Credit where credit is due. The idea for Hattrem's situation (and the memory of Hattrem's mere existence lol) comes from prosecrastinator's own Pokemon fic, "Infinite." The exact inspiration is too much of a spoiler to mention, but if you read that fic, you'll be able to pick it out pretty easily.


Hattrem's Den

"If I'm upset, hold me and tell me how beautiful I am. If I growl, retreat to a safe distance and throw chocolate." - Unknown

While Eevee rested from our battle, Sprout, Wobbles, and I decided to make ourselves useful by gathering food. Meanwhile, Absol stayed behind to guard the hatchling while he slept. I had spotted a lum berry bush when I'd heard a faint, feminine human voice say the words "powerful pokemon."

"A powerful pokemon, you say," the response is from another human, this time a male.

"You heard me right!" the female chimes. "I overheard some trainers talking about it. It's called Hattrem, and apparently it lives in this area. Sounds right up our ally, don't you think, boys?"

The next voice belongs to a pokemon. "Hey, you know I'm up for anything."

"Oy vey. I don't know if I'm up for that." The fourth voice - a high, scratchy one - puzzles me a little. It's human language, but there's something…off about it.

I know these voices. As the four converse, I follow the sounds, hoping to see whom they belong to.

The male human sounds worried as he replies, "Is it your stomach, old chum?"

"Don't tell me it's still bothering you," the female adds, equally concerned.

"It's probably just something I ate," the scratchy voice assures. "I'll live."

The voices are loud enough now that I must be close, but I decide to turn back. I don't want to stray too far and get lost. I got separated from one friend already. I don't want to lose anyone else.


I forget about the familiar-sounding voices when I spot buildings in the distance. We continued our trek after Eevee woke up and we had all eaten. Now, we are all standing at the top of a steep hill, but that doesn't stop me from sprinting down so fast that I end up tripping and rolling the rest of the way down. I end up flat on my back, staring up at the fluffy clouds in the quickly darkening sky. In my disorientation, or perhaps my own desperation to find Ash, I can't help thinking that the biggest one is shaped like one of his signature ball caps.

I'm not sure how long I lay in the grass, blinking away speckles, but eventually Eevee's furry brown head appears in front of me. "Are you dead?" he asks.

"What is your fixation with death?" I reply. Then, I remember what the others told me about his parents and the forest fire, and I inwardly cringe.

But, Eevee just shrugs nonchalantly as the others catch up to him. I roll over and shake out my pelt as Absol - I'm starting to get used to this - scolds me for my recklessness. But, the words roll right past me as I stand there, impatiently kneading at the grass and wishing I could still see the city from here. Alpha Electrode had pointed us in the right direction, and I don't think we've strayed too far from the path. That has to be Vermilion City up ahead! Ash has to still be there! And, if he isn't, maybe someone can contact him or at least tell me where he went.

Just a little longer, Ashton.

Absol swipes his huge paw over my ears, bringing me back to the here and now. "Are you listening to me?" I'm too distracted to do anything but stare up at him. He flicks my ears again. "Look around, Pikachu. Notice anything?"

That's when I look between his long legs and see a small shack up ahead. It's kind of a strange sight since we're still a ways away from the city, but I don't see what the big deal is. "You mean that shack?" I ask. Eevee spots it and squeaks and hides behind me, trembling. Whoever lives there must not be very friendly. "What's going on?"

Absol blinks in surprise. "You don't know?"

"You're forgetting," Sprout says, her fearful eyes locked on the shack. "He's not a wild pokemon. I'm not surprised he doesn't know about Hattrem."

"Hattrem?" I repeat. Wasn't that the pokemon those humans were talking about? "Who's that?"

"Hattrem: the serene pokemon," Wobbles informs. "A psychic-type. Its hair doubles as extra limbs that it uses for all sorts of things. Most famously - or, infamously, I suppose - it uses its hair to beat you senseless if you're being too loud." She shudders. "Learned that the hard way."

"She saw a shiny one and lost her mind," Absol explains with an eye roll. He glares at the Wobbuffet. "Thank Arceus I'm a dark-type."

Wobbles grins sheepishly. "First time seeing a shiny. What can I say?"

Absol just shakes his head "Anyway, Pikachu, the Hattrem who lives here is incredibly dangerous."

Sprout whimpers and shivers her leaves. "They say that she attacks anyone who gets too close! She's attacked us just for saying hello!"

"She's mean!" Eevee adds.

"I-I'm sure Hattrem isn't that bad," I say, ignoring a tingle of nerves. "I mean, no one would be that aggressive for no reason."

"Whatever the case," Absol says, "we stay far away from her."


That night, I can't get any sleep. We'd backtracked and made camp a safe distance from the shack, and the others had no trouble nodding off in the soft grass. Me, not so much. My mind is heavy with thoughts of Ash Ketchum. Every time I close my eyes, his face brings me a bout of insomnia. Expressive eyes the color of milk chocolate. Thick black hair that I like to rub my face in, which always generates a giggle from him. A warm, friendly smile that makes you feel like everything will be alright no matter how bad things get.

When I do manage to force him out of my mind, Hattrem takes his place. What's her story? Is she really as scary as my friends say? There must be an explanation.

