(A/N: Nier Automata and Pokemon? What the hell kind of degenerate mind do I have to come up with this crap? The kind of degenerate mind that looks at 2B lewds right the heck out of nowhere after having finished the game over a year ago. Okay? Okay. This is going to also be an exercise for me, an attempt to try and tell a story using less character interaction and more narrative discovery. A journey with a destination and a sense of exploration rather than a dramedy with random shout outs and clever jokes. So, pack your bags, sip your water, and lets get this joy ride started)

SECOND WARNING: This story starts with major spoilers about Nier Automata. If you haven't seen the ending—either by beating it yourself or watching a let's play—continue at your own discretion.


Thanks to the efforts of Pod 042, the trio of A2, 9S and 2B were now able to live out their lives peacefully. N2 had been dealt with. The machine war was basically over, not that it ever really existed in the first place.

Well, now what? With no purpose and no glory of mankind to fight for, what could the survivors of YoRHa do? A2 chose not to answer that question with her next-gen compatriots and struck out on her own.

"A2, wait," 9S called out to her, reaching out an arm, but 2B put her arm backwards against his chest.

"Let her go, 9S. She has the freedom to choose her own destiny."

9S simply watched A2's frame grow smaller and smaller into the distance until her image vanished from the horizon.

It had been three weeks since A2 departed from the duo. 2B and 9S had been kicking around the abandoned city, still uncovering relics and papers from the Age of Humanity for the androids at the now pointless resistance camp. Many of the androids there were simply just interested in seeing anomalies and data of their long since dead creators.

Taking a break, 2B sat on a tree branch, letting one leg hang down, reading a black and white picture book she'd found that had caught her attention. Pod 042 had identified it as a manga, a type of comic book read by some humans that was read right to left. 2B used to not care for such things, but without a purpose and nothing to fight, she figured there was little harm in indulging in something so trivial.

9S meanwhile was busy fiddling with graphs and data he'd stored while watching a pair of machines hop down the road.

"TAG. YOU'RE. IT."

"NO. YOU. ARE. IT."

"Things sure have gotten peaceful around here, huh, 2B?" 9S asked her, hands moving like a blur.

"A little too peaceful," muttered 2B.

"Huh? You say something?" 9S asked, turning his head towards her.

"It's nothing," she lied.

As the two lazed about, a figure approached, alerting them both. 2B closed the book and 9S put away his holographic data to see a female android approach. She was wrapped in rags and camouflage pants and had darkened skin.

"Oh. Jackass," 2B said, recognizing the woman.

"9S. 2B. Good to see both of you," Jackass said before pausing and glanced them both over. "You look bored."

"…I suppose you could say that," 2B replied.

"Great! That means you might be able to do something for me."

2B rolled her eyes behind her goggles. Jackass was always looking for ways to exploit the two for interesting data. If this turned into another one of her hairbrained experiments—

"I managed to repair your flight units from the last time you two used them. I've got a destination on a different continent in mind. I was wondering if you two might take a look at the coordinates I've set. It's gotta be better than reading old, musty books."

2B chose not to comment.

"Sure, where did you have in mind?" 9S asked, eager to do something new.

"It's pretty far from here, across the ocean. More acres lush grasslands and dense forests than anything I've come across. No cities for the longest stretch, well, not unless they've been completely reclaimed by nature, even more so than this area."

"What do you want us to do there?" 9S asked.

"I don't know, look around, go sightseeing? Figured you two could do with some excitement. I mean, that's what you were built for, right?"

2B's brow furrowed, but she said nothing.

"We could take a look, right 2B?"

"I suppose since we have nothing better to do," she said.

"Great! I knew I could count on you two. Follow me!"

Jackass set the two up by the flight units, stationed at the edge of the Flooded City.

"You two have fun now. I'll be at the camp so send me messages of anything fun you find, you hear?"

"Sure," 2B answered tersely.

With that, both flight units took to the skies with the androids strapped in.


It had been more than an hour since the beginning of the flight.

"Hey, 2B," 9S said to break the long silence.

"What is it?"

"I'm glad to finally be on an adventure with you again," 9S stated.

"…" 2B did not wish to respond with her pinkened cheeks.

"What do you think we'll find at our destination?"

"I'm not sure, but I get the feeling Jackass knows more than she's letting on," 2B stated.

"You two, huh?" 9S asked rhetorically.

"Well, whatever's going on, we can probably handle it. I'm counting on you to back me up, 9S."

