Chapter 26: Take It Easy
"Alright Pikachu, we're about to head out. Just keep an eye on everyone okay buddy?" Ash said as he double-checked the items in his backpack in their hotel room.
It wasn't exactly an ideal situation. They had arrived in a small town in the middle of nowhere and just in the nick of time too because they were running out of supplies: Brock needed more ingredients, Ash decided to get potions in case some Pokémon along the way got injured and Dawn realized that she needed more pins and ribbons for future contest dresses.
Everything was going along as per usual except for one little tidbit: the owner of the only general store in town had some kind of major bias against Pokémon. Pikachu swore that he will never forget Ash's bewildered expression.
"What?! Whaddya mean no Pokémon in the store?!" Ash incredulously shouted, voicing what was on the rest of the group's minds as they were talking to the owner on the store's wooden porch.
"Yup that's right. Only people." The old man curtly replied, a smoking pipe sticking out the side of his mouth. He continued moving back and forth on his wooden rocking chair and pointed towards a handmade sign at the top of the door.
NO POKÉMON INSIDE
He scoffed as he pulled his pipe out of his mouth. "And that includes no Pokéballs either. Oh no, I learned my lesson. A little excitement and they pop out like Charlie in the trees!"
"...Who's Charlie?!" Ash shouted back.
"Sir, our Pokémon are very clean and well-behaved!" Dawn insisted with a forced smile, a bead of sweat on the side of her head.
"(Yeah, I just took a shower!)" Pikachu replied, as if the guy could understand him.
"Oh that's what they all say!" The crotchety old man said with a wave of his hand. "Look, it's either that or leave!" He shouted before taking on a more relaxed position in his rocking chair. "Hmmph, Pokémon...I never saw what the big deal was. Always repeating their names, thinking they're so special from other animals. Birds, snakes...mice." He said, looking at Pikachu with a stern gaze. The mouse felt a shiver go up his spine. "Thinking that they're the only animals around. You know there's such a thing as a normal mouse right? Or fish? Anyway, they're all wildlife, filthy creatures through and through."
"Why you...!" Ash furiously shouted, taking a step forward with a clenched fist yet the old man didn't bat an eye. Huffing, the young boy turned towards his friends. "Come on guys! There's gotta be another store somewhere nearby!"
The old man smirked. "Good luck pal, I'm the only option for miles."
Completely floored, Ash could only stand in place, trying to come up with a retort. "B-But...but I-" Ash stuttered but before he could form a coherent sentence, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Ash..." Brock softly said. "It looks like we don't have much of a choice. Besides, Pikachu could take care of himself for a few hours."
Ash could do nothing but take in his friend's words as the anger started to drain out of him and he felt his body deflate. Finally, he sighed in defeat.
"Okay..." He said rather disappointedly and turned towards Pikachu. "Well buddy, sorry but it looks like you'll have to stay at the hotel until we get back."
"It's okay Ash, Pikachu's more than capable of handling things on his own. Besides, if he's feeling cooped up in that hotel room, he can go out with the others!" Brock chimed in.
"Still...I don't know..." Ash replied, a slight look of panic in his eyes. Immediately, everyone knew what he was implying, what the poor boy was feeling at that moment. Tsk, looks like that previous incident of Pikachu going missing was a hard thing to get past huh?
"Ash, things are gonna be fine. This is a nice, quiet town and he'll have everyone with him." Dawn gently said.
Ash looked up to the sky in contemplation and furrowed his brow. Slowly, he looked back at his best friend and let out a silent exhale. "Okay. I'd hate for you to not come with us and all but as long as you're with someone I shouldn't worry. Besides, it'll only be for like an hour."
Pikachu nodded his head in agreement. He didn't like it any more than they did but what choice did they have? Besides it's not like they'll be gone for too lo-
"Ummm, actually Ash..." Dawn said somewhat nervously, causing all of her friends to turn their attention towards her. "I might need more time to prepare some outfits and I...need some second opinions..." She sheepishly muttered as she twiddled her fingers.
"Ohhh great..." Ash bemusedly said.
Fashion. Certainly not his thing. Perfect, the only place that has a dressing room and she couldn't take Buneary or Aipom to do this job...
"Well that's fine with me." Brock said, lightly nudging Ash in the arm.
"Err, me too." Ash quickly remarked, trying not to sound too hesitant.
Uggh, what are friends for?
Pikachu smiled and lowered his ears, heaving a sigh. "Maybe it's a good thing that I don't stick around." He thought.
"(No problem Ash!)" Pikachu confidently said while raising a fist in the air. "(You can count on me!)".
He suddenly felt another presence rush up to his side.
"(Me too!)" Piplup announced, equally confident. Pikachu smirked as he looked back to see the rest of the group hanging out in the living room.
"Of course, you too Piplup!" Dawn happily said as she adjusted her carry-on bag.
"Alright everyone, we'll be back as soon as we can!" Brock announced as he opened the door.
"Bye guys!" Ash said as he followed the others and closed the door behind him. No sooner did the door close did Piplup spin around and excitedly wave a flipper in the air.
"(Okay! Anybody up for exploring the town?)" He cheerily asked to the rest of the Pokémon in the large hotel room.
"(Ooh, ooh me!)" Pachirisu declared as he frantically waved his tiny arm in the air.