After tossing and turning for what feels like hours but is probably only a few minutes, I realize that Wobbles is nowhere to be found. She doesn't need as much sleep as the rest of us, and she's had little midnight jaunts before, so it doesn't surprise me. Still, feeling the situation familiar, I decide to follow her scent. Maybe talking to her will bring me comfort the way it did when we first met.

Unless she decides to experiment on me again. I'll take my chances.

I trek through the clearing, thankfully not waking anyone like last time, and find Wobbles crouched behind a shrub and peering over it. I'm about to ask her what she's doing, but I hear a call of "Miriam? Miriam?" coming from the direction she's looking. I step a little heavier, not wanting to startle her as I get closer.

Wobbles looks at me over her shoulder. "What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep," I whisper. "What's going on?"

She hesitates then waves me closer. I approach cautiously then poke my head around the shrub. We're a short distance from the old shack, and there is a pokemon wandering around out front, calling for someone named Miriam. The pokemon is one I've never seen before. She is small, roughly my size, and has a round blue back with a white and pink cone-shaped appendage - a horn, maybe? Two large, round blue feet carry her across the grass. Then, she turns around, and Wobbles drags me back behind the shrug. Luckily, there is a gap in the brush just big enough for me to see through. To my surprise, what I thought was the pokemon's back and feet are actually part of her head. Or, more accurately, it's like someone stuck an enormous wig on a tiny doll. The pokemon has a pink body that resembles a stick-figure drawing in a dress. Her legs are too short to reach the ground, so she is carried by the two round appendages that resemble pigtails. Is she walking on her hair?

This must be Hattrem, and her cries for Miriam are growing more desperate.

I want to leap out of my hiding place and see if I can help in some way, but Wobbles grabs me before I can. She shakes her head and gives me a look that screams, "don't even think about it."

On one hand, she's more familiar with Hattrem than I am, and the fact that Wobbles is being cautious raises some red flags.

On the other hand, Hattrem is starting to cry.

The sound is killing me. This doesn't sound like an aggressive pokemon. Hattrem is in pain. I wonder who Miriam is and how long Hattrem has been searching for them. My mind instantly goes to Charmander. If Ash, Brock, Misty, and I hadn't found him when we did, how long would he have waited for his old trainer to come back? Forget that; how much longer would he have survived? And, what about Gardevoir? If we hadn't found him, would he still be sitting under that tree, waiting for Evan to return?

While I'm wrestling with indecision, Hattrem drags herself back into the shack, still crying softly. At last, Wobbles lets go of me. "That was Hattrem," she whispers sadly. "The night after she attacked us before, I was wandering around and happened to see her doing the exact thing you just witnessed."

How long has this been going on? My heart breaks on Hattrem's behalf. "Who's Miriam? Do you know?"

Wobbles frowns deeper and rubs the back of her head. "The locals say that her trainer dumped her here years ago and never came back. That's probably who Miriam is."

"And, Hattrem's been waiting all this time? Do-do the others know about this?"

Wobbles shakes her head. "You weren't there, Pikachu. We were just passing by, and Hattrem went ballistic. Absol and I held her off while Sprout got Eevee out of there. My Counter and Mirror Coat kept the worst of it at bay for me, and we Wobbuffet have really good stamina anyway. Absol ended up with the most damage, but luckily I was able to stun Hattrem with a well-timed Mirror Coat and get him out of there."

"But, you said that Hattrem is a psychic-type, right? Absol should be immune to those kinds of attacks." Said the guy who once knocked out a ground-type with an electric-type attack, I think with less pride than usual.

"I believe I've mentioned Hattrem's other method of attacking," Wobbles says. "Besides, being isolated for so long has clearly given her plenty of time to perfect her psychic powers. She also knew Dazzling Gleam," a fairy-type attack, super effective on a dark-type like Absol, "so that didn't help."

Now, I really want to nail Hattrem with Thunderbolt, but I can't get the sound of her quiet, broken sobs out of my head. "That doesn't explain why you haven't told everyone about her trainer."

"I'm getting to that. Look, Absol was badly hurt, and Eevee was still pretty fresh from his egg at the time. I knew that if I'd said something, everyone would come back to try and reason with Hattrem, and I didn't want to risk anything." She turns back to the shack and sighs. "I'd mostly forgotten about it until we came back here. I only told you all that because, well, you're here to see it. I'd like to help her, but what can I do?"

I'm still confused. None of this explains why Hattrem attacks others on sight. Is her isolation the problem? Is she so desperate for her trainer that she can't stand the sight of anyone else?

Could that have happened to my other friends? Charmander most likely would have died before he got to that point, but what about Chimchar and Tepig? Would Chimchar have spent the rest of his days pining for Paul to take him back? Would Tepig have kept searching for Shamus until he starved to death? And, I don't even know where Gardevoir is.

What about me? I've been desperate to see Ash since I woke up on Team Rocket's submarine. What if I didn't have friendly faces to keep me grounded?

Suddenly, my mind flashes to a time before Ash, before even Professor Oak. A time when my father would wrap my pre-evolved self in his tail and lift me high in the air and run around so that I could pretend I was a flying-type. A time when I would try to eat tamato berries like my mother and she would laugh and laugh when I inevitably spit out the spicy fruit and dunked my head in the river. A time when little Pichu/Pikachu was surrounded by others of his kind, when loneliness was a foreign concept.

