A/N: For anyone confused by the premise, this is an AU based off the end of "Hocus Pokemon" and the beginning of "Clear as Crystal." For anyone who hasn't seen these episodes, basically Ash, Brock, and Misty meet a magician in the woods who asks for their help in finding ingredients for a potion that will allow people to communicate with Pokemon. Ash is the test subject, and becomes a Pikachu for a few hours. Old Pokemon was weird.
Despite Ash only being a Pikachu for only a few minutes of screentime, lots of people seem to love the idea of Ash becoming "Ashachu" again, to the point where there's even a whole community of stories about it. But then I thought "what if instead of Ash becoming a Pikachu, what if Pikachu became a human?" And thus this story was born!
Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon.
"Shuckle's secret cure, and the powdered horn of a Stantler. Some Yogurt made from the milk of a Miltank, and a flower, marked with the kiss of a Jynx. Parasect's Stun Spore and dirt from a Meowth's paw. And last but not least an Aipom's tear."
Ash, Brock and Misty watched curiously as the potion boiled over, smoke covering the forest floor. Lily stood up, happy with her work so far.
"So, who wants to volunteer?"
Surprisingly, it wasn't any of the humans who raised their hand, but Pikachu.
"Really, buddy?"
"Pika!" The Electric Mouse Pokemon chirped. He'd always wanted for Ash to be able to understand him.
"Will it work on a Pokemon, Lily?"
Lily looked into her spellbook for a moment before shrugging.
"It only says we'll be able to understand them. I think it'll be alright!"
Pikachu smiled, and jumped off of Ash's shoulder.
"Alright Pikachu, when I give the signal, I need you to fire a Thunderbolt right into the potion, understood?"
"Pikachu!"
"Right then! Shuckle's shuck run amok! Stantler's horn and all the rest, finish it off with Pikachu's best!"
"PikaCHUUUUU!"
The moment the bolt hit the potion, yellow smoke billowed out, enveloping Pikachu and hiding him from view. As the potion took effect, Pikachu felt himself begin to change. He smiled, hoping it would work. Excited, he closed his eyes, waiting for it to end.
As the smoke disappeared, he opened his eyes to find his human friends staring at him.
"Well?" He said at last. "Did it work?"
"Uh, yeah," his best friend Ash said with an uncertain voice. "It's just that-"
"Hey, when did you guys get so small? I'm barely at your chest now."
But when Pikachu pointed at them, he gasped in shock. Instead of the short, stubby Pikachu arm, it was a long, slender human one. Misty took a hand mirror out and handed it to him.
"Pikachu, maybe you should have a look."
Scared, Pikachu looked into it…
To find not a cute little Pikachu staring back at him, but a blonde-haired little kid.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
And then he promptly fainted.
When he came to, he found himself in Ash's arms, misty gently hovering over him to keep him calm.
"Are you okay, Pikachu?"
"Ugh, how long was I out."
"Only a few minutes," Lily said, sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I had no idea it would work quite like this. Turns out the spell was continued on the next page!"
Pikachu looked down, a little afraid.
"How long will the potion last?"
Lily picked up her spellbook, smiling when she found the answer.
"Not to worry, tis only a temporary spell! You should be an adorable little Pikachu by morning!"
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They didn't want to have to explain to anyone back in Pallet Town what had happened to Ash's Pikachu.
"Again, I'm terribly sorry about all this!"
Pikachu smiled, and waved off her concerns.
"Don't worry about it. Like you said, it's only temporary."
Lily bowed, and left the quartet alone. Ash smiled, stood up and stretched.
"Well, I say we enjoy this while we've got the chance! Come on, I'm hungry!"
Misty and Brock laughed. Good ol' Ash. Pikachu, meanwhile smiled, and tried jumping back onto Ash's shoulder…
Which immediately caused him to fall over.
"Ack!"
Pikachu smiled sheepishly.
"Right, sorry!"
Once Ash was back on his feet, and Pikachu was given a spare outfit of Ash's to wear, the four humans headed towards the next city. Just as they were about to enter though, Misty stopped.
"Misty, what's wrong?"
"I just thought of something! Pikachu needs a new name!"
Pikachu tilted his head.
"A name?"
"Yes! We can't go around calling you Pikachu, that'll look suspicious."
"Misty's right," Brock said, "Especially if we run into Team Rocket."
Everyone put their heads together, trying to think of a good name. Then Ash got an idea.
"I've got it! Jean Luc Pikachu! We'll just say Pikachu is his favorite Pokemon."
Everyone just stared at him for a moment before Pikachu smiled.
"I like it!"
