AN: First of all, this chapter all takes place in the past and second, I first started watching Pokemon in 1997 so I'm a huge fan of everything Johto (and Kanto) so that's why I choose to ship Kasumi and Satoshi. Also, I'm a huge Growlithe fan but that's just a little fact about myself.

Chapter Two

"Satoshi, honey," Mom tells me as I eat breakfast. I'm back in Pallet Town for a week or so to talk to a bunch of Pokemon enthusiasts about how you should follow your dreams but also to encourage them to do what Mom forced me to do and participate in an on the road education so I could at least learn basic principles of math and science. I've agreed to do this because Dr. Ohkido asked me to. I owe him a lot and I have some time between my studies. I've also done really well in this contest.

I watch Pikachu dump ketchup on a plate and turn to face my mother with unwavering eye contact being made. "Yes," I nod and I hear Mom sigh. She looks troubled.

"Darling, there's something that you should know," Mom says and I wipe my face with a napkin. I prepare myself for whatever she is going to say. It seems terrifyingly serious. "It's about your father."

I pause. Dad hasn't been part of my life, he couldn't be. I always thought that he had passed away and I want to be proud to be his son but it's hard to know much about him. I look at Mom and nod. I'm ready for whatever she has to tell me.

"Your father isn't dead," she tells me and I look at her. "Honey, there was an accident when you were a little boy. You know that sometimes there are unexplainable things in the world," she says and I have to admit that's true. I've seen Pokemon that I never thought I would ever meet. I've experienced partial death a number of times. Yes, if anyone should believe in the impossible then it's me.

"Okay," I reply slowly and Mom grabs her Mr. Mime and holds him in front of me. "Satoshi," she tells me slowly, "Your father turned into a Pokemon. This is your father," she tells me and the Mr. Mime waves at me. I pale. What is she talking about? My father is a Mr. Mime. No….

"Da-aad?" I ask as I reach out for him and my stomach is turning over. My gut doesn't feel right but should it feel right when your dad has just been announced as a Pokemon.

Suddenly there is a beeping sound and I'm not sure what it is, it sounds like some kind of -

…..

…..

I roll onto the floor of my bedroom and feel the wood under my cheek. A dream. It was just some kind of bizarre dream. I see Pikachu coming over to me and he tilts his head down.

"Pikapi?" he asks and I groan. I thought I was beyond having strange dreams of my mother telling me that my dad is actually her Mr. Mime. I glance up at the clock as I remain on the floor, Pikachu is poking me now to make sure that I'm okay. There's still two more hours until I have to give my speech on what it is to be a Pokemon trainer. I push myself onto the bed and pull Pikachu into my arms. For six years we've been together. He really should count as my best friend.

"I'm fine," I tell Pikachu as I push myself up. Well, it should be time to get washed up and prepare for the demonstration to the kids who are waiting to start their journey. There's so much that I've been through which has been kept secret. If the world knew about that then they might even want me to speak to all of Japan about Pokemon.

I chuckle at the thought and gesture for Pikachu to get onto the bed as I get prepared. Out of all the things that have changed in these six years that I've been on my journey, my hat is still something that I want to keep hold of. I've lost it a few times but somehow it always came back to me. I smile to Pikachu as I put on my jacket. I'm glad that he's been healthy all of these years. Some Pokemon slow down when they get older but Pikachu is still as happy as always.

Pikachu jumps onto my shoulder and we share a smile before I make my way downstairs. I look at Mr. Mime a little suspiciously. I know it's not my dad in there but man, that dream was messed up on a number of levels.

"Are you going to get to the demonstration in time," Mom asks as she brings me breakfast. I smile at her, thankful for a homecooked meal. I squirt a little ketchup out for Pikachu before hearing the door open quickly and I look up. I knew that Takeshi was coming but I didn't know that he was already here.

"Hey, I brought them," he smiles and I blink as I look to the bag. He proudly walks forwards and puts the bag on the middle of the counter, "Enough jelly doughnuts to last us the entire day," he claims proudly and I look into the bag before laughing weakly.

"Uh, Takeshi," I tell him as I open the bag. Maybe he didn't open his eyes wide enough to inspect what was inside this bag because these are not jelly doughnuts. "You do realize these are rice balls, don't you?" I ask him and Takeshi stares at me.

"They gave me the wrong thing again," he groans and I hear Pikachu laughing.

"Yeah," I shrug, "Who are you dealing with a racist cartoon dubbing company?"

At least we have the onigiri to last us through the day and depending on what kind of assortment is in that bag, it's going to be a lot better to sustain us than an entire bag of jelly doughnuts.