And then, the poachers came.

I start for the shack, but Wobbles grabs my tail, an action that would earn her a good shock under normal circumstances. "Oh, no, you don't," she warns.

I yank my tail back. "I just wanna talk to her."

"Did you hear anything I just said?"

"Every word. Look, I'll admit that this is the first time I've seen a Hattrem, but it isn't the first time I've seen a pokemon in pain."

Wobbles glares at me but huffs when she sees that my mind is made up. "Well, I'm going in with you."

"I'll be fine," I insist. "Besides, the others will worry if we're both missing without an explanation."

"You make it sound like you'll be here a while."

I hesitate, preparing for an argument. "I think I'll spend the night if she lets me. After what we just saw, I don't think she should be alone."

To my surprise, Wobbles doesn't try to disway me. In fact, she looks pleased. "Honestly, I was thinking the same thing. You sure you don't want me to come in with you? Hattrem might feel more comfortable with a fellow psychic-type around."

"Like I said, everyone will worry if we're both gone when they wake up. I'll be fine."

Wobbles puts her hands on her hips. "Okay, but we need a signal or something. 'Cause I'm not leaving until I know you're gonna be alright. Or, until I know you're dead. Whatever works."

How encouraging. "If everything looks good, I'll…" I glance up and point to the shack. "I'll stick my tail through that window."

Wobbles looks up at the broken window as if memorizing its location then turns back to me. "And, if you're fighting for your life?"

Damn, this woman. "I…I'll use Thunderbolt. You'll be able to see that pretty easily."

Wobbles nods, satisfied. "Alright. Be careful."

With that, I start away but pause. Just to be safe… "If I'm not back by sunhigh, come find me."

She salutes, and I push through the brush and head for the doorway. Upon closer inspection, the shack doesn't look as rundown as I'd initially thought. Sure, it has some loose boards on the walls and plant life growing up the sides, but it seems structurally sound. There are bushes by the door that are covered in plump qualot berries. A bunch of pretty stones are lined up as a makeshift pathway. Overall, the place looks less like an abandoned building and more like an old home that someone's doing their best to keep nice, even if their attempt is a little iffy.

Of course, I don't know what the inside looks like.

Unsure of how to proceed, I start by knocking on the door, which makes it open slightly. Old house, old hinges, I guess. I look back at Wobbles, who stares intensely at me and salutes again. I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart, and carefully push open the door.

"Hello?" I call. "Hello?"

It's as dark as I expected. Even when my eyes adjust, it's hard to see. I let some sparks come to my cheeks, which helps quite a bit. I survey my surroundings. I'm standing on a bristly mat that was probably red at some point but is now a pale orange (or maybe that's just the yellow light from my cheeks). I step off it and onto a hardwood floor. There is a huge, puffy chair that leaks stuffing in some places. The couch isn't any better and is even charred in multiple places, as if a fire-type had used it for target practice. The coffee table has a cover that appears to be made out of woven vines. I go for a closer look and discover that it really is made of vines that are starting to deteriorate. I wonder if Hattrem made it. If so, she did an excellent job. Overall, apart from the expected wear and tear, the room is actually quite clean.

I hear a rustling and jump. "Hattrem?" I call, starting to feel the main character of a horror movie.

The rustling gets faster. "Miriam?" a voice responds. Hattrem rushes in from another room. The rustle seems to be from Hattrem's feet-like hair hitting the ground. "Miriam?"

The excitement on her face dissolves completely when she sees me. "Um, sorry. I'm not Miriam," I say guiltily. "My name is Pikachu." No response. Just a blank stare. I swallow thickly and shuffle my hands on the floor just for something to do. "Uh…I-I like your tablecloth," I add stupidly. "Did you make it yourself?"

Hattrem's eyes glow blue. Before I can react, something slams into me and knocks me on my stomach. My cheeks give out, plunging everything into darkness. I can't move. I can't fire off an attack..

"Hattrem, please!" I beg. "I just wanna talk!"

Whatever's covering me presses down harder, slowly squishing me into the floorboards, and I still can't move. Panic creeps over me, and I fight it back as much as I can. Think, Pikachu, think!

Suddenly, Wobbles's story pops into my head. "I lost my trainer!" I shout. The cover is still on top of me, but it's no longer pressing down. "I lost my trainer. We-we've been separated for a while now. I…I just wanted to spend the night here. Please?"

For a long time, nothing happens. Then, miraculously, the cover is gone and I can move again. I release the breath I didn't know I was holding and shakily rise to four feet. Hattrem's eyes are still glowing but are fixed on something above me. I look up and watch as the vine tablecloth - that must have been what was holding me down - floats back to its original spot on the coffee table. I want to respark my cheeks, but at this point I'm terrified that she'll assume I'm going to attack. For now, I'll have to make due. Hattrem herself seems to have no problem seeing.

She touches a tiny, fingerless hand to her chest. "Hattrem." She points at me and tilts her head, making her voluminous hair shift.

Okay, this is progress. I stand upright and touch my own chest. "I'm Pikachu."

But, Hattrem shakes her head. "Trainer."

