Chapter 2

Shock to the System

Dark caves and rocky terrain were Yellow's only clues regarding where Pika had returned from. Unfortunately, despite the region being best known for its sprawling plains and grasslands, the majority of western and northern Kanto was mountainous. Red could've easily been ambushed on his way to Mt. Silver or Indigo Plateau. Both were infamous training grounds for high level trainers, but Pika had passed through the eastern edge of Viridian Forest en route to Pallet Town, which could only mean he'd come from Mt. Moon.

Mt. Moon was only one mountain in an enormous chain however, and that chain extended all the way to Johto and Sinnoh. Yellow rarely left her forest to explore the mountains, but even if she had, nobody could know every nook and cranny the hiker's paradise had to offer. Perhaps it had been while exploring some remote part of the mountain that Red and Pika stumbled across something they shouldn't have. Yellow didn't want to think about it, but as much as she wanted to find Red, it was possible if not probable that Pika was leading her to the exact same fate.

"Or maybe we're wandering in circles," she conceded, spying what she thought may have been the same rock formation they'd passed twice within the same hour.

Once the rolling hills and fields had given way to rock, Yellow had set out on foot with Pika resting on her shoulder. Her Doduo had run nonstop for a full day in order to catch up with the electric mouse, and then another after they found him to reach Mt. Moon. Pika had slept most of that time, but now was pointing where to go while Yellow dragged her feet in any given direction.

Riding Doduo for all that time and using her powers to heal Pika had left Yellow feeling sore and exhausted, and her small stature was finding hiking less preferable to her casual walks through the forest. She never raised a word of complaint however, and although she'd never say it aloud, having a ten pound passenger on her shoulder wasn't making it any easier.

Unable to take another step under the blistering sun, Yellow collapsed in the shade and retrieved a canteen from her satchel. She took several savory sips and offered it to Pika, but he was too busy studying the landscape to notice, searching for familiar landmarks as well as unseen foes.

"It's okay," she said. "If Red's here, we'll find him. We know you came from the east and it took you about three days to reach Pallet Town. That helps narrow our search."

The electric mouse hopped off her shoulder and wandered in the direction Yellow had been walking. He glanced back at her impatiently, not even attempting to disguise his resentment toward her.

"I'm sorry, Pika, but I need to rest, and so do you. You're still not at full strength yet, and if there's trouble, my Pokémon and I are gonna need you to get us through it. We've been through our fair share of scrapes, but none of us are battlers like you."

Pika seemed to consider this for a moment, but only for a moment. He continued scurrying ahead, eyeing every rock as though it might come alive at any moment.

Yellow sighed and shook her head, a tired grin on her face. Red's Pikachu was world renown for its stubbornness. Pika obeyed his trainer's every order during their televised battles, but he often found ways of obeying while still being true to his contrarian nature.

Being an empath, Yellow knew how Pika felt about her, and tried not to take it personally. She wasn't his trainer, nor had she earned his respect. Yellow was the reason he was alive and able to walk, and she'd been useful thus far, but if she slowed him down in his search for Red, he would not hesitate to leave her behind.

"Wait up, Pika," she called. "I'm coming, just give me-" the ground beneath her rumbled. "Huh? W-whaaa-!?"

Yellow fell over backward, hollering in a not-so-boyish fashion. She quickly rolled onto her stomach and crawled away from the shifting earth, and when she glanced back, she saw the rocks had come alive and sprouted four arms.

"Graveler!" she recalled, only ever having seen them in Pewter City. "I-I'm sorry I sat on you, Mr. Graveler. I didn't mean to. My feet were tired and your head looked awfully comfortable."

The living rock growled and assumed an attack position, as did Pika behind her.

Yellow held her hands up in a nonthreatening manner. "Um, have you by chance seen this Pikachu before? Or a young man with a red jacket and hat?" Her dark eyes glowed as she used her powers so the Pokémon would be able to understand her. Unfortunately, Graveler appeared to have taken offense to being used as a cushion, and it tucked itself into a ball before rolling toward her.

"I only weigh eighty-five pounds!" she cried. "Maybe give or take a few pounds, but it couldn't have bothered you that much!" Pika stood his ground but Yellow scooped him into her arms and dived out of the way before they were run over.

The electric mouse hissed at her but she paid it little mind. "Please, Graveler! We don't want to battle you! If you want us to leave we'll-" She rolled out of the way again when it made another pass, just barely missing her this time.