"(Count me in!)" Aipom said smiling.
"(Yeah, totally! I'm already feeling too cooped up in this room!)" Turtwig laughed.
Pikachu merely stared at the group and turned his attention towards Piplup. "Huh, give the guy credit, he's certainly taken the leadership thing in stride." He thought. But still, something was nagging him in the back of his mind.
"(I can't wait to stretch my legs!)" Buneary exclaimed, jumping from side to side. Looking at how excited she and the rest were, Pikachu smiled.
"Me and Piplup, we'll guide everyone around, keep an eye on them and then we'll- wait a sec...why does this sound familiar?" He suddenly pondered, putting a paw to his chin. "Hmmm let's see...us as the leaders, the humans shopping...a boat...Team Rocket...getting jiggy...oh lord!" His eyes began to widen. It was just like the time they were put in charge on that boat and nearly went over a waterfall! Granted, Team Rocket made things worse, but they didn't cause them to nearly go careening to their deaths!
Pikachu quickly spun back towards everyone to do a headcount. Last time, no sooner were they put in charge, did Pachirisu and Happiny nearly jump off the boat for no reason!
He looked for the aforementioned younger members of their group. Let's see...Pachirisu was right there and clearly so excited to go out that he was chasing his own tail and Happiny was playing with some toy blocks. Okay...so far so good.
Pikachu felt his body deflate. Why worry so much? Last time they were on a boat that could move downstream. This time, they were in a quaint little town! They were probably just going to stroll through the park or visit the nearest kiosk or something. And if they needed help, the humans were going to be at the same store down the street. Yeah, no need to worry.
Feeling more relieved, Pikachu felt himself warming up to the idea of spending the day in this nice little town. "(Works for me!)"
It turned out that going out was a great idea as everyone immediately started to enjoy themselves! Some kiosks offered some free snacks, the weather was nice and it was just a really peaceful little place...minus the crotchety old man with a prejudice towards all Pokémon...but still!
Despite how nice it was, Pikachu kept reminding himself not to take his eyes off anyone for too long, the young ones especially. Whenever they crossed a street, he would make sure that they looked both ways. Whenever they went somewhere new, he would make sure everyone was accounted for. Even though he was taking his role as leader a lot more seriously than Piplup was, he was still glad to be out and happy to see everyone else having a good time.
His efforts at keeping everyone safe and in line didn't go fully unnoticed though. Buneary had certainly seen how he was handling himself, which earned a look of admiration here and there from her. She wasn't too surprised, however. Aipom and Piplup were right, kids just seemed to really like him and he was always good with them as far as she's seen and heard. Still, every time Pikachu held Happiny's paw while crossing the street or made sure Pachirisu wasn't running too far ahead to get lost, she felt her heart do a little backflip.
After spending some time in the park near the hotel, they decided to take a stroll down the main street. The day was bright and the hustle and bustle of the little city made it all seem quite lively. Buneary was walking alongside Pikachu when something caught the corner of her eye. She turned to look at what appeared to be a bin full of DVDs. On the bin read the words "FREE".
Intrigued, she hopped towards it and looked inside. Others followed suit and too began rummaging through the bin to see what treasures it contained.
"(Hmm...I don't see any movies that I recognize.)" Piplup remarked, tossing a foreign film to the side.
"(I dunno, I see some stuff that might be cool!)" Pachirisu energetically replied back, holding up some dusty DVDs, all having colorful, action-packed cartoon covers.
"(Yeah I don't see any-...oh...my...lord!)" Buneary suddenly squealed. She pulled out a single DVD that had a cover of a growlithe and a delcatty holding each other closely, their faces inches away while some kind of fire raged in the background.
"(What's that?)" Pikachu asked as he strolled over to them.
"(This movie...it's one of my favorites! Ever!)" Buneary happily shouted, holding the DVD close to her chest.
"(That? What's it about?)" Pikachu asked, an ear twitching.
"(It's about love, danger, the changing times, and the pursuit of surviving at all costs!)" Buneary announced dramatically while giving an equally grand pose and raising her arms to the heavens.
"(Sounds like lovey-dovey stuff to me.)" Piplup bemusedly said as he put his flippers on his sides.
"(Yeah that too!)" Buneary squealed, hugging the DVD again. "(Oh, I've wanted to watch it again, ever since I was little!)"
"(Huh? Little? Weren't you a wild Pokémon back then? How'd you even see that movie?)" Turtwig asked as he walked up to her.
"(Well one day near my burrow, a bunch of humans had a drive-in movie night and this was the movie they put on. Oh, it was sooooo romantic! I'd never seen anything like it before! I told myself that one day, I'd see it again!)" Buneary said, strong conviction in her voice and her gaze moving towards the sky and beyond.
Pikachu couldn't help but chuckle a little. "(Well, today's you're lucky day because that DVD is apparently free!)"
"(I know, I can't wait to see it! Though...)" She began to say with a sudden somber tone in her voice. "(When would be a good time? Pretty soon, we'll be on the road for who knows how long.)" She muttered, hanging her head.
"(Well...you could just go back to the hotel and watch it. I mean, Ash and the others will be out for most of the day.)" Staravia replied.
A look of curiosity suddenly shot across Buneary's face followed soon by hope. Pikachu couldn't help but notice how her eyes appeared to sparkle at that moment. He felt his stomach do that weird somersault thing again.
