“Thundershock!”

Sparks of electricity crackled from my cheeks, shooting through the air, and zapped Ursaring. The bear Pokémon lit up like a flashing bright yellow Christmas tree.

“URRRAAAAHHH!” He howled in pain as a burning odor wafted into the air.

But I gulped. With a powerful swing of his arms, he snapped out of the attack and shouted, “URSA-RIIIIING!”

“Pika?” I asked, meaning, “What?” in the Pokemon Language.

“I’LL KILL YOU!”

Oh. I just had to ask. Dang it, Sax!

The bear charged, ready for a mauling. I wanted to run away, but those damn teenage brats were not far enough yet! I still saw them a ways away, stopping and looking worriedly in my direction.

“PIKA!” Ugh, I meant, “IDIOTS! RUN!” I screamed, switching back to the human language.

I leaped back from a powerful downward swipe. The attack missed but scraped deep lines into the earth. The wind coming from the attack grazed my face as I slid back across the ground. My eyes widened, and my legs trembled from the narrow dodge of being sliced open like the deep slash marks in the ripped-up earth.

The bear Pokémon was no Legendary, but his power was no joke. I narrowed my eyes and focused, facing off Ursaring. I knew I wouldn’t win, but all I needed to do was distract the bear Pokemon while those two hopefully-to-be lovebirds got away.

“Piiiiikkaa-Chuuuuu!” I shouted, using Thundershock once more.

Jolts of electricity crackled through the air and struck the charging bear, momentarily causing him pain and giving me a small amount of time to use Quick Attack to dash away. I continued to bait away Ursaring, again and again, to draw him from the two trainers.

Running back far enough to give me enough distance, I bait-switched Ursaring as I saw the teenagers finally disappearing down the road.

“Oh my god! It’s Rayquaza!” I bellowed and looked at the sky in disbelief, jabbing my finger and pointing into the clear blue sky.

“Huh?! Rayquaza!?” The angry bear momentarily snapped out of his rampage and looked up to where I was pointing in alarm.

He fell for it!

I smirked, turned tail, used Quick Attack to speed off, and ran away into the Forest. An enraged screech soon followed from behind, but I did not let up using Quick Attack and desperately continued to run away. I heard the sound of trees toppling down in the distance, but I was finally safe.

However, I continued using Quick Attack. For one, to see how long my stamina would last, and for two, I needed to catch up with the brat! I zipped in their direction, flashing and zigzagging like lightning around the vegetation, but ensured to keep far away from the angry thrashing noise in the forest. I smiled with the wind rushing past my face, basking a partial victory from Ursaring and saving the duo of newbie trainers. I think the brat has potential! At least he didn’t seem like a Pokemon abuser.

I’m going to make him a deal! A two-for-one! Hehehe! Soon, I will become human and train Pokemon, too! Bwhaha! But I groaned. Damn it! But I’m going to be trained first… I didn’t know how to feel about being someone else’s pet Pokemon.

However, first, I needed to stop using Quick Attack. It was exhausting. I came out of my crazy sprinting to a snail-like crawl, panting and gasping for air.

“Note *gasp* to *gasp* *gasp* self, train stamina.”

I crawled and stopped in a shrub to take a break. The leaves and twigs poked my sides, but I slipped into the center of the plant. My breath slowly recovered as I pondered. I wonder. Can a Stamina Stat be created if I train?

Me and my big mouth. Or mind? I just had to, didn't I?

The familiar blue screen popped up without my calling.

A small eye and grinning mouth appeared within my blue screen that also displayed my stats!

“Missing No.! I shouted in alarm, warily glancing at the single eye and mouth on my blue screen.

However, strangely, a voice replied back in my head. “Shush, my chosen one! It will not be a good ending for either of us should a Legendary appear once more.”

I wasn’t sure if talking with Missing No. in my head would work, but, eh, worth a shot. “Um. Can you hear me?”

“Such small matters. Are we not speaking to each other as we are?”

“Well, I guess so.” I thought. “Wait, did you just hear that too?”

“I hear all.”

“Oh, god! You can hear all my thoughts!?”

“Is that not what you intended?”

“I mean, yes! But no! There’s some stuff I want to keep private!”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Hmmm. Ah, yes. I can see why. No wonder. Some of your memories are rather embarrassing.”

“You can see my memories too!?”

“Then shall I say I do not? Will it give you peace of mind?”

“Ugh. Whatever. I don’t want to know.”

“But I now know. Ha.”

“Ugh. What do you want?”

“Is that how you talk to a supreme being? The one who brought you to this world?”

I went silent. I didn’t want to offend Missing No. “Don’t think anything stupid, Sax! Don’t think anything stupid!”

“Be grateful, young human. For you were given another chance in the body I placed you in.”

“Gave me? What happened to the Pikachu in this body?”

“Nothing can be taken without being exchanged; the soul of the Pikachu’s body you reside in now is elsewhere.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. “Oh, no! Did you kill the real Pikachu?! How could you?!”

“Did I say the Pikachu died? I said it resides elsewhere.”

“Oh, why didn't you just say so? Jeez. Oh, wait! Why didn’t you put me in another human’s body!?”

“That was not the agreement.”

“Agreement? What agreement?”

“For now, you are not allowed to know.”

“Then when?”

“When you break the limits of this world.”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

“Reach over level one hundred, and you shall find out. For now, I shall also appease your other request. A stamina stat shall be created. Train well. We shall meet again. Those Legendaries sense my presence.”

The single eye and mouth on my blue screen vanished, leaving it with something new.

Fighting off Ursaring’s attack and surviving! - 38 EXP gained!

Pokemon: Pikachu

Pokedex No: 032

Type: Electric

Available Skills points: 000

Level: 3

HP: 94

Attack: 18

Defense: 23

Speed: 38 -> 39 - New!