"Can't dodge out of the way again," she muttered, noting how it was picking up speed every few seconds. "Alright, I'm sorry, Graveler, but I'll heal you back up in no time. Go, Pika! Use Thunderbolt!"

Pika leaped from her arms, but instead of summoning lightning from the red pouches on its cheeks, its tail shined like polished steel. When Graveler came back around, it was immediately stopped in its tracks by an Iron Tail slamming into its body, causing it to collapse and part of its head to crumble into dust.

"Graveler!" Yellow cried. She fell down beside the unconscious Pokémon, and placed a glowing hand atop the hole in its head. The rock-like skin underneath quickly mended, and a pair of unfocused eyes flickered up at her. "You'll be alright, Graveler. You just need to rest, and maybe some aspirin. Oh, and about Red and Pika..."

She closed her eyes and pressed her head against Graveler's. His thoughts were fuzzy after having his head caved in, but all Yellow could sense was it rolling down the mountain and climbing back up to start the process all over again. Graveler barely even knew the sun had risen. "Well-" she smiled politely- "I guess you do have rocks for brains..."

Yellow stood up and dusted herself off, and turned to Pika who was grinning pompously at the Pokémon that supposedly had a type advantage against him. Battling always felt good, defeating opponents even better, but this Graveler had the misfortune of picking a fight at the wrong place and time. Noticing the way Yellow was staring at him however, Pika stubbornly kicked a pebble and looked away.

"I know you like to battle, Pika, and I know you're frustrated right now, but you took that Iron Tail too far."

Pika crossed his paws, and Yellow didn't need to read his mind to know what he was thinking. "I'm sorry I gave a bad order. I'm not a battler, and I forgot that Rock-types resist electricity. Or is that Ground-types? Anyway, I know I've got a lot to learn and not much time, but so long as we're together, I want to at least try to hold back against wildlings. They don't know any better, and to be fair I'd probably be a little upset too if somebody used me as a cushion without asking. Think you can do that for me? Please?"

His eye twitched, but eventually he nodded. "Thank you. Besides, you're probably two or three times that Graveler's level. Even if your electricity wasn't very effective, it would've at least still broken off some of its rocks and scared it away. You don't have to knock every opponent unconscious, you know."

Pika looked at her as though she had two heads like Doduo and each one was speaking another language, but eventually nodded again. Turning his face so she didn't see his mischievous grin however, Pika held out a paw for Yellow to shake.

"You're going to shock me, aren't you?" He shook his head.

Yellow grinned back at him. "It doesn't take a mind reader to know what you're planning, but if you insist..." Yellow shook his paw and electricity immediately coursed through her body. It wasn't a bad shock as far as electrocutions go, but it was more than a little uncomfortable, and by the time it was over, every hair on her body was standing on end.

"There, feel better?" She smoothed out her clothes and the ponytail underneath her hat, and winked at Pika who was surprised and perhaps even disappointed by how nonchalant she seemed. "I live in the Viridian Forest, Pika," she said with a laugh. "I have a small cottage there, and the forest and Pokémon provide everything I need. Even electricity. You might be the strongest Pikachu that's ever shocked me, but you're not the first. Besides, with my healing powers, attacks like Thunder Shock don't hurt as much as you'd think."

She stifled a yawn, something Yellow did a lot of Pika had noticed. "Now, let's both try and save our strength. I'm pretty sure Mt. Moon is where you and Red were attacked, but it might take us a while to find clues. Come on, let's keep looking."

Pika hopped back on her shoulder and Yellow carried on like before. Her search on foot didn't last long however as her feet gave out within the hour and she was forced to rely on Dody again. Neither head seemed to mind, but Yellow still urged him to take regular breaks, which gave them ample opportunity to scan the already war-torn landscape for signs of a championship caliber battle.

"Trouble is," Yellow said, "the entire mountain looks like it's seen a battle." She turned to Pika and saw that his ears were perked up and was currently scanning the skies. Her wide brimmed hat shielded her eyes from the worst of the sun's rays, but she was still half-blinded. Still, she could just barely make out the silhouette of two birds circling above them.

"What do you think? Lookouts for whoever attacked you and Red, or vultures waiting for us to croak in this heat?"

Doduo watched the pair with great interest. Being a flightless bird, flying had always fascinated him and been something of a distant dream, particularly for his left head. If he could fly, it would've made their search much easier, and maybe they would've even found Red by now.

"It's okay, Dody," she said, rubbing the tops of both heads. "If you could fly, then you wouldn't be able to run so fast, and I wouldn't be able to ride you." One of the heads nipped at her playfully, and she kissed them both. "Besides, two heads are better than one, and every Pokémon is jealous of you, especially other birds. Isn't that right, Pika?"