"(Aaaand maybe Pikachu can watch it with you~!)" Aipom giggled, nudging the electric mouse.
"(Huh?)" Pikachu confusedly asked as he turned to her. "(Me? But what about you guys? Ash put me in charge.)"
"(Hey, hey! Dawn put me in charge too in case you forgot!)" Piplup proudly shouted back, trying his best not to do his famous flailing dance. "(I got this!)" He proclaimed, tapping his chest.
Well...it would be nice not having to worry about everyone all the time for a little bit. Enjoy a movie with his girlfriend. No boats going over waterfalls...
Pikachu took a moment to think it over and as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of Buneary's face. She was staring right at him, her eyes wider than he'd ever seen before, giving an almost pleading yet extremely sad look. He felt his heart twist in knots. Damn it, he knew he couldn't say no to that.
"(Pikachu...)" She started to say, in a tone that was almost just as equally-pleading as her intensely sad gaze. "(...Please?)"
Can't. Resist.
"(Sounds like fun!)" He blurted out with a smile.
Buneary's sad demeanor was suddenly replaced with an equally wide-eyed expression that radiated with exuberance. "(You will?!)" She practically screamed.
"(Yeah, totally!)" Pikachu warmly said back. Suddenly, she hopped over and wrapped her arms around him.
"(Oh thank you, thank you! You're the best boyfriend ever!)" She squealed as she hugged him even tighter.
"(Heh, no problem.)" He said a little sheepishly as he heard some snickers around them.
"(Attaboy Pikachu! Boyfriend material right here folks!)" Aipom said with a hint of laughter.
"(Yeah, and don't worry, I'll make sure everybody looks both ways when we cross the street and not to chew any gum they find under park benches.)" Piplup said although Pikachu couldn't tell if he was necessarily being serious about that last part.
"(Oh before we go back, I want to see if I can grab a few free snacks! We'll need them 'cause the movie's a bit long!)" Buneary declared as she unlocked herself from the hug. "(Be right back!)" She shouted, handing Pikachu the DVD and hopping off to the nearest kiosks.
"(Free snacks you say?)" Pachirisu asked, looking to where she was heading. "(Wait for me!)" He shouted before following her.
"(Me too!)" Turtwig and Staravia said in unison as they made their way down the street.
"(Wait, hold on! I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on you guys!)" Piplup yelled as he ran after them.
Heh, they'll be fine. Piplup's a bit clumsy at times but he can manage things pretty well when the need arises.
Pikachu's mind suddenly remembered something Buneary had said. "The movie's a bit long?" He thought as he turned the DVD over and checked the running time. What he saw nearly took the breath out of him.
It was...it was...FOUR HOURS LONG?!
Pikachu blinked as his mouth hung agape. Jeez, he expected to spend some time with Buneary and then maybe go back to exploring or something but this...this will take up nearly all of their free day!
"(Why so glum chum?)" Aipom asked as she tilted her head to get a better look at Pikachu's shocked expression.
"(This movie goes on forever!)" He shouted. "(It's four hours!)"
"(Huh...best get cozy in that hotel room.)" Aipom said, putting her paws on her hips.
"(I mean, that's like...a sixth of the day or something! All for a story that's probably too long and complicated...)" Pikachu rambled, turning away from Aipom to continue venting to nobody in particular.
"(Uh, Pikachu?)" Aipom asked.
"(I mean, four hours?! We could be using that time to go exploring or do some training or preparing for contests!)" He continued shouting.
"(Pikachu...)"
"(I mean granted, Ash and the others still might not be back by then but I can't jus-)"
"(PIKACHU!)" Aipom screamed at him as she placed her paws on his shoulders and spun him to face her. Pikachu stopped his ranting and looked into her eyes.
"(Huh?)" He managed to mutter; it was all he could say.
"(Buddy, pal, home-skillet biscuit dog...)" Aipom said in a soft, calm voice.
"(Home-skill...what?)" Pikachu asked, blinking in confusion. Suddenly, Aipom pulled him into a tight embrace and started patting him on the shoulders.
"(Life's...life's more than just contests and battles.)" She said before embracing him even tighter and looking off into the distance. "(Sometimes, we have to care about others. Sometimes, we have to watch silly romance movies that go on and on with stories that you don't know what the hell is going on. Sometimes, you do silly things like that to make the other one happy. You see what I mean?)" She said, finally looking at him.
Pikachu blinked, then blinked again. "(Umm, I think so. Just watch the movie because Buneary really wants to see it even if I won't enjoy it myself?)" He asked, once again staring into Aipom's eyes.
"(Yes! Exactly! Do it, not because it's a personal challenge...but for her. Do it for her.)" She said smiling.
Do it for her. Yeah. He could do that. Lord knows she's done things for him that blow watching a silly long movie out of the water.
With determination spreading across his face, Pikachu nodded his head and backed away from Aipom before raising a fist in the air. "(Yeah, I'll do it! For her!)"
"(Good man!)" Aipom said, clapping her paws.
"(Thanks Aipom!)" Pikachu said although he did feel a little strange about it. She was a genuinely nice individual but all of her teasing in the past made it hard to remember that sometimes. Then again she was one of the few he confided in about Buneary's feelings for him.
