and he rolled to the right.
"Good job, bud." At the compliment, Pikachu shook the dust from his fur and jogged back to Red, this time able to stop in front of the wheelchair without an epic crash to accompany it. Knowing Nurse Joy would have his hide for what he was about to do, Red slid out of the wheelchair, kneeling beside Pikachu to scratch between his ears. He didn't want to keep picking the mouse up every time he wanted to show him affection, just to have the mouse return to the field. Pikachu sighed in happiness before shaking off the hand and pointing in the direction of the field.
"You want to continue." Red stated more than asked. He understood the feeling. After being told they couldn't, it simply made their fire burn brighter to prove they could.
"Yes!" That small voice echoed in his mind. Red smiled, scratching Pikachu's head again before attempting to stand up. His body wasn't happy with him but the trainer was just happy he could stand without losing his last meal or passing out. Holding one arm across his chest, Red sighed. He could do this. They would do this.
"Alright, Pikachu. Battle—"
"Hey!" A voice called out, catching the trainer's attention. Red blinked in confusion and frowned, turning to find the voice belonging to a kid he didn't recognize. The kid was a little taller than him and wore a green vest over a faded tan shirt with beige cargo shorts. He had dirty blond hair, held back by a black bandana with a pokeball symbol on it. What caught Red's attention, however, was the sleek-looking, brown-furred pokemon wrapped around the kid's neck like a scarf. "Are you Red?"
Hesitantly, he nodded and the kid grinned. "Awesome. I'm Tim. Nurse Joy just got done healing my pokemon and said you might be up for a battle. What do you say?"
"I guess Nurse Joy must think I'm getting bored." Red thought to his partner. "What do you say, bud? Wanna try a real battle?" When Pikachu cheered, the trainer smiled and nodded at Tim.
"Alright!" Tim cheered, pumping a fist in the air. With that, he jogged across the field to the other trainer box. Once he was positioned, he called out, "Now, that Pikachu of yours looks really strong, so don't even try to hold back! Furret, it's your time to shine!" The brown-furred pokemon stirred, uncoiling from its position before gracefully running onto the field.
Red arched a brow. "Holding back? Never. Come on, Pikachu, Battle Ready!"
Like earlier, Pikachu ran onto the field, this time sitting on his hindquarters with his tail pulled in close. His cheeks sparked with excitement before he regained his composure, and his ears turned to Red.
"Quick Attack!" Tim called shortly after.
The injured trainer waited, watching carefully. "Iron Tail backward on the way down." He called before snapping his fingers. On cue, Pikachu leaped into the air, his tail flashing silver. With a loud cry, he flipped backward, the move striking Furret's back. It hit hard, the brown-furred pokemon scrambling away. "Volt Tackle." Red clicked. They hadn't tried that move yet. Red was more worried about Pikachu getting around the field than using a move with a recoil effect. The mouse darted to the left. A silver trail followed him before a cone of lightning broke out over his form. Furret barely dodged, being scraped by the tail edge of the attack. Across the field, Red saw Tim scowling.
Tim had said not to hold back.
When Tim's expression began to change, melding into a smirk, Red had a bad feeling. One he would listen to. "Quick Attack into Iron Tail." The trainer called, spitting out a double click followed by a snap. Pikachu didn't get far.
"Ground him, Furret." Tim called. It was obvious to the mute trainer the other's turn of phrase was a combination of some kind, but Red couldn't tell what kind of strategy it entailed. Not until the brown-furred pokemon began spinning in a circle, kicking up dirt and sand.
"Sandstorm." Red gritted his teeth, holding up a hand to save his vision from the surprisingly strong attack. "Pikachu, hold your position. Listen for it." The storm slowly got worse, raging across the field with unrivaled fury. Red had long lost sight of his starter, and he worried what else his opponent planned. Sandstorm was a good move against Pikachu's type, but it alone was nowhere near enough to take the mouse out.
