Summoning of Chu

Chapter 11
-
A Tiny Problem - Part 2

Pichu followed the abandoned pathway towards the ruins of the castle, walking on two trembling rear paws rather than all four. He soon reached the front entrance and collapsed onto his back, sighing at how soft the front ruby-red rug was. Though old, it was still in decent condition, along with the rest of the castle’s decor, merely housing a collection of dust. Supporting Nica, he pulled her from his shoulder and perched her atop his belly, withdrawing his forepaws to wipe away the sweat accumulating on his forehead. <Finally!>

<You’re not enjoying the adventure?> Nica inquired from her makeshift bed, hints of worry clouding in her eyes.

<Oh, I am! It’s very exciting and all, it’s just that... it got much too dangerous, especially with how feeble we are in these forms.> He raised his head slightly to peer over at his tiny friend.

<Oh… so I’m a burden after all,> Nica whimpered as her body gave off a slight glow, her already small body becoming slightly more miniscule to the Pichu. <I’m sorry.>

<Don’t you dare think that!> Pichu declared, snapping Nica out of her daydreaming. <You have been such a great help. Despite your new size, you’ve covered my back and helped me so many times. Whenever I was in danger, you freed me from the enemy’s grasp, giving me time to adjust and counterattack. For being weakened, you’ve done incredibly well.> He gave her a charming grin and hugged her shrunken body, careful not to squeeze too hard.

<I… I suppose I did!> Nica reckoned, giving a proud smile back and shimmering briefly once more. She began to grow upwards, regaining the size she had just lost, bit by bit.. <I’m still very weak in my current predicament, but I managed to pull my weight during the fight with the Everfree creatures and help you out a lot. How did I not realize this sooner?> Her magnitude increased by fifty percent.

Pichu gazed at Nica in confusion before saying, <Your size keeps changing… and I think I have an idea why.> He gradually pushed himself to a sitting position and clutched Nica between his little paws. <Say something positive about yourself, like this. I’m a great and brave Raichu.>

Pichu shook his head. <You need to say it with conviction. You need to believe it!>

<With conviction? But how?> She cried, unable to understand how someone like her deserved praise. Nica sniveled, curling up into a ball and shrinking even smaller. Pichu could hold her comfortably in a single paw.

<It’s your pride and self-worth. Poison joke is altering your size depending on how big you think of yourself. Your own humility and low self-esteem is making you so tiny, because that’s how you picture yourself,> Pichu pointed out. <You need to stop thinking so little of yourself, or else you won’t grow back to normal. You’re an amazing Raichu, you just need to believe that. I don’t understand why you can’t see all the wonderful things you’ve done for everyone around you. Have pride in the things you’ve accomplished.>

Nica’s ears drooped. <But, I’m not amazing… considering how much power I possess, I’m accomplishing very little.> Her body sparkled and dwindled as she pointed at him. <You were always less experienced and weaker, not even fully evolved, yet you accompanied your trainer through dozens of challenging quests, no matter the danger, facing powerful legendaries and playing important roles in world-changing events. Compared to you… I’m nothing special. Compared to you, I’m a failure.> She shrank to no more than a speck until only her tail was visible to the naked eye. Pichu had to squint to see the tears dripping down her face as she sobbed into his paws.

<Stop it!> he shouted as his overpowering voice blew Nica away. He grabbed her quickly in mid-air and continued in a more gentle tone, <If you keep thinking like that, you’ll become too small for me to even see you.> A pout formed on Pichu’s face. He perched Nica on a single paw as his eyes started watering, producing a few lone tears.

Nica opened her mouth to respond, but closed it a moment later. She looked to the side as her ears drooped.

Pichu raised one forepaw to his face, quickly wiping away any tears, and placed his paw to his chest. <You’ve put more effort into your training and helping others in a week, than I do in an entire month. You got where you are not just because you evolved and gained a boost of power, but because you worked hard to earn your evolution and learned important lessons along the way.> He took a quick breath as Nica started back at him curiously, hope sparking in her eyes. <So Ash often found himself involved in crucial events, mainly due to being in the right place at right time while rushing into dangers without hesitation.> He pointed at her. <If you were in my place, you would’ve been even more helpful to Ash than I was.>