"(No prob!)" She said with her classic smile. Then she quickly leaned in closer to him and whispered into his ear. "(Besides, a good romance movie and being alone together for that long might make some other kinds of sparks fly huh~?)" She said motioning towards his cheeks.
Oh lord there it was. And the reminder that he and Buneary are going to be spending that much time alone together...in a nice bedroom...watching a romantic movie...w-was it getting hot around here?
Pikachu felt his body turning scarlet at the very thought of it as Aipom laughed to herself.
Pikachu settled himself onto the hotel bed next to Buneary, their snacks on their laps. Beaming brighter than ever, Buneary scrolled through the DVD menu and hit play. As the movie's title appeared on screen, she took a bite out of her apple. Pikachu steadied himself for a long watch, determined not to show any clear boredom for her sake. It didn't help that he hadn't been getting much sleep due to certain...dreams he was having. Steadying himself, he was fully ready to endure any boredom or temptation to fall unconscious. This was for her after all!
Still...somewhere in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but recall Aipom's implications.
As the movie progressed, Pikachu tried his best to keep up with the story. Something about a war and how things are gonna hit the fan for the characters pretty soon. Apparently it's based on history though he wasn't too sure. Occasionally he looked over and saw Buneary completely captivated by the film, sometimes commenting on the characters and what to expect. Whenever she did this, he gave a little smile. It was cute actually, seeing her so enthusiastic for this flick. And...he wasn't feeling the urge to fall asleep...so that was good!
"(As Mew as my witness, I'll never go hungry again!)" The beautiful delcatty declared to the sky, holding up the remains of a desiccated berry in her paws.
Pikachu couldn't help but stare. Wow, looks like she's going to take matters into her own paws huh? She's been so brave and strong, especially for a woman in those times with very few options. She-
...Wait...was he...getting into this film?
Pikachu blinked as he continued looking at the television, the words "Intermission" plastered over the screen. Before he could conjure up another thought, he heard Buneary giggle. He quickly looked over to see her getting out of the bed.
"(Hee~! Quick break!)" She exclaimed as she walked over to the bathroom and closed the door, leaving him sitting alone. As he turned his head back to the screen, he couldn't help but feel...excited? Yeah...excited! He was honestly a bit curious to see where the story was going. How was the Delcatty going to get out of her situation? Will that snide yet charming growlithe come back from the war? There was only one way to find out...
"(Oh man!)" Pikachu nearly shouted as he watched a tense standoff between Delcatty and a machamp who entered her home, hoping to steal some valuables. Despite assuring her that he was only looking for things to steal, she wouldn't back down.
As the scene progressed, Pikachu suddenly felt a warm embrace around his waist. He glanced over and saw that Buneary had wrapped her arms around him. Giving her a small smile, he returned her snuggle as they continued to watch the film. He could only gasp in shock as the Delcatty suddenly unleashed Hyper Beam, blowing the machamp away! It was the sort of scene that would fill a viewer with adrenaline.
...Although...
Pikachu swallowed hard upon seeing that attack...how it reminded him of-
Wanting to bury the growing sense of anxiety he was feeling, he tried to focus back on the movie and think of something else...like how well developed the main character was! He didn't even know that she was capable of such strength! His surprised reaction didn't go unnoticed as he heard Buneary giggle, her body slightly shaking and in turn causing his body to shake with her. Feeling his face burn, he tried diverting his attention elsewhere.
"(No, don't do it!)" Pikachu shouted at the screen as he watched the Delcatty and Growlithe's daughter, a young skitty, ride upon a ponyta friend of hers up the trail to her family's manor. It was a scene that was vaguely familiar to an earlier one where the Delcatty's father did the same thing only to end up in a fatal accident.
"(Watch me take this!)" The young Skitty confidently shouted as the duo neared a fence. Pikachu closed his eyes only to hear a crash and screaming accompanied by dramatic music and Buneary's light sniffling. Instinctively, he rubbed her back as he continued to hold on to her.
"(Oh but where will I go? What shall I do?!)" Delcatty pleaded as the Growlithe opened the front door.
"(Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.)" The Growlithe sternly said before turning and walking into the fog.
Pikachu could hear Buneary's muffled squeals as the movie at long last reached its final scene with the Delcatty declaring that she'll return home and get the Growlithe back.
"(After all, tomorrow is another day!)" She declared as the screen faded to her childhood home against the sunset, a choir singing a closing dramatic song. With that, the film faded to the end credits.
Wow...was it really over? Pikachu almost couldn't believe it. He turned his head to the digital clock next to the bed. Yup, four hours. Huh...didn't feel like it. Before he could comment on that, he heard Buneary suddenly squeal with excitement and began applauding the film.
"(Eee~! It's even better than I remembered!)" She cried out. He merely looked at her and gave a little smile.
"(Well...it was better than I thought too.)" He said, suppressing a chuckle.
She suddenly stopped clapping and looked at him, her smile not faltering for a moment.
"(And it was made even better thanks to you!)" She beamed before suddenly rushing forward and holding on to his arm again and nuzzling her cheek against his. "(Oh, thank you Pikachu for watching this with me! It was so much fun!)"
Feeling his face heat up like the freakin' sun, Pikachu silently gulped.
"(N-No prob Bun, happy to do it!)" He said, returning her nuzzle.