"My trainer's name? It's Ashton. Er, well, everyone calls him Ash, but-but I like to call him Ashton sometimes. I just- I like the way it sounds. I think it-it suits him…" I trail off when I realize I'm babbling. Embarrassed now, I clear my throat. "So, is Miriam your trainer?"

Her eyes gloss over, a soft smile crosses her mouth, and she folds her tiny hands over her heart. "Miriam…"

I'm going to assume that means yes. "So…is it okay if I spend the night? I, um… I'm just not used to being alone. 'Cause, Ash always sleeps with me, you know?" It's not the whole truth, but at least I'm not lying. And, it seems like reminding Hattrem that we're in similar boats is keeping her from attacking me again. That said, that blank expression has returned to her face. I scratch my ear nervously. "I-I'm not suggesting we sleep in the same bed or anything. Just, you know… Could I just stay here for the night? Just one night? Please?"

Hattrem sizes me up some more then nods and gestures for me to follow. When she turns around, I nearly collapse with relief. I can't let my guard down, not completely, but I think I'm safe enough.

Before I follow Hattrem, I remember my agreement with Wobbles. Luckily, the torn up chair is positioned directly in front of the window. I climb up the soft, squishy fabric to the very top. Thankfully, I manage to stick my tail out the gap in the glass without cutting myself. Then, I spin around and peek out the window and see Wobbles's retreating form. Relieved that she doesn't have to worry (as much) anymore, I follow Hattrem into wherever she's leading me.


The kitchen is tiny and contains only a fridge, an oven, and some cabinets. Naturally, the former two don't work, and I'm not sure if Hattrem uses the cabinets. Still, the room is immaculate, and I suspect the other two rooms I noticed are clean as well. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd assume that the house was simply old and worn instead of outright abandoned.

Hattrem and I stand in the middle of the room, the former still using her hair as legs, and I watch as some aspear berries float in from outside, surrounded in a blue glow. Normally, pokemon using Psychic have to focus their gaze on whatever it is they're trying to manipulate, with bipedal pokemon often moving their arms in specific ways. Not Hattrem. She is perfectly still and looking in the opposite direction. The glow of her eyes is the only indication that she's doing anything at all.

"You're really good with Psychic," I comment as the berries float down in front of us.

"Practice," Hattrem says. She picks up her berry and starts whacking it on the floor.

"Can I show you something?" I ask. Hattrem stops and blinks at me. "We electric-types have a certain way of eating these things." She nods and sets the berry down.

Nuts and certain fruits have a hard outer shell that needs to be cracked open to get to the edible parts. Some of these foods, aspear berries for instance, can be especially tough. Luckily, electric-types, my kind in particular, can use our own store of electricity as a makeshift nutcracker. Or, berry-cracker as the case may be.

I lower my face, pressing one berry against each cheek, and let the sparks fly. I freeze at Hattrem's sharp hiss but relax when she doesn't do anything else. I think I made the right call not utilizing my internal flashlight. I pick up one berry, lightly tap it on the floor, and show Hattrem how easily the shell cracks. She hums, impressed, and does the same with the other one.

"Yeah, electric-types are good with this stuff. The Pichu-line in particular are known for it. Our electricity gives it a unique flavor, you see." Hattrem scoops out a handful of the soft flesh, nibbles curiously at it, and mmm's at the smoky tang. If there's a nut or berry that doesn't pair well with a quick jolt, I have yet to find it. "Say, couldn't you have just opened these with Psychic?" I ask, digging out the large seed inside and biting into it, enjoying the familiar crunch and flavor of smoked nuts.

Hattrem shrugs. "I like the manual process. It feels more satisfying."

I nearly choke on my seed. Here, I was expecting nothing but one-word answers all night.

Hattrem swallows a mouthful of fruit then goes on. "You mentioned Pichu. Are you its evolved form?"

I blink out of my shock and nod. "Y-yeah. Pichu, Pikachu, and then Raichu. What about you?"

"Hatenna, Hattrem, Hatterene." She scoops out more of the fruit and smiles dreamily. "I feel like I will be evolving soon. Miriam will be so happy when she gets back."

My delight at Hattrem using full sentences wavers at the mention of her trainer. "You want to evolve and surprise her?"

Hattrem holds up a hand while she chews then answers after swallowing. "I've already evolved. I was Hatenna when she brought me here. But, I would like to be fully evolved when she returns."

"I see," is all I can say. My appetite vanishes, but I keep eating so Hattrem doesn't ask what's wrong. "So, what's Miriam like?"

Hattrem tilts her head back with a content sigh. "She is brilliant, a truly brilliant woman. And, she has a great sense of humor. And, she is always looking out for her fellow human."

But, not her pokemon, apparently. Arceus, the repercussions of saying that out loud… "She sounds pretty great," I say instead.

"And, Ashton?" Hattrem asks. "Tell me about him."

The words snag on my heart. I knew that not thinking about Ash would be a challenge, but I hadn't expected to be outright asked to think about him. For the umpteenth time tonight, his face pops into my head. All bright smiles and laughter and a genuine love of all creatures, human and pokemon alike.

My throat tightens, and it takes me a moment to speak. "Ash is… Well, kind is the first word that comes to mind. And, he's really good at thinking on his feet. He's also kind of reckless. But, there's no one better in a crisis. Pressure is where Ashton really shines. And, even when he's down, he-he always manages to spring back up." I have to stop before I start crying.