Everyone laughed and headed for a restaurant. Once inside, they all ordered hamburgers. Pikachu was especially looking forward to trying human food, and couldn't sit still the entire time. Ash just looked at him, half amused and half annoyed.
"Am I this bad when it comes to food?"
"YES!" Was the unanimous reply. At last, their food came. Pikachu was quick to pick up a Ketchup bottle and poured an excessive amount right onto his plate.
"Why do you like Ketchup so much, anyway?" Ash asked. Pikachu blushed, and looked away sheepishly.
"Because it makes me feel closer to you," he admitted, embarrassed.
Ash felt his heart melt.
Later that night, the four of them were camping out in the forest. Their fire was dying down, and Ash was setting out his sleeping bag when he noticed Pikachu sitting off to the side.
"Hey buddy, you want the sleeping bag? I don't mind sleeping on the ground."
Pikachu was stirred from his thoughts and shook his head.
"Huh? Oh, sorry Ash, I was busy thinking."
"About what?"
"The day we met."
Ash chuckled.
"Good times, huh?"
Pikachu laughed.
"Only if you count getting chased by angry Spearow and nearly dying good times."
"Hey buddy, there's something I always wanted to ask you. Why did you hate me so much when we first met? I wasn't really that bad, was I?"
"Ash, you came to get your first Pokemon in your pajamas."
"I overslept!"
Pikachu laughed. His trainer was cute when he was embarrassed.
"Honestly though, it wasn't just you. Professor Oak had just captured me a week before, and had done nothing but run tests on me from dawn to dusk."
"Yeah, that does sound like him."
"And then here comes this kid who can't even bother to get dressed-"
"HEY!"
"-And all of a sudden I'm stirred from my nap and expected to follow you?"
Ash thought for a moment, and chuckled.
"Yeah, I can see how that would be annoying. What's it like in a Pokeball, anyway?"
Pikachu shrugged.
"It's alright. A little cramped, but there are worse things out there. But when you're an electric type like me, you need space to run around and exert your excess energy. Can't really do that in one of those things."
Ash nodded in understanding.
"Ash?"
"Yeah, buddy?"
"Until this spell wears off…can you call me by that name you thought of? It just feels right."
"Of course, Jean!"
Jean smiled. Before anymore could be said, Ash yawned, signaling it was time for bed.
"Well, guess its time to hit the hay. You can have the sleeping bag if you want."
"We could share it!"
"Maybe if you were a Pikachu, but there's not enough room in there for two."
"Oh, right."
Realizing Ash was right, Jean stood up and crawled in, Ash zipping it up for him.
"Goodnight, buddy."
"Night, Ash. Ash?"
Ash was about to find a comfortable spot on the ground when Jean called for him.
"Yeah?"
"You consider me a friend, right?"
"No."
Jean's eyes went wide.
"You don't?"
"I consider you my brother."
Jean felt his eyes start to water.
"Night, big bro."
"Night, little bro."
The next morning, the quartet were back out on the road. Suddenly, Jean felt a strange sensation going through his body and stopped. He knew what that meant.
"Guys…it's time."
Ash, Brock, and Misty paused in their tracks as the smoke began to billow around Jean.
"Well, it was nice while it lasted," Brock said with a kind smile, which Jean returned.
"Before I change back, I'm glad I got to spend time with you guys like this. At least you got to know the real me."
"Us too, Jean."
With that, the spell wore off, and a little Pikachu in clothes that no longer fit him now stood where Jean once did. Brock gently helped him out of the clothes and put them in a bag. Once he was free of the garments, Pikachu shook wildly, happy to be back in his own fur.
"Come on guys," Brock said. "Let's keep moving."
"You guys go on ahead," Ash said. "We'll catch up with you."
Misty and Brock nodded in understanding and started walking. Ash turned back to his partner with a smile.
"I still mean what I said last night. Who knows, maybe we'll run into Lily again. But until then, let's keep doing our best!"
Pikachu smiled and took his place on Ash's shoulder once more, giving his brother a soft nuzzle to thank him for everything he'd done. With a broad smile plastered on his face, Ash ran to catch up with their friends.
They never did see Lily again, nor did they ever speak of the incident afterwards. But Ash and Pikachu would never forget the brief period of time that brought them closer together.
A/N: Thanks for reading this oneshot! Sorry Brock and Misty didn't do much, but I wanted to focus more on Ash and Pikachu's bond, plus it was difficult to give them anything to do that would add much to the story.
Alas, Pikachu's alias was not an original idea of mine. Instead, it comes from The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga in a chapter where Ash gave all of his Pokemon nicknames. I only know that because I watched Linkara review the chapter, and I don't know if the rest of the manga is any good or not, but I liked the name, and there we have it.
Catch you all later!