"Y-yes, ma'am!" Her partner responded eagerly.


The flight units landed at their target destination on autopilot and allowed both 9S and 2B to disengage from the units. "I guess we'll leave the flight units here and start looking around," 9S suggested.

"I suppose we shall," 2B stated.

The two took a look around. They were standing in the middle of a meadow that seemed to stretch on forever. No cities or large buildings in sight just dirt roads and short grass.

"Man, nothing but clouds and the sun for as far as I can see," 9S pointed out, the side of his hand along his forehead.

"What about that?" 2B pointed in the only direction that didn't immediately contain meadow. Tall trees lined the path before them, densely packed together, taller and thicker than even some of the trees in the forest near the ruined city. The leaves formed a dense canopy that would make it seem dark in there no matter what time of day. 2B turned on Pod 042's flashlight and shined it inside. Then she slowly began walking towards the forest.

"Uh, hey, w-wait up," 9S hastily followed close behind and he had Pod 153 turn on its flashlight as well. The two walked around, undeterred by the darkness and whistling of the wind, or the rustling of the bushes. However, after taking a few more paces in, 2B couldn't believe what she was picking up on her map. Hundreds…no thousands of life signatures, all organic.

"What the…?"

"You see it too, huh?" 9S asked, barely able to register it himself.

"They can't be human, but even the wildlife in the Ruined City wasn't…"

"Let's not think about it too much and see what we're up against," 9S suggested to 2B. "Let's move slowly."

"Analysis!" Pod 042 suddenly spoke up. "No synthetic life detected within a large radius of this area. Hypothesis: Due to the lack of machine influence and YoRHa interference, organic life may be able to thrive in this wilderness environment."

"So that's why Jackass suggested we come here. This area must be completely undeterred by the war. Whatever human civilization left behind here…it's undamaged. This is the discovery of a lifetime."

"I fail to see what some animal species could teach us," 2B said curtly.

"Don't be like that, 2B. We might actually be able to learn some interesting things around here. Think about what a lack of civilization can do to wildlife. Think—"

"To what end, 9S?" 2B lambasted, arms outstretched. "What's the point of it all anymore?! There is no war! There is no humanity! It was all a lie! What do our lives, our mission, mean anymore?! It's all pointless!"

"It's not…" 9S was going to offer a rebuttal but stopped, suddenly pushing past 2B as he noticed one of the organic lifeforms approaching quickly.

2B turned halfway around to see 9S standing with 153's light shined in the direction of the approaching lifeform. Despite the fact that she was the combat unit, she stood behind 9S, ready to jump in front of him if need be. Tactically it could work. If the creature turned out to be hostile, an ambush from 2B could be a moment of swift and fatal misery for it.

However, the approach life form was barely larger than a bird, barely larger than a squirrel even. It was yellow with dog like ears, red cheeks and a tail shaped like a lightning bolt. It scampered towards 2B and 9S before standing promptly on its hind legs. The ears twitched as it stared at them, tail wagging slightly.

"What…is that?" 2B asked, taken aback slightly.

"Data not found," Pod 042 stated. "YoRHa memory banks do not include information about this creature."

"Pi-ka-chu," the creature cried out in a cute voice.

"That's…not like any animal cry I've heard before," 9S responded.

The creature waved its arms around and began "speaking" more. "Pikachu. Pi pi pi Pikachu!"

"Is it…trying to talk to us?" 2B asked.

"Kachu," the creature nodded.

"Wait, it can understand us?" Now it was 9S' turn to be taken aback.

"Kachu! Pikachu!" the creature responded happily.

"So it can understand human speech, but it can't speak it back?" 2B asked.

"Do you think it heard our conversation and came running? Wait! Could this be a pet? Some kind of domesticated animal humans used to keep?"

"Seems awfully strange for a pet, don't you think?" 2B asked.

"Aw, come on, 2B," 9S said and approached the creature, picking it up from under the arms. "I think he's kind of cute."

"9S! Put it down! That is a wild animal!" 2B chastised.

"Pikachu," the creature responded in a disapproving fashion.

"2B, relax," 9S said, petting the creature's head. "It seems friendly enough."

The yellow creature seemed to enjoy the affection.

It was then 042 spoke up, "Proposal, due to the nature of its cries, perhaps this creature, going forward, and others like it, should be identified as species: Pikachu."

"Pikachu!" The creature said, waving its arms around, smiling happily.