She winced as sparks crackled atop her shoulder, and she followed Pika's gaze to the objects hurtling toward them. "Um, where did the third one come from? A-and why does it look like a dragon?"

A torrent of flames spewed not twenty feet in front of them. Panicked, Doduo spun and ran in the opposite direction, but more flames cut off their escape. A moment later they were surrounded.

"Easy, boy. If they wanted us dead, we'd already be crispy critters by now," Yellow said, reassuring herself as much as Dody and Pika. "Look, they're landing. I think they just wanna talk, for now..."

Pika hopped off her shoulder and took an offensive stance while an elderly Charizard landed in the circle of flame, flanked by a Pidgeot and Fearow which returned to the skies after a curt order from their trainer.

A man in a white lab coat descended from the back of Charizard, grumbling about his own back and not remembering being this sore or stiff in his younger years. Pika remained in position despite recognizing the old man, but appeared puzzled by the sight before him. Didn't mean he wouldn't electrocute them however.

"Wow, Professor," Yellow said, roughing up her voice, which wasn't difficult considering there wasn't any moisture left in her mouth. "You really know how to make an entrance."

Samuel Oak grumbled in her direction, and studied the Pikachu protecting her. "Hello again, young man. Or should I call you Yellow?"

She stiffened but otherwise remained silent and did her best to remain impassive. Silently however she communicated to Dody to snatch Pika and run if she gave the signal. She didn't know where they would go, or how far they would get, but there were bigger stakes in play than just Red and Pika. Under no circumstances could the professor know that she was the Maiden of Viridian Forest...

"The police were almost useless trying to identify you," Oak continued, never taking his eyes off Pika for more than a moment. "It was only while talking to the Nurse Joy in Viridian City that I found out who you are. The assistant that was sent to my lab was new so she didn't recognize you, but you sometimes volunteer there and the Pewter City Pokémon Center. Nobody could recall your real name though. Everybody just calls you 'Yellow'."

"W-what else did you find out?"

Oak finally took his eyes off Pika and held Yellow's gaze. "Not much else I'm afraid. You've got an uncle from Johto that's a fisherman, but besides being good around Pokémon, that's about it. Nobody knows where you live or even your real name."

He straightened his back and stepped forward. "However, finding out that you volunteer at Pokémon Centers is ultimately what caused me to call off the police. Besides, it would appear you were the right person for the job." Oak smiled at the electric rodent. "If Pika had gone with the assistant back to Viridian, I don't know if he would've survived the journey. But tell me, why did you take Pika's Pokéball without first telling me who you are? And how did you even know he was at my lab?"

Yellow licked her lips. In truth she detested lying, but she wasn't often given much of a choice, and thus had gotten pretty good at thinking on her feet.

"I couldn't get a word in edgewise," she answered truthfully. "You told me the situation, and I did what any Pokémon lover would've done. I got Pika help as you can see."

"About that..." Oak stopped down and inspected Pika more closely. He appeared impressed, albeit puzzled and a tad disturbed. "I spoke to all the nearby Pokémon Centers and anybody with even a faint reputation for healing Pokémon. Nobody's seen either of you. How did you heal Pika so quickly? He shouldn't be walking right now much less in this heat."

"He wasn't walking," she said. "Pika was riding Dody with me, and it wasn't so bad until your Charizard set the mountain on fire."

Oak huffed, apparently not in the mood for wisecracks. He lightly touched Pika's left ear, careful as if afraid it might fall off, or more likely that he'd get shocked. "Even his ear looks like it's had weeks to heal. I can't even see the stitches."

His comments sounded less like a statement and more like an accusation, and Yellow found herself liking this conversation less and less. "I took Pika to someone who knows more about medicine than even a Nurse Joy, and whose healing put a Blissey's to shame. How about we just leave it at that."

The professor narrowed his eyes and studied her closely. "And what if I don't accept your answer?"

She shrugged. "Accept it or don't, it doesn't matter. All that matters is finding Red. I know you don't trust me, but Pika does."

"And why is that?" Oak stood up so that they were almost eye level. "This Pikachu doesn't make friends easily, which means you two already knew each other. Why exactly did you take Pika all this way? You've gone to an awful lot of trouble to get here."