"I am sorry that I attacked you," Hattrem says suddenly. "Other pokemon scare me. They do not understand."

She doesn't elaborate. She doesn't need to. "I understand," I say around the lump still wedged in my throat. "I've made friends since Ash and I got separated, but I still feel lonely, you know? Maybe, instead of attacking other pokemon, you could try befriending them. While you're here, you may as well make the most of it, right?."

Her dark eyes soften even more, and she takes my hand in hers. "You are my friend, Pikachu. My first in a long time."

My eyes water, and I can only nod.

We finish our meals in a companionable silence. But, the more I think about all this, the angrier I get. Why does this keep happening? Here we have a sweet, scared pokemon who wants nothing more than her beloved trainer's returned affections. I hope I never meet Miriam. No, I hope I do meet her so that I can zap her into charcoal.

More than that…I wish Ash was here. I would relay Hattrem's story to him, and his heart would break along with mine. He would ask to catch her, to give her a home and all the love and care she deserves. She would say yes because of course she would. She would evolve for someone who truly loves her, who wants her to be happy.

But, Ash isn't here. That means it's my job to make Hattrem happy.

"You said you want to evolve, right?" I confirm, licking the juices off my hands. "How do your kind do that?"

Hattrem is licking her hands as well. "Getting stronger."

"Well, that's easy enough. Let's have a battle, Hattrem!" She pauses mid-lick and looks at me like I've suggested we dance the tango, but I won't let that deter me. "Battling is the best way to get stronger, and I've seen a number of pokemon evolve right in the heat of battle." Then, I remember what time of day - or not day - it is. "I mean, we should probably wait until morning-"

"We can go now," Hattrem interrupts, sending the shell pieces floating back out the window.

I blink in surprise. I'm glad she agreed to battle, but… "Hattrem, it's the middle of the night. Most pokemon are asleep."

She starts toward the door. "No one will hear us." She turns and gestures for me to follow when I fail to do so right away.

I'm hesitant but she seems confident so I follow.


"Are you sure no one will hear us?" I ask. "I'd hate to wake anyone."

I had expected Hattrem to lead me to some remote area, far enough away that we wouldn't be heard by any sleeping pokemon. Instead, we are barely ten feet from the front door of the shack. The forest is far enough from here, I suppose, but I have no doubt that there are sleeping pokemon we can't see.

"It is fine," Hattrem says, walking a good distance away from me. "When you are ready, Pikachu," she calls when she is in position.

I guess I'll have to trust her.

I start off by charging at her, my tail hardening behind me. She doesn't move until I get close. I see a flash of red as I spin around to hit her and make contact with something that sends me flying backwards. I catch myself on all-fours, and it looks like Hattrem had been thrown back as well. But, she recovers just as quickly and claps her hands, firing a dark pink beam of light at me.

I counter her Psybeam with Thunderbolt just long enough to throw her off. Then, I launch myself her way with Quick Attack, managing to nail her and send her flying back once again. She picks herself up after a moment. She growls, low and threatening, but there's a spark in her eyes that tells me she's having fun.

Her hair glows a dark red - Brutal Swing, I realize - and she charges at me. I let her get close then jump out of the way of her swinging pigtails. A wave of static races up my tail, and I throw an Electroweb. A direct hit, and a yellow web holds her on the ground and zaps her a second later. Call that payback for the tablecloth.

She groans but gets back up as her eyes glow blue. She sends me up in the air. A pins-and-needles sensation crawls over me, and I can no longer move. Psychic is a tricky move; difficult to escape from and highly unpredictable, as there's no telling how the opponent will use it. And, I know that Hattrem is very proficient with it. Sometimes I can break out if I use Thunderbolt, as that one doesn't require the use of anything by my own energy. I try this and feel nothing but a tiny jolt in my cheeks. Hattrem's strong.

Then she releases me, but a blinding light appears as I fall. I slam my eyes shut, but this does nothing to stop not only the impact from my landing, but the searing of my skin, like I've been thrown into an oven. Wobbles did mention Dazzling Gleam. Clever of Hattrem to hold me in place and guarantee a hit.

Make that two hits. Before I can recover, Brutal Swing finally does its job and sends me rolling back. I groan as I force myself to my feet. Hattrem is a powerful pokemon, but I have plenty of fight left in me.

Hattrem tries to move but winces when a thin veil of lightning runs over her skin. My Static ability must have activated. It's not the opening I expected, but I'll take it!

I launch another Thunderbolt. Hattrem tries to move but paralysis prevents it. She screams in pain as my attack fries her. I stop and watch her sway from side to side.

Yeah, Pikachu! Keep it up!

That voice. I heard Ash cheering for me in my mind before, when I battled Zapdos. In fact, it's even louder than it was then. Part of me wants to look around and see if he's really here.

The other part sees Hattrem smack her cheeks and regain focus. I wonder if she hears Miriam cheering her on.

Hattrem claps her glowing hands and fires Psybeam. I duck away and charge at her with Quick Attack again. She tries to meet it head-on with Brutal Swing, but she doesn't get the chance. I ram her, and she shoots back. Way back, somehow flying straight through the still-open door of the shack.