…..

…..

Satoshi has selected me for his demonstration, well he selected me and Greninja but I still think that my power is better. I have been with Satoshi the longest, I know what his commands are and I understand his strategies and tactics. I can outperform any other Pokemon. I look to the crowd that has gathered, all cheering us on.

I am a proud Pikachu and more than that, I am a Pikachu who has a trainer who loves me. There were many tragedies that we saw along the road to get this far but Satoshi has always tried to keep me safe and warm and happy. I am really thankful that I wasn't just passed off to someone who only cares about battling and would force me to go into that strange cramped space of a Pokeball.

"So," someone questions Satoshi and he pets me on the head, I look up at him curiously, "This Pikachu was the first Pokemon you ever received and has been with you through nearly all your battles as a trainer. Do you think that there's something special about the bond that you and your Pikachu share."

I smile as I look at Satoshi and say his name with a happy grin, he pets me again.

"Pikachu is like my best friend," he says honestly. "We've traveled with other people but whereas I could say goodbye to them and wish them well on their journeys, I would never be able to do the same thing to Pikachu. We're best buddies and of course that makes us a stronger team. I know how he's feeling and he understands how I am, that's what our biggest con-"

Satoshi starts coughing and I look at him nervously. People don't know this but he's been coughing like that a lot recently. It must be some kind of allergy. Takeshi talked about allergies before and how even Pokemon can get them. I hope it's that. The coughs kind of scare me.

"Are you okay?" the woman asks and without telling me before hand, Satoshi pulls me to his lap and wraps his arms around me. We share the heat but I wonder what he's doing. I look to him again.

"I am, yeah," he nods and I look out to the crowd. They seem very concerned about him. Mom seems the most concerned, it's as if she wants to come join us on the stage but she hasn't been invited up here.

"So, you were going to show us some of Pikachu's moves?" the woman asks and Satoshi stands up, placing me on the ground.

"Yeah," he says and as I watch him, he seems a bit paler than usual. He pushes a hand through his hair and laughs and I don't really understand what is going on. He leads me over to a sack where I'm supposed to perform my moves.

He tells me a few commands, like to use my tail and my electricity moves but then it stops and I stare at the sack. No sack can defeat me. I listen for the next move but I can't hear him. I have to wait though, I promised myself to make him proud.

It's at that point that I hear one word which makes my heart race.

'Fainted?'

I haven't fainted but as I turn back to see what they mean, I see Satoshi lying on the stage, face down and having trouble breathing. The woman puts him on his side and Mom immediately is up there as well as Takeshi trying to check on him. I have seen him die before but he always came back. I feel nervous, he can't leave me again, one day it will be the day when he doesn't come back.

I try to shake him but he's breathing, maybe he just needs to go to a Pokemon center.

…

…

Can you stay with Takeshi for me?

Those were the last words that Satoshi said to me. He woke up for only a little bit before falling asleep again and they took him away in an ambulance. I don't really know much about human Pokecenters, hopefully Mom and Takeshi do. Takeshi has handed me a small bottle of ketchup and he keeps petting me in the way he did when we travelled together.

He looks worried. Mom keeps pacing and I don't know why I can't be with him. They said something about an examination and only doctors in the room but I don't know why I can't be with him. I look up at Takeshi who is pale as well. Is he going to faint as well?

I try to settle down and then see Kasumi rush in, her face showing her panic.

"I came as soon as I heard," she tells Mom who hugs her. I wonder how many more of our friends are going to come here. I blink up at her, she sometimes can make Satoshi feel all better even if it is by yelling at him.

"Pikachu-Pi" I call out to her and she rushes over, lifting me up in her arms and pulling me close.

"Hey, Pikachu" she says in the warm and loving way that she always has. "I'm so glad to see you again. You must be so scared. I'm sure that Satoshi is okay, so you don't need to worry anymore," she says before looking to Takeshi. It feels like the old days when all four of us were together. "How is he?"

"It's not looking too good," Takeshi says and I don't understand. Us Pokemon heal fast especially when taken to a center. Satoshi should be the same.

"I'm sure he'll be okay, Pikachu" she tries to encourage me but her face shows her worry. I really want to be with Satoshi right now.

End of Chapter Two

Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter One

CrushFruits, Hybrid of Fate, Nami,

AN2:

I don't judge people until they do anything to me. I think there is too much hate in the world. I actually don't really care about what people do (as far as small trivial things) unless it hurts me or someone I care about so that's what forms my opinion of you. I'm sorry if that sounds offensive.

I am happy people told me about some of the people to block though and showed me examples of those people (in PM to me)