Hi all!
Some of the dialogue in this chapter (and in other places in the fic overall) comes from the anime sub/dub and the movies, seeing as this is meant to be an alternate start to the XY series... so if it seems familiar, that's why :)
Chapter 4
I know that part of the reasoning behind making Ash look human was so that he wouldn't draw so much attention as a robot walking around, Clemont thinks, Bonnie's hand in his as they trail after an excited Ash. But his enthusiasm is drawing lots of attention anyway…
Still, he can't help but grin at how transparently happy and excited Ash is at finally being outside. To be honest, Clemont has no idea why Ash hasn't been outside before this – he's never told the robot that he couldn't – but he suspects it might be the fact that Ash was created to stand in for him at the Gym. There's never been any real reason for Ash to go outside.
"Look, Clemont!" Ash calls from up ahead, waving an arm at them. "I've never seen this Pokémon before! Isn't it cool?!"
The robot is already running off to look at something else before Clemont can raise a hand to wave back, let alone reply. "He seems really happy!" Bonnie laughs beside him, the two of them watching Ash flail excitedly over his newest discovery. "I'm glad he finally got to come outside."
"Yeah, me too," Clemont replies with a smile. At this rate, it's going to take them half the day just to reach a department store, but he can't find it in him to curtail Ash's fun. For now, he's happy just to wander slowly behind the enthusiastic robot and follow wherever Ash wants to explore.
"You did a really good job, Clemont!" Bonnie beams up at him. "It's kinda hard to tell now that Ash is actually a robot, isn't it?"
Clemont laughs. "You're right there!" Not that he's ever acted like one! He looks up and feels panic set in when he can't see the robot anywhere. "Huh? Where'd he –"
"Ah! Clemont!" Bonnie exclaims in worry, pulling on his hand. He spins around to look where she's pointing. The split second of relief at seeing Ash – thank goodness we didn't lose him in this crowd! – gives way to alarm again when he realises how precariously balanced the robot is as he leans over a railing to look at something in the canal below.
"Whoa!"
He dashes over, arriving just as Ash loses to gravity and starts to fall over the side. Clemont grabs onto him, mentally bemoaning the fact that he hadn't brought his Aipom Arm with him on this outing. Ash may look more like a human now, but he still has a skeleton of metal and he is heavy.
Somehow, Clemont manages to drag Ash back over the railing and they collapse to the ground just as Bonnie reaches them. "Are you two okay?!"
"I'm okay… somehow…" Clemont gasps, pulling himself up into a sitting position.
"Same here." Ash says with a laugh, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Clemont, thanks for saving me!"
"No problem…" Clemont replies weakly. He stays sitting on the ground as Ash gets to his feet beside him, still feeling exhausted by the effort of dragging Ash back to safety. Maybe I should see if I can make him more lightweight…
Ash glances over the railing again, but stays firmly on the right side this time. "I thought I saw some Pokémon swimming in the water," he explains, sounding disappointed. "Not many Trainers bring water Pokémon into the Gym, so I wanted to get a better look…"
"Water Pokémon?" Bonnie repeats, peering down as well. "Aw, they swum away…"
Ash offers Clemont a hand up, which the inventor gladly takes. He doesn't pull Clemont up right away though, staring at something in the distance. "That's Prism Tower, right? Where the Gym is?" the robot asks, pointing behind Clemont. He twists around; sure enough, Prism Tower rises to the sky some distance behind them.
"Yep!" Bonnie replies for him. "That's our home!"
Ash makes a noise of amazement as he pulls Clemont to his feet effortlessly. "Wow, it's so tall!" he comments. "It's just as pretty from down here as the city is from up there."
"You haven't explored the Tower much either, have you?" Clemont asks curiously, brushing dirt off his pants. "Have you ever been to the observation level at the top?" He has a suspicion that Ash hasn't really ventured much beyond the levels that house the Gym and his apartment; Ash confirms his hunch when he shakes his head. "We'll have to show you that too then."