How… How did I do that? Not sending her back inside - that was just dumb luck - but launching her that far. Our battle had taken us pretty far from the shack. I know that I'm strong and Hattrem - considering that most of her body is just hair - probably doesn't weigh that much, but-

Actually, this is similar to what happened when I trained with Eevee. Everything was normal, and then I got that random power boost. That had been Iron Tail, and now Quick Attack? Is it something with my physical attacks?

"Damn, you're strong!"

A new voice startles me out of my confusion. I look up to find a large blue pokemon with narrow eyes and a wide mouth that seems to take up most of his face. His long blue and purple wings propel him down beside me. At first, I wonder if Hattrem was wrong and we did wake someone, but then I remember that Golbat are nocturnal.

"And, how'd you manage to battle that quietly?" Golbat asks in amazement.

Quietly? That's not a word I ever thought would be used to describe a battle. And, this one was no exception. "I-I'm not sure. Are you here to see Hattrem?" I ask, praying that I'm not really the only friend she has.

But, Golbat disappoints me with a loud laugh. "The psycho-psychic? Not a chance! I just happened to be flying by and saw the battle. 'Bout time someone put that bitch in her place."

My blood runs hot, and it's not just leftover adrenaline. "Hey, don't talk about her like that!"

Golbat blinks, stunned at my outburst. Then, he sighs and shakes his massive head. "You're not from around here, are you? Buddy, let me give you some advice." He points a wing toward the shack. "The female in there? There's a reason we call her the psycho-psychic. She attacks on sight, no questions asked. Not everyone who gets too close gets out in one piece. And, that's when they get out. You just might be the first pokemon to beat her."

I fight the fizz in my cheeks and the rise in my temper, but a little bite leaks into my words. "Maybe you should get to know her before you listen to rumors."

Golbat huffs. "Rumors, my ass. I fly crooked because of that bitch, and she got me when I was a Zubat! You wanna make nice, knock yourself out, but don't say I didn't warn you."

I swallow a growl, but I suppose I can't fault Golbat for feeling this way. He doesn't know how scared and lonely Hattrem is. True, her story doesn't excuse her aggressiveness toward strangers, but I find it impossible to hate her for it now that I've spent time with her. Maybe now that she knows how nice it is to have a friend, she'll be more willing to be kind to strangers.

"By the way," Golbat calls as I head back to the shack, "what was that pink move you used at the end there?"


Hattrem had apparently crash-landed into the now-shattered coffee table. I return to find her struggling to her feet (her actual feet). I help her up and notice that her hair is frizzy and puffed up, like someone tried to pull her pigtails out of their ties. Or, maybe the ties are also just hair. It's hard to tell with so little light.

I ask Hattrem if she's okay, and she smiles at me. Her hair flattens back into place, and she rises back up on her pigtails. She stretches out her whole body and grunts happily. "I will evolve very soon, Pikachu."

My chest warms, and I can feel my tail wagging. "I can tell. Your voice is different." It's true. Her voice is lower, a little raspy even. "That's a good sign. I'm so happy for you, Hattrem!" Then, I remember what Golbat had said. "So, how did you manage to keep anyone from hearing us?"

"I simply manipulated the air around us while we were battling."

How- She- What?

Hattrem presses her hands together and hums, examining me. "Will you evolve soon?"

Okay… I guess we're going to ignore the fact that she somehow manipulated the air. "Actually, I'd need a Thunderstone to evolve. But, it doesn't matter, because I don't want to evolve anyway."

Hattrem tilts her head. "Ashton does not want you to evolve?"

"Not if I don't want it myself."

"He does not prioritize strength?"

I frown. "He prioritizes happiness. Being a Raichu wouldn't make me happy, so he doesn't want that any more than I do." I want to add that strength has nothing to do with evolution, but her comment bothers me. "Does Miriam prioritize strength?" Could that have something to do with her abandoning her pokemon?

Hattrem considers this for a long time. "Miriam likes things that are useful. We pokemon may like our pretty things, but Miriam will not accept something that is merely pleasant to look at. So, to answer your question, a powerful pokemon is, indeed, worth something to her."

I don't really know what to say to that. "Why did Miriam bring you here?" My stomach knots up. I don't know why I asked that. The question just flew out of my mouth, and there's no taking it back.

But, thank Arceus, Hattrem doesn't get angry. "She brought me here to keep me safe."

Whatever I was expecting, that wasn't it. "Keep you safe? From what?"

"As I've said, Miriam is a brilliant woman," Hattrem says with pride. "She is a master of chemistry and is always experimenting, and I am more than happy to assist. But, there are those who do not appreciate her genius." Hattrem balls her fists, getting angrier as she speaks. "Small-minded creatures who do not understand her. They called her mad. They wanted to hurt her!"

Out of nowhere, she and I are pelted with sharp bits of wood. What was left of the table had physically exploded. The vine tablecloth appears to have been shredded by them, and tiny splinters are everywhere. Hattrem does nothing to acknowledge the explosion or the fragments now stuck in her hair.

My stomach churns. After hearing what she did while battling, I have no doubt that Hattrem made the table explode, whether intentionally or not. Her eyes weren't even glowing, so she wasn't using Psychic. Wobbles wasn't kidding when she said that Hattrem had perfected her psychic powers.

I am really glad that I'm on her good side, and I fully intend to stay there.