Buneary quickly stopped and looked at him again. "(And you know...)" She started, waiting for him to look back at her "(...since you watched this with me...you can pick the next movie! Any movie that you want!)"
He blinked in slight surprise. Any movie? Well...
It didn't take long for Pikachu to take Buneary up on her offer as the gang stopped in another town only a few days later. Certain side adventures caused them to lose some supplies, including most of their food rations although just like the past few days, they still hadn't seen any sign of Team Rocket. Before they knew it, the couple found themselves in the exact situation they were in before! Funnily enough, there didn't seem to be a crotchety old man with a weird hang-up this time. Perhaps Dawn or Aipom or someone else put in the word that they should have another movie night. It really wouldn't surprise them at this point.
As they sat in their hotel room scrolling through streaming services, a particular film caught the mouse's eye.
A SINNOH HOUNDOOM IN KANTO
Intrigued, Pikachu felt an overwhelming force to click the "Play" option.
"(Hey what about this one?)" He asked, looking over to Buneary who glanced up from eating her pellet on the bed.
"(Huh? What's that one?)" She asked, her words slightly muffled.
"(It's a horror and a comedy. I heard it's really good.)" He said with a little excitement in his voice.
She blinked before nervously glancing between him and the screen. "(Horror?)"
He looked at her. Oh that's right, he almost forgot how she didn't care too much for spooky things. Just like that time in the cave.
"(Umm, well...we don't have to watch this one Bun. I'm sure I can find something else.)" He said as he began to scroll for other options.
Both of Buneary's ears uncurled and she made a slightly surprised noise. "(Oh uh...no...no actually if you want to watch that one I'm cool with it!)" She said, surprisingly confident as one of her ears curled up again.
Pikachu looked back at her and scanned her face. It was pretty clear that she was putting up a front to make him not worry. Regardless, it was a tad flattering to see her try to push aside her fears just so they could watch what he wanted.
Feeling a strange mix of flattery and mischief, Pikachu smiled at her, trying to pretend that he hadn't caught on. "(You sure?)" He softly asked.
Buneary smiled even wider. "(Yeah go for it!)" She exclaimed.
"(Well alright...)" He said as he scrolled back over to the film.
As the movie started, the couple settled into the bed. Despite feeling pretty comfortable, Pikachu couldn't help but feel a bit bad for putting her though this. Sure it was just a movie but still, she wasn't exactly a fan of potentially scary stuff.
It didn't help that the film opened up in a rather creepy manner. There was no music or even sound, just the opening credits before the screen focused on a black and white shot of what looked to be a village in the middle of nowhere at night. Suddenly, thin white text appeared against the darkened sky.
I AM BOUND TO CHAINS ON MY ANKLES THAT GROW HEAVIER WITH EVERY STEP
THE INFINITE AMOUNT OF SAND WILL BE MY TOMB
AND MY FOOLISHNESS WILL BE MY LEGACY
IF THERE IS A GOD...PLEASE HELP ME
He could feel Buneary hold on to him again.
Despite the creepy opening, the film started off on a pretty light tone. The advertising wasn't lying when it said that it was a comedy. For the first fifteen minutes, the couple was snickering more than anything at the surprisingly good jokes. In fact, things were going so well that Buneary released her grip on him and all tension in the room was gone.
The film followed two human friends from Sinnoh who were backpacking across the Kanto region, both clearly out of their element. It was only when they got lost in the wilderness at night did things began to take a turn. As the two wandered through an open dark field, they began to hear something howl in the distance.
Buneary immediately held on to Pikachu's arm again, clearly trying her best to not look away nor close her eyes. He had to admit that he himself was pretty on edge about what was probably going to happen. It didn't help that the main character reminded him of Ash quite a bit, constantly saying that he was going to be something great, even taking it a step further and at one point proclaiming that he would have a big impact on the world. When he started talking about being the best coordinator, Pikachu felt an odd chill go up his spine.
Just as the two main characters were about to be chased, there was a brief moment of comedic levity as one of them slipped and fell into the mud. The other friend looked down and laughed.
Then the monster attacked, pouncing on the one that was still standing! Buneary immediately buried her face into Pikachu's chest right when the character screamed as he was being mauled to death. A few moments later, the other character was getting attacked before suddenly being saved by the villagers. As the film moved on to the next scene, Buneary took her face out of his chest.
"(Pikachu...?)" She muttered as she blankly stared at the screen.
"(Yeah?)"
"(I hate you so much.)"
After the attack, the film focused on the remaining character being warned that he will transform into a houndoom by his deceased friend who kept returning as a grotesque, ghostly figure. It all came to a head when the main character was left alone in an apartment before suddenly transforming into a horrible beast!
As it was happening, Buneary squeezed her eyes shut, occasionally opening one out of morbid curiosity only to close it again. The special effects were something else, making the entire scene look pretty believable. Pikachu had to admit that even he was getting pretty freaked out though he kept telling himself that it was only a movie. Things didn't get much better when the film fully embraced its horror element and the main character began stalking random people across the village, mauling whoever he came across. Whenever it happened, both of them gave rather high-pitched screams. Strangely at other times, while feeling Buneary shake like a leaf in his arms, Pikachu couldn't help but chuckle a few times both at her reaction and how good of a job the film was doing in scaring the living daylights out of them.
As the film progressed, the main character began to act more violent, cold and even feral. Clearly this curse was starting to get to him as at one point he even proclaimed that he no longer wished to be the best but rather to hunt the weak.