"You can see the whoooooooooole city from up there!" Bonnie adds, throwing her hands out for emphasis.
"Huh, is that so? I definitely wanna see it then!" Ash replies with a smile. They start walking again; maybe the almost-fall has calmed Ash down a bit, because he sticks with the two siblings this time around and doesn't dash off to look at whatever catches his attention. "Hey, Clemont," Ash says suddenly as they wander down the street. "I meant to ask before, but… this is the first time I've seen you wear something different. Mine's the Voltage Badge, but what's yours?"
Clemont chuckles sheepishly, looking down at his outfit. Although it was highly unlikely anyone would recognise him as Lumiose's Gym Leader even in his usual outfit, to avoid taking chances he had swapped his usual jumpsuit for an outfit similar to Ash's: pants and a comfy hoodie. "Ah, this is from the academy I studied at. My dad bought it for me when I graduated." He smiles fondly at the design, a wave of nostalgia washing over him.
"Woah, you've graduated already?!" Ash exclaims, reeling in shock.
"Of course! My brother's a genius, you know!" Bonnie replies loftily, before Clemont can say anything.
"Yeah, I'll say!" Ash says, sounding impressed. "Wow, I had no idea. That's great, Clemont!"
Clemont ducks his head, embarrassed by all the praise. "Aha, well, it was pretty hard…"
"Ah!" Bonnie says suddenly. She turns to Clemont. "Why don't you show him the system you made for your final research project?"
"Huh?" Clemont replies blankly, but Ash brightens, looking interested.
"Ah, is it another invention?! I wanna see!"
Clemont laughs at the robot's enthusiasm, unable to refuse the request. He looks around to see where they are. "Um, let's see, the nearest one from here would be… over there." Clemont points towards a nearby street and Bonnie dashes ahead of them to check as he and Ash start to walk.
"I've found it!" Bonnie calls, waving at them from the corner. "That's it, right, Clemont?" she asks excitedly when Clemont and Ash catch up to her. She points to two cylindrical booths up ahead with blue roofs and a lightning bolt painted on them.
"Yes, that's it," Clemont agrees. Ash takes a closer look at the structures. So this is something Clemont invented when he was younger… To Ash's confusion neither booth has a door, nor is there anything inside despite being big enough for a person to fit inside.
Or a Pokémon , Ash realises suddenly when a Mareep jumps into the booth in front of them. All at once, electricity pours from the walls, covering the Mareep completely. "Woah!" he exclaims, startled. The Pokémon seems to greatly enjoy bathing in the electricity. When the lightning dies down, the Mareep jumps out of the booth and trots back to its Trainer who is waiting patiently to the side.
"How was that, Mareep? Do you feel better?" he hears the Trainer ask as they walk away. Mareep lets out a happy-sounding cry.
"It's called a 'Clemontic Shower'. It's an electric shower for Electric-types, so they can recharge their energy," Clemont explains to a fascinated Ash. "They were a big success in the town where my academy was, so they were installed here as well."
"Awesome!" Ash's impressed tone has pride and embarrassment rising in equal measures in Clemont's chest. He bashfully scratches a cheek with a finger, unsure of how to answer, and tries not to blush. However, all thoughts are driven from his mind when a voice calls out from behind:
"Ah, if it isn't Clemont and Bonnie!"
Clemont and Bonnie both jump in surprise and spin around instantly to face the new arrival. Ash turns as well, curious to see who else might know the two siblings. The speaker appears to be a large, brown-haired man in a cap and overalls who is climbing off a motor scooter. A large yellow Pokémon ( Ampharos, an Electric type, Ash's database tells him) jumps down off the scooter as well.
"Papa!"
"Ampharos!"
Ash looks in shock at the two beside him. "'Papa'?!" This is Clemont and Bonnie's dad?