Hattrem clears her throat, and the fragments slide out of her hair and onto the floor. "Bad people were after Miriam. She didn't want me to end up in the cross-fire. So, she brought me here and said she would come back once it was safe."

The story sobers me. Wobbles had said that Hattrem has been here for several years. So, either Miriam lied or she's still in danger…or she's dead. I don't like any of those options.

"Ash and I were separated by bad people too," I tell her. "They're a group called Team Rocket. They've been after me for years, and they finally got me. I got away, but Ash was nowhere to be found." A familiar weight settles in my chest. "I think I'm getting close, but…" I sigh. "I'm just not sure."

Hattrem hums sympathetically then yawns. "We should get some sleep."

My body finally catches up to me, and I echo her yawn. "Sorry I kept you up."

Hattrem shakes her head and smiles warmly. "No. I am happy you came. Thank you, Pikachu."

Her words lift the weight off my chest. "Of course. I'm just glad I could help."

Finally, finally help.

Gardevoir walked away with a broken heart. Training with Sprout and Eevee was a mess. And, even before all that, I was always useless. Anytime someone needed help, it was Ash doing everything. Ash held their hand. Ash dried their tears. Ash gave advice and encouragement.

And, me? I tried to do the same, but all I really did was piggyback off of what Ash had already done. He didn't need me. No one ever needed me.

At long last, I know how it feels to be needed.

Hattrem and I force our battered bodies up onto the charred couch. I curl up on the cushion and watch in awe as Hattrem's pigtails unravel and wrap around her. She looks like a big clump of hair. I can't even see her face anymore.

A muffled, "Good night, Pikachu," is the only indicator that she's actually in there.

My heart lighter than it has been in weeks, I snuggle closer. "Good night, Hattrem."


Thunk!

I grunt and open my blurry eyes. It's too dark to really tell, but nothing else happens, so I sigh and close my eyes once more.

Thunk! Followed by a muffled voice.

Ugh. Fine. To think, I was having such a nice dream about Hattrem and a ten-year-old Ash playing together.

I blink sleepily at Hattrem, who is still cocooned in hair. Not wanting to wake her, I carefully pull myself up and climb off the couch.

Thunk!

"Be careful, Wobbuffet!" The voice is clearer now, human-sounding. Whoever it is must be getting closer. "You'll wake the whole forest!"

The sounds are coming from out front. I tiptoe to the door.

"It's heavy, Jessie," another voice, presumably Wobbuffet, complains. Not that his presumed trainer can understand him.

Wait. Wobbuffet? Jessie?

Those voices I heard in the forest… Arceus, I'm an idiot!

This was going so well. And, no doubt James and Meowth are here as well. I have to get rid of them before Hattrem wakes up. Considering how she tried to squish me just for showing up, I can't imagine what would happen if Team Rocket tried to take her. I don't know who I'm more worried about.

The door creaks open. A light shines into the room. I instinctively duck behind the chair and peer around the side.

Jessie pokes her head in and shines her flashlight around the room. She steps inside and continues her search as Wobbuffet follows, carrying something that's bigger than he is and can only be described as a mechanical tube of toothpaste. Wobbuffet staggers under its weight, knocking the door back in the process.

Fed up, Jessie huffs and shoves the flashlight at her pokemon. "Here!" she whispers. "I'll handle this." She takes the machine and nearly topples over. She groans and somehow manages to lift it up to her chest. Wobbuffet shines the flashlight under his face, revealing a smug grin. "Oh, shut up!" Jessie snaps, just barely raising her voice. Is it me, or is she extra cranky tonight? "Let's just get Hattrem and go."

No time for a sneak attack. I leave my hiding place and run up to them, putting some spark in my cheeks. Wobbuffet gasps and snaps the light my way. Jessie nearly drops their machine.

"P-P-Pikachu!" Jessie says too loudly. "What in God's name are you doing here?"

I want to look back and see if Hattrem woke up, but I don't want to give her away. As long as she's tucked in her hair ball, she isn't recognizable.

"I was sleeping," I whisper as viciously as I can. I point to the door. "Now, beat it!"

"Believe me," Wobbuffet says miserably, "that's all I wanna do."

Jessie regains her composure and readjusts the machine in her arms. Thankfully, she lowers her voice again. "Well, Pikachu, we're not here for you, so feel free to ignore us."

"Well, I'm the only one here," I lie, pressing my hands to my chest, trying to convey this to her. I point to the door again. "Now, leave and let me sleep!"

Jessie rolls her eyes and mutters, "I wish Meowth was here."

Meowth isn't here? I turn to Wobbuffet who looks away with a forlorn expression. Then, I remember hearing them mention a stomach ache before. Is Meowth sick? Does that mean James isn't here either? Would Jessie and Wobbuffet really come here alone? Maybe they don't know Hattrem's history with strangers. Or, maybe they do, and they want her on their side.

Jessie confirms the latter a moment later. "Look. We know there's a powerful pokemon here, and it is joining Team Rocket whether it wants to or not. I'm not in the mood to deal with you, so-"

Suddenly, she drops the machine, which crashes down and leaves a large dent in the floor. Her face strains and her eyes widen. Her head tilts upward and her mouth is wide and making harsh choking sounds. The rest of her body is frozen in place, and I realize that Wobbuffet has dropped the flashlight and is in the same position, making those same ungodly sounds.