<B-but… my trainer was too cautious. We were afraid to rush into danger until she was sure the team was ready and capable of facing the threat. Maybe if we took the risk, we would be involved in more vital missions. What if our caution is at fault?>

Pichu shook his head and continued, <You said it yourself how you and Astra saved the three legendary birds; Moltres, Articuno and Zapdos back when you were still just a Pikachu. When we got involved ourselves with those legendary pokemon, your trainer was already the champion of Sinnoh.> He paused, and then added in a saddened tone, <You and Astra, you both were searching for any opportunity to help others back when we were just signing up for various leagues to gain experience. You ended up helping your trainer achieve Ash’s dream, while we stumbled upon many chances to do good that you both searched for so hard. It just… happened, there’s no fault with you two.>

<Not to mention that many criminal bosses who were involved in our adventures lacked a competent crew. They either had numerous grunts with pokemon that were poorly trained and easy to defeat, or one or two elites that were outnumbered by Ash and his friends.> Pichu pointed at Nica in pride. <If you and your trainer didn’t weaken their organizations, we would no doubt have failed sooner or later. We were only able to succeed thanks to you two. You guys had as much to do in those missions as us!>

Nica admitted as her size increased a little.

<You’re much more than a stepping stone.> He placed Nica on the plush carpet and lowered himself to her level, making eye contact. <Think of everything you have achieved. Think of all the grateful people, pokemon and… ponies who have told you over and over again how much you have done for them. How much you’ve helped them. And most importantly, don’t compare yourself to me, or anyone for that matter. Just forget about Ash’s achievements. Be proud for what you and Astra did without contrasting yourself to others.>

Nica looked to the side, tapping her forepaws together nervously. <B-but… but I don’t want to become an arrogant, prideful Raichu like the ones you’ve faced before. My humility and your achievements motivate me to work harder and help me know my place.> She glanced at him with her oval eyes and asked sadly, <Aren’t arrogant, full-of-themselves Raichu’s the ones you dislike the most? What if I become like them?>

Pichu frowned. <You… full of yourself, oh please. I’d be thrilled if one day you actually complimented yourself. Your morals and kindness would never allow such a thing to happen.> He sighed and continued in a much calmer tone, <Listen, it's great that you're humble, but, you have taken it to an unhealthy extreme. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of yourself and knowing your worth as long as your deeds are to pair.> He smiled. <I’m sure you can find a good balance between being humble and respecting your own accomplishments. You should definitely give it a try, especially now considering that your size depends on it.>

Pichu looked around, confused by a sudden baritone voice speaking to him deeply within his mind. It wasn’t the first time another pokemon spoke to him telepathically, but the tone of voice sounded both sinister and intimidating, if not a tad bit familiar. His attention focused on the creepy floating pokemon as he examined its features.

A cold eye stared back at him, seemingly coated in ice as his other was hidden behind a mask of black. Its legs were non-existent, leaving it to float above a spiked black base, with a trio inky flags hanging out behind him, as if caught in a sudden breeze. The same went for a ghostly white strand coating his head and flying out, contrasted by a crimson red laced around its neck. Jagged claws stretched out from its arms, matching a nightshade black with small tufts of shadow both on its elbows and base. In its hands rested an ancient tome, inscribed with a drawing of a forest, similar to the very one they were lost in now. All things said, this creature was terrifying, providing him a crystal clear idea of where he’s seen this pokemon before.

<D-Darkrai,> Pichu said as his memories provided him with images of a powerful Darkrai, having the strength to overrun villages and towns. He vividly remembered a brutal battle, between the ghost of nightmares. He had a sketchy trainer named Tobias with him, somehow having two legendaries. He narrowed his eyes. If what Nica told him was true, the pokemon before him was responsible for the attempts of multiple invasions against ponies and brought Nica a great deal of pain in the past.

What’s up with that look? It’s not fear, but anger and hostility I sense. Interesting. Darkrai lowered his face to take a better look at the two pokemon. My little gift was to ensure that Nica’s hero arrived in this world. She must have meet him considering the spell hidden in the book I gave to Twilight, but I am certain a Pichu wasn’t among the summoned pokemon.

<So it was your fault!> He pointed at Darkrai accusingly, his cheeks sparking in anger. <Not only have you caused a whole lot of harm to this world, but also separated me and the rest of the team from Ash.> He stomped his tiny foot. <You have no idea how furious I am at you right now!>

So it is you after all, and you’re a Pichu now? What kind of magic could have caused such a change in physique? I wonder... It's certainly something worth investigating.