"Yo!" the man says cheerfully with a wave. Ash hangs back, unsure as Clemont and Bonnie hurry over to greet their father. Clemont, stepping back from the hug notices the uncharacteristic shyness. It makes sense, considering Ash has never met their father in all the time he's been awake. He waves the robot closer.
"Um, let me introduce you," he starts to say, but Bonnie jumps in before he can finish.
"This is our Papa!" she announces proudly, holding her hands up as though to say 'ta-daa'.
"I'm Meyer," their father adds with a smile. "I run an electronics store in this city together with Ampharos here." He places a hand on the Pokémon's back, who waves and trills a 'Ryuu!' in greeting.
"Wow, you and Ampharos, huh?" Ash replies with a grin. "Cool!" He waves back to the electric Pokémon, much to the amusement of the three humans.
Bonnie suddenly darts from her father's side to stand in front of Ash. "This is our new friend, Ash!" she tells Meyer, just as proudly as she had introduced him earlier.
"What?!" exclaims Meyer, drawing back. Ash takes a step back as the man starts shaking with emotion, looking to Clemont for guidance. Clemont can't help him though; even he can't tell if it's anger or tears until their father bursts out with, "I'm so happy, Clemont, Bonnie!" He sweeps his two children up into a hug, tears of happiness streaming down his face.
"I'm Ash," the robot introduces himself. "Pleased to meet you! Clemont and Bonnie's family is my family too!"
"Oh ho, nicely said!" Meyer says, perking up as he finally releases his children. A speculative gleam enters his eyes. "You have an interesting accent, where are you from?"
Alarm bells go off in Clemont's mind as he exchanges a panicked glance with Bonnie. Ah, I can't tell him Ash is just a robot I made! Not when he thinks we've managed to make a new friend on our own! Well, they had managed to 'make' a new friend, but not at all in the way their father meant! "Um!" he speaks up before Ash can reply. Desperation born of panic brings a sudden flash of inspiration. "Ash is from another region!"
"He's from Kanto!" Bonnie pipes up, seeing a Bulbasaur across the street. Kanto was far enough away, right?
Luckily, Ash seems to catch onto their plan and follows their lead, although he shoots them both a confused look. "Yeah, I'm from Pallet Town, in the Kanto region," the robot tells Meyer.
Meyer nods sagely. "Oh, is that so! You've certainly come a long way then."
Deciding to change the topic before they have to think up any more lies – he already feels awful for lying to his father – Clemont adds, "Ash has been helping me out at the Gym lately, because it's been so busy."
Their father looks teary-eyed again. "Good for you, having such a good friend to help you out!" he says, voice choked with emotion. Ash looks a bit worried; Clemont is about to reassure him that this isn't uncommon behaviour when Meyer focuses on him. "But Clemont, you should come home every now and then since you have someone to cover the Gym for you!" Ampharos makes a sound of agreement behind him.
"Ah –" Clemont doesn't know how to answer that. Truth be told, he really should visit home more, especially now that he's not as busy as he used to be. But he's reluctant to leave Ash by himself in the Tower; not that Ash is incapable of running the Gym by himself – far from it – but the robot had been so incredibly worried that time when Clemont had been gone for the whole day that he felt bad about ever doing it again.
"I have an idea!" Meyer says brightly, apparently not noticing Clemont's apprehension. He claps his hands together. "Why don't we all have lunch together today?"
Ah! He'll figure everything out since Ash doesn't eat!
"That sounds –"
"– great," Clemont cuts in before Ash can accept the invitation. "But we've, uh –"
"– got stuff to do, so bye-bye!" Bonnie finishes for him, grabbing Clemont's hand and towing him over towards Ash. The robot directs a questioning look Clemont's way, but luckily says nothing as he takes Bonnie's offered hand when she reaches him.
"Ah, wait!" Meyer calls after them. Clemont and Bonnie both stumble to a stop and turn around cautiously. "Keep up the good work at the Gym, Clemont. I'm counting on you – the Gym Leader of the Lumiose Gym is the pride of our city."