"Guess it seems to like that suggestion," 9S said. "What do you think, 2B?"

2B folded her arms and looked away. "Whatever you want."

9S sighed. He understood why 2B was being like this. She had no memory of the time of her death to the time 042 somehow managed to reconstruct her. 9S had to fill her in on everything that had happened and she hadn't taken to it well. Discovery was in 9S nature. As long as there were mysteries to uncover, life could never get boring.

But 2B isn't wired like that, he realized now. No enemy to fight, or hell, knowing that the enemy was never a threat to YoRHa in the first place, that we were never meant to lose…she must be taking it pretty hard.

Just then, Pikachu leapt out of 9S arms and scampered off. "Ah, hey!" He watched it disappear into the darkness of the forest. "Come on, 2B! Let's go after it!"

2B silently followed. It was something to do she figured.

9S and 2B followed Pikachu through the forest, eventually stopping when it came to a tree stump that it leapt atop. "Pi-ka-chuuuuu," the creature stated, wagging its tail at them, back turned.

"I feel like we're somehow being insulted," 9S stated.

2B wasn't paying attention. She was instead looking around. The Pikachu before them wasn't the only creature of its kind in the area. Owls with one leg out and oddly shaped raccoons populated the area. In the tall grass near the stump she could even spot sentient plant life walking around on legs.

"What is this place?" 2B questioned. "What are these things?"

"I don't know," 9S stated. "But I wonder why Pikachu wanted us to follow it all the way here."

"9S, it's a wild animal, it's actions don't have to mean anything."

"But it seems so friendly," 9S stated.

"At least until it decides to bite your arm off or worse. These are undocumented life forms that we don't know what they're capable of!"

"But—"

"No buts! I'm following you because it is literally built into my programming, but I don't see the point in any of this! Who cares what humanity used to be like with these creatures around? Who cares why that…thing likes us? It doesn't matter! Even if we found out the answers, what good would it do us? We're survivors without a purpose! Soldiers without a war!"

"2B there is meaning in our existence!" 9S shouted.

"IS THERE, 9S?!" 2B shouted, her outburst, scared the other creatures away, sans Pikachu. Was that…sympathy she saw in its eyes? Oh. Beautiful. Perfect. Absolutely supreme. Sympathy from a rodent. 2B turned around. "We're done here," she said, grouchy.

"2B," 9S said sorrowfully. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the right words.

However, as he outstretched his arm to try and offer 2B something akin to sympathy and comfort, the ground shook.

"That can't be good," 9S said, stating the obvious.

2B's arms immediately went for the handles of her weapons. Virtuous Treaty and Virtuous Contract were ready to be put to action at a moment's notice. Unbeknownst to her, Pikachu was down on all fours, electricity sparking from its red cheeks.

2B, 9S and Pikachu watched as trees began to get pushed over as something big made its way towards them and fast.

"Be on your guard!" 2B exclaimed.

Then, from out of the forest and into the sunlit clearing, emerged a large creature that looked like a bear, but was very different. It walked upright like a human and had a yellow ring on its belly. It roared as it stood before 9S and 2B. "URSARIIIIIING!"

"Engaging hostile!" 2B shouted.

"2B, wait!" 9S shouted, but 2B was already charging towards the creature.

2B leapt towards the bear monster, but it took its big, lumbering arm and tried to strike her down. 2B evaded the strike appearing to be in 3 places at once as she suddenly was whole again a little bit to the right of the creature's arm. Grabbing Virtuous Treaty in both hands, she swung upward, leaving a nasty, bloody gash on the creature's body. This only seemed to enrage the beast.

"SARIIIIING!" It bellowed in anger.

Snarling, dark energy flowed around it briefly. 2B tried to dodge it, but the monster sucker punched in the face, sending her spiraling along the ground.

"2B!" 9S shouted. Spurred to action by the injury of his partner, 9S began to charge as well.

"Alert!" 153 piped up. "Ursine-like creature appears to using its injury to its advantage."

"What the heck does that mean?" 9S only to get caught off guard when the lumbering beast's fist found its way into 9S' chest and sent him flying into the nearest tree. Thank the creators for automatic healing abilities.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out to 9S in alarm.

"I'm fine," he grunted, but the bear was already charging towards him.

2B was having none of this. Leaping at great speeds, she landed on the creature's back and began smacking the nape of its neck with the blunt end of Virtuous Contract. The beast stood up and angrily tried to fling 2B off it.