"Red and Pika saved me from a pack of wild Pokémon a few years ago," she again answered truthfully, leaving out only a few key details. "I owe both of them my life, and it's only luck that I saw Pika north of Viridian City and tracked him to your lab. Pika's pretty sure it was somewhere around this side of Mt. Moon that they were attacked, but his memory's a little fuzzy. All he remembers is that there was a man in a dark suit, along with a Rhydon, Hitmonlee, and Cloyster."

Oak shook his head. "How could you possibly know all that?"

"We played charades for an hour," she said, her impatience beginning to match Pika's. "Come on, we're wasting time. The sooner we get to searching for Red the sooner we'll find him."

'And the sooner I can return to my forest,' she thought to herself. She didn't mind this rocky terrain, but she much preferred the sounds and feel of the forest around her. Besides, the Pokémon there needed their Maiden. Every moment without her caused the forest's inhabitants needless suffering.

"Hold on." Oak retrieved an old fashioned Pokégear from his coat pocket. "If Pika's sure this is where we should be looking, I'm going to send for backup. The Pewter and Cerulean City Gym Leaders are experts of this area and can be here within an hour or two."

Yellow winced but nodded. Finding Red was all that mattered, but she wasn't looking forward to hiding her secret from so many people who'd naturally be suspicious of her, especially three keen eyed Pokémon trainers. She was accustomed to speaking with a gruffer voice than what was natural for her, and rubbing dirt in her face, but she wasn't looking forward to keeping up appearances all day and night, and potentially longer. Eventually she'd slip up. It was simply inevitable.

"Fine, but w-we'd better split up to cover more ground."

"Oh no you don't." He put the watch-like device away, his message having been sent and received. "You saw what happened to Pika. Red and his Pokémon are the strongest in the world. You're just some kid who isn't even old enough to get their trainer's license. Your parents probably don't even know you're here, do they?"

Yellow opened her mouth to argue but bit her tongue. The professor thinking she was a prepubescent boy would be easier than him thinking she was a fourteen-year-old 'boy'.

"And unlike your bird, mine can all fly, so they'll be doing the majority of the searching for us. Let's-"

"Dody was taking a rest when you showed up, scaring him half to death and setting the mountain on fire," she nearly shouted, coming to her twin-headed bird's defense. "He's probably more tired now than he was before because of you." She slid down his back and retrieved a Pokéball from her belt. "Why don't I prove to you that I'm worthy of being Pika's temporary trainer in a quick battle while Dody rests. It'll even give your back a chance to straighten out."

'And I'll earn Pika's respect while I'm at it...'

Oak glanced at Doduo then his Charizard, and rubbed his lower back with a grimace. "I suppose it couldn't hurt, and I'd like to know whether I can depend on you if we're in a battle. Considering that the Pokémon we might be battling will be on the caliber of a Master's, I'll be using Charizard."

Yellow drew a deep breath and nodded. Pika stepped forward, grinning mischievously just like before, but Yellow picked him up and set him back on Doduo. "Both of you go rest in the shade for a bit. This won't take long." She turned and threw a Pokéball into the air. "Go, Ratty!"

Another rodent appeared, this one with purple fur and a large gaping tooth. If it was intimidated by the fire breathing dragon towering over it, Ratty didn't let it show.

The professor frowned. Although this Rattata was as healthy a specimen he'd ever seen, and its fang nearly as large as a Raticate's, it was still just a Rattata.

"This isn't a game, young man. You're sending out a Rattata to battle a Charizard?" He shook his head and glanced at Pika. "He may be in your care, for now, but you're not Red Ketchum. What's your other Pokémon, a Caterpie?"

"W-what if it is?"

Oak sighed. "This is a waste of time. Take your Doduo and go home to your parents. Pika, if you'll climb aboard Charizard, he'll fly you overhead. I'll continue searching down here and-"

"Ratty, use Tail Whip!"

In the blink of an eye, the little rat darted forward and scampered up the fire dragon's leg. Puffs of smoke released from Charizard's nostrils and he roared with laughter from Rattata's bushy tail finding all the places he was ticklish. He desperately tried to grab the nimble rat, but was more concerned with protecting his armpits and keeping his legs crossed.

"This is nonsense!" Oak exclaimed. Across the battlefield, Yellow was doubled over from laughter, as were Pika and both of Doduo's heads.

Charizard threw itself into boulders to try and dislodge its unwanted passenger before finally collapsing in a fit of hysterics. There it rolled on the ground as if attempting to douse a fire, but the little rat held on. Oak's temper had been steadily rising since the day before, but now under the hot sun, a high-pitched, girlish laugh finally pushed him over the edge.

"Charizard, use Fire Spin!"