Clemont can see Ash grin at him proudly out of the corner of his eye and ducks his head in embarrassment at the praise. "Thanks, Papa."
With a wave, Meyer climbs back onto his motor scooter, buckling his helmet into place. "Ash, please take care of these two," he says as Ampharos hops up onto the seat behind him, already wearing its helmet. "Drop by my shop sometime, won't you?" He waves as he drives off, Ampharos trilling a farewell as well.
Clemont and Bonnie wave until their father disappears down the street, before promptly slumping and sighing heavily with relief. Thank goodness, he didn't try to press it further, Clemont thinks, straightening and adjusting his glasses.
"Your dad seems like a nice guy!" Ash comments. "What was all that about? You guys were acting really weird."
"Ah –" Clemont rubs the back of his head sheepishly, exchanging a look with Bonnie. "We just thought it might be better if he thinks you're a human rather than a robot?"
"Oh, okay, that makes sense," Ash replies, confused expression clearing. "So… Ash from Pallet Town, in the Kanto region." The robot nods to himself. "I like it!"
"Sorry, but… why Pallet Town?" Clemont asks curiously. He's surprised that Ash actually knows any towns in the Kanto region, even a famous one like the town where the reknown Professor Oak lives.
"'Cause that's where Trainers begin their journey in Kanto!" Ash grins brightly. "Of course I'd start there!"
"I see…" Clemont replies, feeling a bit troubled but unable to pinpoint exactly why this feels like a premonition. Before he can muse on it further however, Bonnie grabs both of their hands and tugs.
"Come on! We've got shopping to do!"
/\/\/\
Finding a shop that sells clothes isn't too hard in Lumiose City. Finding a shop that sells clothes that Ash likes isn't too hard either. Finding clothes that Ash likes and don't look like a fashion disaster, however…
Clemont has to admit that he's fascinated by the robot's choices; a fascination which has the added bonus of staving off boredom. Maybe there's something wrong with his perception of colour? Clemont wonders idly, watching Bonnie finally give up waiting for Ash to pick a decent combination on his own. I'll check it next time I have to do a tune-up. It doesn't seem to have handicapped him in any other way, if that's what's wrong.
Bonnie flops onto the chair beside him, having just ushered Ash back inside the change room with a bundle of clothes she'd helped him pick out. "Geez, he's like a Pokémon that only likes flashy colours!" she sighs. "Although considering who programmed him in the first place, maybe I shouldn't be surprised…"
"My colour co-ordination is fine!" Clemont protests, stung. Bonnie ignores him. "Sometimes I wonder if Pokémon and battling are really the only things he thinks about," she says thoughtfully.
Clemont sighs. "Honestly, I sometimes wonder the same thing."
The click of the change room door announces Ash's imminent arrival and they drop the conversation in favour of waiting expectantly for him to emerge. When he comes out, the robot spins around and strikes a pose. "How's this?"
"Ah! That really suits you, Ash!" Bonnie says happily, clapping her hands together.
"Oh, really?" Ash asks in surprise. He looks down at his new outfit, considering. "What do you think, Clemont?" he asks, wanting a second opinion.
The clothes Bonnie has picked out for Ash are simple but comfortable: grey pants, black undershirt with a blue and white short-sleeved shirt over the top, red fingerless gloves and sneakers. It's completely different to either Bonnie's or his own style of dressing, but just as Ash's new face fits his personality perfectly, so does this new outfit.
"I like it," he tells Ash, who grins.
"Haha, two for two! Alright, I'll get this then. Thanks for helping me pick something, Bonnie!" Ash says brightly, disappearing for a second to gather up the clothes he had been wearing earlier.
"You're welcome!" Bonnie replies, cheerful at having successfully completed their goal.
They head to the counter to pay. All the way there though Ash still looks pensive. "Is something wrong?" Clemont asks in concern, but Ash just shakes his head, crossing his arms with a 'hrm'.