Darkrai raised to his full height, now towering over the Pichu. What’s the matter? Not enjoying your vacation in this magical world? I assumed Nica would do everything in her power to ensure that your stay was pleasant.

Pichu frowned, realizing how his words must have sounded to Nica. <She did… but that’s not important right now.>

Speaking of Nica, is she here with you by any chance? Or did you venture into my new domain all on your own?

<So this is where you live now!> Nica shouted in her quiet, squeaky voice as Darkrai lowered his head curiously to gaze at her. <I don’t know your motives, but summoning a whole team of important pokemon that are under the leadership of a vital trainer like Ash is very mean. I find it harder and harder to forgive you when you pull stunts like this.>

Darkrai raised his large hand up to his face, raised to his full height once more and turned around. A loud mental laughter echoed in Pichu and Nica’s minds.

<This… isn’t funny!> Nica shouted. <The creatures of the Everfree Forest are growing stronger and are going on a rampage, not to mention those aggressive vines that are immune to electricity. We barely survived without being able to use out electricity to defend ourselves!> She narrowed her eyes. <What do you mean? So you are responsible!> Nica howled and stomped on her hero’s head in frustration.

Pichu took a fighting stance and suspiciously watched Darkrai with his full attention. Despite still feeling exhausted and being covered in numerous bruises, he wasn’t planning to cower in fear. <What did he say?>

<He said that he took the Elements of Harmony away from the Tree of Harmony a while ago,> Nica answered as she climbed down onto Pichu’s forepaw, now looking directly into his eyes. <He studied them at first and then hid them, in case anyone would want to use them against him.> She paused and turned to Darkrai. <But if you hid the Elements, why did you try to kill Rainbow Dash?> she paused, listening to the mental response.

<He said that he wasn’t sure how the connection between the Elements and their bearers worked. He wasn’t sure if they could sense where they are or if they can summon them with some sort of mysterious magic, so he didn’t want to take any chances. And also that Chrysalis demanded a proof of his loyalty.> She crossed her tiny forepaws. <I know I’m in no position to demand anything, but if you’re true to your word, you’ll return the Elements so the forest will return back to normal. And you’ll do it quickly. Without the elements, the forest is running more rampant with each passing moment.>

Darkrai kept his back turned as he comptimplated Nica’s request. Without a moment's notice, he turned around and levitated towards the exit, bypassing them.

Pichu refused to let his guard down while bolts of electricity sparked from his cheeks, lightning up the dimmed castle grounds.

<Even if for whatever reason you wanted to help me meet my hero, summoning him against his will is something I absolutely disapprove of.> Nica answered to Darkrai’s telepathic message. <And no, my image of him didn’t change. He’s still a great and brave Pikachu. He’s very kind and willing to struggle to keep his jealousy at bay, just to please me.> She tapped her forepaws against each other. <He may have different views on evolution, but we respect one another and each other’s opinions. Nothing will change that.>

Darkrai glanced at Pichu. I’ve witnessed Nica’s dreams. Unintentionally, you and Ash are responsible for her crippling inferiority complex. I wondered if meeting you in person would shatter her image of a heroic Pikachu, the things that holds back her true potential. Seems I was wrong. He looked at the exit before levitating himself again. I shall return the Elements to their proper places, but they’re hidden away far from here so it will take a while. Stay here and keep Nica safe until I do. Farewell.

Deep within the Everfree forest, the cloaked pokemon was cornered, surrounded on all sides by a pack of ravenous Timberwolves. Each mutt had fluorescent green goo dripping from their snouts, along with emerald magic seeping from their wooden bodies. Their muzzles were bared in snarls as Mimikyu readied a single, shadowy claw.