A funnel of flame surrounded the pseudo-dragon, originating from the tip of Charizard's tail, and Rattata quickly retreated back to Yellow.

The elderly Pokémon stood up, out of breath and looking to Oak for a command. "Fine! You want a battle, you've got it! Use Flamethrower!"

Charizard opened its mouth wide to spew flames at the Pokémon and its trainer, but a bolt of lightning struck it down and covered the battlefield in dust. Coughing and gagging ensued, and as the dust settled, all eyes turned to the electric mouse whose devilish grin was wider than ever. The overgrown lizard might've looked like a dragon, but it might as well have been a geriatric Pidgey as far as Pika's Thunderbolt was concerned.

Yellow winced at the smoldering Charizard lying in the dirt. It didn't appear badly hurt, more surprised than anything, but she hated seeing Pokémon in any sort of discomfort, and it took all her self-control not to kneel over him and reveal her powers to Professor Oak. She ultimately decided against it, and gave her opponent a forced smile. "Looks like we win."

"Win!?" he barked. "You had outside interference!"

She shrugged. "Pika might not be my Pokémon, and I might not be his trainer, but for the time being he is my responsibility." She looked to him for confirmation and was relieved to see Pika agreed. She had earned his respect, or at least had proven herself useful and entertaining, and for now that would have to do.

"Ratty lowered your Charizard's defenses before returning to me, and Pika finished the battle with Thunderbolt. You never said how many Pokémon we could or couldn't use, and even if you decide to send out more Pokémon, I'm pretty sure Pika would be all too happy to electrocute them too, especially if they're Flying-types." Electricity crackled around Pika's cheeks, and Yellow motioned for Doduo. "Come on, we're wasting time."

She returned Rattata to its Pokéball before gesturing for Pika to climb back atop her shoulder. "Thanks for not overdoing it," she whispered. "If there's trouble, we're gonna need Charizard's help." Pika nodded, though in truth the only reason Charizard was still conscious was because he still wasn't at full strength yet.

Charizard got back to its feet, grimacing and rubbing the numbness away. He gave Pika a questioning glance, but shrugged as though he'd been expecting to be electrocuted eventually. Professor Oak returned him to his Pokéball after an apology and word of thanks. "I suppose it's not cheating if there aren't any rules to begin with." He suddenly laughed and shook his head. "Reminds me of being a boy on the playground again."

He stepped forward and held out his hand to Yellow. "Perhaps I should properly introduce myself. My name is Samuel Oak. Not to brag but I'm the former World Champion and one of the leading authorities when it comes to Pokémon. More importantly however, I'm the man who gave Red his Bulbasaur and Pokédex, and sent him on his Pokémon journey."

Yellow nodded and shook his hand, squeezing it tightly like a boy might. Despite not owning a working television, there wasn't a person alive that didn't know of Samuel Oak, and Red was always sure to thank the professor in every victory speech. Yellow had listened to them all, and she almost blushed thinking about it.

"Red and my grandson Gary have been best friends and rivals since either can remember. His mother was a student and assistant of mine for many years, and she's like a daughter to me. If anything happens to her son, it'll break her heart, and mine too."

"I understand, Professor," Yellow said. "I owe my life to Red and his Pokémon, and I-" she immediately closed her mouth, rethinking what she had been about to say about Red. "I know you don't think very much of me, but if you give me the chance, I'll prove you wrong."

Oak laughed. "I unfortunately find myself being proven right far too often these days, but I always look forward to being proven wrong. I've recently had a change of heart about you, Yellow, or whatever your name is, and I think you might just prove me right. It's Red that I hope proves me wrong..."

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. In "Pokémon Adventures", Oak and Yellow's battle was about as impressive if not a little more, but I decided to swap Spearow for Charizard and Dody for Ratty. The end result was about the same, but Oak choosing a more imposing Pokémon makes sense given the context. I didn't want it to be a long battle, and sticking with Yellow's battle strategy, she doesn't attack directly and also doesn't want to hurt the opponent. I also wanted to highlight the difference between Yellow and Pika in this regard.

Plot wise, I decided to have Professor Oak search for Yellow and follow her since that course of action makes sense. I also decided to have the search begin at Mt. Moon instead of at the end of Volume 4 like what happened in canon. This streamlines things a bit, and means Yellow and Pika get to be more directly involved in the search instead of leaving it to Brock. It makes sense for the story told in the manga, but I wanted to mix things up for this story, especially since it loosely ties in with my other fic, "The Road You Choose".

All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and wonderful readers such as yourself. God bless)