"Something just feels missing…" the robot muses. He spots something just behind Clemont and brightens, leaning over Clemont's shoulder to snatch something off a shelf. 'Something' turns out to be a red and white hat, which Ash immediately jams on his head. "There we go! What do you think?"
"I think it suits you," Clemont tells him honestly. Ash looks pleased at that answer and adjusts the hat's brim before jogging off towards Bonnie. Clemont pays – it's not like Ash has any money, after all, and the stipend for Gym Leaders that Clemont receives from the Pokémon Association is more than enough to cover this. Thanking the lady at the cash register when the transaction is finished, Clemont looks around for Ash and his sister and smiles when he spots Ash proudly showing off the newest addition to his outfit to Bonnie.
When he joins them, both of them look at him expectantly. "What now?" Ash asks.
Clemont thinks this over. They've achieved what they originally set out to do – find Ash some new clothes – but there's still hours of daylight left. It's still a beautiful sunny day when he glances up through the glass ceiling; it seems such a shame to spend it inside a shopping mall. "Why don't we walk around outside?" he suggests. This way Ash can see a little more of the city too. Clemont's suggestion is met with twin noises of approval and excited faces – they're like two peas in a pod! he thinks in amusement – and they head off to find an exit.
.
.
.
They wander around the city with no particular route or destination in mind. Clemont just strolls along as Ash and Bonnie race ahead to look at something that catches their attention, but there are times when Ash or his sister are content to walk with him as the other takes a closer look at something.
All three of them are walking together when Bonnie spots something and tugs on Clemont's sleeve. "Clemont, Clemont, look! I want some ice-cream!" she says, pointing to a nearby ice-cream vendor.
"It's almost lunchtime, though," he replies, hesitant. "You'll spoil your appetite."
Bonnie pouts. "It'll be fine! Please, Clemont?"
She looks hopefully up at him and Clemont can feel his resolve crumble. "Alright," he concedes reluctantly, raising a cheer from Bonnie as she bounds over to the vendor's stall.
"We'd like some ice-cream, please!" she tells the man behind the counter.
Through some kind of miscommunication, they end up with three ice-creams so Ash ends up holding onto one even though he can't eat it. Clemont thinks Ash looks a little wistful about it – like the robot wishes he could taste it – but Ash still offers to 'share' it with Bonnie and Clemont without hesitation.
"Hey, Clemont… what's a 'friend'?" Ash asks out of the blue as they walk along.
Caught off guard by the unexpected question in the middle of trying to stop his ice-cream from dripping over his hand, Clemont can only reply "What?"
Luckily, Ash elaborates before Clemont becomes more confused. "When we were talking to your Dad just now, Bonnie said I was your new 'friend'... but I don't know what that means," the robot explains sheepishly. "Is it some kind of new Pokémon?"
Bonnie laughs. "No, silly! Friends are people who really like to play with you and talk with you!"
"People that you know and trust," Clemont offers.
"They help you and you help them," Bonnie adds brightly, turning to smile up at him before taking a big lick of her ice-cream. Clemont nods.
"It's good for everybody involved," the inventor finishes, looking towards Ash to see if the explanation has made any sense to him. Ash looks thoughtful.
"So… friends are different to family?" the robot asks slowly, brows furrowed.
"In a way, yes," Clemont concedes. "Family is generally people who you have bonds with through blood or marriage; friends are people you create bonds with."
He gets a blank look from the robot. "Sorry, I don't get it," Ash admits sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Clemont hrms as he tries to think of a better way of phrasing it.
"Family aren't always your friends, but friends are always your family?" Bonnie tries, but Ash just looks even more confused at that statement.
"But you and Clemont get along so well…" he protests.
"That's 'cause Clemont and I are friends as well as family!" Bonnie says proudly, linking her free arm with her brother's. "Right, Clemont?"