"Do what you want to me," 2B said, wrapping her robotic arm around the monster's throat, choking it with her synthetic strength. She was glaring behind her goggles. "But don't you dare hurt 9S." Then, she took her blade and pierced the creature's flesh straight through a lung with her sword, blood dripping off the blade as it penetrated all the way through.

The creature showed a look of surprise and coughed up blood. Then, strength draining, it fell over onto the ground in a pool of its own blood. It would not get up again.

2B shook the bloodied blade towards the grass, painting it red. Then she nodded and darted towards the tree 9S had slammed into. "9S!"

"I'm fine," he grunted, getting up. "Nothing a little auto-repair can't fix."

"You foolish idiot!" 2B exclaimed. "Be more careful!"

"I'm sorry, okay?" 9S asked. "Where's Pikachu?"

"How can you be so concerned about that thing at a time like this?" 2B asked.

9S simply pointed to the sunlit tree stump. Pikachu was gone.

"Good, then I guess that means we're done here," 2B said, brushing some dirt off her skirt.

"2B that's enough!" 9S had just about had it with her attitude. YoRHa couldn't hold him back. There was no rank. He was fully willing to rip into 2B right now. "YoRHa was a lie! I get that! I get that you're upset! Your very programming means nothing in the end! You're a warrior without a war to fight in! But there's more to life than just fighting!" 9S stared at the ground. "Or maybe you should just go scurrying back to the arena in the Flooded City and kill more machines," he said contemptuously. "If you've lost the ability to care, then what's a few more machines to add to the scrap pile, huh?"

"That's…" 2B was disgusted by the suggestion, but she understood what 9S was getting at. If she didn't watch herself, if she lusted only for battle, she'd become just like those androids fighting for sport.

9S jogged past her and then turned around. "I'm going after Pikachu because I'm both curious and because I want to know more about it and the other creatures that seem to be like it, like that bear you killed. Maybe…maybe that's the reason Jackass sent us here. Maybe you can find a new purpose here among this wildlife. Find something new to fight for, to live for."

"To find…a new purpose." 2B had never really thought about it that way.

9S waited for a confirmation of "Okay" but did not receive one. He then simply said contemptuously. "Tch, whatever." And then ran off to look for Pikachu.

When 9S had disappeared into the forest, 042 spoke to 2B. "Proposal: Searching and staying with unit 9S is in unit 2B's best interest."

"I-I know," 2B stated.

"Analysis, bear lifeform slain by unit 2B had a distinct roar when battled. Henceforth it and others like it shall be known as Ursaring."

"I don't care," 2B replied.

"Analysis: 2B's behavior is becoming remarkably similar to that of unit A2."

"Pod, when I want your opinion I will ask for it," 2B said sharply.

"Acknowledged."


With 2B lagging behind, 9S continued to search for Pikachu, searching through tall grass for traces and tracks of the yellow rodent.

"Where are you, Pikachu?" 9S mused to himself.

"Alert! Creature known as Pikachu is 205 meters ahead north northeast."

"Thanks, Pod," 9S said and continued in that direction, eventually coming to another clearing.

Pikachu was sitting in front of a stone bust of some kind. The bust was surrounded by a very very familiar flower within the clearing.

"Lunar tears," 9S stated.

Pikachu stared at the bust. Atop the bust was a red hat that had clearly seen better days. The darn thing had food and mud stains on it and was being held together by patchworks and a prayer. The fabric on the brim was fraying and where a symbol had once sat in the middle of the hat was now a huge hole, caused by natural wear and tear of millennia gone by.

9S cautiously stepped out into the clearing, making his presence known.

Pikachu's head jolted up and towards 9S. "Pi?!"

"It's okay, little guy, it's just me," 9S said to Pikachu.

"Pika pika," Pikachu stated, sounding mildly bothered by something, but 9S couldn't tell what.

"Ugh, you know I can't understand you, right?"

"Hypothesis: The pitch of the creature's cries do seem to have consistency to them. Proposal: 9S should stay around creature: designation Pikachu, so that interpretations of its cries may be comprehended."

"Fine. Give me updates," 9S said and crouched behind Pikachu, ruffling the top of its head and staring at the bust. The face was…not in good detail. Clearly the stone had been carved out with some kind of sharp tool that was no longer at the scene or, quite possibly, Pikachu's own teeth. How it managed that, 9S hadn't the faintest idea. Still, it was clearly a human face judging from how it had two ears, two eyes, a nose and a smile.