Special Attack: 27

Special Defense: 23

Stamina: 19 -> 20 - New!

Ability:

Static - Physical contact may cause Paralysis

Reincarnator - Increases base stats, removes limits on base four moves, learns moves quicker, ???

Held Item:

Inventory (Unremovable)

None

Skills:

Pokemon Language

Thunder Shock

Tail Whip

Quick Attack

Nuzzle

Sweet Kiss

Dig - New!

THE HELL?! MISSING NO.! HEY MISSING NO.! DAMN IT!

“Chaaaa…” I said, sighing out my frustration. Ok, focus, Sax!

Surpassing level one hundred, right? That will be a long time from now. I deadpanned and looked at my current level of three. Ignored. Hmmm… so I got what I asked for, the stamina stat. My speed went up, too. BUT WHAT ABOUT ME ASKING TO RETURN TO BEING HUMAN?!

I sighed. Alas, Missing No. hid and did not respond. I leaped out of the bush, shaking off the leaves from my body, starting from my feet and tail, up my back, and to my head. Finally, I shook off what I could not do anything about and focused on what I could. The brat!

Making a deal with that brat and becoming his Pokemon! All I have to do next is find Ho-oh, then Arceus, and poof! Human! Bwhaha!

But I went silent and sighed.

If only it were that easy. However, I slapped my plushy yellow cheeks, also slapping me with some motivation.

“You got this, Sax! Quick Attack!” I shouted, speeding off once more through the forest.

This time, I headed closer to the edge of the road but also not directly on it. I didn’t want a Pokeball from the wrong guy or gal smashing into my face. I flashed from bush to bush, hiding and keeping from plain sight.

Hmmm. But should I watch other trainers, too? Someone more likely to be chosen by Ho-oh? But I don't even understand Ho-oh’s criteria. I need to complain to Ho-oh when I see her that choosing only humans is discrimination.

I finally saw my target, but then I noticed the girl in the yellow dress. There were actually some more familiar faces at the scene. The young lady was hurriedly carried away on a stretcher into a flashing red ambulance while lying on her stomach with Ursaring’s slash marks ripped into her bleeding backside. I heard the pants of pain as her open wounds stung from the air. Lifted inside, the paramedics closed the door, and the ambulance sped off, blaring its siren as it sped down the dirt road.

The young man waved his arms wildly, pointing back down the dirt road and pulling on the sleeve of Officer Jenny as he tried to bring her somewhere.

“Help me, please, Officer Jenny! That Pikachu needs help! He drew away the Ursaring and allowed me and Bella to escape!”

“No! Stop, kid. If the Ursaring is the same one on our wanted list then only an official League Trainer from the Veridian Gym will be able to handle it. I’m sorry. I feel bad for Pikachu, but it is likely dead. It used its life to save yours and that girl. Ursaring will be put down. However, we are not equipped to fight that berserk Pokemon.”

Damn, girl. Totally wrote me off as dead. I’ll have you know I’m alive and well, thank you very much. I’m just hiding and peeping at you from the bushes. Kinda like a ghost? Okay, if I weren’t a Pikachu, that would have sounded really weird.

“No! Pikachu is alive! I know it! I’ll go save it myself!”

“You’re not going anywhere, kid! Stay right where you are! Or I will take you in right now!”

“But Pikachu! What about Pikachu!? This isn’t fair!”

“Look, kid. Maybe it is still alive and got away. But I can’t risk you going back there. What could you or I do? My Growlithe doesn’t stand a chance. Would Pikachu be happy if you were attacked and died? Would that girl?”

“… No.”

“Just wait for the League Trainers. They will take care of it. I’ll let them know to be on the lookout for Pikachu as well. For now, the Viridian Forest will be off limits to all travelers unless in a vehicle.”

“But, Officer Jenny!”

“No buts! You should return to town or head elsewhere for the time being. It should only be for a few days at most.”

“Yes, Officer,” the young man replied in a downcast voice. He turned and looked back down the dirt path and said, “Pikachu…,” with a worried voice. Reluctantly dragging his feet away, he walked away along the side of the road.

CHANCE! I screamed in my head, and my eyes widened at the opportunity. This is it!

Officer Jenny used caution tape and blocked off the path, but it didn’t stop me. I quietly dashed further around the trees and stalked the teenage brat along the road. Moving far enough where Jenny would see us, I grabbed a rock and threw it at the young man. The smooth rock – purposely chosen to be like a miniature Pokeball – flew through the air, nailing the kid right in the head.

“OWWW!” He shouted, rubbing the side of his forehead.

Doesn’t feel good being thrown stuff at, huh?

He looked down, following the small rock that tumbled and rolled on the ground. Titling his head, he looked back up and towards my direction. Our eyes connected, and I smirked.

“Pikachu! You’re aliv-!”

I hurriedly put a finger up to my mouth, urgently telling the kid to shut up. I curled my pointing finger back and forth, calling the brat over for a talk. He did as I expected, walking over. However, I grinned and dashed away, making him quickly sprint in a follow.

“Hey! Don’t run away! Are you ok!? Pikachu?” The brat shouted, pushing through the bush and tall grass, following not too far behind me.

I stopped in a clearing, waving the young teenager over with my short yellow arm. He joyfully came running over, looking at my mostly undamaged figure except for the small burns from the attacks of the Houndour, happily shouting, “Pikachu! You’re OK! You’re still alive!”

The folds of my forehead creased and folded as I frowned. “Of course, kiddo! Even the Legendary Pokemon couldn’t keep me underground!”

He sighed a breath of relief. “Thank Arceus. I’m glad you are OK, Pikachu.”

I couldn’t help but like the kid. My wrinkled face smoothed, and I smirked a grin at him. “Want to make a deal?”