INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Hilbert, his hair now static-y and sticking up, stands on his feet as the PIKACHU stands in front of him.

HILBERT (V.O.)
That cute yellow thing that just zapped me wasn't something I recognized.

Pikachu's cheeks spark - it's ready to attack again.

HILBERT
Whoa, whoa, whoa, little buddy, hold up...

The sparks grow brighter - Hilbert frowns. Pikachu SHOCKS Hilbert with another jolt of electricity, throwing him across the room, he does a BACKFLIP in the air with a HIGH-PITCHED SCREAM, hits the couch and it FLIPS backward. His mom rushes in.

MOM
Hilbert, what's going on - !?

She sees him on the floor. She helps him up.

MOM (CONT'D)
Are you OK, Hilbert? Oh my God...

HILBERT
Yeah mom. I might be in shock, though.

His mom looks worried and then her face goes soft. She smirks, UNDERSTANDING...

HILBERT (CONT'D)
Gettit? SHOCK?

MOM
Funny, funny... but seriously Hilbert, are you OK? What is that thing?!

Hilbert sits up with a nod. He unclips a Poké Ball from his belt. SHELDON's.

HILBERT
Where do you keep the rubber gloves?

MOM
I know what you're thinking, Hilbert, but no. That thing's gonna end up barbecuing you.

HILBERT
Do you want it to stop rampaging around your house or what? Besides, it already HAS barbecued me! You can't smell the fried Hilbert?

She hesitates.

HILBERT (CONT'D)
I'll have Sheldon fight it and I'll get the gloves while it's distracted...

MOM
It's too dangerous, I can't...

He cuts her off before she can start ranting.

HILBERT
Nonono. MOM.

She stops INSTANTLY and Hilbert takes her by the arms, stares into her eyes...

HILBERT (CONT'D)
Trust me.

She takes a deep breath and nods.

MOM
They're in the cupboard under the sink.

Hilbert ignores her as he tosses out Sheldon's ball, he looks at the little Oshawott seriously.

HILBERT
Sheldon, I need you battle that little yellow rat. I need you to BEAT. IT. DOWN.
(beat)
Can you do that?!

Sheldon gives a confident nod, Hilbert beams.

HILBERT (CONT'D)
Thank you!

Sheldon HOPS over the couch, doing its best BADASS NINJA POSE in its Samurott-inspired outfit.

HILBERT (V.O.)
Sheldon was always so enamored by its evolved form... It always dreamt of evolving into a mighty Samurott after watching a documentary of one on TV...

FLASHBACK: An intrigued Sheldon sits at the edge of the couch, its eyes growing wide in awe as it watches a lecture given by PROFESSOR JUNIPER of a massive SAMUROTT, a huge, quadrupedal sea lion with large armor pieces and sword-like appendages resembling huge seashells.

HILBERT (V.O.)
...so since he realized he was not getting much training here at home, he decided to make himself feel evolved by buying props that made it look like he were a Samurott.

Pikachu looks amused and sends a BLAST of electricity at Oshawott. Oshawott LEAPS out of the way, and the jolt hits a LAMP sitting on an end table.

MOM
Not my lamp!

HILBERT
I'll clean this up later, I promise! Just STAY DOWN!

Hilbert looks at the battle going on between the two Pokémon as they exchange attacks... Perfect time to RUN FOR IT. He shoots on his feet and RUNS - Pikachu doesn't seem to notice as he makes his way into the kitchen.

INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
HILBERT throws open the cupboard under the sink, tossing stuff in all directions. In the background, Pikachu releases a huge discharge of electricity that SHOCKS Oshawott and the electricity flies through the living room. Behind the couch, Hilbert's MOM covers her head, screaming as the electricity flies all around her.

One huge bolt flies toward Hilbert. He spins around, sees it, DUCKS and it MISSES HIM! The electricity SMACKS into the cupboard, causing all the GLASS inside to EXPLODE. He covers his head and CURLS UP on the floor, bracing for it. The glass rains down. He gets up, a few cuts on his face and hands, but he's OKAY.

He continues rifling through the cupboards. He finally finds a box of PINK RUBBER GLOVES. He SNAPS on a pair, gets on his feet and CHARGES back into the living room -

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
As he rushes back in, HILBERT is nearly hit by another bolt but he LEAPS out of the way. SHELDON lands a TACKLE attack, throwing Pikachu backwards. The extra weight of Oshawott's 'Samurott armor' really does help with the tiny otter's strength. Pikachu LANDS right at Hilbert's feet.

Before it can get back up and electrocute him, Hilbert SCOOPS it up in his arms. It tries to zap him, but the rubber from the gloves insulates the attack. His mom stands up, and scans the destruction of her living room-slash-bedroom.

MOM
What are you doing with it?

HILBERT
I'm gonna take it to the professor.

MOM
B-Be safe!

He nods and looks at Sheldon, who's all tuckered out on the floor, panting and laying flat on his back.

HILBERT
You did a great job, Sheldon. Stay here with mom, OK? I'll be right back.

Hilbert rushes out the front door as Pikachu continues squirming in his arms.

FADE TO:

INT. PROFESSOR JUNIPER'S LAB - DAY
TIGHT on a woman's face - 30's, pretty, yet her beauty is shielded by a lab coat and a pair of protective goggles covering her eyes. This is PROFESSOR AUREA JUNIPER.