"Was this someone important to you, little guy?" 9S asked.

Pikachu said nothing. It simply stared at the bust in forlorn memory.

Suddenly, both 9S and Pikachu heard a noise. They looked and saw 2B stepping out of the clearing. 9S looked relieved but Pikachu was less than thrilled. It laid into 2B in the only way it knew how.

"Pikachu! Pi pi pi pi pi pi! Pika! Pika! Pikachu! Chu! Chu! Pikachu!"

"I…uh…"

"Hypothesis: the creature appears to be displeased with unit 2B's behavior with the Ursaring earlier."

"Pod?" 2B turned her head towards the support unit.

"This is merely a guess based on the creature's amicability with unit 9S and verbal hostility towards unit 2B."

"Well, it's just a guess," 2B said coldly. Pikachu then bit her ankle. 2B did not feel a thing and just watched it.

"P-Pika?" The creature seemed confused, noticing that blood wasn't seeping out of the wound, realizing that tissue and sinew were not behind the otherwise human flesh. It sniffed 2B's leg. It reacted with surprise.

"Oh, I think I get it. This little guy thought we were humans," 9S stated. "Poor thing."

2B and 9S watched Pikachu go back up to the bust and stare at it. It then put its tiny little arms around the bust. "Pikachu," it mewled sadly.

"It must have shared a special bond with that human," 9S stated. "Who even knows how long its been alive."

"Its had 9000 years to get over it," 2B said.

Pikachu's ears wobbled at this statement.

"2B!" That was just too callous of a reaction for 9S.

"Unless its partner was a replicant, its had plenty of time to understand the passage of time to the friend it lost."

"Even so, it understands every word we're saying. Don't be so heartless, 2B! This isn't like you!"

"Pika!" Pikachu scrambled over to 2B.

"What? What is it?"

"Pika! Pika! Pika! Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu franctically tried to talk to 2B but its efforts bore no fruit.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand anything you're saying! Humanity died 9000 years ago! I stand by what I said!"

Pikachu suddenly looked horrified. "Pi…PIKAAAAAAAAAAAA!" It screeched, covering its temples with its hands, shaking its head violently back and forth.

"H-hey, what's wrong?" 9S asked, trying to understand what was wrong, but was pushed back by a spark of electricity emitting from Pikachu's tail.

"Hypothesis: creature, designation Pikachu, might not have known humanity's fate and may not comprehend the passage of time the way humans and androids did and do."

"Oh no, could it have been wondering what happened to its friend only to find out the truth just now?" 9S asked. "Oh my god. That human must've been its best friend. A bond like that suddenly shattered in an instant."

Pikachu started spouting noises to the bust frantically as if it was hoping its human friend would suddenly show up and prove these two androids wrong. "Pika! Pikapikapika!" It exclaimed as tears started to form.

But nothing happened…

"Pikachu…" Pikachu sniffed.

The creature sat on the ground in stunned silence.

The situation suddenly hit 2B like colossal machine's arm. Pikachu's reaction was almost the same, its situation, practically identical, to hers. Its previous life torn away by the passage of time. Whatever purpose it had had, had died with the death of its human companion.

"Pikachu…" 2B spoke its name in sympathy.

"Pika pika," Pikachu sobbed.

"However, that was the last moment any of the trio could spend mourning the lost of the human depicted on the stone bust. A rumbling from around them began to alert them to another presence."

"Now what?" 2B questioned.

"Another Ursaring?" 9S wondered aloud.

"Negative," 153 stated. "Foot patterns do not match that of previously fought foe."

"Then what—" 9S didn't get to finish his sentence. He was suddenly struck down from out of nowhere by a powerful claw strike.

"9S!" 2B shouted in alarm for her partner. She then took a look at the big monster before her. Standing close to 18 feet tall, the beast looked like a mythical dragon of some kind, but bore no wings. It had a long tail with spikes on the tail like some kind of club and also thick, big scales running down its neck and arms. It had a gray body and black feet with yellow claws.

"MO-OOOOO!" It roared.

The big, lumbering creature tried to strike 2B, but she dodged the attack masterfully. She quickly went in for the kill, trying to stab the creature with Virtuous treaty, but the creature blocked its arms with its arm, the blade struggling to pierce through its hard scales. "What?"

"KOM-MO-OOOOOO!" A torrent of fire shot out of its mouth and tried to incinerate 2B, but she dodged that as well and tried to pivot behind the creature. However, the monster smashed her aside with its powerful tail. 2B went flying, tearing through the ground, ripping up Lunar Tears and didn't stop until she smacked her back into a tree.