"Right!" he agrees. Ash nods but still looks a little uncertain. Clemont wracks his brains. "Aha! I've got it!" he says finally, brightening. "Friends are like family that you can choose!"
"Ohhhhh!" Ash exclaims, eyes lighting up with understanding. "So we're both, right? Friends and family?"
"Of course!" the two siblings chorus immediately in perfect unison. Ash starts laughing, secretly pleased at the emphatic reply. Clemont and Bonnie look from Ash to each other and start to laugh too.
The trio end up wandering through one of Lumiose's many garden parks as they enjoy the cold treats. Flowers of every colour and shape imaginable are blooming all around the pathways, drawing looks of awe from all three.
"The flowers are so pretty!" Bonnie exclaims in happiness.
"Yes, they are quite beautiful," Clemont agrees, adjusting his glasses for a better look.
Ash mmms in agreement, almost immediately followed by a noise of alarm upon realising that his ice-cream is, in fact, melting all over his fingers. "Ack!" He switches the cone to his other hand and grimaces at now-sticky fingers. Unable to follow Bonnie and Clemont's lead and simply lick the ice-cream off his fingers, Ash opts instead to wipe them on his new clothes – or at least, he intends to, right up until the image of a dismayed Clemont pops into his mind's eye and wipes them on the grass instead.
The robot doesn't notice that the ice-cream cone in his other hand is getting lighter and lighter until he looks up and sees a foot-high yellow Pokémon happily munching away at the cone in his hand. "Ah!" Ash cries, falling backward in surprise. The Pokémon jumps back as well and lands on all fours, tail raised and long ears twitching as it eyes Ash suspiciously.
"Ash, are you alright?" Clemont cries in alarm, hurrying over.
"Yeah, I'm okay. It just startled me, that's all," Ash says, sitting up and rubbing his back.
"Clemont! Look, it's a Pikachu!" Bonnie says in delight, coming up beside her brother. "I've never seen a Pikachu this close before! It's so cute!" She's starry-eyed at the sight of the small electric-type and goes to move closer when Clemont holds out a hand, silently telling her to stay back.
"Be careful, it looks like it's on guard," Clemont warns the robot in front of him, who looks back at the Pokémon. A Pikachu, huh? Ash thinks, checking to see what his internal Pokédex has to say about the newcomer.
Pikachu , the Electric Mouse Pokémon. It raises its tail to check its surroundings. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the small electric sacs on both its cheeks.
Electric charges, huh? I guess that's why Clemont said to be careful. "You just wanted to eat some ice-cream, right?" Ash asks the Pikachu in a friendly tone. He holds out the remains of the ice-cream cone. "Here, you can have it."
The Pikachu eyes him a moment or two longer before it darts in suddenly and snatches the cone from his hand. "Pikachuuuuu," it says happily, munching away. Ash smiles.
"It tastes good, right?" he asks, propping his chin on a hand. The Pikachu gives an enthusiastic response. Clemont watches in fascination as Ash talks to the wild Pikachu like they're friends, the robot's affinity for Pokémon once again showing itself clearly.
Ash studies the small form in front of him while the Pikachu crunches away on the last of his ice-cream cone. The small Pokémon's fur is bright yellow, save for the black tips to the ears and brown stripes on its back. "I think it's a wild Pokémon," he comments over his shoulder to Clemont. "Look, its fur is all messy."
Clemont crouches down behind him, peering over his shoulder for a better look. "That seems to be the case," he agrees. "But Pikachu aren't native to this area; they're forest Pokémon, not city Pokémon."
"Hrm." Ash looks back at Pikachu. "Did you get lost?" he asks kindly. "I'm sure we can help you find your way back to your forest." He catches sight of a discoloured area on the Pikachu's tail, but it isn't until the Pokémon turns to peer at the other two that he gets a better look at it. It's not a mark or dirt – it's a scar. It must have gotten hurt pretty badly for a scar like that…
"We won't hurt you, I promise." He reaches out a hand carefully to pat it the way he'd pat Bunnelby or Heliolisk. But instead of leaning into his hand like Clemont's Pokémon do, the Pikachu jolts in surprise and darts backwards, landing on all fours. The remains of Ash's ice-cream drop to the ground.