She's working with vials, staring down at them, her eyes filled with INTRIGUE. Suddenly, she hears the automatic sliding doors in the front of her lab open, and she sees HILBERT walking in. She looks taken aback to see him here.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
Oh, hi, Hilbert. I wasn't expecting you here.

Juniper grins - strutting over to greet him. She notices the PIKACHU in his arms. Her face looks surprised.

HILBERT
I wasn't expecting to be here either, actually.

Juniper pulls the goggles off of her face, slipping them inside her lab coat.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
Is that - That's a Pikachu!

HILBERT
I was wondering if you'd be able to tell me what it is.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
It's from the Kanto region. VERY far from here. Where'd you find it?

HILBERT
It was in our vent, chewing on the chord for the TV. I crawled in to et it, it zapped me a couple times, I ran around and ended up finally grabbing it.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
Pretty brave of you. Very... mature.

HILBERT
Seriously?

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
Yes. It shows you're a good thinker too since you knew that the rubber would insulate Pikachu's electric shocks.

HILBERT
Thanks... Do you think you can keep it? We don't have much room at home and...

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
Why me? You earned it yourself. Besides, Pikachu will be a good companion on your big journey through Unova.

Juniper winks at him, she walks over to her desk and pulls open a drawer, taking out a Pokédex. She hands it to Hilbert, who inspects it, almost in awe and wonder. There's a light burn on the back. He chuckles.

HILBERT
This is my Pokédex... It's got the battle scars to prove it.

Juniper laughs. She hands him five Poké Balls. He looks taken aback.

HILBERT (CONT'D)
But why? Mom hasn't given me permission. I just destroyed her house I don't think she'll let me go anytime soon.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
You showed her you can catch a Pokémon even WITHOUT a Poké Ball. Just try talking to her. See what she thinks.

Hilbert nods - he begins to move for the door - looking back at her once more.

HILBERT
Thank you.

Hilbert takes one of the Poké Balls Juniper just gave him and taps the squirming Pikachu on the head with it. The Ball DRAGS Pikachu inside. It shakes violently, Pikachu is desperately trying to escape...

But the Ball locks. Hilbert completely LOSES it, happy with his latest capture.

FREEZE-FRAME as he lifts the Ball into the air, VICTORIOUS.

A text bar appears and a victorious little jingle plays - All right! Pikachu was caught!

Juniper grins proudly.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
Congratulations. But wait, before you leave I have something for you...

Juniper looks around on all the tables, she finally finds whatever she's looking for.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER (CONT'D)
A-ha...

She picks up a red watch-like object and walks it over to Hilbert.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER (CONT'D)
Hold out your arm.

HILBERT
What's this?

Forceful, but with a smile:

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
Hold out your arm and I'll show you.

Hilbert holds his arm out, pulling back the sleeve of his hoodie. She clips the watch around his arm and presses a button on it.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER (CONT'D)
It's called a Cross-Transceiver. It's a device capable of video chatting on the go. I'll give your Mom one too, so you can communicate no matter where you are. It might help push her into reconsidering.

She hands him another one.

HILBERT
I - I can't take this. It must have cost you a fortune.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
Oh, it did. But I get all these funds pouring in from all my sponsors so I can get the money back easily. Take it, kiddo, you'll need it more than I will anyway.

HILBERT
Thank you... this'll be a way for my mom to remind me to change my underwear everyday. I don't know where I'd be without her, honestly.

Juniper laughs. Then, curiously, she looks at the Ball Hilbert caught Pikachu with.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
...How is Pikachu? Rambunctious?

HILBERT
Yeah. He's a little... hostile.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
May I suggest taking the gloves off? If you show you're no threat to him, maybe he won't be a threat to you either.

He nods, slips of fthe gloves and hands them to Juniper. Hilbert lets Pikachu out of its Ball, holding it up in the air, at face-to-face level.

HILBERT
I'm Hilbert. Nice to meet 'ya... We're gonna be good friends, mmkay?

Hilbert SMILES but Pikachu's expression is less than pleasant. Pikachu, PISSED, just discharges a large amount of electricity, completely SHOCKING HILBERT to the point where his bones FLASH by a couple times whilst it's happening, almost like an X-RAY.

FREEZE-FRAME on Hilbert getting zapped.

A text bar appears and reads - Pikachu used ThunderShock!

HILBERT (V.O.)
That hurt. A LOT. But I didn't care. Pokémon elements aren't as strong as the actual elements, so while I'd probably be dead or in a coma if it were lightning that struck me, a Pokémon attack hitting you just fazes you for a few seconds. Also, it could ruin your clothes -

Hilbert DROPS to the ground.

FREEZE-FRAME on Hilbert's position on the ground, laying right on his face, butt in the air, with SMOKE rising from his body. His hoodie, hat, and black pants are filled with HOLES and TEARS with black CHARRED marks from the ZAP he just received.

The text bar now changes, and it reads - It's super effective!

HILBERT (V.O.)
- Like so.

Juniper looks apologetic and she hands Hilbert the gloves.

PROFESSOR JUNIPER
Well, it was worth a shot... But I think you MIGHT still be needing these.

HILBERT (V.O.)
I love the professor, I really do. But in that moment I really wanted to just get up and punch her in the face.