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu exclaimed in alarm for the two androids.

The dragon monster before the trio of them then let out a thunderous, ear piercing sound by clanging its scales together to intimidate them.

"ARRRGH! What…is that?" 9S groaned, covering his ears.

"Lowering sound system by thirty percent," 153 stated. 042 followed her lead as 2B got up, prepared to do battle with this creature for round 2.

"KOOOOOOOM!" The creature shouted, slamming its tail on the ground, baiting 9S and 2B to come towards it.

2B dashed forward first. 042 fired energy blasts from its mounted cannons, but the blasts seemed to get deflected by the monster's scales.

"How do you like this?" 9S shouted, trying to slash the monster's vulnerable tail, but the creature turned and uppercut 9S in the jaw, launching him high into a tree.

2B took that moment to slash at the creature's back, but she did cut it in half as she had intended. Instead, she was floored with a series of close quarters strikes, capped off with a powerful slash of the creature's claws. Then its powerful tail sent her flying away back into the tall grass.

Pikachu was left to stand against the gigantic dragon alone. It stood its ground, cheeks sparking, on all fours in front of its memorial to its forever gone friend.

This wild dragon creature did not seem to care. It stomped towards the Pikachu, attempting to crush it underfoot.

Pikachu retaliated violently. "PiiikaCHUUUUUUUUUUU!" It unleashed a powerful thunderbolt that zapped the monster's whole body, causing it to roar in pain.

"What the…?" 9S called out. Neither he nor 2B had expected that kind of ability from such a small creature.

"Analysis: The red cheeks creature, designation Pikachu, has appear to store and generate electricity. An electric shock from it could damage or enhance the systems of unit 9S or unit 2B depending on the current of the shock," 042 stated.

"Forget about Pikachu, what about this thing?" 2B asked as she charged down the monster before her.

"Analyzing," Pod told her as 2B charged with one weapon in each hand.

She swung first with Virtuous Contract in her right hand before following up with Virtuous Treaty in her left. She then made one more strike each with either hand, but all four attacks were blocked and pushed back by the creature's scaled arms. It then grabbed 2B's shoulders and lifted her up as its mouth generated flame as it prepared to torch her with a burst of flame.

"Not on my watch!" 9S shouted as he picked up and slammed 153 towards the ground, creating a shockwave. The shockwave tore through the monster's ankles, causing it to howl out in pain and drop 2B. In retaliation, while 2B was still gaining her bearings, the creature whipped its tail at 9S, sending him flying.

"Analysis complete. Creature desgination: Kommo-o. Its scales are repellent to melee attacks and it is resistant to energy attacks."

"So how do we beat it?" 2B asked as she evaded the next incoming downward punch.

"Searching for weaknesses," 042 stated.

"Oh damn it all!" 2B cursed. She charged towards the Kommo-O and engaged it close up, but with no better results than before. She leapt high into the air and turned her entire body into a weapon, her two blades dancing around her as she began flipping and kicking through the air, using her blades to strike from multiple angles, acting like a hurricane of bladed pain.

However, she barely seemed to scratch the mighty foe before her who eventually struck her down out of the air and stomped on her torso before smacking her away with its tail. However, 2B didn't just go flying, she went flying straight through the memorial of Pikachu's fallen friend.

At that moment, something seemed to snap within Pikachu, especially after, in order to advance towards 2B, Kommo-O stomped on the red hat that was gently floating to the ground.

"Pi," It said in an aggravated tone. "Piiiiii. Piiiiikaaaaaaa…"

"Unngh," 2B was reeling but she could see the sheer amount of electricity being generated by Pikachu. "What in the world…?"

"CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" A more powerful Thunderbolt than last time tore through Kommo-O causing it to cry out in pain.

"Koooooooooooooom!"

2B took that as her opening. Grabbing her weapons, she charged forward, Pod firing a powerful laser, burning the creature right below its neck, piercing the lowermost scale on its "beard". Like lightning she struck past the creature, leaving an X-pattern gash on its scaled torso.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu exclaimed, alerting 2B to Kommo-O's retaliation. The creature's massive tail swung out and 2B leapt over the appendage as she came slamming down on the vulnerable tail, piercing straight through.

