Ash slung his bag around his shoulder and pulled out all of his Pokeballs. As he put his bag back on his back, it slipped and knocked all the balls across the floor.
"Nice job." Pikachu said as they rolled past him.
"You be quiet." Ash said as he scrambled to pick them all up. He managed to secure them in a big pile on the ground in between his legs. Ash put his arms around the balls and tentatively stood. He spun his waist around and threw all the balls at once. In a blinding flash, they all opened at once, surrounding Ash with his Pokemon: Bayleef, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Heracross, and Noctowl.
Cyndaquil sneezed, sparking his flame quills to shoot out of his back. A couple sparks fell onto Bayleef.
"Stop it!" she shouted.
"I didn't mean to! Stop being so mean!"
"It's not exactly my fault that you're liable to burst into flames at any given second!"
"Hey! You two, stop fighting!" Ash said.
"He started it."
"I don't care if he started it. It was just an accident."
"But if he doesn't control his fire, I-" Bayleef stopped. " Can you understand me?"
"Yes I can. Okay! Everyone! Listen up!" Ash shouted. All his Pokemon stopped bickering long enough to pay attention. "We're back in Pallet Town, right now. And-"
"Where's Pallet Town?" asked Cyndaquil innocently.
"This is my hometown."
"Oh. Does your mommy live here?"
"Yeah, she does. Now can I please, talk?"
"Sorry, Ash."
"Anyway, we're back in Pallet Town and you're all going to stay with Professor Oak for a little while. I have some things I need to do here today. Also, I can read all your thoughts now, so I now I can understand you all. Any questions?"
Cyndaquil stepped forward. "Can we go outside and play?"
"What kind of dumb question is that?" Bayleef said, tossing her leaf back.
" Stop being mean!" He turned back to Ash. "Ash! Bayleef is being mean to me again!"
"Don't be so mean Bayleef. He just wants to go outside and play." He turned to Cyndaquil. "Yes."
"Thank you, Ash!" exclaimed Cyndaquil. His flame quills happily shot out his back and he ran outside to play.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Bayleef said as she ran after him. Noctowl raised one wing.
"I have a question."
"Okay. Shoot."
"You said you can read minds now, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Well, did you mean reading our minds or our thoughts?"
"What do you mean? What's the difference?"
"The difference is that thoughts and the mind itself are two different things. The mind is the construct of the self trying to attain it's own identity while thoughts are the inward, or outward as the case may be, constructions of the mind to radiate this determined sense of self. In simpler terms, are you reading our thoughts, or our brains, personalities, intentions, and other abstract concepts?"
"Well...I guess I'm just hearing your thoughts."
"Oh. Good. That solves that, then." Noctowl said. He turned and flew out the open door. Now only Heracross and Totodile remained. Heracross looked around with a blank expression on his face.
"I'm alone." He turned around and faced the door. "Light. Outside. Food. Happy." He slowly plodded out the door. Ash looked confusedly at Pikachu who shrugged.
"I guess they can't all be geniuses."
Finally, Totodile was the only one left, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling.
"Um...Totodile?" Ash asked. Totodile jumped a little at the sound of his name and turned to Ash with his usual toothy grin on his face.
"Hey!"
"Were you even listening?"
"Nope!" He continued to smile while hopping on one foot in anticipation.
"I was saying that I'm gonna have to leave you all here at Professor Oak's lab for a while."
Totodile stopped hopping and hung his arms arms limply at his sides.
"Awww! Why!?"
"I won't be gone forever, Totodile. I just need to fill up some more room to catch more Pokemon."
"You mean more friends?"
"Yeah." Ash said. Totodile spun in a happy circle and did a front flip in the air, all while spraying water out of his mouth.
"Yay! More Pokemon for me to play with!" He turned and raced out the door. "Don't take too long, Ash!"
"So you're not gonna tell him about the whole mind-reading, brain-thing going on?" Pikachu asked.