And as the carnage continued, Buneary never once let go of Pikachu's arm. In fact she held on to him for the rest of the flick.
After much horrific imagery, surreal moments and even some comedic bits, things finally came to a head when the main character fully lost his identity, the beast finally having taken over. Thankfully, as he was going on a rampage throughout the town, he was captured by police but it was clear that it was too late. The character who was going to change the world for the better and had such high hopes...was lost. Dead and buried.
...Ohhh maybe that's what the opening text was about. Huh...
The final scene showed the main character in handcuffs being interrogated with a camera focused on him. The scene itself was from the camera's perspective.
"Now...why did you kill those farmers?" The interrogator asked.
The main character gave a low guttural growl in response.
"If you don't cooperate we'll put you back in your cell and-"
It mumbled something in a deep, low voice.
"What was that?"
"They...w-werrreee..."
"Speak up!"
"Theeeyyy weeeeerrrrreee..."
Suddenly the main character looked up, exposing its feral, glowing amber eyes and long fangs jutting from its mouth. With superhuman strength, it snapped apart its handcuffs and lunged at the interrogator off camera. The screams, roaring and sounds of violence was only matched by a high-pitched alarm going off.
Pikachu felt a cold shiver go up his spine again upon seeing those fangs jutting out from the creature's maw. Just like...
He shook his head, trying to push away those thoughts as the sounds of carnage suddenly ceased.
When the mauling stopped and all was quiet, an unnervingly deep voice rang out from off-screen.
"They were...disgusting..."
Then the camera went dead before the end credits silently rolled.
The two held on to each other and blankly watched the screen, neither wanting to be the first to speak up.
Pikachu steeled his nerves and gave her a side glance only to see Buneary clearly trying her best not to shake in place though he could still feel a little bit of movement from her.
Swallowing hard, he decided to go for it.
"(So...what did you think?)" He softly asked.
She suddenly stopped shaking and he felt her grip tighten a little. She glanced up at him, a clear look of nervousness in her eyes.
"(I...err...)" She managed to say before clearing her throat and looking away. "(I-It was pretty good. Umm...really cool special effects.)"
Wanting to lighten the mood a little, Pikachu smirked at her. "(Yeah...a little scared?)"
She quickly looked back at him, obvious panic on her face. Her demeanor quickly switched to one of stubborn, false confidence. "(Huh? Me? You wish!)"
In response, Pikachu gave a slightly impish smirk. "(You liaaaar~!)" He laughed, leaning in a little.
Buneary huffed in protest. "(Am not! And you're one to talk!)"
"(Hey, I never said I wasn't scared!)" He chuckled.
"(Okay...so shut up...)" She said, looking away again, causing Pikachu to laugh even harder.
"(And you call me stubborn!)" He said in-between chuckles.
She playfully slapped his chest. "(Hmmph! Pikachu you jerk!)"
Funny, despite her protests, she wasn't letting go of him. Heh...
Feeling a creeping bit of mischief spreading from his chest, he gave a rather evil smile. Suddenly, he leaned over and nuzzled her cheek, earning a surprised squeak from her, eyes widening.
"(Don't worry baby, if you're ever feeling scared, I'll come to your rescue~!)" He declared.
With his cheek pressed against hers, he could feel her face gradually heating up as she struggled to say something back.
"(I-I...you...!)" She stammered, causing Pikachu to bite his lip in an attempt at suppressing another laughing fit. A few moments passed before he could hear her sigh. "(Well...you better!)"
A few hours later, the door to the living room opened up and the three trainers stepped inside.
"Oh man, what a glorious day of shopping!" Dawn exclaimed, raising her numerous shopping bags in each hand into the air.
"Yeah, what a treat..." Ash exhaustedly said, the poor boy looking like he was about to drop.
Dawn smiled at him before turning her attention to all of their Pokémon who were gathered around and doing various activities. As soon as they had stepped in, all heads turned and most immediately got up to enthusiastically greet them.
"And how about you guys? Did you enjoy your day off?" Dawn asked to which they affirmatively nodded.
"(Oh yeah, definitely needed it!)" Piplup declared.
"(I got to fly a kite in the park!)" Pachirisu exclaimed, jumping from one foot to the other.
"Heh, well anyway, might as well put this stuff away." Brock said as he headed towards the bedroom door. Suddenly, the entire group of Pokémon practically jumped in front of him, blocking entry. "Huh? What's up?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"(You can't just go barging in there! You'll wake them up!)" Piplup practically yelled as he motioned towards the door.
"Hmm? Is someone in the room Piplup?" Dawn asked only to get a reaffirming nod from the penguin.
"Yeah! What's-!" Ash managed to shout before suddenly Aipom jumped on top of his head and covered his mouth with her tail. Her actions only caused Ash to continue loudly muttering albeit much more muffled. "Hey! What gives?!" He managed to say, wildly flailing about.
Quickly, Aipom jumped off the young trainer's head and turned towards the three humans. She leaned forward and raised her tail to her mouth and made a shushing motion.
All three humans blinked in unison before Sudowoodo gently pushed open the door, not allowing for it to make any sound whatsoever.
Peering inside, everyone could see that, indeed, laying on the bed were Pikachu and Buneary, asleep holding on to each other with the television still silently playing.