Without a warning, one of the wolves pounced from his right, digging its paws into the soil to launch itself forwards. Mimikyu ducked down, narrowly evading the canine’s sharpened teeth before performing a brutal uppercut, slamming a spectral fist into its stomach. It bursted into timber scraps, littering the forest clearing. He waved a taunt at the remaining beasts, before calling out, <C’mon you scraps of lumber! Come and get me... if you dare.>

They moved as one, giving a blood-curdling howl while tightening the circle they had around their trapped prey. With an unseen signal, they stormed ahead, stampeding forwards with a reckless intent. Mimikyu smirked, and spun around the first wolf to reach him. He vaulted himself into the air, bringing down a ‘Shadow Claw’ atop the creature’s head before spinning to the side and cutting another foe across the snout. Another wolf dashed close and clamped its jaws around Mimikyu, digging its rugged teeth into the pokemon’s disguise. His ability ‘Disguise’ sprung to life, protecting him from the beast’s sharp teeth, though he was still stuck in its grasp. He squirmed before doubling the size of his tail into a massive, wooden hammer and smacked his attacker several meters back.

Small marks were imbedded into his cloak, but he paid it no mind as he melted into the shadows, dancing around the battlefield in his favorite darkened area. Springing up behind the biggest creature, most likely the alpha, he smothered the opponent in his silhouette, drowning it in the overwhelming feeling of dread.

Other wolves soon caught up and attacked his spectral form, pulling him off his target. He withdrew his inky claw and destroyed the remaining pack members with a series of merciless blows, eventually leaving just him and chunks of wood scattered within the forest floor. Wisps of jade magic floated around their abandoned hosts, making the intelligent decision not to reform just yet, lest they were simply destroyed seconds later.

Hehe, smart mutts, he thought to himself, before dusting off his costume and continuing along the path of twisted trees and overgrown shrubs. When he was first dropped in the Everfree, things were relatively quiet, allowing him the time to explore and wander the mysterious flora laced within the woodland. It wasn’t long though until a lone tendril came lurking closer to Mimikyu, attempting to catch him by surprise. A well-timed ‘Wood Hammer’ was more than enough to scare off the offender, but more and more started swarming him, providing the pokemon with a good workout while he ducked and weaved the night black vine’s thorns. One nearly ripped his veil, seconds away from tearing away one of the ears drooping atop his limp head, but Mimikyu quickly took care of the foe before it had the chance.

Now, he marched on, starting to feel various aches from his past battles. Though strong, he could only take so many attacks until he started feeling the repercussions. He mindlessly followed the trail, until tripping on a random stone placed in front of him. Before he could decimate the pebble, a glint of light caught his attention.

Mimikyu squinted his eyes, focusing on a ray of sunshine peering through some of the tree’s canopies. A few steps in front of him rested a peaceful glade, bathing in the sun’s warm beams, while various creatures scattered amongst the light, rolling and playing in the grass. He wandered closer, staring in awe at the serene setting in front of him, when the forests behind him were so vicious.

Stumbling in the opening, he walked towards a batch of stunning blue flowers, swaying in the slight breeze. Covered with dark cobalt spots, they seemed to call Mimikyu closer, pulling the pokemon near like a siren to a sailor. Without a second thought, he grasped one with his ghostly hand and tucked it behind one of his ears, imagining himself as an adored idol, with fans desperately trying to get his attention from all angles. He grinned, waving goodbye to his fantasized audience and pulled away, retreating to a shadowy nook tucked away at the edge of the dell, the flower still stuck behind his cloth ear. With a tired yawn, he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep, blending into the shadows of the darkened forest while leaving the costume among the flowers.

Hours later, Mimikyu awoke to the shining moon, encircled by numerous glistening stars, creating a beautiful image in the sky. To him in particular, it took the shape of a Raichu he knew quite well, quickly reminding him of his missing companion. Hmm… I wonder if she’s back from exploring yet. He dragged himself to his feet, quickly stretching and releasing a satisfying yawn. I must have been asleep for a while. I don’t think it was too close to nighttime when I left to explore the Everfree… oh well.

Shrugging his shoulders, he formed back into his solid form and secured his disguise atop of his spirit, before deeming himself ready to find his way out of the forest. He made his way through acres and acres of trees and wildlife, luckily managing to avoid any hostile creatures. Along the way, he easily got side-tracked, finding and collecting items that interested him, storing them for safekeeping inside his veil. He soon began grabbing things at random. Though, one ‘item’ attempted to bite him after being plucked from a nest of sticks and leaves. He learned his lesson after that.

After what felt like forever, he made his way to the borders of the Everfree, spotting the castle in the distance. As much as he wanted to return to the privacy of the Cutie Mark Convertibles, or whatever they were called, he needed to know if Nica was back and make sure she was safe after going out with that Pikachu. He would have bullied him the moment he saw him, but purely for his mentor, he somehow managed to restrain himself.