"No, I don't think so. Besides, I don't think it would make any difference. It would probably just make him...more happy."
"Nah. He's already maxed out. I don't think it would make a difference."
"Ash! Your Squirtle is here!" said Professor Oak from the teleporter in the corner of the lab.
"Good!" Ash walked over and took the Pokeball from Professor Oak.
"What are you up to now?" asked Pikachu.
"Well, you, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charizard were some of the first Pokemon to ever join up with me. Since I can read minds now, I want to understand as much as I can about my Pokemon. I might as well start with my first."
"What happened to the whole 'Oh Pikachu! There's no language barrier here! I can understand you just as well as you can understand me!' bit?"
"That's just with you. You've got a Pokeball phobia, remember? You're the only Pokemon I have that is with me twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week."
"And exactly what are you implying?"
"Maybe you've outstayed your welcome, Pikachu. Maybe I don't need you anymore."
"Well fine! I don't need you either! I'll catch my own Pokemon and I'll get double the badges you ever could! What do you say about that!?"
"I say you're on!" They stared intently at each other, waiting for one of them to start laughing. Neither of them gave in.
"Y'know, if we don't laugh at this, the joke is gonna fall flat."
"I think it just did." said Ash. He stood and looked away while Pikachu scratched his tail.
"Well that was certainly awkward." Pikachu finally said.
"Yeah....so....Squirtle! Go!" Ash threw the Pokeball. The usual flash of light erupted in front of them and Squirtle was standing happily in front of them.
"Hey Ash! Long time no-" Squirtle brought one of his hands up to his face.
"Where the hell are my shades!?"
"What's wrong?" asked Pikachu.
"Where are my shades!? My sunglasses! Don't tell me they can't go through that teleporter!"
"Hey! Professor!" Ash shouted. "Did a pair of sunglasses come through the teleporter?"
"Hold on, Ash." Professor Oak responded. "Let me check...Yes! Here they are!" He looked at them with a disgusted expression. "My, these are very ugly sunglasses."
Squirtle waddled over to Professor Oak and snatched the glasses out of his hands.
"Like I'd ever ask style advice from a guy in a lab coat and mom jeans!" Squirtle tossed the the glasses into the air and caught them on his face.
"Ahh...That's better." he thought. He plucked the sunglasses off his face and set them in the indention between his shell and neck as he walked back over to Ash.
"You are such a fruit, man!" said Pikachu, laughing.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You just wish you looked this good in sunglasses, sparky. So what's up?"
"Not much. The usual battling stuff. Me being the star of the show. You know how it goes."
"Wow." Ash chimed in. "We could power an entire city with the amount of ego being thrown around here."
Squirtle looked at Ash confusedly, then turned back to Pikachu.
"What was that supposed to mean?"
"Oh yeah! I forgot to mention, Ash can understand Pokemon now."
"What!?" Squirtle whipped around to face Ash. "You can!?"
"Yeah. I had an accident with a Kadabra and now I can read thoughts."
"That is so awesome!"
"That's what I said!" piped in Pikachu.
"So...what are you gonna do with it?"
"I don't really know just yet. Right now, I think I'm going to get to know some of my Pokemon a little better."
"That's it?"
"I didn't say that the only thing I'm gonna do with it! It'll definitely help me be a better trainer."
"Don't try to fix what isn't broken, though."
"Yeah, that's true. Still, I'm sticking to my plan. Which reminds me!" Ash turned. "Professor Oak! Could you do me a favor!?"
"Sure thing! What is it?"
"Could you call Liza at the Charicific Valley and have her send over Charizard? He should know the way here."
"Why can't you do it, Ash? I'm in the middle of something!"
"Please! I wanna go outside and talk to my Pokemon!"
"Oh, fine. You go. But before you leave, come back here and give me a summary of what you've learned. Don't forget: you're an asset to the entire science of Pokemon study."
"Will do, Professor! See ya later!" Ash said as he ran out the door with Squirtle and Pikachu.