"Koooooooom!" The creature groaned. It then grunted and spun wildly, flinging 2B aside as its body turned grayish and had an iron tint to it. 2B's blades were stuck in its body. She made to get up, only to see a burst of flame coming rushing towards her.

Before she could even think to get out of the way, Pikachu got between her and the dragon. "CHUUUUUUUUUU!" Pikachu discharged a heavy amount of electricity, meeting the flame head on and, surprisingly, equalizing it.

2B had no time to think on it, but the yellow rat had just more than likely saved her life.

Pikachu dropped to the ground looking woozy. Kommo-O charged towards both parties, head poised to ram them both, but 2B was far too swift. Reaching down and scooping up Pikachu with her arm, she evaded the attack.

"There, now we're even," 2B said.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu exclaimed, pointing to 2B's swords still plunged into Kommo-O's tail.

"Huh? My swords? What about them?"

Pikachu's cheeks sparked.

"Ah! Of course! The metal can act as a conductor! But we somehow need to get close."

153 then fired a salvo of missiles at Kommo-O, drawing its attention to 9S.

"Nines…" 2B said, calling him by his nickname with pride since he was too far away to hear. As long as he led the creature so that its back was to 2B, she and Pikachu could catch up to it from behind. She put Pikachu on her shoulder. "Let's go!" she exclaimed.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, ready for action, game face on.

Darting quickly, 2B caught up with Kommo-O in no time. Then, boldly, she clasped its tail with both her hands.

Kommo-O tried to swing at 9S, but soon found its arm didn't reach, its body stopped by 2B's strong, robotic grip.

It turned towards the gynoid, keen to shake her off, only to see Pikachu leap off her shoulder.

Angrily, Pikachu cried out, "Pikachuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" The lightning arced down straight into 2B's swords, flowing through into Kommo-O's bloodstream. The beast howled in pain, feeling harm unlike anything it had ever felt in its life.

This, 2B felt, was her last chance.

"2B!" 9S shouted. He hurled Cruel Oath towards her. She caught it mid-leap.

"HAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" 2B screamed furiously and plunged the blade deep into the back of Kommo-O's neck. The piercing of its throat and vertebrae brought a swift and painless end to the creature as it toppled over and, finally, stopped moving. 2B sighed and tossed the blade she'd been borrowing away as 9S came to claim it before plucking her swords out of Kommo-O's tail.

"Pika…" Pikachu seemed mournful for the fallen dragon.

"There's nothing we can do," 2B said.

"Chu," Pikachu seemed to understand what 2B was saying, but it didn't seem happy about it.


As the flight or fight responses fled out of everyone's systems, they made their way back to where the destroyed memorial and the red hat Pikachu seemed to cherish were. 9S picked it up.

"P-Pi," Pikachu was worried at first, but relieved when 9S simply fixed the shape of the hat and then placed it on the creature's head.

"There you go, little guy. Now they'll always be with you," 9S said.

"Kachuuuuu," Pikachu sounded like it might cry.

2B then picked Pikachu up off the ground and hugged it like it was a throw pillow. "I don't know what you and this human were doing before he passed away, but clearly you two shared a powerful bond. But…he's gone now. And left you with nothing. I…"

Pikachu snuggled into 2B. "Pika pi."

"Translation: I understand," 153 stated.

"Oh. Good. You finished analyzing its speech."

"It's still a work in progress," 153 admitted.

"9S," 2B said and took one step towards her partner.

"Yes, 2B?" 9S asked.

"Why don't we explore this area a little more? This world is clearly different from what Pikachu is used to. Perhaps we can help it adjust."

"You've really gotten attached to the little guy, huh?" 9S asked.

2B nodded. "In a sense. It did save my life. It should come with us?"

"Pika?"

"Translation: Are you my new trainer?"

"No," 2B stated and smiled. "I'm your new friend."

Pikachu smiled back only to quickly leap out of 2B's arms and go running.

"Ah, Pikachu! Come back here!" 2B exclaimed, running after it.

9S laughed and went running after 2B.

The two chased Pikachu through the forest until they saw it come to a stop gazing out over the sunny horizon just outside the forest.

The wind blew at the faces of 9S and 2B as they took off their goggles and looked out to where Pikachu was staring. It was standing near the edge of the cliff. They could see a massively sprawling region laid out before them just below the cliff. Ruined cities could be seen crawling with moss. Lakes rich with fresh water and caves that numbered in more than half a dozen. A lush tundra on the far edge of the horizon and a few naturally occurring shrines and structures ascended towards the sky, but still didn't reach as high up as the cliff 9S and 2B were standing on.