Maybe I should give that Pikachu a chance? He didn’t make Nica feel inferior on purpose after all, and now he’s finally learning just how great she is. Maybe he’ll manage to help her regain her self-worth in time. That, or he’ll embarrass himself so much that she’ll no longer look up to him. Both outcomes sound good to me. He closed his eyes as the middle part of his costume smiled in satisfaction, his imagination providing him with an image of Pikachu dropping from exhaustion, unable to keep up with the superior Raichu. He would be stuck, lying on the floor while admiring her greatness. Considering they both admired Nica, he could tolerate the overrated hero so long as he stayed out of his way?

Trekking closer to the fortress, he noticed something odd in the distance. One of the ponies was running around outside frantically, gesturing wildly with her hooves. Her mane was frazzled as she paced in a tight circle, slowly beginning to dig a hole into the soil. A couple others followed, wearing aerodynamic uniforms with goggles equipped around their eyes. Even stranger, multiple pokemon followed the ragtag team. From his distance, he could only spot a few, considering the others were hard to make out with everyone cramped in front of the castle, but he could clearly see Gliscor, Umbreon, Ninetails and a couple of Wonderbolts flying above the group.

He rushed closer, now determined to reach the castle. It didn’t take a genius to figure out something was wrong, going by the nervous look on each of their faces. <Guys! Hey, over here!> He shouted, trying to catch the group's attention. His words were unintelligible to the ponies, but the gathered pokemon could understand his speech just fine. He let out a sigh of relief as they turned and met his gaze, meeting the exhausted Mimikyu halfway.

“Pikachu, good to see you’re well! When Starlight informed us of your disappearance, we were greatly concerned,” Gliscor said in haste, answering Mimikyu’s unspoken question. His mocha colored collar shone in the morning light, wrapped around his neck.

<Oh, so that’s why everyone's freaking out- Wait, Pikachu? Did you just call me Pikachu?> He narrowed his eyes in agitation.

Ninetails and Umbreon butted in without answering. “Where’s Captain Nica?” They both questioned, suspicion filling their gazes.

Ninetales turned his head, his muzzle in front of his face. “Also, weren’t you supposed to be a Pichu? Did the curse stop affecting you?”

Umbreon stalked closer, his tail bristling in anger. “If you hurt my sister, you’re gonna regret it dearly. Tell us where she is now!”

<What are you guys talking about? How would I know? And, again… why are you calling me Pikachu?> Mimikyu asked, growing more confused by the second. It hadn’t even been a minute since he returned, and he was already getting more attention than when he was around for a day. Usually pokemon tended to keep a distance from him, whether consciously or unconsciously. He had an unnatural vibe about him that repelled others, but the exact opposite seemed to be happening now.

“I don’t know what kind of weird game you’re trying to play, but I swear if you don’t tell me where Nica is I’m going to blast you six feet under,” Umbreon yelled.

By now, Starlight and the other Wonderbolts had noticed the commotion, walking closer to the dueling pair.

Starlight began her rant first. “Thank Celestia! Pikachu, you’re ok! When I teleported and couldn’t find you, I was terrified. Who knows what that- wait… where’s Nica?” She levitated him over for a quick examination, as if searching for something. “Oh no, did something happen to her?”

Rainbow pushed herself to the front, adding, “What!? Nica’s hurt? Where is she? We’ve got to go, now!” She readied herself to dart up into the sky.

Spitfire grasped Dash’s multi-colored tail, keeping her in place while rolling her eyes. “Huld uh Rahbah,” she mumbled, her mouth full of Rainbow’s tail. “Don guh ruhihn off likuh ‘hat.” Giving an annoyed snort, Rainbow compiled, but soon began shouting moments later, adding to the growing symphony of screams and cries.

Mimikyu’s head was spinning. He couldn’t keep up with the flurry of questions and concerns thrown at him, so in a moment of panic, he shouted out, <Enough!> Pulling Gliscor's collar off, he held it up around his own neck, allowing him to communicate with the ponies as well as pokemon. “What are you guys talking about?” I’m not Pikachu!”

Little Lost Pikachu

by CommanderX5

Ch.11 - A Tiny Problem - Pt.2