Back with the next chapter! Don't own Pokemon, enjoy!
Chapter 31: Pikachu's Goodbye
The bicycle bell rings as Angelina rides her blue ten-speed along the dirt path toward her next destination, Cinnabar Island.
"Hey guys!" Angelina spotted the Ketchum-brigade relaxing at their campsite. "What's up?"
"Just chillin'," Ash said, as Angelina stopped her bike and sets up her kickstand. "We need a vacation after all we've been through."
"You can say that again." Angelina giggled.
"Pika!" Pikachu was perched on a tree branch, eating an apple. "Pika?" he suddenly scrambled down the tree trunk and ran out of the campsite.
"What's wrong with Pikachu?" Angelina asked.
"Hey! Where you going, Pikachu?" Ash called and took off at a run after his Pokemon.
"Come on!" Angelina motioned to Misty and Brock; they were following right behind Ash.
"Ash crashed to a stop behind Pikachu, staring into a clearing in the forest. The others arrived also, watching a herd of Pikachu gather a few yards away eating apples and playing games.
"Wow!" Angelina gasped.
"It's amazing!" Misty whispered.
"Those must be wild Pikachu." Brock guessed.
"Pika!" Pikachu said excitedly, running out into the clearing. "Pika pi!"
The wild Pikachu froze and stared at Ash's Pikachu.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu waved. (Hello)
"Chuuu!" the heard scattered, running to the other side of the clearing.
'Hmm, they're not sure if to accept Pikachu,' Angelina realized.
Pikachu looked sad, it's ears drooped. A tiny Pikachu slowly emerged from the herd. It carefully approached Pikachu. The tiny Pikachu lifted up its head and sniffed Pikachu's nose.
"Pi!" squeaked the tiny Pikachu. It turned around and offered Ash's Pikachu its tail.
Pikachu smiled, it tapped its tail against the tiny Pikachu's tail.
The wild Pikachu looked at one another. Then they gave a happy cry and ran toward Ash's Pikachu. They surrounded Pikachu and began chattering away.
"It looks like they've accepted Pikachu as part of their group." Brock said.
"All right," Ash said, he ran out into the clearing. "Hey! I wanna be a part of your group, too!" he yelled, waving his arms.
'So stupid,' Angelina smacked her forehead and sighed in embarrassment. 'Why now?'
Pikachu saw Ash and waved back; but the wild Pikachu screamed and ran out of the clearing.
"Don't run away!" Ash called out.
"Quit it, Ash." Misty said.
Ash spun around. "What do you mean?"
"Don't you get it, Ash?" Brock asked. "Those Pikachu are scared of you. They're not used to humans."
"Pi," Pikachu said softly, staring into the empty clearing.
Ash sighed, "I'm sorry, Pikachu." He kicked at the dirt and headed back toward the campsite.
"I think it's the best thing in the world for Pikachu to be with its own kind." Brock told Angelina and Misty on the way back to camp.
"Maybe," Angelina said, with an unsure doubt.
Later that night, the sound of wild Pikachu singing floated through the air as a bright moon hung in the sky. Brock and Misty slept peacefully in separate sleeping bags next to the campfire, Angelina was writing in her diary and glancing now-and-then at Ash sitting on a log.
Angelina guessed Ash couldn't sleep as he poked at the fire with a stick. Pikachu was off with the herd of wild Pikachu playing in the forest.
"Thinking about Pikachu?" Angelina asked.
Ash nodded, realizing his expression read everything even if he lied. "Yeah, weather it would be better for Pikachu to stay here or not."
"Well, that's his choice. If he wants to stay then he stays, if he wants to go with you then he will." Angelina said.
"What do you think?" Ash asked.
"To be honest, I'd tell Pikachu that it's his choice and either way you'll love him. If I know Pikachu then he'll..." But Angelina was cut off by a terrified cry pierced the night air.
"Let's go!" Ash cried.
Brock and Misty snapped awake, following Ash and Angelina through the forest. They arrived into the clearing and saw the wild Pikachu trapped in a net.
"Pikachu!" Ash cried out.
Suddenly, white light filled the clearing. Everyone shielded their eyes.
"What's going on?" Ash asked.
The sound of evil laughter echoed through the forest and a familiar motto followed after.
"…. Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light! Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"
'It can't be,' Angelina couldn't believe it as Team Rocket jumped down from a nearby tree and into the clearing.
"Stand back while we swipe these Pikachu!" Meowth said.
Misty stepped forward. "You're not swiping anything," she called out. "Pikachu, break the ropes with an electric shock!"
Sparks flew around Pikachu's face. It aimed a charge at the net, but nothing happened!
James laughed, "They're no match for our Pikachu-insulated net."
"It's made from material that absorbs electricity," Jessie added.
"Let those Pikachu go now!" Ash demanded.
James detached a small round machine from his belt. "Why don't you check out our website," he taunted. He pushed a button and a next flew out of the machine; trapping Ash, Angelina, Misty, and Brock.
"You're not going to get away with this!" Misty cried.
Meowth laughed. "Just watch us!"
Team Rocket disappeared behind the captured Pikachu. Angelina saw a large Meowth-shaped hot air balloon begin to rise from the clearing. The Pikachu net was tied to the bottom of the balloon basket. Team Rocket was going to lift off and take all the Pikachu with them.
Ash struggled with the net. "This might be Pika-proof, but it's not people-proof," he said. In seconds, the four friends had thrown off their bindings.