Suddenly communications opened from 2B's end.

"2B! Come in 2B!" It was Jackass.

"I'm here, Jackass!"

"Everything all right out there?" Jackass asked.

"We got into a little scuffle with a massive creature. I'll send you the data when I can find an access point," 2B stated.

"That might be difficult. That area is almost completely untouched by machine and androids alike, has been since before the war. Its unknown what you could be in for out there. All I knew for certain was that it's a massive expanse with unsolved mysteries abound."

"Why did you send us here exactly?" 2B asked.

"Honestly, you looked bored and I want to make sure this place isn't dangerous. We need more colonies in the future. Now that the war's over, more and more androids will want to settle down. What better place than untouched, unscarred land?"

"I suppose that makes sense," 2B said. "Um, if you see A2…"

"Roger, I'll send her your way."

"That's not what I—"

"I'm kidding. That one's a lone wolf. Moves to the beat of her own drum, but if I see her, I'll tell her you said hi."

"Uh, right," 2B responded.

"Well, let me know if anything significant happens. Jackass out."

"Sounds like we got our work cut out for us," 9S stated. "I'm making a makeshift map based on the image we can see before us. If this place is untouched, I guess its up to us to mark the landmarks ourselves."

2B nodded in agreement.

"Hmm, what do you think we should call the forest we just came out of?" 9S asked.

"How about…the Forest of Memories?" 2B asked.

"Huh? That's a pretty neat name, how'd you come up with that?" 9S asked, adding it to the map he made.

2B looked down at Pikachu fiddling with its ear, brushing some fur out from underneath the millennia old worn, red hat.

"It just came to me," 2B said with a smile. She then scooped Pikachu up under her arm and leapt off the cliff, letting the wind carry her.

"Hey, wait for me," 9S stated.

She and 9S were gently led down by the wind, holding onto their pods as 2B watched the gorgeous scenery she had once seen become a new landscape scaled to her height. No longer did it look like a painting, but now she was in the thick of this lost, forgotten region of the planet. To explore this region together with 9S, with Pikachu, this was not a mission she was given. This was a destiny that she had chosen of her own volition.

Beginning a recording of her thoughts in case something happened going forward, 2B began with: My name is 2B. I am…was an android employed by YoRHa. Today, I embark on a new journey. I will explore this forgotten landscape and uncover its secrets. Together, with Pikachu and 9S, I will rediscover myself. These creatures…these…monsters, I will document their origin, their abilities, and what threat they pose. Are they merely monsters, or, like with Pikachu, can we live in harmony?

There is no longer any glory to mankind. There is no longer any glory to be had at all. From now on, my journey is travel across this land and search far and wide. This is my new destiny.

And with that, 2B, 9S and Pikachu headed down a moss covered road towards the first destination 9S had spotted on the map, a sleepy little town overrun by nature. What awaited them? Who could say? What would they find? Who could know? But the unknown didn't matter. They were together. They had purpose. And, as the grass crunched beneath their feet, they knew that this vicious region of monsters would become a new battleground, not of war, but of survival.

A new chapter in the lives of the survivors of YoRHa had begun. Who knew when it would end? But to 2B it wasn't about the destination. For now, it was simply about the journey.


(A/N: Gonna be honest, writing some of that stuff with Pikachu got me choked up a little. I'm not going to confirm or deny any questions regarding Pikachu's previous trainer. I will however answer a few questions I'm inevitably going to get:

1: it has been 9000 years since the last humans walked with Pokemon. Mutations are to be expected in species. Heck, possibly even expect to see new species not found in the games simply for Rule of Cool. Heck, maybe also expect to see Pokemon sizes not matching the Pokedex for this reason—like with the Kommo-O as well.

2: yes, I know it should be impossible for a Pokemon to live 9000 years unless it's a legendary. Don't worry, I have an explanation that makes sense to me. I hope it will make sense to all of you.

3: This story isn't going to be a traditional Pokemon story if you couldn't already tell. 2B is not a trainer. Neither is 9S. heck, I doubt they'll find working Pokeballs, but I'm gonna brainstorm a little more. 9S and 2B's party will expand as necessary though.

4: This region is not based on any regions from Gens 1 – 8 or anime filler. It is completely original.

5: You can suggest party members, but I ultimately make the decisions and the rules. This is my story.

And with that, I leave you all for now. As I always say at the end of chapters, until next time, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)