Witnessing such a sight, there was an odd moment of silence between everyone, almost as if they couldn't believe what they were seeing. Then just as quickly, the silence was broken by Dawn's muffled squeals which could have been much louder if not for her own hands covering her mouth.
"Eeeee~! That's so cute!" She managed to say before everyone quickly backed away into the living room. As soon as they closed the door, Dawn removed her hands and placed them on her cheeks as she shook her head back and forth in sheer jubilation. "Ohhh, I just can't stand it! Someone grab me a camera!"
Both Ash and Brock gave an exasperated laugh and amusedly shook their heads.
"Heh, guess they certainly had a good time right?" Ash muttered.
"I'll say!" Brock beamed.
Once she was done gushing over the sight, realization suddenly overtook Dawn's face and her excitement was replaced with strong clarity.
"Actually..." She muttered, earning both boys' attention. "Now that they're dating...they're probably gonna want to do stuff like this more often." She said with a smirk.
"Huh? Whaddya mean?" Ash asked, somewhat dumbfounded.
"I mean sleeping together! They'll probably want nights from now on to be like this one!" Dawn beamed, unaware that several of their Pokémon were snickering amongst themselves.
Ash slowly turned back in the direction of the bedroom. "Ohhh, I get it. Yeah that makes sense."
"Yeah, usually couples are much happier if they spend the night together." Brock said with a confident smile.
"Heh, guess it's pretty official then Mr. Pokémon Breeder." Dawn smarmily replied with a smirk and wink.
Ash turned back and looked between his friends before smiling himself. "Well, if they're happy doing that and you guys say it's a good idea, then why not?" He said, shrugging.
Everyone was gathered on the beach, some splashing in the ocean, others running along the sand. Pikachu, Buneary and a few others were occupied with building sandcastles when suddenly they were hit with a gentle Water Gun by Buizel.
As Buizel continued to spray everyone, Pikachu laughed along with his friends. He couldn't help but be reminded of all the things that he was grateful for: the sunshine, the water, the beach, the mango shakes they were having, the water, his friends, Ash, Dawn, the water and Brock. Not to mention all of the fun things they always get to do like exploring, playing tag, hide-and-seek, falling, swimming, drowning, battling and contests.
Of course that's not even including his personal favorite things like training, winning gym battles, ketchup, blood, seeing Ash's dream come true, water, racing, beating Team Rocket, falling, dating Buneary, blood, falling, seeing new lands, drowning, falling, water, meeting new friends, blooddrowningfallingwaterbloodfallingwaterblooddrowningfallingwaterbloodfallingwaterblood
He...couldn't...breathe.
Pikachu stepped back and turned around, his panting becoming uncontrollable. No, actually...he was hyperventilating. He put his paw to his chest to control himself. He still couldn't breathe. His vision was becoming blurry and he knew that he couldn't stand up straight for much longer. He lurched forward trying to reach for something that he could hold on to. He couldn't hear very well but he recognized their voices. They all seemed so far away with an echoing quality.
"(Sorry I got carried...umm, you okay man?)"
"(Hey Pikachu, you okay bud?)"
"(What's the matter? Pikachu?)"
Hunched over, he walked forward until he felt something solid to push his weight onto. He stayed there. All he could do was inhale and exhale as hard as he could.
"(Call a doctor! Something's wrong with him!)"
"(And get Ash and Brock over here now!)"
He was dying. He was sure of it. This was how it felt to go. Painful. Terrified. Alone.
...
Then he heard her voice.
"(Pikachu what's the matter? Are you hurt?!)"
He could barely understand her yet somehow her voice brought him comfort. The kind of comfort that he didn't think he would ever experience again in that moment.
"(You're going to be okay! I won't leave you!)" The soothing voice said.
He slumped downwards; he couldn't bear it anymore. But he didn't fall. Someone was easing him to the ground. He could feel the warm sand against his fur.
"(It's okay, I've got you. Just stay with me. Easy now, just do what I'm doing okay? Just breathe slow and steady.)"
He did as the voice commanded. Not much else he could do. It was that, or die he supposed. He began to breathe at a steadier rate. It all began to come back to him. The details of the world, both flawed and beautiful, began to register in his mind once more. He could begin to hear things more clearly, including the sounds of other things around him. The beach, the people, other Pokémon and...distant yelling?
He weakly looked up and saw her face. She had the softest expression. A mixture of genuine concern and...what else was it? Sadness? Care? He couldn't make it out given his state. He just wanted her to stay with him.
"(Please.)" He weakly said as he looked to her as she held his paw "(Please, don't go.)"
"(I won't.)" She gently said.
They waited until some familiar faces appeared before them. It took Ash some convincing to give Pikachu some space as Brock examined him. Dawn meanwhile was making sure everyone else did the same. All the while, she stayed by his side. Until the ambulance arrived.
"(Pikachu?)" Buneary asked, leaning up in the dark to look over at him. He was tossing a little and muttering something. Not to mention...was he...crying?
"(N-No, don't go. Please...don't go. Can't...be alone.)" He muttered in-between sobs.
Immediately, Buneary gently nudged him. "(Shhh, it's okay. I'm here Pika.)" She cooed. Just as she said that, Pikachu's breathing steadied. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked over at her.