My stomach churns, and I turn around. Hattrem is no longer swaddled. Her pigtails are in place, and there is an eerily serene expression on her face. She's doing this. Whatever this is, I know she's doing it.

"Hattrem." My voice shakes. "Hattrem, you-you need to stop." No response. "Please! Please stop!" Still nothing. It's like I'm talking to the air.

Air. Hattrem can manipulate the air.

The choking gets louder, more frantic. She's suffocating them. She's stealing the air from their bodies or cutting it off completely or something.

I can't let her do this. No matter what Team Rocket's done, this is just cruel.

Electricity runs over me, and I hit Hattrem with Thunderbolt. Her screams of pain make me waver, but I need to bring her down from this. I won't let her kill them.

I release my attack and watch Hattrem collapse back onto the even more charred couch. The sounds of gasping and coughing make me turn around. Jessie and Wobbuffet are on their hands and knees, gulping air back into their lungs. I almost fall over myself but with relief.

"Are you two okay?" I ask.

Wobbuffet is able to nod and nothing else. Jessie is so busy gasping that I doubt she'd respond even if she could understand me. I turn to Hattrem to find her staring at them with hurt, murderous eyes.

No. Not at them. At me.

"You protected them." Hattrem's voice is so cold that I swear she turned into an ice-type.

My body shakes so much that even staying quadrupedal is a challenge. "You…you were…"

I hear Jessie and Wobbuffet rise behind me. Hattrem hops down from the couch, walking on her hair through the shards of table like water. "You are with them."

"No…"

"You lied to me."

"No!"

"Okay," Jessie pants behind me. I turn to find her inching closer to the door. It's hard to see in the darkness, I know there's raw fear on her face. "Okay. Clearly you're not Team Rocket material, so come on, Wobbuffet!"

She reaches for the doorknob. She pushes and pulls with all her might. Nothing. Wobbuffet grabs the knob and helps her, but it's no good. Hattrem is keeping it in place.

"Hattrem, I didn't lie to you!" Tears blur my vision. "I'm not with them, I swear! I-I'll make them leave. Just don't hurt them."

Hattrem doesn't move, doesn't lose that hateful glare. The table shards rise up. Seeing what she's about to do, I bolt to Jessie and Wobbuffet's side and ram them with Quick Attack. I knock them out of the way just as sharp bits of wood slam into the door. The three of us lay in a pile, breathing heavily, trying not to panic.

"Psychosis," Wobbuffet breathes. I don't know what that is, but now's not the time to ask.

Something thick and sticky coats my head and stings my eye. I wipe the sticky stuff with my hand and stare in shock at the dark red, honey-like substance on it. Then, I notice the white-hot pain in my ear. I must have gotten hit. It is very, very difficult to break a pokemon's skin, let alone enough to warrant this much blood. Hattrem genuinely wants to kill us, and that scares me more than anything.

Wobbuffet gasps, staring at me in horror with his hands over his mouth. The cut must be pretty bad. I gingerly reach up to touch my ear-

-only to find a tiny stump that burns like fire when I touch it.

It doesn't fully register until I find the flashlight conveniently pointed at a bloody yellow and black spike laying on the floor.

Is the room spinning or am I?

Hattrem is staring at my-my ear as well. There is a grim calmness about her that makes me forget everything else. She turns her head and blinks at me, waiting for a reaction. No warmth, no malice, nothing. There's no reasoning with her now.

Jessie stirs, and I turn to check on her. She had landed on her stomach, facing blissfully away from the carnage, and now rolls over with a grunt. Wobbuffet steadies her as she sits up. She presses her palm against her head and groans. She seems okay but for how long?

Then, she finally opens her eyes. She stares groggily at me, and her eyes grow bigger. Her breaths get faster, more shallow as her gaze darts from me to my ear on the floor to Hattrem and repeats the cycle.

Jessie screams, an ear-piercing shriek of terror.

Hattrem makes a sound as well. A quiet snarl that's barely heard under Jessie's fear.

Jessie leaps to her feet, scoops me up, and grabs Wobbuffet's hand. She pulls us to the door and stupidly tries it again, screaming for help, for someone to let us out. A rhythmic slamming makes me think that Wobbuffet is throwing himself against the door. Maybe neither of them knows what else to do.

Jessie has me tucked under her arm, facing what is behind her, and that is Hattrem with her hands covering where her ears would be if she had them. Jessie's long hair is in my face, and blood pours into my eye, but I can still make out Hattrem's pained expression.

Hattrem hates loud noises. That's what Wobbles had said. I can't breathe, can't move, can't think.

There is a loud crash, and Jessie falls back with another shriek, dropping me. Jessie and Wobbuffet land flat on their backs. I land on my stomach and wipe blood or tears or both from my face. I roll over and see that the floorboards in front of the door have shot upward, sticking straight up.

I roll back over and struggle to my feet, my muscles screaming at me to fall back down. I haven't slept enough; I'm still not fully healed from the battle.

Hattrem is glowing now, encased in a shimmering rainbow of lights that's hard to look at in the darkness. At first, I think she is going to use Dazzling Gleam.

But, then she grows taller.

Things just got a whole lot worse.