Pikachu yelped, flying out of the storm to land beside Red, and the trainer scowled. Like he'd thought, Sandstorm was simply the first step. Whatever move Tim used after the sandstorm was in full effect was his damaging move. "You good, Pikachu?" The mouse slowly got to his feet, sparks almost humming from his cheeks.
"Pi, pik. PIKACHU!" He roared, jumping into the storm once more. Red's abilities to help his partner may have been cut with the visual loss, but the trainer knew his pokemon wouldn't give in until he had nothing left to give.
"We need to clear the storm." There was something he hadn't tried yet. A combination attack he'd discovered in a shard of memory while watching Pikachu spar with Chansey. Red just hoped Pikachu was up for it. "Electro Ball and strike it down with Iron Tail." He snapped his fingers not once, not twice, but five times, forcing the mouse high enough into the air to see almost clear above the storm.
A small golden sphere of electricity formed in Pikachu's mouth, rapidly growing larger with each moment. Once it was ready, the mouse's tail glinted silver. A fast front flip had Pikachu smacking the ball into the ground below. While it cleared the storm, Red discovered the attack had somehow struck the Furret, dealing a heavy blow, and left it passed out.
Red sighed, relief releasing the tension in his shoulders. He'd been afraid it wouldn't work, but to see it work like that...it was a strategy to keep in mind. On the opposite side of the field, Tim slowly stepped up to his pokemon, carefully picking up the waking Furret. Once it was safely on his shoulders, he walked up to Red, grinning. "Thanks, Red. That was a fun battle."
The mute trainer nodded in agreement, a smile spreading across his features. The adrenaline from the battle alone was worth it, but pride at having won was something he didn't think he could ever get enough of. When Tim extended a hand, Red shook it. He wished he could express his own opinions and enjoyment of the battle, but he didn't have his pen and paper.
"Pikapi?" Pikachu called out, grabbing Red's attention, and he turned to find the mouse angling his ears this way and that, trying to locate him. Red clicked his teeth, causing Pikachu to turn to his left. The electric type ran forward, almost running into Red. He would have if the trainer hadn't stooped down and scooped him up.
"You did very well, Pikachu." He praised the pokemon, scratching under the mouse's chin. Pikachu hummed, small happy sparks racing up Red's hand.
"How do you do that?"
Red started, looking up in something like shock and embarrassment. He'd forgotten Tim was still there. Registering his question, Red shrugged, shuffling Pikachu in his arms so he could make a writing gesture. He could explain once they got into the center. Right now, though, he was hoping to get back into the wheelchair. Now that the adrenaline from the battle was wearing off, his injuries were making themselves known loudly.
Tim blinked and nodded. "Right. Sorry, Nurse Joy said you couldn't speak." How he could forget that when they had just gone through a battle without Red saying a word was...Red wasn't sure what it was, but there was a link missing in there somewhere. The mute trainer shrugged before turning around and walking stiffly to the wheelchair just outside the battlefield's boundary. Settling into it with a sigh, Red put Pikachu in his lap and then turned to head back inside.
He was at least able to wheel himself around now, even if Nurse Joy tended to throw a fit when he tried to roll after Pikachu at night. "Not my fault you keep getting lost." He grumbled to his starter. The mouse huffed in return, pressing his tail against Red's chest to send a sharp zap. Red glared, pausing just outside the front doors to flick his starter on the forehead.
"Pika." Pikachu grumbled, rubbing his forehead with both paws. "Pi, pika, chu pikapi, chu." There was a threat in there somewhere. It wasn't a steady voice like Red had heard the past few days, but the intention was there.
"I'll eat your berries." As they rolled through the doors, the mouse turned in Red's lap, and scratched at his cheeks, creating a massive shock Red knew from experience could rival a weak Thunderbolt.
Before his starter could make good on his threat, a cough got their attention, and Red turned to find Nurse Joy standing in front of them, hands on her hips and a stern glare replacing her normal soft and helpful expression. "As much as I know you could withstand a shock of that strength, Red, I'd much rather you two not melt my wheelchair."
Pikachu grumbled, but simply slapped his paws against his cheeks, soaking up the charge before he fell to sitting in Red's lap, pouting.