Ash ran to the hot-air balloon. The captured Pikachu were high in the air. He couldn't reach them, but Angelina noticed the PIkachu chewing on the lines in the net.
"Awesome! Pikachu has a plan!"
There was a small hold big enough so Pikachu could climb out and climbed up the net and inside the balloon basket.
"Pikachu is distracting Team Rocket," Brock said.
Ash picked up one side of the net that had held them. "Then let's get to work."
Brock, Misty, and Angelina each grabbed a corner of the net.
"Hey Pikachu! Jump into this! Hurry!" Ash called.
The wild Pikachu heard him. One at a time, they jumped into the net and bounced safely onto the ground.
"Pikachu! Come down!" Ash called from the ground.
"We got a Pika-problem down below," Meowth warned, looking over the edge of the basket at the empty net. Jessie and James looked down.
"All our Pikachu are gone," James said.
"Haha! Sucks to be you!" Angelina laughed.
Jessie ignored that and eyed Pikachu. "But we do have one left."
Team Rocket charged at Pikachu, but the electric mouse quickly jumped out of the way. It hopped onto the hot-air balloon and took a bite. Then it leaped to the ground.
"I've got you!" Ash yelled, and caught Pikachu in his arms.
"We're blasting off again!" Meowth cried.
Everyone looked up. Pikachu's bite had made a hole in the balloon. Hot air shot out from the hole with a powerful blast. The force sent Team Rocket spiraling off into the night sky.
"Way to go!" Angelina cheered.
Ash hugged Pikachu. "You did it!"
"Pikachu! Pikachu!"
Pikachu looked up, the wild Pikachu were calling him. He jumped out of Ash's arms and joined the wild Pikachu. "Pika! Pika!" they laughed and cheered.
"They're so happy," Misty said. "Isn't it great?"
"Yeah, great," Ash muttered, which Angelina noticed something was wrong.
Back at camp, Ash packed up his knapsack. He stepped on the dying embers of the fire until they were all out.
"Ash, you really trained Pikachu well," Brock said.
"Yeah, you did a great job," Misty admitted.
Angelina was also packing her stuff, she was almost ready to go. She even noticed that Ash didn't answer to his friends' compliments.
Ash lifted his knapsack on his shoulders and walked away from the campsite. Angelina wondered what was wrong just as she watched Misty run after him. "Ash, where are you going?"
"I'm leaving," Ash said firmly. "Pikachu is better off without me."
"Pikapi, Pika chu?" Pikachu hopped into the campsite, it looked at Ash questionly. (Hey Ash. Is it time to go already?)
Ash stared at the ground. "Pikachu, you stay here."
"Pi?" (What?)
"I know you'll be much happier in the forest with the other Pikachu. They need you. Goodbye, Pikachu." Ash said hoarsely, running down the trail without looking behind him.
"Ash, you're crazy!" Misty called out, but he didn't answer her.
"Ash…." Angelina stared and watched the boy run down the dirt path. She remembered when Ash first saw Pikachu and was electrocuted at Professor Oak's Lab, hearing that Pikachu saved Ash from the Spearow, and watched Pikachu defeat the Raichu from Lt. Surge's gym in Viridian City.
Angelina was currently listening to the radio on her Poke-Gear, watching Misty and Brock run after Ash. She too got on her bike and followed.
I close my eyes and I can see
The day we met, just one moment and I knew
You're my best friend, do anything for you
Two of a kind, that's what we are
And it seems like we were always winning
But as our team is torn apart
I wish we could go back to the beginning
The time has come
It's for the best, I know it
Who could've guessed that you and I….
Somehow some way, we'd have to say goodbye
Somehow today….
….we'd have to say goodbye
Misty and Brock have finally caught up to Ash. Angelina was right behind them.
"Why are you doing this, Ash?" Misty asked.
Ash kicked the ground. "Pikachu will be better off staying here than traveling around with me."
"Ash Ketchum, you know that's not true. Now stop being such an idiot and go get Pikachu." Angelina reprimanded as the sky was starting to glow with the light of the sunrise.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu called out.
Ash spun around, as did the others. Pikachu had followed them, he stood against the horizon in front of the rising sun.
"Pika!"
The tiny, wild Pikachu scampered up to Pikachu. The other wild Pikachu arrived next. They raised their arms in the air.
"Pikachu! Pikachu!" they cheered.
Pikachu turned and waved to the wild Pikachu. Then he turned around and ran down the trail, taking a flying leap right into Ash's arms.
"Pikachu!" Ash hugged the Pokemon.
"I think Pikachu's made his choice," Misty said.
Brock nodded. "That's right, Ash. It looks like Pikachu wants to stay with you."
"Which was what we were trying to tell you the whole time." Angelina added.
Ash looked at Pikachu. "I'm sorry, Pikachu. No matter what happens from now on, we'll face it…. together."
"Pikachu!" Pikachu replied.
Ash smiled and looked at his Pikachu as the sun rose over the forest.
And so, our heroes continue forth on their Pokemon journey. The lesson from this, friends apart are friends at heart and always stick together.
§To Be Continued§
*Chapter is based off the episode "Pikachu's Goodbye"
*Ash attempts to release Pikachu, but Pikachu returns to Ash.
It's so sad that it's great, but you can tell the chapter is straight from the episode. Well, next chapter will be a good one. So until then, thanks for reading and reviews are welcomed!