"(What's going on?)" He dozily asked. As soon as he did, he felt some sort of oddly wet and hot sensation in his eyes that traveled down his cheeks.
"(Are you okay? You sounded like you were having a night terror.)" Buneary concernedly asked.
He blinked at her, and as he did, he felt a stinging sensation in his eyes. Oh great, was he crying this time? He opened his mouth to say something only to manage a little sniff, his chest feeling quite heavy.
"(You looked like you were crying too. Sweetie is everything okay?)" Buneary asked, leaning in a little closer to him.
Pikachu grit his teeth though whether his silence was out of concern for her or some sort of stubborn pride he truly didn't know. He gulped rather hard and looked away, unable to bear her concerned gaze.
"(Mmm...)" He sniffled between pursed lips.
"(Pika? What's going on?)" She finally asked, her arms wrapping a little tighter around his body.
He wanted to just say that he was fine. The last thing that he wanted in that moment was for her to worry about him. Then, for a brief moment, he remembered that day he was in the hospital with her, when he got so sick that everyone was worried for his life.
Inwardly he sighed. Did he learn nothing from that? Why try to hide it? He made her a promise after all and besides, what kind of boyfriend would he be if he wasn't honest with her?
Slowly, he turned back and looked at her face. Even in the darkness, he could see her sparkling eyes yet her expression was twisted with worry.
"(I...I guess something's been up.)" He finally said, his voice so low it was practically a whisper.
"(What is it? You can tell me anything.)" She whispered back, leaning forward in sheer apprehension.
He swallowed hard again and took in a small shaky breath. "(I've been having some...ummm...I mean, s-sometimes when I'm sleeping, I just get these...nightmares about falling and drowning.)"
Buneary blinked at him. "(Falling and drowning? Why would...)" She muttered before trailing off. Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization. "(You mean what happened with the Aerodactyl?)"
Feeling slightly ashamed, Pikachu looked away and nodded his head.
"(I just...don't know what to do. I-If I see somebody using a move like Hyper Beam I just...just...)" He managed to shakily say before Buneary leaned in to hug him.
"(It's okay.)" She softly said before kissing his forehead. "(It's okay, I understand.)"
Pikachu let out a little sniffle again, his eyes beginning to water again. "(I'm sorry Bun. I don't want you to worry about me. It's just that I-)" He said before she gently nuzzled his cheek.
"(Shhh, shhh, shhh. Don't worry about me. I'm here for you no matter what. Just ease up for me 'kay?)" She whispered as she continued to hold him.
Despite how he'd been feeling for the past few days, in that moment a new, even more odd sensation came to him: his body felt quite warm, cozy even...as if he had just slipped into a blanket that had just come out of the dryer.
He felt...safe.
Slowly, he hugged her back and buried his face in her shoulder. Following her suggestion, all at once he could feel himself ease up in her arms.
"(Thanks Bun. I'm...so lucky to have you.)" He whispered into her ear only to hear her let out her own sniffle.
"(I'm the one who's lucky Pikachu.)" She said as she rubbed his back.
They stayed like that for a while, neither knowing when exactly they fell asleep. The only thing that they were sure of was that they oddly felt more comfortable than before.
The morning sun graced the land with its brilliant light. As their room filled with brightness, Buneary never stopped hugging Pikachu. Despite his night terror, he looked quite content, not once breaking out of his deep sleep.
She didn't know when she woke up, but when her mind registered the face of her boyfriend in front of her, she gently reached up and brushed his cheek.
Jeez, how long has this been going on for? Granted, it's not like she held it against him. After all, if she was in his position, she probably wouldn't fare much better. Well in any case, what mattered right now was that he felt safe and that she was there for him. Plus, he at least confided in her about this, that couldn't have been very easy.
As she continued to look at him, her mind swirling in a sea of thoughts, she saw him slowly open his eyes. Despite appearing as if he was looking at her, he didn't really seem to register what he was seeing.
"(Morning.)" She gently said with a little smile.
Blinking, Pikachu merely looked at her. And then...
...He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
Buneary's held her mouth slightly agape. That was certainly...unexpected.
Then just as quickly, Pikachu moved away and fell back asleep, his soft snores serving as proof.
Buneary continued to look at him. Huh...guess he was still unconscious.
Her mouth moved as she began to say his name but stopped at the last moment and she just silently stared at him. Then a little smirk appeared on her face. Heh, guess she should just let him get more sleep then right?
Trying not to chuckle, she rested her head back on the pillow as she got comfortable again.
He really is a silly mouse.
Well...at least he was her silly mouse anyway.
Author's Notes:
Good for you Pikachu, confiding in the one that understands you best! At least maybe now he can get a better night's sleep!
I'd like to give a shoutout to Pika-0 for their work "Forgotten". For some reason...some strange reason, the town setting described in that story really helped writing for the one shown in this chapter. When I read their story, I immediately envisioned a quaint, Mr. Rogers-esque place and that's where I wanted this setting to be. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was halfway writing this chapter! Plus, his fic helped get an idea of some of the inner struggles Pikachu would be facing in my story. Anyway, go check their work out if you haven't already for some good PikaBun stuff!
So Act II doesn't really have the same kind of clear-cut mini arcs that Act I did but I suppose if I wanted to group parts of the story, this would be called the Dreams arc.
Anyway, that's all for now, until next time! Carson55 out!