"Ah, I'm sor–!"
The Pikachu doesn't stop to listen. It looses a Thunderbolt at all three of them with a loud "Chuuuuuu!"
Ash cries out and falls backwards, more out of shock than pain thanks to whatever Clemont has done to insulate him from electrical attacks. The Thunderbolt breaks off and the Pikachu darts away, disappearing into the flowers. "Ah wait, come back!" Ash calls desperately, stretching a beseeching hand after it. He struggles to his feet and is about to dash after the Pokémon – I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you! – when a noise behind him catches his attention. He spins around to find Clemont and Bonnie have collapsed to the ground from the Thunderbolt as well. "Clemont! Bonnie!" Ash cries in alarm, dropping down beside them. The robot wants to chase after the Pikachu, but Clemont and Bonnie are more important. He might be insulated against electric attacks, but his friends are not. "Are you both alright?!"
Bonnie is up in a flash. "I'm okay!" she says cheerfully.
Her brother sits up more slowly. "Me too." Clemont blinks and resettles his glasses on his nose. "Are you alright?"
"Where did Pikachu go?" Bonnie adds, looking around for the Pokémon.
"I'm fine, thanks to you," Ash tells Clemont, who sighs in relief. "Pikachu ran away, I think I scared it. I'm sorry, I didn't think it'd zap all of us." It's the robot's turn to sigh glumly. "I just wanted to be friends with it…"
"Aw, I wanted to play with Pikachu too…" Bonnie says in disappointment, shoulders slumping.
"It's alright," Clemont tells Ash, wanting to clear away his friend's sad face. It's not your fault, Ash. "Some wild Pokémon just don't like being around humans…"
I'm not human, though. "Did you see the scar on its tail?" Ash asks instead, frowning.
Clemont nods, looking serious. "Yes. Perhaps something happened to it before that's made it distrust people…"
"That's awful…" Ash trails off, saddened as he thinks about the scar he'd seen on the Pikachu's tail. It must have hurt a lot. Poor Pikachu…
Bonnie echoes Ash's thoughts aloud unknowingly, also looking downcast. "Poor Pikachu…"
Clemont looks from the two sad faces in front of him to the spot where the Pikachu had run off and back to his sister and Ash again. He's concerned about the injured Pokémon as well, but there's not much the three of them can do if Pikachu doesn't want their help. Clemont reaches out to rest a comforting hand on each of their shoulders. "That scar was fairly old and it seems to be in good health, at least," he tells the two of them reassuringly. "If we meet it again we can try to help it, but since it seems like Pikachu doesn't want us to come near it at the moment, why don't we keep exploring the city? We still have some time left before we should start heading back to the Tower."
Ash glances in the direction that the yellow Pokémon had run off in, sighs, and nods. "You're right." He brightens slightly. "It really was in good health, wasn't it? That Thunderbolt was amazing!" Just like that, the robot cheers up, continuing to gush over the Pikachu and the other Pokémon he'd seen around the city earlier as he helps Clemont and Bonnie to their feet. Clemont smiles to himself as he brushes the dirt off his clothes, listening with one ear as he picks up the remains of the ice-cream cones that he and Bonnie had dropped when Pikachu had zapped them. Those, he puts them in a nearby bin; Ash and Bonnie trail after him, the two still waxing poetic about the city's Pokémon. I'm glad that the two of them aren't sad anymore, at least.
As they leave the flower garden, Ash glances back. Pikachu… Please take care!
A new friend perhaps...?
Lol who am I kidding Ash and Pikachu are inseparable in any universe haha
Thanks for reading! C: