Prologue

Little Lost Pikachu

Prologue

Pikachu’s mind was a mess. As he was about to bounce the beach ball with his head towards Popplio, an innocent and fun game to pass time with his pokemon friends, some sort of multicolored portal appeared above his friend's heads, sucking them in. Before he could even react, he ended up pulled in as well. The sandy beach shifted into a tree-filled forest as gravity pulled him down.

The moment his little feet hit the ground with a weak thump, he examined his surroundings in confusion as many questions were born in his mind:

First, where is Ash and his other friends?

Second, why was he sucked into some sort of portal out of nowhere?

Third, why the surrounding trees were looking nothing like the ones in the forest he visited so many times? Was he even still in the Alola region?

Trees with broken branches which were shaped like large hands and trunks in the shape of ghostly faces stared at him. Even bushes added to the spooky atmosphere with thorns growing from their branches. Was this forest haunted by ghost pokemon or something? Dealing with a Mimikyu was already challenging enough.

He lowered to his four paws and looked around, now on guard. Wherever this place was, it could be dangerous. Step by step, he walked through something resembling a path between two lines of trees and bushes. Whether this path led outside of the forest or not he couldn’t tell, but it still seemed better than running into the sea of trees and wandering randomly. <Ash, Rowlet, Litten, Lycanroc, Popplio! Where are you?!> he shouted in his own language as “Pika” and “Pikachu” echoed through the forest.

A minute of walking and shouting seemed to bear fruit as his pointy ears perked upward, picking up the noise of rustling leaves and breaking branches. He felt the earth tremble a little under his tiny feet. Whoever was coming, it was big. He took a fighting stance, his tail raised up as bolts of electricity started escaping from the dots on his cheeks.

Two trees tilted to the side before falling to the ground, pulled from their roots by a large beast. It had the appearance of some sort of giant cat, but with wings, and a red mane covering its chest and neck, a huge stinger was present at the end of its tail. It roared, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, and lurched forward again with long, slow strides. Saliva kept falling from the beast’s mouth as it licked its lips.

<Now listen… I’m just looking for my friends. I’m sorry if I stepped into your territory, I’ll leave.> Pikachu took a step back, not daring to take his narrowed eyes from the massive beast. Whatever pokemon this was, it seemed hungry and he was a snack in its eyes. I hope this pokemon isn’t resistant to electricity. I need to find Ash and I have no time for a long battle.

The tension in the air grew as Pikachu felt each of this pokemon’s step, the quakes under his feet grew in strength. The long tail with a poisonous stinger waved left and right. The beast’s mane and Pikachu’s ears and tail flapped on the wind as the noise of rustling leaves echoed in the air.

he said as bolts of electricity started escaping the dots on his cheeks. <Leave me alone or I won’t hold back my electricity, this is my last warning!>

Three meters, two meters, one meter, the distance shrank as the large pokemon roared again, hitting Pikachu with bits of its saliva as he covered his face protectively. The large pokemon now towered over him and raised its foreleg, its forepaw alone being a few times bigger than his entire body and wide enough to trap him under it.

Pikachu grit his teeth, not intimidated in the least. If it wanted a fight, it was going to get it. He had more than enough electricity to spare.

Pikachu and the beast looked towards the source of voice as another creature jumped from the bushes.

Shape? Pear-like up to the neck, with a wide, white belly.

Legs? Two rear paws very similar to his own but way bigger, each with three toes, and two stubby forepaws. All orange with bronze patches of fur on the edges.

Tail? Similar to his own but heart-shaped at the end and waaay longer, as if his own tail was attached to a long black whip.

Nose? Bronze, very small, somewhat flat, button-like.

Ears? Floppy and misshapen, yellow in the middle and bronze on the edges with something like a tiny rolled twine at the end.

Size? Taller and wider than his, but still very tiny when compared to the large beast.

Yes, it was totally a Raichu, and a female one.

<Hey Manticore, leave him alone!> the Raichu shouted while pointing at the large beast, her tail slammed against the ground with a weak thud.

Pikachu looked at the female Raichu in pity and his ears drooped. The good news was that this pokemon was on his side. The bad was that the large beast now walked in her direction, most likely choosing a bigger and fatter creature to feast on. <Hey, I’m not done with you, stop ignoring me!> he shouted and ran towards the Raichu. This pokemon was trying to help, they were in this together.

<There’s no need to fight, I hope,> the Raichu said as she shot him a friendly smile before stepping forward.

What did she mean, no need to fight? This pokemon clearly wanted one, Pikachu thought and then stared at the long-tailed pokemon in confusion, who clenched her forepaws and unleashed a ‘Thunderbolt’ into the sky with a loud shout. Her attack power… didn’t seem to be anything special, certainly weaker than one of his average ‘Thunderbolts,’ but it still created a bright spectacle. Maybe she’s trying to scare it…

The manticore took a step back and covered its face with a forepaw.

The Raichu ceased her attack and trotted forward on her two feet, leaping to the side in time to evade being slammed by the large paw. Her tail touched the upper part of the paw, shocking it lightly. She leaped backward as the large poisonous sting pierced the ground in front of her, and touched the large tail with her forepaw before sending another small portion of electricity into it.

The manticore withdrew its tail and walked backward as the Raichu unleashed another ‘Thunderbolt’ into the sky.

The female pokemon drew a line in the ground in front of the beast with her rear foot. <You see, we’re not worth the trouble. Now leave, shoo, shoo,> she said with a shake of her forepaws as “Rai” and “Raichu” echoed in the forest. The Manticore seemed to get the message as it walked away the same way it come from.

Pikachu rubbed the back of his neck. Display of power as a warning, why didn't I think of that? It would be so much easier. He stepped forward, waiting for the Raichu to turn towards him. <Thank you for your help, but I need to go and find my trainer and friends.> He examined his surrounding and then smiled awkwardly. <You don’t happen to know where the Pokemon School is… do you?>

<Well… about that… I'm sorry to say this, but... you’re far, faaaar away from wherever you were,> Raichu explained, tapping her forepaws together.

<What do you mean? This is Melemele island, right?> he asked, suddenly afraid of the answer to his question.

<Melemele? One of four islands in the Alola region?> the Raichu asked.

<Yes, that one.> His ears perked up in hope.

The Raichu shook her head. <Now… I know that what I am going to tell you may sound scary and unbelievable, but I assure you, there’s no need to panic.>

Pikachu approached, blinking in confusion.

<Well… you’re in a different world. No pokemon, no trainers, no Alola region.> She held her forepaw on her chest. <Now, I know it is hard to believe, but I’m speaking the truth. >

Pikachu rubbed the top of his head, only to flinch and gasp. <W-wait… are you saying that there is a chance that my trainer isn’t here?> He narrowed his eyes and stomped with his rear foot. <If that's a joke, it’s a terrible one.>

Raichu sighed before gesturing with her forepaw. <Follow me before more monsters consider us as a snack. I’ll lead you out of this place and explain what’s going on.>

Pikachu nodded before running on his four paws, following the Raichu, his eyes still narrowed. While this Raichu tried to help and scared away that hostile pokemon… A Manticore was it? Something he was capable of doing on his own. The fact that she appeared out of nowhere while speaking nonsense raised a red flag in his mind.

<The place we’re in is called the Everfree Forest, a dangerous location in a nation called Equestria,> the Raichu explained as their running speed matched one another. <This place isn’t populated by humans or pokemon. The most common are pony races: Unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies. You’ll meet them soon enough once we reach Ponyville.>

No pokemon or humans? Is this Raichu insane? Pikachu thought, now not so sure if following this pokemon was a good idea.

<This world is filled with powerful magic which is very different than our power and can be used to cast dangerous spells.> The Raichu glanced at him and smiled sheepishly upon seeing his distrusting stare.

<Let’s say I believe you, what does it have to do with me? Was I summoned as well?> Pikachu asked.

Pikachu stopped and crossed his forearms. <Alright, now I’m certain you’re insane.> He turned around.

<Wait!> She rounded him and stopped in front of his face, holding both forepaws in a pleading gesture. <You don’t have to believe me yet, but come with me. Everything will start making sense soon enough.>

Pikachu shook his head.

The Raichu pointed up. <The reason I came into this forest is because I noticed a portal appear in the sky and I wanted to escort you to safety. Most portals appeared in Ponyville.> She displayed a puppy stare and held a forepaw on her chest. <Just give me a chance, a tiny bit of trust, pretty please.>

Pikachu kept looking slightly up as the top of his head was on the level of the Raichu’s chin. As crazy she sounded, her pleading eyes and voice didn’t seem to be one of a liar. <Alright…> he said with a nod, receiving a cheerful smile in return.

After a few minutes of running, they left the shadows cast by the towering trees, now greeted by the warm rays of the sun in the clear sky. The grass field and a few hills were ahead of them.

<See, I told you I'd lead you out,> the Raichu said before raising her forepaw towards him. <I’m sorry for not introducing myself. My name’s Nica, it’s nice to meet you.>

Pikachu glanced at the raised paw before grabbing the bronze patch at the edge and shaking it, a friendly smile on his face. <Nice to meet you too. I still don’t believe most of what you told me, but I’m grateful regardless. Thanks for helping me out in that forest.>

<You’re very welcome.>

He withdrew his forepaw, took a deep breath of fresh air and looked over the area. There seemed to be a small cottage nearby and some town in the distance, yet nothing seemed familiar to any locations he and his trainer visited in the past. He turned back to the Raichu and chuckled. <You’re familiar with this area… correct?> Upon seeing a nod, he asked, <You wouldn’t mind showing me around and helping me find my friends.>

Nica spread her forepaws and leaped several meters into the air, landing softly on the grass a moment later. <Of course!> She poked her own chest. <When I arrived in this place, the ponies showed kindness and acceptance. It’ll be my pleasure doing the same for a fellow pokemon. Follow me.>

Pikachu followed, now walking on his two tiny feet. <Where are we going?>

<To the Friendship Castle!> Nica shouted with enthusiastic uppercut against the air. <There’s plenty of space for you to settle in, while Princess Twilight and her student Starlight will no doubt help us find your friends.>

<Friendship Castle? Princess Twilight, Starlight… those are some odd names,> Pikachu pointed out.

Nica stopped and pointed ahead towards the sky. <Speaking of the princess, here she comes.>

Pikachu raised a forepaw over his head to keep the sun rays at bay as he glanced at the pointed direction, seeing a flying creature making its way in their direction.

<Twilight, over here!> Nica shouted as she stood on the tips of her rear paws and waved.

Pikachu took a few steps back, observing the descending creature. Lavender fur, long feathery wings, four hooves, a horn, and a long tail and mane. <This pokemon reminds me of Rapidash and is almost as tall as one, though its legs are wider, and instead of flames it has those wings and fur. This is the first time I have met such a species.>

Nica giggled. <She’s not a pokemon but an alicorn. They’re kind of like the legendary pokemon in our world, rare and possessing a lot of raw power,> she commented before their attention focused purely on the princess.

“Good work Nica, I see you found the summoned pokemon in the Everfree Forest,” Twilight said as she lowered her head, now examining his features. “No injures, that’s great. You did a fine job.”

Nica shook her forepaw dismissively.

Pikachu blinked as his attention focused on an aura on the alicorn’s horn, and next on a levitating collar. One thing was certain, this alicorn pokemon was most likely a psychic type. <Wait… she spoke in the human’s language… with her mouth rather than telepathy... what’s going on?>

“So your name’s Pikachu. Nice to meet you little fellow,” Twilight said as she raised her foreleg towards Pikachu, which he shook with his two forepaws, returning her cheerful smile with one of his own.

Twilight raised to her full height and looked at Nica. “By the way, you forgot your translating collar.”

Nica grabbed the levitated collar and presented it to the Pikachu. <Put this on, it will translate your words so the ponies can understand you. It’s really, really handy.>

Pikachu sniffed the collar before picking it up with his smaller paws, now staring at it curiously. Color? Blue, with five white gems decorating it while small yellow lightning was present between each gem. It was certainly big enough to fit on Nica’s neck, but shouldn’t be too big for him.

“You want to share your translating collar with your new friend? That’s actually a good idea,” Twilight said with a nod of approval.

Once done examining, he attached the collar onto his neck while Nica tied it up from behind. He poked it before asking, “Is this working?”

“Yes, it seems to be working nicely,” Twilight said with a nod.

Pikachu’s eye became wide. Did he just speak in the human’s language?

<A magical translating collar made by Starlight and Twilight with Rarity’s fashionable touch. Really neat, don’t you think?> Nica asked.

Pikachu nodded. “It sure is. Though I still find most of what you told me hard to believe.” He looked up at the towering alicorn, feeling quite small in comparison. “Miss Twilight, are you a pokemon or not? How can you speak the human language? Is this... magic… really responsible for bringing me here?”

“Me, a pokemon, oh no no no,” Twilight said with a shake of her head and a chuckle before she lowered herself to the critter’s face level, nearly touching the ground with her chin. “I know it may be difficult to swallow, but you’re really in a different world where magic is quite common. I’ll try to discover a way to send you back, but until then there’s nothing we can do.” She stood up to her full height and lowered her wing to the grass. “Climb up. I’ll accommodate you inside the castle.”

He nodded, walking towards Twilight’s back as his paws made contact with the soft feathers before he perched himself behind alicorn’s neck. “But what about my friends? I saw them being sucked into holes in the sky as well.”

“If they were transported to Equestria, we’ll find them, but with the mess on our hooves, we need to get organized. I would appreciate if you cooperate, Pikachu, and we’ll do everything we can to make your unforseen stay pleasant and comfortable.”

Nica leaped onto Twilight’s back, perching herself behind him.

Pikachu glanced at Nica and sighed. While he still wasn’t sure how much he actually believed them, it was obvious that he needed their guidance. It seems my best option is to trust them for now. I hope Ash will be fine until I find him.

"Hang on tight,” Twilight said as her horn flared into life with a rich aura, only for them to vanish in a flash of teleportation.

Pikachu blinked in confusion as the natural scenery with grass fields, forest and hills was replaced by numerous colorful homes and a massive towering crystal tree with some sort of construction built into it. While teleportation was something he saw pokemon like Abra use in the past, a town filled with ponies with wings, or horns or without any outstanding features, all speaking in the human language, was certainly something new.

<Still think I’m insane?> Nica asked before giggling cheerfully.

Pikachu massaged his forehead. Maybe… just maybe… he was indeed stuck in a different world. One thing was certain, if he couldn’t return to his trainer, finding his friends and learning more about this place was his top priority.

Ch.1 - Exploration Pt.1

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 1
-
Exploration Pt.1

When riding an alicorn, visiting a large tree-castle made of crystals while also stuck in what probably was a different world devoid of pokemon and humans, one would expect mysterious breathtaking wonders never seen by their eyes. Yet what this little Pikachu saw was as generic and uninteresting as it got, quickly killing his sense of wonder.

Despite being very small as every construction looked massive, towering and mighty in his eyes, there was nothing outstanding in the maze filled with nothing but doors and crystal pillars. Sure, there were lavender banners with golden stripes in between, and some sort of yellow glass with a tree inscribed in it above each door, but they quickly lost their charm as every hallway inside the castle looked exactly the same.

I get the impression that tree-related decorations are a repetitive trend inside this castle. What’s more, I feel as if this castle is begging to be filled with life. Maybe more residents would add more diversity to this place, Pikachu thought before rubbing the alicorn’s neck with his forepaws while his feet sank into the fur on her back, causing him to experience conflicted feelings. On one paw, this ride was so much more spacious and comfortable than Ash’s shoulder where he needed to balance himself at all times. On the other paw, it just didn’t feel the same.

<So, how do you like the interior of this castle?>

Pikachu looked behind, now staring at Nica with a sheepish smile. “Well… it’s… shining and crystallic…”

<And also repetitive, you don’t need to hide it. I got bored quickly during my first tour of this place as well,> Nica said as she gestured over the area. <But this place has a few outstanding locations. The library, room with the cutie-map, kitchen which is downstairs, basement filled with friendly little creatures and webs.> She pointed at the ceiling. <There’s also a fountain on the roof of this castle with a few sunbeds, a really nice spot to relax under the sun or to practice jumping.>

“I’ll take your word for it.” Pikachu gestured at the doors on his right and asked, “Still, who designed this place? What’s the point of all these rooms if no one is using them?”

“I admit, this place is unnecessarily spacious, but what can you do?” Twilight asked while glancing at her passengers. “This castle grew from the seed of harmony we got after the defeat of Lord Tirek. It would be a bit rude complaining about a castle we got for free after saving the nation.”

“It… grew…” Pikachu placed his hands on his hips and displayed an annoyed stare. “I would kind of believe it if this castle was an actual tree. Grass pokemon are capable of incredible feats after all, but I find it hard to believe a seed would grow crystals.”

“If you think this is crazy, you’re certainly new to this world. While I study magic and try to learn about the mysteries of Equestria, by spending time with Pinkie Pie I learned to just not question what I can’t explain. Some magic and talents are just beyond our comprehension,” Twilight explained.

Pikachu crossed his arms. “I’m sorry, but you're making it difficult for me to believe in anything you say.” He felt a forepaw land on his shoulder.

<Just think of magic as a type of power with a large variety of uses. Instead of a few moves we can use, magic allows them to create numerous moves with different effects on the spot,> Nica said, yet her words weren’t convincing enough for his taste. <You’ll get used to it eventually.>

“And here it is, your very own room,” Twilight said as she turned to the right and pushed a door open.

Pikachu peeked from behind her neck, seeing a bed with a table next to it, a few shelves for books and one window. There also seemed to be another table with a mirror across from the bed. Not really the most impressive of accommodations, but certainly way too big for someone as small as him. I would imagine sleeping inside this room alongside Ash, but not on my own. His ears drooped. It felt so odd being separated for so long.

Upon noticing his saddened smile, Nica once again placed a forepaw on his shoulder. <My room is across from yours, If you need anything or just want to talk, I’ll be a few steps away.>

Pikachu forced a smile. “S-sure, I’ll remember that.”

With the help of her magic, Twilight wrapped both pokemon with levitation and placed them on the floor. “Alright, both of you, listen carefully. Before I can start working on a spell that can send you back, we need to get organized.” She opened her saddlebag and levitated out a rolled scroll, bottle of ink and a feather pen. “With so many pokemon appearing in Ponyville, we need to make sure each of them gets accommodated and has a personal guardian who’ll care for them and make sure they won’t get lost.”

<Can I borrow my collar for a moment?> Nica asked.

Pikachu nodded and turned around to let the collar be removed from his neck. Now upon seeing the collar on Raichu’s neck, he noticed a small metal tag with ‘Nica’ written on it.

Nica stood on her rear feet and held a forepaw on her chest. “I volunteer to be Pikachu’s guardian and I swear to do everything I can to make his stay as welcoming and pleasant as possible.”

“Sounds good to me,” Twilight said as she stroked Nica’s head, who returned the gesture by rubbing the princess under her chin. The mare gently lowered the heart-shaped edge to the floor and said, “I almost forgot to tell you. A bat-like grey creature with big claws and poisonous tail is currently under Spike’s care. Gliscor was it… He was surprisingly cooperative and acts as if he had a guard’s training.”

Nica rubbed back of her neck before gasping. “Wait… this sounds like a description of one my team members, Gligar or his evolution Gliscor… Wait… guard’s training, it has to be him.” She laughed and shook her forepaw. “Good old Gliscor, always dutiful. I can guarantee that he will follow every command or plea to the letter.”

<Wait… your trainer has a Gliscor that’s following orders?> Upon seeing a nod, he added, <That’s so weird. The Gligar I remember… let’s say that he was a bit too clingy and somewhat difficult.>

“Really, that’s a shame. The Gliscor from my team is in a desperate need to learn how to chill. He’s too formal for his own good,” Nica pointed out.

Twilight cleared her throat, catching others attention. “Pikachu, since there’s a chance that some pokemon who appeared in Ponyville are your friends, I would appreciate if you convinced them to remain cooperative with ponies. My friends no doubt took the initiative in providing the pokemon with a place to stay, and I would prefer if they didn’t try to run away and end up lost.”

Pikachu nodded hesitantly. He still wasn’t sure if he should trust Nica and the alicorn after all the magic nonsense they spoke of, but knowing where his friends are at all times would put his mind at ease.

“I can make a list of who stays with who, princess. Would this be helpful?” Nica asked with hopeful eyes, receiving a nod of agreement.

“That’s a great idea.” Twilight opened the door to Nica’s room with her magic, levitating over a little bag as the long-tailed critter put it on her shoulder. “While you’re at it, you need to know that Starlight is currently at Rarity’s boutique, working on translating collars for our unique visitors. Check on them first if you can.”

“Will do!” Nica said with a salute. She ran into her own room, only to run outside with an identical collar in her mouth. She grabbed it with the bronze edges of her forepaws. “I forgot I have two of these, you can have one.”

Pikachu turned around, allowing the Raichu to put the big collar onto his neck, only to feel her tail wrap around his belly. “Hey, stop that…” He ended up perched on Nica’s back.

“Let’s not waste any more time and find your friends. To Ponyville!” Nica shouted enthusiastically as she ran through the hallway.

“I have legs, thank you very much,” Pikachu said as he leaped from Nica’s back and ran beside her. While he didn’t mind riding on Ash’s shoulder or be perched on an alicorn’s back, the idea of his own evolution giving him a ride felt embarrassing, he would have none of that.

Twilight watched as the two pokemon ran through the hallway, disappearing from her sight a moment later. She giggled and thought, Nica sure is enthusiastic today, having a fellow pokemon of similar size to interact with. I hope they’ll become good friends. She unrolled her checklist for a moment. “Register where each pokemon will be accomodated and who’ll be their guardian… visit Rarity and Starlight to make sure they don’t need help with the production of translating collars… I think Nica’s got these covered.” She returned her checklist, feather pen and ink into her saddlebag before teleporting into her library, numerous damaged books filled the table with a third of them open to specific pages.

She approached with firm steps and narrowed eyes. “That reprobate Darkrai, trying to take over Equestria by stealing magic and summoning pokemon into our world. Books with the means to return Nica back to her world as an offering of peace… pfft… I should have known it was too good to be true.” She grumbled and lowered her head. “Thus far the summoned pokemon aren’t aggressive, so I doubt he’s trying anything dangerous again. Maybe he tried pranking us…” She stomped and frowned. “The nerve of him. Now I need to reverse-engineer his spell to create a portal that can send pokemon back instead of summoning them.”

She stopped and rubbed her chin. Now that I think about it, isn’t Pikachu a pre-evolution of Raichu that Nica spoke of? Maybe I could do a little research to compare both evolutions… She shook her head, her attention once again on the books. Focus, Twilight, there’s no time for delays… After a few minutes of reading the books, she looked at the ceiling. Well… maybe a very short delay for a tiny bit of research wouldn’t hurt...

Pikachu ran, following his guide while admiring the colorful houses of this town. A nice fresh change of scenery. Not the tallest buildings I’ve seen in my life, but at the very least there’s a lot of variety and creativity in terms of decoration.

“We’re here!” Nica shouted as she pressed one forepaw into the ground while raising her rear legs, performing a 180 turn. Now standing on two feet, she gestured over the building behind her. “I proudly present, Carousel Boutique.”

Pikachu raised his head, now staring at the decorative towering house with a flag on top. Now that was a tall, proud and elegant building. A nice mix of white, purple, blue and golden yellow. It was nowhere near as tall as the friendship castle, but still impressive enough from his perspective.

With a slap of her long tail, Nica knocked at the door.

“The door is unlocked, please, come in!”

Not wasting a moment, Nica stood on tips of her rear paws and pulled the upper handle, unlocking the whole door rather than a small entrance on its lower part. With a polite bow, she raised her forepaws in an inviting gesture and pushed the door open with her tail. “Guests first.”

Pikachu smiled sheepishly. Wasn’t he supposed to open the door for the lady, not the other way around? So what if he was smaller? A tiny jump and shoulder-push was all he needed. After taking a deep breath, he said, “After you.”

“Oh no, you’re the guest, you should have the honor.”

Pikachu lowered his forepaws in defeat, then walked in with hesitant steps. His jaw dropped and eyes became wide upon seeing the scenery. Lavender curtains for privacy wrapped together with elegant bows, pony-like dummies wearing random dresses in various colors with some of them having decorative gems. Now that’s style. It kind of reminds me of pokemon contests. He looked down at the white-purple floor clean enough to see his own reflection, though he felt bits of water with his tiny feet. It was most likely cleaned and polished recently.

His attention quickly focused upon a stage-like platform surrounded by three large oval mirrors, only for him to raise his forepaws to his mouth, resisting the urge to laugh. Starmie stood on the platform. The water-type starfish was wearing a yellow shirt with red gems inscribed into it, both colors matching the large ruby and golden ring surrounding it in the middle. The dress itself covered three of Starmie’s limbs, a white cape was wrapped around the upper limb with a ship captain’s hat resting on the top.

<Huuuh, a Raichu?> Starmie said, then looked down at them. < Captain Nica, is that you?>

“Captain… that settles it, you must part of my trainer’s team.” Nica held her forepaws on her hips. “So you were summoned into Equestria as well. Did Rarity make you pose and wear these clothes?”

Pikachu took a few calming breaths and gave the Raichu a curious glance. “Captain? What does it mean by that?”

<Captain Nica is Astra’s partner and second in command,> Starmie said. <We all respect her.>

Nica blushed and rubbed the back of her neck, showing a nervous smile. “I can’t deny that my trainer and the team trusts me.... but never mind that.” She looked at Starmie and asked, “How did you meet Rarity, report?”

Starmie nodded, explaining its circumstances.

Starmie looked around in confusion, unsure what to do. Just a moment ago its trainer tasked it with the transportation of important equipment, only for a portal to appear from above and suck it in. The pokemon inside its trainer’s luxury balls were freed and summoned by similar portals at the same time.

“Excuse me,” something called to her from behind, now staring at the starfish curiously.

“Huuuuh?” Starmie responded, now staring back at the unicorn.

“Is this gem a decoration? Or is it part of your body?” she asked curiously, lowering her head to take a better look at the shining ruby.

Starmie poked her own gem with one of its limbs.

“Are you busy at the moment?" Rarity asked as she examined the pokemon from top to bottom.

“Huuuh...” Starmie responded, taking a step back.

The fashionista stroked golden binding with her forehoof. “Has any pon… pokemon ever told you that your natural beauty is very inspiring.”

“Huuu...huuu?” Starmie took another step back as its limbs started shaking like jelly.

“Your trainer may not be into fashion, but I am sure a pokemon of your magnitude will appreciate it,” Rarity said as her horn lit. Her aura surrounded pokemon’s left middle limb. “Come with me. I already have vision of a new dress with your name on it.”

"Hyaaaaa!" Starmie responded as it was pulled against its will.

Both Pikachu and Raichu chuckled before bursting into laughter, hitting the floor with their backs while the back of their heads collided with one another. Their forepaws were holding their respective bellies.

“My sister Rarity apologizes for keeping you waiting for so long,” a young voice coming from the stairs caught their attention.

Pikachu ceased his laughter and wiped joyful tears from his eyes. He was about to stand, only to feel something pick him up to a standing position. He looked at Nica who withdrew her tail. And there she does it again. The next chance I get, I’ll do something polite for her. He looked ahead, now staring at a white unicorn filly. Is it me, or does this pony have a three-colored shield with star and musical note tattoo on its flank?

“She is very busy… oh, hey Nica, what brings you here? And who’s your little friend?”

Nica stepped in between them. “Sweetie Belle, this is Pikachu, he ended up summoned to Equestria and I volunteered to be his guardian during his stay.”

“Nice to meet you, Sweetie Belle,” Pikachu said as he the grabbed raised forehoof and shook it.

“It’s nice to meet you too. My name’s Sweetie Belle, and I’m a Cutie Mark Crusader,” she said before presenting her flank. “I discovered my special talent already, and if you still don’t know what you’re really good at, just let me know. Pony or pokemon, doesn’t matter, I’m up for the challenge.” She rounded him, examining his features with a detailed eye while poking his ears and tail. “I must say, you look so adorable… maybe even a little bit cuter than Nica.” She raised herself to her full height and pointed at the long-tailed critter. “But definitely not as cool.”

Pikachu and Nica blushed, hiding their embarrassment behind their forepaws.

“Still, I can’t deny that some of your features looks similar,” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

“That’s because Raichu is my evolution.” Pikachu asked, “What’s a Cutie Mark Crusader?”

Sweetie stood on her rear hooves and took a proud stance. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders are dedicated to helping other ponies without cutie marks discover what’s their special talent. Once they realize what they’re good at and find the purpose in their life, a cutie mark appears on their flanks. It’s an important task and great responsibility.”

“W-wait… so those tattoos… are cutie marks?” Pikachu pointed at filly’s flank. “And they magically appear when you learn what you’re good at?” Upon seeing a nod, Pikachu closed his eyes and massaged his forehead. “Merely thinking about the rules of this crazy world brought me nothing but headache.”

Sweetie Belle pointed out, “That’s silly, considering that evolving into another creature is crazy from my perspective. So far only Twilight Sparkle has evolved from unicorn into an alicorn, and it was more of a transformation, not something a unicorn species usually do.”

Pikachu sighed. “Fair enough.”

“Sweetie Belle, is Stramie the only pokemon you saw today?” Nica asked before pointing at him. “Pikachu is looking for his friends, any information can be very helpful.”

The unicorn nodded. “Of course I did. There’s a red/black fire-breathing cat upstairs. Rarity’s working on to make a collar and dress for her.”

“Fire-breathing?” Pikachu took a step back. One of Ash’s pokemon was a fire type. “Is this pokemon named Litten by any chance? Wait… did you say her?” His ears drooped, so did Nica’s and Sweetie Belle’s as the noise of angered hissing and screeching came from upstairs.

A black cat with red marks present on its head and legs ran downstairs, only to stop before them. A white collar with blue rounded gems decorated its neck, and a long white skirt with blue naval waves inscribed into it covered half of his body while hiding his rear legs.

“Litten!” Pikachu shouted and spread his forepaws cheerfully, only to be tackled to the ground by the panicked pokemon.

“Save me or kill me before I die from this humiliation!” Litten shouted, his forepaws pressing Pikachu against the floor.

“Come back here this instant! We tested only three out of ten designs,” said a tall white unicorn. Her eyes narrowed, while two needles, white yarn and a measuring tape levitated by her side. A puffy white cat walked by her owner’s side with a cheerful smile and loud purring.

Litten pulled Pikachu to a standing position and hid behind him before hissing at the approaching duo. “Leave me alone you crazy creature! I’m not going to stand still for half an hour so you can test your designs.” He pointed at the cat. “And take that puffy feline with you. There’s just so much seductive gestures and mating dances I can endure!” He shot the cat an angered glare. “How many times do I have to tell you, I’m not interested!”

The puffy cat looked at Pikachu and hissed, taking a position to attack with sharp claws ready to strike.

Pikachu looked between Litten and the creatures before them before smiling awkwardly. Well… this escalated quickly.

Rarity frowned. “Your flames nearly caused one of my mannequins to burn if not for our water companion.”

Starmie displayed a proud posture… at least as proud as its body allowed with five limbs having limited mobility.

“Those dresses are both your punishment, and also an opportunity for me to display your inner beauty,” Rarity commented, her stare firm and filled with resolve.

“I’m a male!” Litten shouted from the bottom of his lungs. “Didn’t your puffy friend’s behavior give you any clues?”

“Oh dear…” Rarity raised forehoof over her head as a blush appeared on her cheeks. “My deepest apologies. You should have said it sooner. I will make you an elegant white suit with red flames inscribed to it in no time at all.”

Litten hisses at Rarity while Opal jumped at Pikachu with claws ready for slashing, who braced himself for the impact.

“May I suggest we all calm down,” Nica said as she wrapped her tail around the cat’s belly in mid-air, keeping her above the ground. The enraged cat started biting and clawing at the black part of her tail with no effect.

Rarity blinked, now looking between him and the Raichu. “Oh, welcome Nica? My apologies for ignoring you. I see you did not come alone. Who is your adorable little companion?”

“He’s a Pikachu and I volunteered for the role of his guardian. I’m trying to help him find his friends while showing him around Ponyville.”

“Charmed,” Rarity said before levitating her measuring tape over to his neck.

Pikachu leaped to the side, evading the tape.

“Would you please stay still. I can see you are using Nica’s spare collar, but it is a bit too big for your neck. I need to take measures to make you a custom one with a proper name-tag,” Rarity said before immobilizing him with her magic.

Pikachu nodded, deciding not to resist what may as well be a ‘Psychic’ attack, though it felt quite weak when compared to powerful psychic moves he had endured in the past.

“One question, how good are you at standing still?”

Pikachu tilted his head to the side.

Litten flinched and gasped. “Don’t fall for it. Trust me on this and run!”

Nica shook her head. “To be fair, it’s not that bad.”

Litten shot Nica a challenging glare. “Not that bad? Are you joking?”

“I’m not. I once posed for her for a few hours. My limbs got a bit stiff afterwards as most poses required standing still or balancing myself in different positions, but it was fun too.”

Litten’s jaw dropped to the floor. “I have no idea if I should be amazed or call you insane!” He pointed accusingly. “You’re insanely patient.”

Pikachu glanced at Nica curiously. So she’s very patient and have great sense of balance. Good to know. I wonder if I would last as long. Hours of posing and being dressed sounds extreme.

“May I suggest something,” Nica said, receiving Rarity’s full attention as cat wrapped by her tail calmed down and ceased her attack. “Twilight Sparkle want every pokemon that was summoned here to have a guardian. Since my friend Starmie don’t mind modeling for you, how about you’ll take care of it while we find Litten someone else?”

<No difference to me,> Starmie said as it fixed its captain's hat with a bit of levitation.

Pikachu bit his bottom lip. I hope that last part was a joke. Assaulting clients with water would be terrible for business.

Rarity rubbed her chin. “I do have a lot of work to do with all these collar designs, and Opal is already a handful with this new cat pokemon around.” She nodded. “I approve.”

“Thank you!” Litten shouted before jumping at Nica, who took a few steps back from the impact while keeping her balance, refusing to trip over. He nuzzled her belly and licked her cheek, which only caused Opal to become enraged again.

Nica nuzzled Litten’s cheek and stroked his head in return. Once the friendly exchange was done, she picked up a notepad and pen from her shoulder-bag and started writing.

“What are you doing, darling?” Rarity asked.

“I’m making a list of which pony cares for which pokemon.”

Rarity smiled before levitating measuring tape into Nica’s bag. “If that is the case, can you do me a favor?”

“A favor? Of course Lady Rarity. I’m always willing to help!” Nica shouted with a dreamy smile while standing on the tips of her feet and holding her forepaws together.

Both Litten and Pikachu flinched and covered their ears, caught off guard by Nica’s enthusiasm.

Rarity chuckled. “Can you ask all the pokemon you come across to visit my boutique? And if they refuse for whatever reason, take their neck measures and write some information about them, for example their fur color on their necks, chin, faces, bellies. Having such a list would really help me.”

Nica saluted. “Consider it done.”

Pikachu looked at the notepad curiously. She can write? Maybe her trainer had taught her. Now that I think about it, learning how to write could be somewhat handy. He shook his head. Nah… Ash can understand me well enough without need for it. He poked the collar on his neck. I wonder, will I be allowed to keep this…

“A quick question. Is Starlight upstairs?” Nica asked.

“Starlight? I am afraid she left already. She teleported to the castle to prepare numerous metallic attachments with translation runes. She promised to make and deliver me ten of them until we will know how many we need exactly.”

“I understand, thank you,” Nica said with a warm smile. She half-bowed politely to Rarity before turning around and walking towards the exit.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes and ran, bypassing the Raichu before leaping towards the handle, unlocking the door. Once his rear feet hit the floor, he shoulder-tackled the door open and politely gestured outside. “Ladies first.” Thus far this Raichu was quite polite and had good manners, it was about time he returned the favor.

Nica blushed. “T-thank you very much.” She stepped outside. “Our next destination is Sugarcube Corner. Follow me.”

Pikachu nodded and followed, only for Litten to bypass him and shoot him a glance of disapproval. “What?”

“Fair advice, be careful with your female friend. I already had crazy puffy creature trying to seduce me. I would hate to see you getting this Raichu over you in a similar manner.”

Pikachu’s face turned red. “Hey, I was just trying to be polite!”

“Sure you were,” Litten said with a giggle, only for Pikachu to send a weak shock of electricity through his side. “Fine, fine, I was kidding. Can't you take a joke?”

Ch.1 - Exploration Pt.2

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 1
-
Exploration Pt.2

Pikachu jogged along the dirt path, following the enthusiastic Raichu with Litten by his side. If not for the fact that they needed a guide to reach their next destination in this alien town, they would race each other. The temptation was still strong in their minds however. The large oddly designed building with something looking like white cream at the edges of the roof caught their attention.

“Is this the Sugarcube Corner you mentioned?” Pikachu asked as he sped up, reducing the distance between him and his guardian.

“You guessed correctly,” Nica said as with a nod.

Once close enough, the group stopped as Pikachu pointed at a few planks with nails tying them to the building, most likely a quick repairing measure to block the holes. “What’s up with those?”

“Since Sugarcube Corner is mostly made of candy, some ponies just couldn’t resist and ate part of the wall,” Nica said before running towards the door and poking its lower part. “Come on, give it a taste.”

Pikachu stared at the Raichu as if she was insane. With all the crazy stuff that this pokemon told her about this was one of the weirdest. Was she even serious? Did some ponies really make their homes from candy?

“Just kidding,” Nica said with a cheerful giggle.

Litten chuckled before looking at Pikachu with a sassy smile. “Don’t tell me you actually bought that… wait… you did?” He started rolling and laughing while holding his belly with his forepaws.

Pikachu stomped and groaned. “It’s not my fault. Nica and Twilight told me so many unbelievable things that I don’t know what’s the truth anymore.”

“Y-you’re right, I shouldn’t joke like that.” Nica tapped her forepaws together, her head lowered slightly as she gave him an apologetic glance. “ I’m sorry,” she said in a squeaking voice.

Litten pushed himself to a standing position, looked at Pikachu with narrowed eyes, and then frowned. “You seriously need to relax." He pointed at Raichu with his right forepaw. "Now you made her feel sorry for no reason.”

Pikachu sighed and his ears drooped. “I’m just a bit overwhelmed… give it time. So, about those holes...”

Nica took a deep breath before explaining, her expression suddenly serious, “When Darkrai temporarily summoned pokemon to Equestria, he sent them to take the families of national heroines hostage, but not many pokemon liked the idea of hurting innocents, so they started fighting each other instead.” She pointed at the cracks surrounding the damaged area. “Those holes are the result of two Ursaring kicking three dark-type pokemon out when they tried to hurt two cute little foals.”

Litten listened with full attention.

Pikachu placed his forepaws on his hips, staring in distrust. “It’s not another joke? Is it?”

“I wish it was,” Nica said with a shake of her head.

“If what you say is true, why aren't the ponies afraid of us?” Pikachu asked.

“Because ponies are very forgiving and they’re used to dangerous creatures. While Darkrai offered to use the magic of this world to make pokemon loyal to him stronger, not many were interested in his offer if it came at the cost of enslaving a nation. Ponies saw it as a sign of good will,” Nica explained before forcing a smile and waving her forepaw dismissively. “But it happened more than a week ago and is not something you should be concerned about. Just enjoy your stay.” She raised her forepaws and pressed them against her cheeks. “Pinkie Pie bakes the best sweets and is quite good at cheering up and giving warm hugs. You’ll both love her!” With the help of her tail, she opened the lower part of the pink door.

“Okay…” Pikachu said as he walked inside, following the Raichu. He gave the door a quick glance, noticing how the upper part was separated and opened outside. The interior of the room caught his attention.

One table with two stools and a rounded green carpet were present on the floor.

Numerous shelves with various treats were on his right, while one glass counter with even more displayed sweets was ahead of him. On his left Pikachu noticed stairs leading to the next floor while the smell of baking goods reached his nose. He sniffed, so did the cat-like pokemon as drops of saliva started dripping from their mouths.

Nica trembled in excitement. “Oh, I can’t wait to show you the delicious snacks this place has to offer. Trust me, they’ll taste sooo good.” With a few steps and quick movement of her tail, she pressed the ring bell on the glass counter, sending a clear ring throughout the bakery.

“I’m coming!”

Pikachu’s attention shifted to a pink earth pony with a tattoo of three balloons which was present on both sides of her flank. Is it just me, or is her mane and tail covered by cotton candy?

“Oh, hello Nica, how are you doing? Have you came to get some of my sweets into your cute hungry belly?” Pinkie asked as she stood on her rear hooves, standing behind the counter. “Or maybe you’re here to treat your friends over here. Are they pokemon as well?”

Nica nodded. “They are! Pinkie, meet Pikachu and Litten." She pointed at the pokemon behind her. "I promised that I would help them find their friends while showing them around, and I also thought your delicious, marvelous sweets will make them happier.”

“You can bet they will!” Pinkie shouted before jumping over the counter and grabbing Nica into a strong embrace, who happily returned the favor, only to be released while using her tail as a spring to slow down her fall.

Pikachu and Litten took a step back as the mare turned towards them.

Standing on her rear hooves, Pinkie grabbed them into a welcoming hug with her forelegs squeezing against their little bellies. “Three cupcakes to welcome you to Equestria coming right up!” She released them both and ran into the kitchen, only to return three seconds later. A plate with three cupcakes rested on her tail.

Pikachu took quick breath of air into his lungs, so did his fire-breathing friend. That was an intense hug, that’s for sure.

“Aren’t her hugs great? They may be a bit on the strong side, but they always cheer me up when I’m in a sad mood,” Nica said.

Pikachu’s attention focused on the long tail, which carefully picked the plate from Pinkie’s tail and presented it before them. “I must say, you sure like using that tail of yours.”

Nica displayed a toothy smile. “I don’t just like using my tail, I love it, maybe even more than I love warm hugs!” She waved her forepaws cheerfully. “It can be used in so many ways! It has range, flexibility, it’s dependable, and it allows me to multi-task and protect those I care about. Truly the best part of my evolution.”

Pikachu smiled nervously. “S-sure.” From all the Raichu he met, this sure had to be the most happy-go-lucky one. A lot of patience, love for squeezing, breathtaking hugs, cheerful personality. If not for the fact that it took some solid durability to take such a strong hug with a smile and some skills to evade manticore's attacks, he would think that this peaceful Raichu chose a calm life with a human while never having a single pokemon battle.

Litten sniffed the cupcakes and asked, “They smell nice, what are they made of?”

“Strawberries!” Pinkie said.

“Straw...berries? I don’t think there are berries of such a name where we come from,” Pikachu pointed out.

“Really? In that case eat up, you’ll love their taste,” Pinkie said. “Those pikalicious sweets will litten your day!” Litten and Pikachu rolled their eyes while Pinkie rubbed her chin. “It sounded better in my head, will need to work on that.”

“What are you waiting for? Eat up, you’ll absolutely love it!” Nica shouted before placing each cupcake in between their paws. She took the last one before opening her mouth and sinking her teeth into the cupcake, displaying a dreamy smile. Her eyes closed. Her tail flapped left and right in excitement as the chewing started while some cream leftovers now decorated her mouth. She gulped and took a finishing bite as her cheeks started looking like small balloons, which Nica massaged with her forepaws. Saliva started falling through a tiny opening in her closed mouth, mixing with the creem. She licked the cream from her lips and opened her eyes. “Ummm… why are you looking at me like that.”

“No reason,” Pikachu said with a nervous chuckle. Someone seems to have a sweet tooth. It was kind of cute, he thought before he looked at his own cupcake and took a bite. He closed his eyes and mimicked Nica’s previous actions, though needing to take six bites to finish his cupcake instead of two. She wasn’t wrong, it is delicious.

“Awww…” Pinkie said with a dreamy smile. “I’ll make you more.”

“Wait!” Nica shouted, making Pinkie turn around in mid-air and look down at her. “Is there any pokemon in here by any chance? We’re trying to find this Pikachu’s friends while also making sure that each has a guardian.” He poked his shoulder-bag. “I’m making a list of them and stuff…”

“Oh, there’s one, I’ll show you,” Pinkie said before diving behind the glass counter, only to grab all three pokemon with her forelegs from behind. All except Nica yelped in surprise who simply leaped up and landed on Pinkie’s back. Once in the kitchen, she released them in front of a tall multi-tailed fox-like creature wearing a cook’s hat.

<Well, well, well, who do my eyes gaze upon. Isn’t this the captain Nica herself?> Ninetales asked before turning away from the oven, now staring at the group.

Raichu nodded. “That’s me. So you got into this world as well? Nice hat.”

Ninetales groaned. <I noticed that the temperature of the oven was a bit too low, so I offered a tiny bit of my heat. Now she’s making me cook for her while wearing this stupid hat. Though it still beats being anywhere near the young ponies.> He looked at the other pokemon. <And speaking of kids, who are your small fry companions? Are you doing some babysitting?>

Pikachu and Litten narrowed their eyes.

“Hey! Who do you call small fry?” Litten asked as the fur on his back shot upward in aggravation.

<Isn’t it obvious? You’re tiny, unevolved and weak, that's what small fry means,> Ninetales said with a sassy smile as he waved his long thin foreleg above their heads.

Nica frowned and crossed her forearms. “Give it a rest. No one likes your mean remarks, even if it’s just teasing.”

Pinkie glanced at the small pokemon. “She’s teasing you? I hope it’s a friendly kind of teasing and not a mean kind of teasing. Also, how are you talking while Ninetales repeats words made of its own names… oh, right, those translating collars.” She laughed. “I remember when there was only one while Twilight and Starlight made it two weeks after Nica arrived in Equestria, making communication between us a bit problematic at the start. And now everyone gets one...” The ringing noise echoed from the other room. “I’m coming. Play nice you four.” She leaped forward, only to stop herself in mid-air, turn towards Ninetales and tackle-hug him instead. “Keep the fire up, buddy, but be careful not to burn the cake. Be right back!” She dashed outside.

Pikachu and Litten gasped, wondering how this pony was capable of talking for so long without taking a breath.

Pikachu rubbed the top of his head. “I wonder, is her special ability levitate? She doesn’t have wings after all, and what’s up with her silent teleporting?”

“That’s Pinkie Pie for you. She just… does stuff…” Nica explained. “Personally, I just assumed her abilities are no different from what other ponies can do, but apparently she’s doing impossible stuff even for pony standards.”

Ninetales groaned, giving the saloon doors an angered glare. <I’m here only two hours, and this pony already annoys me. Her lack of respect for personal space and over-cheerful sugar-rush attitude drives me insane.>

“Really? I find her to be incredibly kind and her hugs are heart-warming,” Nica pointed out.

Ninetales looked at Pikachu and Litten. <Now, where was I… oh yes, I was about to learn more about your feeble little friends.>

“And I told you to stop insulting them!” Nica shouted with a quick shake of her forepaw.

Ninetales rolled his eyes <Typical. You were always so overprotective for those much weaker than you.>

Pikachu looked between Nica and Ninetales before saying, “What do you mean, weaker? You don’t know our skills and power. Also, I have defeated strong Raichu before, so stop making assumptions. ”

Litten stomped. “You think we’re weak just because we aren’t fully evolved? Let’s go outside and I’ll show you what I’m capable of.”

<How adorable. The little pokemon think they’re a big deal.> Ninetales looked Pikachu in the eyes and next raised his head arrogantly. <I’m making assumptions, you say? So you defeated some Raichu and you're already thinking you're stronger than the captain, that's hilarious.> He chuckled, only to stop and take a step back upon receiving angered glare from the long-tailed pokemon.

“Enough is enough!” Nica shouted with a stomp. “Apologize immediately.”

Ninetales lowered his head.

Nica stepped in front of Ninetales and lowered her head, now addressing them. “I deeply apologize for his rude behaviour. Please, don’t let it get to you and ruin your day.”

“It’s alright,” Pikachu said with a forced smile. There seemed to be just enough in Ninetales’ teasing to make him challenge Nica just to prove him wrong, something she didn’t deserve in the least.

Nica looked back and up at Ninetales and asked, “You… didn’t happen to encounter two…” She gestured with her forepaws as if trying to show the shape and size of the ponies, “...cute, energetic, vulnerable, innocent little foals?”

“And… just to make sure…” Nica narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t hurt them.” Her tail raised threateningly.

Pikachu looked at the Raichu in confusion. Her kind and cheerful expression now being replaced by something like ‘choose your words very carefully.'

<Of course not. I admit that I hate babysitting brats, and those two little ponies were driving me crazy. They were pulling my fur, chewing my ears, had a tug of war with one of my tails and so on,> Ninetales said before looking to the side, his tone of voice suddenly fearful. <And while part of me wanted to teach those kids a lesson, I knew better than to bring your wrath upon me, so I endured it. Though I cannot deny that I needed to vent my emotions on someone, and your friends seemed an easy picking.>

Nica nodded. “Fair enough, but it’s obvious that this place isn’t for you. Princess Twilight wants each pokemon to have a guardian and place to live, and Rarity wants to make custom translation collars.”

Nica looked at the floor while rubbing her chin. Her friend had a short temper and really disliked youth, and Pinkie’s cheerful personality and delicious sweets would be wasted on him. “Well… Sweet Apple Acres is a large farm filled with apple trees….”

<The risk of me setting it on fire is too great. Next.> Ninetales shook his forepaw dismissively.

“Lady Rarity is a mare with a good fashion sense and manners...”

Ninetales shook his head. <She probably uses flammable materials, next.>

“Well... you probably won’t like the company of numerous animals at Fluttershy. In this case, how about the castle? Princess Twilight and Starlight are scholars in the field of magic, they have a library with rich literature and the castle is mostly empty and spacious. Also, it’s made of crystals and stone.”

Ninetales raised his tails upward, stood up and smiled. <Privacy, books to read in silence and the prospect of learning about this world from royalty. I like this idea. I shall be triple careful around the flammable books and read only one at a time in a different room.>

“Wait a moment… you know how to read?” Pikachu asked.

<Of course I do. I was the second pokemon next to captain Nica who learned how to read and write from our trainer, though I became interested in it years later. Reading literature in blissful silence proved very relaxing.> He looked at Litten with a smirk. <Of course, uneducated pokemon like…> He paused upon seeing disapproving glare from Nica.

“Then it’s settled. Twilight’s castle is easy to spot since it’s the largest structure in this town, I’m sure you’ll find it.”

<I will. She will most likely accomodate me, and I will write a request for her to help me find this Lady Rarity you spoke of so I can receive a translating collar. There’s no need for you to waste your time on me.> With a proudly raised head, he walked regally while leaving the kitchen, most likely heading towards the castle.

With the tall pokemon gone, Nica noticed that two pairs of eyes were on her.

“I must say, your friend is very arrogant,” Litten said. “How do you stand him?”

Nica tapped her forepaws together. “I know he may be a bit grumpy… and impolite… and aggressive... but there’s a reason for it.”

“Oh, do tell,” Litten said.

“His trainer… Penny Longshot… it’s a delicate topic….”

Litten and Pikachu blinked in confusion.

“My trainer name is Astra, and she’s Penny’s daughter. Ninetales was tasked to keep Astra safe and years later joined her team, but he was still grumpy ever since he discovered his trainer’s gravestone. I know it may be difficult, but please, at least try to tolerate his teasing.”

Their faces became pale as an awkward silence overtook the room.

Pikachu nodded, feeling a sudden rush of depression in his little heart. “So... Astra lost her mother… and Ninetales lost his trainer... “ He approached, stood on the tips of his tiny feet and patted Nica on the shoulder, his stare filled with pity. “My condolences to you and your trainer. I’m sure this had to impact you as well.”

Litten ran over, stood on tips of his rear paws and nuzzled her cheek. “I know the feeling of loss. Give your trainer my condolences when you meet her again.”

Nica’s ears drooped. “Thank you for your understanding... It’s not a memory I like to relive.“ She forced a smile. “But we’re not here to be sad. I don’t want to ruin your stay.” She turned her full attention to Litten, now giving the fire cat a curious stare.

“Y-yes?”

“Do you like sweets?” Nica asked.

Litten nodded.

“Do you like hugs, stroking and belly rubs?” Nica asked.

“Well… I find them a bit embarrassing, but I don’t mind them all that much, and that pink pony seems nice.”

“How are you at taking care of little foals?” Nica asked.

“I never took care of any youth…” Litten said with a sheepish smile.

“He was taking care of an old Stoutland…” Pikachu said, only for his mouth to be sealed by Litten’s paw.

“I think we had enough of sad moments, so not a single word,” Litten said, giving Pikachu a glare of disapproval.

Nica tilted her head to the side, no doubt unsure what this was all about. She smiled and said, “If that’s the case, I think Pinkie would be a great guardian for you. You can have all the hugs and sweets you ever wanted, help her at the kitchen with your fire attacks, and you won’t get overwhelmed by very young ponies like Ninetales did. The time will pass and you’ll be with your trainer again before you know it.”

Litten sat and crossed his arms. “Sounds good. Anything is better than that fashion mare and her crazy cat.”

“That’s great,” Pikachu said with an excited movement of his forepaw into the air. “And this place is close to the castle, so visiting you won’t be a problem.”

“Oh, one more thing.” Nica approached Litten, then sat next to him and placed a forepaw on his shoulder. Her stare calm. “Now… I know that the young Cakes with their magic, strength and flight may start to annoy you, and I understand if you feel the urge to vent your frustration.” She narrowed her eyes and raised her tail towards Litten’s belly as bolts of electricity started to escape from the dots on her cheeks.

Litten felt a chill go through his body.

“While I really hate hurting others, even in pokemon battles, if I will find out that you left a single bite mark, claw mark or burn on their adorable, fragile, little bodies.” Her tone of voice sharpened. “So help me I will unleash a very memorable punishment upon you. I would really hate seeing those poor foals hurt in any way, and I would hate myself for punishing you, so I beg you, try to restrain yourself around the young Cakes as much as you can. Alright?”

Litten gulped and slowly nodded.

Nica smiled warmly, withdrew her tail and patted the cat pokemon on his shoulder. “I wish you the best of luck and a lot of fun. You’ll love it here, I’m sure of that.” She walked towards Pikachu, who looked at her in confusion with a hint of shock on his face, clearly surprised by her more aggressive behavior. Not that she could blame him. For the sake of the tiny ponies, she had to force herself to act harshly just this once. “Let’s go. Our next destination will be Fluttershy’s cottage.”

“Hey, you both don’t think you can just leave without a farewell hug,” Pinkie said as she appeared behind them and wrapped both pokemon into her embrace. Squeezing Nica with her left foreleg and Pikachu her with right as the back of their heads sank into her fur.

“Are all… those ponies… so huggable?” Pikachu asked as he pushed his trembling forepaws against the soft foreleg, struggling to gain some freedom to breathe.

“Oh, you have seen nothing yet. Just wait till you see what Fluttershy has to offer,” Nica commented before turning around as she affectionately pressed herself into the fur on the pony's chest.

Pikachu rolled his eyes.

“Pound Cake, Pumpkin Cake, look who will live with us from now on,” Pinkie said enthusiastically as she pointed at the cat pokemon on her back.

“No more foxie? It’s a kitty?” Pumpkin Cake said with a confused look.

“Cute kitty! Hug!” Pound Cake said.

“See, they love you already,” Pinkie said with a warm smile.

Litten smiled nervously as he ended up being levitated by the little pony, noticing a magical aura around the filly’s horn. The following double hug proved somewhat uncomfortable. For such a young pony with wings, he sure has lots of strength.

As he felt his tail and ear being pulled in opposite direction while watching those large heads with tiny eyes, and those little limbs, a simple question was born in his mind. What have I gotten myself into?

Ch.1 - Exploration Pt.3

View Online

Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 1
-
Exploration Pt.3

“So, what do you think of this place? Beautiful, isn’t it?” Nica asked as she stood on a little bridge while gesturing at the scenery behind her.

Pikachu crossed the bridge and looked around, examining the area ahead and behind him. On the ground he noticed several dens among the grass field, or rather the tops of many heads emerging from them. He glanced at several trees surrounding the area, noticing holes in the trees for bronze creatures to live in and nests on the branches that housed various flying beings. Each animal reminded him of smaller versions of pokemon with images of Pachirisu, Buneary, Ekans, and Pidgeotto being the first to come to his mind. Either these were a new type of pokemon species, or he did indeed end up in a different world.

Seeing the excited face of Nica awaiting his answer, he nodded. “It certainly is a nice-looking place, but to be honest, I saw more peaceful and colorful locations during my travels.”

“Fair enough, but I would bet all the bits I earned that Miss Fluttershy will be different to anyone you have ever met. It’ll be so much fun!” Nica ran towards the cottage, knocking at it with her tail while her body was shaking in excitement.

Pikachu followed, his attention now on the opening door revealing a yellow winged pony with a long pink tail and mane. A pony with wings is called a pegasus, and her name is Fluttershy… I got it memorized, good… he thought, remembering what his guardian told him about as they ran quite a distance to get here.

“Oh, hello Nica, are you paying me a friendly visit?” Fluttershy closed her eyes and tapped her forehooves cheerfully. “How wonderful.” She tried to wrap Nica into a hug with her wings, who leaped backward in response. “Ummm… is something wrong?”

“Two things actually,” Nica said as she pointed at a visible bandage on Fluttershy’s foreleg. “What happened.”

“Oh… that.” Fluttershy paused. “A little black creature appeared near my cottage when I was having a picnic with my little friends,” she said while massaging her foreleg. “This pokemon looked just like the one which Darkrai summoned to help him escape right before you convinced Darkrai to end this conflict. He looked lost, confused and lonely so I tried to earn his trust, but he bit me and ran away.”

Nica stomped and grit her teeth, her ears straight up and her tail slammed against the ground. “Where did he go?!”

Pikachu flinched, once again caught off guard by her aggression.

Fluttershy pointed at the nearby hills. “I saw him run away into the Everfree Forest, but later from my window I noticed him leaving it. He seemed to be going towards the Sweet Apple Acres.”

Nica nodded. “That makes sense. I was escorting my friend here out from the Everfree Forest and I didn’t encounter any other pokemon.”

“Wait a moment.” Pikachu rubbed the back of his head while staring at Nica in confusion. “You convinced Darkrai, a legendary pokemon, to stop his invasion?”

“Oh, she did, and she was very brave while doing so. Despite all her injur–” Fluttershy was interrupted as the tip of a heart-shaped tail booped her muzzle.

Nica held a forepaw in front of her mouth. “Sssshhhh... let’s not trouble our guest with details. What happened, happened.”

The pegasus nodded. “Alright. If you wish to keep what happened to yourself, I will respect that.” She lowered herself to Pikachu’s head level, her muzzle millimeters away form his nose, and then spoke, “Hello little one.” She looked down. “Your feet are so tiny,” she looked up, “and those pointy ears and little nose. I must say, you look sooo cute.” The moment Pikachu blushed, she nuzzled his cheek, careful not to touch the red dots.

“T-thanks… I think,” Pikachu said, taking a step back. There seemed to be something appealing in her calm voice.

“Nica,” Fluttershy said as she looked to the side, catching her attention. “There seem to be some similarities between you two. Is he your younger brother or something.”

“Younger brother?” Pikachu laughed and shook his head. “Nothing of the sort.” He gestured with his paws as if drawing a smaller creature in the air. “Pichu evolve into Pikachu,” he pointed at himself and next at Nica, “...and Pikachu evolve into Raichu. We’re the same species, just different evolutions.”

Fluttershy nodded before raising herself to her full height, now towering over them both. “I must say, your evolution line is very cute.”

Nica hid a blush behind her forepaw. “That’s true… but ponies are cute too, maybe even more adorable than we are. I can even bet that you find my pre-evolution cuter and more huggable than me.”

“Not at all,” Fluttershy said before wrapping Nica with her wing and pressing her into her chest. “You may be bigger and a bit different, but I’ll always find you the most adorable.”

Pikachu observed the exchange. That’s one warm hug. While all the ponies I meet thus far are very friendly, they're especially enthusiastic and trusting towards Nica. There’s no doubts she created very strong bonds with the ponies and played a big role in the conflict from more than a week ago. He rubbed his chin. But she also seems a bit secretive. How did she end up in this world? Her involvement in that conflict and so on. If she’s going to be my guardian, it would be nice to learn more about her. He smiled awkwardly, then looked down at his feet and next at the river nearby while holding his forepaws behind his back… waiting. That sure is a long-lasting hug. How long are they going to prolong it?

A minute later, Fluttershy released Nica, who poked her own chest. “If he looked just like the pokemon that Darkrai summoned during our final encounter, I bet he’s the Umbreon from Astra’s team. He was always very aggressive to strangers. I’ll scold him and ask him to apologize.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that.” Fluttershy shook her foreleg dismissively.

“Of course there is. Injuring a mare as kind as you is inexcusable. In the meanwhile, can you show Pikachu your hospitality?” She grinned. “I order for him a full round of snuggles, belly rubs, wing hugs and a massage. Tea party being optional.”

Pikachu gasped and spread his forepaws in panic. “W-what?! You gotta be kidding me!”

“Don’t be like that, you’ll love it. Fluttershy’s feathers are sooo soft and her touch is so gentle. I will be back soon, so until then, enjoy.”

“Hey, get back here!” Pikachu kept staring at the running Raichu and next looked to the side and up at the towering pegasus, who observed him with a bright smile.

“Nica really loved to play with me, I hope you will as well. Please come inside. I will try my best to show you the affection, care and love you deserve.”

Pikachu chuckled nervously, following it up with an awkward smile. That face, that calm voice, how was he going to say ‘no’ to that?

His feet made contact with the red carpet with two golden stripes on each side which lay across the floor between the door and the table with four pillows around it. Upon noticing Fluttershy pat a space on a sofa at the end of the room, he rounded the table and leaped onto it, perching himself on the right side. Fluttershy sat on the left, supported against two pillows.

He quickly examined the area, noticing two door-less entrances into other rooms, one probably being the kitchen, and stairs leading to the upper floor. There seemed to be numerous wooden houses all over the room housing small flying creatures. A little white creature sitting on the basket was glaring daggers at him for some reason.

“Alright, let’s start with a wing-hug,” Fluttershy said as she spread her wings, slowly and carefully moving them towards him.

Pikachu looked left and right, seeing the large wings close in from both sides, trapping him. He felt the soft feathers press against his limbs and fur, and then his head press into the soft fur on the pegasus’ chest. Pikachu’s muscles relaxed and a pleasant smile grew on his face. The warmth, the softness. It was sooo much different when compared to Pinkie’s hug as there was no enthusiasm in form of strong squeezing. I must say, this pegasus sure knows how to be gentle. It feels sooo nice.

“Nica always loved my wing hugs and could last in them for minutes. I hope you like them too,” Fluttershy said as she looked into a small opening between her wings, one she left to allow him to breathe. “Sorry if you feel a bit trapped. You’re smaller than her so it’s easier to cover you whole.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Pikachu said as he nuzzled the pegasus’ chest. While his trainer stroked him from time to time or held him in his arms whenever he was hurt, it was nowhere near this level of affection. “I prefer adventuring and tough battles, but I think a minute or two in your hug would be nice.”

Fluttershy giggled, occasionally glancing at a clock on the wall in order to release her captive after two minutes. If I have to choose, I think hugging Nica is more enjoyable. There’s so much more fur to feel and she’s much more enthusiastic. Though I can’t deny that warmly embracing such a little creature feels nice too. The moment she felt wriggling, she loosened her grip over Pikachu, now holding him in front of her face on one wing. The yellow creature lay on her wing on his back with limbs spread in four directions, perched in between the yellow feathers. Cute, cute, cute… She lowered her muzzle and nuzzled his nose.

Pikachu waited a few seconds before gently pushing her muzzle away.

“Belly rubbing time,” Fluttershy said with a squeal as she raised her foreleg and carefully sank the tip of her hoof into Pikachu’s belly, moving it back and forth across his fur. The pokemon giggled in response.

Fluttershy looked at his tail and her ears drooped.

“Is something wrong?” Pikachu asked.

“Oh… it’s nothing. It’s just that… when I played with Nica, she always returned my rubbing with the help of her tail, but it’s fine.”

Pikachu stood up and approached the edge of her wing, pressing his tail against her belly before moving it. Short size of his tail making the task a little difficult.

Fluttershy smiled cheerfully. It wasn’t the same, but she appreciated the gesture. With a delicate movement of her forehoof, she rubbed the top of Pikachu's head and next between his ears, causing him to smile ever more warmly.

Pikachu slid his head from under Fluttershy's hoof and grabbed it. He climbed onto her foreleg and looked at her curiously, “May I ask you a few questions?”

“Sure,” she said with a nod.

“How long Nica has been here, and is she missing her trainer?” Pikachu asked, balanced on her foreleg. “She seems so carefree and happy, as if she doesn’t miss her home.”

Fluttershy looked into the curious eyes of the little creature, her tone motherly. “There’s no need to worry about her. She doesn’t miss her home and really likes it here. She’s not putting on a mask if that’s what you thought.”

“Not missing home, why? Doesn’t she care about her trainer?”

“That’s not it, I’m sure she cares for her. It is more about the circumstances of her arrival,” Fluttershy said with a slow shake of her head. She perched Pikachu on her raised wing, his light weight barely making a difference. “When she first arrived in Equestria, it wasn’t a silent arrival but an extremely loud crash. I saw a portal in the sky and heard a loud noise a few seconds later. I soon find out from the Manticore that it tried to hurt Nica, who at this time was covered in bruises.”

“Manticore? That’s what she called the poke… I mean… creature who I encountered. We were about to fight, but Nica found us and scared it away effortlessly,” Pikachu pointed out.

Fluttershy giggled. “Oh, now with all her memories and skills at her disposal, it no doubt had to be easy. When she arrived for the first time though, Darkrai sealed away her memories. She was hurt, hungry and dehydrated while not remembering a single thing from her past. She didn’t even remember any of her own abilities or how to defend herself.”

Pikachu’s ears and his jaw dropped. He shook his head and shouted with a panicked voice, “Wait a moment. So not only was she hurt, but had no idea how to use electricity… and she survived!”

Fluttershy nodded.

“B-but… for pokemon of our size, not remembering how to use a single attack move… such a large creature would outmatch us with ease.” He grabbed the tip of Fluttershy’s wing into his embrace and shivered. “It must have been horrifying for her.”

“Oh, it was, but from what I heard, Applejack allowed her to feed on her apples, took her to Dr. Fauna for a check-up, and next took her to the castle where Starlight damaged the seal placed on her mind. Her memories had been returning little by little, and since it took time for her to remember her trainer, friends and home, she got attached to us instead. I think more than a month has passed since she arrived here, and Darkrai removed the seal from her memories as an offering of peace.”

“I see, that makes sense. I suppose this is also why she’s trying her best to help me,” Pikachu said as he glanced at the window.

“Even with limited memories, she was always such a sweetheart. I remember our first encounter very fondly. We showed affection to each other, had a tea party.” She tapped her forehooves in front of her face. “Back then she could only write to talk with other ponies, but my special talent let me talk with animals and I understood her perfectly, making our interactions so much easier. She chose to stay with Starlight though.”

“She prefered to stay at the castle rather than in this lovely place? I thought she loved your wing-hugs and belly-rubs.”

“Oh, she did,” Fluttershy said. “But it was Starlight who cheered her up when she was depressed, and Nica wanted to be helpful and learn how to control her powers.”

“I suppose it was a bit unfair for me not to trust her. It’s time for me to accept that I’m no longer in my world and appreciate her efforts to help me,” Pikachu said, still staring at the scenery behind the window. “Twilight already told me she’ll find a way to send me back to my world, but I haven’t took her seriously because I didn’t want to believe it. As much as I want to return home and reunite with Ash, I can only put my trust in Nica and Twilight. If I started panicking, it would get me nowhere.”

“You poor dear,” Fluttershy said as she nuzzled his cheek. “I know you must miss your friends, but worry not, I’m sure Twilight will find a way to send you home.” She rubbed his back.

“And what about Darkrai, when did he arrive in this world and why did he try to summon pokemon and invade it?” Pikachu asked.

“It is all because of Queen Chrysalis. She was an evil queen of the changeling swarm who tried to take over Equestria more than once. After her hive rebelled against her, she somehow found a way to summon Darkrai into this world and became his mentor of sort. She was a terrible influence for him. If it wasn’t for Nica…” She paused. “I’m sorry… I’m unsure if it is something she wants you to know. You should ask her yourself.”

Pikachu sighed in defeat, his head lowered.

Fluttershy pressed Pikachu against her cheek and snuggled him as his smaller limbs showed little resistance. Snuggles were part of what Nica suggested, and she wasn’t going to let him stay in a bad mood.

“H-hey… stop it… it tickles.”

Fluttershy looked at Pikachu’s tiny feet before moving the tip of her right wing towards them, tickling them playfully.

Nica ran towards the cottage as a few drops of sweat were sliding down her face. Running all the way from Fluttershy’s cottage to Sweet Apple Acres and scouting the rich orchard for half an hour without a break put strain even on her stamina. Luckily, a befriended dog, Winona, was more than happy to sniff out the location of the Umbreon, as well as two other pokemon she did not meet before.

<Weeeee, faster, faster!>

She looked up at her raised tail, or rather at the pokemon balanced on it. An energetic blue pokemon called Popplio maintained balance on her tail with his own while clapping his fins. His snout white with whiskers and with a red nose at the end. A light blue ruff collar with four flippers decorated his neck.

Nica stopped and sat in front of the cottage, supporting her back against the door to give her legs a moment to rest. She giggled upon seeing a backflip performed by her passenger whose tail landed on her tail once more. “Nice acrobatic trick. Once I rest a moment, I will show you mine.”

Popplio cheered before backflipping once again, this time landing on the grass instead.

Nica shook her head. "Maybe another time. While Princess Twilight searches for a way to return you and your friends back home, you need a place to stay and a pony to look after you."

She looked at the horizon. Her slower companions now in her field of vision. Once Umbreon reached the cottage, she stood up and spoke in harsh tone, “Biting this sweet, kind, and innocent pony was a very mean thing to do. I’m really disappointed in you.”

Umbreon’s ears drooped and he lowered his head, whimpering. A few violet, white and yellow flowers in his mouth.

“The ponies have been very kind to me and we should be the same to them.” Nica crossed her forearms. “I’m expecting you to apologize.”

<Yes… older sis…>

Nica looked at the horizon, seeing as the other pokemon was making their way over the hills, only a minute away from reaching the cottage. With the help of her tail she opened the door and walked inside on her two feet. “Fluttershy, I’m back.” She placed her forpaws on her sides and said, “Enjoying the tea party?”

“Of course we are,” Fluttershy said as she held a cup of tea between her forehooves.

Pikachu lowered the cup which was only a bit smaller than his head and looked at her from his spot on four pillows. “It is… really nice.”

Nica kept looking at Pikachu while examining his aura, something she learned from her friend Lucario after months of diligent training. She sensed some happiness, but also something resembling boredom and awkwardness. While she herself loved the calm and lovely atmosphere of Fluttershy’s tea parties and even was at one of her picnics three days ago, it was clear that this Pikachu wasn’t the biggest fan, most likely preferring athletic activities instead. There was also this lingering weak aura of jealousy and anger.

Jealousy and anger… She started sensing it in tiny amounts among the other emotions ever since she encountered this Pikachu in the forest as they were barely noticable. They grew in strength a bit after she mentioned how she managed to pose for Rarity for hours, and grew quite considerably during Ninetales’ teasing. She couldn’t tell the reason behind those lingering emotions, but the fact that they weakened again was a good sign. There also seemed to be quite a considerable amount of pity directed at her. So Fluttershy told you a bit about my past. I should’ve seen this coming.

Fluttershy stepped from her pillow and raised her foreleg defensively. A bandage still present on it.

Nica stepped to the side and said, “Go on.”

Umbreon approached, placing flowers on the floor in front of Fluttershy and lowered his head in shame.

Pikachu blinked, looking between Nica and the Umbreon in confusion.

Fluttershy lowered her foreleg. “Do you mean it?”

Umbreon raised his head and licked the spot under the bandage on Fluttershy’s foreleg, and then picked up the flowers with his forepaws and presented them.

Fluttershy smiled. “I forgive you.” She nuzzled the Umbreon, who groaned quietly but didn’t resist.

Nica kept a close look at the black pokemon. While he seemed apologetic, she knew his nature. While he was very friendly and protective to her, Astra and the rest of the team, he responded in aggression to everyone else. Her attention shifted to Pikachu who now stood next to her and stared curiously. “Yes?”

“What did he mean saying, ‘older sis?’” Pikachu asked.

Umbreon turned round and growled aggressively.

Nica shot his team member a glare of disapproval.

Umbreon calmed down and turned back to Fluttershy, who stroked his head and rubbed his chin.

Nica looked at Pikachu and said, “That’s because we raised him from an abandoned egg. We later found his parents, Jolteon and Leafeon, who were caught by a member of Team Magma, and we freed them, but for the Eevee, we were more of a family. He calls my trainer mom and he calls me his older sis.”

“I… see,” Pikachu said as he looked at the four pawed pokemon, who glared daggers at him. “Doesn’t seem very friendly.”

“Because he’s not.” Nica’s ears drooped. “Trust me, I tried to teach him to be more respectful to others and tone down his aggression, but he views everyone who isn't on Astra’s team as enemies. It takes time before he warms up to someone new. I suppose it’s a side effect of my trainer being targeted by criminals.”

Pikachu rolled his eyes. “Tell me about it.”

“Miss Fluttershy,” Nica called.

“Yes?”

“There’s someone else I want to introduce you to, another member of my team who agreed to live under your care,” Nica explained before running towards the main entrance, pointing at the face of a green creature. “And also two other pokemon which I am sure you will find to be very cute and cuddly.”

Fluttershy and the others walked outside, now staring at a big fat pokemon with four legs and a massive tree-flower thing on its back. Behind the large flower hid a white fluffy little pokemon with green-blue patches on her forepaws whose tails and mane looked as if made of snow.

Popplio sat next to the leg of the large pokemon.

Fluttershy gasped, staring at the massive pokemon in disbelief.

“Fluttershy, meet Venusaur, Venusaur, meet Fluttershy,” Nica said as her pokemon friend moved a small vine towards the pegasus, shaking her foreleg.

<Charmed.>

“I would also like to introduce… Ummm… Fluttershy, are you listening?” As Fluttershy kept staring in disbelief, Nica looked at Pikachu and Umbreon before saying, “I found two more pokemon lost at the farm, Popplio and an Alolan Vulpix. Are they your friends?”

Pikachu smiled cheerfully. He ran up to his friend and shook Popplio's fin enthusiastically.

“I'll take that as a yes.”

<The last thing I saw was you and our other friends being pulled into some weird things which appeared above our heads,> Popplio said before embracing Pikachu with his two fins. <And then I was surrounded by apple trees and Lana was nowhere to be seen. I am so happy to see you again.>

Nica kept watching the reunion between friends in silence. She looked up at the Vulpix, who carefully climbed down Venusaur's left side. She stretched her tail towards the Vulpix to help, but the pokemon flinched upon seeing it and landed on the grass.

The Vulpix rounded her, keeping some distance, before approaching Pikachu, her steps slow and hesitant.

Nica sensed this pokemon’s aura, which seemed to be on the shy side. Being pulled into this world had to be difficult for this cute little snowflake. Though the name Snowy kind of suits her, she thought before walking away, deciding to step to the sidelines and give Pikachu and his friend some time alone. She sat and supported her back against Venusaur’s leg, taking slow deep breaths of fresh air.

Fluttershy kept staring at the unique creature. Was it supposed to be animal or a plant… maybe a living plant… or a walking tree… Whatever this creature was, it was a representation of nature.

Fluttershy’s wings spread and a wide smile appeared on her face. “Of course, I would love to!” She flew up, stroking the big pokemon on the neck and said, “How does it feel to be part plant? Are you eating like an animal or are rays of the sun enough to sustain you? I must say, I have never seen a creature such as you.” She squealed. “You have to tell me everything about you. Oh… it’s sooo exciting!”

Other critters and birds flew over, now studying and sniffing the pokemon with a growing curiosity.

Venusaur raised his head proudly. <As you wish.> He had to admit, he liked the lovely scenery and kind creatures of this world showing him so much attention. Certainly a nice accomodation to stay in. He expected nothing less from a pegasus so warmly praised by the captain herself.

Nica rounded her large friend and approached the group. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Pikachu, but I need to ask; are there any friends you’re still missing?”

Pikachu tapped his chin before looking at her, “If I remember correctly, there were two more pokemon with me when we played at the beach.” He smiled warmly. “But I really appreciate your efforts in searching for them. If you want to take a break…”

Nica shook her head. “I had a break already, a minute or two is all I needed.” She looked at the other two pokemon and asked, “Popplio, Vulpix, I know this question may be out of the blue, but do you like kids?”

Vulpix looked to the side. <I… I like Lillie.>

Popplio stood on his tail and clapped his fins cheerfully.

Nica smiled. “Any experience with kids?”

“Perfect,” Nica said, showing a toothy smile.

“What are you planning?” Pikachu asked.

Nica chuckled. “I just thought Litten may need some reinforcements in handling the Cakes, not to mention that Pinkie’s cheerful personality may be to Popplio’s liking.”

<You mean me living with the brave Litten? Sign me on!> Another round of cheerful clapping followed.

Pikachu approached and placed his forepaw on Snowy’s shoulder. “Fluttershy is really kind and trustworthy. Trust me, I experienced it for the past hour or longer.” He escorted Snowy to Fluttershy and poked her foreleg.

“Yes?” Fluttershy asked before immediately lowering herself to their heads’ level. “What a cute little foxie, and she looks so sad and lonely. Come here, Fluttershy will make you happy.” She gently picked the Vulpix with her forelegs. Standing on her rear hooves, she held the little pokemon like a baby before nuzzling her belly.

Snowy licked the pony muzzle in return. After another round of snuggling, she sneezed, freezing half of Fluttershy’s muzzle. <S-sorry.>

“L-l-let's… get some… hot tea,” Fluttershy said before walking into her cottage with Snowy in her embrace.

Nica picked notepad and feather pen from her shoulder-bag, writing in it. “I already took all the parameters for Rarity. Let’s leave those three alone for now and go to our next destination.”

“And where would that be?” Pikachu asked.

Nica pointed at Popplio. “Sugarcube Corner of course. We need to escort Popplio there.” She pointed at the horizon. “And then we will visit Sweet Apple Acres. It’s a large farm filled with apple trees… with some pear trees in limited quantity. The Apple family is very welcoming. I’m sure they’ll share some with us,” Nica said before shaking her forepaw. “But no apple picking without their permission, they’re very sensitive about that.”

“Got it,” Pikachu said with a determined nod.

<Will do, sis,> Umbreon said while giving Pikachu a glare filled with distrust.

Nica waved at the pegasus who walked outside with Snowy perched on her spread wing. “Goodbye Fluttershy, and take care.” She raised her tail in front of Popplio who jumped onto it and balanced himself.

<Bye, bye, Fluttershy, bye, bye, Fluttershy,> he said while clapping his fins.

Pikachu jumped cheerfully and shouted, “Goodbye Fluttershy, and thanks for the tea and all the hugs.”

Umbreon bowed quickly. <Once again, I’m deeply sorry.>

They ran through the hills towards the town, most using their paws with Popplio being the exception as he was riding an enthusiastic Raichu instead.

Litten lay on the floor near the exit from Sugarcube Corner, staring at it with a tired expression. He had some tough fights in the past and even endured the harassment of an Alolan Persian, but those little ponies were on completely new level, like a big mix of innocence and extreme annoyance. To top that, he could barely keep up with the energetic party mare and her shenanigans.

“Litten!”

He raised his head, now staring at the face of Popplio.

“Nica told me you may need help entertaining some kids,” Popplio said with an enthusiastic smile as his nose was centimeters away from Litten’s muzzle. “You have nothing against having me as your roommate? Do you? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Litten stood up and his eyes opened widely. He displayed a big smile while angelic music started playing in his mind. An image of light from the heavens shining on Popplio before him formed in his mind. In a surge of happiness, he tackled and hugged him. “My savior!”

Author's Notes:

When I read in one of the comment about Popplio and Lillie's Vulpix visiting Equestira, I decided to alter this chapter a little bit. I must say, I am happy with the changes.

I know this chapter may not be as adorable as the one where Nica meet Fluttershy for the first time, but I hope it was plesant to read regardless. (Actually, do tell me if you prefered Nica's encounter with Fluttershy or is this one more fun to read? And what did you like about this chapter the most and least. I am looking forward to finding out).

Also, I had a little difficulty deciding which ending is better, so here are both endings from which I had to choice. If you think the alternative ending is better/funnier, just tell me in the comment and I may consider replace it.

//original
Litten stood up and his eyes opened widely. He displayed a big smile while angelic music started playing in his mind. An image of light from the heavens shining on Popplio before him formed in his mind. In a surge of happiness, he tackled and hugged him. “My savior!”
//alterative
Litten stood up and his eyes opened widely. A big smile grew on his face.

Angelic music began playing in his mind as he saw light from the heaven shine upon his friend and savior. In a surge of happiness, jumped and hugged him. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you! I will gladly accept your help.”

Popplio cheered, happy to be appreciated by the one he admired.
//

Ch.1 - Exploration Pt.4

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 1
-
Exploration Pt.4

Hill after hill, they made their way towards the sea of Apple trees as Pikachu kept up with his guardian. His attempt to start small talk with Umbreon ending up with angered growls and a distrusting glare.

“So, what do you think of Fluttershy? Isn’t she the kindest, cutest and best pony to be around?” Nica asked, excitement clear in her eyes and voice.

“Well… she’s certainly very kind, gentle, and nice to have around, but…” He paused for a moment. “She’s way too calm and peaceful. I like adventures, exciting battles, exploration. I fear that she wouldn’t allow me to fight or visit dangerous places, and I would get bored very quickly.”

Nica’s ears drooped as she looked ahead, now running up a small hill. “I suppose I understand how you feel. As for me, while I really, really love being around Fluttershy, I feel I don’t deserve all her kindness and affection. I want to be helpful and face dangers so others don’t need to…” She sighed. “Fluttershy is a sweetheart I like to visit and want to keep safe, but I fear she would keep me away from training and helping others.”

“Speaking of Fluttershy," Pikachu interrupted. "While she’s calm, kind and innocent, and lives with non-pokemon like that very polite thin creature which looks similar to an Ekans, and one very aggressive long-eared creature who kept staring daggers at me from a distance, Fluttershy did mention that she talked with a Manticore.”

“Yes, she has a talent in speaking with animals, what about that?” Nica asked as she ran down the hill. A sea of apple trees before them.

“How was she capable of talking with someone that aggressive?” Pikachu asked before stopping to take in the full view of the farm from the higher ground. His mouth open in awe as he took in the expansive sight before him. What for ponies was an average farm, for him, it was absolutely enormous. Hundreds or thousands of trees which spanned entire hills out to the horizon, full of beautiful, ripe apples.

Upon noticing that he was left behind, he ran down and sped up.

Nica slowed down and glanced at him as their paws once again ran across the flat grassy field, waiting for him to catch up before speaking, “It crossed my mind too. She apparently has her ways in calming down dangerous creatures, as well as her ‘Stare.’ It takes a lot of willpower to overcome it.”

<So she’s calm and innocent but capable of taming monsters. I think she would do nicely as a pokemon breeder,> Umbreon said as he shot another glare at Pikachu.

“Why do you keep staring at me like that?” Pikachu asked.

<Because I don’t trust you. My older sis may be your guardian for now, but she’s a bit naive and easy to offend. I won’t allow anyone to make her sad,> Umbreon said with a distrustful stare.

“I’m not a bully or a prankster, and she’s helping me the best she can. Why would I want to make her sad?” Pikachu asked.

<You say you’re not a bully, but how can I be sure?> Umbreon asked with distrust clear in his tone. He stopped for a moment and gestured at his own eyes and next towards the Pikachu.

“He distrusts all strangers, give him time,” Nica said with a warm smile before pointing at a barn in distance. “We’re almost there.” They zipped in between trees, reaching the barn a few minutes later.

Pikachu passed under a small arch that served as the entrance to the farm, the thin frame decorated thickly with vines and apples. He began to trot at a more relaxed pace alongside Umbreon and Nica, admiring the peaceful scenery. The fence itself was three times taller than him, and every single tree was like a tower with tasty fruits.

He looked ahead at the large construction. The building was a strange blend of a very tall barn with a smaller wooden house. Several of the building’s windows reflected sunlight into the flower pots stationed on their windowsills. After looking up into the glare of the sun, he focused on some sort of tower with an apple-themed weathervane on top. He noted that the home had a second floor. “Woooow… Is one family really responsible for taking care of this large farm?” His eyes wide and mouth agape in amazement.

“They sure are. They’re quite hardworking and strong,” Nica said with a nod as they approached the front door, passing an archway similar to its larger cousin at the main entrance, though with far fewer decorations. “Twice I helped on the farm, working five hours or more a day. It has been lots of fun.”

“Hours of monotonous work on a farm was fun to you?” Pikachu asked. Seeing a nod, he sighed. “You’re one weird Raichu.”

“Weird? How so?”

The door opened, revealing an earth pony wearing a stetson hat holding a basket with cleaning devices in her mouth. She lowered said basket, placing it next to her forelegs, and asked in an odd accent, “Howdy Nica, what brings an honorary Apple to our farm? Are ya here to check on those pokemon that fell from the sky?” She stepped outside to wrap the Raichu with one foreleg.

“I am,” Nica said with a nod before gently pushing the foreleg away with her paws, landing on the dirt.

<Honorary Apple?> Umbreon asked, giving his older sis a confused stare.

“And Ah see yer not alone. Friends of yours?” Applejack asked, her attention now on the rest of the group.

“I am a Pikachu, and before you ask, I’m a pre-evolution of Raichu,” he said while pointing at himself. It was about time he made an introduction for a change. “Nica escorted me outside from the Everfree Forest and volunteered to be my guardian until I can return to my world. Nice to meet you.” He raised his forepaw, only for it to be shook along with his entire body."

“Howdy, the name’s Applejack. Friends of Nica are friends of mine.” She released Pikachu's forepaw a moment later.

Once on the ground, he took a few steps backward and danced left and right, trying to maintain balance as his surroundings still circled before him. He shook his head and massaged his arm.

Applejack turned to the side and approached Umbreon, who hissed at her and took a fighting stance. “Well, are mah eyes deceivin’ me? Yer the one who turned on Darkrai and kicked his backside in a rush of rage. Or was it someone else who looked like ya.”

Umbreon calmed down and nodded. <That was me.>

Nica translated, “He said you’re not wrong. As for the reason why he turned on Darkrai, it is because he’s part of Astra’s team. We raised him from an egg and he views me as his older sister.” She chuckled nervously. “Let’s just say… that he’s extremely protective… in a bad way.”

Applejack shook his foreleg enthusiastically. “Now that’s what Ah like to hear. The Apples are about hard work and family, and ever since Nica saved mah younger sister, she’s an honorary Apple in mah eyes.” She gave the Umbreon a proud smile. “She’s like family to me now, Ah can relate to how ya feel.”

Nica hid blush behind her forepaw. “When I was hurt and hungry, you let me feast on your apples, took me to a veterinarian and introduced me to Starlight. I… I just returned the favor.”

Applejack rubbed the top of Nica’s head. “Yer too humble. Ya put yer life at risk by jumping into one of the Hydra's mouths filled with big sharp teeth to save mah sis, getting badly bruised and breakin’ yer leg. It’s way more than simply returnin’ the favor. Ah owe ya really big.”

“Y-you don’t owe me... I just did what was right,” Nica said as her cheeks became even more red.

Pikachu gave Nica a proud look. Little by little, he learned more about what this Raichu experienced during her stay in this new world, and most clues showed that it involved hardship. Escaping from a Manticore without remembering any attacks, being chewed by some big creature… at least big enough for a pokemon like Raichu to fit in its mouth. How big a Hydra was, he had no idea. There also seemed to be something about facing a Darkrai and convincing him to stop his attempt to enslave this nation.

Now that I think about it, there was one trainer who had a Darkrai on his team, and he took down half of Ash’s team. If this one was as powerful, Nica had to be really brave to face such a pokemon, he thought. She’s also called captain by the other members of her team, and Ninetales seems to respect her power. Maybe under her cheerfulness and innocent attitude hides a good fighter. We can have a friendly spar once I find all of my friends. It could be fun.

Umbreon approached and looked up, now staring Applejack in the eyes. <You helped my older sis when she was hungry and hurt, and you see her as family.> He nuzzled Applejack’s foreleg.

“Well look at that, he likes me already,” Applejack said as she stroked Umbreon’s head, who didn’t bite it or resist in any manner.

Nica gasped. “Wooow… I don’t remember him ever getting along with anyone this quickly. I think I know who’s a perfect guardian for this one.” Seeing a curious glance from Applejack, she added, “Twilight’s idea. She wants every pokemon to have a guardian until she figures how to get them back home.”

“Back home, will ya leave us?” Applejack asked.

Nica took a step back and rubbed her chin. Her ears dropped. “Well… I suppose I can stay some extra days… or I can visit this world from time to time, depending on how well the princess will do with her research.”

Applejack sighed in relief.

“Hey, what’s takin’ ya so long?”

The group looked towards the source of voice, now seeing a young filly wearing a big red bow at the back of her head.

“Ah’m waitin’ for… Oh, hello Nica!” The filly jumped over the fence and ran at the long-tailed pokemon, tackling her to the ground with great force. “How’s mah saviour and honorary Apple doin’? Ya come to look at the creatures fallin’ from the sky, or to play with me?”

“It’s great to see you too, Apple Bloom,” Nica said as her wrapped tail around the filly’s belly, taking her off herself so she could stand up. She stood on the tips of her rear paws and hugged her gently. “We can do both.”

“Great!” She rounded Nica and looked at the group. “I see you brought friends.”

“I am a Pikachu and...” He paused upon being wrapped into a tight embrace.

“The name's Apple Bloom and Ah’m a Cutie Mark Crusader. Nica’s friends are mah friends.” The filly released him and booped his nose. “Yer cute. Hope we can play as well once Ah’m done with cleanin’ and chores.”

Pikachu blinked, now looking at the energetic filly who poked the nose of the Umbreon. Hardworking, friendly, very strong for her size. I must admit, those ponies are really something. He massaged his arm, still feeling the filly’s strength in his little limbs. It feels a bit odd actually. It’s as if creatures with the potential to be as strong as pokemon were also intelligent and innovative like humans. That's so weird.

Apple Bloom picked up the basket with cleaning devices, balancing it on her head before walking the longer way into the barn.

“Seems Apple Bloom has got it covered. There’s something Ah prepared for ya Nica. Wait here,” Applejack said before walking inside.

Nica sat in front of the door, so did the Umbreon and the Pikachu.

Applejack walked outside with a mug balanced on her hat. She sat, grabbed it with her forehooves and placed it between Nica’s paws. “Apple Cider. Ah usually make it only durin’ the Apple Cider season, but Ah made some for ya.” She swung her foreleg. “Drink up, you’ll love it!”

Nica looked at the cider before taking a small sip. She closed her eyes tightly and gulped as the fur on her neck shot out, becoming stiff. Her ears perked up and her tail become stiff for a moment.

“Too strong for ya? Come on, yer a tough pokemon, ya can handle stronger tastes,” Applejack said as she looked at Nica with expectation in her eyes.

Nica steeled her nerves and took two full gulps. Her eyes became wide while her mouth started to pucker as if biting into a lemon. Tears fell down her eyes a moment later.

“Tears of joy? Now that’s more like it. Ah’ll get some for yer friends too, be right back,” Applejack said as she trotted inside her home with a cheerful smile on her face. Her head raised proudly.

Nica turned towards the group and looked at Pikachu and the Umbreon with pleading eyes. “Drink this for me, please, I beg of you,” she whispered, though somewhat loud for it being a whisper.

Pikachu tilted his head to the side. “What, why?”

“Because I can’t stand sour tastes. I love sweets but dislike anything sour. The only reason I even ate apples when I arrived in Equestria was because I was starving and thirsty,” she said in haste, trying to keep her volume down. “I like pears over apples and this cider is killing me, but I can’t tell her that, I don’t want to upset her, so I beg you, drink it.” Her ears drooped as her pleading stare intensified. The noise of a whining puppy followed.

<Forget about him and leave this to me. It’s not like he would even manage to drink half of it at his size,> Umbreon said as he grabbed the mug and drank in haste. One gulp, second gulp, third gulp, he emptied the mug the size of his belly and wiped foam leftovers from his mouth. He returned the empty mug.

“Thank you,” Nica said with a cheerful smile.

<Anything for you, older sis,> Umbreon said with a hiccup as he massaged his belly. <Mmmmm… it was really good.>

Applejack returned, placing two mugs before Pikachu and Umbreon, one for each.

“Ah see yer done already. Ah knew ya would love it. Ah can make ya as much cider as ya want, just say the word.”

Nica patted her belly. “I p-p-pass… I’m full.”

“Nonsense.” Applejack replaced the empty mug with a full one, already prepared in advance.

Pikachu looked at Nica with a look of pity who simply stared at the farm mare with a forced smile. Each gulp she took looked as if she was drinking lava which burned her throat. He turned towards the Umbreon, who simply drank the cider without a care in the world. His belly becoming more fat from the liquid alone.

He looked at his own mug and gulped. The size of that thing was bigger than his entire belly. While Nica was a bit smaller than the Raichu he had fought in the past, she was still no doubt four times heavier than him, same with the Umbreon. How was the six kilogram mass of a Pikachu supposed to store so much cider? He took the mug with his forepaws hesitantly and peeked inside before sighing in relief. Only one the third cider was present inside. After taking a few gulps, his eyes became wide and sparkled in joy. Now that was a great quality.

Pikachu’s ears perked up as he heard a scream escape from inside the barn. He dropped his mug and stood up, ready to run, only to see Nica already jumping over the fence. Not wasting a moment, he ran and jumped, following his guardian into the barn with Applejack and Umbreon only two seconds behind him.

He stopped as his eyes rested on a tall four pawed creature. Fur on his paws, muzzle, tail and neck was white, but was orange on the rest of the body. Each paw had three long sharp claws, and his neck was covered by a rich mane with four sharp rocks standing out from it. “L-Lycanroc?” There was no mistaking it, it was Ash’s Lycanroc, dusk form. All this time he was but several meters away. Upon a closer examination, Lycanroc’s fur seemed to be wet with soap and some foam stuck in his mane, and his eyes radiated a strong red.

Pikachu took a step back. This isn’t good. He looked at the filly, who was now curled and hiding behind Nica.

“Ah was cleanin’ him and tripped, and all the water splashed at him, and now he’s mad,” Apple Bloom said before peeking from behind Raichu’s belly. “Ah’m sorry, Ah didn’t mean it, please, don’t be mad.”

“Calm down this instant!” Applejack commanded with a stomp.

Lycanroc approached with slow steps while growling in anger. Its shining teeth exposed as if ready to sink into someone’s flesh.

Umbreon jumped towards Nica, now standing protectively in front of Apple Bloom while in a fighting stance. <Don’t you dare to hurt the Apples! If you lay a single claw on them, I’ll tear you to shreds, crush your skull, break your spine…!>

Pikachu covered his ears and looked at the Umbreon with a terrified expression. Now I see what Nica meant saying he’s both aggressive and protective. I definitely don’t want to anger him.

<... and once I’m done with you, there won’t be enough cleaning devices on this farm to clean up what’s left of you!>

The angered pokemon didn’t seem to calm down at Umbreon’s threats as he now slowly rounded the group, as if preparing to attack.

Nica glanced at Pikachu and asked, “What’s wrong with him? And how do we stop him?”

“He gets enraged whenever his fur is dirty. The only way to stop him is either to knock him out or to let him vent his anger on something,” Pikachu said before narrowing his eyes as bolts of electricity started escaping the dots on his cheeks. “Sorry Lycanroc, but I can’t let you harm anyone here.”

“Wait… let me try something,” Nica said as she started walking with slow steps towards the tall pokemon. “Umbreon, Pikachu, Applejack, no matter what happens, don’t attack him. Please, just trust me.”

Pikachu calmed down and observed Nica curiously. What is she trying to do?

Nica took a few calming breaths as she walked on her two feet towards the taller creature. Hearing his angered growling and sensing his rage didn’t make it easier. She slowed down and raised her left forepaw towards the angered creature as she now took one step each five seconds. “Please, don’t be angry. We’re your friends, not enemies.”

A dark aura surrounded the sharp teeth of the Lycanroc as he bent his legs, preparing for a vicious jump.

Nica’s ears drooped. It seems we’ll need to do this the hard way. She steeled her nerves, not intimidated in the least. As the angered pokemon jumped at her, she raised a forepaw protectively. The ‘Bite’ attack struck her as sharp empowered teeth pressed into the fur on her raised limb.

She grit her teeth, struggling to keep her eyes open while hearing calls of worry from behind, but paid them no mind as she had to focus on the problem ahead. She raised her other trembling forepaw, gently stroking the side of Lycanroc’s cheek with the bronze edge. “Ssshhh… it’s okay… it’s okay.” Her eyes closed for a moment as the sharp teeth sank into her forepaw with even greater force while the black aura caused burns to spread across her arm. “It’s f-fine… ssshhh… c-calm d-d-down…”

She relaxed herself, ignoring the growing agonizing pain as she kept looking the pokemon in the eyes with a compassionate stare. Her stroking as gentle as before. There seemed to be electricity building up within her, but holding it back to not hurt others for so long let her ignore this distraction. Her collar which absorbed electricity also put her mind at ease.

Several seconds passed mercilessly as the aura of anger she sensed seemed to weaken, and soon the red eyes shifted back to green. The pressure on her forepaw weakened and was replaced with licking as whimpers of sadness reached her ears.

<I’m… I’m sorry…>

“It’s alright, I forgive you. I barely felt a thing,” Nica said before hugging this pokemon’s muzzle. Saying she barely felt a thing was a forced lie, but she endured far worse during her harsh life. “I understand that as a rock pokemon being weak to water, you must experience rage rushes whenever you’re wet.”

<B-but… that’s not what caused it. I got angry when my fur got dirty…>

Nica released his head, took a few steps backward and held her forepaws on her hips, ignoring the pain in her damaged limb. “Are you saying you burst into rage and were willing to turn on friends and innocents, just because your fur was dirty? That’s ridiculous.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes and stomped. “Eeyup. Even Rares during her biggest overreactions due to destroyed fashion and stuff wouldn’t go this far.”

Lycanroc blushed in strong red as he covered his face with both of his paws.

“Oh, I get it, it was a joke. Well, it wasn’t a good one,” Nica pointed out. “Surely your weakness to water must be responsible in some way for your rage.”

“Y-yes… it’s contact with the water... I’m sorry,” Lycanroc said as he slowly lowered his paws.

Nica turned towards Pikachu, who stared back at her in shock. “It seems we found one of your friends. Who is left?”

“R-Rowlet... “ Pikachu gestured with his paws, drawing a picture in the air. “He’s my size, round, has little wings and a leafy bowtie on his neck. He was the last one I saw get sucked into this world before I ended up in the forest.”

Nica nodded before turning to Applejack. “Are there any other pokemon present on your farm?”

Applejack nodded. “Big Mac is with one.”

“Perfect, lead the way,” Nica said, receiving a nod from Applejack. She looked at Pikachu and asked, “Are you coming?”

“I’ll catch up in a moment, I just want to talk with my friend in privacy,” Pikachu said.

“Alright, just don’t make us wait for too long. We’ll wait outside.”

Pikachu nodded, waiting for the Raichu and the others to leave the barn. He pulled Lycanroc’s paw, leading him behind a large stack of hay.

<So, what do you want to talk about?>

Pikachu took a deep breath before raising his left forepaw. “Attack it with ‘Bite.’”

“I want to test if I can try Nica’s trick in case if you get angry again. Just use ‘Bite’ on my forepaw and keep pressing until I tell you to stop,” Pikachu said.

Lycanroc rubbed his forearm.

“Pleaseeee…”

<Ugh… fine, but I don’t like it in the least.> He opened his mouth, charging dark aura for his next move.

Pikachu steeled his nerves and narrowed his eyes, his forepaw raised and ready. The following pain proved more overwhelming than expected. The fact that his forepaw was somewhat smaller than Nica’s didn’t help the matter. Come on, I endured worse than that. I fought legendaries, mega evolved pokemon and was hit by strong powerhouses. It’s… nothing. He raised his other forepaw, which trembled uncontrollably. Focusing on stroking his friend proved very difficult.

“Ssshhh… it’s okay… it’s… ok-ok-okey…” He gulped and half-closed his eyes as the pain grew in strength. “Ssshhh…” His ears drooped as he felt electricity build up inside his body, yet another painful distraction to worry about. Come on! She endured it, so can I…. I can endure… I can endure… I… can’t endure… He grit his teeth, struggling not to scream in pain. “R-release!” A big surge of relief came the moment the pressure was lifted. He massaged his burned forepaw. It’s one thing to endure a powerful hit and stand back up… but being hurt constantly… and remain focused on the task… and hold back my electricity… it’s another story.

“I’m fine,” Pikachu said with a bit of a bitter tone. He walked towards the exit of the barn with his friend not far behind, now thinking back to a few situations when he was being crushed by large pokemon. He knew how to attack and act while under pressure, yet staying focused on calming an angered pokemon while under pain for so long proved more difficult than simply attacking with electricity.

The moment he was outside, he looked at Nica who waved at him from the nearby hill. How did she manage to do that? I’m battle-hardened, so why didn’t I last as long as her? That isn’t fair. He stomped before taking a calming breath. There’s no point to be jealous. So she can remain focused while under pain, it doesn’t mean she’s stronger and more skilled at battling. He smiled and trotted towards his guardian while hiding the burned forepaw behind his back. Being around those ponies and following her around is actually really nice. I shouldn’t let my competitiveness get in the way.

Searching for a pony named Big Macintosh took way longer than anticipated, resulting in the group splitting up into two. Finally, after half an hour of searching, Pikachu, Nica and Apple Bloom found the large stallion who seemed to be carrying a massive stack of apples with a two-legged pokemon meditating on it.

Yellow belly, black legs and paws, spikes on his chest and on back of his paws. Crossed legs and forepaws held together in front of his stomach. Yes, it is definitely a Lucario. Pikachu thought before his attention shifted towards the large stallion, now understanding where the ‘Big’ part of his name came from. “Wait… Pinkie Pie… like, pink pie… Fluttershy - shy… Applejack - apples… Rarity - rare… I get the impression that ponies get very literal with their names.”

Nica chuckled. “True, but according to humans, most pokemon keep repeating the name of their own species. Same with ponies. I had no idea about that until Applejack pointed it out due to my memory loss. If we would compare ponies and pokemon even further, their special talents gives them advantage at specific field of work, while our special abilities gives us a different advantage in combat.”

“Fair enough,” Pikachu said as he kept looking at the towering pony. The amount of apples in the cart he pulled no doubt being four times his own weight, with his weight being three to four hundred kilograms. “Are you Applejack’s older brother.”

“Eeyup.”

Nica asked, “Hey, Lucario, are you also part of Astra’s team?”

<Yes, Master Nica.>

“Master? Not captain?” Pikachu asked as she gave Nica a curious glance.

“Well… it’s a bit complicated. Back when I was a Pikachu, Riolu volunteered to become my sensei and joined my trainer’s team willingly. He taught me how to use ‘Focus Blast’ and how to sense auras of other creatures.”

<My trainer, dangerous training, passed away… Nica, great potential, I nurtured her talent,> Lucario said as he maintained his meditating pose and closed eyes. <She mastered her potential, she’s the master now.>

“So you know how to attack with ‘Focus Blast?'”

Nica shook her head.

“Really?” Pikachu asked. Why would a Raichu give up on such a powerful move like ‘Focus Blast’ in order to use a defensive move instead? “What about sensing auras. Can you really do that?”

Nica nodded. “I do.”

Lucario spoke up, <Heavy struggle and hardship, rare talent unleashed. I nurtured, she mastered.>

“It’s very useful when it is dark or my vision is covered by a cloud of smoke, and it helps me defend against possible ambush and recognise a lie. I can also tell if someone is sad or happy even if they try to hide it.” Nica rubbed her forearm and looked to the side. “It’s kind of a double-edged sword. Sensing others anger, jealousy and disappointment during battle is often distracting.”

Pikachu took a step back and chuckled nervously. “S-sure…” His emotions being read like an open book wasn’t what he expected. He needed to be extra careful to keep his competitive nature in check. He didn’t want to upset this kind Raichu after all.

Apple Bloom walked towards her older brother, stood on her rear hooves and supported herself on her brother’s chest with her forehoof. She looked his brother in the eyes. “Do ya like each other’s company?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said with confidence in his voice and proudly raised head.

Apple Bloom looked at Nica, who nodded and said, “Yes, he enjoys his company. I think I can write Big Macintosh as Lucario’s guardian.” She looked at the tall stallion. “You don’t have anything against it?”

“Ummm...nope.”

Pikachu gave Lucario an odd glance. “You talk weird.” He looked at the stallion. “And you’re indeed a pony of a few words. That’s one weird match up.”

“And I think it’s very fitting,” Nica said with a cheerful smile.

Apple Bloom jumped onto the cart, climbing up the hill of apples before reaching the pokemon. “Mah name’s Apple Bloom, welcome to our farm. Nice to meet ya.” She picked one apple from the cart and presented it. “Are ya hungry?”

<Young pony, strong spirit and determination, flexible thinking.> Lucario stroked the top of Apple Bloom’s head. <Training and meditation, can teach, improve physical and mental condition.>

“What did he say?” Apple Bloom asked, looking down from the apple-hill.

“He said you have potential and he can train you,” Nica said with a chuckle. “That’s the good old Lucario, alright. He always had a keen eye for talents. One look at a human or a pokemon and he could tell most of their qualities.”

Pikachu jumped onto the cart and looked up at the meditating pokemon. “What about me?”

Lucario opened his eyes, now staring at him with a full curiosity. After half a minute of silence, he placed his hand on Pikachu’s head and said, <Supreme talent, great willpower, unwavering determination. Skills, weaknesses and techniques unknown, need to see in action for better judgement.>

“You need to see me in action?” He grinned. “I can arrange that.” He jumped from the cart, now standing in front of the large stallion. He clenched his forepaws and focused on his electricity as small bolts started escaping the dots on his cheeks. “I’ll unleash my strongest ‘Thunderbolt’ towards the sky. Get ready to be amazed.”

“Yes… about that,” Nica said, but not fast enough as Pikachu shouted from bottom of his lungs, yet no breathtaking spectacle followed.

Now blinking in confusion, Pikachu noticed a bright shining coming of his collar.

“I forgot to tell you. My translation collars also absorb electricity. It’s just a safety measure so I wouldn’t hurt anyone by accident,” Nica pointed out.

“Now you’re telling me?” Pikachu asked. “Why do you even have such a feature on these?”

Apple Bloom approached him, her muzzle nearly touching his nose. “That’s because when she visited our school -Scootaloo’s idea- she still had no idea how to use her powers. Overwhelmed by a bunch of other foals our age, she hurt them.”

Nica’s ears drooped and she whimpered. “It… it was horrible. Starlight got me out of my depression and I spend a few hours practicing how to keep my electricity from escaping. Luckily for me, Starlight and Twilight found a better solution.” She pointed at the yellow dots on her cheeks. “I regained my memories, but I still feel more comfortable knowing that my electricity won’t hurt anyone by accident thanks to this collar.”

Pikachu approached Nica and asked, “When you said, hours of practice, what did have you in mind?”

“I rubbed those spots on my cheeks violently while keeping electricity from escaping… Ummm, why are you looking at me like that?”

Pikachu gasped, his eyes wide. “You… how… why?”

“What’s wrong?” Nica asked.

“What’s wrong? What is wrong!?” Pikachu asked before waving his forepaws in panic. “What you just described is like the most agonizing experience an electric pokemon can have! Not passing out from the pain alone is a miracle.”

“It… was painful… but not that bad,” Nica pointed out.

Pikachu’s eye twitched. “Are you insane?” He stood on the tips of his tiny feet, trying to reach Nica’s face while staring her in the eyes. “As much as I like my trainer and his friends, stopping myself from unleashing electricity around them while under heavy pressure is too much for me to handle. Any combat injury is less painful than that.”

Nica blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. “W-well… I suppose I’m quite used to the pain, and I prefer to endure agony rather than hurt anyone with electricity. Seeing others sad is worse than the pain itself.”

Pikachu took a step back, his face still shocked. How… how can she be so much more durable than me…? Upon seeing a sign of sadness on Nica’s face, he shook his head and forced a smile. “That’s... really impressive.” He clapped his forepaws. If this Raichu could sense his emotions, being envious of her would only make things worse. At least against a rival everything was simple. The Raichu would provoke him and he would prove them wrong through a hard-won battle. With a sensitive Raichu like Nica who possesses ability to sense auras of others things got so much more complicated.

“Are those… burns on the collar?” Nica asked as she rounded Pikachu and untied the collar, now examining it. “Your strongest ‘Thunderbolt’ nearly overloaded it.”

Pikachu looked at the burned mark and small cracks on the little gems. <S-sorry.>

“Well… look on the bright side.” Nica pointed at herself. “This collar is strong enough to seal away my electricity. Your power must be really strong if you managed to damage it.” She put the collar back onto his neck.

Pikachu blinked, now starting at Nica in a growing confusion. But… this doesn’t make any sense. How can a Raichu have weaker electricity than me… while being so much more durable? Is she stronger or weaker than me, I don’t get it. He closed his eyes and massaged his forehead.

Lucario chuckled and crossed his arms, already learning so much from this little exchange.

Nica and Pikachu’s ears perked up, picking up the noise of an explosion, only to feel earth trembling under their feet. The group looked towards the source of noise, now seeing a rainbow-colored explosion as a multicolored cloud remained in the sky.

“I think I know where we should go next,” Nica said.

“You don’t say,” Pikachu said with a smug face.

Ch.2 - Big Revelation (updated version)

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 2
-
Big Revelation

With a quick movements of his paws as he felt the softness of the grass, Pikachu ran side by side with his guardian, zipping in between apple trees in the direction of the explosion. Feeling a surge of excitement and curiosity, he thought about his day’s experiences.

He had to admit, ever since he arrived in this new world, most of his time he spent interacting with peaceful creatures… with the Manticore being the only exception.

A pony with wings and a horn seemed to be a leadership figure and a scholar of sort. She was the one who was working on a way to send him back home after all so she had to be very intelligent. I wonder… Nica did say that Princess Twilight had a lot of raw power that could rival the power of legendary pokemon, but she’s also more like a human scholar in terms of intelligence. If she ended up in our world, would she do better as a pokemon trainer? As profesor? Or as a fighter herself? Maybe she would be her own trainer… leading five pokemon while herself being number six… that sounds weird.

He thought of another pony. This one had a horn on her head… and was certainly a weird one with an obsession for fashion, but at least her younger sister seemed to be more nice and collected. Miss Rarity was also behind the design of the very collar he now wore on his neck. She may be the one behind the design… but it was Twilight and her student who enhanced the collar to translate our language… as well as absorb electricity. It kind of makes her less impressive in my opinion.

The one called Pinkie Pie. Super enthusiastic, capable of self levitating and silent teleporting, as well as giving very strong hugs. Also a baker, a really, really good one. Applejack’s cider… or Pinkie’s cupcakes… it’s hard to tell which is better. Both were extremely tasty. I must say, those ponies make superior food to the one in my world.

The one called Fluttershy was overwhelmingly kind. Snuggles, hugs, a peaceful nature. She was a sweetheart indeed, but while Nica enjoyed her company, for him being around Fluttershy would get boring fast. He needed adrenaline, excitement and a challenge after all. I think Umbreon had a good idea. She would do really well as a pokemon breeder, though I still find it difficult to believe she managed to talk with a Manticore without putting herself in danger. Maybe she’s not as defenseless as she appears to be.

Applejack, certainly a hardworking pony, and the way she demonstrated a way to gather apples from a tree during their search was quite impressive. Applejack herself mentioned that she used only a fraction of her strength, or else she would destroy the tree by accident, meaning she would be capable of delivering quite a strong physical attack during battle. Her younger sister Apple Bloom no doubt had to be strong as well to help on the farm, and she was both energetic and enthusiastic during their search.

If I had to choose, I think the Apple family left the best impression. Maybe I can visit the farm from time to time and ask Lucario or Umbreon to fight with me, it could be a challenge. He glanced at his running guardian while matching her speed, making three quick steps whenever she made two. I suppose I could challenge Nica to have a friendly battle with me and finally find out if she’s a strong Raichu or not… But… she seems so nice and sensitive… what if she wouldn’t enjoy our fight? His ears drooped. While he didn’t have any regrets fighting the other Raichu in the past, the idea of striking that smiling face with an ‘Iron Tail’ or ‘Quick Attack’ didn’t seem all that appealing.

Pikachu’s attention shifted towards two creatures who now stood atop a tall grassy hill while facing each other. Actually, some of the grass seemed to be gone from where the metallic creature was currently standing.

Metallic creature? It was covered by red armor and equipped with pincers while white non-transparent grey wings were standing up from its back. Despite being hit by whatever exploded a moment ago, there seemed to be only a few small scratches on its shining armor. This… ummm… what was this pokemon’s name… I saw him before…

“Scizor? Considering that most of my trainer’s team is already in Equestria, I should’ve seen this coming,” Nica said as she waved at the bug/steel type pokemon. “Scizor, over here! It’s me, Captain Nica. Hello!”

The armored pokemon looked at Nica in silence, saluting. He didn’t seem to be the only one noticing her though. The other creature standing at the opposite side of Scizor seemed to be a blue pegasus covered in bruises, no doubt being the one responsible for the massive explosion.

“Well, well, well! If it isn’t the awesome defender and saviour of Equestria?!” the pegasus asked before flying towards Nica, now hovering in front and above her. “You should’ve seen our practice, it was amazing! Now I see why pokemon like to fight so much. It’s really exciting and fun.”

Pikachu blinked. The speed this pegasus displayed was… incredible… as if watching a fast flying pokemon using ‘‘Quick Attack,’ not to mention that this pony actually had a pokemon battle and was excited about it. Pikachu smiled, now that’s a pony he could get behind.

“Stop calling me that,” Nica said with a stomp. “You know I dislike being praised, especially if I don’t deserve it.”

The pegasus crossed her arms and shook her head. “Sorry, but no can do. You’re a heroine and that’s final. And you totally deserve to be called that.”

Pikachu approached slowly, now focused on Nica instead. “What did she mean saying ‘Defender and Saviour of Equestria’?” He crossed his forearms. “Mind explaining?”

“She’s… she’s just exaggerating.” Nica blushed and tapped her forepaws. “The ponies were the ones who defended their nation. I played just a very little,” she brought her forepaws close together, “very little role in that conflict.”

The pegasus narrowed her eyes. “I won’t give up. I’ll keep telling you how awesome you are until you start believing it. It’s my duty as a friend to…” She paused and looked to the side at him before flying closer. “Another pokemon? Are you Nica’s friend or something?”

Pikachu took a step back as pegasus' muzzle was but centimeters away from his nose. “I’m not really her friend,” upon noticing a saddened expression on Nica’s face, he continued, “yet... we just met each other today inside the forest and she volunteered to become my guardian.” He smiled warmly and raised his forepaw towards the pegasus. “I’m a Pikachu, nice to meet you.”

“The name’s Rainbow Dash,” she said as she lightly booped the tip of his little paw before flying in slow circles around him.

Quick poking of his ears, tail and limbs followed as he felt Dash’s hoof making contact with his body with her judging stare examining his features from different angles. Pikachu smiled awkwardly, feeling as if an attraction on display.

“Pikachu you say, so you’re Nica’s pre-evolution,” Dash said before landing in front of him and lowering herself to his face level. “Sorry to say this, buuut... you’re nowhere near as cool as a Raichu. I mean, you’re mostly yellow with not many neat features.” She poked his stomach. “No white fur on your belly.” She poked his ears. “Pointy but simple.” She pointed at his rear legs. “Your feet are so tiny. How can they even support your whole weight? I don’t envy you if someone stepped on your foot by accident.”

Pikachu narrowed his eyes while feeling an increasing annoyance.

“But worst of all, you don’t have a long cool-looking tail. Not impressed,” Dash said before rubbing the top of his head and shooting him a grin. “I bet you can’t even hold yourself in a battle and that your speed is decent at best.”

Pikachu pressed his cheek against Dash’s muzzle, as if trying to wrestle her head with his entire body. He wasn't just going to stand and take all the teasing. “Hey, I may be smaller but I’m faster for it, and I’m really tough.”

Dash pushed back. “You mean faster than your evolution on those tiny feet of yours? I doubt it. I would like to see you prove me wrong.”

He leaped back and landed on his four paws, returning Dash’s grin with his own. “How about you show me what you’re capable of. That explosion you caused… meh... not impressed, my bursts of electricity are way stronger.” Upon seeing that giving Dash taste of her own medicine was working, he added. “Also, you may be a fast flier, but are there any skills behind your speed?”

“Oh, it... is... on!” Dash landed, spread her wings and rubbed the grass with her forehoof aggressively. “Show me what you’ve got!”

Pikachu maintained his fighting stance, his tail and ears raised in anticipation. “You first.”

Big Macintosh, Lucario and Apple Bloom reached the scene at their slower pace, now observing the confrontation as they sat next to Nica.

“A bigger audience, now that’s more like it,” Rainbow Dash said before flying at full speed in circles around Pikachu.

Upon noticing an incoming strike from ahead, Pikachu leaped to the side, just in time to not get hit in the face by the speeding forehoof. He charged power into his tail and turned around, yet Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen. No more than two seconds later, he felt a hoof hit the back of his head, pressing him into the ground and pushing him across the dirt. His face left a few meters long trial in the ground.

“Got enough already?” Dash asked.

With a quick push of his little paws, he leaped to the side in time to avoid another kick as Dash’s rear hoof struck the ground instead.

With a leap and swing of his tail, he tried to strike back, but the pegasus flew backward and away in time to evade as his tail ended up stuck in the soil instead, cracking the ground all around while giving the pony a chance to deliver a punch and push his light body a few meters away.

Pikachu rolled in mid-air and soon his feet pressed into the grass, leaving a trail. This pony can actually fight. Not bad. From now on no holding back. He poked his collar which prevented him from using electricity, not that he needed it. Now no longer underestimating his foe, he awaited for another strike with sharpened senses, leaping to the side to avoid an attack from behind. He followed up with a ‘Quick Attack’ as his running speed increased substantially. Upon noticing the pegasus attempt to fly out of the way, he jumped to where Dash was going to be, striking the pegasus’ side with his head. The force of the impact sent Rainbow Dash flying a big distance.

Pikachu followed and jumped, ready to strike the pegasus with his ‘Iron Tail’ the moment she would hit the ground. Much to his surprise, Nica jumped in front of Rainbow Dash, softening the crash with her own body before raising her own ‘Iron Tail’ protectively.

Pikachu stopped his attack and landed on the ground, now staring at the scene before him.

Rainbow Dash was in Nica's embrace whose feet were stuck in the ground from the impact, yet she maintained her balance, refusing to trip over. Her defensive tail was withdrawn a moment later. Despite her smaller size Nica kept the pegasus raised above the ground.

“Owww… that was… a solid hit,” Rainbow Dash said as she sat on the ground and massaged her side. Yet another bruise was added to the pile, this one way bigger than the others. “Thanks Nica.”

“You’re welcome,” Nica said before giving Rainbow Dash a disapproving glance. “Also, I know Scizor most likely held back his punches against you, but I can tell you were hurt from practicing with him. You can’t rush into another pokemon battle in such condition.”

“Ugh… no kidding.” Dash stood to her full height and looked at Pikachu with a proud smile. “I must say, you may not look cool or impressive, but you’ve got lots of speed and power. Your tiny feet are way way stronger than they look.” She shook his foreleg enthusiastically. “Also, props for guts and self-confidence.” She glanced at Nica. “I know someone who could really use some of it.”

Pikachu blinked. Hurt or not, this pegasus seemed to lack a pokemon’s durability. He hoped Rainbow Dash would take more than a single ‘Quick Attack.’

Lucario spoke up, <Rainbow Dash, speed, outstanding, surpassing fastest flying pokemon. Skills, Reflex… above average, not sufficient to make full use of speed, room for improvement. Durability, no match for Big Macintosh, underwhelming. Ego… both weakness and strength… great source of motivation, causes dumb decisions and blind to danger. Overconfidence… big weakness… lower guard, makes easy target.>

Rainbow Dash looked at Lucario and next glanced at Nica, asking, “What did he say?”

“He evaluated your strengths, weaknesses and skills,” Nica answered.

Pikachu spoke up, catching Dash’s attention, “He said your speed is great, but your skills and reflexes aren’t good enough and could use some improvement. Your durability isn’t all that good and your overconfidence and ego cause you to make dumb decisions.”

Dash groaned, giving the smirking Lucario an annoyed glare.

“He nailed ya really well, Dash,” Applejack said as she stepped from behind a line of apple trees, joining the group. Umbreon and Lycanroc sat by her side.

Nica approached Pikachu, now looking with expectation in her eyes. “You have met most of my friends and explored very important locations in Ponyville. So… what do you think? Do you like it here? Which pony and place do you like the most and least?"

Pikachu rubbed his chin. Nica gave him a tour and introduced her pony friends while helping him find his pokemon friends. It made sense she would want to know the impression her tour left. After talking a deep breath, he smiled, looked her in the eyes and spoke, “What can I say? As crazy as it is, this world has its charm.” He poked his collar. “That rare mare… Rarity was it… she’s weird, but she has a nice younger sister.” He pointed towards the top of Twilight’s castle visible on the horizon behind the sea of trees. “I didn’t get to know Twilight all that well yet, but I think she is trustworthy. I trust that she’ll find a way to send us back home..” He smiled sheepishly. “If I had to choose… Fluttershy’s hugs and voice are way better than Pinkie’s, but Pinkie’s enthusiasm can keep things interesting and her sweets are delicious.”

He massaged his belly and then pointed at Applejack. “The Apple family left a really good impression, and their apple cider is just as great as Pinkie's sweets.” The farm mare raised her head proudly while Apple Bloom smiled cheerfully. “However, Rainbow Dash has the best personality. A willingness to fight, drive for adventure, enthusiasm. I like her the most.”

Rainbow Dash gave Applejack a sassy smile, who in response rolled her eyes.

Pikachu crossed his arms. “Long story short, I like them.”

Umbreon said as he rubbed Applejack’s foreleg.

Scizor closed his eyes, crossed his arms and smiled slightly.

Lucario placed his hand on Big Mac’s shoulder. <Silent companion, interesting, sufficient.>

“Ah don’t know what yer sayin’, but Ah like workin’ and talkin’ with ya. Yer a good listener,” Big Mac said as he gave the pokemon a calm smile.

Rainbow Dash flew over to Pikachu and said, “A quick question. Did Nica tell you how we saved Equestria from doom more than once and stuff?”

Pikachu blinked and shook his head.

Dash looked at Nica with hurtful expression. “What!? How could you not mention how awesome we are to our guests?” She held her forehoof on her chest. “I feel so wounded.”

“I… I’m sorry…” Nica said with guilt clear on her face.

“Come on Dash, not everypony wants to brag of their accomplishments in others faces.

“I know, I know, but we’re missing a big opportunity to impress visitors from another world. I can’t let it slide.” Rainbow Dash sat in front of Pikachu and grabbed him with her wings, placing him on her knees. “Listen carefully, because I’m about to blow your mind with a story of an epic proportions.”

“You’re… actually serious?” Pikachu pointed accusingly. “I mean, I can imagine you and Applejack face danger, but Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and especially Rarity… I don’t see it.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Don’t underestimate them. Fluttershy can get really brave whenever we’re facing dangerous animals, Rarity is way more than just fashion and Pinkie’s unpredictability really helped on many occasions. As a group, we unleashed the Elements against Nightmare Moon and Discord, faced a horde of changelings, defeated King Sombra.”

“Twilight and Spike were the ones who beat him,” Applejack pointed out. “And Cadence kept him at bay. We didn’t do much.”

“Details, details,” Rainbow Dash said with a roll of her eyes. “What’s important is that whenever Equestria faced a crisis, we’re there to fix it.”

“So true,” Nica said with a nod and look of admiration towards Rainbow Dash. “They’re national heroines, really great and important ponies. Ever since I heard stories about what happened in past years in Equestria, I started admiring them more and more.”

“You’re a hero to, Nica,” Dash pointed out.

“I’m not… I just helped a bit, nothing more.”

Pikachu raised his head proudly and puffed his chest. “You’re not the only one with heroic deeds. I and my trainer encountered many legendary pokemon, some hostile. We faced many great dangers, fought dangerous people who wanted to capture legendary pokemon for their selfish reasons. We even once restored a balance of nature.”

Nica took a step back and gasped, her mind a mess. Did… did this Pikachu just say he and his trainer faced legendary pokemon and restored natural balance? Can he be...? She clenched her forepaws and approached, her throat suddenly dry. “Excuse me.”

“Yes?” Pikachu asked, now sitting on Rainbow Dash’s knees.

“You didn’t happen to… cooperate with Lugia… while in a crossfire between fighting Articuno, Moltres and Zapdos… by any chance.”

“I did, how did you know?” Pikachu asked.

“Well… when I reached a large gathering of pokemon to see what was happening, I saw a trainer with Charizard trying to reach an island while the water was frozen solid. I was too far away so I couldn’t recognize any other pokemon,“ Nica said and then looked to the side, her ears drooped. “I wish I could have been of assistance, but you were too far away and I wasn’t sure what to do.”

Pikachu smiled. “I remember that day. It was really cold and dangerous, and my trainer would have drowned if not for Misty. Thanks to Lugia we managed to deliver the missing orb that was needed to restore natural balance.”

Nica’s eyes became wide. She cleared her throat and asked, her voice now filled with hesitation, “Just… to make sure… did you encounter pokemon like Latios and Latias?” Seeing a nod, she asked, “Kyogre and Groudon?” Another nod. Nica felt drops of sweat slide down her forehead. “Deoxys, Rayquaza, Palkia, Dialga? A scientist who tried to create mirage pokemon…?”

“We have… how did you learn about this all?”

Nica gulped, feeling a hastened beating of her heart while unable to even name some emotions she started experiencing. “Is your trainer… Ash Ketchum by any chance.”

“Am I missing something?” Dash asked. “Have you both really never met each other before? This sounds like you’re pals or something.”

Pikachu stood up and placed forepaws on his hips. “Now, seriously, were you spying on us? How do you know so much?”

“Spying… no… well… maybe a little.” Nica blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. She took a few steps backward. “I… need a moment, be right back.” She ran, ignoring the calls from Pikachu and Rainbow Dash, bypassing the confused Apples and other pokemon.

After a minute of running, Nica stopped and looked behind, no one seemed to be following her, and the call of her friends and pokemon no longer reached her.

She perched herself on the soft grass, looked at the cloudless sky and took a few deep calming breaths, trying to comprehend the situation. This… is happening, it’s really happening, she thought while charging power into her tail. She yelped in pain after slashing her raised forepaw with her own 'Iron Tail,' yet nothing seemed to change. Alright, I’m not dreaming, it’s really happening. She massaged the bruise on her forepaw. Maybe striking the same limb that was struck by a ‘Bite’ attack not long ago wasn’t the best idea.

Alright, calm down… so the Pikachu that ended up summoned to Equestria happened to be your idol, big deal... she thought, yet it did little to calm her rushing emotions. Excitement, fear, embarrassment, happiness and so on overcame her mind.

For eight years ever since she was caught while still being a Pichu, she and her trainer faced a long journey to create a powerful team that would weaken criminal organizations by defeating and arresting their most skilled trainers. From a near ten year old girl hidden in a bunker on an abandoned island whose parents were killed for fighting crime, and from a young immature bullying Pichu, they grew into a force to be reckoned with, ready to face any danger. However, at the peek of their power, a new inexperienced trainer appeared on the scene who started accomplishing so much despite having a very weak team. No matter how hard they worked, this trainer and his partner Pikachu accomplished so much more, always a step ahead, always in the right place at right time.

Astra more than once told her that Ash Ketchum is a superior trainer to her, being able to accomplish so much good in keeping the fragile balance of the world safe while having so much weaker team and less experience.

However, Ash had a trusty partner, a dependable Pikachu, and since Ash was superior to Astra, by default this Pikachu was superior to her.

For years ever since Ash and his partner played an important role in delivering an orb needed to restore natural order, Nica started to admire this Pikachu’s resolve. Each time she heard about Ash interacting with legendary pokemon which resulted in keeping a town, city or even the world safe, she admired Ash’s partner more and more while feeling a growing sense of inferiority.

Now, the very hero she admired, a superior pokemon who accomplished so much while being weaker was now in Equestria, and she had the honor of being his guardian. The very idea of interacting with her hero and making his stay pleasant filled Nica with chills.

Nica smiled with a wide grin and her forepaws started trembling. Her tail flipped left and right. With a cheerful hopping and closed eyes, she started to cheer, grabbing a few flowers into her embrace before spreading them over the area. Nica opened her eyes, which now sparkled in excitement. She stood on her four paws, bent her legs and gathered all of her excitement and energy in preparation for her highest jump.

Three… She grit her teeth. Two… Her legs started to tremble slightly in anticipation. ONE! Like a mortar round, she launched herself into the air, performing her strongest jump.

76 meters, 142 meters, 198 meters, 244, 280, 306, 322, 328… Between eight and nine seconds the gravity finally caught up with her as Nica kept cheering while in mid-air, only her collar preventing her from unleashing a cheerful dose of electricity. After being around seventeen seconds in the air in total, her rear legs finally smashed into the ground with a loud thud, sinking into the soil.

Nica held a forepaw on her chest and took a calming breath. Now with all of her excitement burned out, she returned to her collected peaceful self and walked towards the line of trees. She had an important role ahead of her after all. Her hero was in Equestria and she needed to make his stay pleasant and distract him from missing his home. To make things better, she got an opportunity to learn more about her hero personally.

After a few minutes of cheerful trotting –Pinkie Pie style– Nica reached the hill where Dash faced Scizor and Pikachu in a battle. All the ponies and pokemon were gathered together in a circle.

“Hey, Nica, what took ya so long!?” Apple Bloom shouted as she gestured for her to join.

Nica ran over and sat in a free spot between Apple Bloom and Applejack.

“While ya were away, we talked ‘bout adventures and stuff. Ya missed a bit,” Applejack said.

Nica’s ears drooped. In her rush of excitement she wasn’t here to hear about her hero’s deeds. I can ask him about details later. No big loss.

Pikachu stood up and approached, now looking slightly up with a curious stare. “Since you’re back already, could you please explain how you know so much about me and my trainer?” He tapped the grass with his little foot impatiently.

Nica nodded, taking a deep breath into her lungs before speaking, “Ever since you and Ash faced Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno while trying to deliver the orb that would save the day, I and my trainer got really curious about the heroes behind it, so we asked left and right.” She took a deep breath. “We soon learned that said trainer’s name was Ash Ketchum and that he had you as his partner.” She pointed at the smaller pokemon, who kept listening with full attention.

“Again and again whenever something big started happening or when criminals tried to use legendary pokemon to their advantage, we rushed to do whatever we could to help, only to find out that you and your trainer were there first and cleaned up the whole mess.” She held her forepaws together and started looking at Pikachu in admiration.

“W-what’s wrong with your eyes?”

Nica continued, “Everytime you showed courage in the face of danger and made a big impact on the world, I started admiring you more and more!” She grabbed Pikachu between her forepaws, raising him in front of her head. “You’re my idol! Your courage and achievements motivated me to become the best Raichu I can be. It’s truly an honor to finally meet you! I’m sooo happy!”

“I am your idol? Wait, what?!” Pikachu shouted as his guardian placed her forepaws on his hips and raised up. “Are you saying that you and your trainer kept track of our most dangerous adventures and started to idolize us?”

“Exactly!”

Pikachu yelped as he was thrown up by the enthusiastic pokemon, only to be caught by Nica’s tail in mid-air as she now held him captive in front of her excited face.

“To think that I can be your guardian and guide, I’m so excited!” Nica patted her chest and added in a more serious tone, “I’ll work extra hard to make your stay pleasant. If you need anything, just ask, and I’ll do it without delay.”

Pikachu blushed and remained speechless, overwhelmed by Nica’s stare and unable to move his restrained forepaws. I’m… her idol. An energetic and durable Raichu like her learned about my most dangerous adventures and she views me like some sort of hero. When I thought they were spying on us and wanted an explanation, I expected many things, but no that.

He looked the Raichu deeply in the eyes, seeing nothing but admiration and excitement in its purest form. It became obvious that Nica meant what she said. Even if she’s not the first fan I have had, being admired by my own evolution from the start is new. It kind of feels nice.

Pikachu smiled lightly while allowing his pride to speak to him. It was one of his goals to prove that he could become a great pokemon without the need to evolve after all. He even defended his pride and honor against other Raichu, defeating them in hard battles to prove himself and earn their respect. This time however he was admired and respected by a Raichu for his accomplishments without the need for him to prove anything.

This is actually a nice change of pace. I like it.

“Oh… I get it,” Dash said as she flew over and poked Pikachu on the shoulder. “Congrats, you got the most awesome fan you could have wished for.”

Pikachu kept staring at Nica in silence, finding himself in quite an odd predicament. Instead of being wrapped by the tail of a Raichu trying to prove their superiority, he ended up restrained by the nicest Raichu who viewed him as a hero, trapped with her in a different world. But he couldn’t remain silent, he needed to respond to it one way or another.

“Well… you can start by releasing me,” Pikachu suggested, quickly feeling the grass with his feet.

“Sorry,” Nica said as she withdrew her tail.

Pikachu kept looking at Nica, whose excitement levels seemed even higher than before. “I swear, your enthusiasm is far greater than Buneary’s, and that says a lot.”

Rainbow Dash looked at the sky and spoke up, “I still remember how I viewed the Wonderbolts as those great heroes, screaming in excitement at their every acknowledgement while wishing deeply I could one day fly by their side. Truly, dreams do come true with enough effort put into achieving them.” She looked down at both pokemon and then pushed Pikachu with her wing. “Come on, say something. Your words could mean the world to her.”

“S-sure…” Pikachu steeled his nerves and cleared his throat, now addressing his fan. “It’s… nice to be admired by another Raichu… It’s actually something I didn’t expect.” He smiled warmly and raised his forepaw, pushing away his hesitation while replacing it with a look filled with confidence. If this Raichu thought so highly of him, the last thing he wanted was to embarass himself. He was viewed as a great hero after all, his pride demanded for him to prove worthy of such admiration.

“I’m glad our adventures inspired you to improve and become a better Raichu, and I’m happy to meet an energetic and kind fan like you. Though I am not sure if I am really worthy of such admiration.”

Nica squealed in happiness before shaking Pikachu’s forepaw energetically, shaking him as a whole. “Are you kidding? Facing great dangers while accomplishing so much. You deserve way more admiration than I can show you!” She released him. “Sorry!”

Pikachu massaged his arm. She sure has a strong grip when excited. He took a deep breath and said, “However.”

“Y-yes?” Nica asked, suddenly worried as she raised her forepaw towards her face.

“I would prefer if our interactions weren’t just of a fan and idol. I wouldn’t be comfortable with it. After the kindness you showed me and all your efforts to help me, I would like if we could view each other as friends instead?” He smiled while showing his shining teeth. “So, how about it, will you accept my friendship?”

“Of course!” Nica shouted before while waving his forepaws in excitement. ”I’m honored being the friend of someone as great as you!” She stood on tip of her rear leg and spun cheerfully. “I can’t believe this is happening!” She placed a forepaw on her forehead in a dramatic gesture and fell onto her back.

“H-hey… Don’t faint on me now, please.” He glanced at his friend Lycanroc, who now licked Apple Bloom’s muzzle. The filly’s attempt to nuzzle his neck resulted in a bruise. Oh right… I still didn’t find all of my friends yet. He looked back at Nica and reminded her, “We still have Rowlet to find.”

Nica pushed herself to a standing position in an instant and saluted. “On it!” She said while wrapping her tail around his belly and running towards the town.

Pikachu crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow as he once again found himself held captive by this Raichu's tail. Of course.

“Wait!”

They stopped, now seeing the puppy stare of Apple Bloom.

“Can’t ya stay and play with me?” Apple Bloom asked, displaying her puppy eyes.

Pikachu gulped, now remembering his encounter with Fluttershy. Pleading stares were always so hard to resist.

Nica turned around and faced the filly. “I’m sorry, Apple Bloom, but we need to find all the pokemon in Ponyville and register them for Twilight and Rarity.” She shot the filly a confident smile. “But we will come and play with you tomorrow, won’t we?” Nica looked at him.

“Sure!” Pikachu said from his awkward position. The moment Nica looked at the filly again, he pressed his forepaws against the black part of the long tail, taking several seconds of struggle to free himself. Not that Nica’s grip on him was tight or anything, but her long tail was certainly her strongest limb.

“Yay! Ah can’t wait.” Apple Bloom waved with her foreleg. “Good bye, Nica, Pikachu. Good luck in yer search.”

“Best of luck to ya. Ah’ll prepare more apple cider for ya.” Applejack gave Dash a look of disapproval. “Sorry Dash, only for our guests.”

Rainbow Dash frowned and rubbed the dirt with her forehoof.

<Good luck older sis,> Umbreon said with a wave of his forepaw before narrowing his eyes, giving Pikachu a suspicious stare. <You may be my sis’ hero, but you’re no hero of mine. If you upset her, I’ll make you pay.”

Pikachu ignored him, after all, why would he ever want to upset his own fan? They started running side by side, smiling at each other cheerfully.

As Pikachu and Raichu left for the town while the rest started heading towards the farm for supper, Lucario walked side by side Big Mac and crossed his arms. <Pikachu’s weakness… discovered. Attack, fast, powerful, predictable, tiring. Not evaded, high damage, evaded, easy to counter. Need balance, much room for improvement.>

Big Mac gave him a curious look.

“Ah can tell there’s wisdom in yer voice. Ah wish Ah knew what yer sayin’.”

<Patience. Language barrier, temporary drawback. Magic… can fix.>

Ch.3 - The Best Day Ever Pt.1

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 3
-
The Best Day Ever, Part 1

Twilight Sparkle kept looking ahead while perched on a pillow inside of her library, a stack of closed books lay on the floor behind her while opened books covered the rounded table. Shelves built into walls filled with rich literature that she had read so many times surrounded her from all sides.

Before her stood two small pokemon:

Nica, who kept moving herself up and down in excitement with the help of her rear paws. She held her forepaws behind her back while a cheerful smile was present on her face.

Next to Nica stood Pikachu with a lowered head and drooped hands. Was he exhausted or bored she couldn’t tell.

With the help of her magic, Twilight levitated over the notepad from Nica’s shoulder-bag and read it with full attention. “I see… so both pokemon that belong to Astra Longshot and Ash Ketchum ended up in Equestria.”

“Correct!” Nica said with a quick nod.

“This seem too much of a coincidence if you ask me…" Twilight paused, reading with even greater interest. "So Rarity will take care of Starmie, Fluttershy will take care of Venusaur and Alolan Vulpix… I see… it seems all of my friends got pokemon under their care. I expected nothing less.” She kept reading, her calm curious face shifting into different expressions, shock and confusion being among them.

Twilight took a deep breath and said, “So let me get this straight. In search for Rowlet while asking residents from Ponyville, you learned that somepony brought him to Dr. Fauna, something about unhealthy napping with destructive awakening syndrome.”

Nica nodded.

“While visiting Dr. Fauna, you learned that she took Rowlet to the hospital since she couldn’t tell what was wrong with him. The veterinarian also became the guardian of Audino, a pokemon that doesn’t belong to Astra but to her friend Emily.”

“That’s correct, also, Audino’s name is Queen, and it's just a name, not a title or anything like that.” Nica cleared her throat. “Emily worked with Astra’s parents in the past. Somehow some of her pokemon were summoned into Equestria as well. Audino was Blissey’s friend and a very tough bodyguard.”

Twilight chuckled. “Speaking of Astra’s Blissey, she’s now assisting at the hospital, healing ponies with her own vitality. Kind of fitting.”

Pikachu raised his head and chuckled as well. “Where we come from, most Pokemon Centers had Chansey assisting Nurse Joys. It fits really well for Nurse Redheart to become Blissey’s guardian… A quick question, there aren’t more Nurse Redhearts in this world by any chance, are there?”

“Nope,” Twilight said with a shake of her head.

“Figures,” Pikachu murmured to himself.

“During one of Rowlet's outbursts, the hospital staff removed him for the safety of other patients, and apparently Miss Vinyl Scratch took him with her. What are those outbursts anyway?” Twilight asked.

With all eyes on Pikachu, he rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. “He…. sleeps a lot, and whenever someone wakes him up, he start flying and bouncing all over the place. We got used to it after a while.”

Nica raised her forepaw. “We asked ponies where this Vinyl lives, and we found a house with two musicians living together.” Nica displayed a dreamy smile. “I must say, I had no idea that such a talented pony like Octavia Melody was living here. I could listen to her playing the cello for hours. Calm and classical music is my favorite.”

Pikachu crossed his arms. “Personally, I prefer Vinyl’s music, way more action packed.” He rubbed his left ear. “As long as she does not put the volume up too high.”

Nica pointed out, “Another of Emily’s pokemon, Primarina, was invited by Miss Octavia into her home and they practiced together. I would say Octavia is Primarina’s guardian now. Oh… and Primarina’s name is Battleship.”

“Battleship? That’s a weird name for a pokemon,” Twilight pointed out.

Nica chuckled. “Trust me, if you saw her firepower on the sea, you wouldn’t be surprised… Are there battleships in Equestria by any chance?”

“We have airships with large balloons and magic keeping them afloat. I suppose it could also be called a battleship if it was staffed by unicorn Royal Guards. As for regular ships that are built for war, no, we don’t have those. Equestria is a peaceful nation,” Twilight explained.

Nica crossed her arms. “No wonder Darkrai thought pokemon could take over this nation. Ponies may be strong, but they lack combat experience, and your Royal Guards are a poor excuse for an army.”

Twilight frowned and continued reading the report on the notepad. “So it turned out that Rowlet ran away due to the loud music, and you followed his trail to the school.”

Pikachu nodded as his ears drooped, a tired expression present on his face. “It turned out that the pony teacher wanted to make Rowlet a school mascot, but after he started to rampage during the class, one of school fillies offered to take him home instead.”

Nica giggled. “It sure took us most of the day running all over Ponyville until we found Rowlet with Miss Ditzy…”

“Wasn’t her name Derpy?” Pikachu asked.

“Her name’s Ditzy but others call her Derpy.” Nica shrugged. “No difference to me. They seem happy together.”

Twilight bit her bottom lip. A clumsy and somewhat destructive pony taking care of a destructive pokemon. I wonder… with Derpy’s numerous accidents, would Rowlet’s rampages even make any difference, or will those two destructive forces together combine into something terrifying, only time will tell.”

Pikachu plopped down, now lying on his back while staring at the ceiling. “We explored most of Ponyville searching for him. I am so done.”

Nica looked down at Pikachu while towering over him. Forepaws on her hips. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad. I got to show you most of Ponyville and I left Rarity with the information and location of each pokemon while we were at it.” She carefully placed the tip of her tail under Pikachu’s back and gently pushed him to a sitting position. “Today was quite eventful, and tomorrow will be even better.”

Pikachu sighed before standing up. “You’re right. I know where all of my friends are, and I accept that I’m temporarily stuck in this… interesting world.” He smiled warmly and patted Nica on the shoulder. “Thank you a lot for helping me. I wouldn’t have found my friends this quickly if not for you. You’re a really good guardian.”

Twilight noticed a very strong blush on Nica’s face, as well as her sheepish smile.

“It’s… it’s an honor. Such kind words from a hero like you… I don’t know what to say.”

“Hero?” Twilight asked.

“Long story, I will tell you other time,” Nica said before grabbing Pikachu’s forepaw while pointing at the exit. “It is night already and you’re tired. Just rest and tomorrow we’ll have lots of fun.”

Twilight watched as Pikachu and Raichu walked towards the exit at a slow pace with the smaller pokemon taking three steps for every two steps made by Nica. They held each other’s paws and cheerful smiles were present on their faces. Despite a clear size and color difference, she could see resemblance between the different evolutions of the same species.

The moment the double green glass door closed, Twilight wiped a tear of joy from her face. “Nothing warms my heart more than seeing a blooming friendship.” She looked back to her books. “I suppose my side-research can wait an extra day or two. I will just focus on researching that spell for now…” Her ears drooped and a quiet whimper escaped her mouth. “B-but… a chance to compare the abilities of representatives of two different evolutions, a chance to learn how pokemon battles works from personal experience… so many tests I can do…” She gulped and lowered her head. Tomorrow was going to be a looong day.

Pikachu climbed onto his bed, took off Nica’s spare collar and placed it on the table next to him. After a few attempts to perch the side of his head on the large pillow, he climbed up further, perching himself on it as whole. His eyes now looked at Nica who leaped onto the bed and pulled the eiderdown with the help of her tail, covering most of his body.

“Comfortable enough?” Nica asked.

“In this case, I wish you sweet dreams.” The long-tailed pokemon clapped her forepaws together. “Tomorrow will be sooo exciting. I can’t wait.”

<Same to you, Nica,> Pikachu said, not daring to move from his comfortable spot.

“Thank you, but I’m not going to sleep just yet. I need to burn my energy with night exercise before going to sleep.” Nica started stretching her limbs before leaping from the bed and walking towards the door.

<Wait… you’re still not tired?>

“Of course not. The idea of being in the company of such a great pokemon like you keeps me invigorated,” Nica said as she pulled the handle, opening the door with the help of her tail. She turned around and waved. “Goodnight.”

The moment a weak thud of the closing door reached his ears, he thought, How can she still have stamina after all that? She’s energetic, I give her that. He murmured to himself, He closed his eyes and wriggled for a moment on the pillow as his body sunk deeper further into it. I’m battle-hardened and experienced. I faced legendary pokemon and had many dangerous adventures. The moment I get an opportunity, I’ll impress Nica with my skills. I’ll show her that I’m a Pikachu worthy of being her hero.

Pikachu yawned and stretched his limbs while pushing the eiderdown away, his blurry vision showly sharpening. Filled with energy and well rested, he stepped from the pillow and walked towards the edge of the bed, staring at the window while admiring the rising sun. He didn’t notice it at first, but there seemed to be some sort of large city on a mountain on the horizon.

<Welcome new day!> he shouted with a cheerful shake of his forepaws. He approached the table and took a moment to put the collar onto his neck, already used to it being somewhat too big for his neck.

With a tiny jump and carefree steps, he walked towards the door, jumping towards the handle. He anchored his tiny legs against the door and pulled the handle, unlocking it a moment later. Using the small opening, he walked outside and approached the door which was across from his room. He poked at the door with his paw. Without receiving any response, he called, “Nica, are you awake?” Upon not receiving any response, he opened the door the same way as before and peeked inside.

“Nica? Are you there?” He stepped inside and jumped onto the table to take in the interior of the room.

The bed wasn’t exactly empty, but it wasn’t Nica sleeping in it, but a tiny white creature instead.

A tiny long tail, small long floppy ears, thin whiskers. This creature was even smaller than Dedenne. If not for the fact that it’s legs were similar to his own, he would imagine it being Pichu’s pre-evolution. It seems Nica has a tiny companion… not surprised. He turned around, now staring at the mirror. His own fur clean, ears pointy as always, no dirt or grass left-overs on his feet, and most importantly, the bite-mark on his forepaw completely healed. He held his forepaws on his hips and raised his head in pride. I look presentable and ready for anything. He took a fighting pose with one clenched forepaw raised in front of his face, following it up by mimicking Derpy’s crossed eyes. Yes… still got it. I wonder if I should show Nica a few of my silly expressions. She looks cute when she laughs.

Upon noticing a picture attached to the mirror, he took a closer look, now seeing a picture of Nica waving from the top of unicorn’s head as they both showed a toothy smile. Wait… didn’t Twilight mention a pony named Staralight… I think she’s her student. So this is what she looks like. She must be an important friend if Nica has this picture of her.

He looked away from the mirror, noticing… a large plush in the shape of Twilight Sparkle sitting in the corner of the room. Alright… now that’s surprising. He jumped onto the large plush and stroked it’s neck. Whoever made it did a nice job. It’s not as soft as the real pony, but the resemblance is unmistakable.

His examination of the plushy was interrupted by hissing and angered squeaking. Upon not seeing anyone behind him, he looked down, noticing the little white creature from before. He lowered himself to four paws and looked at the tiny creature in the eyes. “Hello there, I’m a Pikachu. Are you one of Nica’s friends?”

The rat jumped, grabbing and chewing on Pikachu's ear. Caught off guard, Pikachu lost his balance, falling from the large plush with a quick yelp.

Spike and his bat-like companion walked through the hallway, heading towards Pikachu’s room while carrying a shoulder-bag. He was actually looking forward to meeting the pokemon that even a brave Raichu like Nica idolized. If he learned anything about his long-tailed friend, it was that she admired the accomplishments of others while diminishing her own worth. Nica’s desire to be helpful being something he could relate to.

He glanced up at Gliscor with narrowed eyes, his attention on the yellow collar with red gems in the shape of bats decorating it, a gift from Rarity and enhanced by Starlight’s magic. With the help of the translating collar, Gliscor’s first spoken words were polite thanks and praise for Rarity’s beauty and her diligence, followed up with a polite bow and kiss on the forehoof. Should he ask him for advice on how to impress the lady, or explain to him that he was intruding on his territory?

“Okay, okay, I’ll leave!”

Spike’s attention focused on a small yellow pokemon leaving Nica’s room. While Nica seemed to be almost as tall as him, this creature didn’t seem to even reach his neck.

The noisy screeching escaped the rat’s mouth as he yelled at Pikachu from a spot in front of the opened door.

“Calm down, Mr. Patrick,” Spike said, catching their attention. “Nica is this Pikachu’s guardian. He’s not an intruder, be polite.”

Mr. Patrick crossed his tiny arms and frowned. A jealous look present on his face.

“Sorry about him. The name’s Spike by the way,” the young drake said as he raised his hand towards Pikachu, who approached and shook it. “I’m Twilight’s assistant and a young dragon. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

Gliscor performed a polite bow, holding his wing before him as if it was a cape. “I’m Gliscor, a loyal soldier in Astra’s personal army under direct leadership of Captain Nica. It’s an honor to meet such a great hero that my officer admires so much. As a defender of justice myself, I’m at your beck and call.”

Pikachu chuckled. “Nica was right about you. You’re so different from the Gliscor I remember.”

“So a different Gliscor was part of Ash’s team. It’s an honor knowing that my species participated in something greater.” He poked Spike, pointing at his shoulder-bag.

“Oh, right, Starlight finished working on the translating spell for the collar made by Rarity herself.” He picked up a pink collar with blue lightning in between six little black gems. A small silver tag with ‘Pikachu’ written on it was attached to the collar. “Starlight told me that those gems are too small to make them absorb your electricity, especially if according to Nica your attacks are stronger than hers. Instead, she just made the collar resistant enough not to burn in case you used a powerful attack, but it won’t restrain your electricity in any way.”

Pikachu nodded, trying to untie the collar from his neck. Spike helped immediately, replacing Nica’s spare collar with a smaller and more fitting customized one. Pikachu massaged the free space on his neck and smiled. “Perfect.”

“Nica asked me to escort you to the top of the castle. She asked Starlight to help her bake some tasty goods for you and already planned a schedule with attractions for you,” Spike said as he patted Pikachu on his shoulder. “Listen. I have no idea what you did in your world to impress her so much, but she’s looking up to you even more than I look up to Twilight. If you want to make her happy, don’t hesitate to ask her for favours. She really looooves being helpful above all else.”

“Alright, I’ll consider it,” Pikachu said with a nod.

Spike flanked the smaller pokemon from the left while Gliscor flanked form the right, now escorting him towards the highest spot of the castle.

Pikachu looked ahead and down from the edge of the highest spot of the castle, the entire town and nearby forest were in his view, as well as the large town on a mountain.

“Nice view, isn’t it?” Nica asked.

Pikachu looked to the side and slightly up at Nica, whose face, paws and belly seemed to have some leftovers of flour, cream and dough. The bronze edges of her paws, white belly and orange cheeks now more multicolored than before. “It is indeed.” He turned and stood on the tips of his rear legs as he wiped away some of the flour and cream from Nica’s face, only to notice a few bruises. There also seemed to be a few on her belly which he mistook for dirt. “You’re hurt… what happened?”

“I just had a very intense morning exercise, that’s all,” Nica said and shook her forepaw dismissively. “Don’t worry about me. Let’s just eat and relax, alright?”

“Sure,” Pikachu said with a warm smile before jumping towards a nearby sunbed. Spike and Gliscor already perched on their own sunbeds, their posture relaxed, their hands and claws supporting the back of their heads, their legs crossed. A drink with a straw was present next to their perch.

The sunbeds themselves were positioned in a circle around a fountain.

Pikachu’s attention shifted to Nica who approached with two trays. One covered tray was balanced on her tail while the other tray with drinks was held in her paws.

“Fresh water, lemonade, apple juice, grape juice, which one strikes your fancy?” Nica asked as she now balanced the tray on the bronze tip of her forepaw.

Pikachu looked between four different glasses. Transparent clear, yellow, violet and red/bronze. He picked up a glass with yellow liquid. It matched the color of his fur after all.

Nica placed the tray on the sunbed not far from him and next displayed another tray balanced on her tail. She took away the round metallic cover. “Two apples, vegetable salad and a strawberry cake. Enough for the both of us.” She placed the tray with food and two plates next to the drinks before sitting on the sunbed as well.

Pikachu licked his lips, perched on one side of the sunbed. Nica sat on the other side with food in between them and rays of the sun from the east. He picked up one of two forks in the salad and ate, one bite at a time, drinking bits of lemonade in between. His guardian ate the salad as well while drinking fresh water instead. I must admit, the atmosphere of this breakfast is really nice.

With the salad mostly eaten, Pikachu pointed at the dessert, deciding to leave the apple for later.

“Sure,” Nica said as she carefully cut the cake with the help of her tail and next placed the bigger half on a plate in front of him.

Pikachu looked at the cake slice and next at the taller pokemon. “Ummm… question.”

“Yes?”

“Why did you give me the bigger slice rather than take it for yourself?”

Nica chuckled. “Isn’t that obvious? A great hero like you deserves the best of the best. In this case, the bigger cake slice.”

Pikachu smiled awkwardly. “Yes… I appreciate the gesture…” He pointed at Nica’s wide belly. “The thing is, you’re like four times heavier than me. N-not that I'm calling you fat… but as a bigger pokemon, you need to eat more than me.”

Nica rubbed the back of her neck and displayed a toothy smile. “Good point, I got carried away.” She swapped the plates as each pokemon grabbed a cake-slice sufficient for their size, biting and chewing it simultaneously. Both licked the cream with a long-lasting ‘mmmm’ while massaging their bellies.

“You are both so different and similar at the same time. It’s really charming.”

Pikachu looked at the newcomer, who looked identical to the mare in the picture in Nica’s room.. “Staralight?”

“It’s Starlight, not Staralight.” The unicorn looked at Nica. “So this is your pre-evolution. Looks neat, but I prefer the way you look way more.”

“Not you too.” Nica grabbed her ears with her forepaws and pulled them down while lowering her head. “Why does everyone keeps comparing us?”

“Because it’s fun,” Starlight said with a smug face.

Pikachu chuckled at his fan’s reaction. So what if more ponies seemed to prefer his evolution in terms of looks? As long as it was about this particular Raichu, he didn’t mind.

Starlight approached, now giving Pikachu a judgemental stare. “I must say, when Nica told me that a pokemon from her world she idolizes and views as a hero arrived here, I expected someone way more impressive.” She looked at Nica. “But I learned from my friend here that the size of a pokemon is very misleading." She looked back at him. "In order to accomplish great deeds alongside your trainer you must possess great skills and power despite your miniscule appearance.”

“You bet I do,” Pikachu said as he puffed his chest and held a clenched paw in front of his head.

Starlight looked to the side and grinned, then looked back at him from the corner of her eye. “Sooo… I’m sure a powerful hero like you would have nothing against having a duel of epic proportions against me. Am I right?”

“Sounds great, count me in!” Pikachu shouted in an excited tone. “I hope you’ll prove to be a challenge. Rainbow Dash didn’t last long due to her being hurt and tired from her practice against Scizor.”

“Oh trust me, I have way more raw power than her and know how to fight.”

Nica crossed her arms. “Is this all about my refusal to train with you?”

“Nooo… of course not…” Starlight said as Nica raised her eyebrow. “Okay, fine. I know you told me that I’m too powerful and battle-experienced when compared to Twilight, but after you kept training her in self-defense, she started beating me in magical duels.” She stomped. “I wanted to fight a pokemon and I’m going to fight one.”

Pikachu stood up, only to be gently pushed to a lying position by Nica while an apple was placed between his forepaws.

“There will be a time for combat soon, but for now, just relax and enjoy yourself.” Nica looked at the sky with a dreamy smile. “I planned the whole day. It will be the best… day… ever.”

Pikachu nodded and relaxed himself, now biting an apple held in one paw while using his other paw as a support for his head. His number one fan promised to make this day his best and she was already doing a mighty fine job at it. A battle against Starlight seemed like a perfect opportunity to impress her in turn. He was her hero after all and he needed to prove deserving of such respect.

Ch.3 - The Best Day Ever Pt.2

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Summoning of Chu

Chapter 3
-
The Best Day Ever, Part 2

Leap to the left, leap to the right, Pikachu ran towards Starlight while evading her beams of magic. His body was covered in bruises, and so was Starlight’s. His opponent raised a protective barrier, yet he wasn’t going to let it stop him.

Repeating his name, he used ‘Electro Ball’ as a small orb of electricity grew in size and circled around his short tail. With a solid jump and quick spin, he smashed his orb against the barrier, causing a large explosion while creating a bright spectacle. The barrier shattered under the bursting power of his attack.

“That… was… a strong… hit…” Starlight said between her breaths as her legs trembled while the blue aura around her horn shrank in size. “You hit… way harder than Nica.”

Pikachu raised his head in pride and then looked at his fan, who cheered for them from sideline. I must admit, seeing her jump from one rear leg to another and shake her forepaws like a cheerleader is hearthwarming, especially her cheerful toothy smile. He kept looking at his fan with a growing feeling of satisfaction. While there were other pokemon who cheered for him in the past, there was something appealing in his own evolution admiring his skills and achievements. Impressing his Raichu fan filled him with pride.

He looked away from Nica to look at his surroundings. The area of their battle was covered by holes with two large cliffs on both sides and a hole in a mountain, as if many powerful beings unleashed their power in a glorious battle for the fate of the world.

Starlight raised her head arrogantly. “You may hit way harder, but I’ll let you in on a little something.” She taunted with her forehoof.

Pikachu clenched his forepaws before summoning a powerful ‘Thunderbolt,' only for Starlight to vanish in a flash of teleportation. Before he could stop using his powerful attack, he felt extreme pressure press him into the ground. His face now sank into the dirt. With his ears being the only part of his body not trapped in between dirt, he heard a whisper in his ear.

“Here’s the secret. You may be powerful, but your fan proved to me many times that there’s way more to one’s combat strength than just raw power. If you’re trying to impress, you need to do more than that.”

Pikachu felt the pressure on his body increase in strength, as if his weight grew by three tons each second and stopping at fifty. Every bone and muscle in his body ached in pain. He grit his teeth, summoning a ‘Thunderbolt’ as he broke free from Starlight’s magic. The deep hole he was stuck in looking more like a crater.

Feeling as light as a feather while also stuck in cold clinging soil, Pikachu pulled his forepaws from the dirt and heaved them against it. His paws trembled. After a few seconds of struggle he freed the rest of his bruised and battered body. With a simple jump, he got out and landed on the stone, only to leap to the side in time to avoid an attack from the air. Great, just great. It seems levitation is a common ability among those ponies.

He evaded another attack before answering with a ‘Thunderbolt,' only for Starlight to teleport again. He charged power into his tail. As his ears perked, he swung his metallic tail, reflecting a beam of magic to the side. He charged more electricity, leaped backward and swung his tail, attacking with ‘Electro Ball’ before reflecting two more beams with his tail.

Nica tilted her head to the side, not even blinking as a beam of magic passed millimeters next to her ear. Her own tail started shining in metallic grey a moment later.

Pikachu frowned. At least with Rainbow Dash, he could see where she was going to evade, while Stralight’s teleporting was something he didn’t fight against for a long time. I swear there was a strategy I could use against a teleporting target… but what was it? He narrowed his eyes from the intense thinking, yet nothing came to his mind. Ash usually kept track of such things. I wish he was here. With a big jump, he flew towards Starlight while spinning in mid-air, swinging ‘Iron Tail’ against the unicorn, who teleported out of the way as his tail created a massive crater, causing the rocky surface to crack while numerous stones shot up from the ground.

With his tail now stuck, Pikachu braced himself, yet the beam of magic never came. Opening one eye, he noticed Nica’s ‘Iron Tail’ raised protectively over his face.

“Sorry for interrupting, but I think you both have had enough fighting for now,” Nica said as she placed bronze edges of her forepaws on his hips and pulled, freeing him and his tail.

“B-but… we still didn’t determine the winner,” Starlight said as she wiped sweat from her forehead with her trembling hoof.

“Maybe, but I sensed that both of you stopped enjoying this fight. It was supposed to be fun. It’s not a competition.” Nica turned around.

Pikachu looked at Nica, nodding in agreement. While he had a lot of fun, his enjoyment turned into annoyance. Being unable to deal with a teleporting target right after hearing Starlight’s tease somewhat ruined the mod. However… there was something else. Not only were his attempts to impress Nica somewhat ruined, Starlight’s words were still lingering in his mind. You may be powerful, but your fan proved to me many times that there’s way more to a battle than just raw power.

“Let’s give you both a bath,” Nica said before giving Pikachu a cheerful smile. “With the help of soap, a sponge, my paws and my tail, I’ll get your fur presentable in no time.”

Pikachu returned the smile. What was he thinking again?

“Pikachu, here comes the ball,” Fluttershy said calmly as she spun and pushed a red rounded shining ball with the help of her tail.

Pikachu slammed the magically enhanced ball with his ‘Iron Tail,' sending it towards the levitated basket at great speed. According to the rules of buckball which were introduced to him, the unicorns were supposed to move baskets on the edge of the playfield to help their team score points, while pegasi from the opposite team were supposed to prevent that. In this case Starlight was doing her best to help him score points while Rainbow Dash was the defender. On the opposite side was Starmie levitating a basket with Fluttershy being the defender. The fact that Fluttershy was a much better player than Rainbow Dash was the last thing he expected, making him respect Fluttershy more than before.

“Nice hit!” Nica shouted as she leaped up and changed the course of the ball with the help of her tail, sending it flying up. Rainbow Dash flew towards it and kicked it at the basket on opposite team.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes. His attempts to show Nica his great skills at using his tail backfired as she was the one showing him who the tail-master was, proving herself to be a great attacker and defender with better reflexes.

Oh come on! How is she so fast? Wasn’t my evolution supposed to be slower? Until now I was always ahead in terms of speed and agility. He frowned, feeling his pride hurting. He was supposed to be her hero, so why couldn't he stand up to her expectations?

“Is something wrong?” Nica asked as she now bounced the ball on her tail. “Is the game boring you?”

“N-no, of course not,” Pikachu said with a shake of his head. The game itself proved very interesting and enjoyable despite him losing ten to eight. What bugged him however was the fact that Fluttershy seemed to be a better player than Rainbow Dash while Starlight held her ground against Starmie, yet they were still losing. It was him who couldn’t keep up with his evolution and held his team back.

Nica’s ears drooped.

Pikachu took a step back. “L-let’s keep playing.” He forced a smile before the game resumed, lasting for half an hour.

With Nica’s team celebrating their victory, Pikachu felt a forehoof of Fluttershy on his shoulder. It now became clear that in the end, both Fluttershy and Nica simply enjoyed the game and proved themselves great at it, while he and Rainbow Dash were the ones fixated on the victory.

“Are ya sure ya want to give it a try?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Trust me, it won’t work,” Nica warned.

Pikachu looked back and up at the massive towering tree filled with juicy apples, feeling miniscule in comparison. One apple alone being a few times bigger than his rear foot and the tree being waaaay wider than his belly. Mimicking Applejack’s technique, he raised his rear legs while balancing himself on his forepaws. He took a deep breath, gathered all the strength he could muster before kicking the tree, only for his body to tremble. He lost his balance and lay flat on the grass.

“Sorry to say it, sugarcube, but yer legs are too tiny for it to work,” Applejack said before rubbing the top of Raichu’s head. “Nica tried to do the same, got only a few apples for her trouble.”

Pikachu sat up and looked at his aching feet. They did have a point. While his legs provided him with great jumping and speed, his rear feet were still extremely tiny. Trying to kick a tree, not the best idea.

“There’s a way better way, watch,” Nica said as she charged bits of her power into her tail and slapped the tree with it, not too strong, not too light. A rain of apples followed. Applejack and Rainbow Dash intercepted the falling apples, catching them into the baskets.

Apple Bloom balanced a basket on her head. “Give it a try! The faster we get the chores done, the faster we can play.”

Pikachu nodded before taking Nica’s example, sending a calculated portion of power into his tail before jumping and swinging at the wooden surface. A rain of apples followed. His smile didn’t last long as he was greeted with Applejack’s angered glare.

“Try to hit a bit lighter, ya damaged the tree a bit.”

Pikachu bit his bottom lip upon seeing a hole in the tree, and next rubbed the back of his neck, giving the farm pony an apologetic smile. “S-sorry.”

The farm activity followed as Pikachu took a closer look at Nica’s technique, which involved hitting the tree with the side of her tail rather than with sharp part. Soon it turned into a race as he tried to get apples to fall into the baskets as fast as possible, trying to impress his fan, only for Nica to hit two trees for each of his.

After doing chores and playing at the farm, Pikachu, Nica, Starlight and Pinkie Pie found themselves exploring a small on-going festival.

A test of strength? Starlight left with an annoyed frown as levitation wasn’t allowed. Nica and Pikachu took turns to hit the enhanced metal with their ‘Iron Tail’ as the stand-owner kept replacing the weight with heavier and heavier ones.

Putting too much power into his attack, Pikachu crushed the enhanced metal while shooting two tons of lead into the sky, making Nica intercept the lead weight from landing on somepony's head, as well as making her pay some bits from her own bag for repairs.

After apologizing to the stand-owner, Pikachu approached Nica, yet didn't get the chance to apologize as his fan reassured him that it wasn't a big deal, nothing to be concerned about. He was supposed to enjoy himself after all rather than be bothered by such a little accident.

After filling their bellies with cotton candy, Nica, Pikachu and Pinkie Pie threw water balloons at the moving target, yet another competition where Nica proved superior, hitting the targets faster with swings of her longer tail.

Pikachu frowned, walking away from the group and looking at the sky in annoyance. What is wrong with you, Pikachu!? You were suppose to show Nica what her hero is capable of, yet she's the one surpassing you at every turn. Speed, skills, aim, you're being beaten at your own game, he yelled at himself mentally. Until now speed and skills were always his domain, something he was superior to most of his opponents in. He was supposed to earn Nica's admiration by displaying his greatest strengths, only for his fan to do it instead.

Oh, such embarrassment! He closed his eyes, clenched his forepaws, stomped with his little foot and frowned. Nica kept showing her admiration and respect towards me for the whole day while all the activities she came up with were great and exciting. I have so much fun being in her company. The fact that I can’t impress her is so frustrating. If this keeps up, she’ll think I’m not a hero but a failure.

“Ummm… hello, Nica.”

The group’s attention focused on a small pink filly with a hedgehog as a cutie mark.

“Lily!” Nica shouted as she hugged the filly, who returned the gesture by squeezing her belly.

Pikachu ran towards the ground and asked, “A friend of yours?” only for his attention to focus on a massive fat pokemon. Hariyama.

<Captain Nica?> Hariyama said as he stepped forward. The earth trembled under each of his massive steps.

“A member of Astra’s team?” Pikachu asked.

“Emily’s team actually, she named him Commando,” Nica said, receiving a confused look from the Pikachu. “I know, not really a suitable name, but what can you do? She just loves naming her pokemon, often using military themes for inspiration.”

“His name’s Commando?” the filly asked, receiving a nod. “Alright, Commando it is.”

Pikachu looked between the young filly and the massive pokemon. “Are you… taking care of him?”

“I am. He’s really nice, helpful at home, and he’s tough enough to play with me, though he do struggle to enter our house,” Lily said before taking a closer look. “Who are you?”

“I’m a Pikachu.”

“He’s also my pre-evolution,” Nica added. “And he’s my idol who alongside his trainer faced great dangers and has done many heroic deeds.” She held her forepaws on her cheeks and added, “I still can’t believe I have the honor of meeting and taking care of the very pokemon I admired all this time. Truly a dream come true.”

Pikachu blushed. Even after all his failures to impress, she still held him in high regard.

Lily approached, her muzzle touching his nose. “You’re Nica’s hero? Are you tough?”

“I am…” Pikachu said.

Nica bit her bottom lip. “Now listen… you need to know something. Lily Longsock is very strong for her size. Her hugs can makes Pinkie’s hugs look weak and gentle in comparison.”

“Nica endured my strength, if you’re her hero, so should you.”

Pikachu narrowed his eyes and nodded. He was tough, he could endure strong crushing grip. “Whatever strength you have, I can endure.”

Lily displayed a grin, grabbing Pikachu into a tight embrace.

Pikachu grit his teeth, immediately regretting his decision. His eyes became wide as he felt the forelegs sink into his body while crushing his bones. A look of pity and worry from Nica being the last he saw before his eyes closed shut as he endured the growing pain. After several seconds, a loud “chuuuuu…” escaped his mouth as bolts of electricity started appearing on dots on his cheeks.

“Release him, please!” Nica shouted before grabbing Pikachu with her tail and wrapping him into her embrace. An weak explosion of electricity followed as it was suppressed by her.

Pikachu struggled to get air into his lungs as a memory of Serperior crushing him with wrap for several minutes flashed in his mind.

“Are you alright?”

Pikachu opened his eyes as drops of sweat feel down his face. He found himself held by the bronze edges of Nica’s paws as she kept looking at him in worry. A few burns were present on her spotless fur.

“Did I… hurt you?” Pikachu asked.

“I noticed that you were about to unleash electricity, so I asked Lily to release you and shielded her and other ponies from it. But don’t worry about me, how are you feeling?” Nica asked.

“C-crushed a bit, but I have had worse.” With a gentle movement of his paws, he pushed Nica’s paws away and freed himself, now standing on the ground. Several eyes of bypassing ponies focused on him for a moment before the crowd returned to their own business.

He massaged his belly and then stretched his limbs. It didn't take long before noticing disappointed eyes of the strong filly staring at him. “Y-yes?”

“Nica’s way tougher,” Lily said with a firm nod. “She lasted much longer than you did.”

Pikachu’s ears drooped. Yet another failure. Upon feeling a forepaw on his shoulder, he looked at Nica’s apologetic face.

“I’m sorry for Lily. She’s so afraid to use her strength in order not to hurt anyone, that the opportunity to use it is exciting for her.” She pointed at another stand behind a line of ponies. “How about we eat some ice-cream. I still have plenty of bits to spare.”

Pikachu nodded and smiled. While his pride got hurt a bit, all the exciting activities were very enjoyable. He got to play in various games, fight against a powerful unicorn, had a pleasant bath while feeling Nica’s paws giving him a massage. Playing with the Apple family at the farm and festival activities were cherry on the cake.

What’s more, Nica’s enthusiasm and personality shone as not only had she enjoyed every moment they spend together, but seemed determined to make him happy whenever possible. Every hour in her company made him like her more and more.

More events followed as Nica, Pinkie Pie and Pikachu balanced themselves on one limb.

Pinkie Pie balanced one plate on her tail and one plate on each of her free hooves.

Nica balanced one plate on her tail and one plate on each of her straightened forepaws.

Pikachu did the same form an upside down position with drops of sweat falling up his face. Due to the tiny size of his rear feet, he balanced one plate with them instead of two.

The difficulty increased as Pinkie and Nica started using their tails to push and catch plates up and down. They switched the limbs they stood on while pushing plate up before catching it with the other one.

Despite his skills at using his tail, his other limbs proved too weak to keep up with the competition, losing his balance half a minute after Pinkie, leaving Nica as the winner.

With the sun descending behind the horizon, Nica introduced Lycanroc and Pikachu to Maud Pie, who didn’t take more than a few minutes before begging the rock-type pokemon to stay under her care. It quickly turned out that the tough earth pony was more than capable of calming down Lycanroc’s rage, though with somewhat violent means. She lectured the rock-type pokemon afterwards.

Nica and Pikachu decided to leave the duo, letting Lycanroc decide if he’ll stay at the farm or in the secret cave with Maud Pie.

Pikachu and Nica lay on their respective sunbeds with drinks and an apple by their side. Instead of the sunrise, they watched the sunset as the sky turned bronze while a weak wind flapped their ears.

“I must say… Maud Pie is the most stoic pony I have seen thus far. She seemed… like she was bored of life,” Pikachu pointed out as he looked at Nica from his comfortable spot.

Nica chuckled, which turned into a loud laughter.

“What’s so funny?”

“If you could sense the auras of others, you would know how wrong you are. The cheerfulness I sensed when she met your friend was insane. She even showed a weak smile, truly a rare sight to behold,” Nica commented.

“Oh… right… I forgot you could do that.” Pikachu looked at the fountain while grabbing a glass of water with his paws, taking a refreshing gulp. After wiping his wet lips, he looked at Nica and said, “I must admit, ponies have potential to be powerful. Starlight’s magic was extremely strong, Lily’s hugging strength was extreme, and the way Maud punched Lycanroc... I thought she was a fighting type using ‘Rock Smash’ or ‘Brick Break.'”

“Yes, ponies are amazing indeed. Their power and creativity is incredible and their magic is so rich in possibilities,” Nica answered before sitting up and giving him a curious look. “Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Of course you can,” Pikachu said with a wide smile. Thus far his guardian did so much for him. If he could do something to return the favor, he was in.

Nica sat at the edge of the sunbet and held her forepaws together. “Can you… can you tell me about your adventures in detail?” She held one forepaw over her blushing cheeks. “Until now I heard about you and your trainer’s achievements from rumors. I… I would love it if you could tell about your most exciting adventures.”

“Sure, but only if you tell me about yours. I know you admire what I did, but I know very little about you,” Pikachu said, receiving an energetic nod in return.

“Deal!” She tapped her forepaws in excitement while her tail flapped left and right. “Oh… there’s so much I can share with you. It will be amazing!”

Pikachu giggled at Nica’s enthusiasm. How could he not feel invigorated with a fan like that?

“...and after I unleashed the newest Z-move against the Ultra Beast, we saved Lusamine from the Ultra Space. Don’t ask me how we learned how to perform this new Z-move so quickly because I still have no idea.”

Nica squealed in excitement as her eyes sparkled with pure admiration, her very look making Rainbow Dash’s admiring rush towards the Wonderbolts pale in comparison.

Pikachu giggled, finding his guardian’s expressions to be adorably over the top. While telling her about his adventures, he studied her reactions, seeing happiness, excitement, shock, fear. Nica stared back at him with pure terror whenever he mentioned a life-threatening situation, only to cheer loudly at the part where he and his trainer found a way to escape the danger. He did soften his story a little whenever speaking about his most dangerous moments, afraid they would leave a scar on Nica’s sensitive heart.

He looked up at the bright stars in the cloudless sky, admiring this truly magnificent spectacle once more. Not that he didn’t witness such a view back in his own world, but doing so on the top of this castle in nice company improved the atmosphere. Watching them alongside Nica felt as if watching them together with his trainer. Nica’s enthusiasm, endless energy and determination to help me reminds me of Ash. They both have something in common.

“Still… as amazing your adventures were, something has been bothering me.”

“Yes, what was it?”

Nica took a deep breath before asking, “I was wondering why you haven’t evolved into Raichu yet?”

Pikachu’s eyes shot wide open at the sudden question.

“I mean… you have been traveling with your trainer for more than three years and faced numerous dangers. You gained skills and experience but your opponents became stronger and stronger. Didn’t you consider that you’re ready to evolve to better support your team and keep up with the opposition?” Nica waited for Pikachu to sit up before asking, “You’re planning to evolve in the near future… right?”

Pikachu sighed and his ears drooped. I hoped she wouldn’t raise this topic. I have a bad feeling about this. Upon seeing the eyes of his guardian filled with curiosity, he said, “I will be honest, I am not planning to evolve... ever.”

Ch.3 - The Best Day Ever, Pt.3 - Alternative Version

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 3
-
The Best Day Ever, Part 3

Nica squealed in excitement as her eyes sparkled with pure admiration, her very look making Rainbow Dash’s admiring rush towards the Wonderbolts pale in comparison.

“Still… as amazing your adventures were, something has been bothering me.”

“Yes, what was it?”

Nica took a deep breath before asking, “I was wondering why you haven’t evolved into Raichu yet?”

Pikachu’s eyes shot wide open at the sudden question.

“You won’t? But why?” Nica asked, her tone of voice now filled with worry.

“Because I’m strong and skilled. I don’t need to evolve to win battles,” Pikachu explained.

“Exactly, which is why you should evolve,” Nica said with returning enthusiasm.

“Huh?” Pikachu tilted his head to the side. “But I told you I can win fights just fine as a Pikachu.”

“And that’s exactly the reason why you should evolve into Raichu,” Nica said.

Pikachu rubbed the back of his head while staring back in confusion. “I don’t understand what you’re saying. While being a Pikachu, I defeated legendary pokemon like Regice, mega-evolved pokemon like Mega Lucario, and not long ago I defeated Metagross and Tyranitar in a row. I can handle myself just fine without becoming a Raichu.”

“And that’s precisely why you deserve to become stronger.” Nica raised her forepaw in a lecturing gesture. “Think about it. You can defeat powerful opponents while in a weaker body, which is why you deserve to evolve more than anyone else. You would become a wonderful and powerful Raichu because you didn’t evolve for the sake of power.”

“What?”

Nica chuckled. “Tell me, do you train and fight hard as a Pikachu to keep up with pokemon so much more powerful than you?”

“I do, but what does it have to do with anything?” Pikachu asked.

“If you evolved into Raichu, would you train less? Would you not fight as hard as before just because you gained greater power? Would you abandon your skills or start underestimating your opponents?”

“What? Of course not!” He leaped from the sunbed and stomped. “I would fight and train just as hard. Being stronger is not an excuse to slack off.”

“See, this is what I mean. Because you can win hard battles and don’t need to evolve for the sake of power, it makes you the perfect candidate for an amazing Raichu. You’re not blinded by strength so you’ll be able to make a great use of it,” Nica explained before pointing at herself. “My trainer always told me, the greater the power, the greater the responsibility, and becoming more powerful is worthless if one don’t have skills to back it up.”

Nica took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone, “Those Pikachu who evolve into Raichu because they’re afraid to face stronger opponents don’t deserve evolution because they use it to make the challenges easier.” She pointed at him with pride in her voice. “You faced great dangers and powerful pokemon while being a Pikachu and you have more than three years of experience. I know no pokemon more deserving of evolution than you and I know you would put the power of a Raichu to a greater use.”

Pikachu climbed up onto the sunbed and started staring at the stars, suddenly out of words.

“What’s wrong?”

He took a deep breath and looked at Nica. “It’s not about power and winning battles. I’m fighting for the honor of all Pikachu, showing that we don’t need to evolve to become strong.”

Nica’s ears drooped. “B-but… didn’t you prove it over and over already? You’re a great hero, you made your point, and in a sense you’re fighting for the honor of Pikachu against your own evolution line. It’s no different than a Pichu trying to fight for honor of all youth against you.”

Pikachu lowered his head and tapped his forepaws together. “I… I’m fine the way I am now. I don’t want to change. I don’t want to become someone else.”

“Change? Someone else? Are you afraid that evolving will affect your personality?” Nica asked before shaking her forepaw dismissively. “I know that evolution affects us in some way, but trust me, evolution into Raichu isn’t all that impactful.” She patted her chest. “I’m who I choose to be, no matter if I’m a Pichu, Pikachu or Raichu.” She smiled warmly, approached his sunbed and stood on tips of her rear paws. Stretching her forepaw, she and patted him on the shoulder. “If this is what you’re afraid of, don’t be, I’m certain your personality won’t change if you’re determined enough.”

Pikachu chuckled mirthlessly. “You’ve been following Ash and I for a while, right? Surely you know that while we’ve had our bright moments and great victories, we’ve had plenty of failure too.”

Nica blushed, rubbing the back of her head. “W-well… yeah, I do. Each of your league championships for an example. B-but if you would evolve and become stronger than you wouldn’t have that issue!”

“If I need to become a Raichu to win, then it’s more of a hollow victory,” Pikachu replied, looking out at the starry night.

“Hollow?”

“If I can’t do something as a Pikachu, then why change to a Raichu? Why do I need to change in order to get stronger? Why can’t I become a Pikachu that outclasses any other and goes beyond what a Raichu could do?”

“Everyone has their limits and training can only go so far. Eventually you’ll hit the edge of your abilities as a Pikachu. Even before then, there will be challenges far too tough, no matter how hard you train,” Nica explained. “Evolution is what pokemon use to keep up with each other and surpass their limits, and unlike unnatural mega-evolutions, it is part of who we are, part of our potential. Evolving is our choice, true, but you’re denying yourself something you deserve and could make a great use of, you’re denying yourself your true potential.”

Pikachu grit his teeth, clenching his paws tightly. She has a point. That is what evolution is for. It’s helped many, many of my teammates do things they never could, but... He turned to look at Nica with eyes of determination. “That has some merit, but I want to prove it wrong.”

Nica blinked, pulling back in shock. “E-excuse me?”

“I want to be the best of the best as I am now. I’ll surpass any Raichu, any Pikachu, or Pichu. I’ll face the greatest obstacles time and time again until I surpass it. And if I hit my limit, I’ll surpass it too! I’ll go beyond what Pikachu are capable and reach a new level of strength!” he declared with high-raised fist and a confident smile.

“B-b-but why?!” Nica exclaimed, finding what her hero to be saying absolutely crazy. Evolution was what all pokémon strived for, and was something hard working heroes like him deserved the most. But why not him? Why couldn’t this Pikachu see what was clearly something he had long-overdue earned?

Then it clicked.

Nica’s eyes widened as a possibility crossed her mind. She swallowed, building up the courage to speak again.

“When you told me about your adventures, you focused mostly on important events, so I would like to ask about something...”

“Y-yes?” Pikachu asked, hoping it would shift the direction of this conversation.

“You became Ash’s pokemon in Kanto, correct?” Nica asked, receiving a nod of confirmation. “Was the Raichu that belonged to Lt. Surge the first Raichu you ever met?”

“Yes, it was first time I learned about my evolution and saw a Raichu in action, what about it?” Pikachu asked.

Nica gulped and tapped her forepaws. “Now… I’m just guessing. Did this Raichu happen to challenge or hurt your pride, bully you in battle and hurt you badly in combat?”

Pikachu nodded. “How did you know? Oh, I get it, you faced him as well.” He rubbed his forearm nervously. “It was a tough battle. I fought the best I could, only to end up in the Pokemon Center in a critical condition. This was the first time I was given an option to evolve and I refused.”

“Critical condition… oh…” Nica turned around and lowered her head.

“H-hey… what’s wrong?”

“After defeating this Raichu, did you gain a powerful motivation to train hard and fight to the best of your abilities, a motivation that helped you become who you are now? And have you been seeing other Raichu as rivals and challenge them ever since?”

"Yes, in a sense. Ever since I fought Surge's Raichu, I gained a goal and worked very hard to accomplish it. If not for that fight, I wouldn't be as strong as skilled as I am now. He did me a big favor in a sense."

Nica nodded, listening with full attention. So that day instead of evolving physically, he evolved mentally. Motivation is incredibly important for every pokemon to become strong, and his helped him became as strong as a Raichu. Her ears drooped. At the price of being stuck in a weaker body that holds his amazing talent and determination back. He must have lost many fights despite being more skilled and pushing himself harder than his opponents. Such a sad irony.

Pikachu looked at the sky and rubbed his chin. “As for seeing Raichu as rivals, there was that one Raichu I was about to fight, but we were dragged into making a movie instead. I also faced another Raichu while visiting a vacation spot for pokemon. Oh, and there was a trainer named Shu… or was it Sho, Soe… I can’t remember the name. He had a very strong and big Raichu.” He held his forepaw above Nica’s head from his spot on the sunbed. “He was taller than you.”

“And… what happened?” Nica asked. "Did you win? Or did he beat you? Were you badly injured?" Her tone of voice filled with more panic and worry with each word.

Pikachu looked to the side, staring at the fountain in silence.

Nica ran around the sunbed, facing him face to face. “Did he injure you?” She held her forepaws together in a pleading gesture. “Please, I have to know!”

“Our fight… ended up with him hitting me with a ‘Hyper Beam’... from a point blank range… in the face.” Pikachu sighed. “I nearly died that day.”

Nica lost her balance, now sitting while staring at Pikachu with a pale face.

“B-but… everything turned out alright,” Pikachu said in haste as he waved his paws in panic. “I recovered, trained the use of my tail for a bit and defeated him during our rematch. It was a hard-earned victory.” He laughed nervously, yet Nica didn’t seem to be smiling in the least.

“Any… any other Raichu who challenged you?” Nica asked with a squeaky voice and trembling forepaws.

“Well… aside from fighting a double battle against a rival who taught his Raichu and Wartortle dancing moves, the only one I remember was a Raichu from Alola region. It was about a Pancake race. He bragged how he was unbeatable for years at the race so I challenged him. I tried to show that I can win despite not being able to levitate on my own tail,” Pikachu said before smiling sheepishly. “Now that I think about it, it was a bit immature of me to get provoked so easily. We ended up having a draw while someone else won the race, not my brightest moment.”

“I… see." She gulped. "Two traumatic experiences… and that jealousy… that explains…” Nica murmured to herself quietly.

Pikachu rubbed the back of his head. “M-maybe we should talk about something else.I do wa-”

“I need to ask something first,” Nica quickly interrupted, her brain on overdrive after just hearing what she did.

Pikachu flinched from her sudden question, pulling back a bit. “O-ok?”

“Didn’t you consider that you would be able to protect Ash and his friends better as a Raichu and help him realize his goals?” She continued in a calmer, serious tone, “There’s always a risk that after evolving, a pokemon wouldn’t have enough skills to make the best use of their greater power, or they would become lazier as everything would no longer be as challenging as before, but I can tell that you’re a pokemon who won’t fall for those traps, so consider, is not evolving worth the risk? Is it worth limiting yourself when you and your friends face peril so many times?”

Nica’s ears dropped as she whispered in a squeaky tone, “I know… from personal experience…that we don't always get a second chance… and small different in power… may decide between life and death...” She could tell that the smaller pokemon didn’t heard her just now, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak louder about about worst day of her life, hoping her hero would never need to experience pain of lose just because his body wasn’t strong enough when it mattered the most.

Pikachu opened his mouth to reply, but his words failed him. He closed his tiny mouth as he began to think. Such a situation had never occurred to him previously, making him wonder why it hadn’t crossed his mind. His trainer had constantly run head first into danger for the sake of others. And everytime, he was right by Ash’s side, ready to fight.

But there was something else, something deep inside that spoke louder than his protective instincts. “If I can’t do it as a Pikachu, I don’t deserve to do it as a Raichu,” Pikachu whispered aloud before realizing something. Was his pride more important to him then safety of his trainer and friends. Was he selfish in what he just said a moment ago? No… it couldn’t be right...

Nica stared at him in stunned silence.

Awkwardly, Pikachu began to rub his paws together, his ears drooping slightly. He cleared his throat and decided that something needed to change. “W-well, enough about me. Wh-what about you, Nica?”

“…”

“Nica?” he repeated, tilting his head at her.

She shook her head, getting out of her stunned stupor. “S-sorry, did you ask something?”

“Y-yeah, I wanted to know about your adventures.” He added with a forced smile after the talk they just had. “I’m all ears.”

“My adventures? What are you talking about?” Nica asked as she took a few slow steps backward.

“About our deal of course. You promised to tell me about the challenges you and your trainer faced together. I’m really curious about your past.”

Nica’s pupils started looking in random directions. “I… I don’t remember promising anything.”

“But… you did. Come on, don’t be shy,” Pikachu encouraged, taking a step forward, which resulted in Nica taking a step backward.

“I’m sure you don’t want to know anything about my past. We didn’t do anything special anyway,” Nica said with a sheepish smile while holding her forepaws behind her back. “Y-yes… nothing interesting about my past.”

Pikachu narrowed his eyes. “What about your time in Equestria? Ponies call you a hero after all.”

“They’re exaggerating. I did very little.” She held forepaw on her chest. “I’m just a regular weak Raichu, nothing special about me.” She turned around and approached the edge of the roof. “I… will be going now… bye…” She jumped down.

Pikachu kept looking ahead for a moment before returning to his sunbed and plopping onto his back, now staring at the stars with a sense of guilt. Well… that went poorly. This was such a wonderful day from morning to night, only to end like this.

From his interaction with his guardian he learned that Nica was very kind, energetic, cheerful and very determined in helping him wherever she could, but at the same time she was very sensitive. A simple praise being enough to make her blush in embarrassment, a small glance of envy being enough for her ears to drop and her warm smile to be replaced with a sad frown. It was obvious that Nica took everything to heart.

I shouldn't have mentioned that I almost died after the fight with Sho's Raichu. It must have really shocked her. he thought before sighing. I hope a good long rest will be enough for her to forget about it. I would hate if she remained sad because of me.

Ch.4 - Tests and Regrets Pt.1

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 4
-
Tests and Regrets Pt.1

Blinding rays of the rising sun on the horizon greeted Pikachu as he rubbed his eyes, and then pushed himself to a sitting position. Using one forepaw for support, he examined his surroundings.

A fountain, empty sunbeds, a view of the city on a mountain in the distance. Yes… he fell asleep under the open sky, now remembering yesterday’s events. To think… that such a wonderful and exciting day ended up on such a depressing note. He whimpered quietly. A small part of him feared that his competitiveness against his evolution would sooner or later get in the way, something he tried to avoid, yet he didn’t expect that sharing his past would be what would upset his guardian. I definitely shouldn’t have told her that I almost died in that one fight… she seems sensitive to those sort of things.

He quickly noticed a blanket with apple inscriptions decorating it. Half of it covered his left rear leg and his tail, while another half was hanging from the edge of his sunbed. Did Nica cover me with this blanket when I was sleeping? That’s very considerable of her. I probably pushed this blanket aside by accident.

Steam coming from a bowl of vegetable soup lying next to his sunbed caught his attention. He massaged his forepaws, feeling the chilly morning wind as it flapped his ears and tail. He stepped down from the sunbed carefully and grabbed a spoon before eating the soup, feeling pleasant warmth fill his chilly body. Was it Nica who left this soup for him in advance, hoping it wouldn’t get cold before he woke up, or maybe it was Spike who made it? He couldn’t tell.

As half of the soup was inside his belly, Pikachu looked at the empty sunbed before him… staring at it… one second, five seconds, ten seconds… staring in silence as his ears drooped. He lowered his head and sighed.

Walking through a maze of empty repetitive hallways while holding an empty bowl half-the-size of his body only deepened his feel of loneliness. Looking to the right he imagined Nica walking beside him while giving him a cheerful smile. Looking to the left and up, he imagined Ash walking with an excited smile, more than eager to explore this mysterious place, only to plop down and complain that this castle is actually boring.

Now that he thought about it, he stopped thinking about Ash ever since Nica agreed to become his guardian, and only thought about him during the fight against Starlight where his commands and strategy would have been quite helpful. He had to admit, she did a really good job in keeping him distracted and entertained. He felt happy in the company of this enthusiastic Raichu, and now when she wasn’t around, the loneliness struck with full force.

Too distracted by his imagination and not paying attention, he didn’t notice the stairs as his little foot failed to make a proper connection with the step. He tripped, yelping and throwing the plate ahead of him as he bounced against the stairs. With the help of his forepaws, he stopped his fall as his eyes focused on the falling plate. He bit his bottom lip and jumped, grabbing the plate in mid-air before crashing into the floor with his face, the plate raised and safe.

Using his head and rear feet, he stood up and examined the plate, not noticing any cracks. Huh… that was close. After finding the spoon further ahead, he continued walking. Letting my imagination run while walking towards the kitchen from the highest spot of the castle, certainly not my best idea. As he kept walking, his ears drooped and a sad whimper escaped his mouth. He missed his home, he missed Ash… and he actually missed the company of his guardian. Until now he always had someone to interact with and loneliness was unbearable.

After carefully walking down the stairs with the bowl balanced over his head, he opened the door into the kitchen and jumped towards the sink.

“Did you come for a snack?”

Pikachu looked towards the source of voice from the counter, seeing a stretching and yawning Spike entering the kitchen. The young drake scratched his backside and stared back with half-closed sleepy eyes. “No, I just came to return this bowl.” He massaged his belly. “I’m full.”

Spike chuckled. “Really… oh, so Nica made you… yawn… breakfast.” He rubbed his eyes. “She sure became an early bird ever since she recovered all of her memories.”

“Speaking of Nica, have you seen her?”

Spike shrugged. “I just woke up, so no, and I didn’t see her while getting here.” He pointed at a bowl with multi-colored objects. “Since you’re already there, mind handing me over my favorite snacks?”

Pikachu nodded before picking up the bowl, his forepaws trembled from the surprisingly heavy weight. With a quick leap down and tiring steps, he placed the heavy bowl next to the young drake, who took one of what looked like a gemstone into his mouth. A crunching noise followed.

After a moment of eating, Spike lay down on the floor, the side of his head supported on his hands.

Pikachu gasped. Did the young drake just eat a rock or something like that? Or was that just candy in such an odd shape? He picked up one gem as its weight seemed quite large. With a weak bite, he tested its durability, only for his entire body to shake as if static electricity went through it while his eyes opened widely. No, definitely not candy. He gave the sleeping Spike an odd look before leaving the kitchen, now exploring the castle. He already checked Nica's room on his way to the kitchen, which left him with a lot of ground to search over.

“Nica, Nica! Where are you?!” he shouted as his voice echoed through the hallway.

“Would you mind toning it down a little, I’m reading here.”

Pikachu looked at Ninetales who was lying on his belly with an open book before him on the floor. A pillar hid most of his body. Upon closer inspection, a silvery collar with red flames inscribed was present on his neck. One of its tail was surrounded by a silvery aura as pages of the book turned. A usage of an extremely weak ‘Psychic’ attack for this simple task.

Ninetales chuckled. “Isn’t magic fascinating? It not only allows the unicorns to use spells in greater diversity than our attack moves could ever allow, but they also let pegasi control the weather and earth ponies to improve the quantity of their farm-products. It’s also the main source of ponies strength and durability.” He gave him a calm smile. “Their magic is like a substitute to our power, similar, yet so different. While our power is more combat and survival orientated, their magic is more specialized for everyday tasks. No wonder Darkrai was so interested in combining the two. Should our power be enhanced by magic, it would reach a much greater level.”

“S-sure…” Pikachu said, not paying too much attention to the Ninetales’ lecture.

“So you’re more of an athlete with little interest for the mysteries of this world. Certainly something that the captain has an edge over you.” He shook his paw in a ‘go away’ gesture. “Now, shoo, shoo, leave me. I’m waiting for Starlight to wake up so we could have an intellectual discussion about the culture of the three tribes before they came together to form a nation under the alicorn’s rule. Not that someone with your curiosity and intelligence would be interested in such fascinating lore.”

Pikachu frowned. “And that’s the Ninetales I know, and here I was surprised by your sudden change of attitude.”

Ninetales raised his eyebrow. “Oh really?” He sat up and turned towards him. “Now, make no mistakes, I learned from Nica that you’re the partner of Ash Ketchum, the one that Astra admires so much. They may idolize you and your trainer for your achievements, but for me you are both just very lucky. You’re also responsible for the Captain’s low self-esteem.”

“What are you talking about?” Pikachu asked.

Ninetales looked to the side and sighed. “Better low self-esteem than jealousy, I suppose. Nica and Astra would give up everything to be in your place. If achievements and adventures could be traded, I’m certain both parties would be more than happy with the exchange.”

Pikachu rubbed his chin. Nica was his his fan, that was obvious, so she probably wanted to be part of the adventures he had, but why would any of this lead to her having a low self-esteem? Raising his head, he asked, “You said both parties would be happy with the exchange, what do you mean by that?”

Ninetales lay down and looked back at the book with mild-interest. “Last night the captain asked me for a favor, and in respect for that I shall remain silent.” He narrowed his eyes. “She seemed a bit panicked over this. You didn’t say something that upset her, did you?”

“N-no… of course not.”

“Good.” Ninetales closed the book and give him an angered glare. “I advise you to make sure it stays that way.”

Pikachu rounded the pokemon, maintaining two meters distance before being on his way. Interacting with this Ninetales certainly wasn't a cure for his loneliness.

His search continued with his mind being more conflicted than before. Did his story really upset Nica that much? But why? Sure, he told her that he didn’t want to evolve… though finding difficulty in justifying it due to the friendly Raichu having quite solid arguments. Nica didn’t seem upset yet, though. It was when she asked about the Raichu he faced, but why would that upset her? Sure, two of the challenges he faced nearly took his life, but just because Nica is a Raichu as well didn’t mean she should feel guilty about it.

He shrugged. If she needed some time to herself, he would let her. She was his guardian and a fan after all, he just needed to wait for her to be ready to talk again.

“Greetings, champion of justice,” Gliscor said as he swooped down from the ceiling before performing a polite bow. “Are you heading outside?”

Pikachu nodded. “Nica is nowhere to be found. I want to give her more time for herself, so I decided to visit Litten instead.”

“Understandable.” After opening the large double door, he landed in front Pikachu and lowered his wing to the floor. “Do you wish for me to provide you with transportation?”

“Thank you for the offer, but I will do fine on my own. Litten lives nearby and I memorized the way.” He stretched with a raised right rear leg and left forepaw. “A bit of running will do me good.”

“As you wish, safe trip.” He stepped to the side.

Pikachu walked outside and waved at the friendly pokemon before running towards Sugarcube Corner, occasionally giving a glance to bypassing ponies. Despite being in a different world, its residents didn’t seem to mind him.

The building which certainly wasn't made of candy came into his view.

With the sense of loneliness and homesickness returning, he sped up, opening the upper part of the door with a quick jump and handle-pull. Once inside, he jumped onto the counter and pressed the bell with his forepaw.

“Well, if it isn’t Pikachu. Early bird I see. Were you enjoying yesterday’s festival?” Pinkie asked as she bounced towards the counter, her face on level with his body.

“Yes, it was a lot of fun.”

Pinkie looked behind Pikachu, scanning the floor. “Where’s Nica? I thought you two were inseparable?”

“Well…” He rubbed the back of his neck while looking to the side. “After I told her about my adventures, she asked me why I didn’t evolve yet. Our discussion… probably… upset her a little.”

Pinkie gasped. “Upset?!”

“Well… maybe, maybe not, I’m not really sure. She wasn’t in her room and I couldn’t find her anywhere in the castle so I came to visit my friend. I hope she’ll be willing to talk later.”

“I see.” Pinkie moved her head closer, her muzzle now sinking into the fur on her belly. “Just remember to tell me if Nica is upset. The best way to cheer someone up is a party!”

Pikachu flinched, falling from the counter onto the floor by the strength of Pinkie’s voice alone.

“I’m the best party planner in all of Ponyville and I couldn’t stand knowing that my friend Nica is sad, so keep me updated.” Pinkie’s head sank behind the counter, vanishing from Pikachu’s sight.

“You’ll find Litten sleeping in my room, follow me,” Pinkie said.

Pikachu turned away from the counter, now finding Pinkie standing behind him with her forelegs but centimeters away. “H-how… Seriously, what’s up with your silent teleporting? Even Rowlet doesn’t move this quietly.” With a little giggle being the only response, he frowned and followed, finding his fire-pokemon friend lying curled in a basket next to a large puffy bed with balloons and candy decoration embroidered into the eiderdown.

He looked to the side and up, seeing a tall shelf for clothes, and a table with a lamp perched on it. On the other side of the bed was another table with a cute little mirror, and a few balloons seemed to be tied up to the bed.

“Wakey, wakey,” Pinkie said as she rubbed Litten’s soft fur.

Pikachu looked back at his friend, seeing a similar collar to the one Ninetales wore. It was smaller, but the color and design was identical.

“Wake up!”

Pikachu covered his ears form Pinkie’s shouting while Litten screeched and shot flames towards Pinkie.

The party mare looked at the flames on her mane and chuckled nervously. "I must say I'm on fire today, literally... be right back.” She dashed towards the bathroom as the noise of running water followed.

“Sorry,” Litten said apologetically before stepping from his basket, his attention now on him. “Hey Pikachu, visiting already?”

“I am.”

Litten approached and poked his side while maintaing a sassy smile. “What about your guardian? I have heard you both enjoyed each other's company…” he poked his side and winked, “if you know what I mean.”

Pikachu nodded. “Of course we did, we had a lot of fun. She planned so many interesting events for us, like a fight against Starlight, a game of buckball, a festival and so much more.”

Litten rolled his eyes. “So much for my joke.” He sat and said, “But seriously, I miss Ash a bit, and considering how close you both were, you no doubt miss him way, way more. How are you coping with it?”

He shook his head. “Not really. I mean, I know we’ll reunite eventually, and Nica was really good at keeping me entertained. Seeing her energetic and enthusiastic personality almost makes me feel as if I was with my beloved trainer, as weird as it sound.” He placed his forepaws on his sides. “You won’t believe it, but Nica and her trainer heard of the biggest adventures I and Ash had and she views me as a hero.”

“You’re right, I don’t believe you.”

Pikachu crossed his arms. “I’m not kidding. She got even more excited than before and started admiring me. I tried to impress her with my skills, to live up to her expectations…” He lowered his head and tapped his forepaws. “It could have gone better.”

Litten sat next to him and patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. She’s a Raichu so she has the advantage from the get go, so impressing her may be a bit harder than if she was unevolved.”

“It’s not about the power actually. I had difficulty keeping up with her speed and reflexes during the various games, yet she admired me anyway. It was our discussion that could have gone better.” He looked Litten in the eyes, who stared back in confusion. “She asked me to tell her about our top adventures, so I did, and she was happy. The problem started after she asked me why I didn’t evolve yet.”

“Oh… now I get it,” Litten said as he withdrew his paw.

“I tried to explain to her why I don’t want to evolve and she kept repeating how much I deserve it and what a great Raichu I would become. In the end she asked about the Raichu I defeated and... “ He took a deep breath. “When I mentioned that I nearly died after one such a fight, she seemed to take it hard.”

“I see.” Litten patted him on the back and gave an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry. I’m sure she’s just shocked after hearing that the hero she idolises almost died after a fight against a Raichu. She’ll get over it quickly. Give her time.”

Pikachu smiled and nodded. “You’re right.” He looked over the room and added, “Though I must admit that I started missing my trainer again." He raised forepaw up to his chest. "And he without a doubt must miss us a lot. He must be filled with panic and search every corner of the island for us. I know that there is nothing I can do about it and worrying will do me no good, but I can't stop. Without Nica around, it got really lonely. There's nothing to distract me."

“I get you. I started missing him too, but then that pink pony picked up on it and organized a ‘cheer up’ party for me and rest of the crew, and after that she organized a ‘you’re happy again’ party. It’s just impossible to get sad around her.” He massaged his belly. “Though she’s too generous with sweets, I need some non-sugar food as well.”

“Speaking of sweets, Nica really loves them, both eating and baking, but she made me vegetable salad and soup as well for diversity,” Pikachu said.

“Getting food from a nice lady as well, you’re lucky.” He stood up. “How about we exercise together and have a small fight afterwards. I’ll burn off some of that sugar.”

“Sounds good.”

Pinkie jumped into the room with Starlight Glimmer following her. “Twilight is organizing an experiment and she wants you both to participate. Sounds like fun!”

Both pokemon looked at Starlight, who stared down at them.

“I came to pick up Litten, but it’s good I found you too, Pikachu. Twilight really hoped for you to join,” Starlight said with a satisfied smile.

“What kind of experiment?” Pikachu asked.

“You’ll see. I’m sure it’s something you’ll enjoy.”

With a quick teleportation, Pikachu found himself in familiar surroundings with Litten by his side. It’s the same location where I fought against Starlight. His attention shifted to the training equipment scattered on the desolate ground. A large stack of heavy weights, each seemed to have ten kilograms written on it. There also seemed to be four treadmills and some large boxes with unknown cargo inside.

“Perfect, I’m so glad everypokemon’s here,” Twilight said with a cheerful flap of her wings.

Pikachu flinched as the alicorn appeared before him in a flash of teleportation.

Twilight lowered herself to his level. “I’m terribly sorry for delaying research on the spell that will send you home, but I guarantee that I’m making steady progress. I just can’t focus on it knowing that a chance to study pokemon is in hoof’s reach.”

Pikachu looked to the side and narrowed his eyes as the image of panicked Ash shouting his name flashed in his mind. Part of him wanted to yell at the princess to get back to work.

"Are you angry at me? N-not that I can blame you."

“N-no… I’m not.” Pikachu exhaled, taking a few seconds to calm down. He turned towards the alicorn, forcing a smile, and patted her on the muzzle. “An hour or two delay, no biggie.” In the end he could only depend on the scholar of this world to send him home, and no one can work without a break. If satisfying Twilight's curiosity is all he needed to do, he didn't mind.

“Thank you. I think I would go crazy if I passed on such a golden opportunity.” Twilight nuzzled him for a moment before teleporting back to the training equipment, gesturing at it. “In the past I only got the opportunity to test Nica’s skills and strength, back when she didn’t remember how to use any of her attacks.” She clapped her forehooves together as her wings flapped with rhythm. “Now with two of the same pokemon on a different level of their evolution, and with two fire pokemon with different sizes, I can make a comparison and gather better data. I’m sooo excited!”

“Two different evolutions?” Pikachu asked before smiling. “Do you mean Nica’s here too?”

Twilight nodded before levitating a large box to the side, revealing the pokemon hiding behind.

Both Pikachu and Nica looked at each other.

Feeling a surge of happiness, Pikachu looked at his guardian with a big smile on his face. A seed of worry was planted in his mind as Nica returned his warm smile with an awkward one, a clear indication their yesterday’s discussion was still haunting her mind.

Ch.4 - Tests and Regrets Pt.2

View Online

Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 4
-
Tests and Regrets Pt.2

“Two different evolutions?” Pikachu asked before smiling. “Do you mean Nica’s here too?”

Twilight nodded before levitating a large box to the side, revealing the pokemon hiding behind.

Both Pikachu and Nica looked at each other.

Ninetales approached Twilight and raised his head. “I assure you, Princess, I shall provide you with the data you seek.” He gave Litten a challenging glance. “And I shall prove my clear superiority over the unevolved feline.”

The fire cat groaned, yet refused to answer his remark.

“B-be nice, Ninetales. Remember, no mean teasing,” Nica said with a disapproval in her voice.

“There won’t be a need for teasing. We’ll prove the superiority of our team without any need for words,” Ninetales said as he winked at his captain. “Am I right?”

Nica smiled nervously while refusing to answer.

Pikachu ran towards Nica, who in response hid herself behind Twilight’s rear legs. “Come on, don’t be shy. Let’s just enjoy this experiment together and do our best!” As Nica didn’t answer, he massaged his forepaw and added, “I know yesterday’s discussion ended on… a bad note, but let’s forget about it and have fun, alright?”

“S-sure…” Nica said as she stepped from behind the alicorn.

“Come on, it will be fun,” Twilight said as she marked four spots on the ground with a hoof and gestured at them. “Gather round everypokemon. The first test will be a test of strength. Basically, Starlight will place weights on your backs one at a time. Try to lift as much as you can and I’ll compare the data.”

Pikachu ran to his spot in excitement and stretched his limbs. “Now that’s more like it. I love these kind of exercises. What about you?” He looked at Nica, who approached her spot with hesitant steps.

“I like them too,” the long-tailed pokemon said with a nod.

“Come on Nica, you were waaay more enthusiastic the first time around.” Twilight looked at the other pokemon. “Is everypokemon ready?”

“I am ready, Your Highness,” Ninetales said, standing firmly on his four legs while in a fighting stance.

“So am I,” Litten said as he gave the large fox-like pokemon a firm glance.

Pikachu stood firmly on his four limbs, his muscles tense and eyes narrowed. “I won’t go down easily, you can be sure of that.” He looked to the side, seeing his long-tailed fan who took a similar stance, but didn’t seem to share his confidence. His ears drooped. What happened with all her cheerfulness and energy? I’m already missing it. He looked towards the levitated weight. I hope our exercises will restore her enthusiasm. Nothing motivates more than a bit of competing and challenges.

He looked up at the descending weight, which was half-the-size of his belly and nearly twice heavier than his entire body. He gulped, already expecting the pressure to be anything but pleasant. He wasn’t disappointed. The moment the cold metal made contact with his warm fur, his legs bent slightly, forcing some effort to stabilize his stance.

One after another, heavy weights were placed on his back, creating a stack of five as his legs started to tremble. He soldiered on, finding the challenge to be both exciting as demanding with his pride being on the line.

“That’s fifty kilograms so far, how are you all holding up?” Starlight asked as she levitated four more weights, ready to place them on each pokemon at the same time.

Pikachu felt a drop of sweat fall down his face. “It’s… n-nothing…” he said between his heavy breaths. The moment the sixth weight was added to the tower on his back, he grit his teeth and his legs started to tremble, his little rear feet sank slightly into the hard ground. He looked to his right, seeing Litten struggle way more than he did while Ninetales didn’t show any hints of being tired whatsoever. He looked to the left at Nica, whose legs trembled despite their bigger size. That’s odd… I was sure she would be stronger than that, he thought. While there wasn’t much weight his six kilogram heavy body could endure, his evolution was way bigger.

Pikachu closed his eyes for the moment as his face was getting closer and closer to the rocky ground.

“I… can’t… anymore!” Litten shouted as he plopped down, trapped under the weight.

“That’s seventy kilograms, not bad,” Twilight said as she levitated the weights away before scanning the pokemon with her magic. “You weigh five point four kilogram. You lifted thirteen times your own weight, impressive.”

“Impressive? Disappointing you mean,” Ninetales said with a frown. “It’s true that while our size affects our physical strength, our powers can make a difference. Smaller but well trained pokemon can still lift more weight than bigger but poorly trained. In other words, you could do better.”

Litten shot the tall pokemon a raspberry.

Pikachu felt sweat sliding down his face like a waterfall as his muscles burned. It was obvious that he was reaching his limits as his body started rebelling against him, about to give up and stop resisting the crushing weight.

“That’s eighty kilograms,” Starlight commented as she placed another weight on the three remaining contestants. “Ninety.”

Pikachu kept struggling, each added weight making the exercise way more painful as the jump in pressure was extreme for a pokemon of his size. Small cracks spread around his paws as they were not stuck in the stone. His face started turning red from a lack of oxygen. He moved his trembling head to glance at Nica. “H-how… are… you… holding up?” He asked while gasping for air.

“N-not… so well…” Nica answered as she grit her teeth, her legs trembling and bending under the weight.

Pikachu pressed his head against the ground for support, nearly crying from the struggle as his pride kept him going where his body was about to fall. One more weight proving enough to overpower his little rear legs as he lost his balance. “I… surrender,” he said as only his head and legs stood out from under the tower of weights.

“That’s one hundred and twenty kilograms,” Twilight said as she levitated away the weights, allowing Pikachu to sigh in relief. She followed up with a quick scan. “Six kilograms, you lifted twenty times your own weight, now that’s impressive.”

Ninetales gave Pikachu a proud glance. “That’s more like it. You’re certainly well trained and very determined, unlike your friend over there.”

Litten crossed his arms and looked to the side. “I admit, I became Ash’s pokemon just recently, I am way behind Pikachu in terms of training and experience.”

“And it shows,” Ninetales said with a proud nod.

Pikachu stood up on his trembling legs, now walking towards Twilight as his little feet still felt the leftovers of his struggle. He turned around and cheered. “Go Nica! Do you best!” He sat a moment later, his rear feet refusing to let him perform any sort of dance. Not that he would get many opportunities to cheer for his fan as only a few weights later, Nica drooped down, trapped under the tower of lead.

“I give up.”

NInetales looked at Nica in shock.

Litten laughed. “So much for your captain being anything special.”

“That’s two... hundred and twenty kilograms? Really?” Twilight asked in disbelief.

“Sorry,” Nica said as she looked at the alicorn while laying flat on the ground.

Twilight levitated the weights away and scanned the pokemon with her magic. “Twenty five kilograms. That’s nine times your own…”

Pikachu looked at Nica in confusion as he expected so much more of her. Part of him felt disappointed in his friend’s poor performance, yet another bigger part felt… happy. This Raichu despite being so much bigger didn’t even lift twice as much as he could. While he didn’t want to admit it, he found bits of satisfaction in Nica’s failure.

“What happened? The last time you performed this test, you reached–” Twilight failed to finish as the tip of Nica’s tail sealed away her mouth.

“Congratulation, you were truly amazing,” Nica said as she shook Pikachu’s forepaws before giving Twilight a look of disapproval. “I wish I could do more. I’m not all that strong.”

Ninetales raised an eyebrow. “I see how it is.” He looked at Starlight. “Keep putting those weights faster on me! The faster these tests end, the better.” His tone sharp. Levitated weights stopped dropping onto the tower on Ninetales’ back upon reaching five hundred and fifty kilograms as the pokemon's long thin legs game up under the increasing weight.

“You weigh thirty two kilograms, that’s seventy times your own weight,” Twilight commented before levitating the weights away.

Litten approached and looked up at the proud pokemon. “That… was quite impressive. You’re actually physically strong. I assumed you were just bark and no bite.”

“Whatever,” Ninetales said as he bypassed Litten, ignoring his praise.

“Hey, I was just trying to be nice. No need to be so grumpy,” Litten said with a frown.

“Alright everypokemon. The next experiment will be a test of speed. Please, run as quickly as you can as those machines will register your running speed,” Twilight said.

Starlight chuckled. “You’re using actual treadmills rather than gigantic poorly constructed hamster-wheels. Progress.”

“Haha, very funny,” Twilight said with sarcasm. “I learned my lesson.”

Pikachu leaped onto his treadmill, its size a few times that of his own body, both in length and height. Some sort of calculating device seemed to be attached to it. With a casual trot, he started running at a slow pace, his attention on the other pokemon. Litten seemed as eager as before, yet Ninetales' face was showing nothing but annoyance. He looked to his left at Nica who seemed to match his speed. “I wish you luck. I’m sure you’ll do way better at the test of speed.”

“T-thank you,” Nica said with a forced smile.

All pokemon slowly increased their speed as their breathing became faster and faster. Soon drops of sweat started falling down their faces, all except Nica.

Litten grit his teeth and his face turned red before he leaped from his treadmill, now laying as flat as before while gasping for air.

Twilight wrote the data with a nod before looking at other participants. “It seems to be a speed above a running pegasus and earth pony.”

Nica was the second to give up as she took heavy breaths of air into her lungs, her head lowered, yet not a single drop of sweat was present on her face.

Ninetales growled before giving up as well several seconds later as his numerous tails lay against the stone, his chin supported against his forepaws.

“Much better. Nica and Ninetales’ speed surpass Litten’s quite substantially,” Twilight commented before giving the long-tailed critter a curious look. “No offense, but while I failed to gather any data the last time due to equipment malfunction, I could swear your speed was–” Her mouth was sealed once again as Nica shook her head at her.

Starlight frowned. “So that is how it is.”

Pikachu closed his eyes and grit his teeth, now running like a mad pokemon, shaking the treadmill from effort alone. He didn’t use ‘Quick Attack’ as other pokemon didn’t seem to know this move, using only his regular speed. The moment he tripped, his body ended up launched backward with a lot of speed. However, instead of crashing into a nearby stone, he felt something soft slow him down in mid-air.

“Are you alright?”

Pikachu opened his eyes and looked behind, finding himself held in Nica’s soft embrace, his back pressed into her belly. “I’m fine…”

Nica placed him on the ground and clapped her forepaws. “That was an amazing speed. I wish I was that fast.”

Pikachu titled his head to the side. If he was so much faster, how did Nica manage to catch him? Something didn’t seem right.

“Now a test of jumps, this time in the open area,” Twilight said as she spread her wings and flapped up.

Starlight looked at Nica with a smug-face. “I still remember how often you hit the ceiling with your head whenever you got excited. I really missing those.”

“If that’s the case, I can head-jump into something for you. Would that make you happier?” Nica asked.

“Why am I not surprised by such a response?” Starlight asked.

Pikachu chuckled. So she’s willing to hurt herself to make others happy. Now that’s dedication.

“Alright everypokemon, so here’s how we’ll do it.” Twilight explained, excitement still clear in her voice, “I want you to jump as high as you can and I’ll calculate your reached height based on how long you stay in the air.” She levitated over a stopwatch. “I doubt air resistance will affect the height all that much.”

Starlight commented, “And here I thought you were going to tie the pokemon to a super long measuring tape or something like that.”

“That’s actually sounds like a good idea,” Twilight said with a flap of her wings.

“I was kidding,” Starlight responded, her ears drooped in aggravation.

“So was I,” the princess said with a smirk.

Pikachu looked at Litten, who bent his legs before jumping with all his might.

“Forty meters, decent,” Twilight commented.

Ninetales was second to jump, reaching a much greater height.

“That’s eighty meters.” Twilight clapped her forehooves. “Next!”

Pikachu bent his legs and grit his teeth, his little feet shaking as he gathered all energy he could muster for the highest jump he could muster. He gave Nica one quick glance who smiled encouragingly at him.

“Do your best! I’m sure the height you reach will be incredible!” Nica shouted with shake of her forepaws. Her eyes filled with admiration.

Pikachu nodded before focusing on his jump. How could he dare to disappoint a face like this? With a single jump, he launched himself into the air.

45 meters, 80 meters, 105 meters, 120 meters, 125 meters, gravity caught up to him as he spend in the air no more than nine seconds before his tiny feet smashed into the ground, spreading dust all around them.

“That was amazing!” Nica shouted as she grabbed him and performed a cheerful dance, leaping from one rear paw to another.

Pikachu cheered as well, waving his forepaws. Now that was the excitement and cheerfulness he wanted to see again.

“Now your turn, Nica,” Starlight said. “Go ahead and perform your… best jump.” She winked.

Once released, Pikachu stepped to the side, awaiting eagerly to see Nica’s jumping potential. “Do your best!” he shouted, yet part of him secretly hoped she wouldn’t surpass his record. He watched the jump with full attention as Nica stayed in mid-air eight seconds before landing in front of him with a loud thud.

“A hundred meters…” Twilight said, now giving Nica a suspicious stare.

“As expected,” Starlight commented with shake of her head.

“Of course,” Ninetales said with a frown.

Nica rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, that was close. Seems my jumping isn’t as good as yours.” She tapped her forepaws together. “You’re pretty amazing.”

Pikachu looked away form his fan, now glancing at each pony and pokemon as even Litten gave Nica a suspicious glance. Nica did perform similar tests in the past after all and she kept interrupting the princess whenever she wanted to comment on her results. Was it possible that… she was holding back?

“Now it’s time for a test of raw power,” Twilight said as she levitated a large enhanced gem a few meters ahead of Pikachu. “Attack with ‘Thunderbolt’ as strong as you can.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice, I’m on it!” Pikachu did as he was told, clenching his forepaws and screaming his name. His barrage of powerful bolts was absorbed into the gem as it shone brightly in the process.

“That’s enough, thank you,” Twilight said as she levitated over the large yellow gem which was the size of a Pikachu, scanning it with her magic. “That’s… a lot of raw power. Your electric attack is really powerful.”

Pikachu rubbed his nose in pride.

Twilight waited for the shining to vanish before levitating the gem in front of the long-tailed pokemon. “Your turn, Nica, do your best.”

Pikachu kept watching his guardian with full attention who took off the collar from her neck and then unleashed a ‘Thunderbolt.' The size and intensity of the electricity going towards the levitated gem seemed thinner and less violent than his own, while the gem shone with less brightness.

Starlight raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess, Pikachu’s attack was stronger.”

“By quite a lot, yes,” Twilight said with a nod.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at his guardian suspiciously, who looked to the side, not daring to meet his gaze. Now I’m certain that something is wrong, Pikachu thought, approaching his guardian. “I must say, I expected more from you.” He placed his forepaws on his hips. “What happened?”

<I’m… not really strong when it comes to my offense,> Nica said as she rubbed the back of her neck.

Pikachu raised an eyebrow. He wasn't buying this poor excuse in the least.

Ch.4 - Tests and Regrets Pt.3

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 4
-
Tests and Regrets Pt.3

Pikachu raised an eyebrow, not buying this poor excuse in the least.

<What? I’m serious…> Nica pointed at him. <Even for a Pikachu you’re extremely powerful. Evolved or not, I’m no match for you.>

“Fine… let’s leave it at that,” Pikachu said, a hint of disappointment clear in his voice. They both turned around to look at Litten and Ninetales, who now took their turns in attacking Twilight’s barrier. The alicorn strengthened her shield accordingly before writing data in her notepad.

<Litten is using ‘Ember’ instead of ‘Flamethrower’?> Nica asked while holding her collar with her tail. <Should I assume he’s the least experienced pokemon on the team while Ash’s veterans weren’t pulled into this world?>

Litten looked at Ninetales, expecting a mocking remark, yet the larger pokemon kept staring at the sky in annoyance.

“That would be Rowlet actually,” Pikachu said with a raised forepaw. “And no, Ash always catches a new full team whenever he arrives in another region.”

<He must have a lot pokemon already. What happened to his old teams?> Nica asked, giving Pikachu a questioning look.

“Well… he leaves them with Professor Oak… or releases them. I’m the only pokemon who has accompanied him from the very start.”

Nica gasped before narrowing her eyes. <What… but…> Her face softened as she forced a smile. <That’s… very nice that… that he’s trying to train so many pokemon… allowing them to participate in events of great importance…>

“Are you sure? I don’t think you’re confident in what you just said.”

Nica chuckled nervously and shook her forepaw. <No… you must be imagining things.>

“What about your trainer?” Pikachu asked, “What’s her approach to the team?”

Nica took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. <Astra from experience knows how it feels to be abandoned, so she’s using all of her pokemon, swapping them out depending on the situation, or releasing them temporarily so they could accompany her out of their pokeball before recapturing them again.>

“Really?” Pikachu asked, his ears raised and eyes filled with curiosity. He smiled widely and said, “Please, tell me more.”

<You look cute when you’re curious,> Nica said as she gently poked Pikachu’s nose, who blushed in response. She giggled and continued, <My trainer caught me on an island back when I saw still a Pichu, and next we caught Bulbasaur, Happiny and Staryu, and we have been with her all this time. She taught me how to write and read and ensured that we were well-trained and knew strong attacks before we started our adventure.>

Nica took a quick breath. <Ever since then, she caught Gligar in Johto, the Eevee that hatched from an egg is from Hoenn, Riolu who volunteered to teach me ‘Focus Blast’ and how to sense the aura of other pokemon joined us in Sinnoh. She also caught Axew in Unova and Scyther in Kalos. And that little cutie in costume during our revisit of Alola region. She made sure our team represents different types and swapped the main six depending on the situation.>

“I see…” Pikachu looked at Ninetales. “And her mother’s pokemon joined her voluntarily. Her method is so different from Ash’s approach, but from what you say, she really cares about her pokemon.”

Pikachu grinned. “I am sure she had many exciting adventures and traveled with you for many years. Her team must be really strong.”

Nica’s eyes became wide. <Strong… n-no… not at all.” She looked at him with a nervous smile.

Pikachu looked to the side and sighed. She was opening herself up, it was so close…

“Alright, now with most of the tests out of the way, let’s get to the cherry on the top and recreate a real pokemon battle!” Twilight said as she hovered above the ground and clapped her forehooves. “Finally I can learn about the culture behind pokemon battles from a personal experience.”

Ninetales walked towards Starlight and turned around, his head raised in pride. “As tempting as fighting for royalty is, I shall join sides with Starlight.” He glanced at the unicorn mare. “I must say, I find our philosophical debates to be quite enlightening, we should do it more often.”

“You can count on that,” Starlight said before taking a fighting stance herself. “Nica told us much about her trainer and past. I have full trust in the power of her team.”

Pikachu looked at Starlight and groaned in annoyance. Did everyone know about Nica’s past with him being left in the dark?

“And I shall not disappoint. My attack moves are ‘Flamethrower,' ‘Psychic,' ‘Calm Mind’ and ‘Solar Beam.' And my ability is drought.”

"Drought? Can you tell me how this ability helps?" Starlight asked.

“With this ability I can increase the intensity of sunlight, making all fire attacks stronger and water attacks weaker." Ninetales smiled at Starlight. "Don’t worry if you don’t know anything about those moves, learning from experience is what pokemon trainers do.”

“Sounds good, now let's show that feline what we’re capable of,” Starlight said with a confident smile.

Ninetales smirked. "Now you're speaking my language."

Twilight levitated Litten over, held a wing before her face and perched him on it. “What are your attack moves?”

“Ember, Fire Fang, Slash and Fury Swipes.”

Ninetales raised a forepaw up to his mouth and chuckled. “This fight won’t last long.”

“We’ll see about that!” Litten shouted and turned around, hissing. His claws sank into Twilight’s wing who grit her teeth in order not to make painful noises. A moment later both pokemon stood before each other with the princess and her student performing the roles of trainers.

Pikachu was about to cheer, but his guardian beat him to it.

<Go Litten, I know it’ll be a difficult battle, but fighting against the odds is what will make you strong!> Nica shouted, balanced on her tail as if it was a black spring while holding her forepaws on both sides of her mouth. <Go Litten, fight hard! Even if you lose, it matters not, as long as you do your best!>

Litten looked at Nica and smiled awkwardly. “T-thanks.”

Pikachu gave Nica a curious glance. “Not that I don’t appreciate the gesture, but why aren’t you cheering for your friend?”

Nica looked down from her higher ground. <What can I say, I often cheer for the pokemon who’re at a disadvantage. I know what it means to fight against the odds and I’ll always encourage those who struggle to do their best.> She looked at Ninetales and said, <No offense.>

“None taken, Captain,” Ninetales responded with a calm smile.

Pikachu laughed. His fan just kept surprising him. He looked at Litten and shouted, “You heard her, whether you lose or win it doesn’t matter, as long as you did your best.”

Twilight trotted in place. “Let’s get started.” She pointed ahead of her with a hoof. “Litten, attack with ‘Slash!'”

Starlight said, “Solar Beam sounds really strong, let’s test it out.”

“It is not wise using grass attack against a fire pokemon, but I do not mind going easy against a weaker opponent,” Ninetales said before opening his mouth as a green orb grew in size before it. All nine majestic tails stretched in random directions as a big wave of heat spread over the area.

Twilight, Starlight, Pikachu and Nica raised one limb, protecting their eyes from the intense sunlight.

The orb in front of Ninetales mouth grew in size in an instant, now being the size of his head. The moment Litten jumped with shining claws ready to strike, he unleashed his attack at close range.

“Litten, watch out!” Twilight shouted as her horn lit. The stream of energy scattered upon continuous contact with a lavender round barrier, pushing it away as it bounced on the ground.

The cracked barrier vanished, freeing a shocked Litten who looked at his temporary trainer with wide eyes.

“T-thank you… I appreciate it... but trainers aren’t allowed to help during battles.”

“They aren’t?” Twilight took a step back and raised one foreleg, rubbing the back of her neck. “S-sorry, force of habit. Ever since Nica started training me in self-defense, I can’t help myself but raise a barrier around those in danger.”

Pikachu rounded Nica and looked up into her eyes. “You trained an alicorn in self-defense, a pony whose raw power is on the level of legendary pokemon?”

“I d-did… Small advice here, a bit of practice there,” Nica said hesitantly. “It was mostly coaching. I was no match for her might in an actual fight.”

“Sure you weren't,” Pikachu said before walking away. It was now clear that she tried to make herself look weaker than she really was. The question was how much had she held back, and more importantly, why?

“Ninetales, attack with ‘Flamethrower!’” Starlight commanded. “Ummm… why are you not attacking?”

“Sometimes it is best not to attack recklessly and instead wait for an opening,” Ninetales answered.

“So you’re waiting for an opportunity to attack when his guard is down?” Starlight asked.

“Normally I would say yes, but in this case I just decided to give the kid a chance to attack. I want to at least see if he can hit me before ending this battle.”

“Fair enough.”

Litten growled in annoyance.

“Calm down, Litten. Let’s just take this offering and attack with ‘Fire Fang,’” Twilight commanded.

Flames started bursting from Litten’s mouth as he charged forward before jumping at his opponent. The intense sunlight only making his flames even more intense.

Ninetales leaped backward and next to the side, as if dancing around the smaller opponent who kept trying and failing to sink flaming teeth into his forepaws. With a quick jump, Ninetales pressed both of his limbs against Litten’s back and then sat on his opponent.

“It seems I came up on top, any last word?”

Litten’s paws trembled as he struggled against the strength of his opponent, with little result, his head failing to reach the limbs pressed against his back. He gulped and closed his eyes.

<Ninetales, attacking a lying opponents is dishonorable!> Nica complained.

“F-fine,” Ninetales said as he stepped from the cat-like pokemon while grumbling to himself.

With Litten ending up defeated by a more experienced pokemon, Pikachu now maintained a fighting stance on his four paws, his muscles tense. The moment he hoped for had finally come. Behind him stood a tall excited alicorn who performed the role of his trainer.

Before him was his opponent, Nica, and her trainer Starlight. His guardian stood on her rear feet with her tail lying flat on the rocky ground, the translating collar no longer on her neck, nor was held by her tail. It was clear that she wasn’t eager to fight him, but he now wanted to do it more than ever before. Defeating her or defending his pride wasn’t his goal however, but something else. He was finally going to assess her strength and call out to her that she shouldn’t hold back. He was going to get some answers, one way or another.

“I was really looking forward to it, I’m sooo excited,” Starlight said with a toothy smile. “Alright Nica, use ‘Thunderbolt!' Show your might!”

The pokemon did as she was told, shouting “Raichuuu!” as bolts of electricity shot in his direction.

“Pikachu, attack with ‘Thunderbolt’ as well, I want to compare your raw power in direct confrontation,” Twilight commanded as she stood on her rear hooves and pointed ahead.

Pikachu clenched his paws and shouted as his electricity clashed with Nica’s, slowly pushing it back.

Nica closed her eyes and braced herself as her body accumulated a few miniscule burns.

Starlight frowned. “Nica, attack with ‘Volt Tackle!'”

“Pikachu… do you know that attack as well?” Twilight asked.

“I did once, but no more,” Pikachu said with a shake of his head, now looking back at the alicorn trainer. “I know these: Quick Attack, Iron Tail, Electro Ball.”

Twilight looked in random directions, panic clear on her face. “Oh, what to choose, what to choose?” She flew up and pointed down. “Use ‘Electro Ball!'”

Both pokemon repeated their name as an aura of electricity surrounded them.

Pikachu concentrated his electricity, sending it towards his raised tail as a yellow orb formed at the edge and grew in size. His eyes narrowed and filled with determination as his attention focused on Nica who charged at him. With a double spin, he threw the ball of electricity at the speding Raichu, causing an explosion the moment it made contact with Nica’s face.

Once the dust cleared away, his eyes rested on the long-tailed pokemon who was now laying on her belly. A trail of damaged rock being enough to tell him that his opponent crashed into it with her back before bouncing onto her belly.

Nica stood up on her trembling legs. <I… expected nothing less… from a hero.>

He frowned. Under other circumstances overpowering his evolution would bring a lot of satisfaction, yet this was just sad. The fact that she was holding back ruined the experience.

“Is keeping up pressure with ‘Quick Attack’ a good idea?” Twilight asked.

Pikachu didn’t bother to respond and ran instead, his speed increasing as a bright white aura coming from his legs left a trail behind him.

“Can ‘Light Screen’ stop that?” Starlight asked.

Nica stood up, looked at her and shook her head. <Only special attacks, this one is physical,> she said as no collar translated her words. She braced herself for the impact with paws covering her head.

Pikachu’s head struck against the white belly as his opponent ended up pushed away.

Nica’s rear feet remained on the rocky ground, spreading dust as they struggled to keep her standing. Despite her efforts she tripped over.

“Ummm… an all out attack didn’t work, how about ‘Iron Tail?' You were always amazing and creative at using it,” Starlight suggested.

“Pikachu, use ‘Iron Tail’ as well,” Twilight said while giving Nica a pitiful glance.

Pikachu ran at his bigger opponent, his attention on the metalic cover at the edge of Nica’s long tail. The moment it pushed in his direction, he jumped over, running on the black part before swinging his tail, slapping Nica’s cheek with the side of his tail. He didn’t dare to look away as his guardian ended up slammed into a large stone while piercing through. His ears drooped. Hitting that cute face wasn’t something he looked forward to.

Without hesitation, he ran closer and towered over his lying opponent, forepaws on his hips. “How long are you going to keep up this charade?”

<W-what are you talking about?> Nica asked as she lay on her belly, a bruise was present on her cheek and forehead, leftovers of two attacks hitting it with great force.

“Don’t play dumb with me, please. You have been holding back this entire time.” He pointed accusingly. “Your strength, speed, jumping, agility, raw power. You allowed me to win everytime, but why?”

“So you figured it out, you sure took your time,” Ninetales said with a frown.

Starlight facehooved. “Let’s be honest, Nica, you may be a great pokemon, but you’re a poor actor and even worse at lying.”

Pikachu nodded. “Your jumping, I remember seeing you launch yourself into the sky a greater height at the farm, though back than I assumed it was a flying pegasus. I saw your agility and speed in action during all the games yesterday, and I can already tell that your trainer has a strong and experienced team.” He pushed his shoulder under Nica’s forepaw, supporting her greater weight while helping her stand. “There’s no way her partner would be so weak.”

Nica’s ears drooped as she whimpered.

Pikachu’s face softened as he looked her in the eyes in concern. “Please, tell me, why were you holding back? Ever since yesterday you have been avoiding me or embarrassing yourself for my sake.”

She looked to the side, her mouth sealed.

“Were you trying to make me feel better?” He asked. Seeing that he provoked a response as his guardian looked him in the eyes again, he raised his forepaw towards his chest and continued, “I enjoy pokemon battles only if my opponents do their best just as I do.” He gently grabbed Nica’s forepaw by the bronze edge. “I would prefer to endure your attacks in a hard battle rather than have a one-sided fight knowing you’re going easy on me.”

<Would you, would you really?> Nica asked before pulling her forepaw away. <You may believe that what you say is true, but what if...> She turned around and ran away, not finishing her sentence.

He tried to follow, only for Nica’s metallic tail to slap into the ground before him, spreading stones in random directions. His other attempt to follow resulted in bolts of electricity to hit the ground ahead of him as Nica didn’t bother to look back to aim. His ears picked up the noise of sobbing as his guardian ran towards the castle at speed… surpassing his own.

Pikachu felt a heavy hoof on his shoulder. Looking back and up he noticed the compassionate stare of Starlight Glimmer with Nica’s collar levitating by her side.

“I’ll talk with her,” the unicorn said before vanishing in a flash of teleportation.

Pikachu lowered his head and his ears drooped.

Twilight approached and levitated him onto her spread wing, his feet perched between the soft feathers. “Can you tell me what happened between you two? I can tell that something stands in the way of your friendship. If I can help, I’m willing to listen.”

“Alright.” Pikachu sat and took a calming breath, his voice showing hints of regret. “It started last night during our discussion…”

Ch.4 - Tests and Regrets Pt.4

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Summoning of Chu

Chapter 4
-
Tests and Regrets Pt.4

Starlight lit the darkened surroundings of the basement with her horn, focusing her illumination on the wall ahead. She smiled. “It seems my instincts were right.” She approached and sat next to the depressed Raichu, whose back was pressed against a dusty wall. “You forgot something.” She levitated the collar onto Nica’s neck, putting it on. She wrapped her foreleg over Nica’s shoulder before pressing the side of this pokemon’s cheek into her chest. “I feel a sense of deja-vu. Now tell your friend Starlight what’s bothering you.”

“Will you… keep it a secret?”

“Of course I will, now go on and tell me what’s on your mind,” Starlight said with a warm smile and encouraging voice as her horn provided them with light in the darkness of the basement.

“I fear… I fear he’ll hate me.”

“You mean Pikachu?” She laughed. “Why would he hate you, don’t be ridiculous.”

“You don’t understand,” Nica said as she wiped tears from her face with the bronze edge of her paw. “I… I sensed it, his jealousy the moment I met him in the forest…” She looked at the dusty floor in front of her own rear legs. “It was very weak, barely noticeable at first, but it grew stronger… like when I told him how I posed for Rarity for hours. It weakened after Fluttershy’s visit, but became more noticeable for me after I calmed Lycanroc. Whenever I displayed my abilities in any way, this aura grew stronger.”

“So he was a little jealous of your skills, big deal. It’s not something to get upset about,” Starlight said.

“You still don’t get it. He’s my hero, my idol. I don’t want him to be jealous or angry at me. Until yesterday’s discussion I had no idea why he felt this way, but now I know the truth.”

“Do tell,” Starlight said as she picked Nica up and placed her on her rear legs. “I’m all ears. Whatever weighs on your heart, don’t bottle it up. Trust me, it will end poorly.”

Nica nodded. “The very first Raichu he met was very harsh against the newcomers and left a terrible impression. Pikachu ended up bullied and badly injured, fighting harder than he should to defend his pride. Their fight left a scar on his psyche. I’m sure that he started to fear and hate his evolution, hiding it behind his pride. As long as he didn’t need to evolve to win battles, as long as he didn’t need to become a big mean bully which hurt him so much, as long as he could give them a lesson and show he’s better, any excuse works.”

“Are you sure about that?” Starlight asked.

“I am. He showed a growing difficulty in defending his arguments and seemed more conflicted the longer we talked. Part of him must be angered at his evolution, even if he’s unaware of it. I could sense it at all times. I finally understood where all his jealousy and anger comes from.” She gestured at herself. “I’m the very embodiment of what he hates deeply in his mind.”

“I… still think you’re overreacting, it can’t be that bad. Surely he had to meet some nicer Raichu as well.”

Nica shook her head. “Even if he did, it didn’t change much. To make matters worse, when he faced a very big and brutal Raichu, it nearly cost him his life, only reinforcing his fears and anger.” Tears fell down her face uncontrollably as she held a forepaw on her chest. “Do you know how I felt when I learned that a representative of who I am nearly took the life of a great hero who saved so many lives. It.. it hurt.”

Starlight wiped tears from Nica’s face before nuzzling her gently while stroking the back of her head. “Ssshhh… it’s okay.” She felt Nica’s face press into her chest in a hug. After waiting half-a-minute to let her friend vent her sadness, she asked, “Still, why are you so sure he would hate you? You’re very kind to him and he seemed so happy around you.”

Nica sighed. “That’s because he doesn’t know much about me. For now I’m just some random Raichu who admires him. If he learned… if he learned that we achieved something that he and Ash were seeking for years, if he knew that I and my trainer are the final obstacle standing before them and the title of ‘Pokemon Master’... I… I don’t want to stand in the way of someone I admire.”

She stepped from Starlight’s legs and sat in front of her while looking up with a saddened expression. “If he found out about my real skills and power, he would see me as a rival, he would be determined to defeat me. After losing to me, he would train hard and challenge me once more, only to lose again and again as his anger and jealousy would grow.” She started hyperventilating as her forepaws trembled. “He would be more and more angry, which would turn into a pure hatred. I… I can’t stand the idea of my idol hating me so much.” She waved her forepaws. “I don’t want that… I don’t want that!”

“Calm down!” Starlight said, waiting for her friend’s breathing to stabilize. “You really thought that making yourself look weak would solve the problem?”

Nica nodded. “I hoped it would… When I allowed him to win over and over, I felt his annoyance and disappointment towards me, but his anger and jealousy weakened in turn.” She tapped her forepaws together. “My very presence must remind him of the mean Raichu that hurt him so much. If he’ll be happier without me around or with me being pathetic, so be it.”

Starlight looked to the side and asked, “Out of curiosity, do you and your trainer care for the fame you’ve earned? Isn’t title of ‘Pokemon Master’ something all trainers want to achieve?”

Nica shook her head. “We would care less about the fame. This title was meant to be a stepping stone. ‘Pokemon Master’ is a well respected title where I come from and gives a lot of influence over Elite Four groups, Gyms, important events and so on. We just wanted this position to convince powerful trainers to take actions against criminals while also fighting corruption in the police in Kanto and Johto. Protecting legendary pokemon and arresting the most dangerous criminals was our top priority.”

“So let me get this straight,” Starlight said as she narrowed her eyes, her voice firm and loud. “Weakening criminal organizations and protecting your world was what motivated you and your trainer so much that you won the title of Pokemon Master.” Upon seeing a nod, Starlight continued, “And a trainer named Ash who… correct me if I’m wrong… didn’t yet win a single Pokemon League, ended up fighting crime and saving the world, always in the right place at the right time?”

Nica sighed. “Yes… the irony isn’t lost on me.” She stood up and held a forepaw on her chest. “I already accepted my inferiority and I’m just happy if our actions could weaken the criminal organizations enough to pave a way to Ash’s victories over them. We would gladly give up our title to Ash, but it can be obtained only through a victory against champions and former champions from all regions, and next after defeating us in a final battle. The tournament itself takes place only once every five years.”

“And while Ash is really good at facing dangers and protecting the world, his team is less experienced and weaker than Astra’s. You both envy each other.” Starlight's ears drooped. “Just… to make sure… you don’t regret being a Raichu… now that you know that your idol dislikes who you are deeply in his mind?”

Nica shook her head and narrowed her eyes. “Of course not! I earned my evolutions by facing the impossible odds and I did my damn best to make as good use of my greater powers as possible, even if the results aren’t good enough. My tail alone helped me save many lives. I’m happy with who I am.”

Starlight smiled. “Good to know you at least still like yourself for who you are.” She raised her forehoof in front of her face in a questioning gesture. “Still, holding back and hiding your abilities didn’t work, what will you do now?”

Nica shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ll just stay out of Pikachu’s sight until I figure something out. He’ll be happier without seeing his evolution anyway.”

“I suppose it’s for the best. I will talk with Twilight in the meanwhile, maybe we’ll figure something out.”

Nica rubbed her chin. “I suppose letting Twilight know won’t hurt… but please, don’t tell Pikachu or our other friends about it, and ask Twilight to not tell them as well. The less they know, the better.”

“Deal,” Starlight said as she shook her friend’s forepaw with a hoof.

“I… see…” Twilight said with Pikachu perched on her back as she now entered her room. Unlike the guest rooms, this one was equipped with a massive double bed with curtains. What purpose did those curtains serve? Pikachu couldn’t tell.

“I assumed she took my experience with that strong Raichu very hard, but I’m not sure why she started avoiding me and holding back. She’s been too secretive about her past as well,” Pikachu explained.

“Well… she was very open about her past with us and I kept her reports in my room.” She opened a large chest with her levitation, only to gasp. “They’re gone!” She looked deeply into her chest, staring at the empty bottom in shock. She looked at her passenger and asked, “You don’t think she took them away?”

“I wouldn't be surprised if she did.” Pikachu frowned. “So she doesn’t want me to learn about her past, but why?”

Twilight rubbed her chin, now deep in thought. After a moment of silent thinking, she smiled. “That’s it, I think I know the problem.”

“Tell me!” Pikachu shouted, his ears straightened and eager to listen.

“If I remember correctly, Astra shared her ideology with her partner and friend. Nica often repeated that one needed to prove themselves worthy of greater power, and the more power one has, the greater their responsibility… and that one needs to have the skills to let them make the best use of their power.”

“Yes… and?” Pikachu asked.

“Picture this.” Twilight levitated Pikachu onto the red pillow on her massive bed. “Astra asked her partner not to evolve into a Pikachu until she proved herself worthy. I think they faced the Orange Islands, Alola Region and even Kanto League before Nica evolved for the first time.”

Pikachu gasped. “She did… what!?” He stood on the tips of his tiny feet and waved his forepaws. “So for so long… she faced all those strong trainers and pokemon... as a Pichu?!”

Twilight nodded. “She did, and I think it took a year or two and an extremely difficult challenge before she evolved into a Raichu. She takes great pride in being a fully evolved pokemon and was desperate in finding opportunities to use her powers while in Equestria. She wants to be helpful and feels worthless if she can’t make use of her powers.”

Pikachu nodded, now understanding his guardian a bit better. No wonder she kept repeating how worthy I am to evolve and how much it would help me in keeping my trainer and friends safe. For her it’s something to earn through hardship and be proud of.

“However, now she learned that her hero she admired for so long and was inspired by was against evolving, and also that another Raichu sent her hero to a hospital… I mean, the Pokemon Center... in a critical condition. It must’ve shaken her beliefs,” Twilight said before rubbing one of her wings. “It’s just a theory, but seems highly possible.”

“Your theory makes sense.“ Pikachu looked at his own forepaws and then poked his ears. Just because I believe that pokemon don’t need to evolve to become strong, doesn’t mean that I look down on those who evolved… but what if she thinks I do? What if she feels bad about being a Raichu because of what happened to me? He rubbed his chin and closed his eyes. Did she hold back against me because she lost her motivation, or maybe she didn’t want to prove me wrong… What if I offended her?

“Did you think of something?” Twilight asked.

He nodded. “You know her better than me. Is she sensitive? Very sensitive, or very, veeeery sensitive?”

“You have noooo idea,” Twilight said with a roll of her eyes. “When she crashes into something, the first thing she does is apologize for the damage. When she hurt fillies and colts with electricity by accident, she hid in the basement and drowned in depression, only to perform a painful exercise where she tried to hold back electricity.”

Pikachu’s body shuddered as he felt a chill go down his spine. It would take a lot of resistance to pain or powerful a motivation for an electric pokemon to hold their electricity while harshly rubbing electric pouches, and Nica worked for hours if what she told me is true. Tough or not, to pull this off, the guilt she felt had to be extreme.

“Nica may be tough, but she’s the first to blame herself and apologize. She admires others, and unless she gets an opportunity to help, she thinks very low of herself,” Twilight explained. “So yes, she’s humble and very, veeeery sensitive. Earning her evolution through hardship is most likely the only thing she was proud about, and now she questioning even that.”

Pikachu turned around and kicked the large pillow. “Great, just great. I offended her feelings, shook her beliefs, and she probably thinks that I look down on her.” He turned around and held his forepaws in a pleading gesture. “But what can I do? Please, help me, I don’t want her to feel bad. It’s just a big misunderstanding.”

“Well… you can start with an apology. Even if you didn’t do anything wrong, it would get her attention.” Twilight approached the window, now staring at the rest of Ponyville. “Just tell her how you feel and prove to her that you don’t look down on her just because she’s a Raichu. Your different beliefs shouldn’t get in the way of your friendship.” She opened the window and looked outside. “Speaking of your friend, I think she’s running away from the castle. You can catch up with her.”

“On it,” Pikachu said with a firm nod before jumping from the bed onto Twilight’s head and then towards the town while falling a distance towards the ground. His legs bent slightly from the impact. Not wasting a moment, he ran, following Nica’s trail. I’ll set things right, I swear.

After flying outside towards the post-Tirek battlefield to quickly check on Litten and Ninetales, Twilight found the taller pokemon training with the smaller one, like a master instructing his pupil. A pleasant surprise in her eyes. While Ninetales still seemed to tease the weaker pokemon for his lack of experience, the exchange was less hostile as the fire-breathing cat tolerated his remarks. In return, the taller pokemon allowed Litten to attack him over and over while pointing out weaknesses in his techniques, advising how to improve them.

When asked what inspired them to try to get along, Ninetales pointed at Litten, saying he swallowed his pride and admitted his inferiority, showing him respect while asking to help him improve. Apparently, it pleased the Ninetales so much he became eager to guide the smaller pokemon, even to the point of promising to teach Litten a move called 'Flamethrower.'

With Litten busy practicing under Ninetales’ guidance and with Pikachu following Nica in attempt to resolve their misunderstanding, Twilight returned to her library, once again back to where she left off her research of an interdimensional-trasportation spell. With a spell that can summon pokemon into Equestria, she had just enough clues to discover a way to reverse the process. A two-way portal being only a few days away from completion.

“Hey, Twilight, back to the spell?” Starlight asked as she entered the library and sat at the opposite side of the rounded table.

“Yes,” Twilight said with a hint of boredom in her tone. “While the fight between Ninetales and Litten provided interesting data… as well as being somewhat exciting, it was also a bit too one-sided. Nica’s fight against Pikachu was even worse.”

Starlight gave her mentor a sassy smile. “I’ll be honest, I’m actually surprised you were willing to go on with a sport where pokemon injure one another. I was sure you would stop your experiment the moment we started a pokemon battle.”

“Oh please. From Nica’s reports we learned that pokemon have a high resistance to pain, greater regeneration than ponies and enjoy fighting one another. Furthermore, if the fight went too far, Nica would stop it.”

“Fair point. On a side note, I talked with her and found the source of the problem. This is something I wanted to discuss with you.”

Twilight lowered her levitated books and gave her student her full attention. “I talked with Pikachu as well and we drew our own conclusions.”

“Conclusions?” Starlight asked.

“Considering how very, very sensitive Nica is, we assumed that her beliefs were shaken after finding out what her hero thinks about evolving. She must fear that her idol looks down on her for being a Raichu,” Twilight explained, causing Starlight to look back at her in disbelief. “Pikachu went after Nica to apologize for offending her and to explain this misunderstanding.”

Starlight facehooved. “T-that’s not the case. Her beliefs weren’t shaken and she wasn’t offended, at least not in the way you described it.”

Twilight blinked.

“Pikachu’s traumatic experiences with two Raichu caused him to dislike his evolution, even if he’s not aware of it. Nica sensed his jealousy whenever she displayed her skills and even a growing anger at some point. She purposely made herself look bad so her hero wouldn’t be jealous of her.”

“I… see… anything else?” Twilight asked.

“Nica fears that if Pikachu found out how skilled she really is, he would see her as a rival and try to defeat her, only to lose again and again. She’s terrified that he would start to hate her.” Starlight’s ears drooped. “She also fears that since she’s the embodiment of what this Pikachu dislikes, it would be better if she stayed away and not remind him of those traumatic memories. She decided to avoid Pikachu until she or we can figure something out.”

“Wait… so right now Pikachu is following Nica to apologize for the wrong reasons, and Nica is trying to avoid him for the wrong reasons…” Twilight raised a forehoof up to her face. “Oh dear.”

“Oh dear indeed.”

Ch.5 - The Great Chase - Pt.1

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Little Lost Pikachu
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Chapter 5
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The Great Chase - Pt.1

Pikachu kept running as fast as his tiny limbs allowed him to, his feet making repetitive contact with the soil of Ponyville’s roads as he saw numerous houses and ponies pass from the corner of his vision. “Nica, wait!” he shouted, yet the pokemon ahead of him didn’t stop.

Taking turn after turn, he kept running, trying to keep up with his bigger guardian as his breathing increased in speed. Despite his best efforts, the distance kept increasing. She’s… so… fast… he thought, his theory that his evolution was slower and less agile proving false before his very eyes. One would think that a pokemon four times heavier than him would turn slower whenever running into random alleys or changing directions at crossroads, yet Nica surpassed him even at that.

The moment Nica jumped onto the roof of a house and started jumping from one roof to another, he followed, his feet now making contact with soft building material instead. I’ll lose her soon if I don’t speed up. He narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth, using ‘Quick Attack’ as his speed doubled in only a few seconds, the distance between him and Nica now shrinking rapidly. “Nica… I just want…” Much to his surprise, the long-tailed pokemon made a 180 turn in mid-air before her feet slowed her down on another roof. The moment he jumped from one house to another, Nica ran towards him and jumped over his head, bypassing him in mid-air.

Pikachu pressed his paws into the roof, trying and failing to stop his boosted speed as his efforts resulted in him smashing into a chimney with a loud crashing noise and a yelp of pain. With a bit of effort, he pushed against it, freeing his body while leaving a mark in his shape and a few cracked bricks. With a quick jump and another ‘Quick Attack,’ he followed his guardian, who now earned a much greater distance.

Pikachu looked at Nica with a mix of admiration and annoyance while running. Despite being faster thanks to ‘Quick Attack,’ he was still being outplayed by his fan. This is bad. I can't keep up with her with my running speed and the repetitive use of 'Quick Attack' consumes a lot of stamina. Considering how restless and energetic Nica was thus far, I get the impression she won't get tired anytime soon, he thought before once again following his guardian. I need to catch her quickly. I can't afford a long chase.

After several seconds as he was catching up to her once again. Nica jumped from the roof and ran into an alley bordering Sugar Cube Corner.

Pikachu frowned as he jumped to the ground and slowed down, turning and running into the alley before using ‘Quick Attack’ once more. In order not to slow down once again, he pushed himself from wall to wall, trying to keep up with his guardian’s agility. Just when he was about to reach her, Nica pressed her tail against a pole for a quick turn and fired herself through an open window.

Pikachu’s ears drooped from hearing a muted crash sounding from inside the bakery. Seeing the wall ahead of him while still running at boosted speed, he pressed all of his paws against it, pushing himself towards the open window. His maneuver failed as he threw himself from the wall next to the window, bouncing from one wall to another before pressing his paws into the ground, trying to reduce his speed.

The first thing Nica saw was fresh brownie batter dripping onto her nose, the scent nearly irresistible. Resisting the urge to sneak a lick, she plucked the accompanying bowl off her head and glanced around the room.

“Oh no!” Nica gasped as a wave of guilt washed over her.

From the collision, two trays were strewn across the floor and the bowl that absorbed her crash landing was in her paws. Thankfully, the trays survived without any marks, but the bowl had a small dent in the shape of her cheek. She ignored the small ache coming from her head and nervously scanned for anypony able to witness her failure.

Her first instinct told her to clean up the mess she caused. The second one suggested to grab bits from her room and pay for the damage, while the third told her to hide from Pikachu’s sight or run away before he would find her. She bit her bottom lip as she had but a few seconds to decide. Her train of thought was interrupted though by familiar squeaky shouts coming from her left.

“Chu Chu,” cried Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake simultaneously from the opposite side of the room, attracting her attention. Their eyes lit up as the two twins recalled earlier times playing and a series of excited giggles burst forth.

Popplio was stationed right behind them, balancing a small water balloon for the twins atop his rounded nose. A small ocean design was sewn into the collar, blending perfectly with Popplio’s coat. He froze in shock for a moment but relaxed himself just as quickly, recognizing the friendly Raichu from before.

Nica observed the scene with a fond gaze, but once again panicked as she saw one of Pikachu’s paws gripping the window sill. Overwhelmed by panic, she made a split second decision and leaped underneath the sink, this time careful to avoid any items lodged there. She squeezed herself in before Pikachu jumped into the room. Noticing a small crack between the sink cabinets, she peeked at Pikachu as he recovered his breath and examined the room in search for clues.

“Popplio, have you seen Nica anywhere?” Pikachu asked, panting slightly from the earlier sprint.

Popplio opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the ring of metal hitting metal alerted both pokemon.

Nica picked up the kitchen accessory from the floor with swift movements of her tail, quickly returning the last tray into its proper place.

“Nica, I just want to...!” Pikachu shouted.

She jumped outside, not waiting for her hero to finish.

She sprinted back towards the castle while zipping between numerous homes, hopeful that he would give up. She hated herself for leaving him behind, but didn’t know how else to confront him without only making his jealousy grow.

Spying the top of Princess Twilight’s home she pushed herself harder, satisfied she was still breathing evenly. Avoiding a pony’s cart, she ran towards the outskirts of town, both to prevent her from breaking anything and to bypass her pursuer. Her legs catapulted her the last bit from the ground, hearing Pikachu’s calls growing fainter as the distance between them increased.

She fell through her window of her room and desperately started searching for her bits. Although she offered to give them to Twilight for allowing her a free room, the mare refused so she stashed them away, finding no other use for them.

When she thought she would never find them, she heard the telltale chime of coins from underneath the bed and grabbed them in victory. Making sure they were secure in their pouch, she jumped out the window and braced herself, letting her legs absorb the impact from the ground. Unsure if Pikachu knew her destination, she made sure the coast was clear and set off once again, her sights set on Sugar Cube Corner.

While making her way through the town square she heard the faint echo of her name from across the market. It was hard to make out, and with no one in sight, she blamed it on her jittery nerves from before, the blame still eating away at her. Out of all creatures, it had to be my hero I was running from, she thought, her tail leaving thin scars in the dirt roads. Why is he even wasting his time with me? As a Raichu I am just an eyesore to him. He would be happier playing with others instead.

She was jolted out of her thoughts when she saw a familiar lightning shaped tail perk up from within the crowd. Nica tried to sneak away, but with her bigger frame, she simply ended up pushing ponies aside, causing them to yelp as she trotted between their hooves. His ears swiveled towards her and she knew the jig was up.

“There you are!”

Nica bit her bottom lip before leaping onto a pony’s head, running atop the crowd by leaping between ponies’ backs and heads. One glance behind told her that Pikachu got the same idea.

Utilizing her strong hind legs, she sent herself flying into the air, secretly hoping to disappear within the clouds. With no real plan in mind, she rose and then fell through the sky for an awkwardly long amount of time, hoping to land a couple of feet away from where she launched and make her escape. The pouch in her mouth forced itself in, and ended up lodged firmly in her cheek.

As she approached the ground, a small portion of the road seemed to be discolored. Rather than the normal pale brown, it was a dark yellow, with small brown stripes. A sicken realization sprung forth as the “blob” started to move, and took the shape of Pikachu.

Unable to maneuver herself through the air, she screamed a gibberish “Look out,” as the road came closer and closer with Pikachu caught in the middle.

After Nica unintentionally left him stranded in the middle of Ponyville, he had no clue where to start looking. His evolution proved to be much faster without the need to use ‘Quick Attack’ and agile enough to switch directions almost effortlessly, outmaneuvering him whenever he boosted his speed.

So here he was, wandering around the town calling out her name. He considered going to his guardian’s friends, but opted against it. He didn't want to drag more ponies into the situation, not to mention he was more than capable of finding her on his own.

“Nica!” he yelled, earning a few confused looks. He navigated through the crowd until a large and orange mouse-like creature caught his eye. When he called her name once more, she flinched and looked around, confirming his suspicions. He darted through the crowd, yet when arriving at her previous location, she was already jumping from pony to pony. He followed her example, leaping from pony to pony as if jumping from hundreds of falling rock in the middle of a pokemon battle. One accidental crash into somepony’s rich mane being enough to lose his target from his field of vision.

“Get off, get off!” the mare shouted, stomping and yelping in panic.

After a moment of pushing his tangled limbs free, he jumped away from the crowd, landing in a more open area. Stumped, he glanced around and was unable to find any trails until a shrill screech locked him in place. With a nervous raise of his head towards the sky, all he could see was a falling ball of fluff, heading straight for him.

“Oof,” Pikachu gasped as all the air in his lungs was pushed out. Though the impact didn’t hurt, he certainly felt flattened, at this point resembling more of a pancake than his normal shape. In a second, the weight was relieved from his back, allowing him to straighten himself back up, but Nica was gone. In front of him a message was scraped into the soil spelling out “Sorry” in hastey block letters, and to his side, a long tail disappeared behind a carrot cart.

He chased after her, determined not to let her escape his grasp this time. He trailed after her tail as it weaved in and out of multiple stands and under the occasional pony or two. Misjudging a leap between two tables, Pikachu slipped and instinctively reached out for something to grab, snagging Nica’s tail and pulling them both down into a container filled with some sort of violet jam. The stand owner unaware of the two squirming creatures in his oversized barrel.

Nica was the first to emerge, jumping out and leaving tiny violet pawprints among a small alley to the side. Pikachu was soon after her while licking the jam from his face, a little snack to keep him filled with energy for the ongoing chase, leaving much smaller pawprints of his own. Their recent accident proving quite helpful in keeping track on his bigger guardian.

As they reached two lines of homes, he noticed the trail leading to one of the closed doors. Grinning, he jumped onto the handle, unlocking the door before opening it with a little push. “Nica wait!” he shouted, noticing his guardian jump out the open window. He followed her example, leaping from one windowsill to another as his paws landed between two flower pots. He ran inside, only to see Nica’s pawprints leading from what looked like a kitchen towards the hallway.

Upon noticing his guardian opening the door with her tail, he sped up, running at her, only for the door to be closed into his face.

“Sorry!”

He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. One quick jump towards the handle, he unlocked the door before squeezing himself between a little opening. Noticing how another door ahead and to the right closed, he leaped onto the handle, unlocking it. As he was about to run inside, his guardian jumping from the open window caught his attention form the corner of his eye. He followed her, only for the door to once again shut in front of him.

With Nica’s tail opening and closing doors way faster than his little paws could, they ended up running from one house to another, using numerous doors and windows to get in between them. I swear we’re running in circles. We’re running in between the same two lines of homes for past several minutes. A temptation to pierce all those doors with my ‘Quick Attack’ gets harder and harder to resist.

He stopped himself, deciding not to enter the house that Nica ran into. Instead, he leaped backward, observing the free space between three homes ahead of him. Upon noticing Nica jump through the window into the house on the left, he took a fighting stance in front of the door of the house to the left. Hearing pawsteps from the other side, he murmured, “I got you now.”

Much to his surprise, the upper part of the door opened as Nica jumped outside.

“Wait… since when does this door open in such a way?” PIkachu asked before feeling Nica’s rear legs land on his face while her forepaws landed on his back. Her weight quickly pressing him into the ground.

“Sorry, let me help!” Nica shouted.

Pikachu felt his guardian’s tail heave him back up to a standing position, but the moment he turned around, the sight of Nica jumping over the line of homes caught his attention. He lowered his head and sighed before jumping as a drop of sweat slid down his forehead.

It wasn’t long before they reached the edge of the Everfree forest, keeping within respectable distance of the monsters lurking inside. Whatever Nica shouted at him was muffled by something that seemed to be safeguarded in her mouth.

Too preoccupied with the chase, he failed to noticed a shallow brook. Upon noticing how Nica stopped, he jumped, only to collide with her as they both fell into the water, dissolving what was left of the jam on their paws.

Pikachu swam towards the coast, feeling victorious the moment his paws touched the solid ground, at least until noticing his fan on the other side climb the nearest tree. He jumped over the stream and followed. Together they twisted in and out of the branches with his breathing becoming faster with each passing minute.

Their chase ceased for a moment as he and his guardian started running away from a large pack of wooden wolves instead.

Seeing his guardian run by his side, he sped up, closing the distance between them. “Hey Nica, if you can just stop for a second and listen.” He groaned the moment Nica jumped towards a tree, once again leaping from one tree to another.

Using ‘Quick Attack’ he pierced through the tree, pulling it off its roots, forcing his guardian to land on the ground instead. With a slow turn, he followed Nica, piercing any bush or obstacle that got in his way as the distance between him and his target shrank with each passing second.

Close enough, he jumped at Nica while still using ‘Quick Attack,’ hoping to pin her against the ground for long enough to talk with her. His guardian didn’t let him though as she backflipped, gently pressing the tip of her tail against his back. Pushed down, his paws hit the ground, spreading dust and dirt all around while reducing his speed. One quick glance over his shoulder told him that Nica was already gaining a considerable distance before vanishing into bushes filled with thorns. Her agility, her reflexes, they are master grade. There’s no way she could get so skilled without facing difficult battles.

Pikachu ran into the bushes, ignoring the thorns which scratched his fur while keeping one eye closed. Using ‘Quick Attack,’ he annihilated the thorny branches. How can she run for so long? She doesn’t seem tired in the least. Several drops of sweat fell down his face. He felt a weak burning in his muscles but soldiered on, using his determination to make up for the weakness of his body. Whenever he was invested in something, neither pain nor exhaustion could stop him. Whatever, it doesn't matter. I'll catch up to her and apologize, no matter what.

Half an hour of chasing later, Pikachu supported his back against a tree while recovering in its shade, taking slow breaths as drops of sweat covered his body. His collar being wet as well. It seemed that he could not, in fact, catch up with his evolved form, no matter what he told himself.

“Well, well, well, tired from your race already?”

Pikachu looked up towards the source of the voice, seeing a silhouette of a pegasus as she descended from the sky with a black cloud between her hooves. “Rainbow… Dash… is that you?”

“Of course it’s me. I saw you and Nica run all over Ponyville, so I grabbed some popcorn and watched.” She slapped one hoof against another. “I wasn’t sure if you two were racing,” she slapped them again, ”or exercising,” and again, “or playing tag,” before spreading her limbs in all directions, “but it was really entertaining while it lasted.” Dash pointed at him. “You both have some serious speed behind those little limbs.” She pushed the black cloud over his head and before delivering a light kick. Droplets started raining over his body. “Here, this will cool you down.”

“Thanks… I think...” Pikachu said as some of the water soaked into his fur.

“Excuse me. Are you a Pikachu?”

Rainbow Dash and the small pokemon looked at an approaching unicorn stallion, who seemed to be levitating a cup of ice-cream. A mix of chocolate and vanilla.

“Yes, I am,” Pikachu said as he stood up and walked from under the rain, his fur wet. Droplets of water slid down his long ears and little paws. He looked up at the towering stallion with a mustache and asked, “How can I help you?”

“Miss Nica, also known as the Hero of Manehattan, bought this ice-cream and asked me to deliver it to you. She also asked me to tell you to stop wasting your valuable time following her and enjoy yourself with other ponies and your friends,” the stallion said as he lowered the cup and placed it in between his forepaws. “Bon-appetit.”

Pikachu looked at the gift in confusion. “I… I don’t remember her having a bag with bits with her when I was following her.” He licked his lips, more than eager to cool down his dry throat with this cold and tasty gift.

Dash chuckled. “So she not only managed to escape from you for half an hour, give or take a few minutes, but also ran back to the castle, picked up some bits, ran to a stand with ice-cream, made sure you’re still resting under this tree.” Dash pointed at the tree behind them. “And she asked a nearby stallion to deliver you this ice-cream as well as a message.” She lowered herself and poked his shoulder. “What’s the matter hero, can’t keep up with your fan? She’s totally got you beat in the game of stamina.”

Pikachu stopped licking his ice-cream, lowered the cup to the ground and turned towards Dash, now staring at her with narrowed eyes. “First, I wasn’t playing any game with her, I tried to catch up with her to apologize and explain a misunderstanding.” He stomped. “It’s really important.”

“Apologise, what for?”

“Yesterday, after she asked why I didn’t evolve yet, we ended up having a debate and I accidentally offended her and shook her beliefs. I want to fix this,” Pikachu explained.

“Okay… and why didn’t you evolve?” She bent her legs and stomped. “You would get stronger.” She spread her wings. “Faster.” She stood on her rear hooves. “Bigger.” She flew up, now hovering above the ground. “And cooler.”

“Because I want to become stronger without evolution!” Pikachu shouted with a groan as he held a clenched forepaw in front of his face.

“Handicapping and challenging yourself? I can dig that. What about Nica, what did she think about it?”

Pikachu lowered his forepaw and looked to the side. “She… she thinks that I deserve to evolve more than anyone else… that I would become an amazing Raichu and be able to protect my trainer and friends from dangers better.” His ears drooped. “She asked… if I’m afraid that one day… I’ll lose everything because I lacked the power and durability to… to protect them.”

“Wow… I must say, I can’t argue with that. Those are some solid arguments,” Dash said as he landed on the solid ground. “I understand pushing limits and challenging oneself, but would being a Raichu be so bad? It’s not like it would automatically make you a jerk.”

He sighed. “Enough talking about me. I need to find Nica and apologise.” He pointed at Dash’s wings and asked, “You’re really fast. Will you help me or not?” He displayed a hopeful stare, looking at the pegasus with widened eyes.

“Sure, hop on,” Dash said before pushing her wing under Pikachu’s feet and throwing him onto her back. She grabbed the ice-cream and flew up. “In return, I want half of this ice-cream, deal?”

“Deal.”

As Pikachu stood on Rainbow Dash’s back to look at Ponyville from the air, searching for his guardian, a thought crossed his mind. “Question.”

“Yes?”

“What did that stallion mean when he called Nica the ‘Hero of Manehattan?’”

Dash displayed a wide glee. “Oh, that’s an epic story to remember.” She took a deep breath and spoke up, “From what I’ve heard, after Nica solved a friendship problem at the changeling’s hive while remembering how to use two of her attacks, she decided to become a mercenary.”

“And?” Pikachu asked, his ears straightened up.

“To help her friend Coco Pommel, Rarity asked Nica to be her bodyguard and keep her clothing store safe in a dangerous part of Manehattan. Something about Coco putting all of her savings to buy a cheap store, only to find out it was in the mafia’s territory with some random gang stealing her profit regularly.”

“And Nica defended her store?” Pikachu asked. He and Ash quite often ended up facing criminals with two Team Rocket members following them whenever they went. Was Nica also into this kind of stuff?

“Defended her store?” Dash laughed loudly. “Oh, she defended the store alright, and next crashed the gang that bothered Coco before delivering them to the police. Next she saved many lives by running into a burning building, and from what I heard, those were magical flames that could melt even metal. After being solidly cooked by the flames, she agreed to help the police and attacked the mob’s headquarters… the very same night.

“W-what?” Pikachu asked.

“Awesome, isn’t it? I would pay any amount of bits to see her rush into the mob’s territory while covered in burns, only to kick flanks and take names.” She spread her forelegs in excitement as Pikachu grabbed her tail in an attempt not to fall. “That was really epic! The newspapers made her into a celebrity. I also read another article where she took another dangerous job and saved many workers at the mine, facing explosive gas while crushing large boulders.” She looked at her passenger. “Is your mind blown yet?”

Pikachu displayed a sheepish smile before climbing up and reasserting himself on the pegasus’ back. It was one thing to face a few criminals, but storming the base was another story. “Now that I think about it, I once ended up trapped inside one of Team Rocket’s bases with another Pikachu. They tried to capture Lugia and did experiments on pokemon to enrage them.” He grit his teeth, not the most pleasant memories. “We beat Electabuzz in a two against one battle, and together with Ash and Richie we stopped their plans.”

“Neat. Stunts like that is what makes Nica admire you.”

“Y-yea…” Pikachu said hesitantly. Knowing that his guardian kept her achievements a secret, the more he learned about her, the less he felt worthy of her praise. Sure, he and his trainer played a major role in many important events, but if Nica was in his place, she seemed capable of accomplishing the same. There was still a lot he didn’t know about her yet.

Ch.5 - The Great Chase - Pt.2

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Little Lost Pikachu
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Chapter 5
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The Great Chase - Pt.2

Nica trotted through Sweet Apple Acres, bypassing trees with two baskets wrapped by her tail. After finally losing Pikachu while ensuring he would get the ice-cream and her message, she needed to do something, something which would put her messed mind at ease and let her think in peace. With some stamina to spare, a bit of labor at the farm seemed to be what she needed.

“Thank ya kindly,” Big Mac said while pulling the half-full cart.

“You’re welcome,” Nica replied while forcing a smile. She stood on the tips of her rear paws and moved the baskets up, tilting them to drop her cargo into the cart. Under other circumstances, a quick cheerful jump was all she needed to quickly rush between the cart and nearby trees, but today she didn’t feel like it.

Lucario focused energy with his hand before gently pressing it against a tree, causing it to shake and drop apples without damaging the surface. A golden collar with blue gems was present on his neck. “Captain, stressed. Meditation advised.”

“Stressed, why?” Applejack asked as she lowered her raised rear legs and gave Nica a questioning glance.

“It’s nothing big, don’t worry.”

“Nica!”

The long-tailed pokemon looked up and waved. From above thriving branches, a prismatic streak flew through the trees and landed in front of her.

“Hey Rainbow Dash.” Her smile vanished the moment she noticed who the passenger sitting on the pegasus’ back was. She took a step back as her ears drooped. All her efforts to free Pikachu from her presence proved for nothing as she once again needed to run away.

“Wait, I need to talk with you!” Pikachu shouted as he jumped from Rainbow Dash.

Nica turned around and ran, only for the pegasus to fly above her head and block her escape route.

“Not so fast. Your hero wants to talk with you.”

Nica looked between Dash and Pikachu who flanked her from both sides. She released the baskets from her tail and stood on four paws, preparing herself for a long jump.

“Please, don’t go. I just want to apologize,” Pikachu begged with a pleading voice.

Dash flew closer and grabbed Nica’s tail with her forelegs. “Come on Nica! At least give him a moment to say sorry.”

Nica stood on her two feet and turned around, staring at her hero in confusion. “Apologize? Whatever for?”

Applejack, Big Mac and Lucario turned to them, listening with full attention while staring curiously while Rainbow Dash slowly released her tail.

Pikachu approached her and held his forepaws together in an apologetic gesture. “For offending you and for making you sad.”

“What? But I…”

Pikachu’s ears drooped as he lowered his head. “I understand that you have your beliefs and take pride in being a Raichu, and that it had to shock you when I told you I don’t want to evolve.” He raised his head and stood on the tips of his hind paws, staring at her with those cute, oval eyes. Their size difference apparent as he only reached her chin. “But I assure you, I don’t think any less of you and I think you’re a really kind and great Raichu. So another Raichu went too hard on me in a battle, no big deal. You shouldn't feel guilty over it. You’re great just the way you are.” He grabbed the bronze edge of her forepaw as she blushed. “Let’s forget about our disagreement and just enjoy each other's company like we did before, alright?”

“You… you got it all wrong,” Nica said as she waited for Pikachu to release her paw. Her ears drooped again. “It’s true that I feel ashamed that other Raichu hurt you in the past, but I’m not sad that you have a different approach to evolution. It’s not why I started avoiding you and letting you win in all those tests.”

“Then why?”

Nica looked to the side, a depressed smile present on her face.

Lucario crossed his arms and gave his captain a disapproving stare. “Fears, secrets, hurt. Escape, poor solution.” He shook his head. “Pikachu, Raichu, both nice, want best for each other. Honesty, best solution.”

“Ah can’t agree more,” Applejack said with a firm nod as she approached and raised her head. “Listen, sugarcube, Ah got no clue what happened between ya two, but for the last two days ya were such great friends, so happy together. Ah can’t stand seein’ ya sad like that.”

“Be honest,” Big Mac said firmly. “Ya both want what's best for each other. It’ll work out in the end.”

“But… what if it all takes a turn for the worst?” Nica asked.

“And what if it’ll turn it all for the better? Give it a go,” Applejack said with a knowing grin.

“Al-alright…” Nica looked at Pikachu, who stared back with a hopeful expression. “I… I avoided you, and held back my skills… to make you happier.”

“But… I am happier with you around,” Pikachu said with a shake of his head. "Your enthusiasm, endless energy and determination makes me feel like I was with my trainer again, and I like how nice, cheerful and polite you are. It's really hard to feel lonely or lost with you around."

Nica held a forepaw on her chest. “But I represent what you dislike. You can say you don’t want to evolve for different reasons, but it all started because the first Raichu you met left you with a traumatic experience. Deeply in your mind you despise your evolution and my very presence must be an eyesore to you.”

Pikachu took a step back. “What… no! Why would you think that?”

“Because I felt your jealousy from the very beginning. It grew stronger whenever I showed my abilities at full or near full strength. I could also sense bits of anger whenever you looked at me.”

“W-what? I didn’t…” He patted his forepaws together, his ears drooped. “I’m not angry at you… am I?”

“Part of you is. I know you can’t help it, it’s just a side-effect of your bad memories. I don’t blame you for it,” Nica said as she placed a forepaw on Pikachu’s shoulder. “I wanted to put that part of you at ease, so I started avoiding you and letting you win.”

“Oh…” Pikachu said before rubbing the side of his forelimb nervously.

“Ya were jealous of her?” Applejack asked, looking at the smaller pokemon. “Bad experiences?”

Nica glanced at the farm mare and explained, “The first Raichu he met put him in the hospital in a critical condition. Another strong Raichu nearly killed him by going too harsh on him in a battle.”

“Oh…” Applejack and Rainbow Dash said in unison as they bit their bottom lip.

“Yea… that would leave a scar,” Dash muttered as she rubbed the back of her neck.

“Scar or not, ya two seemed happy together. Yer too nice to be an eyesore,” Applejack pointed out.

Pikachu nodded. “Exactly.” He smiled cheerfully, stood on the tip of his left rear foot and patted her on the shoulder. “You’ll never be an eyesore to me.”

“But… but what if you’ll hate me…”

“Hate, why?” Pikachu asked.

“I fear… I’m just afraid that if you learned more about me, you’ll start seeing me as a rival and grow more jealous?” She pointed at Pikachu while looking at him with a suspicious stare. “Part of you can’t stand the idea of a Raichu surpassing you in a fight, and competing is a main part of our nature.” She looked to the side. “I’m scared… I don’t want you to view me as a rival to overcome.”

Pikachu stared back in silence before stomping. “Do you really think so little of me?”

“What!? I would never,” Nica said in panic as she took a step back.

“I earned the respect of many pokemon in a battle, and I started respecting them in turn.” His eyes narrowed as he placed his forepaws on his hips. “Just because I let my pride get the best of me when challenged by arrogant Raichu doesn’t mean I’m a prisoner of my competitiveness. Trust me, I tried to keep that part of me in check when I was around you, because I truly believed you’re different than them and don’t deserve that.”

“The kiddo’s got a point,” Dash said while giving Pikachu a proud smile. “It’s true that competing with others can bring out the worst of us, but at the same time it can bring out the best of us. Just because someone is your rival, doesn’t mean you need to dislike them.”

“Exactly,” Pikachu said with a wide smile. He raised his forepaw and said firmly, “One battle, I need only one chance in a battle and I’ll prove it.”

Nica gulped. While she wanted to trust her hero, believing that he wouldn’t hate her in the end, was a pokemon battle really the correct path to salvage their friendship?

“We won’t be fighting to defend our pride or to win, but just to earn each other’s respect and have fun.” He raised his head. “I’ll prove that I can keep my competitiveness in check.” He took a deep breath and held his forepaws in a pleading gesture. “Will you give me a chance? Please!”

“Go for it, Nica. He’s really trying,” Dash said. Nica could sense curiosity and excitement coming from her as she hovered in place, above the two pokemon’s heads. The Pegasus was no doubt looking forward to watching their fight.

“Give him a chance. Don’t let yer fears get the best of ya,” Applejack said.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac nodded.

“Pikachu’s skills, flawed, room for improvement. Nica, master, battle, can teach,” Lucario added with crossed arms.

Nica looked between her friends and then into those pleading eyes of Pikachu. Every vibe in her body told her it was going to end poorly, but how could she refuse to give her hero a chance to prove her wrong. “A-alright… but on three conditions.”

“Name them!” Pikachu shouted with a few cheerful leaps.

“First, no jealousy and anger. The moment I sense that they have overpowered your enjoyment, I’ll stop battling,” Nica said with a firm tone.

“You have nothing to fear,” Pikachu reassured.

“Second, we’ll fight with respect. It’ll be a friendly match after all.”

Pikachu nodded. “That goes without saying.”

Nica relaxed herself and took a deep breath. “Third, and the most important. I’ll fight you only if you’ll allow Twilight’s magic to even the odds.”

“Even the odds, what do you mean?” Pikachu asked.

Nica rubbed her forepaw nervously as she looked to the side. “To be honest, most of my life I fought against stronger opponents, always being put at a disadvantage. I just can’t have it any other way. Even if you weren’t my hero, I still wouldn’t be able to not hold back against you knowing that being a Raichu gives me an unfair advantage. If I went against you with everything I had… I would feel like a bully. I don’t want to have an edge over you just because I evolved and you didn’t.”

Pikachu stared back with growing confusion, contemplating what he just learned. Were ponies really capable of making pokemon stronger with this mysterious force called magic? He knew of other pokemon who could power up allies, but these were short-lasting boosts and used in the middle of battle, not something one could do in advance. “And you think Twilight’s magic will fix that?” he asked, eagerly awaiting the answer.

“Of course!” Nica smiled cheerfully and grabbed Pikachu by his paw, pulling him towards Rainbow Dash. “Let’s go.” Pikachu pressed his rear paws firmly against the ground, resisting Nica’s pull. He slid his forepaw from the Raichu’s hold, who turned around and asked in confusion, “Is something wrong?”

“Well… I do have an issue with your final request.” Pikachu nodded, narrowing his eyes. “From what you’re saying, this magic will make our fight ‘fair’ by making me as strong as a Raichu, is that it?”

“As strong or even stronger.” Nica held forepaw on her chest, her smile from ear to ear. “From personal experience I can tell you that their magic gives a massive boost in raw power and provides a protective aura that reduces received damage. It will compensate for the difference in durability, strength and attack power between our stages of evolution.” She rubbed the top of her head, thinking. “It will probably make you faster as well… maybe. The battle for Canterlot didn’t last long, so I’m not sure.”

Rainbow Dash spoke up, “Magic boosting pokemon speed, now that’s something I would love to see.”

Pikachu crossed his arms and shook his head. “I think your last condition is unnecessary. I can fight just fine with my own strength.” Deep in his mind he recalled memories of a few times when he received a massive boost in power from large charges of electricity, giving him unearned victories.

“What, but why?”

“Because victory wouldn’t be worth much if I didn’t earn it with my own stren...” Pikachu paused, quickly reminding himself of why he wanted to fight Nica in the first place. Pikachu, focus. He lowered his paws, cleared his throat and said, “What I’m trying to say is, I want to prove that I won’t be jealous of your skills and power. I want to show you that I’ll enjoy our battle where we earn each other’s respect.” He approached the taller pokemon, not breaking eye contact even for a moment. “I can’t exactly prove it if I won’t fight you with my own strength, weaker body or not.”

“B-but…” Nica’s ears drooped as a sad pout formed on her face. “But I… I don’t want to fight you… not like that…”

“Why?”

“I already told you, I don’t want an unfair advantage. I don’t want our fight to be completely one-sided.”

Pikachu narrowed his eyes, not liking what he just heard in the least. “Completely one-sided?” He took a few steps forward, standing on the tips of his rear paws as he poked Nica’s white belly. “Are you saying that you would crush me that easily just because you’re evolved and I’m not?”

Nica smiled sheepishly as beads of sweat began to drip down her forehead. “N-no… I just... “ She tapped her forepaws nervously. “Let’s say I agree. Will it be fine if… I hold back against you?”

“Hold back?!” Pikachu responded, raising his voice.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes before giving ‘you shouldn’t have said that’ glance at Nica. There was no accusation in it, but rather hint of pity.

“Y-yes… You know… measure my skills and strength to y-yours, to make the fight enjoyable and equal for both sides.”

“Are you looking down on me?” Pikachu asked, though despite standing on the tips of his rear paws, he only reached up to the Raichu’s chin.

“No… I’d never- I’m not! I admire you.”

“You say that, but at the same time you refuse to fight at me with everything you’ve got. I thought we were supposed to show and earn each other’s respect, but it doesn’t feel like that’s what is happening right now.” Suddenly, a pair of wings slid in between him and Nica, pushing them both aside. They looked up at the pegasus in confusion.

“Calm down little buddy. Don’t get me wrong, I get where you’re coming from, but trust me, I got to know Nica enough to tell that she doesn’t look down on you, and she doesn't want to offend you.” Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s… hard to explain. Just trust a fellow athlete on this one.”

Pikachu looked between the pegasus and the depressed expression on Nica’s face, unsure what to say. On one side, he felt offended and he wanted satisfaction. He wanted to prove Nica wrong, he wanted to show her that he’s worthy of being called a hero and could hold his ground without need for evolution. On another side, it was clear that this kind Raichu didn’t want to offend him, but why was it so hard for her to just do her best against him? That’s what a good battle was all about. It was obvious that Nica respected him as a hero, so why she couldn’t respect his fighting spirit?

“Do you… still refuse to accept magic boost from Twilight to even the odds?” Nica asked, her tone lacking any of the previous enthusiasm.

Pikachu shook his head, responding with a bitter tone, “Do you still refuse to fight me at your best?” Seeing as Nica just looked to the side, refusing to answer, he added, “I already swore that I would keep my jealousy at bay, that we would earn each other's respect, and I’ll do it even if I’ll lose. Just let me prove it.”

Nica sighed, still refusing to look him in the eyes.

Awkward silence lasted for several seconds, both parties looking clearly uncomfortable. There was still a lot he didn’t know about her, but getting along proved a bit harder than he thought. Come on, there has to be a fighting spirit in her, that little something that I admire in all pokemon I face in battle. One doesn't grow this strong without it, but how to reach it?

“Enough!”

Both Pikachu, Nica and Rainbow Dash looked at the approaching pokemon as Lucario walked alongside Applejack.

“Nica, Pikachu, similar, yet different,” Lucario started, giving both pokemon intense glare. “Strong humility, pacifist approach, strong pride, competitive approach, incontenibile personalities for battling. Clash between, low chance of bonding, massive chance of upsetting.”

Pikachu tilted his head to the side, trying and failing to comprehend what this pokemon was talking about. The ponies seemed just as lost with the exception of Big Mac who simply nodded to each spoken sentence.

Lucario crossed his arms as he looked in the direction of the town despite the sea of trees blocking the view. “Suggestion, battle against proxy. Lower combat capabilities, competitive personality, better match for Pikachu.”

Nica spoke up hesitantly, though her ears were still flat against her head, “Are you suggesting to let Pikachu fight against one of my teammates, one that’s more competitive?”

“Correct assumption. Battle more even, less one-sided.”

Pikachu smiled, running in between both pokemon. “I get it. You want me to fight against another member of Nica’s team to prove myself.” He glanced at the Raichu. “We’ll earn each other's respect and Nica will see that I can keep my jealousy and frustration at bay. That’s a perfect plan.”

“I… suppose,” Nica said as her ears straightened up. One could pick up hints of relief hidden in her voice.

Pikachu smiled widely before showing his determined face. He clenched his firsts as sparks of electricity escaped the dots on his cheeks. While he wished he could face this strong Raichu in battle, it was clear that he first needed to prove himself to her. Maybe she’ll agree to have a serious fight with me once she sees what I’m capable off. I’ll show her that she doesn’t need to hold anything back against me.

Ch.6 - Flames of Pride (Alternative Version)

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Little Lost Pikachu
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Chapter 6
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Flames of Pride

The post-Tirek battlefield, a perfect location away from civilization for intense pokemon battles. Rocky cliffs from two sides, crates filling the rocky ground, a lot of space to run on and a few boulders to hide behind, what more could two competitive pokemon desire for their battleground?

Pikachu and Ninetails took up defensive positions across each other, Rainbow Dash behind the electric mouse and Starlight taking her spot on the fire fox’s side. Starlight’s smile was wide at the thought of being a trainer, and she could tell that the pegasus shared her sentiment.

“Ok, if we’re going to do this, we need to know what you both can do, so if you can remind us of your movepools, it would be great. First, Pikachu, do you have the same moves as Nica? Like Volt Tackle?” Starlight asked.

Pikachu shook his head. “No, I used to know it a while back, but I know Electro Ball now instead! I can do that, Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, and also Iron Tail!”

Starlight nodded in response and began to think. “So a bit more attack based than Nica with more ranged options but less for close combat and defense.”

“No ‘Volt Tackle?’ bummer. That move looked really cool. Still, ‘Quick Attack,’ sounds really good. Attacking with speed is something I can get behind,” Rainbow Dash said as a coaching hat and whistle adorned her head and neck. “Also, sorry if I hold you back. This is my first pokemon battle and I’m not good at strategies and stuff.”

Pikachu shook his head with a shrug. “Ash rarely had strategies anyway. A lot of his best stuff, he came up on the fly. But don’t worry, I picked up a few things from him so just point me in the right way and I’ll take care of the rest!”

Ninetails sat proudly, lowering his stance for a moment as he glanced at his trainer for this battle. “As for me, I know ‘Calm Mind’ that temporarily improves my special attack and special defense, which can be helpful against my opponent’s ‘Thunderbolt’ and ‘Electro Ball.’”

“And not so much against ‘Quick Attack’ and ‘Iron Tail’, am I right?”

“Correct, though I do resist steel type moves since I’m a fire pokemon. My other three moves are: ‘Solarbeam’, ‘Psychic’ and ‘Flamethrower’, all special attacks and very strong.” He stood up and spread his tails which flashed with power, only for the rays of the sun to suddenly became more intense in limited area, causing sweat to form on the faces of all present ponies. “My ability ‘Drought’ allows me to summon ‘Sunny Weather’ over the battlefield, making fire attacks stronger, water attacks weaker, and it charges my ‘Solar beam’ very quickly.” He grinned. “And I can assure you, all of my attacks are more than enough to put that feeble, troublesome Pikachu in his place. Hero or not, he’s out of his league for this battle.”

“Oh, it is on!” Pikachu said, stomping with his forepaw, his tail raised upward threateningly. “I’ll make you eat those words!”

Rainbow Dash and Starlight looked to the side at the audience, which was positioned behind a set of well-placed boulders to hide behind.

Applejack cheered, “Go get them Pikachu and Rainbow Dash, show them ya’re not to be underestimated.”

Big Mac sat further to the right and gave Ninetales an encouraging glance while Lucario observed with his eyes closed, legs crossed in a meditating pose.

Nica sat atop the tallest boulder. Despite being an observer rather than fighting herself, worry and discomfort was still her constant companions for this battle.

Noticing this, Rainbow Dash reprimanded. “Hey buddy, remember your promise.”

Pikachu nodded as he glanced at Nica. If he wanted to show her his skills and put down her fears, he needed to fight with honor and respect. Falling for taunts was something he couldn’t afford.

Nica stood up, taking a deep breath into her lungs before shouting, “Good luck Pikachu, do your best, and most importantly, have fun!” She turned towards the multi-tailed fox and added, “Ninetales, please be polite. No mean remarks, alright?”

The taller pokemon rolled his eyes before taking a fighting stance.

Litten climbed up, taking a seat on the cold rock next to the long-tailed pokemon, a translating collar with orange flames now decorating his neck. “Cheering for Pikachu rather than your teammate? Hey, what’s up with that frown. Cheer up.”

“S-sorry, I just… can’t stop worrying. Making my hero unhappy and earning his disapproval is the last thing I want,” Nica answered as she grabbed her own tail and rubbed it nervously. “I wish this fight wouldn’t be as unfair as it is. I can only hope he won’t take losing too hard.”

“You worry too much. Just relax and trust Pikachu,” Litten said as he reached up, placing forepaw on Raichu’s shoulder. “Also, don’t underestimate him. He’s the strongest of Ash’s pokemon, he’ll win for sure.”

“I wish…” Nica mumbled.

Starlight lit her horn, unwrapping and levitating away translating collars from Pikachu and Ninetales, sending them to Nica for safekeeping.

“Let’s get this party started, Pikachu, attack quick and attack hard, do that ‘Quick Move’!” Dash commanded, pointing ahead.

Pikachu grit his teeth and ran, leaving a cloud of dust and pebbles and white trail blaring behind him as he charged at his opponent.

“Ninetales, show us what ‘Psychic’ is capable off,” Starlight said with a confident grin.

Pikachu speed up, slamming his head into the chest of the taller pokemon, the impact pushing him a meter away. The moment his feet landed on solid ground, he ran forward, circling between the thin legs of the taller pokemon before the ‘Psychic’ could connect. <What’s the matter, can’t keep up?>

“Perfect, now hit him with Steel… ‘Iron Tail,’” Dash commanded.

Pikachu was more than happy to oblige, hitting the middle part of Ninetales belly as if delivering an uppercut, sending him flying while leaving a bruise.

“Quick, ‘Flamethrower,’” Starlight commanded.

“Not quick enough, keep it up with your speed and shock him with electricity!” Rainbow Dash said as she stood on her rear hooves and punched the air, her wings spread for extra balance.

Pikachu leaped to the side, evading the cyclone of flames before running further away as Ninetales directed flames towards him. He answered with ‘Thunderbolt,’ aiming at where his opponent was going to land. Silvery aura surrounded Ninetales before being struck by electricity as a few small burns now decorated his golden fur. <That’s three to zero. Still thinking I am feeble?>

Ninetales nonchalantly rubbed the burns on his fur with his right forepaw. <You’re very agile and surprisingly strong for an unevolved pokemon, I must give you that. Your attacks did a lot of damage.> He narrowed his eyes. <Now that I estimated your speed and power, I know I can take this fight a bit more seriously.>

Pikachu blinked, so his opponent was just measuring his skills and power?

“Pikachu, attack with ‘Electric Orb’ or whatever that move was called. Oh, and make it look cool,” Dash said, now flying over the battlefield.

“Ninetales, ‘Calm Mind’ and then ‘Flamethrower!’” Starlight commanded, stomping with both hooves.

Pikachu repeated his name before jumping and spinning, throwing the orb of electricity.

Ninetales ducked and leapt to the side while opening his mouth, evading and attacking at the same time. This time the flames proved more intense than before.

Pikachu jumped over the fire, deciding to attack with ‘Thunderbolt’ without command form his temporarily trainer.

Silvery aura once again surrounded the multi-tailed fox, reducing received damage, only for him to unleash empowered flames which tore through the electricity.

Pikachu’s eyes went wide. He covered his face, feeling the fire burn his fur continuously, making him endure intense heat. Pushed by the fire, he landed further from his opponent as his fur now smoked. Sadly he didn’t get much of a respite as Ninetails fired yet another powerful Flamethrower at him.

Up above Rainbow Dash couldn’t stop a panicked shout, “Pikachu do something! Counter it!”

Pikachu’s ear stood up hearing the sort-of command as old memories flooded back to him. With a determined look, he spun himself onto his back and with a shout of “Pika-chuu!” fired his thunderbolt. The electricity followed his momentum, forming into a barrier of electricity that surrounded Pikachu into the air.

As the Flamethrower struck, the spinning electricity caused the fire to bounce around the shield. Though Pikachu could still feel some of the heat as it passed, he was saved from the damage of the attack as it dissipated and returned to his fighting stance with a small smirk.

<Cute…> Ninetales said quietly, keeping distance while looking down at his opponent.

“That was a great defense, Pikachu, keep it up!” Nica cheered, earning a chuckle from the cat pokemon by her side.

“Nice! But let’s keep moving from now on. Move fast and hit hard, be mobile,” Dash shouted, encouraging Pikachu from above. “Your opponent is bigger but I’m sure you can outspeed him.”

Pikachu nodded before running to the side, circling around his opponent.

<Two can play in that game,> Ninetails said before running as well, maintaining the speed of his opponent as both pokemon ran in circles, keeping distance, not daring to avert their eyes from each other even for a moment.

“Solarbeam!” Starlight commanded.

“Electro Orb!” Dash commanded.

Pikachu charged and threw orb of electricity, which collided with beam of solar energy which shot form Ninetales’ mouth. Both attacks pushed against each other, non gaining advantage until exploding, causing a devastating rain of pebbles and forming a cloud of smoke.

Nica observed the battle, gasping. While she could easily tell that her teammate was holding back as she knew that he was capable of more, seeing Pikachu’s raw power was no less than impressive. I have met many Raichu over the years, but this Pikachu puts most of them to shame. His attack power is really great considering the limitations of his body. Her ears drooped. If only this Pikachu agreed to evolve, his ‘Electro Ball’ would have easily pierced through the ‘Solar Beam’ and hit his opponent. He truly deserved evolution more than the many weak and lazy Raichu who took their power for granted.

The battle followed as Nica observed Pikachu’s movements, who either evaded bursts of flames or beams of solar energy. The atmosphere was heated as she felt a few drops of sweat slide down her cheeks from the ‘Sunny Weather.’ In fact, she was grateful that Pikachu played defensively, buying time until the boosting weather would run out.

The usage of ‘Quick Attack’ for additional evasion was certainly a nice touch as well.

Still, Ninetales now matched his speed and agility to his opponent, evading ‘Electro Ball’ and ‘Thunderbolt’ with ease as both pokemon fought at a distance, evading each other’s blows.

Even when Pikachu’s ‘Thunderbolt’ connected, the fire-breathing fox countered with ‘Psychic’, slamming the smaller opponent into a nearby boulder while leaving a Pikachu-shaped mark and a few cracks on the large stone.

The most important however was that she could sense enjoyment and satisfaction from her hero, which in turn put a smile on her face. I hope he won’t find out that Ninetales is holding back. I don’t want his enjoyment to end.

“Incomin’!” Applejack shouted as she and Big Mac hid behind the boulders, while Litten took a defensive stance, aware of an incoming ‘Solar Beam.’ Lucario kept meditating, not at all bothered by the incoming attack.

Nica charged power into her tail, anchoring her rear legs against the stone as she pressed her metallic tail against the beam. She grit her teeth as her rear legs trembled, pushing her ‘Iron Tail’ against the incoming energy. She successfully parried the attack as the energy from ‘Solar Beam’ scattered into the air, dissipating into nothing.

Pikachu looked at the audience in panic, but before he could shout a warning, he saw Nica parry the powerful beam. That defense was great, and far less draining than my electric shield. That attack didn’t even faze her. He sighed in relief and then smiled, hoping she would agree to fight him in the near future, thought his current battle was satisfying enough.

<Don’t worry. No harm will come to the ponies as long as Nica is around. You can focus on the battle,> Ninetales said, catching Pikachu’s attention as they both smiled at each other. <Enjoying yourself?>

<A lot,> Pikachu said, feeling adrenaline in his body as his breathing was faster than usual. His paws were a bit sore from all the running and dodging and he felt a little aching in his back from being slammed into the boulder, but the fight was but even and exciting. Wait a moment. Something isn’t right. He stood up from his four, now standing on his rear paws while addressing his opponent accusingly. <As fun as this battle is, I noticed a bit of hesitation in your movements, as if you matched my speed and strength to mine way too perfectly. Something just doesn’t feel right.> He narrowed his eyes and pointed accusingly. <Wait a moment, are you holding back against me?>

Ninetales lowered his guard and his tails, and then answered, <Quite perceptive. Yes, I did limit my fighting abilities to match yours.>

Pikachu groaned in annoyance, resuming his fighting stance, but before he could complain, his opponent spoke first.

Pikachu nodded, walking forward with slow steps while wary of his opponent’s moves, but it seemed clear that no attack is going to follow up anytime soon.

“Are they… talking… in the middle of a fight?” Dash asked, rubbing the back of his neck while hovering in mid-air. He flew closer to Starlight.

“Seems like it, let’s call it a short break.”

Ninetales sat, looking down as he spoke in a calm manner. <Listen, small fry. Prideful pokemon like us, we enjoy battles the most when both sides are on a similar level, when both pokemon can push their limits in an even fight and enjoy it to the fullest. You can’t deny that, can you?>

<Y-yes, but even so…>

Ninetales interrupted, <But of course there’s that pride of ours, the desire to face against the odds and not having opponent hold anything back. It hurts our pride and our fighting spirit when we can’t make opponent give their best against us. I get it, but let me tell you something.>

Nica’s ears perked up as she tried to listen to their conversation despite the distance. Litten followed her example.

Pikachu shook his head as he gave his tensed muscle a moment of break. <Of course not. Since they know and like each other, the weaker one will just be happy that his friend is so strong and try to learn from him.>

Ninetales nodded. <Very good. Now, here’s another scenario. What if two pokemon who barely know each other fight with all their strength, and one of them will end up easily overpowered and defeated. Do you think he’ll still enjoy this battle?>

Pikachu wanted to answer, but no words left his mouth, taking a moment to consider his opponent’s words.

<I’ll tell you what would happen to pokemon like us. We would feel annoyed, frustrated, humiliated. We would get angry at our opponent for beating us so easily, angry at ourselves for being so pathetic and determined to get our revenge. Our pride would be injured and on the line,> Ninetales spoke in harsher tone, giving the smaller pokemon a judging glare. <Trust me on this. If you really want to challenge Nica, to prove that you can keep your emotions in check, take more time to get to know her.>

<If you knew her well enough, you would never refuse her request to even the odds, because you would know what makes her happy and what would upset her.> Ninetales growled, making the smaller pokemon take a few steps backward. <At the moment, you allow your pride to blind you. I know, because I would do the same mistake if I just met her for the first time.>

Pikachu grit his teeth, wishing he had an answer to his opponent, but he had to admit, there were still many things he didn’t know about Nica, and she seemed very upset when he refused for pony magic to boost him for their battle.

Ninetales looked at the sky. <Look at that, it seems the effect of my ability is wearing off. No ‘Sunny Weather’ to boost my fire attacks and charge my ‘Solar Beam’, such a shame.> He stood up and spread his tails, displaying his teeth. <You want me to fight you with all I got, you want the challenge even if you’ll get easily crushed in the end, fine, I’ll grant this wish, but don’t dare to cry to me if you won’t find this battle fun or exciting. You can only blame yourself for that.>

Pikachu grit his teeth, summoning bolts of electricity which escaped his cheeks. His muscles were once again tense as he raised his guard, ready for the raised difficulty. His opponent ran at him and unleashed ‘Flamethrower’... which seemed even larger and more intense than before, despite ‘Sunny Day’ no longer boosting it.

Out of reflex, he jumped to the side, but the flames followed him faster than he could run.

“Pikachu, roll and use electricity, do that trick that blocked fire attack before!” Dash shouted in panic, spreading her wings before flying into the air.

Pikachu did as he was told, pushing away the incoming flames, but several seconds later he felt fire hit his side as a small portion of the attack pierced through his electric shield. The moment he got back to his four paws, he felt strong force surround his body, levitating above the ground. In response he unleashed ‘Thunderbolt,’ but his opponent swiftly evaded the attack while rubbing his body intensively against the hard ground with ‘Psychic’.

The moment he was finally free, he felt strong aching on his side and in his right limbs. He didn’t get a moment of break though as Ninetales was once again on the offensive. Both pokemon breathed at quick pace.

“Wow, you’re really stepping up,” Starlight praised before pointing her hoof ahead, failing to notice distress on Nica’s face. “Attack with ‘Solar Beam.’”

Ninetales ignored the command, unleashing another ‘Flamethrower’ instead.

Pikachu jumped over the attack, then spinned in mid-air to push himself to the side to avoid following flames. He could clearly feel the difference, feeling as if one mistake would cost him the battle.

“Pikachu, go on the offensive. Use that super fast attack and slam your ‘Iron Tail.’” Dash shouted enthusiastically.

The moment Pikachu landed, he ran with quick attack, jumping at the larger foe who shiftly leaped to the side, timing it well enough to evade. Before Pikachu landed, he felt a very weak ‘Psychic’ slam him into the ground with a loud thud, spreading a few cracks from the impacted area. He evaded and countered this quickly against my fastest move. I knew Nica is fast and agile, but her team buddy is really quick as well.

Without wasting a moment, he pushed himself towards NInetales’ face, slamming his ‘Iron Tail’ against his head. Much to his surprise, just a moment after slamming cheek of his opponent with strong steel move, the fox-pokemon bit his metallic-tail with his teeth, slamming him repeatedly against the ground.

In response, he unleashed ‘Thunderbolt,’ but his foe didn’t let go, defending with silvery aura he recognized as ‘Calm Mind.’ He tried to unleash another attack, but before he could, he felt inferno burst from Ninetales’ mouth, burning him and his tail as he could do nothing to evade.

The moment Pikachu opened his eyes, he felt as if his body was heated in the oven for hours while stone around and under him melted from the intense heat. He looked up at the towering pokemon, who looked back with determination despite post-electric burns present on his fur.

Both ponies could do nothing but stare in silence, first scared and then relieved that Pikachu wasn’t melted along with the stone.

Come on Pikachu, you can do better than that. Don’t let this arrogant pokemon toy with you like that. He grit his teeth, standing on his trembling paws while melted stone kept burning his belly and paws. He repeated his name, charging ‘Electro Ball’ atop his tail. Much to his shock, Ninetales just jumped forward and… sunk his teeth into the orb of electricity, causing it to explode while scattering melted rocks all around.

Nica slammed away the melted stone with her ‘Iron Tail’ as she stared at the cloud of smoke with the utmost worry.

Starlight raised her bubble to shield herself from the explosion while Rainbow Dash circled in mid-air, avoiding the pebbles and fragments of the melted stone.

Pikachu opened his eyes as his vision cleared, his body in pain as he got caught in the center part of explosion from his own attack. He could see intense burns on Ninetales’ head, who simply ignored it and pressed both paws against his back. He noticed energy gathered in nine tails, as if charging a powerful strike.

Unable to move while pinned, Pikachu charged power into his tail. He tried to slam the long paws away, but Ninetales withdrew them quickly enough to evade his strike. Come on, fight… He pushed himself to stand on his burned legs, trying to escape the two-meter wide crater caused by the recent explosion, but his opponent simply jumped at him, intercepting his escape in mid-air. In response he slammed his ‘Iron Tail’ against his opponents forepaws, but the larger pokemon ignored his resisted strikes, grabbing him despite his injuries.

Pikachu yelped as he felt the weight of the Ninetales pin him against the ground. He looked up, seeing orb of charged power now very close to his face.

His fatigued mind immediately flooded him with images of an angered Raichu pinning him against a rock. Being unable to stop the pure power surging into his ‘Hyper Beam,’ lying useless and battered at his foe’s mercy. His life flashing before his eyes.

With a rush of adrenaline, he started struggling against the tail with all his might, shooting the Raichu a hateful glare. The beating of his heart increased in speed, as an unexplainable rage built up in his mind. I’ll not let you hurt me again.

He wriggled, struggling while unable to lift the weight with his burned paws. He unleashed full extend of her electricity, which shot into the sky like a tower, but his opponent endured it. A moment later, ‘Solar Beam’ struck him from close range in the face, pushing him away while rubbing his body against the ground, leaving a long trail in the stone and covering Pikachu with injuries and bruises.

Pikachu wasn’t done yet though as he pushed himself to stand on four trembling paws, ignoring the agonizing pain in his entire body. He shot Ninetales a hateful glare. Why he couldn't hold his ground? Why was he so easily overpowered by this arrogant annoyance. He was suppose to be better than that!

With a rush of emotions, he charged forward with ‘Quick Attack,’ lowering his guard as Ninetales simply tanked the strike with his chest and burned his back with flames. He quickly jumped and swung his ‘Iron Tail,’ but his metallic tail quickly ended up wrapped by ‘Psychic’ as he was than repeatedly slammed against the ground.

Pikachu felt as if his entire body begged him to stop, but he wasn’t done yet, he could still win. He screamed in pain, pushing himself to stand and unleash electricity against his foe. His attack missed as Ninetales ran to the side and counterattacked with ‘Flamethrower.’ He could only stare with growing frustration as the fire was about to scorch his already battered body while his legs refused to cooperate. He closed his eyes and braced himself, but the pain didn’t come.

As he opened his eyes, he saw Nica’s worried expression, as well as melted stone under her rear paws.

Pikachu shook his head, shooting Nica an angered glare. <N-no… it’s… not…> He tried to step forward, only to drop to one knee as his injured paw refused to heed his call. Before he could fall onto his face, he was grabbed by bronze edges of Nica’s forepaws, then carried by her. He quickly noticed burns on Nica’s tail and spotted smoke coming from fur on her back. What caught his attention the most however was her watering eyes.

She continued, her tone was filled with sadness,

Pikachu breathed heavily, taking a moment to finally comprehend his situation as he kept feeling agonizing pain in his entire body. Each limb, each muscle pushed to its limit. The worst part however was that Nica was right, he did hated those final moments as he couldn’t accepted being so easily defeated by that know-it-all Ninetales. His ears drooped as apologetic “I’m sorry” escaped his mouth.

<Listen, I can tell you’re determined to save our friendship, an effort I don’t really deserve, but I appreciate it more than you think.> Upon noticing that Starlight and Rainbow Dash ran or flew into the crater, she added, <But now you can see why I wanted to ensure the fairness of our fight. It’s… just no fun when one opponent have massive advantage. Ninetales is fully evolved and have… a lot of experience. There was no mutual respect to be earned here.” She sighed. “Let’s bathe… and rest. We can talk later. If you’re still willing to strengthen our bonds… I’m willing to give it a chance, but by other means than a pokemon battle, alright?>

<Alright…> Pikachu muttered, sadness clear in his voice. He soon felt softness of nine tails which now served as a bed for his battered body. I… I just had to screw it up. He groaned, not only feeling powerless, but also experiencing guilt. He hoped that they would earn each other respect as he did so many times in battles with other pokemon. We… we had… a lot of fun… and the battle was really great and intense… but the last part was anything but frustrating. As much as I hate to admit, there was some truth in Ninetales words.

<Hey, Pikachu,> Ninetales whispered as he moved his tails closer to his face.

<Y-yeah?>

<Do you admit that I’m stronger than you?> Ninetales asked, his face half-burned from biting the ‘Electro Ball’, but he hid any discomfort and pain he probably felt, displaying a grin of self-satisfaction.

<Yeah, you’re powerful… a lot… more than me,> he admitted, though part of him found it very hard. Maybe if he got to know this Ninetales better, he would have an easier time admitting his superiority. Still, he certainly had to give him some respect; he was one heck of a battler.

“Should I… carry him? I can get him to the hospital quickly,” Rainbow Dash suggested, hovering over the injured pokemon.

“I think it will be better if Ninetales escorts him. His tails seem quite comfortable,” Starlight suggested before charging her horn. “In fact, I think this is where my teleporting spell can be most helpful.”

Nica nodded as she held safeguarded translating collars with her tail, though small burns were still present on the yellow edge and on her back. “Agreed.”

Ninetales lowered his muzzle close to Pikachu’s long ear.

Pikachu’s eyes became wide. Ninetales crushed him so quickly the moment he stopped holding back, and Nica was even stronger than him?

Pikachu nodded weakly, his consciousness slowly fading. There was wisdom in the fire fox’s words, but digesting them in his current state wasn’t easy. One thing was certain, however: If he wanted to salvage his friendship with Nica, pokemon battles weren’t the solution.

It was time for a different approach.

Meanwhile, unnoticed by everyone, Litten kept observing Ninetales from Starlight’s back with a hint of admiration in his eyes. As much as he didn’t like seeing his friend Pikachu beaten up like that, he had to admit that prowess of this Ninetales certainly caught his eye.

Ch.7 - Clean Slate - Pt.1 (changed significantly)

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Little Lost PIkachu

Chapter 7
-
Clean Slate - Pt.1

“Hurry up and jump in. Nothing relaxes more than a hot bath. This reminds me of the one you took after you hit yourself in the crack of the basement wall,” Starlight said as she gestured with her forehoof in an inviting wave. Behind her rested a half-filled tub, thin strands of steam wafting from the water. “Ah… the memories.”

“Ah dunno, the bath seems kinda hot,” Applejack pointed out as her attention focused on the fogging mirrors. She approached the tub and sank in her forehoof, only to pull it out and puff on it, her hoof now a bright crimson. “Eeyup, waaay too hot.”

Nica ignored the warning and hoisted herself onto the edge of the bathtub, balancing herself on the tips of her rear legs, the slippery surface unmatchable to the ice and snow coating the mountain she used to call home. A depressed expression was still present on her face.

“Ya sure sugarcube?” Applejack asked, concerned about the creatures worrying behavior. “Maybe wait till the water cools down.”

Nica carefully sank the bronze edge of her rear paw, feeling the scorch of the molten hot bath. One foot at a time, she sank her limbs into the burning water before lowering her belly, sparing only her head. The feeling of overwhelming heat combined with her recent burns didn’t bother her in the least. Not that she could be preoccupied by heat when she still had recent battle on her mind.
“Yer tough, alright. Enjoy yer hot bath,” Applejack grunted.

Feeling a sponge and soap softly knead through her fur and ears, this time more gently than in the past, she relaxed herself, letting her worries and stress wash away.

“So what exactly went wron’, sugarcube?” Applejack shifted her raised forelegs together, having them happily dance in place. “Ya two were havin’ fun, and Ah even saw ya smile a few times. Than ya ran away, and than let yer pal fight in yer stead,” until she slammed her forehooves together, “and then crash! Pikachu got beaten and burned, ya jump in to protect him from the fire, and now yer both hurt. What went wron’?”

Nica tilted her head to the side, allowing the levitating sponge to rub behind her right ear. “I’m not sure. I couldn’t bring myself to fight him without magic to even the odds. I was hoping the fight against my team members would work for the both of us, and Pikchu even began to enjoy it till the very end… with the ‘end’ being the part it became frustrating for him.” She sighed, her ears dropping at the unpleasant memory. “I saw a bit of myself in him when he kept standing up despite all those insane injuries, and when he stopped having fun and kept hurting himself, I had to jump in.”

“Pride?” Applejack queried. “A strong athlete refuses to quit till they give it their all, even if it ends up killin’ em.”

Starlight nodded. “Not many athletes are like you, Nica. They push themselves because of their pride when you don’t care about victory. The fact that you look down on yourself while being so skilled and durable is both impressive and sad.”

Nica now exposed her left ear for the sponge to clean, purring as it massaged a painful ache. “I was terrified that because of his past experiences with other Raichu, he would get jealous and angry, which is why I went along when Lucario suggested to let Ninetales fight him instead. I was shocked how well he did in that fight and how well he kept his anger and jealousy in check.” Her ears drooped. “At least until Ninetales charged his ‘Solar Beam and was preparing to unleash it from close at Pikachu’s face. The amount of fear and anger I sensed at that moment shoot to the roof.” She rubbed the top of her head, thinking. “‘Hyper Beam’ hitting his face, the worst memory… oh no!” She facepalmed. In the end the battle just made him relive that horrible experience.

“You figured something out?” Starlight inquired, hope lighting in her eyes.

She sank down into the water until only her nose and eyes were exposed above the bubbles.

“Well... while the fight didn’t work out for the both of you, I think it went much better than what you expected,” Starlight said with an encouraging smile. “I mean, most of your fears you told me were proven wrong, and frankly, ridiculous.”

“And it’s not like he isn’t tryin’ hard. How ‘bout ya two just be honest with each other. Ya both want to make the other happy, so just say what's wron’ without beatin' each other up and it will go fine. Speak yer mind without frettin’ over every little thing ya say.”

“I must agree with Applejack. It’ll take days till Twilight finishes the spell, and hiding your past from him will get you nowhere,” Starlight pointed out.

Nica raised her head and sighed. “You’re right… As much as I fear it will go wrong, I can’t keep hiding my past and fears from him. I assumed I was an eyesore for him, but he cares about our friendship more than I thought.” She held a forepaw on her chest with hints of sandness clear on her face. “He didn’t want this battle just for the sake of challenge. After I calmed him down, I could sense a lot of genuine guilt, which proved that to me. It wasn’t the pain that upset him but the fact that he failed to keep his word.” She narrowed her eyes and spoke in a firm tone. “I’m tired of it. I don’t care if he’ll hate me or not, he deserves a chance to know the truth.”

Applejack gave a smug grin and trotted out of the room, replying, “Ah was hopin’ you'd say that. Be right back.”

Nica looked at the leaving mare in confusion as she left the door open, inviting wisps of cold air inside the bathroom. A slight breeze sent a shiver down her spine. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, you’ll see,” Starlight said. She levitated over a sponge and carefully cleaned Nica’s face before wiping away spare patches of dirt, soap and water from her face with a towel.

The moment the soft cloth was removed, Nica opened her eyes, now staring at a blushing Pikachu perched atop Applejack’s back. Her face became tinted with a slight pink before splashing a small portion of hot water into Applejack’s face. “Why did you bring him? He should be recovering from the battle!”

“Ah just figured this to be a perfect time for ya both to talk till yer done bathin'. Ya can even clean each other while yer at it,” Applejack hinted, attempting to creep back out the door.

Nica stood on the tips of her rear paws and pointed at the plotting ponies accusingly. “You both planned this!”

“Ah won’t deny it,” Applejack bragged with a proudly raised head.

“It was my idea actually,” Starlight muttered, budding into the conversation. “The way you ran around the issue didn’t seem to work, so you both won’t be leaving this bathroom until you face it head on.” She tapped the horn on her forehead. “I’ll seal this bathroom with a barrier if I have to. I won’t hesitate to take extreme measures, and no, I’m not joking.”

Nica calmed herself and forced a weak smile. Any attempt to escape would most likely result in damage to the ponies’ property, and she wouldn’t dare leave a single burn on this clean elegant bathroom. Well played, Starlight, well played...

Her attention zeroed in on Pikachu, who tried and failed to look her in the eyes, and instead found something very interesting to stare at, if looking at a clean painted wall can be considered interesting in the first place. She sensed an overwhelming flood of guilt and fear, although the fact that he was still here instead of running away was a step in the right direction. “Alright... Pikachu… you can join… if you want that is.” She took a deep breath, gathering all of her courage while pushing both her fears and her damp body aside.

Pikachu put on a weak grimace before stepping from Applejack's back and balancing himself on the thin edge of the bathtub. His attempt to climb down the slippery surface resulted in him sliding into the boiling water with a loud splash as his rear legs scrambled for purchase on the porcelain. Water sloshed the moment his head emerged to catch a breath of air, his face boasting a cherry red in an instant.

A burning sensation overwhelmed every fibre of his body, only to feel something lift him, separating him temporarily from the smoldering water. He quickly found himself perched on Nica's tail, which kept him raised above the tub.

“The water is very hot and your burns are still fresh. Maybe… maybe you’d prefer to delay our conversation… for later?” Nica suggested.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes and shook his head. Screw burning water, there was no way he was going to chicken out. He and Nica were going to talk right here and right now. He climbed down the long tail, slowly sinking his limbs in before doing so with most of his body. The depth of the water forced him to stand on the tips of his rear paws to keep his head above the surface.

He ignored the way the heat stung his bruises and burns in order to focus his attention on Nica. He soldiered on. No heat, nor wounds were going to distract him from getting along with this nice Raichu, and there was a lot he wanted to learn about her.

“Now, about your privacy,” Starlight said as she untied the dazzling collars from both pokemon, levitating them onto a nearby table equipped with a mirror. At hoofs reach, she set them down, leaving a soothing yellow glow to echo around the room from the neck bands reflection. Starlight approached the exit, gesturing for Applejack to follow as both mares gently closed the door behind them. A weak blue aura flashed from behind it, most likely the barrier Starlight promised.

Pikachu looked away from the doorway, now staring at the flushed face of his guardian. He chuckled nervously. <So ummm… are you disappointed in me?> He smiled awkwardly as unbearable moments of silence ticked away.

<I’m more worried than disappointed. Prideful pokemon don’t take losing one-sided battles easy, and you refused to give up even when your body had one burn atop another. .> She looked to the side, now staring at a few isolated bubbles. <N-not that I’m the one to talk when it comes to pushing one’s limits, but what was the point of prolonging a lost battle that no longer brought you any enjoyment. It… it was just depressing.>>

Pikachu’s ears drooped. <Ninetales was right when he told me how sensitive you are. You can’t help but worry about how I feel. Even when you were hiding your skills, you did it for my sake.> He sighed. <Because you feared it would upset me if you didn’t.>

Nica nodded weakly at Pikachu’s statement before continuing, <Being the best Pikachu you can be and surpassing other Raichu without the need for evolution motivated you strongly to work hard for years, and you showed strong competitive spirit and a lot of pride in your abilities when fighting Ninetales.> She tapped her forepaws nervously. <I’m worried what you’ll think of me if you knew the full extent of my abilities. I would hate to upset you or hurt your pride.>

Pikachu approached and looked her dead in the eyes, speaking with full sincerity. He ignored the burning heat and stretched forward, placing forepaws on Nica’s shoulders. He gulped, adding with more determined tone, <But I’m sure that the more I’ll know about you, the easier it will be for me to respect your strength, and according to Ninetales, you’re far stronger and more skilled than him, so no point in hiding that. Sooo… will you trust me a little?> .>

Nica smiled warmly. <You really do care.>

Pikachu nodded. <Of course I do. You seem really nice and want the best for others, and I won’t give up until we can become friends.> Pikachu withdrew his forepaws, staring back with a confident smile. <Also, if that powerful Ninetales respects you so much, there must be a fighting spirit and a lot of willpower somewhere underneath all that shyness and humility, and it is something I like in others the most.> He poked her chest playfully. <Furthermore, if you cared so much about the fact that I don’t want to evolve, it means that being a Raichu is important to you. There must be something about it that you take pride in.>

She raised her tail from the water, snaking it around the sponge the mares left at the table, before picking it up with her forepaw. She presented her tail to Pikachu and said, <Well… if you really want to know, my long tail is what I love the most about being a Raichu. It was very hard to use at first, but I mastered using it to perfection and it paid back twice over.> She blushed and looked to the side. <Ummm… I hope you’re not afraid of my tail… considering how that one Raichu used it to… you know...> >

<No, of course not!> Pikachu declared with a shake of his head. He grabbed and gently nuzzled the yellow part of Nica’s tail in an attempt to prove it.

<I’m glad to hear that,> Nica said before cleaning the side of Pikachu’s face with a sponge, and then focused on washing his ears. Small smudges of soil were smeared around his nose, giving off the impression of an adorable dirty Pichu. <I’m sure my pony friends told you something about my past. How much do you know exactly?>

Pikachu allowed his guardian to clean the back of his head. The fact that she was willing to share her past despite his failure was filling him with joy, as she calmly massaged his ears. <Not much actually, only that you faced the Orange Islands, Alola region and Kanto League while being a just a Pichu. Also, I discovered that you not only ran into a burning building to save multiple lives, but even faced gangs and mobs in the heart of Manehattan while injured!>

<I... see.> Nica took a few steps backward and sat, now staring at one another with the sponge balanced on her tail. <Do you want to know more?>

Pikachu nodded vigorously. He trailed off and rubbed the back of his neck while blushing. <That is if... you want to share with me.>

Nica sighed. <I'd rather not… but you deserve to know. All I can hope is that it won’t ruin your image of me.>

Pikachu balanced himself on the tip of his tail to emerge from the water before holding a forepaw across his chest. <No matter what your past may be, you are one of the kindest and most caring Raichu I’ve ever met. So caring that you’re making me question my viewpoint on evolution. While you may believe yourself lucky to be seeing me, I can't help but feel the same way about you. There’s nothing you could say to make me think any less of my amazing guardian.> He chuckled, adding in joking tone, <Keep it up and I’ll start to wonder if I should be the one calling you my hero, not the other way around.>

Ch.7 - Clean Slate - Pt.2

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Little Lost PIkachu

Chapter 7
-
Clean Slate - Pt.2

<That… means alot,> Nica mumbled before taking a deep breath and flashing a grateful smile. <First, let me start with an important fact. My trainer’s parents, Penny Longshot and Jeremy Longshot, were part of an organization that dedicated itself to eliminating crime in all regions. Kind of like a larger and better equipped version of the international police.> She took a quick pause, collecting herself before continuing on. <Rather than simply investigating, they were tasked with overpowering criminal organizations on a global scale. They were able to overpower any threats with the help of numbers, intense training, teamwork, and state of the art technology. Since criminals often targeted trainers, the members of this organization were equipped and trained to fight side by side with their pokemon, capable of defending themselves if necessary.>

<And?> Pikachu asked, before seeing how Nica’s ears drooped. <Oh no…>

<The leaders of many criminal teams banded together to corrupt the higher ups of the police in Kanto and Johto, getting information about the location of their main base. Utilizing the details they gained, they created a cruel plan of attack, killing Penny and Jeremy in the process, while the superiors of the local authorities fabricated evidence. The members of the Guardian organization were framed with accusations of turning rogue and assassinating their leaders.> She released a pained whimper before continuing in a depressed tone, <Before this happened, Astra was hidden... on an island... in a bunker… with Penny’s Ninetales who was tasked with keeping her safe.>

Pikachu’s ears drooped, feeling an ache in his heart which surpassed the burning sensation in his body. He forced tears back as he asked in a sobbing tone, <Did she… try… to avenge her parents?>

<That was her main motivation. She wanted to create a talented team and gain enough experience to throw other criminals in jail, preventing a repeat of the tragic tale for others caught in the crossfire. Astra swore she wouldn't let her parents die in vain and continued their work,> Nica explained. <While doing so, she developed an important ideology which she shared with me.>

<Which is?> he probed before no longer balancing himself on his tail, now standing on the tips of his tiny paws. A few centimeters of the water seemed to have evaporated already.

<The greater power one has, the more their responsibility grows. One needs to prove themselves worthy of greater strength, requiring a honed set of skills to back it up,> Nica explained.

<Is that why your trainer asked you to hold back on your evolution?> Pikachu asked.

<Pretty much. Our team evolved only after accomplishing near impossible odds.> She gestured at herself, allowing a small prideful smile to appear on her face. <In my case it was defeating an Alakazam as a Pichu, without the help of a Z-move. I caught him off guard with a fierce ‘Volt Tackle’ and clung on to his back where he couldn’t strike me. It was actually pretty funny. If his trainer put some more time into mastering his given abilities, rather than focusing on raw power, he would be able to land a hit on his opponents without seeing them. After him, I still managed to defeat another pokemon with a full-powered Z-move before dropping from exhaustion, truly a memorable experience.>

Pikachu approached, now staring at Nica in admiration, who took a confused step back in response. <You achieved such a victory and still managed to use a Z-move as a Pichu?> He waved his forepaws frantically. <That’s incredible!>

<N-not really… I mean… I had two years of experience thanks to our adventures. We spent half a year building up techniques and stronger moves on the island, while also building up our team. Not to mention another half a year I studied and learned how to write and read to communicate. My trainer always ensured for me to face stronger opponents or fight with a type disadvantage to teach me how to overcome the odds with skills and tactics, rather than depend of luck or favorable typing.> She smiled sheepishly. <My opponent… had less than two years of experience… so it wasn't completely fair…>

<You’re too modest. The fact that you had to struggle so much to prove yourself worthy of becoming a Pikachu alone is worthy of praise, not to mention all of your goals and accomplishments in both worlds.” He pointed at himself.

<Well… I was always the last to evolve and put through the hardest challenges, but Astra treated me as a partner and trusted me with leading the team should something happen to her, which is why the others call me ‘Captain.’> She tapped her forepaws together. <But… it’s nothing… really. You’ve achieved more than I ever did. Wait... you were critically injured on your first day of adventure?> She looked at him in pity. <That's terrible! No wonder you're so brave in the face of danger and so much better than me.>

Pikachu rolled his eyes. She can praise others, but can’t take praise herself. No wonder Rainbow Dash says she’s too humble.

<Let’s continue… shall we?> Nica muttered, receiving a nod of agreement.

Pikachu observed his guardian, only to feel her tail lift him once again. Nica rounded him and he felt the soft gentle touch of a sponge massaging his bruised back. Being above the burning water alone brought him great relief.

<The same day I evolved into a Pikachu, we met an elite Team Rocket hitman who defeated and stole the pokemon from a four year Hoenn veteran… an experience I would rather forget as there was nothing we could do to help.> Nica looked to the side.

Pikachu felt the sponge clean his back, teasing his knotted and stiff muscles. A satisfied “Chuuuu…” escaped his mouth.

<That’s when Astra had a brilliant idea! If we could capture and arrest the most skilled and dangerous members of each criminal organization, other trainers would be able to defend themselves against the less competent members. We dedicated our lives to ensure that each crime boss would have an incompetent crew.>

<We had a fair share of problems with criminals as well, though most of them were indeed incompetent. I suppose I have you and your trainer to thank for that,> Pikachu said as he gave his guardian a proud look, which only earned him an embarrassed blush in return.

<It’s nothing… I would be honored if we were the stepping stones for you and your trainer…>

Pikachu patted Nica on the shoulder, while still perched atop her tail.

<Anyway… due to the disadvantages that Astra created for us, the first three years were filled mostly with defeats. She had only four pokemon in total when she faced the champion from the Orange Islands, and five when we participated in the Kanto League. But after I evolved into a Pikachu while she completed a full team, we won a tournament in Johto and even defeated Bruno from the Elite Four, though it was only because Astra had a full team and he used only five.>

Pikachu gasped and next blushed. <Well…>

<Yes?> Nica asked.

<It’s just… we tried our luck against some Elite Four members… but we were never able to claim a victory,> Pikachu grumbled as he looked away, only to feel a forepaw comfortingly rub his shoulder.

<Yet despite that, you and your trainer still had enough bravery, skills and maybe even luck to face the legendary pokemon and evil people who wanted to use them for their selfish gains. It’s not your strength but achievements that matter,> Nica clarified.

<Speaking of legendary pokemon, which ones have you encountered? I mean… someone as skilled as you with such a strong motivation to fight crime just had to fight or defend some.> He turned around, now looking Nica deeply in the eyes and pouting his lip for extra measure. <Please, don’t be shy.>

NIca nodded. <Our friend, Lt. Surge, promised to ask around for some favors and provide us with intel. When we were almost ready to face the Hoenn League, we got a message from him that Team Rocket had planned to capture three legendary pokemon; Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno. Our small raids in Johto delayed their plans to search for Lugia, but their operation in Kanto was still continuing at full speed.>

<So you gave up on the Hoenn League and went to stop them?> Pikachu guessed, receiving a firm nod of confirmation. Astra and Nica’s dedication had to be strong for them to leave the region to stop Team Rocket’s plans.

<Three of Giovanni's greatest hitmen were assigned to catch the legendary trio. The first one used poison pokemon and toxic gas against Articuno, while using the Grunts as cannon fodder. We defended Articuno, healed it from toxins with an antidote, fought side by side with it and became friends in the end.> Nica’s ears sagged as she started swirling the water around with the copper edge of her paw. <Team Rocket wasn’t going to fall for the same trick twice, and were ready for us when we tried to rescue Moltres. We wandered straight into their trap, but Articuno bailed us out of trouble.>

Pikachu nodded, listening with full attention while feeling a rush of excitement. His mouth slightly open in awe.

<Zapdos was already captured and was being brainwashed in Team Rocket’s facility, using the same technique the third hitman used to brainwash stolen pokemon to do his bidding. Lt. Surge, alongside some of his old friends, created a diversion while I snuck inside their headquarters and freed Zapdos.> She sighed, reliving the memory. <We barely escaped with our lives as Articuno gave us a lift to the Sinnoh region.>

<More, more!> Pikachu shouted eagerly, winning a warm smile and a chuckle as Nica rounded him and began to clean his belly.

<So he taught you how to see your opponents without seeing them. Seems really helpful.> He paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. <But at the same time it made you more sensitive to others feelings and made you dislike those so called ‘unfair battles’.>

Pikachu narrowed his eyes, thinking back to Brandon’s legendary team, completely crushing Paul when challenged to a battle.

<Regice… yes, I remember our battles quite well. Brandon's abuse of the move ‘Rest’ during fights made his Regice a bit too vulnerable. Pokemon need to get hurt and heal naturally or in a Pokemon Center to toughen up. Misuse of healing potions or recovery moves make us more fragile, making our bodies dependant on instant recuperation,> Nica described.

Pikachu wondered, staring back with full curiosity, only to feel a growing heat as his body was lowered back to the scorching water. He grit his teeth and ignored the pain, his attention fully focused on his guardian's intriguing backstory.

<Picture this. Astra challenges Brandon to a three vs three fight, demanding that he uses all of his legendary pokemon, fighting with his strongest team,> Nica revealed.

<Yes…?>

<And…?> Pikachu gasped, paws trembling with anticipation.

Nica took a deep breath, her voice now devoid of all former confidence. <Now imagine me as a Pikachu, fighting such legendary pokemon. Should I win after weeks of coaching and running drill after drill, a few hours of rest later, Astra re-challenges Brandon and makes me grapple with a different legendary.>

<Wow, that’s a rough training session… Registeel and Regirock must no doubt be much tankier, able to receive greater blows and deal back twice as much,> Pikachu pointed out.

<That’s true. Now imagine this endless cycle on repeat… for half a year straight.>

Pikachu’s eyes became wide as plates, his voice filled with panic. <Half… a… year!?> He spread his forepaws and cupped his cheeks in shock while splashing the water, leaping directly in front of the Raichu. <You fought against Brandon, facing his legendary pokemon once a week, for half a year? Non-stop…!?>

Nodding solemnly, Nica continued, <Despite knowing ‘Focus Blast’ and constantly improving and changing my strategies, I ended up losing again and again, week after week. It took me six months before I managed to defeat those three mythical giants on the same day, with only a few hours break in between each duel. Half a year of struggle as I was the only pokemon in the team that hadn’t fully evolved yet. Each member had proven themselves worthy, except for me.>

Pikachu managed to choke out, <Wait… don’t tell me… this is how you earned your evolution into a Raichu?> Seeing a nod, he supported his paws on both of Nica’s shoulders as he looked into her in the eyes, stopping himself from shaking her silly for enduring such torture. <No wonder you take your evolution so seriously. It took you six months of fighting those legendary beasts over and over before you obtained your final form. You must have become extremely powerful.>

<Powerful, maybe… but not skilled enough,> Nica said as she gently situated Pikachu to a sitting position on her raised tail and lowered her head. <I thought I had proven myself worthy to become a Raichu, but one day when I tried to save a family in need from a burning building, I didn’t react fast enough. Because of that... because of that one mistake, that lapse in reaction…>

Pikachu’s ears drooped as he noticed the hesitation in Nica’s attempt to push the words out of her throat.

<A young girl lost her father that day, just because I didn’t… couldn't react fast enough. After all that preparation, the one time when I could use my abilities to help someone, I failed.> She turned around and lowered her head, nearly touching the water with her nose as swift tears streamed down her face. <Ever since then, I started training myself harder than ever while trying to master the use of my longer tail for defense, increasing my speed and agility.> She started sobbing. <The fear… that I can… fail others… has never left me since then…>

Without a moment's notice, Pikachu grasped the sponge from Nica’s hold, now cleaning her back and returning her kindness. <It wasn’t your fault. If even fighting legendary pokemon for so long didn’t prepare you enough, nothing could have.> He hopped from her tail and nuzzled Nica’s side. Now, it became obvious where the sensitive part of his guardian came from. A kind heart like hers had to have stemmed from somewhere. I can’t imagine the guilt she lives with everyday, blaming herself for something she couldn't control. <Cheer up, please.>

<B-but… if I was better at using my ‘Iron Tail,’ I could’ve saved him… I had a long enough reach, but I wasn’t good enough.> She massaged her forehead, depression clear on her lowered face. <I pushed myself too hard… forcing unnatural changes in my body. My offense was reduced due to my defensive style while my durability and stamina jumped through the roof. I changed my battle methods to best suit my survivability and reflexes, focusing on how to protect myself and those I care about.>

<So you became tough, calm and collected during combat. Now I clearly see what kind of nightmares you have endured,> Pikachu muttered, shivering while replaying her insecurities in his mind before cleaning her side. <You don’t deserve the punishment you put yourself through everyday.>

<Thank you,> Nica said as she raised her head, meeting Pikachu’s gaze. <Fighting Brandon for months, my evolution and my intense training out of regret made me stronger than I expected, and it showed during the tournament. However, something changed about me as well.>

<You mean, those experiences changed your personality?> Pikachu questioned as he pressed the sponge against Nica’s legs, which were submerged underwater. The taller pokemon took the sponge away, raised him with her tail and started cleaning his little feet instead.

<What? Really?> Pikachu wheezed as the surprise after surprise battered his mind. The idea of this sweetheart before him, the kindest Raichu he had ever met, being a bully? Impossible!

Nica nodded grimly as she now started primping his forepaws, washing the last splotches of the dirt as drops of steaming water dripped down from his soaked fur. <Being around Astra, listening to her, sharing ideologies, assisting her in protecting others and fighting crime, it changed me. It gave me a purpose, and when I failed to save the life of a father, my personality shifted even more. I became so obsessed on becoming stronger and more skilled to protect others that I stopped caring about winning pokemon battles. They seemed so trivial compared to how I could be training to save lives and protect the innocents.>

<R-really? No wonder you are so peaceful. Ninetales praised your fighting prowess and skills, yet you seem to enjoy sweets, calm music and other sport activities instead,> Pikachu stated, amazed. Giving Nica a warm smile, he hobbled over and gripped Nica’s forepaws, staring into her eyes. <You’re really kind, even if they don’t deserve it. If only everyone were as sweet as you!>

<Thank you,> Nica sputtered with a deep blush as she hid it behind her copper toned paws. She lowered her limbs and climbed out from the bathtub before lowering her tail to the pink and white speckled ceramic tiles. <When we entered the tournament and I was matched versus a Dewott and Gyarados, I refused to use electricity due to my type advantage. I used only ‘Iron Tail’ and ‘Light Screen’ against them, evening the odds and basing the outcome on skill rather than luck. When I faced a rival’s Pikachu, I declined the battle and chose not to attack a single time, only defended while giving him advice on how to improve his fighting style. As a bonus, I still ended up winning in the end, pleasing Astra and helping out a fellow pokemon.>

<Now that’s something I can believe,> Pikachu giggled as he stepped from Nica's tail onto ceramic tiles.

Nica rounded him, selecting a fuzzy towel from the nearby table and started patting his fur dry, blocking his field of vision. The moment she withdrew the cloth, his fluff puffed into a large ball, causing a cheerful laugh to escape her mouth. Pikachu raised a forepaw up to his face and pressed it into his furry coat, chuckling as well. He had to admit, seeing Nica enjoy herself had become precious to him, with how often she placed blame on herself.

<Ever since I started sensing the auras and emotions of others I stopped enjoying fights. It was hard to continue battling when all I could feel was an immense sense of rage, sadness, disappointment and sometimes even hatred coming from my foe, whenever they were losing. Not to mention how devastating it was when I failed to protect a human’s life. My entire purpose for existing, to save those in need, failed because I couldn't react fast enough.”

Nica took a quick breath of fresh air, trying to calm herself. <Now that I think about it, the only time I actually enjoyed a battle was when I pushed away the drive and aggression from a fight and focused on teaching my opponent, helping them become the best they could be. Whenever I shared my experiences, gave advice, and pointed out weaknesses of someone’s fighting style, it left me satisfied.> She patted her forepaws in excitement, a big toothy smile lighting up her face. <Guiding others and sharing my experiences became the only part of pokemon battles that I still enjoyed.>

<So you don’t care about victory or your pride, but you love to tutor others and help them improve. Why didn't you tell me that before? It explains so much.> Pikachu grinned, watching Nica bob her head in agreement. <Instead of battle, I should ask you to train with me. Tell me more!> He grasped the towel and threw it over his guardian’s head, standing on the tips of his rear feet as he rubbed her fur. Cleaning someone taller proved to be a bit more difficult than expected. The moment he withdrew the towel, Nica’s fur fluffed even more than his, causing them both to drop to the floor and laugh as their fuzz sent small static shocks to one another.

Nica took a deep breath and sat, now perched on the tiles with a tad more presentable fur. Only a few mending bruises were visible on her body. <The funny part was, those pokemon I held back against and tried to teach, they wanted to become my friends, and their trainers became Astra’s friends in turn. After winning the tournament, we dealt with the last of Giovanni's hitmen. I was able to sneak through the underbrush and around the assassins’ back without making a sound, so when my trainer confronted him, I flung myself forward and snagged his belt of pokeballs right off him.> Nica’s eyes glazed over, a small smirk painted on her face. <He tried to take Astra’s pokemon as revenge, only to lose to his own tactics.>

<Let me guess. Defeating criminals made you way happier than winning tournaments?> Pikachu gathered, receiving a subtle <Yep!> in response. <What of the Elite Four? Where you victorious against them this time around?> He tensed as Nica’s ears wilted, crumbling alongside her tail as it flopped towards the ground. Her previous carefree grin was wiped clean, her mood taking a complete 180. Gathering the sweetest voice he could muster, Pikachu begged, <Please, trust me. Whatever happened, I won’t be jealous.>

Nica stroked the side of her limb nervously, not daring to meet Pikachu’s pleading gaze. She took a deep calming breath and spoke up, <We defeated the Elite Four and befriended Flint. His Infernape impressed me so much with his durability that I started to train with him regularly. The fact that he could use fire and fighting attacks meant that I needed to be very careful and creative with my ‘Iron Tail’ to defend against it. It made me always think a step ahead and not to rely on raw power.>

<Wait… you defeated Flint’s Infernape?> Seeing a nod, Pikachu gasped and stumbled a step backward. <B-but… he took out half of Ash’s team with ease, and despite my best efforts, I couldn’t defeat him.> He pointed at her. <Are you saying you managed to win in a one vs. one fight versus that Infernape?>

Nica dipped her head in confirmation. She smiled sheepishly while rubbing the back of her neck. <Y-yes… about that… It’s kind of my fault he got so tough. We trained so often and so hard over the years to stay in shape, that his durability and attack increased a lot. He still can’t beat me though, no matter how hard he tries.>

Pikachu kept staring in disbelief, his jaw inches away from the floor. A fight which seemed near unwinnable from his perspective was nothing but a training session for the Raichu before him. Don’t you dare be jealous of her, Pikachu. Don’t you dare! He shook his head and grinned widely, a new flame sparking in his eyes. <You’re truly amazing! No wonder you wanted magic to enhance my power. Without it, I wouldn’t stand a chance.>

<You’re… not jealous… or angry?>

<Of course not!> Pikachu declared, faking offense.

Nica sighed in relief before patting her fur.

He took her example, fixing his puffy coat while asking, <What happened next? Did Astra defeat the champion? I need to know!>

Nica curled into herself slightly. She tapped the tips of her forepaws together and added in a quiet, squeaky voice, <We… we did…> She squeezed her eyes shut, fearing the worst, until her hero’s voice cured her worries.

<Woooow… to think that I get the honor of befriending the partner of a champion herself,> Pikachu whispered, awestruck as he approached and shook Nica’s forepaw, an excited smile present on his face. <How can you view me as a hero when you’re so amazing yourself?>

<I… I’m not,> Nica replied as she withdrew her forepaw and turned to the side, gazing downward.

<What happened next? Please tell me,> Pikachu said encouragingly.

<And… and…?> Pikachu tapped his forepaws, energetically hopping from one paw to the next.

<And when we heard of someone trying to capture Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres… again... we rushed into action, only to end up observing from afar as you and your trainer transported the orb needed to save the day. We were too far and had no information available to be of use,> Nica said, her voice now lacking spirit. <When we tried to learn about the hero who cooperated with Lugia to stop this natural disaster, we discovered a young trainer from Pallet Town, adventuring side by side with a Pikachu, you.> She pointed at him. <It wasn't long after we started to admire your acts of bravery, which you both showed in the face of danger while having little experience or power.>

<Admire, but why?> Pikachu asked in disbelief. <You and Astra did so much more. You were the partner of the Champion of Sinnoh when we didn’t even win our first tournament in th->

A steady pounding at the door interrupted his speech, leaving him slightly annoyed at the intrusion. It quickly vanished though as he saw Starlight gaze in through the entrance, a curious look glancing in through the entrance.

The mare leaned down and mouthed a rapid succession of questions to Nica, his ears twitching as he picked up on the mare's muffled whispers.

"Is he angry or jealous of you? Are you two getting along?" The Raichu shook her head no, quickly switching to a nod.

What is she talking about? Pikachu thought, pretending to be looking off into a corner. I mean, I'm a teeny tiny bit envious of her accomplishments, but who wouldn't be? All that matters is she deserves it through and through. After listening to her adventures, I feel as if I could trust her with my life.

He peeked back over towards his company, watching as Starlight flashed a smile and disappeared in a bright spark of magic. As the glare cleared, she was gone.

Nica's eyes popped open and she leaped over to a table, picking both their translating collars while securing them in her tail's steady grip. Her paws squeezed shut, slow drops of sweat sliding from her forehead. Whatever happened next was going to be serious. She leaped towards the exit. Standing in the cavernous crystal hallway, she gestured for him to follow.

Pikachu nodded, waiting for Nica to close the door as he walked side by side with her, taking three steps for her larger two.

Nica said while looking ahead at the long walkway. <You and your trainer didn’t even win your first tournament and only had around one year of experience, yet you managed to face three legendary pokemon, horrifying dangers, and come out on top. That’s what makes you amazing. Nothing can hold you down!>

Pikachu didn’t say anything, trying to comprehend his guardian's kind words.

<Again and again we heard about your achievements, which both inspired and humbled us. We had more resources available, a stronger team of evolved pokemon and over five years of diligent training, yet no matter how hard we tried and what we accomplished, you and your trainer were always in the right time and place. Despite having a weaker team, neither of you gave up and always saved the day in the end.> Nica lowered her head, pulling her tail which lay flat on the floor. <Each of your successes made me feel more useless for not doing enough, but I’ve accepted my incompetence and your superiority> She looked at him with an inspired smile. <As long as I could ease your struggles by hunting the most competent criminals and make a difference in the long run, I was happy.>

Pikachu looked away and grit his teeth. Nica’s humility and her inferiority complex, it was all his fault. But… it’s unfair… If she was in my place, I’m sure she would be able to help Ash way better than I can. She’s blaming herself for something she has no control over.

<Please, don’t place guilt on yourself. While I admit that we would give everything to be in your place, we’ve accepted our role. Knowing that a superior trainer with a superior partner is out there fulfilling our dreams, that’s more than enough for us,> Nica commented as she patted his shoulder.

Pikachu took a deep breath and asked, <Still, there’s something I don’t understand. Why were you so afraid to tell me all this? Why did you try to make yourself look like an ordinary Raichu by hiding such amazing experiences like that?>

Nica paused in between the two doors leading to their respective rooms. She clenched her forepaws, her stare now firm as perspiration wet her face. <B-because… because half a year after Astra became the Champion of Sinnoh, she participated in the Supreme Tournament, which takes place every five years. Champions and former champions gather from all around the world to participate, fighting countless battles until the judges choose the eight top performing trainers for the tournament. The winner can challenge the Pokemon Master herself for the title.>

Pikachu gasped and took a step back, finally understanding where this conversation was leading. The title of Pokemon Master, a symbol of being the best trainer in the world that he and Ash had chased all those years... He pointed at Nica with a trembling forepaw and asked, <Are you trying to say that… that…>

<Y-yes.>

Nica held her paws together under her chin in a pleading gesture, murmuring to herself jumbled prayers.

<That’s incredible!> With his eyes sparkling as if filled with stars, Pikachu ran towards Nica and grabbed both of her paws while causing both collars to collapse to the floor. <So you’re the partner of the best trainer in the world. No, you’re the second-in-command for the strongest team of all! You’re the best of the best, I can hardly believe it. No wonder you thought I would be outmatched from the start.>

<N-no, I’m not!> Nica shouted as she took a step back, her face now cherry red in embarrassment. <Just because I’m the strongest doesn’t make me the best. This title only means we have an unbeatable team and strategies, but how much we accomplished with such power is nothing when compared…>

<Stop it!> Pikachu interrupted as he kept staring in admiration. <Stop diminishing your own worth.>

Nica whimpered. After taking a moment to regain her composure, she asked, <Are you… are you really not jealous or angry at me?>

<What, why would I be?>

<Because I am a Raichu!> She pounded a forepaw to her chest. <I’m your evolution, the very embodiment of what you fear and loathe deep in your mind. I’m terrified that you might view me as a rival, an obstacle to overcome to your ultimate goal. I’m petrified that you’ll hate me once you discover that you can’t defeat me.> Her eyes watered uncontrollably as she started to speak with sobbing hiccups. <Isn’t defeating... the master... your trainer’s goal? Isn’t defeating... the strongest Raichu... your ambition?>

<Y-yes, but…> Pikachu was cut off.

Nica bowed before him humbly, her face now millimeters above the cold floor. <As the strongest Raichu in the world, most likely unbeatable in pokemon battles –with the most powerful legendary pokemon being an exception– I proudly admit your superiority. You, a heroic Pikachu, are better than me in each and every way, and I assure you, I believe in every word I speak. I am as sincere as I can be. You are my hero.>

Pikachu froze, his mind drawing blanks. So this was the source of all of Nica’s fears. Her humility, her inferiority complex, all this time she cared for nothing but his happiness and approval.

<Isn't having the strongest Raichu admit your dominance what you deeply wished for? Please tell me it satisfied your pride,> Nica pleaded as she looked up from her lowered position, still bowing on her knees.

<N-no… in fact…> He shuffled his feet nervously while looking to the side. Under other circumstances earning respect from a top-notch foe and proving his worth to a powerful Raichu would fill him with joy, especially if it was the partner of the World Champion herself, yet seeing Nica humiliate herself for his sake… was just wrong. This particular kind, gold-hearted Raichu… he didn’t want to defeat, much less fight… to prove superior to. So what if she was more powerful, had better honed skills and helped her trainer achieve the title of Pokemon Master? All that mattered to her was achieving his happiness... and he felt the same way. <To be honest… a nice Raichu like you saying that… it makes me feel terrible. You don’t deserve that in the least.>

Nica stood up and sighed. <And here I hoped it would raise your spirits. Seems in the end my achievements only make me an obstacle in your way... I'm sorry.>

<No!> He ran forward and hugged Nica, pressing his cheek into her fluffy white chest. <You’re a friend, a great friend who has been there for me ever since I crash-landed into this place. I won’t be jealous of you, I won’t see you as rival if it hurts you so. I just won’t allow it.>

<Do you… really mean it?> Nica stuttered, staring in shock at her hero.

<Of course not! I’m frustrated at myself for being jealous of you in the first place.> He withdrew his face from her chest and looked up.

<Even… even after everything you learned about me?> Nica sniffled.

<Of course! In fact, knowing that I was bested by Ninetales who was trained by Pokemon Master herself makes my defeat so much easier to swallow. I don’t think I would even mind being easily defeated by you, Raichu or not.> He raised his head and held forepaw on his chest, taking an honorable poze. <I’ll keep my jealousy in check and I won’t let it ruin our fun, I swear on my honor as a Pikachu.>

Nica felt herself bursting into tears again, this time however those seemed to be tears of joy. She returned the hug.

Pikachu grit his teeth, feeling squeezed as his bruised, tired and burned body ended up facing even more discomfort from Nica’s loving hug. He put on a brave face for his friend. Suddenly, he ended up wrapped by her tail as the friendly Raichu escorted him into the guestroom while trotting cheerfully, all past grief seemingly forgotten.

<While I don’t deserve all the effort and struggles you put yourself through for me, I really appreciate how much you’re willing to do to save our friendship. I’m overjoyed that in the end all of my fears were put to rest.> She leaped onto the bed.

<You’re the one who suffered the most,> Pikachu retorted, watching his guardian place his collar on the table next to the bed before situating him comfortably on a primed pillow. She withdrew her tail and covered him with a warm blanket with apples embroidered on it, one he recognized from the top of the castle while dozing under the sun. The pleasant soft sensation overcame him as his exhausted body finally got the rest it desired.

<This is a present that Apple Bloom gave me more than a week ago. I’m sure it will serve you better than that big heavy eiderdown,> Nica promised as she gently nuzzled his cheek. <Sweet dreams.>

<Whatever for?> she asked.

Nica shook her forepaw dismissively. <Already forgiven. In fact, if I knew you better, I would trust you more and told you the truth from the start. I’m more than happy that we’ve put it behind us.> She held a paw on her chest, displaying a dreamy smile. <My heart… it’s so much lighter, knowing that such an amazing Pikachu like you still views me worthy of your companionship despite everything I represent. Let’s get to know each other better from now on and not allow our flaws to hold us back>

<And I’m happy to finally know what had made you so apprehensive all this time. You’re an inspiring and amazing Raichu, and I’ll do my best not to upset you again,> he said, matching Nica with a cheerful grin.

<Amazing? Me? I… I’m not…> Nica blushed. She turned around and scampered towards the door, quickly leaving the room.

Pikachu chuckled. <Of course…> He waited for the door to close before turning around, looking at the window. The crimson paint streaked sky telling him that the night was still hours away. Was he going to wake up in the middle of the night? Or was he going to wake up tomorrow morning? He couldn’t tell, and couldn’t care less. One thing was certain, he now had an awe-inspiring friend and partner, one who he was proud to call his hero.

Ch.8 - Hidden Struggle - Pt.1

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 8
-
Hidden Struggle - Pt.1

Pikachu’s yawn echoed through the castle, bleeding into a satisfied sigh. Despite not having the option of visiting a Pokemon Center, a hot bath, soft bed and blanket proved more than enough to revitalize his body.

After a moment of nuzzling Apple Bloom’s blanket, he approached the edge of the bed and leapt towards the window. The glistening stars sprinkled upon the clear sky and proved to be a spectacle to behold, stealing away his breath.

It seems I woke up during the night after all. How am I going to fall asleep now? He glanced at the door, only to notice a lone sleeping mare sprawled across the floor. <Pinkie?> He jumped towards the bed, picking up his collar from the nightstand before securing it around his neck. He climbed down onto the pony’s back and shouted into her ear, “Pinkie, wake up!”

After a moment of yelling and rubbing the mare’s shoulder with his forepaws, he concentrated a small portion of his electricity, touching Pinkie’s shoulder and sending a weak shock. In an instant, the party pony sprung up, displaying a wide smile even when being awoken in an ungodly hour.

“Hello Pinkie Pie, um… what are you doing in my room?” Pikachu asked. He vaulted back onto the cot and sat on the edge, now staring directly at his unexpected guest.

“Oh, that’s an easy question to answer.” She took a deep breath, giving the pokemon a fair warning of the long answer to come. “Rainbow Dash told me you had a fight with Ninetales, and I mean an enjoyable kind of fight rather than a mean kind of fight, but that it ended up with you and Nica being very sad.” She rummaged through her tail, sinking halfway in it before pulling out three freshly baked cupcakes. “One for you, two for Nica. I thought some sweets and warm hugs would cheer you up.” Closing her eyes, she grinned with pride before continuing, “When it comes to making others happy, I’m the pony for the job.” She placed the sweets on the table and stroked the back of her neck. “But you two were just so peaceful and adorable when sleeping, so I didn’t want to wake you up, and I ended up falling asleep as well in your room.” She spread her forelegs and wiggled her eyebrows. “So, about that hug.”

Pikachu backflipped, evading Pinkie’s loving grab. “There’s no need for that. We talked things out during our bath and resolved our conflict.”

Pinkie flashed a wide smile. “That’s great! In that case, can you share those cupcakes with Nica? It’s late and I need to return to the Sugarcube Corner.”

“Wait!” Pikachu shouted as he held both forepaws in a pleading gesture. “I… I need an advice. It’s about making Nica happy.”

Bouncing in place, the party pony trotted over and responded inches away from the pokemon’s button nose. “Ask away! I love helping, especially when it’s for my bestest friends.”

Pikachu felt the bed tremble under his tiny feet as he stared at the enthusiastic mare. “Well… the problem is that, due to my poor past experiences with two particular Raichu, I ended up having a shoddy impression of my evolution… and I don’t want to grow envious of Nica whenever she proves herself better at something than me.” He lowered his head in shame. “Nica can sense my jealousy and other negative emotions. I’ll try to keep them in check, but what if I fail? Controlling one’s feelings isn’t easy.””

Pinkie stopped ricocheting off the floor and scratched her head in deep concentration. “So… because you met two meanie pants Raichu, you’re making your friend a bit sad by being jealous of her since she’s a Raichu as well.” Seeing a nod, she suspected, “What about other Raichu? Surely you had to meet some nice ones too.”

“Nice Raichu? Now that you mention it, not all Raichu I’ve encountered were all that bad.” He smiled brightly. “Two of them even saved me from Team Rocket! One helped us overload a high-tech screen that blocked and absorbed my electricity! The other destroyed their large, armored robot by obliterating it with a super powerful ‘Focus Punch,’ where they were thrown into the atmosphere. Now that I think about it, they seem to be up there a lot.” He facepalmed, returning his attention back to the current topic. “How could I forget about that?”

Pinkie shrugged, somehow following and understanding each word. “For some ponies it’s easier to remember bad experiences than good due to the scars it leaves. How about this. Everytime you start feeling a negative emotion towards Nica, just think of those two nice Raichu who protected you. Maybe it will help look past her form and focus on her heart.”

“That sounds like a great advice, thank you!” Pikachu cheered as he ran over and hugged the mare’s muzzle, receiving a quick tight hug in return.

“Glad I could help! Enjoy your night, and I wish for your friendship to bloom,” Pinkie declared before hopping outside.

Pikachu followed, but the moment he walked into the hallway, the mare was gone. Pinkie and her teleporting, figures. How was she even able to cloak so much of her body in her own tail? That was weird, but at this point I shouldn’t expect any less from her. He shrugged before his attention focused on the door leading to his guardian’s room. I bet Nica woke up already. I wonder if she would like to watch the stars with me. That would be a perfect start to the morning, or night I guess.

After trying a few different poses before a casually placed mirror, he placed his forepaws on his hips and displayed a toothy smile. Not a single bruise or burn was present on his body while the gems on his collar shone a deep buttercup, adding to his charm. “Let’s do this.”

He trotted in the direction of Nica’s room, quickly opening the door despite his little size. “Hey Nica, are you still asleep?” He scrambled up onto the bed, his excited smirk replaced with a curious frown. The bed was empty while Nica’s collar was resting on a side desk.

Pikachu looked around, noticing the territorial rat staring through the window at a dull mountain in distance. He leaped onto the floor and then towards the window, balancing himself next to the smaller creature. “Hello Mr. Patrick, do you happen to know where Nica is?”

The rodent gazed at him for a moment with a saddened expression before pointing through the window.

“Are you trying to say she’s somewhere on that mountain?” Pikachu inquired, noticing a shake of the rat’s head in return.

Mr. Patrick squealed at him before pointing through the window again.

“She’s somewhere on the bottom of the mountain, or nearby it?” he asked, receiving a nod of confirmation. “Is she taking a night stroll?”

Patrick’s ears drooped as he looked to the side.

“Is she exercising?” he continued, remembering random conversations where Nica mentioned morning and night exercise routines.

Mr. Patrick nodded before sounding a depressed squeak.

Pikachu lowered himself, his nose now millimeters away from the rat’s head. “You seem upset, is something wrong?” As the creature, which was much smaller than him, looked away and remained silent, he stood up and sighed. “It seems I’m about to find out.”

With little knowledge of the area, he ran through the hills and landscape directly towards the mountain, seeming to get a tiny bit closer with each passing minute. His paws played a continuous thumping against the hardened soil, maintaining a balanced speed as he conserved his stamina.

“I must say… it’s a really nice night for a stroll,” he murmured to himself while looking up at the dimmed sky with an awestruck gaze. “The stars and moon, so beautiful.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, while leaving stray sparks of electricity dancing in the chilled atmosphere. “The air is so clean and fresh. A bit cold, but in a good way.” A blissful smile was present on his face as he took in the surrounding landscape, admiring the scenery. Stretching my legs and running in such an environment is wonderful. I hope once I find Nica, we can enjoy it together.

After about half-an-hour of pleasant running, Pikachu’s attention focused on a wayward yellow spark, recognizing it as a bolt of lightning. He stopped and wiped sweat from his forehead, now observing a particular spot in front of the gigantic mountain. The moment he noticed another flash, he ran towards it. “Found you!” he shouted in satisfaction. It seems running around this peak or climbing it won’t be necessary.

Utilizing his ‘Quick Attack’ for a speed boost, he reached his destination in seconds, pausing in front of an oldened oak tree. He perched himself under it with his back supported against its withered surface. Feeling the soft, silky grass under him and harsh wood from behind, he took a break and focused his full attention on Nica’s exercise with a curious look present on his face. Light drifting down from the stars provided just enough visibility to view her techniques in full glory.

The taller pokemon hit the rocky surface with a feeble ‘Thunderbolt,' causing numerous compact stones to descend. They rained down in a cluster of sharpened pebbles, only for her to vault herself several feet high and slash most of them in mid-air with a spin and rapid swing of her tail. She then struck the leftovers with electricity before they even touched the soil underfoot.

The moment her feet graced the ground, Nica sent a barrage of half-hearted bolts of electricity against the rugged crag, causing small segments of stones to chip away. With a short leap and a few quick swipes of her tail she slashed each pebble in half, smashing the gravel into finely crushed rubble. Repeating the cycle, she once again blasted the wall with a jolt of lightning, not needing to look to know she hit her mark.

With sharp and refined movements, she danced atop the soil, at one with a routine that had become her second nature. A continuous rain of stones and pebbles showered from the sky, forming small welts that blossomed from her skin. She refused to let a single speck make contact with the dirt and didn’t dare to let anything more but a bronze edge of one of her rear feet to touch the ground as she continued moving and leaping without a moment of break.

His wish to see Nica’s skill in action after all this time has been finally fulfilled, and he was going to enjoy every moment of it.

Pikachu observed Nica’s training style with a growing interest, admiring her grace and agility. There seemed to be meaning in each movement of her body, a slight twitch of her tail leaving another stone shattered as a copper-dipped paw sent her flying into the air. Each action was fast and precise, a deadly balance between elegance and destruction.

Two things however snagged his attention: First, a few bruises were present on his guardian’s body after a brutal hail of stone, yet it seemed to cause her much more pain than it should’ve, considering her endless endurance. Not to mention her heavy panting echoing across the terrain. B-but… with her superior stamina...to be out of breath. How long has she been training? He narrowed his eyes. It became clear that Nica had woke up much earlier and reached these training grounds long before he did.

She clenched her forepaws and unleashed a continuous ‘Thunderbolt,' using it to gash the rocky surface in specific spots.

Pikachu’s eyes widened in shock. His guardian managed to cut away a large chunk of granite, which was now hurtling to the ground.

Nica sprinted up the mountain edge towards it while surrounded by an aura of electricity, piercing through the boulder with ‘Volt Tackle’ and ‘Iron Tail,' both used at the same time for a powerful combo. A quick ‘Thunderbolt’ hit one of the falling fragments, shattering it to pieces, while the other rock half hit the dirt beneath with a loud thud.

Pikachu felt the earth trembling despite his distance and was forced to balance himself with a single shaking paw. Attacking with a ‘Volt Tackle’ causes some serious recoil damage, and that boulder was huge. Now I see what has her so tuckered out. Although, how long has she been at this? He zeroed in on his surroundings, only now noticing a long trail of rubble on the ground with random holes scarring the rocky surface of the mountain above him. Wow… that’s quite a lot of destroyed boulders.

After taking a moment to reflect upon the helpful Raichu’s who saved him from Team Rocket, Pikachu stood up and ran, feeling a growing inspiration and excitement boil inside his heart. Placed several meters away from his guardian, he glanced between her and the mountain, taking her example and putting it into motion. With a rapid spin of his ‘Iron Tail,’ he smashed several pebbles into dust, only to watch in disappointment as more than half slumped onto the dirt. He frowned and repeated the actions, this time attempting to attack those he missed with a couple extra strikes of lightning. Though, a staggering amount still weaseled their way back to the ground.

The moment he landed with a weak thud, he took a closer look at Nica’s tail, regretting that his own lacked such a long reach and mobility. He shook his head of the jealous notions and continued the training, his breathing increasing in speed with every extra swipe and turn. His own version of Nica’s prance resulted in a stone landing on top of his head. Losing balance, he fell down and massaged his aching forehead. This is waaay harder than it looks. Yet, with a heavy sigh, he picked himself up once again and continued to throw all his might against his stationary foe.

Nica moved in a trance, repeating an endless pattern, seemingly too preoccupied to acknowledge his presence. Not that he minded. A solid training required a lot of concentration after all. Even with his own focus though, he failed to intercept even one quarter of what Nica seemed capable of handling.

Using ‘Thunderbolt,' he cut off another massive slab of stone, and then channeled his electricity to attack with an ‘Electro Ball.' The yellow orb collided with the falling rock, causing a massive explosion of lightning and gravel, twirling across the sky. He gulped and then started leaping left and right, smashing some falling stones with ‘Iron Tail’ while evading the rest. Once the downpour was over and the earth stopped trembling, he ended up standing on the tips of his rear paws, wiping a few drops of sweat from his face and forging on with a determined grimace.

Ten minutes melted into twenty minutes, not stopping until 30 minutes chimed, as Pikachu slumped down on his belly, breathing heavily. He lay with his chin perched on the stone with tired limbs spread out randomly in four directions, resembling a crooked compass. His muscles were aching and a few small lumps were present on his face and back, a reminder of his failed attempts to hit or evade the falling gravel. Most of his electricity was spent, shown by the cluster of scorched rock fragments.

“That… was… something…” Pikachu gasped. With two shaking paws for support, he looked to the side, now watching Nica whose legs were quaking with each step, sweat coating her bruised and battered body. How… can she… keep going...? He sighed. Despite the fact that his guardian started this training way earlier than him and still hadn’t taken a single break, she was still pushing herself when he no longer could. Enduring when he barely had the strength to stand straight.

Crawling towards the nearby tree, he cradled himself against its rough bark, giving his burning muscles and bruised tail a break. She had to have noticed me… but she’s remained silent all this time. I know she must be extremely focused on her training… but it’s not like her to ignore me for so long. Something seems very wrong.

After several minutes of a hastened break, he pushed himself to stand, approaching Nica on his tired feet. Seeing how she struck another large boulder with a ‘Volt Tackle,' only to lose her balance and tumble onto her face was extremely difficult to watch. “Nica!” he yelled. “Over here!” He waved, with nearly no effect. Her ears twitched, although he couldn't tell whether it was from his voice or of the drowning static of her lightning. The taller pokemon maintained her struggle amongst the falling stones and Pikachu grew more and more concerned as he noticed a few cracks blooming on the metallic part of Nica’s long tail.

Taking a deep breath into his lungs, he shouted, “Nica, stop it! You’re pushing yourself too hard!”

The pokemon before him clenched her forepaws and unleashed a continuous ‘Thunderbolt,' slicing off about forty tons of a solid boulder, as it started to slowly slide down from its resting crater. Nica attacked the barrier in front of her, creating a symphony of electricity jolts and thundering stones, all an appetizer for the massive boulder hurtling close behind. Without hesitation, she jumped up, leaping from one falling pebble to another while building up a weakening ‘Volt Tackle.'

Pikachu gasped as the memories of some of his past battles flashed in his mind. While jumping from stone to stone wasn’t new to him, the fact that Nica pulled it off with way smaller segments while being on the verge of exhaustion was nothing but amazing to him. Although, a lump of fear clogged his throat upon seeing the lightning painted around his guardian. It seemed… so thin.

An explosion of electricity followed, as well as a shriek of pain resonating across the field. When he glanced up, the boulder wasn’t destroyed, nor pierced, and was still falling down with the pokemon trapped in a crater directly underneath it.

“Nica!” Overcome by a suffocating panic, Pikachu concentrated whatever electricity he recovered during his break and quickly shoved it into an ‘Electro Ball’ towards the side of the falling boulder. While his lightning was no doubt going to hurt Nica a little bit, she was resistant to its charge, and it was certainly much better than being crushed under forty tons.

The moment he spotted the taller pokemon descending from the cloud of dust, he darted towards her, jumping and grasping her in mid-air. Their size difference proved somewhat problematic for his smaller paws as he felt his rear feet sinking into the stone, his body being slightly flattened under the greater weight of a Raichu. A small annoyed whimper escaped his mouth, quickly smothered by his concern for Nica.

No longer holding her weight, he massaged his forehead and opened his eyes. “Nica… are you okay?” he asked, seeing the back of his guardian who somehow managed to stand on her battered legs. He grit his teeth and pulled his tiny paws from the ground, following his friend. “Stop it, you’re exhausted!” He rounded his guardian and spread his forepaws on both sides, as if trying to prevent her path back to pain.

Her tired oval eyes glanced at him for a moment with a cold stare before Nica rounded him as if he was but a mere obstacle. She shuffled by without a word.

Pikachu’s ears drooped. When she looked at me… there was nothing. No anger, no excitement, frustration, thrill.. She regarded me without care, as if relying on muscle memory. I can’t imagine how many times she’s must have done this routine! I doubt anything can stop her when she gets into that creepy training zone. His guardian picked up a few stray stones from the ground and threw them up, smashing them with her tail while nearly losing her center with each swing.

Summoning his patience, he followed after his mislead mentor. “Nica, please, just take a moment of rest. You can barely stand on your own paws.”

The taller pokemon froze in front of a large boulder fragment, this one five to ten tons heavy. Still massive, yet tiny compared to her earlier conquest. She lowered her head and grit her teeth as her entire tail shone a hardened steel glint. She rose on four trembling legs and pushed her tail under the damaged stone.

“Wait, stop!” Pikachu shouted.

Nica’s legs gave out under her in an instant as she now lay flat on the rocky ground. Her tail slowly, but steadily raised the boulder, despite her engine running on empty. Up, down, up, down… the rock swayed, as if she was weightlifting it. The catch being that using ‘Iron Tail’ increased her tail strength a hundred times over while the rest of the body ended up suffering under the heavy pressure. A shade of purple became apparent on her forehead, caused by the crushing strain.

Pikachu’s ears wilted as he whimpered sadly, painfully remembering Starlight's levitation flattening him during their battle. However, while he was able to endure it for several seconds with no repercussion, Nica was on her last leg. If anything, it looked more like a self-inflicted torture, becoming worse as the hours passed. “Stop it, please.” He approached his guardian and held his forepaws together in a pleading gesture as he stared in pity, yet his plea was left unheard.

The color of Nica’s tail faded back normal as the fragment fell on her, pressing her into the ground with a loud thud.

Pikachu collapsed as his eyes became wide. “No, no, no!” He pushed himself to stand. With a desperate swing of his ‘Iron Tail,' he pushed the rock aside. His ears drooped and eyes closed from the following tremor.

Nica grit her teeth in overwhelming pain before pressing her forepaws against the ground. She slowly rose from the crater, sending small bits of rubble flying as she stumbled back into an upright position. Her breathing was heavy and unstable as she struggled to inhale, most of her face now turning a deep purple instead.

“Enough is enough!” Pikachu commanded with narrowed eyes as he ran over and grabbed his guardian by her shoulder. “I won’t let you torture yourself any longer!” His forepaws trembled as he struggled to keep the larger pokemon from standing. While the size-difference didn’t work in his favor, Nica’s exhaustion evened the odds. Much to his surprise, her tail slapped his forepaws and flung him to the side, not causing pain but evacuating him away from her efforts to rise.

He massaged his forepaws before giving the Raichu a confused look. The Nica he knew wouldn’t push him away like that. It almost felt as if she wasn’t aware of what she was doing. Without a moment's notice, Pikachu ran over and grabbed her from behind, once again ending up thrown away by the long tail.

Nica ignored the outside distractions, sending the leftovers of her electricity towards the stonewall, her struggle to charge ‘Iron Tail’ sapping too much strength as a few scattered pebbles bounced against her head. Her strike resulted in her falling onto her face, only to take a few seconds to stand up and repeat the process.

Pikachu’s attempt to contain his guardian failed as she leaped to the side, evading each endeavor to stop her as if it was but another part of her merciless training. His heart started to ache as he held back tears at his friend’s transparent misery. Every followed effort to restrain his guardian resulted in her attacking him with her tail or with a burst of electricity, though it seemed more like efforts to scare him away rather than hurt. Each burst of electricity or tail strike had no anger behind it, along with fleeting power.

It became clear that he couldn’t stop her, try as he might. Aiming to keep her from moving resulted in a struggle, and trying to knock her out with an attack would be no different than what she was subjecting herself to now. He sat and watched with a blank stare and defeated expression, waiting for his friend to drop from exhaustion. What else could he do?

Nica ran towards the stone wall, building up a ‘Volt Tackle’ before slamming into the stone. The light surrounding her flickered on and off, eventually fading before she reached her target, leaving her slamming head first into a solid mass. A yelp of pain escaped her mouth and tears streamed down her face. Both mental and physical abuse tormented her with each step. She repeated the process a few times, and each crash into the mountain felt like a hammer striking Pikachu’s heart.

“S-stop it… please… I beg you! I’ll do anything… just please stop! I can’t watch you torture yourself like this!”

Nica charged blindly while her legs bent in awkward angles from time to time, causing her to stop or turn unintentionally with her nose ending up smeared into the dirt. Each misstep caused a yelp of pain to escape her muzzle. The aura of electricity that once protected her, swiftly disappeared, having nothing left to sustain itself on. With a desperate jump while using what was left of her dwindling stamina and lightning, she slammed herself into the cliff wall, collapsing onto her back. The continuously slammed mass crumbled while burying her alive.

Pikachu gasped and shot towards the stone pyramid, envisioning the bone-crushing pressure he endured when Metagross used a super charged ‘Rock Slide’ against him. He was about to free his guardian with ‘Iron Tail,' only for Nica’s ‘Thunderbolt’ to beat him to it, pushing the rubble aside.

Nica kept shrieking in pain before slamming her eyes shut. Her shout of agony replaced by a dead silence.

Pikachu approached with hesitant steps, now staring at the beaten and exhausted body of his mentor. The amount of damage inflicted upon her was devastating, leaving her lying motionless with the impression of being steamrolled. Multiple times. His face became pale upon seeing a few drops of scarlet blood dripping from her unfastened jaw.

“Nica!” He placed his left ear to her wide and soft belly, hearing a very slow but steady heart-beat, then noticing a weak rise and fall of her stomach. He sighed in relief, tossing away the worst case scenarios that formed in his mind. His friend was alive, but in critical condition, out in the middle of nowhere. Is this… is this what you have been doing every single night? How have I never detected this before?

Pikachu shivered at the very thought of the repetitive torture before pushing his forepaws under Nica's deadweight. After a moment of heaving her back and forth to find balance, he supported her on his back with Nica’s forepaw dangled over his shoulder.

Step after step, he walked back towards Ponyville, seeking aid while carrying the heavier pokemon whose legs and tail slumped motionless on the soil. He wasn’t going to leave his guardian in such a condition under a reclusive mountain, no matter the struggle he was forced to endure to ensure it.

After what felt like hours, his steps became unintelligible and drops of sweat started pouring down from his face as the distance from Ponyville appeared farther and farther away. Though he was moving closer, with how small his steps were, the gained mileage was hardly noticed. This… won’t… do... With a limited amount of trees in the area, he approached the closest one, placing Nica under it before dropping onto the smothered grass himself, breathing heavily while his tiny legs ached as if on fire. She may be… a bit smaller… lighter… than other Raichu… but it’s still too much. He took a moment to gather himself before examining his friend’s deteriorating condition. Her breathing and heartbeat is stable for the time being, but she still looks terrible. I have to do something, but what?

He gazed at the castle on the horizon and narrowed his eyes before giving Nica one last quick glance. “I’ll bring help as fast as possible. Please, stay safe.” With that parting message, he ran towards Ponyville, utilizing the tip of Twilight’s castle as guide to show him the way back to his current home. With the help of a ‘Quick Attack’ he sped up, occasionally peering back to memorize the location of Nica. If those ponies were to help him transport his friend to safety, he needed to be able to remember where to lead them.

“I won’t let you down,” he mumbled to himself one last time, before darting off in search of a way to save the Raichu who opened his eyes.

Ch.8 - Hidden Struggle - Pt.2 (Expanded and massively changed)

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 8
-
Hidden Struggle Pt.2

“Get a hospital bed ready, pronto, we got an emergency!” Nurse Redheart shouted, galloping with long-tailed pokemon perched on her back. Her white fur and red cross cutiemark similar to headband she wore on her head while pink tail flapped against the wind. The window lights inside the hospital came to live, adding additional source of light to the stars and moon from above.

Pikachu sat, feeling weakness in his rear legs as he could only stare at his friend being taken away, hoping this hospital could prove at least third as helpful as a Pokemon Center. He glanced to his right, giving his companion a grateful glance. “Thank you… thank you so much Gliscor. We wouldn’t get Nica to the hospital anywhere as fast if it wasn’t for you.”

He recalled his hasty charge towards the castle, wanting to seek aid of ponies while remembering the spot where he left the injured Raichu. Fortunately, the armored bat-like pokemon swooped from the top of the castle to greet him. Was he there to take a breath of fresh air, or did he just like to explore the night? Pikachu didn’t care. What he cared was how quickly Gliscor came to his aid, getting Nica to the hospital in no time at all. Being bigger, stronger and able to glide certainly helped.

“No need to thank me, Sir Hero. Captain Nica is my dearest companion in arms as well. It was my responsibility to aid her,” the taller pokemon said as he looked back at Pikachu with eyes which glowed in bright yellow, though it was his big pointy ears that mostly aided him in the darkness. Rubbing the back of his neck with clawed limb, he added, “I didn’t think she would start her intense training again considering lack of Pokemon Center. Usually she allows at least one of us to watch over her just in case.”

Pikachu gasped. How could he even call it an intense training when it was so far beyond that. Much to his surprise, Gliscor gently wiped away tears that fell down from his eyes, being quite careful while using his metallic claw.

“I understand it must have been a shock to you, Honorable Pikachu, but please calm your fears.” Gliscor gestured for Pikachu to follow him as they both sat next to the entrance to the hospital, supporting their backs against the cold wall. “I can tell that if some weaker pokemon saw you face extreme challenges or fight incredibly powerful pokemon or even legendary pokemon, they would fear that you have a death-wish. They would fear that your body would be turned to dust and that you would perish at any moment. You must fell similar when seeing Nica’s training, but I assure you she’s used to this level of hardship.

Pikachu sighed, relaxing his tired and tense muscles as his breathing slowly stabilized. Part of him felt somewhat sleepy, but he couldn’t close his eyes until he learned more about Nica. Gathering courage and tightening grip of his forepaws, he asked, “Gliscor, you must know much about Nica, can you please tell me about her?”

“It depends as there are secrets that she wish to keep to herself, but I shall answer those questions I will find them not too intrusive to her privacy. What is it that you wish to know?”

Pikachu’s ears drooped as he wiped more tears from his cheeks, calming himself for the discussion ahead. “How is it that… that when it comes to battling, she refuses to go all out, but do the opposite during training. She can be so fixated on making fights fair and so peaceful and kind at times, yet she’s so incredibly skilled and capable. I… I wish to understand her better.”

“And learn why she refuses to give you challenge you so much desire?”

Pikachu blushed, nodding hesitantly. While he wanted to learn why Nica has been hurting herself in training so much, knowing why she don’t want to fight him in so called ‘unfair battle’ still bothered him.

“Nica’s strength lies in her motivation,” Gliscor answered, catching Pikachu’s full attention. He looked at the sky from above, adding in a calm tone, “She… she’s very sensitive and can sense how other pokemons fell. Even if she wanted to give you the challenge you desire, even if she was determined to fight with everything she’s got… just sensing even a little bit of frustration, annoyance, or anger from you would be enough to break her fighting spirit. She would feel no joy from fighting, holding back at every opportunity and lower her guard.”

“Oh…” Pikachu said, staring at Nica’s teammate with utmost curiosity.

“It may be just me, but I believe that her saying she doesn’t want unfair fights is partially an excuse.”

“Meaning?” Pikachu asked, standing up as he rounded Gliscor. He stood on tips of his tired rear paws, now staring him right in the eyes.

“There’s yet a pokemon I meet that wouldn’t feel angry or frustrated when losing in one-side battle. At the same time, there’s a lot of enjoyment and respect when both sides are equally matched and push each other to their limits. You may think Nica is disrespectful and arrogant when she refuses to fight with everything she’s got, but in reality, she just wish for both sides to enjoy the battle equally. I believe this is why she asked the ponies to boost you with magic, so she could give her best and make it enjoyable.”

Pikachu sat, now considering what he has learned. All this time Nica, the partner of Pokemon Master herself, refused to fight him, not wanting an unfair battle, or even hiding her abilities and making herself look weak… Now that he thought about it, it all was to make him happy. All this time she feared she would upset him.

He stood up and narrowed his eyes, now giving Gliscor a challenging glare. “I understand that she’s strong, but did she really believed that our fight would be one-sided, that she would effortlessly defeated me if she fought with everything she’s got? Did she truly believes she would crush me with ease?”

“Don’t let your pride cloud your judgement,” Gliscor answered, narrowing his eyes as both pokemon challenged each other as if having a staring contest. “How many years have you been adventuring with Ash at this point?”

“Three and a half,” Pikachu responded, stomping. “And we faced many powerful opponents, harsh trials and difficult adventures.”

“Quite Impressive, Sir Hero. Though not as impressive as eight years that Nica stood and fought by Astra’s side.” He held his claw close against his chest, staring back with firm and determined gaze. “And I swear on my honor that her journey was filled with hardships and fights for survival. The challenges and struggles she faced were as hard if not more difficult than yours. In fact, Nica made it a lot harder on herself with her diligent trainings as if she was putting thors and obstacles on her own path.”

Pikachu nodded. Having twice as much experience was certainly a big gap, not to mention Nica’s merciless training regime. “Well… experience is important, but when it comes to fighting spirit, I always do my best. I’m motivated to become the strongest Pikachu and I often push myself to my limits. I would manage to make up for my lack of experience.”

“Motivation is indeed important, but Nica’s motivation is strong. Why do you think she trained herself to such extreme? If there are lives on the line or if she’s fighting against the odds, she wouldn’t hesitate to push herself to the verge of death.”

Pikachu took a step back as realization came into his mind. There was no way he would ever train as hard as she did. In fact, even after facing great peril so many times and facing legendary pokemon, he still saw Nica’s actions as nothing less but torture. If that amazing and pity-worthy Rachu was fully motivated to fight against him, she would no doubt outmatch him in terms of willpower.

On the other side, motivation was a double-edged sword for Nica. As long as she would make her opponent even a little bit unhappy or frustrated, as long as lives weren’t on the line, her fighting spirit would be nothing more than a little candle-flame. Now he understands what Gliscor meant when he said Nica’s motivation is her strength and weakness. She can be incredibly strong or very hesitant depending on the situation she was in.

“How often do you train? Do you have any daily-training-regime?” Gliscor asked as he relaxed himself, his eyes no longer narrowed.

Pikachu followed in suit as he restrained his pride. “Well… I don’t really have a daily-training-regime. I usually train really hard before important battles, and facing strong opponents and harsh adventures is a training in itself, but other than that…” He lowered his head in shame. Now that he thought about it, Ash lacked any training program. It was no wonder why in some battles he performed at peak of his capabilities, while in other he underperformed as a seasoned veteran.

“Astra trains her pokemon diligently almost everyday, and Nica adds a lot to herself atop that.” Gliscor rubbed Pikachu’s chest. “Now, don’t get me wrong. Your achievements speaks for themself and you must be an incredibly powerful Pikachu to fight legendary and fully evolved pokemon without fear, but you can now clearly see that there’s a big gap between unevolved hero like you and a fully evolved Raichu like Nica. If she indeed tried to give you the challenge by fighting with everything she had, in the end she would only hurt your body and your pride, and in return you would hurt her feelings.” He sighed, lowering himself respectfully. “Just… just give it a rest, Sir Hero. If you really respect Nica, if you really care about her, don’t force her to do what will upset her. There must be better ways for you both to prove yourselves to each other.”

Pikachu sat and rubbed his arm nervously, looking to the side as his ears drooped, feeling growing guilt. Blinded by pride and a challenge where he could face incredibly strong Raichu, he failed to see how different Nica was from him. She wouldn’t find enjoyment in defeating him, nor had the motivation to fight him without any handicap that would make the fight fair. To make matters worse, when he tried to prove that he wouldn’t get angry or frustrated, that he would enjoy the battle against her, he screwed up in the end.

He looked at the hospital before him. If he wanted to befriend Nica and put her fears to rest, he couldn’t see her as a prideful partner of Pokemon Master, one that is the best of the best and love fighting. He needed to look at her as a sensitive pokemon who wants others happiness over her own.

“Hey, wait a moment,” Pikachu said as he looked to the side and up, glancing at the confused Gliscor. “During our discussion, I completely forgot to ask this one important question. Why… why Nica was training so hard? What motivated her to train herself so hard?

Gliscor shrugged. “I apologize, but I refuse to answer this question. This is something you need to learn form Nica herself.” He placed clawed arm on his shoulder. “But fear not as I heard you two has been getting along recently. I’m sure that she’ll trust you enough. All you need to do is show that you care about her and make her open up.”

Pikachu nodded before looking for an open window as he felt tears once again forming in his eyes. He was going to learn the truth, and he wasn’t going to leave his injured friend on her own.

Nica wearily opened her heavy eyes, attempting to gaze past the blurs in her vision. A small ache throbbed throughout her body, but was nothing she couldn’t ignore for the time being. She stretched her limbs and yawned before slowly rubbing her eyes, only to blink in confusion. Her surroundings were unfamiliar though not unfriendly. Where… where am I? She mumbled, finally recognizing the scenery as one of the numerous hospital rooms.

Swaying softly in the corner, two baby-blue curtains hugged the windows peeking out over the flourishing woodland. The navy walls gave a subtle accent, and stood out against the fluffed bed she was currently residing in while a snug pillow supported her back. A violet eiderdown was draped across her legs, keeping her nice and cozy in the other wise chilled room. Beside her dozed a curled Pikachu, claiming a small portion of the mattress and sounding off a set of slight snores.

Nica’s eyes widened in shock as her groggy mind added two and two together. The reason why she woke up inside a clinic instead of her usual training location underneath the base of the mountain was because Pikachu brought her here. She gulped, feeling the constricting pressure of the translating collar strapped around her neck. While she couldn’t clearly recall the later part of her training, it was obvious that her idol saw a furtive part of her she hoped to keep hidden. “Are you… asleep?” she whispered before noticing a few hastily wrapped bandages present on her paws and body. She sighed. Such a waste of resources. My bruises would manage to heal on their own.

She stood up and hesitantly approached the other side of the bed, gently poking Pikachu’s shoulder with the swathed bronze edge of her forepaw. A small pinprick of pain replied.

“N-Nica?” Pikachu blinked, glancing up at her with delirious hope. Tears started swelling underneath his eyelids as his collar chimed against his neck.

She massaged the back of her neck, stuttering nervously. “Um… just how... much did you see?”

Pikachu rose up and pressed his head into her bandaged belly, sobbing in between his words. “Nica! You're ok! Oh, you're ok! I... I... I thought it was serious. That you wouldn't... recover. Have you... been training... like this every night? Why are you pushing yourself this hard?!“

He nuzzled her padded stomach for a moment before withdrawing himself, now looking at her with teary eyes. “You didn’t respond to my pleas, you didn’t stop no matter how much I begged. Do you know how I felt? What I was thinking? Not in my worst days had I ended up so battered… so beaten, as you did. I didn’t know if you would make it. Every moment your heart beat, every breath, all I could think about was if another would follow, or if that would be the last. I feared the worst.”

Nica’s ears drooped as she slumped back down onto the bed, held her paws together and whimpered like a scolded puppy. She kept her midnight training sessions a secret, fearing it would upset the ponies and her hero, but she certainly didn't expect to see him so heartbroken over it. She had one job, to make Pikachu happy during his temporary stay in Ponyville, and when everything was finally getting better, she had to be the one to screw it up.

“Don’t be sad, I’m not angry…” He held his forepaw on his chest. “I’m just concerned.”

Nica blushed and grasped Pikachu’s paws. “I… I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Well… a tiny bit, but it wasn't serious. You were just trying to slap me away with your tail or scare me away with random jolts of electricity.” He shook his head, staring directly into Nica’s worried eyes. “I know you would never do it if you were aware of what you were doing. I understand that there are things you would prefer to leave to yourself, but I’ll worry sick if you’ll leave me in the dark, so please tell me, what happened?”

She sighed, freeing Pikachu’s forepaws and peered at the suddenly interesting woven strands within the blanket. “Please, sit down. I’ll explain… everything.” Receiving a nod of confirmation and a curious stare, she asked, “First… do you remember how I told you that after… after I failed to save a human’s life, I started pushing myself harder than ever before?”

“Yes,” he replied before his eyes became wide as saucers. “You mean you started training yourself to complete exhaustion?”

Nica took a deep breath and kneaded a knot in her neck, not daring to meet Pikachu’s gaze. “I… I started to train myself to near death.” She peeked with one eye. As she feared, Pikachu’s face was drained of color, coating his once yellow cheeks into a ghastly white. “B-but worry not, my trainer saved my life over and over. While traveling throughout the Orange Islands, we encountered an athletic Nurse Joy who taught Astra many different medical techniques over the span of two months. Not to mention a friendly Blissey who is part of Astra’s team. They kept me alive until they managed to deliver me to the closest Pokemon Center.”

“That… doesn’t make it any less traumatic,” Pikachu rebutted.

“I know… but I was afraid…”

He remained silent, listening with full attention to the pokemon’s upcoming tale.

“I was afraid that I’d fail again, let someone get hurt, an innocent, just because I was too incompetent to use my abilities to their full extent. At that point I wanted to be helpful and make the best use of my power, and the fear of defeat rocketed me over my limits. I just couldn’t stop training, no matter the pain or risk involved. As long as I kept my speed top notch, my durability unbeatable, and my reflexes sharpened to perfection, as long as I was at the top of my game, I didn’t care about what happened to me. My purpose was to serve and protect those who can’t do so themselves.”

“So this is how your stamina and resilience increased so much,” Pikachu noted, following along. “I thought I had very strong motivation that helped me become strong, but compared to yours…”

Nica nodded, now gazing back at her hero once again. “My body took desperate measures to keep me alive, sacrificing some of my raw power to strengthen my survivability. With weaker attacks but a greater stamina, I adapted my fighting style for a long and defensive combat with other foes. This new version helped me keep others from harm and work extremely well with my new strengths in battle.”

Pikachu waddled over and gracefully wiped a lone tear cascading down the side of her face. “How… how often did you train like that?” he asked, though already suspecting the intensity of her training regime.

“Well…” She took a deep breath and an awkward smile bloomed on her face. “A minimum of about once a day. Two hours of training or longer without a break until I reached my absolute breaking point. Since I practiced during the night, when others were asleep, I usually woke up in the morning in a Pokemon Center, details hazy from the previous evening.” She studied the floor, breaking eye contact. “And if we weren’t doing anything important… I did it twice or three times a day. I couldn’t let myself lounge around without feeling like I was doing something useful. If my memory serves, I continued this cycle for the past three years.” Suddenly, she felt soft paws pull her face to Pikachu’s as their noses collided.

“You’ve been torturing yourself like that everyday, for three years straight?! H-how...? W-why? Someone as kind as you deserves so much better!”

“Torturing is a strong word, and it certainly didn’t feel like that to me.” Nica’s face flushed a bright crimson. “As I told you already, I did it out of fear. Fear of failure, fear of defeat. The fear that after my entire journey, I still hadn’t proved myself worthy of this evolution. How could I when I couldn’t even carry out a task I assigned myself? Being a Raichu alone wasn’t enough. I had to push the limits of my new form and master the use of my longer tail, no matter the struggle.”

The moment Nica was released, she saw a pure expression of pity, glaring right back at her. Pikachu attempted to look stern, as tears dripped down his face. “B-but don’t worry,” she added. “I adapted. In the past, what was once considered a near death experience, now only exhausts me, maybe leaving me unconscious for a few hours. My body even began to follow muscle memory from years of practice, and in battle it can respond on its own to unexpected attacks, which helped me protect those dear to me safe.” She tapped her forepaws together with a nervous chuckle. “I suppose I was practicing my every technique and improved my durability so often that I stopped being aware of it, letting my body take over at the cost of my awareness . It’s… hard to explain.”

“I… I understand,” Pikachu muttered with an indignant grunt. “Your fears of failure… it pushed you to endure. This is why you’re so unbelievably tough and so agile with your lengthy tail. You and your trainer achieved the title of Pokemon Master due to an unbreakable determination.”

Nica dipped her head in agreement hesitantly. “I can’t deny it, but it helped us overcome powerful and extremely skilled pokemon of Elite Four and champions.” Wanting to change the depressing topic while trying to shift away from the gloomy atmosphere, she searched for a diversion as an idea was born in her mind. She grabbed her tail and nuzzled the soft fuzz laced around it. “My reflexes improved and my reaction timing to a possible threat became near automatic. My tail hasn’t failed me ever since I learned how to properly maneuver it. From what I remember, I mastered the use of it as Pikachu in only a few short months, but it took me two to three years until I became a pro at using my longer tail as a Raichu. Even when my body couldn’t improve anymore, there was always a way I could get better at using my tail. So many techniques and tricks to discover and master to perfection. I can’t imagine a day without it.”

“Was it really so hard?” Pikachu questioned, blinking in confusion as he focused on the bond between Nica and her longest limb.

“Extremely. I already told you that a longer tail offered greater reach and far more possibilities, but was much more difficult to use and slower when aiming to strike.” She stroked the silky black part of her long limb. “When I became a Raichu, I underestimated how much harder utilizing my tail would become, leaving me with a disadvantage that would cost a man’s life. I fixed my mistake with a grief-driven reckless training, after which my tail allowed me to protect myself and others and opened a lot of new doors that wasn’t possible before with a shorter tail. Long story short, more effort was needed, but a better reward at the end of a long journey.”

“I see… That would explain why I won against the other Raichu when it came to tail-use. Improving my ‘Iron Tail’ techniques was faster and easier while his moves became predictable. He became lazy with the belief of an advantage.”

Nica nodded. “Out of curiosity, how long did you train until you defeated him?”

“A few hours,” Pikachu responded with a snicker.

“A few hours! Wow! You’re extremely gifted to be able to gain power and learn new techniques this quickly. No wonder you’re holding your own against legendary pokemon while still being a Pikachu,” Nica complemented, only for him to grab her tail and stroke it. She blinked in confusion. This response was certainly unexpected.

“Talented or not, you put more effort into your training than I ever did. I thought I worked hard to get stronger, but your motivation is so much greater than mine. I could definitely take a few pointers, although maybe a bit less extreme.”

Nica rubbed her chin, thinking. Motivation… now when I compare ours…

“What are you thinking about?” Pikachu questioned as he nuzzled her side, basking in her warmth.

“Well… I just noticed that, in a way, we’re both prisoners of fear.” Seeing a confused stare, she pointed at herself and spoke up, “My fears of failure, fear that someone could become injured or even die because I’m not good enough, motivated me to push myself to my limits and then, in turn, surpass them. Those fears never left me, turning me into the most skilled Raichu I could become.” She poked Pikachu’s belly with her forepaw. “You became afraid of your evolution, or rather the symbol it represented, so you pushed yourself and went beyond your limits as a Pikachu. You also became very prideful, like you constantly need to prove yourself, no matter the hardship. However, while it motivates you to fight and train hard, it also keeps your body from unleashing its full potential as a Raichu due to the dread of becoming cocky or turning into a mean bully.”

Pikachu sighed. “I… can’t argue with that.” He turned slightly, presenting his shorter tail. “Still, you said yourself that after evolving, it took you years to master the full potential of your tail.” He poked his own. “If I evolved, it would make me stronger and tougher, but I would need to spend years to adapt to different moves and tactics for my longer limb. Evolution wouldn’t help me protect others better because of that. Maybe in the long run, but I feel confident in my abilities as I am now.”

Nica displayed a wide, toothy grin. She placed her forepaws on her hips as she shook her head. "I doubt that would apply to you! That was simply an estimate from my personal experience, but with how fast you can adapt, it would be a breeze. It's stunning how you're able to train for barely a couple of hours and then return and crush an opponent you previously lost against." She dreamily stared out the window. "Maybe it took me so long because I had no skilled Raichu to teach me, so I had to come up with my techniques by myself, and learn through trial and error. It would be an honor to have the chance to teach you."

Nica wrapped her longer tail around Pikachu’s shorter one, her face bursting with excitement. “Teaching you all I know, especially my defensive techniques, tricks, and combos. It would be absolutely amazing! You may not be able to master the use of your tail anytime soon, but I bet that under my guidance, you would be able to protect others way better as a Raichu after a mere month.” She held a forepaw on her pounding heart. “Helping you reach greatness would be the biggest honor anyone could bestow upon me . It would give a newfound meaning to my life.”

Pikachu took a step back, almost plummeting from the edge of the bed onto the tile floor. He smiled sheepishly.

Nica blushed and freed Pikachu’s tail as she started nervously tapping her small foot in rapid succession. “I’m truly sorry. Please excuse my outburst. Even as a Pikachu you’re still above me. I shouldn’t have suggested such a thing especially after what you have shared with me, it was uncalled for.”

Pikachu gave her a pitiful look. “Considering how incredibly hard you train, I find it hard to accept that you think so little of yourself. You need to understand that what you have accomplished is astounding. I wish you could focus on the lives you’ve helped rather than obsess over what hasn’t been done. Not only in our world, but recall all of the ponies that now lead better lives thanks to you. You put more effort in a week than I in an entire month, and it certainly shows.”

Nica chuckled as she subconsciously took a closer look at his lingering aura, sensing way less jealous than before. She smiled warmly. “I just thought of something silly. One of the ponies I worked for not long ago, Quibble Pants, pointed out something very interesting.”

“Which is?”

“He pointed out that I trapped myself in an enclosed circle of my own creation. My fear of failure motivates me to be the best I can be, while my beliefs say that the more power one has, the greater their responsibility.” She took a quick breath, her tone now weighed down by hints of grief. “Since I’m nearly unbeatable, I feel the need to accomplish more, and I feel worthless when I don’t get the opportunity. I compare my achievements to yours and it humbles me in turn.”

“So, because you’re powerful but believe you don’t make enough of a positive difference with your gift, you in turn feel worthless, and due to that lingering sense of failure, you train yourself past your limits to remedy that?” Pikachu asked. “It sounds like a chain you can’t escape from no matter how hard you work.”

Nica looked away as the ears of both pokemon dropped in synchronization.

Pikachu rubbed the back of his neck, blushing. “I suppose I also ended up trapped… but by something else.” With Nica’s curiosity growing as she looked back at him in confusion, he continued, “When I first saw your skills and power, I felt the need to compete, to prove that I can keep up or surpass you. When I learned that you admired my accomplishments and saw me as a hero, I felt a powerful need to live up to my reputation, to show that I’m worthy of your praise and that I’m the hero you see me as.” His ears drooped. “Not only it was frustrating to fail again and again, but to make matters worse, I tried to drag you into a battle that you wouldn’t enjoy. I’m sorry.”

Nica shook her head, placing forepaw on his shoulder. “Pikachu, I didn’t admire you for your skills and powers, I always knew that there would be a big gap between you and me. It is what you were able to accomplish and the dangers you faced what mattered to me. You don’t have to prove yourself.” She forced an encouraging smile while withdrawing her forepaw. “While I wish you didn’t have to prove yourself for the sake of your pride, what I saw was a very brave pokemon not afraid of facing the odds. I saw your kindness, your passion, and how much you care. You didn’t have to fight powerful opponents, show incredible fighting skills or fight against monsters and criminals to impress me. Just seeing how you act in those past days and efforts you put for me was more than enough.”

She winked. “Besides, from all Pikachu I ever seen, none had even half your durability and fighting spirit. I can even bet not many Raichu can proudly say they bested legendary in one versus one fight, and you did so while having a more vulnerable body. You’re the best.”

Pikachu opened his mouth, trying to find the correct words to answer, but closed it a moment later. He just stared back as Nica also seemed unsure what to say.

The awkward silence feasted for half a minute until a playful growl spawned from Nica’s belly.

Pikachu grabbed her forepaw and asked, “Have you recovered yet?”

“I have.”

“Then take off your bandages and follow me! I planned a super day, with Sugar Cube Corner being the first stop on our day of fun. I’m sure some sweets will cheer you up!” Pikachu shouted cheerfully.

Nica followed with hesitant steps, eventually being dragged by the smaller, enthusiastic pokemon as they bypassed the confused hospital personnel. “Wait… but it is my duty as your guardian to take care of you and show you a good time.”

“Not today. You’ve done more than enough for me, now it’s my turn. Trust me, I asked Pinkie and Starlight for help and advice. Today will be nothing short of fantastic.”

Nica smiled, deciding to trust the cheerful grin that was plastered across her hero’s face. What kind of amazing events awaited her? With someone as great as him in change of today's entertainment, it could only get better from here.

Author's Notes:

Another change I decided to make is expanding on chapter 8.

I added Pikachu/Gliscor interaction to both give Astra's Gliscor more character/screen time and to show how members of Astra's team views her overtraining. As for Pikachu/Nica talk, it was rewritten as well.

The only thing left for Little Lost Pikachu is to relocate original Pikachu vs Nica fight towards end of this story with some minor changes and improving of this story will be complite.

Now, I know you all are most likely awaiting for me to finally upload epilogue of "A Little Adventure in Alola" to end this series. But I would still like to ask you for some voting a. Do you like the changes I made to chapter 8 part 2, including the added Gliscor scene? Or do original was better? Also, some feedback would be nice, because at the moment I'm not sure if working on those improvemetns weren't just a waste of time.

Cheers.

Ch.9 - Unexpected Encounters - Pt.1

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 9
-
Unexpected Encounters - Pt.1

Pikachu peeked his head out from behind the entrance into the kitchen, his attention fully focused on Nica who was now perched on a soft, cotton-candy colored pillow, which sat upon a chair placed directly in front of the table. He twisted around, hopping in place from the excitement. “Is the pear cake ready?” he questioned as he dashed beside the oven, his speed only rivaled by the party pony herself.

“Almost,” Pinkie said before poking the pokemon on her head. “Come on Litten, increase the temperature just a teeny weeny bit? Pretty please!”

“On it,” Litten responded before sending small sparks of flames into the oven, careful to avoid the delicious treat baking just inches above. Once the fire was the proper heat, he shot Pikachu a sassy smile. “So, you finally decided to invite this charming Raichu on a date. You sure took your sweet time. I was almost nervous she’d realized she could do better,” he teased, flashing the bumbling pokemon a sly wink.

Pikachu blushed as his eyes opened in alarm. “W-what.... That’s not it! I just…” He tapped his forepaws. “I just want to thank her for trying… being a great friend. Yeah! That's it!”

“Suuuure. You do just that.”

Rolling her eyes, Starlight butted in between the two bickering boys. “Sweets on their own won’t do,” she muttered as she sliced the carrot into tiny fragments with the help of her magic. “Carrot salad and some sugar-free dishes should add some variety.”

Litten nodded. “My point exactly.”

Pikachu kept gazing at the ponies with a warm smile, grateful for all their help, only to reflexively leap to the side the moment Pinkie’s face appeared out of nowhere next to his belly. One mere blink being enough for the party mare to vanish from his sight.

“Did my advice help?” Pinkie whispered, for once being surprisingly quiet.

“You have no idea,” Pikachu praised as he patted Pinkie’s muzzle, gifting her with another warm smile and a simple “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome,” Pinkie said before nuzzling Pikachu’s fuzzy side. With a quick flick of her muzzle, she picked him up and tossed him onto her back before heading straight for the guest of honor.

Nica’s attention focused on the approaching ponies as she licked her lips in anticipation as saliva started pooling inside her closed mouth. Pinkie’s delicious sweets were always worth the wait. Hours could go by and she wouldn’t even notice as long as a treat was offered in the end.

The party pony placed three plushed pillows on the chair at the other side of the table, and then rested Pikachu on them.

Litten stepped from Pinkie’s back while balancing the finished product atop his head. He lowered it in front of her and took a few steps backward. He sat at the edge of the table and looked at her eagerly, his tail flapping back and forth sporadically while awaiting her reaction. “Enjoy.”

“Thank you,” Nica said, giving the cat-like pokemon a warm smile. “Love the pink apron. You look really cute in it.”

“It’s too cute for my taste,” Litten answered in annoyance. “If it was orange or red I wouldn’t mind, but pink… not my style. But alas, it was forced upon me,” he added as he fell back in mock agony.

“Pink or not, it still looks lovely.” Nica chuckled before placing the bronze edges of her paws on the counter. Seeing as Pinkie placed two plates on it, she asked, “Can I slice the cake, please?”

“Sure, go right ahead,” Pinkie responded with a nod, refusing to tear her gaze away from the tiny decorative slices of pear sprinkled across the cake.

Nica raised her tail and carefully pressed into the tasty frosting, gently cutting it into three pieces. She placed two slices of the cake on Pikachu’s plate with an eager grin.

“Nica,” Pikachu scolded as he crossed his arms.

“Yes?”

Pikachu poked his own belly. “I appreciate your generosity… buuut…”

“Oh, right!” Nica sheepishly blushed before using her tail to switch the plates. “I know I’m the taller one when it comes to merely size, but you’re always the greater and bigger one in my eyes. Someone so brave and amazing like you deserves the best of the best, and that means an extra slice!”

Pikachu blushed, suddenly out of words, which seemed to happen quite often to him lately whenever around his guardian.

“My my, such a nice complement.” Litten stated at Pikachu and added, “It would only be polite to return the compliment to this endearing lady.”

“S-stop it Nica… you’re the better one,” Pikachu meekly answered.

“That’s it?” Litten gasped in disbelief. He approached and hissed into Pikachu’s ear. “Come on, you can do much better than whatever that was.”

“I am not,” Nica said with a firm shake of her head. “You’re just saying that to please me.” She took the cake with her paws and bit it, now chewing the sweet concoction as it overwhelmed her taste-buds with pleasure. Her cheeks were now inflated like balloons, shrinking down to their normal size with each gulp. She took a glass of water and greedily drank it before wiping her mouth and sighing in satisfaction.

Pikachu whispered back, “I wish I could. While she likes to praise me alot, she actually believes in each and everything she says, wholeheartedly. How am I supposed to beat that when she has such a hard time taking compliments as it is? I think it would be best to just roll with it at this point.”

“Hmm, I see. That’s really sad, considering all the great things I’ve heard about her,” Litten said.

“No kidding...”

“What are you both whispering about?” Nica asked as her plate was left with nothing but a few remaining crumbs.

“We were just discussing the upcoming attractions! Trust me, this is going to be an exciting day,” Litten said.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

“In that case, I can’t wait,” Nica chanted, jumping up with glee. The cake soon forgotten as she darted after Pikachu towards their next activity, a cheerful smile lighting up her entire face.

Nica’s smile was anything but cheerful as she tugged on a long, sturdy rope with her forepaws. A small ditch of mud was settled in between the three pokemon fighting for victory, although not with much enthusiasm. When the CMC agreed to play with them, tug of war wasn’t what either of them had expected. Pikachu pulled the cord on the opposite side as he glanced back with an apologetic expression.

Litten was aiding Pikachu, using his four paws for support while pulling the rope with his teeth. All their efforts were futile.

Nica smiled sheepishly as she simply held tight, rather than pull due to her weight and size advantage. Her rear legs kept her stable as the two unevolved pokemon were unable to gain any ground.

The three fillies observed the spectacle from the side while talking amongst themselves. A bucket of water was resting unused by their sides with a sea of apple trees scattered in the background.

“I keep telling you, Raichu is just sooo much cooler than her pre-evolution,” Scootaloo claimed in excitement, flapping her little wings rapidly. “She’s bigger, stronger, and has plenty of cool features. I totally prefer the final evolution over the middle one. I mean, that's why she’s the final one. Save the best for last, ya know?”

Nica’s eye twitched.

Apple Bloom shook her head. “Ah dunno. Ah still find Pikachu to be way cuter. Nica’s cool and all but Pikachu is just too gosh darn adorable for me.”

Scootaloo frowned. “Didn’t you once say how you found Nica to be ‘the cutest ever?’ And wait! Are you just gonna ignore how she saved your life by jumping in a hydra’s maw! How can you turn on her like that?”

“Ah’m not turnin’ on her.” Apple Bloom muttered as she continued with less defiance, “Ah know she saved mah life, and Ah’m still very grateful. Ah still think Nica’s very cute… but Ah just find Pikachu to be a bit cuter. There’s nothing wrong with that.” The guilt in her voice nearly knocked Nica over, with blame overpowering any affection for her younger counterpart.

Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo now looked at Sweetie Belle. Their wide-eyed stares were filled with expectation.

Sweetie Belle swiftly observed both pokemon, glancing between them one last time, carefully studying their features. After taking a deep breath, she raised her head proudly and said, “It wasn’t easy, but I made my decision.”

“Yes?!” the other CMC asked in unison. Nica noticed Pikachu’s ear flicker.

“I think both pokemon definitely excel in terms of cuteness. Pikachu has those adorable pointy ink-tipped ears and tiny little paws, leaving him smaller and a prime size for optimum hugging and snuggling. Nica however is bursting with charm and her endearing toothy smile is to die for, not to mention how soft and comfortable her padded belly is. I could fall asleep atop her! Both pokemon have sweet and wide, puppy-like oval eyes that I could just never say no to.” She gasped for a quick breath before pointing at Nica. “However, while Pikachu doesn’t have many noteworthy features, Nica’s diversity of colors, longer tail and more unique ears make her stand out, making her cooler and more impressive. If I had to choose, I prefer Raichu over Pikachu in terms of appearance. Although her being super kind doesn't hurt as well.”

“That’s two to one for Raichu,” Scootaloo declared as she peeked at Apple Bloom with a smug grin. “She has an eye for these kinds of things, considering she stays with Rarity a bunch. Told you Nica was better.”

Nica withdrew one forepaw from the rope and massaged her aching forehead, now pulling the rope with only one paw. Even with one limb holding tight, she refused to budge an inch. “Why does everyone keep comparing us?”

“Because it’s fun,” Scootaloo said, replying instantly. She flaunted a cheeky smirk while Nica let out an annoyed groan.

“She’s got a point, it is kinda fun,” Pikachu butted in as he withdrew one of his paws from the rope and chuckled.” He looked at Nica and shook his head, guessing her train of thought. “And before you ask or worry, no, I don’t mind being number two as long as you’re number one, considering how you’ve earned it time and time again. You don’t need to be so tense.”

Nica relaxed her stiff muscles before turning her focus back to the CMCs. “Can… can someone help Pikachu and Litten? This tug of war is anything but fair. I don’t want anyone to feel as if things are unjust.”

“On it!” Scootaloo shouted before dashing towards the rope. With the help of her teeth, she gripped the rope and gave a mighty pull with all four legs, her wings buzzing behind her to give an extra boost.

Nica’s eyes became wide as the rope flew through her paws. In an instant she grabbed the cable with her own teeth as her four paws sank deep into the muddy soil, leaving a scarred trail across the ground. As she was being pulled towards the mud, she burrowed the yellow, lightning part of her tail into the earth for support, bypassing the weak layers of mire until she felt the hardened crust of the dust and dirt buried beneath. She was resisting defeat with all of her might, displaying a rare side of her competitive nature. Drops of sweat started dripping down her forehead.

Pikachu glanced at Scootaloo, who seemed to be bigger, heavier and stronger than his guardian, once again unevening the odds. “Can someone help Nica?”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom shared a quick look before dipping their heads in agreement and grabbing the rope.

Apple Bloom assisted Nica, using her strong hind legs after apple bucking and carrying loads of apples on the farm for years. Sweetie Belle did the same for the opposite team, using the strength she acquired after carrying Rarity’s bags on numerous occasions. Calling the fashionista a heavy shopper was both metaphoric and literal after seeing the pounds of merchandise she managed to collect in one afternoon. Sweetie Belle would never be able to shop the same way ever again.

The match became a draw as Pikachu clenched down on the fraying rope with his teeth. Both teams were at a stalemate.

Sweetie Belle grabbed the rope with her magic before withdrawing her teeth to communicate with Pikachu. “This is getting boring. Pikachu, can’t you use one of your attacks to pull the cord harder?”

Pikachu nodded, his tail soon glistening with a metallic, steel gray. He thrusted it into the ground and shifted his position, taking a few backward steps with each pull.

Upon noticing it, Nica performed a similar maneuver, increasing its strength more than hundred times. Putting all the power into a single pull of her tail, she flung the entire opposing team into the mud. Biting her bottom lip in guilt, she threw herself forward and intercepted her falling companions, pushing Pikachu, Litten, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo in the opposite direction with her tail, only to fall into the mud with an unceremonious splash.

As everyone gathered around the mud, Apple Bloom awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck and muttered in confusion, “Does this mean… we lost… or won?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Dunno. She ended up throwing herself in there just to prevent us from getting dirty.”

“Let’s agree that you and Nica won, alright?” Sweetie Belle stated, receiving a nod from the entire group.

Nica fumbled in the mire and finally made her way up, wiping the copper substance from her eyes and quickly noticing Pikachu and Litten standing at the edge of her enclosure.

“Thanks, but you do know you didn't have to take the fall for us. It was only mud,” Pikachu pointed out.

Litten shook his head. “Speak for yourself. I’m a fire type, and being doused in water to get rid of a patch of dirt is the last thing I want.” He gave her a grateful smile while shuddering in horror from imagining his dilemma. “Thanks for the save. I owe ya one.”

“You’re welcome,” Nica replied as she stepped onto more solid ground, satisfied she could make at least one creature happy. Her attention focused on the levitating bucket of water floating above her. She closed her eyes and spread her forepaws, waiting for the cold water to wash away the stains from her fur. Once wet, she sprinted away from the group and shook herself, causing a rain of dirty water to fly through the air while her fur puffed into an adorable little fluff of orange fur. She chuckled, as did her pokemon friends watching from a splash-safe distance.

The CMCs laughed, struggling to stand from the giggles that wracked their bodies.

After a moment of laughing, Sweetie Belle gestured with her hooves. “Don’t worry. We have some combs stashed away in our tree house. Follow us!”

Nica simply dipped her head in thanks and trailed after the group, her eyes scanning the surrounding orchard. She glanced at Pikachu hesitantly, only to quickly look away the moment he looked back at her. After a minute of gathering her fleeting courage, she nervously shuffled closer and clutched Pikachu’s left forepaw with her right one, praying he wouldn’t pull away. She stared down at the stray flowers lining the grass to hide her blush while taking two steps for each three of her smaller friend. Much to her relief, Pikachu went along with it without complaint. She bit her tongue to resist squealing in excitement.

After a few minutes of trekking deeper into the farm grounds, her attention zeroed in on a charming, little house built into a massive tree, seeing two windows and some blossoms laced among the windowsill. A square balcony with a wooden fence surrounded it.

She gently withdrew and walked up the wooden stairs on her rear feet, taking one long step for each gap between landings.

Pikachu and Litten climbed up after with quick leaps, running with four paws instead.

The moment she arrived inside, she sat next to the group and admired the view overlooking the apple’s property.

A big stack of papers lay on a wooden box in the corner of the room, acting as a temporary desk with a ladder nearby the main entrance, most likely leading to the attic. Cups with a few random pencils and crayons were placed haphazardly atop the windowsill. Each window had hoof-made curtains, and each drape was decorated in squares with two different shades of red, resembling one dull and one shiny apple blotted across the fabric. The wall ahead of her was covered by numerous photos of ponies, including one picture of Master Gabriela, a friendly and helpful griffon that she worked with more than once, mainly because of her super soft wing-hugs and her desire to help.

Nica approached the ladder and gazed skyward, sensing an aura of depression and loneliness stowed away amongst the wooden boards. The moment she felt a comb brush through her drying fur, she looked at Sweetie Belle and pointed up. “Can you introduce me to your friend up there?”

“Friend?” Sweetie asked, a hint of fear showing through. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t know?” Nica’s eyes grew wide as she realized this thing could have been sneaking around these young fillies for months without their knowledge. “Does this mean someone has been hiding in your clubhouse without any of you knowing?” She narrowed her eyes and ran up the ladder, now spotting an extra, but darker and smaller, attic room with plenty of boxes. “I can sense your presence, so please, come out. There’s no use in hiding. I’m sure the CMCs will let you stay here if you just ask them nicely.”

<Nica?>

Nica’s eyes became wide, as her smile light up the darkened room. “Mimikyu!”

Ch.9 - Unexpected Encounters - Pt.2

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 9
-
Unexpected Encounters - Pt.2

Pikachu’s ears jolted up in alarm at the name ‘Mimikyu’ while his heart began rapidly throbbing in his chest. The very mention of that word filled him with dread. His fears were confirmed as Nica stumbled down the ladder with the disguised pokemon wrapped by her tail. Out of reflex, he hid behind Apple Bloom, who glanced at him for a moment in confusion before shrugging her shoulders.

Once on stable ground, Nica nuzzled the smaller pokemon’s veil and hugged him with her forepaws, who in turn embraced her back with shadowy hands creeping out from underneath his costume.

“Awww… and who’s this cutie?” Sweetie Belle cooed as she approached and stroked the ghost pokemon on the forehead, who blushed from this gentle gesture.

Nica gently released the pokemon and placed him on the floor. “Everyone, meet one of my friends and teammates, Mimikyu! Astra caught him a year ago during her vacation in Alola.”

“Looks kinda creepy, but also radical at the same time. Is this a costume?” Scootaloo asked as she snuck behind the imposter and stretched her foreleg, poking the weird, creased ears before trying to lift the bottom part of the costume.

“Don’t do that!” Nica shouted as she slapped away Scootaloo’s wandering foreleg with her tail. “Mimikyu is a ghost and fairy pokemon, and he wear this disguise for a reason. His real form is too dangerous to look at for the average pokemon! I don’t even want to imagine what could happen to you three fillies.”

“A ghost? Like… a spirit and stuff?” Sweetie Bell questioned as all three crusaders took a step back in fear.

“There’s no need to be afraid. Ghost types are common where I come from, and they can develop charming personalities of their own, rather than the haunting and scaring most creatures believe.” Nica explained, “I think the pokemon and humans who strongly cling to their previous life return as ghost types without any memories. It’s just a theory though.”

“Cool!” Scootaloo proclaimed.

Pikachu stopped eavesdropping from his hiding spot and peeked out from behind Apple Bloom, now seeing the other two crusaders examining this pokemon’s features from different angles. Probably trying to examine him for maximum cuteness, he scoffed, his tail twitching in suspense. The face visible on Mimikyu’s belly seemed to be smiling from being the center of attention. Not trusting the ghost’s smirk, he swiftly leaped towards a nearby box and hid behind it. His experience with the other Mimikyu told him their encounter wouldn’t end well, even if he had Nica there to defend him.

“His costume reminds me of Pikachu,” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

The middle part of Mimikyu’s costume narrowed its eyes, his smile turning into a disheartened grimace.

“That’s because many Mimikyu are left feeling isolated due to their supernatural forms. So, many craft a disguise as Pikachu, considering how popular he is.” Nica wrapped her forepaw around Mimikyu’s shoulder and pulled him in for a massive snuggle against her soft belly. “He hoped to receive affection thanks to this costume, though most people and pokemon still avoid or fear them. They don’t take the time to see how kind and funny these little guys can be.”

“Awww…” Sweetie said with a pitiful look. “That’s so sad.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Ah’m not surprised. Pikachu looks really cute and cuddly. No wonder he’s so popular where you guys come from.”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “I just don’t get it. Raichu is much more appealing and unique visually, so why are they less popular? Anyone with a lick of sense would notice how Nica’s cooler.” She crossed her forelegs and said firmly, “Personally, I like Pikachu’s evolution way more.”

Scootaloo nodded. “I know! Raichu is totally the best.” She approached Mimikyu, stood on her rear hooves and him pulled into a tight hug, surprising the cloaked pokemon. Her chin pressed against his fake, crumbled ears. “But a lonely ghost whose only desire is to be loved and appreciated, I understand the feeling. You’ll do anything to make certain ponies notice you.” She ducked her head down and gave Nica an apologetic glance. “No offense, but while I still like how cool you are, I think now I like Mimikyu and his backstory even more.” She raised the ghost pokemon with her forehooves and looked into his fake eyes. “Don’t worry buddy, I’ll give you all the attention you want. You can count on me.” Mimikyu’s eyes briefly squinted, showing glistening tears of joy.

“None taken. It makes my heart soar whenever I hear he’s made a new friend,” Nica said with a cheerful smile. “To be honest, when he first became a part of Astra’s team, he seemed very wary of me for some reason.” She raised her forepaw, narrowed her eyes and continued in an alarmingly serious tone, “At night, he would escape his pokeball, sneak around me and use the move ‘Dream Eater’ to leave me feeling drained in the morning, and I still don’t know exactly why.” She gave him a toothy grin, her cheeks bunching up glee. “ But he’s a dear friend and I wouldn’t change him for the world.”

<I’m sorry… it was a mean thing for me to do, especially after how kind you always were to me.>

Nica continued, “However, after that one night when I had a particularly bad nightmare, Mimikyu started acting very friendly towards me.” She rubbed her chin, thinking. “I don’t remember what this nightmare was about, but when Mimikyu used ‘Dream Eater’ and saw it, his attitude towards me changed overnight.”

<I’m not telling,> Mimikyu uttered as two shadowy hands emerged from their cloth cage and crossed in defiance. <What’s important is that you really cared for me and were a great friend. Working and training with you was amazing, not to mention educational. You’re the best friend a ghost could ask for.>

“I try my best. As long as you’re all happy, I’m happy!” Nica cheered before looking around in confusion. “Hey, where’s Pikachu? He was just here a moment ago.”

<Pikachu?> Mimikyu spat as the eyes on his disguise narrowed with a murderous gleam.

Sensing an overpowering aura of fear materializing from inside a nearby box, she ran towards it and dragged the smaller pokemon by his shaking paw. “Come on, don’t be shy.” She stepped to the side and pointed at Pikachu, who had nearly folded himself in half, attempting to become invisible. His efforts were futile.

“Mimikyu, do you remember the heroic Pikachu I told you about? The one I admired so much, the partner of the heroic trainer, Ash Ketchum who’s saved the world with barely any formal experience or training? Guess what, it’s him! I finally got to meet my hero! Isn’t that amazing?” Suddenly, she sensed an ambience of anger, hate and jealousy grow in strength while her friend Mimikyu started emitting short ear-shattering screeches. “Is something wrong?”

Pikachu pulled his forepaw from Nica’s hold in alarm and flashed the enraged Mimikyu a nervous smile. Even without the ability to detect other’s emotions like his guardian Nica, he could feel the malicious intent flooding the tree-house, leaving him practically gasping for air.

“You… you couldn’t possibly hate my hero, could you? You haven’t even met him yet! C’mon, just give him a chance,” Nica begged before holding her forepaws together in a pleading gesture, adding in a pouty lip for extra measure. “Pleaseee…”

<Of course not. Why would I possibly hate the very pokemon I based my costume on?> Mimikyu howled, using his murky claws to pry himself free from Scootaloo’s hold. He stalked closer, as if sliding on the wooden floor. <It’s not like I envy every ounce of undeserved attention he gets thrown at him. It’s not like I can’t stand the fact that an amazing Raichu like you views this pathetic creature as superior. It’s not like he’s the very one who cursed you with your crippling inferiority complex.> He whispered very quietly,

Pikachu felt a ghastly chill echo through his body, not daring to take his eyes away from the mysterious and creepy pokemon who started to spiral around him in a sickening dance. His senses sharpened as he prepared himself for the spirit's implied assassination attack.

Litten leapt off his haunches, hissing. A second was all he needed to act, prepared to jump into action if the situation called for it.

Nica moved herself in between the feud, attempting to calm the maddened phantom. “I know you may not approve, but he’s someone I aspire to be, while his heroic deeds speak for themselves. His actions should be praised whether you personally like him or not,” Nica explained before interlocking her forepaws under her neck, now appearing like a puppy begging for scraps. “I’m sure if you just gave him a chance, you would become great friends. Will you do this for me, pretty please? It would mean the world to me.”

The CMCs glanced at one another, exchanging worried yet confused looks before they returned their surveillance back to the ghost pokemon. While they understood the wraith was showing aggression, they were still utterly lost, not being able to understand his ranting a moment earlier.

Mimikyu’s costume flared a crimson red as dark, jet-black smoke started emanating from underneath. Though with a few seconds to cool down, he shifted back to his previous form, wearing an unhappy but compliant grimace on his face. <Fine, you know I’d do anything for you. But first, just one question.> He stopped in front of Nica, now staring straight at her. <Has he upset you in any way? Please, be honest. I need to know.>

Pikachu bit his bottom lip before looking at Nica, shaking his forepaws in panic while desperately trying to communicate with her. Don't tell him, please! he thought, hoping Nica understood his gestures. He froze the moment Mimikyu glimpsed his way.

“Well… we had a big misunderstanding,” Nica admitted, receiving Mimikyu’s full attention while Pikachu’s face became pale.

Goodbye world, it was fun while it lasted. Pikachu mumbled with his hands crossed over his chest, as if already six feet under.

Nica continued, “When I learned that he had a couple bad experiences with two particular Raichu, it was revealed to me that he wished to never evolve, preferring his current form and not wanting any relation to the meanies that bullied him. Since then, I was terrified I had become an eyesore to him and that he would hate me if he discovered my achievements. It crushed me, the idea of my idol never wanting to see me again or view me as a rival to overcome.”

She tapped her forepaws together, clearing her throat briefly.

“Thankfully we resolved this misunderstanding and he swore not to let his jealousy get the best of him, but not before we experienced a bit of drama.” She let a charming giggle slip through, her voice now sporting a hint of her old enthusiasm. “But it’s behind us now and I’m happy that all my fears were put to rest.”

The CMC chose now to butt in, each voicing their thoughts in a flurry of shouts and gasps while attempting to outspeak the others, still having a bit of trouble keeping up.

“Wait, you don’t like your evolution?” Scootaloo wheezed. “How is that even possible?”

“Bad experiences?” Apple Bloom chimed.

“Uh, oh, drama?” Sweetie Belle asked, “Are we talking soft-drama, extreme-drama, or a Rarity-level of drama? Because just in case, I can ask Rarity to share one of her emergency fainting couches and ice cream. She has them stored all over Ponyville.”

Pikachu turned towards the exit and started stealthily tip-toeing out atop his tiny paws, only for a figmented, shadowy hand to block his way. His ears picked up another shrill screech.

<I… see… I’m glad it’s resolved and that you’re happy, at least now. Ummm… anyways… since we haven’t seen each other for nearly a month, would it be too much to ask for… an honest hug?>

“Honest hug?” Pikachu echoed.

“An honest hug, of course!” Nica shouted in excitement before taking a deep breath and bracing herself. She stomped, clenched her forepaws and narrowed her eyes in a pre-trial warm up. “I’m ready!”

<Thank you!> Mimikyu shouted in excitement before jumping onto Nica’s head with an unseen childlike joy.

Pikachu and Litten gasped, while the CMCs stared at the scene curiously, still pretty oblivious to the events transpiring.

From atop Nica’s head, he gently maneuvered around her perked ears and lowered his costume to touch the Raichu’s soft fur. The cloak once covering him slid up, not enough to reveal the spirit, but enough for a dark murky substance to trickle out, wrapping Nica in a deathly embrace. Her eyes grew wide but she stayed standing, breathing heavily.

After a moment, Mimikyu jumped from Nica’s head as a big blush and cheerful smile was radiating from middle part of his costume. It was like his bad mood evaporated into thin air.

Pikachu’s attention focused on the exhausted-looking face of his guardian, which now sported a toxic looking shade of violet, similar to when a pokemon was poisoned or squeezed for minutes by a powerful ‘Wrap.’ “Uh, Nica, are you alright?”

“Y-yes… I… I am,” Nica choked out as her rear legs trembled, struggling to keep her stable. She sat and took a few slow breaths.

<Of course she’s fine. After the brutal training she endures everyday there’s very little that can bring her to the verge of death, much less affect her,> Mimikyu said casually as he nuzzled Nica’s side with a loving gesture. <Despite my warnings, one day she offered to hug not my costume, but the real-me! Despite it hurting her greatly, she was always willing to hug my ghost-self whenever I felt sad or down. Any other pokemon would faint, but not her. She’s the strongest and kindest pokemon I know.>

“I don’t mind... getting hurt… as long… as it… makes others… happy,” Nica panted, weakly grinning.

Pikachu flinched to the side when Mimikyu randomly bolted towards him during Nica’s explanation.

<Now, while Nica is recovering from our hug, how about we both have a quick chat outside. There’s something I would like to tell you.>

“Do I have a choice?” He gulped, already fearing the worst.

<Nope!> Mimikyu shouted.

Pikachu yelped the moment shadowy talons wrapped around his forepaw and yanked him, sending him flying. A moment later, he found himself face down outside of the clubhouse, lying on the grass next to the tree. The moment his front limb was released, he took a fighting stance, expecting to be attacked.

<Calm down, I’m not going to hurt you. Unless... you give me a reason to,> Mimikyu threatened.

“You… won’t?” Pikachu stood up to his two tiny feet, but remained wary of the ghost.

<Of course not. I would never hurt Nica’s friend, especially the one she’s idolized for years.> He muttered quietly, <Even if this idolizing did nothing but further hurt her psyche in turn.>

“What?”

<N-nothing…> He continued in sharper tone, <You may not deserve her admiration, but at this point it can’t be helped, so you better cherish it. It’s a great honor to be a hero of a great Raichu like Nica.>

Pikachu rubbed the back of his neck while exhibiting a sheepish grin. “Well… I can’t deny that. The longer I hang out with her, the less deserving I feel of her praise.”

<Oh, so you get it. I think I may even tolerate you if you maintain that attitude,> Mimikyu said before a dark, hateful aura started to emerge from under his costume. <But make no mistake, while Nica can easily overcome any physical pain, her feelings are extremely easy to hurt. If I find out that you wounded them or worse, I’ll become your worst nightmare. Day in and day out. So, do we have an understanding?>

Pikachu sighed in defeat. “You may as well get in line. There’s already one Mimikyu who wants me dead. It doesn’t help that he’s pining after Team Rocket while he’s out to destroy me. Trust me, I don’t need another enemy. One violent Mimikyu is enough for me.”

<A Mimikyu helping Team Rocket? Oh, I would love to annihilate him for assisting those scum.> With a sudden shot of ‘Shadow Claw’ from under his costume, he demolished five nearby trees in a single go, like a metallic claw slicing through intricate paper figurines.

Pikachu flinched to the side to avoid the blow and gasped. The speed and power of the attack certainly being above the ‘Shadow Claw’ that the other Mimikyu used against him. If he made this Mimikyu a rival, he wouldn't be able to come back for a rematch.

<I have been training under the guidance of the Pokemon Master and Captain Nica. Even if I have less experience than her other team members, I assure you, I’m way stronger than the Mimikyu who sides with Team Rocket trash. She became a champion of champions for a reason. We are the best of the best.> He ended his spiel with a devious smirk, his eyes gleaming with unknown desires.

“Hehe, g-good to k-know,” Pikachu answered, devoid of confidence. Nica sure has some scary friends. I would not want to get on her bad side. If she even had one...

“Mimikyu! What did I tell you about unleashing pent up frustration on defenseless trees?” Nica scolded from behind the wooden fence, looking down at them from the higher ground. Her forepaws were placed on her hips like an angry mother.

<Sorry. I got carried away. It won’t happen again,> Mimikyu promised before looking at Pikachu, it’s shadowy claw pointing first at himself, then beelining for Pikachu.

Pikachu nodded, gulping as the message was made perfectly clear. One slip up and he was done for.

Rainbow Dash observed the distance between Ponyville and the Everfree Forest, noting the big grassy field with Fluttershy’s cottage planted among the horizon. “Oh, I can’t wait!” she chanted to herself as she recalled Pikachu’s plan. First, treats at Sugarcube Corner, something sure to be a blast thanks to Nica’s sweet tooth. Second, fun and games with the CMCs at their clubhouse. Third, exploration of the Everfree Forest with all those awesome monsters and hidden treasure. Finally, investigating the frozen north, which I’m pretty sure is similar to where Nica was born. She lived on that mountain thing, right? Oh whatever. It seems he really wants to go with Nica on an adventure with those last two ideas. It's a good thing I was in Ponyville to introduce my team to Nica. We’ll make a show for her to remember. She started trotting in place in excitement, unable to keep still.

“You sure are psyched today, maybe even more than usual,” Spitfire noted as she descended from the sky, landing in front of Rainbow Dash with four of her teammates by her side. They furled their wings shut and took a few steps forward. “So, where’s that friend of yours we're gonna be performing for today. If she really saved Equestria like you told us, I can’t wait to meet her. It’ll be like a hero meet and greet.”

“Very kind, shy, likes pies, she sounds just like me,” Soarin’ bragged with a toothy grin. He rubbed behind his white ear with a forehoof, and next fixed his dark-blue mane, ensuring it looked presentable even though it still held a charming bed head look.

“I prefer the part of her being brave, fast, agile and reckless. Well, maybe not the reckless part, but everyone has flaws,” Spitfire said. Her flame-like mane rippled in the wind.

“Speaking of flaws, What kind of heroic athlete has such a low self-esteem and practically no pride in their accomplishments?” Fleetfoot frowned. Her muzzle and wings were a lighter shade of blue when compared to her Wonderbolts’ costume, accenting her aquamarine eyes. Her mane floated within the sky, resembling a spotless white and puffy cloud, giving her a noticeable shine.

“I’ve said it more than once, she needs a big dose of pride with at least some bits of arrogance. She’s too humble for her own good, especially given all the awesome things she’s done. She’s saved Equestria almost more than I have!” Rainbow Dash glanced at her own pride and joy, her Wonderbolt outfit, before pointing at the horizon. “Here she comes!” She spread her wings and flew up, waving at the running pokemon. “Hey Nica, you’re just in time to witness the best show of your life! Led by ‘mwah of course.” She teased, although much to her confusion, the long-tailed pokemon stopped sprinting and started nervously stumbling backwards on her four paws. She could see the overwhelming sadness even from high up in the clouds, as her ears drooped like wilting flowers. “What’s wrong?”

Pikachu managed to catch up a few seconds later, pressing his tiny feet into the grass in attempt to reduce his speed. It proved useless when he bumped into Nica with a gentle ‘boop.’ He giggled slightly, though stopped when he saw her despair. He glanced at the taller pokemon with a questioning look. “Are you ok? Did someone scare you? Let me at ‘em!”

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes, seeing another creature approaching some distance away. Chalking it up to one of the recent pokemon visitors, she ignored the little blob and glanced back at her team who wore guilty expressions, as if they had stolen cookies from the cookie jar. Now, this what something she couldn’t just shrug off. She landed and stomped her hoof deep into the soil, fed up with the team’s antics. “Alright, can somepony explain to me what the hay’s going on?”

Spitfire rubbed her foreleg in shame, attempting to explain. She opened her mouth, but closed it a moment later. The other Wonderbolts shared her hesitation.

Nica took a deep breath and said, “Rainbow Dash. Do you remember how Darkrai started targeting both Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles, along with Fluttershy’s family?”

“Well, duh… how could I forget?” Dash leapt up, now hovering in front of Nica while the creepy-looking pokemon from a while back finally reached them. Hehe, it looks like a lame attempt at making a Pikachu costume for Nightmare Night She continued, “He was the creepy ghost-like pokemon who tried to summon a bunch of creatures from your world, but totally failed after you kicked his flank into next week! Darkrai, I think his name was, being the sore loser he is, decided to then target our families with minions and hit us where we were weak.” She pointed at Nica. “Despite your injured leg though, you still volunteered to assist us at Cloudsdale and saved a bunch of ponies.”

<Injured leg?> Mimikyu growled.

“Injured leg?” Pikachu repeated, both pokemon started staring at Nica in concern.

“From what Applejack told me, you jumped into the giant jaws of a Hydra to save Apple Bloom, and ended up being chewed for dinner instead. Aside from hurting you, its teeth greatly injured one of your rear legs, but that wasn’t enough to hold you down,” Dash boasted.

Nica embraced herself and shivered. “Don’t remind me. It was bad enough the first time, don’t make me imagine it again.”

Spitfire approached hesitantly, and with great reluctance her team followed suit. “I’ve never seen a Hydra before. What does it look like?”

Nica shivered as she gazed at the Wonderbolt with a saddened look. “It’s this gigantic fat creature with four heads placed atop very long, but strong necks. Each of its maw’s big enough to store six ponies or more, not to mention how it could crush a house with a flick of its tail. Every step it takes makes even the ground tremble in fear, forming one of the deadliest creatures of the Everfree. It was too dark for me to see its teeth, but I felt them, and trust me, they press deep into your skin with insane force and a rugged barb with each tooth.”

Soarin’ gulped while Fleetfoot chuckled nervously. Neither of them had expected to hear that.

Nica could feel the guilt dripping from each Wonderbolt, only growing in strength as she continued her vivid description of being chewed. She turned to her smaller pokemon friends. “Picture a three headed pokemon Hydreigon with an extra head and green rather than its normal shade of black, violet and blue. Then mix him with a large pokemon with massive belly, long tail and very long neck, Aurorus, and one that’s not twice, but three times taller than an average human.”

Pikachu’s heartbeat pounded.

Nica stood on tips of her rear feet and stretched her forepaws upward. “Then picture his size increasing four times. This Hydreigon is massive, with each head having full capabilities and a loaded jaw of razor sharp teeth. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.”

“W-what! And you were chewed by one of its heads?” Pikachu shouted before looking at her rear legs in pity. “How have I never heard this before?”

Nica looked at Mimikyu, whose shadowy hands formed a gigantic axe, spewing toxic dark energy. “And before you think of having any sort of revenge, that Hydra was under Darkrai’s control. No monster hunting, got it!?”

<F-fine…> Mimikyu grunted as his axe turned into smoke and retreated back into the safety of his costume.

Upon hearing the hooves of Rainbow Dash pound against the grass next to her, she looked up at the pegasus and added, “It shames me to say, but Darkrai summoned and managed to convince many Raichu and a few Skarmory to attack Cloudsdale, somehow able to recreate and cast a cloud-walking spell on them. Because of that, the ponies of Cloudsdale took me for an enemy. It wasn’t really their fault.”

“Wait… you also fought against multiple Raichu, while injured, after a fight with a flipping Hydra?” Pikachu asked. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

Nica nodded, giving him a proud smile, also secretly pleased she was unable to sense any form of envy. “Of course I did. Most of them weren’t trained very well, either because of lazy trainers or overconfidence from their evolved forms, so I was able to defeat them with pure skills alone. Someone with your abilities would have been able to knock ‘em out in no time as well.”

“If… if you say so,” Pikachu muttered, clearly not convinced.

“To be fair,” Dash added, catching everyone’s attention, “some of those Raichu disagreed with Darkrai’s plan. Not only did they refuse to hurt either of our families, but they were able to befriend them instead. Now whose saying friendship isn’t magic!” She looked at the Wonderbolts and soon realized what cause Nica’s earlier retreat. Her eyes became wide like plates. “Oh no! Spitfire. Please tell me you and the team didn’t take Nica for an invader and broke her injured leg? The poor girl felt devastated and burst into tears when we found her.”

“S-sorry Dash… we… kinda did,” Spitfire murmured, leaving Rainbow Dash shocked. She shot them a furious glare, promising to continue the discussion later.

“Don’t get mad at us! When we were attacked by one of those... Raichu, was it? And we managed to beat it with numbers alone. It just magically vanished. I don’t know all too much about magic, but we assumed we could get those electric rodents back where they came from while defending the ponies of Cloudsdale at the same time,” Fleetfoot said, though doubt was clear in her voice.

Soarin’ spoke up, “But much to our surprise, one of the Raichu we faced was way more skilled than the others, holding back despite its injured leg. We were surprised when it didn't fight back, though we simply thought it was a ploy to get us to drop our guard. No matter how hard we beat the poor thing, she didn’t disappear.” He looked at Nica with puppy eyes. “I’m really, really, really sorry. I’ll… I’ll get you as many pies as you want as an apology. Maybe a year-long vip pass for our Wonderbolt shows?”

Nica de-tensed her muscles, now staring into Soarin’s apologetic eyes.

“Actually, Soarin’ was the first to point out that this Raichu wasn’t fighting back and asked, no, basically begged for us to stop fighting it. Cloudsdale was still under attack so there wasn’t time for any first-aid or an apology. We had to rush to other ponies’ rescue,” Spitfire pointed out. “I hate to say it, but even if I could go back, we would still have rush away. There was simply too much damage control needed for us to stop on one creature.” She removed her goggles and wiped them, her wings and ears drooped. “I must say, you have some serious guts refusing to fight back. You had every excuse to hurt us. But no, not even a shock of electricity.”

“I… I wouldn’t dare hurt anypony. You were just trying to defend other pegasi from the likes of me. I don’t hold a grudge,” Nica forgave as she waddled on her two feet. “Besides, I heal fast. There’s no reason to feel bad.”

“Huh?” Fleetfoot mumbled as she yanked off her goggles as well. “But you should be angry at us, I wouldn’t mind if you yelled. I mean, we hit your injured leg so hard that your scream of pain could be heard from miles away.” She stomped. “That’s unacceptable. We deserve to be yelled at! Yell at us! YELL!”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, used to Fleetfoot’s over exaggerated performances. “While I agree with you, Fleetfoot, that isn’t how Nica thinks. Am I right?”

Nica stopped a meter in front of the Wonderbolts, nodded at Dash and then ducked down to solemly look at her own feet. “I… I don’t hold a grudge against any of you, and I endured pains much worse than that. What really hurt was your hostility towards me. It… it made me sad that so many ponies hated me, when all I was trying to do was help.”

“That’s it? That’s what you were sad about?” Spitfire bellowed in disbelief. “Not only did we beat you after you did your best to protect ponies from other Raichu and monsters, we even broke your leg, and you were sad just because we were angry at you?”

“Y-yes…”

Dash spoke up, “She can sense the emotions of other creatures, so she’s very sensitive with this kind of stuff. I think now would be the time to apologize...”

Nica forced a smile. “However, instead of malice, now I sense nothing but guilt from all of you. As long as you’re all truly sorry and maybe would like to be friends, I don’t mind putting the past behind us.” She trotted towards on her two hind legs and raised her forepaw in an act of forgiveness. “Will you give me a chance to be your friend?”

Spitfire shook the little paw in an instant. “You kidding? Of course we can become friends. In fact we should be the ones begging for your forgiveness and a chance at amity.”

Fleetfoot approached Rainbow Dash from behind and whispered, “If she’s as humble as she is forgiving, this heroine is gonna be one big piece of work. If Princess Twilight can discover a spell to transfer personalities, you can count on me to donate some of my ego and arrogance. Everyone knows I got more than enough to go around.”

“Sorry, not laughing.” Rainbow Dash frowned and crossed her forelegs. “She may have forgiven you, but I’m still disappointed in the whole team. You guys really messed up. You’re lucky she’s so kind.”

“I don’t blame you, and yea, but don’t worry, we’ll make it up to her. Let’s start by performing a great show for her that’ll knock her socks off. She can even ride on our backs later… if she wants to of course.”

Dash put on her goggles. “Now we’re talking. But if she’s gonna end up riding a Wonderbolt, it’s going to be me.”

Pikachu looked at Nica in admiration. Even he wouldn’t be so quick to forgive such a traumatic experience, having those he protected beat him up and break his leg in pure aggression. His attention focused on Mimikyu who kept murmuring something to himself quietly behind all the action. He took slow steps towards him, his ears perked with full focus. “Can you repeat that? I didn’t hear you.”

Mimikyu glanced away from the Wonderbolts, glaring at him with a dark aura escaping from underneath his costume. “Resist… murderous… intent… resist… murderous… intent…”

Pikachu’s ears drooped as he smiled sheepishly and took a few steps back in fear. “Hehe, y-yea… you do just that.” At least now he wasn’t first on Mimikyu’s hit list.

Ch.10 - Joke’s On You, Pt.1 - Trekking into Trouble

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 10
-
Joke’s On You, Pt.1 - Trekking into Trouble

“I must say; when Nica told us you want to explore the Everfree Forest with me, I thought it was a joke,” Fleetfoot admitted as she drifted atop the wind’s current, allowing her to get a good look at the cloaked creature sitting on her back. “A little pokemon like you doesn’t look anything like an adventuring type to me. If I were your size, I’d be terrified. Imagine how easy it’d be to get crushed by a massive monster or collapsing tree. Although, I heard you’re pretty tough.” She grinned before joking, “On the other hoof, if you’re really a ghost, you would fit right in. They would change the name to ‘Haunted Everfree Forest.’ Hehe, has a nice ring to it. Gotta write that down before somepony else tries to take the credit.”

The middle part of Mimikyu’s costume rolled its eyes at the annoying pegasus’ rambling before a shadowy, spectral hand emerged from under his costume, pointing at a small path nestled among the trees.

“You want to explore on hoof, or uh, on ghost power or whatever, fine with me, but we better hurry. Dash promised Spitfire she’d introduce us to the other pokemon in Ponyville, and the captain sure hates waiting.”

Mimikyu leaped from his raid’s back, now moving side by side the Wonderbolt. Every movement among the bushes filled him with a primal excitement, hoping some sort of monster would emerge to greet them. Worst case scenario, he would enjoy exploring this dangerous forest, as its gloomy atmosphere was certainly inviting, or at least for him. Best case scenario, his Wonderbolt companion would have… an unfortunate encounter with a beast, accidentally ‘falling before an angry Manticore.’ A broken leg as revenge for Nica sounded very appealing. He grinned. No matter the outcome, it was going to be a win-win scenario.

“Come on Spitfire, put your back into it!” Pikachu cheered as he anchored his rear feet against the flyers aerodynamic flight suit. His forepaws were wrapped against her neck in a choking vice grip. Spitfire ducked and weaved throughout the air while his tail and ears flapped wildly in the wind. I may be familiar with riding fast-flying pokemon, but those Wonderbolts have some insane speed behind them. Even previous foes attempting to throw me off during battle are easier to hold onto than these guys. Still, I can’t deny that I enjoy the challenge. He grit his teeth and squinted his eyes as his ride became even faster. Uh oh, I immediately regret my decision!

Just glancing to the left alone proved to be a struggle as he peeked over at Rainbow Dash, or rather at the plump mouse holding on for dear life whose face was frozen in an expression of pure concentration. Her own set of paws were wrapped around Dash’s midsection, rather than digging them into her neck for a better grip. With both Wonderbolts racing each other, he and Nica ended up playing a game called ‘keep your paws on or fall very, very, very far down.’ The name was still a work in progress.

Pikachu’s attention zeroed in on the long tail flapping violently against the wind. If there’s something I learned about her thus far, it is how versatile her tail is. Surely a tail-fencing master like her could use it to keep herself from being shaken off… so why? The pupils in his eyes shrank into thin pinpricks in the realization. I bet since I can’t use my own tail to keep myself from falling off, she refuses to use her own. Ugh, I don’t know whether to be touched or annoyed. She’s too kind and fair for her own good.

He tilted his head, now looking at his own paws which desperately clung to the costume, his muscles tense and starting to ache at the constant use. The fabric stretched to its limit as he held on through each twist and turn atop Spitfire’s back.

“Sorry boss, but no matter how fast you think you can fly, you have no chance against my ‘Sonic Rainboom,'” Dash bragged, adopting a smug smirk.

“Now now, let's not get overconfident. I have an ace of my own, rookie. You're about to learn why they call me Spitfire,” the captain declared as both Wonderbolts started staring at each other with competitive grins.

“It’s on!” both pegasi shouted before darting up to gain height, causing Pikachu and Nica an extra struggle against both the rushing wind and gravity. The mares began a deathly dive mere seconds later.

“Hold on tight, Pikachu! This ones gonna be rough,” Nica warned while tightening her grip.

Pikachu wasn’t taking any chances. He clenched his adjusted forepaws and miniscule rear legs against the suit, only to soon bite down on the stretchy fabric for additional support. One of his eyes remained open as Spitfire truly lived up to her name. Wild flames burst alive from within her mane, dancing atop the pegasus’ body. Her tail trailed behind, leaving a breathtaking streak of shimmering orange throughout the air. Pikachu had to admit, it really was amazing. The speed of the flyer tripled while the air boiled from her daredevil descent. A few scattered beads of sweat started dripping down his face from the increasing temperature.

From the corner of his vision, Pikachu caught a flash of multicolored light unfurling amidst the atmosphere, as Rainbow Dash sped past her senior, leaving the team eating her rainbow-streaked dust.

“Catch ya’ later, slowpokes!” Dash howled against the wind, a cheeky smile plastered on her face. A few solitary tears trickled back, from how fast the two ponies were racing across the sky.

Numerous droplets escaped Pikachu’s eyes as well and were torn away by the relentless current of wind. Despite holding the pegasus with all his strength, his little paws were slowly losing their grip while his gums began stinging from the constant pressure of his grinding teeth. The moment Spitfire shot above a valley of trees with a sharp right turn, he lost his hold and fell off the captain’s back, rocketing towards the ground and landing with a deafening thump.

The earth trembled and clouds of dust crept along the terrain. Two trees were bent at an awkward angle and had deep scars with Pikachu-shaped holes amongst their outside bark.

Pikachu’s entire body throbbed from the rough landing, and continued to pulse in agony. His limbs were buried under a massive amount of dirt, and a couple scrap pieces of bark from the broken pines. In his muddled mind, he had no clue whether seconds or minutes had passed, but one thing was certain; he was now laying stunned in a massive crater. He brushed through his fur with his paws, wiping away the soil and fragments of wood caught from the crash.

“Oh no, are you okay?”

He looked towards the source of the concerned voice echoing above his head. Spitfire’s head, now doused of their previous flames, peeked into the ditch Pikachu was currently residing in. “Y-yea… I’m fine.” He poked the collar on his neck and sighed in relief. It was still in one piece and working. He leapt from the crater, landing next to the Wonderbolt.

“I’m terribly sorry for my reckless behavior. I should have focused on your safety as top priority over winning a silly race… not that I won, but that’s unimportant. Although, that fall certainly was something. Could even be an academy record.”

“Hehe, great,” Pikachu muttered with an audible tension in his voice. I want to go down in the history books, but not for having one of the best fails! My friends would never let me live down the embarrassment. Ignoring her questioning gaze, he continued, “It’s alright. I’ve crashed into solid stone with much more force than a simple fall. Still, you’re incredibly fast. In a battle you’d be nearly uncatchable!” He raised his head proudly and puffed out his chest, while attempting to hide the multitude of bruises and scratches littered around his battered body. “I’ve held onto countless pokemon who’ve tried to shake me off, and trust me, despite my small appearance my grip is quite strong when needed.”

“Can’t deny that,” Spitfire admitted with a look of admiration. “I may not be able to keep up with a legendary Sonic Rainboom, but with my secret technique I can soar among the clouds faster than any other pegasi. You held on really long against such speeds.”

“Finally, there you guys are! We’ve been looking all over!” Dash bellowed before thrashing through the crooked branches, landing in front of them with a loud thud.

Nica withdrew her tail which was wrapped securely around Dash’s midsection, and jumped onto the solid ground. Within moments she had the stunned Pikachu coddled in her grasp. “Are you feeling alright? Did you injure yourself during the crash?”

“Only a few bruises, but nothing too bad,” Pikachu responded nonchalantly before placing his forepaws on his hips. “I see you somehow managed to hang on despite Rainbow Dash flying twice as fast as my ride. You used your tail, didn’t you?”

“Y-yes… sorry about that,” Nica whispered, hanging her head in shame. Already, Pikachu felt a crushing sensation of guilt on his shoulders for upsetting his kind and caring guardian.

“Stop being sorry, it’s not a competition. I’m glad you didn’t crash as I did. It certainly isn't an experience I’d recommend.”

Nica gave a relieved smile, before curiously running her eyes back over the ditch created from Pikachu’s landing. “Interesting…”

“Interesting?” Pikachu questioned. “What is?”

“N-nothing…” Nica blurted out, furtively glancing back at her own copper-dipped forepaws.

Pikachu looked at his creation of a crater before saying, “Let me guess, you crashed into the ground at one point as well and this crater is a reminder of that.”

Nica gasped. “H-how did you know? I don’t think I’ve mentioned that to you before.”

“So I was right,” Pikachu stated as he approached his taller friend. “You once mentioned something about being hungry, thirsty and hurt when you first arrived in Equestria, and Dash added something about plummeting towards the ground if I remember correctly. Did it involve a powerful crash into the dirt? One similar to my crater?”

Nica nodded and then pointed at the wide hole. “When I ended up in Equestria… I made a crater three, or maybe even four times bigger. I know I’m heavier and all, but it seems the speed at which I hit the ground was a tad extreme.” She chuckled nervously and rubbed back of her neck. “L-let’s just say that when it comes to traveling between dimensions and stuff… magic is way safer and less lethal than what Palkia has to offer. His methods are a bit outdated.”

“R-really?” Pikachu said, with Spitfire joining in moments later, her mouths agape in surprise.

Nica nodded and stroked her chin, her face displaying pure concentration. “Hmm, now that I think about it, my landing certainly wasn’t the worst part. My body accumulated a lot of damage when I was transferred into this world, already dehydrated before even reaching my final destination. If I’m recalling this accurately, my durability is one of the main reasons why I was first selected for the mission to stop Darkrai. According to Palkia, almost no pokemon can successfully survive such travel; Even legendary pokemon can have struggles with this form of transportation.”

Pikachu raised forepaw towards the sky while dancing on the tips of his rear paws, like a child striving to attract the teachers attention in school. Without waiting to be called on, he blurted out, “What about me! Do you think I would survive?”

Nica gave him a questioning glance.

“Hehe, j-just curious.” He watched in disappointment as the Raichu sent him a grim expression and shook her head, sending a clear message. The odds would not be in his favor if he were to go through Nica’s trial. He pushed away any trace of envy and smiled cheerfully, with true joy lighting up his features. “I suppose I should consider myself pretty lucky. Not only was my arrival in Equestria painless, I was blessed with a lovely guardian like you to show me around and get me settled in this new world. You didn’t get such luxury when you first arrived.” Before he could react, he found himself pressed against her soft padding, constricted in one of Nica’s signature hugs.

“Oh, I’m so glad I was able to help! Anything I could do to make your stay more pleasant was top priority, especially with you all as our guests. Well, I guess I’m technically a guest too, but that doesn't matter.” She poked her tongue out and let a short set of vibrant giggles escape into her copper colored paws. “If you or another one of Ash’s pokemon ever need anything, just say the word. I’ll be there in a heartbeat.” Nica released him and looked around, observing her new surroundings. “I’m pretty sure we ended up in the Everfree Forest. Where should we go next for our ‘Day Of Fun?’”

“Actually…”

“Whew, finally. I found you!” Starlight wheezed as she pushed herself through a few scattered bushes, gifting the shrubs a few lone patches of fur as she passed by. A few crinkled leaves and branches were stuck on her adventurous hat.

Rainbow Dash looked at Starlight and asked, “Uh, why are you dressed up like Daring Do? And don’t you hate the woods?”

“Oh, well, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to hang with Nica and her new friend, Pikachu, so I decided to suck it up. Besides, I bet with you two it’ll be a blast.” She gave them a friendly wink and continued, “This, Twilight gave to me when I told her I’m going on an adventure with Nica. It’s for a Daring Do cosplay. Something about looking the part, and an Au-E-Zop-Tal? I stopped listening pretty fast, but I managed to sneak out the back before she began gathering her notes for a full-blown summary.” She levitated away the leaves and branches intertwined within her new costume hat before shivering in mock horror. She dropped the rubble off to the side, and then poked her horn in demonstration. “But thankfully, there’s a hole for the horn. There might even be some slits for wings in the back.”

Pikachu pushed his face away from the fuzzy belly to look at the pegasi with an inviting smile. “Rainbow Dash, Spitfire, would you like to join us on our adventure?”

“You bet!” Dash paused in hesitation after receiving a disapproving glare from her captain. “Actually, I promised the team to introduce them to the other pokemon that arrived in Ponyville. They’ve been pretty interested.”

Spitfire nodded. “Best of luck on your quest through the forest. Also, expect some gifts stored within your room sometime later today. It was the least we could do after how horribly we treated you.”

“You know you don’t need to give me any apology gifts,” Nica lectured before releasing her hero. She turned to the captain and tapped her forepaws together. “N-not that I won’t appreciate them. I just don’t want you to spend your hard earned bits on someone like me. I’d rather you get something for yourself.”

Pikachu trotted towards Spitfire, leaped towards her head and whispered in her perked ears, “If you fought against those past invading pokemon and defeated them, you must be capable of fighting.” He clenched his forepaw. “Can we have a fight later today? Nothing too serious, just to test out each others strengths.”

“You kidding? Even If those Raichu were way weaker than you and Nica, I wouldn’t stand a chance on my own. We simply weren’t raised with the same mentality to fight.” Spitfire spread her wings and gestured over her own uniform. “We had a number advantage, our flight suits have heavy resistance to electricity, and pegasus biology helps us handle weather hazards like lightning, wind and cold better than any earth pony or unicorn. Even with those advantages I doubt I would win.”

“In that case, how about I face the three of you?” Pikachu suggested, not missing the spark alight in the captain's eyes.

“I’ll… consider it,” Spitfire mumbled before giving Nica a cheeky smile. “It was nice meeting you, Nica. I hope we can work as a team one day. Teamwork is the best way to get to know each other.” She flew up and saluted, as did Rainbow Dash.

“Teamwork always sounds like a win to me.” She stood on the tips of her rear paws and saluted. Moments later, she enthusiastically waved goodbye at the retreating pegasi as they become nothing more than mere dots among the horizon.

Pikachu’s ears perked up at Nica’s voice as he glanced at her with a goofy grin plastered across his face. Teamwork… with Nica! Oh, I’m so excited, I just can’t wait.

Nica was propped up against an old, withered tree. Beside her, a small ditch of a neon green substance illuminated the surrounding forest, dispersing the shadows that crept among the Everfree’s depths. Her attention was locked on a massive beast crafted seemingly from stone. It was an alarming length, though its speed was not impacted as it leapt forward to deliver a crushing blow on Pikachu. He responded to the attack and dodged backwards just in time, narrowly missing the beast’s rugged teeth.

“Pikachu, fight back with ‘Electro Ball!’” Starlight commanded, once again taking the role of a trainer. “Your opponent is big and slow, hitting it will be a breeze!” A large red book levitated by her side, filled to the brim with knowledge about the wood’s most dangerous creatures.

Pikachu repeated his name in concentration a few times before swinging his tail, throwing an ‘Electro Ball’ at the monster. It was thrown back in an explosion of electricity, ending up within another pit of the green goo.

Starlight pulled out her book for a quick reference, turning pages before stopping at a specific picture. “Ah ha! This creature is called a Cragadile. While its armour is impenetrable, like solid steel, it can still move very fast in situations when angered, although not often. It’s usually a slow beast that depends on its jaw to protect or attack other residents of these woods. Their maw is strong enough to easily crush through stone, either delivering a killing blow or leaving critical wounds. Apparently, they're also extremely territorial.”

Nica glanced at the large book and said, “Pity you don’t have a device like a pokedex. It would make gathering data about the creatures of this world much more efficient.”

Pikachu peeked back at the emerging monster, whose rock-like, armored back was now coated by a large burn, sparks of static still dancing among the scorch mark. Whew. Even though this beast has a very strong defense, lightning still seems to affect it. I would be in big trouble if things didn’t work out so well. Green droplets dripped down its body, sliding the way water would among plastic. He looked at his guardian and asked, “Hey, Nica, wanna fight it instead? It’s really fun!”

“I’ll… pass.”

Pikachu turned to her and rolled his eyes at the Raichu positioned behind him. “Oh come on. First Timberwolves, then a Manticore, and now a Cragadile. I hoped we could have this adventure together, yet thus far only I and Starlight have had the share of fighting.” His speech was cut short as an alarming clink made his ears perk up. The beast's claws scraped against the stone ground, recovering from its earlier attack. Pikachu simply basted it with a powerful ‘Thunderbolt’ and returned to the conversation. A multitude of burns now covered its face as well.

Nica watched dejectedly as the large beast lumbered away, no longer interested in defending its territory. “The thing is, while I really enjoy a good adventure, I would rather avoid fighting. All those creatures living here, despite their scary appearances, are no match for veterans like us. I can’t bring myself to fight such unfair battles.”

Straight looked at her in confusion. “Isn’t this considered self-defense? They’re attacking us after all.”

“Because we’re intruding on their territory and look pretty tasty to the creatures living here,” Nica answered. “These animals aren’t even pokemon. I don’t think they enjoy fighting like we do, much less benefit from it. Besides, they don’t have Pokemon Centers to heal in. They’re forced to recover naturally, which could leave them open to real attacks from other beasts in the forest.”

“Fair point.”

“Oh, right, I should’ve taken your personality into consideration. Not all pokemon enjoy fighting as much I do.” Pikachu smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. “What’s your idea of a fun adventure then?”

Nica rubbed her chin. “I suppose exploring is fun, as long as it doesn’t involve hurting-.” Her ears perked up, cutting her off as a slight, but unnatural noise caught her attention. A menacing rustling was originating behind her. Her training kicked into action as she launched herself to the side, just missing being captured by a sly tendril of thorny vines. With one missing its target, multiple more popped out of the surrounding underbrush, each protracted twice as long as her tail. She sent a burst of power into her extra appendage to shield herself from the flurry of incoming attacks while turning back to look at Pikachu. “How about we simply evade all the dangerous monsters with our agility while we explore. It’ll be fun!”

“Works for me,” Pikachu responded with a satisfied smile. He leapt left and right on his tiny feet, avoiding the spiked thorns embedded into the moving creepers.

“I’ll play along,” Starlight added as she lit her horn, summoning a magical barrier to protect herself. “I must say, the creatures from the Everfree Forest seem to be getting extremely aggressive in recent days, not to mention those hostile vines. I hope it’s nothing serious though. My mentor Twilight had enough world-threatening disasters for a lifetime.”

Nica stood on tip of her rear foot, using it to backflip the moment more tendrils darted after her. She landed on a large vine and sprinted on it as if it was a bridge, careful not to step on any sharp points. “Now this is what I call fun.” Jumping from one plant to the next, the angered ramblers stalked after her, darting this way and that for her every move. She avoided them easily, stepping atop a few little pricks as she weaved around the thicket, nothing she couldn’t ignore. A toothy grin enveloped her once gloomy expression.

Pikachu took her example in stride, taking two jumps for each single one she took. “You said it.” He leaped from one vine to another, evading their every attempt to grab and constrict around him. He yelped the moment his rear feet made contact with a stray thorn or two, too small to resist the sharp points.

After what seemed like a lifetime of dodging and weaving amidst the angered tendrils, the trio approached an open clearing, away from the doom and gloom of the Everfree. Baby blue flowers were sprinkled among the clearing, reflecting the sky’s gentle light.

Nica’s eyes sparkled in delight as her mouth hung agape in admiration. “So… beautiful.” Upon seeing that Pikachu had approached the bed of flowers to examine them, she took his example, carefully stepping on her two feet between each flower, trying not to damage a single one. While the fragrance of the flowers didn’t impress her much, the blue color and appearance was stunning, immediately becoming a favorite for the kind-hearted Raichu. Glancing quickly over at her friends embraced within the charming nature, an idea bloomed in her mind. She took a deep calming breath, gathering courage, before picking up the best flower in her reach. With hesitant steps, she made her way towards her hero and whispered, “Pikachu.”

“Yes?” Pikachu asked, looking away from the flowers. He stood up on his two feet and gazed up at her curiously.

Once close enough, she stopped and gulped, ignoring the pounding of her heart in her chest. She slowly raised the flower and gently attached it to his ear. “A wonderful flower for a wonderful Pikachu.” She smiled. “It looks really good on you.”

Pikachu blushed before picking a flower of his own, not one to be outdone. He stood on the tips of his little rear feet and stretched his forepaws to deliver his own.

Understanding the gesture, Nica lowered her head, allowing her friend to tuck a blue flower behind her ear.

Both pokemon laughed cheerfully at one another and shared a knowing look. Soon, they had gathered a bouquet of flowers and walked towards Starlight.

“This book is all about the fauna of the Everfree Forest, but there’s no information about flora. I can’t find anything in this tome regarding these blossoms.”

With an enthusiastic jump, Nica and Pikachu landed on Starlight’s back and climbed onto her head, pulling away her adventure hat. They placed similar blue flowers behind her ears, and sprinkled a couple atop her hat, replicating the look of a flower crown.

Nica climbed down towards Starlight’s back with the head gear wrapped by her tail.

Starlight rubbed the flower with her forehoof and then looked at her passengers, sporting a mischievous smirk. “Flower decorations. That’s a neat idea, but I think we can do better.” With the help of her magic, Starlight carefully lowered both pokemon onto the grass and then levitated multiple more blossoms onto their heads. She followed up with two beams of blinding magic as both pokemon covered their eyes.

Nica opened one eye, and then another, quickly looking at the small bouquet of blue flowers attached to Pikachu’s right ear. She felt something similar decorating her left ear. Nica said, “I must say, I’m enjoying myself. I hope you’re having fun too.”

“Of course I am,” Pikachu said with a nod.

“Yup,” Starlight added with an enthusiastic tone as she reattached her hat.

Nica looked around at the frightful sights, not feeling intimidated in the least with her two pals here by her side. “So, once we’re done exploring this place, what will we do next?” She clapped her forepaws in excitement, already imagining hundreds of fun scenarios.

Pikachu grinned. “Pinkie once mentioned a place called Yakyakistan that’s located in the Frozen North, filled with very prideful and violent creatures called Yaks. When I asked how to get there, she told me Princess Cadence from the Crystal Empire can lead the way. I was thinking we could…”

“Yak smash!”

Ch.10 - Joke’s On You, Pt.2 - Cold Welcome

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 10
-
Joke’s On You, Pt.2 - Cold Welcome

“Yak smash!”

Pikachu leapt backwards, his small paws sinking into the powdery snow layered all across the mountain. While he refused to panic as a massive creature bolted towards him, the snow had captured him up to his neck, limiting his mobility. Thinking fast, he pushed himself higher using the tip of his tail and managed to find a patch of hardened ice. He leapt backwards once again, avoiding the beast’s sharpened horns and catapulting himself a safe distance away.

Narrowing his eyes, he attempted to observe his opponents through the raging blizzard. Both yaks were undoubtedly gigantic, twice the size of even Big Macintosh, and weighting two to three tons if he had to guess. Atop surprisingly thin limbs, they had a very bulky body shape, with powerful muscles highlighting each curve. Pounds of warm fur was wrapped around each yak, forming a bunched up beard with small snowflakes caught within their mass, like a fly in a web. Each step made the earth tremble beneath their hooves, and the rugged horns were certainly not for just looks. One horn alone seemed to be a few times bigger than his own body, and if hit with enough force, he was positive it would leave a mark.

One of the yaks had a darkened bronze fur color and was wearing a grey metallic helmet and saddle, his role most likely one of the Royal Guard. The other yak however had a lighter shade of bronze while wearing a flaxen saddle with many golden decorations littered among his saddle and fur. The most prominent was a set of intricate designs traced on his horn in a deep buttercup, one the others referred to as ‘Prince Rutherford.’

After their quick tour of the Yakyakistan… and a drawn out lecture about the many ways yaks were superior to other ‘common’ creatures, he and Nica told the yaks about pokemon culture at the campfire. They had no idea it would lead to them being challenged into a battle by the Prince himself with the yaks’ pride on the line.

“Yaks tough and strong. Yaks not fear the power of little electric-using pests.” Prince Rutherford stomped with both of his forelegs against the frosted ground and roared. “Pokemon battle to get stronger, yaks already strong, yaks won’t lose!” The other yaks gathered around the fire jumped to their hooves and began cheering and chanting, for both the Prince’s victory and the two startled pokemon’s defeat.

Pikachu glanced away from the towering form of the yaks, and peeked to see how his friends reacted.

Nica stood on the tips of her rear feet with snow coating her rear legs. Her ‘Iron Tail’ was raised before her like a katana. He saw small bolts of electricity sparking along sunny dots on her cheeks while her face displayed an intense level of focus. The translating collar was no longer present on her neck, tossed towards Starlight for safekeeping. I guess Nica’s in. She seems to be taking this battle very seriously, he thought, slightly surprised how easily the peaceful Raichu agreed to the battle.

He smiled with glee. It seems teamfight is more appealing to her. I can’t believe I’ll finally see what she’s capable off.

Starlight stood further away as she poked her adventurous hat, a smirk of satisfaction present on her face. Her role was the one of a novice pokemon trainer, a role she took seriously and certainly had fun performing. “I heard stories from Twilight about how… destructive… yaks can get when something or someone displeases them. I’m going to enjoy showing the prince what destruction in a living form really is.”

Behind Starlight rested a colossal mountain with a large fort nestled at its lower part within the frozen tundras embrace. A large audience formed of yaks were gathered in front of the wooden main entrance, observing the double battle from the higher ground. Loud stomping and cheering for the upcoming duel proved overwhelming as the Prince’s subjects were showing full support towards their temperamental leader.

Pikachu covered his eyes as a strong blast of snow and hail assaulted the mountain’s residents, blurring his field of vision. He grit his teeth, struggling to stand against the wind while his tail and ears flopped uncontrollably.

“Little pokemon better surrender before yaks crush them,” the prince goaded while dragging his hoof along the snow, not bothered by the freezing temperature in the least.

“Don’t underestimate how tough pokemon are. Pikachu, let's start this with ‘Electro Ball’!” Starlight commanded while pointing a hoof at the yaks, only to raise a barrier to shield herself from the strong blizzard raging around her.

Pikachu shook the growing pile of snow from his back, while attempting to remember his past experiences. He had fought against many ice type pokemon, even dueled inside ice-type gyms, usually buried in snow, balanced on solid ice or frozen with the creeping sensation of ice forming from a well-aimed ‘Ice-Beam.’ He brought his attention back to the battle and closed his eyes, concentrating a growing mass of electricity through his tail. A sparking orb was formed, awaiting to be thrown.

“Yaks fear nothing, charge!” the prince called to his companion, refusing to acknowledge the ball of pure lightning pointed straight towards him.

Pikachu opened his eyes and gave a cocky smirk. He launched himself into the air and directed his attack towards the Prince’s face. The orb exploded upon contact in a flashy display, clearing away snow from the rocky ground in three-meter radius. Pikachu gasped as both yaks kept charging at him, his confident expression vanishing. The force of his attack didn’t even slow the prince down, much less do any real damage. The moment he settled from his jump, he felt a terrifying trembling under his little feet, which quickly turned into an earthquake, causing him to lose his balance and fall to his back. If they continued to fight like this, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to imagine more than a few avalanches coming down to greet them.

“Pikachu, get out of the way!” Starlight desperately shouted, unable to actually do anything to help the fallen friend. Any support would do nothing but allow yaks to claim their victory over a cheating foes.

Easier said than done. He pushed himself to a sitting position with his forepaw, only to lay stunned in fear as his pupils shrunk to dots. In mere seconds he was going to be flattened by two creatures nearly twice the size of a Mamoswine, as well as twice as angry and eager to win. He braced himself for the flattening sensation and closed his eyes, only for his ears to perk up upon hearing the noise of ‘Iron Tail’ making contact with a loud thud, most likely a yak’s horn. A loud crashing noise followed, as well as a tidal wave of snow which swept him away, once again thrown off of his feet.

After a moment of digging through the thick powder, his head peeked out from a pile of snow as he looked at his once-charging opponents. The guard yak was lying to the side with the prince tossed on top of him.

<Sorry I took so long,> Nica apologized as she sank her tail into the snow and pulled him out. She smiled at him encouragingly. <But don’t worry, I got your back. Can’t just leave my hero hanging.>

Pikachu smiled back, a slight blush present on his cheeks. The setting couldn’t be more perfect. While he was no longer interested in facing her in combat, both due to her gentle nature and his own hesitance in upsetting the kind Raichu, an opportunity to fight side by side with the partner of the pokemon master filled him with an unadulterated joy. He stepped from Nica’s tail and took a fighting stance alongside the Raichu, his paws once again sinking into the snow.

The prince struggled back to his hooves and frowned. “Incompetent guard, got in way when I was about to crush little pokemon. Pests lucky.”

“S-sorry, Prince Rutherford,” the yak muttered in shame before standing up as well and bowing humbly. “It won’t happen again.”

“It better not,” Rutherford spat before turning towards them, a signal the battle was continuing.

Nica narrowed her eyes, fuming with untold anger. She approached Pikachu, untied his collar and held it against her, the lightning-marked gems dancing around her own neck now. “Hey! Stop picking on him. I hit you with my ‘Iron Tail’ from a side-angle to change your course, making you hit your ally on purpose. He did nothing wrong! Even so, you fell on him. How can you blame him for something so silly?”

“If I say it his fault, it his fault. Little creature should talk less, fight more,” Rutherford said before releasing a feral roar. He charged at them once again, seemingly oblivious to the blizzard that swirled around him.

Nica frowned at the leader’s arrogance. She quickly secured the collar back on Pikachu’s neck and took her previous fighting stance, calmly awaiting her opponent’s next move.

Pikachu looked at his partner with a grin. A growing excitement coursed through his body, one from the adrenaline of a challenging battle and one from the glee of performing his own showcase of skills to his guardian. If this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up anytime soon.

“Pikachu, Nica, attack as one with supercharged ‘Thunderbolt’!” Starlight bellowed over the storm’s howls.

Pikachu clenched his fists, unleashing his electricity with a loud shriek. His guardian aided him with her own lightning, close to doubling the power, but not near strong enough to match Pikachu’s own raw attack power. Seeing a Raichu with a weaker special attack than my own is still so weird. It’s gonna take a while to get used to that. He observed as both yaks kept galloping at them despite being hit by both of their attacks. Burns appearing on the yaks’ fur indicated that they weren’t immune, leaving Pikachu positive this was a battle they could win.

“Yak smash!” both yaks shouted as they jumped up several meters. Though their only attack, it was a game changing one if landed head-on.

Pikachu and Nica jumped to the side in opposite directions, evading their opponents whose missed blow caused a massive splash of snow and a short-lasting quake. A short barrage of stones cracked from the rugged side, adding a rock-like hail to the blistering snow.

“Pikachu, use ‘Quick Attack’ and then follow up with an ‘Iron Tail,' against the guard!” Starlight commanded. “Nica, go after the Prince using ‘Volt Tackle’ and then nail him in the side with your own ‘Iron Tail’!”

Pikachu nodded before sending power into his tail, changing its color as he prepared for the implied combo. He then ran head-first towards his massive opponent. In his world, the smallest creatures could be the strongest, and it was time he taught these bullies a lesson. The yak accepted the challenge and sprinted at him, lowering his sharp horns. Not particularly in the mood to be stabbed, he ran to the bulky yak’s side, circling his opponent. With a sharp turn, he struck a clean hit on the left side of the yak with his head, and then slapped his face with ‘Iron Tail.’

With the blizzard once again growing in strength, Pikachu covered his face, a moment of distraction his opponent was more than happy to use after being barraged with heavy attacks.

His ears picked up the repetitive “Rai… Rai… Rai...,” a sound he remembered from his own time of performing the move. The moment he peeked from behind his forepaws, he saw the full weight of the yak descending above him, only for the gigantic creature to be pushed away by Nica, who struck him with a combination of ‘Iron Tail’ and ‘Volt Tackle’ with an explosion of electricity following in her wake. The moment Nica landed next to him, he questioned, “Thanks for helping me, but Starlight told you to attack the Prince. Why did you disobey her?”

<With my own speed and skills, I often covered for my trainer’s trouble in improvising during heated battles. She was an excellent strategist and planned for things I couldn’t have even guessed of, but when not given enough time to think out a solution, she freezes.> She took a quick breath, releasing white smog of air from her mouth.

She looked at the struggling yak and next at the unicorn far behind her. <Starlight gave a wise command, but I simply would rather protect you, given your stronger attack power. Not to mention, a good friend doesn’t let another get hurt.> She pointed at the sky, while hiding a slight flush filling her face. <More importantly, the weather is working against us, which makes you more vulnerable to their charges. You’re not at full strength yet after our long travel and numerous encounters with monsters. Keeping you from harm is my top priority.>

Pikachu nodded and asked, “Do you always focus on protecting your team members in battle?”

<Of course I do! My defensive style is mostly meant to keep others safe, since I never cared much about being the strongest. I may not be as powerful as you when it comes to offense, but shielding you is a role I much prefer,> Nica explained as she looked between both Yaks, who now attempted to corner them from both sides.

“What about the blizzard? It doesn’t seem to distract you at all, yet you’re not an ice-type,” Pikachu pointed out as he took a fighting stance on his four paws, preparing for the not-so-sneaky ambush.

<Aside from diligent training in multiple harsh conditions, I was raised on a snowy mountain, it comes with territory. There was snow blowing in my face before I even opened my eyes,> Nica answered before doing her best to stabilize herself and her partner despite the trembling ground. She raised one forepaw and bit her lip in concentration, summoning a transparent barrier in front of Pikachu as the raging rain of snow now battered him with a weakened force. <Do you trust me?>

“Of course I do,” Pikachu replied without a trace of doubt, only to feel Nica’s tail wrap around his belly and raise him above the snow. He felt the tip of Nica’s heart-shaped tail gently touch the red dot on his left cheek. His ears perked up as he felt electricity recharge his body, replenishing his once diminishing stores. She’s using her tail… to give me some of her electricity. Genius! He could see both galloping yaks charging towards them. If they missed, they would collide head on with one another, but either they didn’t care or didn’t even notice.

<One…> Nica mumbled under her breath, bending her hind legs. Pikachu was still wrapped in her hold, though he trusted whatever her plan was. <Two…> The yaks were getting closer, a bit too close for comfort, as Nica remained still. <Now!> Before Pikachu could register what was happening, she catapulted herself into the air, avoiding both foes with no time to spare.

The yaks were going too fast to stop, as they crashed horns upon horns. A sharp bang echoed through the crowds, the onlookers going quiet as they witnessed their leader outplayed by mere ‘pests.’ Nica landed on the prince’s massive horn. <Attack with everything you’ve got!> Nica shouted as she wrapped her tail around the curved spike she stood on, and then grabbed Pikachu with both of her paws to keep him stable.

Both pokemon unleashed pure lightning through the Prince’s bones, causing him to yelp in pain and jump around in panic. The yak prince shook his head, jumped in place and used all the tricks he could think of in attempt to shake them off, but the two stubborn pokemon could not, and would not be tossed aside. Sparks of electricity continued to fly.

<Don’t stop, I’ll keep us stable,> Nica promised, refusing to loosen her grip as her tail kept stretching from the constant use. Her paws trembled but held Pikachu in place despite the obvious difficulty.

Pikachu didn’t need to be told twice as he grit his teeth, continuously using his ‘Thunderbolt.' While the yak seemed to have a lot of strength, frantically leaping this way and that, Nica’s strong and unrelenting grip was more than enough to fight against it.

“Smash them, stab them!” the prince commanded in panic as he lowered his head to his guard.

Pikachu watched the dangerously sharp prong pointed directly towards him, as the guard began to charge as his leader ordered. In a split second, he felt himself pulled away from the horn’s trajectory, narrowly missing his face. Nica maneuvered themself back atop the Prince, now on his back, before sharing just enough electricity to replenish Pikachu’s strength.

<Those yaks are strong and seem to have plenty of stamina, but the prince is slowly losing the will to fight. He’s getting tired, though refuses to admit it,> Nica shared before withdrawing her tail. She summoned ‘Light Screen’ once more, weakening the blizzard around Pikachu. <Keep on the offensive while I distract them. Oh, and don’t fret about conserving power. I will try my best to replenish your reserves whenever possible.>

“On it!” Pikachu said with a nod before grabbing the fur of the yak with his paws. Clenching his paws around the prince’s coat, releasing bolt after bolt of damaging lightning. He watched as Nica jumped forward, leaping out of his sight, but returning through his hearing a second later.

“Get off yaks’ muzzle this instant!”

Pikachu’s ears drooped upon a hearing crashing noise.

“Stop getting in front of my hooves you incompetent guard! You’re fault the yaks’ lose!” the prince shouted.

<You’re the one who struck him while trying to hit me, don’t blame others for your mistakes!> Nica complained, though it came out uninterpretable to the hulking yak.

“Stop repeating your name and stand still!”

Another crashing noise followed, this one louder than the last.

“Incompetent guard dares to lay his horns against the prince!?”

<You got in his way you arrogant, selfish ruler!> Nica whined. <I’m so done with you. C’mon Pikachu, let’s finish this battle up fast!>

Pikachu smiled cheerfully, enjoying his team up with Nica even more than expected, which said a lot. She protected me from three powerful attacks, did her best to distract our opponents and recharged my electricity throughout the entire battle. She may be hesitant when it comes to hurting others, but when it comes to teamwork, she’s the master. It’s obvious she cares a lot, both about my safety and teaching this bully a lesson. With a loud scream, he unleashed more electricity, putting as much energy behind the attack as possible. The gigantic prince lost his balance and stumbled atop the snow. They may have a lot of durability and strength, but it’s no match for our teamwork. This will be over soon.

“Now that’s what I call a solid pokemon battle. Maybe once Twilight finishes working on the portal to your world, I can give this pokemon training stuff a chance,” Starlight said as she walked through the snow with two passengers resting on her back, leaving the fort and the defeated and embarrassed prince behind. She was looking forward to sharing yak’s defeat with her mentor and her friends.

“It’s not as simple as it seems. You need to keep track of the strengths and weaknesses of your team members and the pokemon of your opponent, memorize all pokemon types and so on. Many trainers could have amazing knowledge about Pokemon types and weaknesses, but if they’re unable to put that to use in battle, they can end up dragging the entire team down. That’s why I usually help Astra strategize through writing during battle,” Nica explained from Starlight’s back. A bouquet of blue flowers once again decorated her ear, slightly above where the collar rested, returned after the grueling battle with the stubborn prince.

Nica continued in a more excited tone, “And you need to be more innovative than simply telling us which attack to use. My trainer may be an expert when it comes to theoretical knowledge and creates long-term strategies, but she still struggles to improvise. Many trainers are better than her when it comes to using terrain to their advantage, such as Pikachu’s trainer. I’m certain it played an important role in them becoming such great heroes, even with such little proper training. Am I right?”

Pikachu looked back at Nica from a spot on Starlight’s hat while his own collection of blooming flowers were tucked away behind his ear. “Thanks,” Pikachu shyly said with a chuckle, still unused to his guardians constant praise. “Even so, his knowledge is still somewhat lacking. I always have to hold back a groan when he sends out pokemon with type disadvantages, when he has one with an advantage right next to him.” He climbed down Starlight’s neck and sat in front of Nica. “I must say, you’re one of the best pokemon I have battled with when it comes to teamwork.” He patted his own fur. “You didn’t let them crush or stomp me a single time, even if it meant taking a hit or two for me. Looking after me while defending yourself had to be very difficult. It requires skillful multitasking.”

Nica rubbed back of her neck. “Well… it’s not easy, but I much prefer it from hurting my opponents. I just like being a shield rather than a sword. It not only suits my fighting style better but my personality as well.” She closed her eyes and smiled warmly. ”Supporting my allies makes me very happy. It’s one of the only things I truly enjoy in these battles.” Her ears drooped as she looked to the side. “To be fair, I didn’t do even half the damage you did in that fight. Without you, the battle would’ve lasted forever.”

“A Pikachu and Raichu, a sword and shield. You make a cute team that covers each others weaknesses quite nicely,” Starlight commented. “That fight didn’t tire you both all that much. Ah ha, I know! How about a snowball fight?”

Starlight heard Nica’s cheer, only to watch from the corner of her vision as the pokemon jumped from her back and ran through the natural walls of snow littered around the snowy clearing.

“It’s been a while since I had a good snowball fight. I’m going to enjoy it,” Nica revealed as she gathered a stray clump of powder into a pile with her forepaws before patting the small parts of it into a multitude of round balls. Each globe she wrapped with the black part of her tail. She then placed the fifth snowball on the yellow edge of her tail while number sixth she held with her right forepaw. “Dodge this!”

Straight took a step back and raised her forehoof defensively, preparing her horn to pull up a shield if needed.

Nica stood on the tips of her rear paws, stretched her right forepaw backward, and then swung it at her. The moment Starlight leaped to the side to evade the snowball, she swung her tail, pushing the snowball which was balanced on the yellow heart-shaped edge.

The second flew straight towards Pikachu who was perched on Starlight’s hat. The little pokemon jumped into the snow with a little splash while the adventurous hat ended up sniped off by the snowball. It fluttered to the ground a few feet behind, quickly forgotten by the trio prancing atop the deep snow.

Nica started spinning before catapulting all four snowballs with incredible aim. Each one wrapped around her with tail was thrown one by one. She smirked as she watched them all fly true.

Starlight closed her eyes and covered her face with a foreleg. Two snowballs hit her face, while the other two struck her in the chest. She wiped snow from her cheeks and chest and lowered her foreleg, a wicked glint sparking in her eyes. “Impressive, but I have bad news. Now it’s my turn!”

With a grin, she levitated a massive quantity of snow, only to split it into twenty snowballs instantly with her magic. She sent first ten, one at a time at a rapid rate, requiring nothing more than a thought and command with her magic for each to be aimed and launched. Despite speed of her attack, Nica was a step ahead. No matter where she threw them, they all ended up evaded by Nica’s graceful leaps, which seemed to look more like a cheerful dance among the snow, rather than the ultimate snowball royale currently taking place. Starlight followed up by sending a volley of ten snowballs at the same time.

Without a cheerful jump this time, Nica leaped over the snowballs while snatching two of them with her tail. With a roll in mid-air, she threw both snowballs at her.

Starlight summoned a magical shield ahead of her to stop the assault.

“Barriers, no fair!” Nica complained, though she still held a smile on her face.

“Not barriers, just small shields. They don’t protect me from all sides, so I think they’re fair game,” Starlight answered before levitating several snowballs. The smirk on Nica’s face filled her with worry. The little tease was planning something. What she was planning, she needed to figure out.

Nica raised her forepaw and taunted. “Come at me.”

Starlight levitated snowballs at the long-tailed pokemon with greater speed than before, but was missing regardless. A few of her own orbs were captured by Nica, being held hostage as she planned to use them against her. Using levitation, she redirected her thrown snowballs to follow after Nica. “Let see you evade that.” Starlight took a step back in shock as Nica started to run at her, only to jump forward and slide on the snow using her belly like a penguin. Nica bypassed her by sliding under her belly while her tail pressed the previously thrown snowballs into her face. The levitated snowballs which were dead set after Nica, now nailed Starlight instead, hitting her face, chest and limbs.

“Got you! Hehe, you look like a snowpony!”

“How about you try your luck against someone smaller than you?” Pikachu taunted. Having been watching on the sidelines, he had more than enough time to create an arsenal of snowballs, lining them up behind him like soldiers following their leader into battle.

Starlight wiped the snow from her face before turning around, her attention now on both pokemon battling each other. Nica easily dodged one snowball while deflecting the second one with her tail. Pikachu leaped left and right to evade the two snowballs, using ‘Quick Attack’ the moment Nica threw a few at once with her tail. He had a single snowball in his grasp as he ran.

Starlight perched herself on a small white puffy pile while ignoring the snow raining down on her fur. If I understand correctly, pokemon trainers examine the battlefield and fighting pokemon with their full attention to come up with the best strategies while their pokemon are battling. I should use this snowball fight to practice it, if I want to be serious about this whole trainer thing. Who knows, maybe I’ll even have my own pokemon someday.

She examined the ongoing battle with her utmost focus. First, the terrain. The snow is quite deep and not easy to run in for smaller creatures. With their smaller legs, it is much easier to become trapped within the snow, which leaves them open to attack from foes. Nica has longer legs and seems used to the cold, but Pikachu is struggling against it. She gazed up. The weather also seems to favor Nica, considering how much this blizzard distracted Pikachu during the battle with the yaks. I’d say Nica clearly has the advantage in this aspect. She smiled proudly. Being a trainer started proving to be fun. Next, the pokemon themselves. Nica being bigger and wider is making her an easier target to hit, and Pikachu seems to be taking advantage of his smaller profile. They both also seem to be making snowballs of similar size, but with Nica’s bigger paws, greater strength and impressive dexterity, it allows her make them at a much faster rate.

Pikachu smashed an incoming snowball with his tail, and then threw the one he held with his paws. Nica leaped to the side, again catching his projectile and turning it against him. She threw the two snowballs she held in each paw before swinging her tail to throw the third. Pikachu leaped to the side, evading two snowballs, only for a third to splash against his face. He rolled on the snow for a second before shaking himself, eager to return the favor.

“Sorry. I didn’t throw too hard, did I?” Nica asked, concern momentarily blocking out the fun she was once displaying.

“Too hard? More like; too light. I thought the tail you pride yourself with would be way stronger than that,” Pikachu replied in a joking tone.

Nica shook her head before presenting her tail. “I always prefered speed over power, and a snowball fight is about hitting multiple times, not hitting hard.” She placed her forepaws on her hips and raised her head in pride. “I’m not an unbeatable snowball master for years for… nothing…” She lowered her forepaws and her ears drooped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound arrogant.”

Pikachu rolled his eyes. “There’s a difference between being arrogant, and being prideful or playful.” His ears wilted as he gave Nica the look filled with pity. “Humility may be a virtue, but I would really like it if you showed that you’re proud of who you are, at least once.”

Starlight unconsciously tuned out Pikachu’s words as she looked between his and Nica’s tail. Pikachu’s tail can effectively destroy snowballs with quick swings, but Nica’s tail has a lot more utility. Not only can she grab Pikachu’s snowballs, but throw numerous snowballs at once with a lot of speed. Pikachu may use ‘Quick Attack’ to make up for his reduced mobility, but it leaves him stuck running in a certain direction for too long. He’s unable to make sharp enough turns to match Nica’s natural agility. There are just waaay too many advantages working in Nica’s favor.

“Starlight!”

“Huh, yes? Starlight mumbled, awoken from her thoughts as she was met with Nica’s pleading puppy look.

“Can you use ‘Ice Beam’ with your magic, and cover the ground with ice? Pretty please!”

Starlight rubbed her chin, thinking back to her arsenal of spells. She looked around and said, “There’s no water to freeze, but I suppose if I melted the snow first, I could freeze it with magic. So in other words, I can.”

“Perfect!” Nica shouted with a cheerful jump, soaring for a few seconds before landing in the snow with a loud splash.

“What are you planning?” Pikachu inquired as he shook the snow from his fur.

Starlight lowered herself down to the ground, aiming her horn at a flatter area of land. Her horn blazed awake with dormant magic. She emitted a wave of heat, melting the snow in the vicinity. She followed it up with a freezing spell before the water sank into the ground.

Pikachu smiled in satisfaction upon feeling the wave of heat caress his fur. While Nica didn’t react, most likely not feeling much of a difference, she still grinned in pleasure, ecstatic about the idea of ice-skating in this winter wonderland.

“Let’s go!” Nica shouted before grabbing Pikachu’s left forepaw with the bronze patch of her right forepaw. She gently tugged him along as she made her way to the newly installed ‘Ice Rink.’ As Pikachu struggled to maintain balance, she wrapped her tail around his belly, helping him until he found his footing.

“Have you faced situations where a pokemon has frozen a battlefield to their advantage?” Nica asked.

“Many times, why do you ask?” Pikachu asked.

Nica withdrew her tail and smiled. “Then I assume you’ve learned how to ice-skate. Try this.” With slow movements of her rear legs, Nica started sliding on the ice, standing on the tip of one rear leg while pushing herself forward with the other. With a little leap, she performed a triple spin in mid-air before landing on one leg, her forepaws stretched for balance while her body lowered. She performed a mock bow to her onlooker as if curtsying to a crowd of fans. With a quick movement of her tail, she changed her course, now sliding towards Pikachu.

Pikachu nodded before mimicking Nica’s movements, attempting to copy his new teacher’s instruction. With shaking limbs, he slowly crept forward on the ice, sliding a centimeter forward before stopping and repeating the cycle. After a few encouraging words from both Nica and Starlight, he gathered his fleeting courage and pushed himself harder, now gliding atop the frozen terrain.

“Nica! Starlight! Look, look! I’m doing it, I’m actually doing-” His excited chattering cut short as he lost his balance and slammed face-first onto the ground. Nica gracefully slid forward, gently picking up Pikachu and supporting his stunned body. Slight groans echoed from his dazed expression.

Behind the two pokemon, Starlight struggled to hold in her laughter, though failed spectacularly. Her chuckles could be heard by both pokemon as Pikachu slowly managed to reorient himself and stand up straight.

“That wasn’t funny!” Pikachu declared after he recovered, a massive blush covering his face. Nica pulled him across the ice, while finally cracking a slight smile.

“It was a tiny bit funny,” she whispered, managing to hold in her laughter much better than Starlight, who was still caught in a stream of endless giggles. Pikachu’s blush only grew as he realized how silly he must have looked failing so spectacularly in front of his guardian.

She gave a warm smile and pulled Pikachu along, holding him steady as he practiced gliding from paw to paw.

“Fine, I guess it was a little bit funny. Only the teeniest bit funny though,” he admitted, pulling Nica closer. They twirled for minutes, oblivious to the tundra’s harsh snows swirling around them.

Pikachu relectanly released Nica’s grip and once again tried to skate, making sure his balance was steady before attempting to move. He slid one paw forward, then the other, and slowly but surely began skating, occasionally using his 'Iron Tail' for a quick turn. Starlight recovered from her vicious giggles and cheered alongside Nica as Pikachu began to slide less like a rookie and more like a long time pro.

“Woohoo! Go Pikachu!” Starlight called, and levitated herself over to join the pokemon. Pulling out circle-shaped shoes from within her saddlebag, she placed warm mitts on each hoof, and brought out two extra pairs of snow-gear. An adorable blue scarf was wrapped around Nica’s neck, before a matching set of mittens adorned her forepaws. The last accessory, a pair of shoes, was denied.

“Thank you very much, but I prefer to skate with nothing. I found I can maneuver myself much better across the ice without paw-wear getting in the way.” She smiled and helped Pikachu put on his own gear. His own set was very similar to Nica's own but with a different coloration. Rather than her blue, he displayed a crimson red. He too refused the shoes, though a question who managed to make customised shoes to fit his little feet began to circle in his mind.”

“Let’s go!” Pikachu cried, eagerly returning to gliding back and forth with Nica now dragged behind him.

Starlight watched in awe as the duo skid across the ice, each matching the other like repeating a song from memory. They danced through the storm, danced through the blistering cold, and focused on nothing but the next step to come.

Starlight began attempting to slide herself, though it was much harder than she originally anticipated. How was Nica able to make it look so easy? She questioned, as the two pokemon glided by her with little difficulty. As they passed, Pikachu stuck out a tongue and squished his cheeks together, silently teasing her. With a smirk, Starlight tossed a snowball directly in his face and slipped away, whistling innocently.

Now that the two had continued their duet, she worked on her center of gravity. While skating, the hardest part was keeping balance, so if she mastered that, she should be able to master skating, in theory. It turns out, it was not that easy as she lost control, sliding across the ice towards a massive pile of snow, seemingly waiting for her to crash into. Unable to stop herself and too slow to summon her magic to come to her aid, she ended up trapped in the powdery mass. Her head emerged from the top of the pile with bits of snow now decorating her muzzle. Looks like this is return of the snowpony. She chuckled to herself.

Glancing across the range, she spotted Pikachu gifting her a sassy smile as she dusted herself off. With a glum expression, she gave up and continued to gaze upon the two creatures for half an hour, as they themselves were lost within the tundra’s soothing melody.

With both pokemon once again perched comfortably on her back, Starlight continued her exploration with her two companions in tow. “So, should we continue exploring, or is there anything we can do before going back to Ponyville?”

Nica looked at the line of mountains in the distance, balanced herself on a single foot, and spread her forepaws in excitement. “Climbing time!”

Ch.10 - Joke’s On You, Pt.3 - Winter Wonderland

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 10
-
Joke’s On You, Pt.3 - Winter Wonderland

A strong blizzard was circling within the mountain’s base, limiting the vision of any traveler foolish enough to trek this far into the snowy terrain. Ignoring the monotone world around her, a mare sat below the mountain’s peak, gazing listlessly at the similar scenery soaking up her surroundings.

Using a dimly lit horn atop her head, the unicorn summoned a powerful shield, successfully managing to keep the raging storm around her at bay. Her attention focused purely on a mountain ahead of her as the thoughts swirling in her head became unreadable, even to the mare herself.

The steady thrum of the powder hitting her barrier would have cast her to sleep, if not for the blistering cold stone she was perched on. The shoes she wore did little to help, but she bit her lip and endured for the sake of her friends. Pity was obvious in her wandering glances, searching the hills for a telltale sign of life, anything to reassure herself that her fears were silly. Nothing more than meaningless worries to pass the time. Still, as she chanted this new mantra to herself, her hooves never stopped twitching atop the snow.

As she remained motionless underneath the mountain’s towering presence, her smaller friends were up there, climbing through the storm's hold and hiking up to the top. She had her magic to ward away the chills, but the pokemon had nothing but their fur. Shivering, she imagined the cold creeping around her climbing companions. The small accessories they wore could only do so much against the thin air that roamed high in the atmosphere. This did nothing to suppress the meaningless worries she tried so hard to ignore.

As her desire to teleport to her freezing friends grew stronger with the passing seconds, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye; two blurry figures in the distance which seemed to be heading in her direction. Their slim figures were too small to have been one of the yaks or a local monster, and didn’t charge at her but instead moved at slow, almost comfortable pace. There was a possibility that they were simply crystal ponies traveling to Yakyakistan, but she didn’t plan to lower her guard just yet.

She bit her lip, charged bits of magic into her horn and lowered her head, awaiting for the unknown travelers to get closer while under the safely of her own magical dome. Her barrier flickered briefly as she drew some power out of it and into a waiting spell, still unsure if she should go on the offensive or defensive as the silhouettes stalked closer. Slowly, step by step, both creatures became clearer to make out as the blizzard no longer hid their features. One creature seemed to have fins rather than hooves, blending in nicely with the snow’s blue glint, while another turned out to be a pony, but certainly not a crystal pony like she predicted.

“Octavia?”

After a series of quick leaps and launching himself impossibly far distances from one stone-platform to another, Pikachu stumbled up the snowy surface of the mountain. The strong blizzard assaulted his face and back, while the only thing keeping his tiny feet from freezing to the floor was his fleeting body heat. He lowered his head and wrapped himself with his paws, shivering from the overwhelming cold. White mist formed in front of his face with each deep breath, discovering the hard way that breathing became much more difficult at this altitude. The snow covered half of his belly and each step became harder to take the longer he trekked on.

“Are you cold?” Nica asked before her tone shifted into a panicked one. ”Oh no! Am I pushing you too hard? I forgot you’re not used to this weather like I am.”

Pikachu raised his head to look at Nica, whose nose was now very close to his own as she looked at him in concern. He summoned the few scraps of pride he had left and muttered, “Of...c-c-course n-not… I’m f-fine… I-I can barely f-f-feel it-t.” His teeth chattered together throughout his sentence, the grinding clicks echoing through the high mountain air. Whatever smile he tried to force vanished in an instant.

“You poor liar,” Nica cooed before picking him up and pressing him into her soft belly while wrapping her forepaws around him to secure him in place. Using her tail, she wrapped her own scarf around his body, adding to the one he had on his neck. “Better?” She continued walking up the mountain once again with him in her tight, and most importantly, warm embrace.

Pikachu smiled in relief at the sudden heat that flooded through his system. He had to admit, his guardian had an extremely comfortable stomach, one big enough to rest his weary body and supply him with a seemingly endless heat source. He nearly forgot he was in the middle of climbing a massive mountain, covered in ice and snow. Closing his eyes in bliss, a memory of a similar scenario flashed in his mind.

He was scaling a much smaller hillside alongside Ash, facing their second trial of the Orange Islands, back when they were nowhere as battle-hardened as they are now. As the cold overwhelmed his miniscule body, he collapsed, slamming into the snow with his face and belly, only to feel Ash’s hands pick him up and then wrap his jacket around his frozen fur, putting aside his own well-being to comfort his chilled partner. That fateful day, he once again felt the care and affection his trusty partner showered him with. He wouldn't part with Ash for the world.

His eyes peeked open from his daydreaming as he gazed at Nica with a look of pure trust. While he knew Ash wouldn’t hesitate to put his own health at risk for him, he learned that Nica would do the same for him, maybe even more if the situation called for it. In the past, he created a very strong bond with his trainer, and even though he met many pokemon and humans over the years, none of them were anywhere as close. Nica, however, was different. Every day or even hour he spent in her presence seemed to weave in another strand to create a bond similar to the one he shared with his trainer.

He sighed from reminiscing and pressed his head harder against her soft, white fluff, thinking, Is… is it wrong of me that I wouldn’t mind delaying my return for a day or two… just to delay saying my goodbyes to her? He withdrew from the cozy resting spot and narrowed his eyes. Stop being selfish! Ash needs you. Just make the best use of your time while you’re here. We’ll have more than enough time to create some lifelong memories.

His hardened expression softened as he looked at Nica’s determined stare, refusing to waver despite each step she took closer towards the peak’s summit. Maybe if I ask nicely, she’ll accompany me back to Ash. I could introduce her to him and show off some of her extreme battle skills. Ash would be overjoyed to meet the pokemon master’s number one partner, and I’m sure Nica would be just as thrilled. Even after she returns to her trainer, maybe we could still hang out sometime. That would be nice.

After another minute of ascending the cliff, and a final gigantic leap into the air, Nica bypassed a few wayward storm clouds and landed on the peak of the mountain, now balanced at the very top, stabilizing herself on the tips of her rear paws.

Pikachu found himself propelled upwards by his guardian’s tail, balanced on the heart-shaped tip. Despite feeling the gathered warmth disperse as he was pulled away from Nica’s embrace, he focused his attention on the beautiful view ahead.

Before him rested a stunning expansion of untouched powder, sprinkled atop each mountain and covering the bleary stone pathways. The quaint fort of Yakyakistan, a town which once seemed massive from his tiny perspective, was now miniscule, even to him. Farther off in the distance, a proud city warded away the cold, sparkling structures crowding around a single tower, scaling the sky with how far it stretched into the atmosphere. Sunlight floated down upon him, dancing atop clouds that now were below him, showing him how truly high up he was. Though he barely walked, he still felt exhausted just imagining how difficult it must have been to hike all the way up.

Pikachu raised his trembling forepaw over his head and narrowed his eyes, attempting to see the pony civilisation he currently resided in, called Equestria, yet the silhouettes of the towns were barely visible from this distance.

“We challenged a three-kilometer tall mountain and beat it without a sweat. The four-kilometer tall one wasn’t all that difficult, and now we’ve reached the top of a mountain that’s around six kilometers tall.” She pointed at another colossal cliffside leaning against the horizon. “Look at that one, it’s so large! I think it’s the tallest mountain in this range! Or maybe even on the continent.” She squealed in excitement and added, ”Maybe even the largest on this whole planet! Wanna tackle it as well? If this view is this pretty, imagine how gorgeous that one will be!”

Pikachu bit his bottom lip before whimpering at the prospect of another climb. While he had endured many powerful ice attacks in the past, there were still limits to how much cold he could handle, a limit which he was encroaching upon fast. If there was a great time to swallow his pride, it was now. “I’d… r-r-rather… n-not…” He gave a weak smile and gulped before looking at Nica in embarrassment.

Nica nuzzled him in support. “If you wanted to stop, just say so silly! Starlight is waiting for us anyways, and she’s all alone at the bottom. I bet she can heat you up quite nicely with her magic.” She took a deep breath and asked, “Do you trust me?”

Pikachu looked away from the sea of snow to look at Nica. He smiled sheepishly. “I d-d-do…”

“I can’t hear youuuuuu!”

“I trust you!” Pikachu shouted into the wind before his guardian grabbed his forepaws with her bronze-dipped paws.

“Then jump!” Nica cheered before catapulting herself forward as far as she could, pulling a reluctant Pikachu along with her.

In seconds, Pikachu found himself plummeting towards the ground alongside his guardian who still held his forepaw firmly in her own grasp. The funny part being that even though there was a great chance he would end up as a pancake at the bottom of the drop, he didn’t feel a hint of fear. Something about Nica filled him with a strong sense of security. The moment they were about to make contact with a jagged wall jutting out of the mountain, Nica swung her tail against it, pushing them further away as pebbles breaking away continued the descent alongside them.

“I wonder how long we’ll need to fall before we reach terminal velocity. I’ve climbed mountains so often, yet I never found one with a horizontal cliff big enough to test the theory out,” Nica conversed with a calm voice. “Maybe Gliscor can help with that. It’ll be tough dragging him out in the cold, considering how much he dislikes it though.”

“Y-you sound as if f-f-falling from such h-h-heights was something you d-d-id for f-fun,” Pikachu pointed out.

Nica laughed. “What can I say. Training for years under Astra and evolving into a Raichu made me very strong and confident in my durability, while jumping and climbing never stopped being my favorite activity. Growing up atop a ridge can do that to you. Aside from avoiding super-effective ground type attacks, why do you think I can reach more than three hundred meters with my strongest jump? Believe me, it didn’t come easily.” She paused as they quickly reached their landing point. “Hold tight.”

Pikachu blinked in confusion before being comfortably constricted by Nica’s tail and raised up above the Raichu's head. The limb was now shining and coated by a silver metal, glistening in the snow’s reflective light. He covered his face as a massive splash of sleet and powder followed the impact a moment later, yet the tail kept him up and stable despite the force behind it.

He shook the snow from his body and he was lowered to the cold soft floor in front of his guardian. “Are you okay? You sure you didn’t break a leg again or anything? That was a pretty high fall.”

Nica casually glanced down as she noted her legs and about half of her body were firmly encased in solid stone. “I’m fine, just give me a moment.” She pressed her forepaws against the ground and grit her teeth, struggling to release the hold the rocks had on her.

Pikachu watched his friend’s grapple with the ground as it reminded him of the time when Tynamo slammed into his head from above, trapping him in the ground up to his neck. If he wasn’t shivering from the cold, he would be trembling from the memory of those numerous, powerful ‘Tackle’ attacks striking him continuously. Such a basic move used to its full potential proved harsh, even though he was quite tough during that battle. He shook his head and watched his guardian stretching her now free rear legs.

“Finally done with the climbing, that was fast,” Starlight blurted out, appearing behind the two pokemon.

Pikachu peered towards the source of voice, now managing to see Starlight despite the annoying blizzard blurring his vision. The unicorn wasn’t alone though, but in the company of a musician he remembered as Octavia and the pokemon Primarina, who was named ‘Battle-something’ by one of Astra’s close friends.

“Octavia, Battleship, what are you doing so far in the Frozen North?” Nica asked as she ran over and looked up at the duo with a curious stare.

Octavia smiled at the long-tailed creature while posh, puffy clothing and a scarf inscribed with musical notes were wrapped around the mare’s frame. A well-secured cello case was strapped across her back, and despite its giant size, she seemed to hardly notice she was lugging it around. Four emerald green shoes were present on her hooves, again with small notes dotted around each sole, as only the raised one was visible among the tall snow.

“It is a pleasure meeting you so far in the north, Lady Nica,” Octavia said and then lowered her head politely in a bow, as did the pokemon. She raised her head and continued, “With Primarina as my new musical partner and escort, I decided to see if I can find a diversified audience in Yakyakistan, as well as show them the beauty of classical music. A cultural exchange is important in order to strengthen the relationship between our nations. Especially with how… extreme the yaks can get at times.” She gave an awkward grin, not needing to finish as her company already knew the secret meaning behind her words.

The siren-like pokemon waved his fin in greeting. With his tail now half-covered by the falling snow and the upper part of his body being a pristine white, he camouflaged himself perfectly in the colorless environment. A translating collar with decorative seashells was wrapped around his neck, designed with a special flourish only Rarity could achieve.

Octavia gave the water pokemon an annoyed glance. “I still find it difficult to believe that a pokemon of such wonderful feminine features is actually a male. Furthermore, I prefer to call you Premarin or Primarian rather than Battleship.”

Primarina rolled his eyes. “Tell me about it. You would not believe how often people automatically assume I’m a girl. I’m pretty used to it at this point, though it does sting my manly pride,” he teased before lowering his long neck to take a better look through the raging storm. “I see you’re climbing up tall mountains and playing in the snow. Back in your favorite element.” He glanced at Pikachu. “And in nice company. Not a bad catch, Nica.”

“Battleship!” Nica cried, quieting the smirking siren before hiding the blush quickly appearing on her face.

Pikachu, oblivious to their exchange, approached Starlight and poked her foreleg. “St-Star-r-rlight…”

“Yes?”

“C-c-cold.”

“On it,” Starlight said before concentrating a small burst of magic into her horn. She lowered her head towards him and cast the spell.

Pikachu smiled cheerfully upon feeling the wave of heat banish away the cold sensation. “Sooooo muuuuuuuch beeeetteeer,” he cried in bliss, never wishing to experience the harsh sting of frigid tundra. The movements of his limbs were once again quick and responsive, no longer feeling as if encased in a solid chunk of ice.

Nica leapt up in excitement before looking at Octavia with a gleeful expectation in her eyes. “I just adore your calm, peaceful music. Can you play it for us? Maybe something for a nice slow dance.”

“A dance…” She glanced at Pikachu and then back at Nica, understanding sparking across her face. “Oh, I see how it is.” Octavia stood on her rear hooves and took off the cargo from her back. She took off the green shoes from her forehooves before grabbing her trusty cello and winking at Nica as she prepared her instrument. She rolled a bow with her right forehoof before moving it against the strings. “A little warm up before my audience in Yakyakistan will certainly do us good. Right, Premarin?”

Primarina cleared his throat before raising his large fin up towards the sky, signaling the start of a wonderful performance. “You didn’t even have to ask,” he responded, quickly singing the music scale before his act.

Pikachu’s bliss from the pleasant warmth was interrupted by Nica’s excited face popping into view. “Is something happening? What’d I miss?”

The cello music filled the air, as well as Primarina stunning singing voice.

Nica stood on tips of her rear feet and performed an elegant bow to her imaginary audience. “I would be very pleased if you agreed to become my dancing partner, Sir Pikachu. Will you do me the honor?” She maintained her half-bow while holding out forepaw to him.

Pikachu took a step back, briefly caught off guard. A mental image of Litten telling him not to offend the nice lady flashed in his mind. He lowered his head politely before grabbing the bronze patch of Nica’s forepaw. “Gladly Lady Nica, the pleasure is all mine.” He already danced with a Raichu a long time ago during a casting session for a movie. If it would make Nica happy, he would play along. In fact, sneaking in a waltz with the lovely Raichu sounded quite appealing right now. A friendly dance with a great friend.

Starlight sat behind the musical artists, summoning a little dome to prevent the blizzard from distracting them.

Nica felt a pleasant warmth blossom in her chest as she screamed from joy deeply in her mind.

The calm classical music.

Primarina’s soothing singing.

A comforting chilling wind.

Small bouquets of blue flowers decorating their ears.

A white, snowy field with tall mighty, mountains in the background.

Could the atmosphere for the dance with the very pokemon she admired get any better?

With the tips of her bronze paws holding Pikachu’s forepaws, she looked down at him and smiled in joy, her escort quickly returning the smile. The aura she sensed being a mixed jumble of enjoyment and playfulness, and something else she couldn’t quite put her paw on.

Nica sank her rear paws into the powdery snow, not even noticing the chill as she lead Pikachu in a soothing side step. They elegantly twirled in circular motions, dancing to the rhythm of the live classical music being performed for them. Not even the ice was able to slow down their dance, each partner performing the steps as if practiced a hundred times over. Ducking underneath Pikachu’s arm, she pulled him back along the ice and spun him around with a playful smirk before catching his back and lowering him into a graceful dip.

Octavia observed the scene alongside Battleship, both creatures watching in delight as they glided across their stage, pulling all attention to their heart-felt movements. With a nod to Primarina, they increased the tempo, the notes coming to life as they filled the air with a charming melody.

Nica jumped from paw to paw, never standing still, never allowing the beat to constrict her own pattern. She fell back, allowing Pikachu to bear her weight for once and flipped backwards, grasping Pikachu with her tail without missing a single step. She could hear her partners exhilarated giggles as she held him into the air.

Pulling away, he himself balanced on her heart-shaped tip and spun along with Nica, the two lost in a world of blurred lines and brilliant colors, simply the duo dancing through time.

Lost within their own universe, Nica failed to notice as her hind legs shrunk, bringing her closer to the ground as her lengthy tail seemed to pull back in on itself. Both pokemon were the same height now, eye levels meeting with clarity. She circled her tail around his seemingly growing body and proceeded to waltz with him, going wherever the music decided to take them. They had goofy grins present on their faces, nuzzling one another as they strutted along the frozen terrain.

Nica closed her eyes, continuing their side-steps as each hop in the snow became harder to take, the last one always easier than the next. The moment she opened her eyes, she blinked in confusion. The snow was now clawing up towards her neck despite her standing on the very tips of her rear paws, while Pikachu’s paws, which held her bronze patches, were now twice as big as before. The bouquet of blue flowers which decorated her ear now spiraled around her shrunken head, forming a crown weaved within her fur. However, this wasn’t the only thing that changed.

Pikachu finally stopped dancing once noticing his partner had paused and released her forepaws. He lowered himself, now looking at her with a pale expression, draining the color away from his vibrant crimson cheeks and buttercup fur. His mouth hung agape as he sputtered out, <You’re… sooo small!>

Nica kept staring into those large, hazel eyes, which were now the size of her own belly. The snow suddenly became so deep and my surroundings are massive! I doubt everything just increased in size. Maybe it’s me who got smaller. The moment her hero stood up and stretched his forepaws towards her, she climbed up and perched herself on them, getting comfortable in his silky coat. <I’m not the only one who got smaller.> She pointed her tiny forepaw at him. <You changed as well. For better or worse, I’m not quite sure yet.>

Nica stood up and walked across his forepaw before pointing at his new bulbous body. Gently tugging at his triangle pronged ears, she proclaimed, <Look!> She leaped off her hero’s shoulder and directed him towards a nearby frozen body of water, allowing Pikachu to gaze in its reflective surface. <Rather than your normal yellow, you have a black ring spiked around your neck with a short, jagged ebony tail, more similar to Mimikyu’s than your original at this point.> She trekked back up his body and perched herself at the very top. <Not to mention how disproportionate your head is now to the rest of your body. To be honest, I don’t think your a Pikachu anymore.>

<I’m not!?>

Nica placed her forepaws on her hero’s cheeks and looked into his eye from an upside down position. <While I seemed to have shrank, you de-evolved into a Pichu.>

Pichu shouted in alarm as Nica had to tighten her grip in order not to fall from the sudden movement of his head. He lowered himself to take a closer look at his blurred reflection.

“What happened to you two?!” Starlight hollered as she levitated the changed pokemon from the snow before holding them in front of her face. She pulled the two translating collars from the snow a moment later, attempting to re-apply them with little luck.

Octavia stopped playing her cello before safeguarding it and placing her sacred instrument on her back. She quickly put on her snow-gear and her boots before walking towards Starlight, who was still levitating both pokemon in front of her face, a look of shock and confusion prominent on her face.

Primarina paused her chanting and followed.

“Did something happen?” Octavia asked before narrowing her eyes, her attention on a miniature Raichu who now was small enough to have a picnic on her own muzzle. Her inner instincts demanded her to wrap the tiny pokemon into a hug and press it against her cheek, yet she resisted the urge and maintained her professional stare.

“Obviously. Not only did Pikachu transform into… what I assume is his pre-evolution, but Nica herself shrank to such a miniscule size,” Starlight explained before raising her forehoof and placing Nica on the sole. “Pikachu’s forepaws, which were already small, now became half their original size, and yet they are still big enough to comfortably let Nica sit on them. Something's not right.”

Octavia took a closer look at the sapphire flowers which drifted from Nica’s head and next to her on top of Starlight’s waiting hoof. “Is this… Poison Joke?”

“What’s Poison Joke?” Starlight asked, unconcerned as the playful flower sat upon her hoof.

Octavia’s eyes became wide in shock before glancing at Starlight with a judging stare. “Oh, of course. You recently moved to Ponyville, correct? You weren’t present the first time we encountered this… mischievous flora. The effect it had on the bearers of Elements of Harmony certainly was concerning.”

Starlight chuckled and shrugged, “What can I say? I was governing my own village for such a long time and kept myself separated from the rest of Equestria. Twilight never mentioned any crazy incident involving a blue flower. Should I assume that this ‘Poison Joke’ has strong magical properties?”

“Strong magical properties is one way to put it.” Octava nodded before her stare became even more serious than before. “Long story short, it is a flower that resides in the Everfree Forest and pulls pranks on all creatures that come in physical contact with it. It seems that now, Poison Joke thought it would be funny to change the appearance of Pikachu and reduce Nica’s size. The effect usually takes place after a few hours of contact. It can be quite shocking to those who do not know of the plant’s jests.”

“You sure know a lot about it,” Starlight commented.

Seeing curious stares directed at her, Octavia raised her forehoof and held against her chest. “Witnessing Rainbow Dash crashing into my neighborhood a few times, and later that day seeing and hearing Fluttershy speak with a shopkeeper with a very deep voice seemed to me as odd, even for Ponyville’s standards. I learned more about the reason behind it from the spa ponies.”

“But there Is a cure?” Starlight asked before looking at the musician in worry, her eyes showing how much she pleaded for a dose of good news. After a few seconds of silence, she levitated Octavia closer and shouted, “Please tell me there is a cure!”

“There is, thankfully,” Octavia added as the unicorn before her sighed in relief. “You can either visit Miss Zecora who lives deep within the Everfree Forest, or go to the local spa and ask if they still have some antidote left.”

“Thank you,” Starlight vocalized before placing Pichu on the snowy ground and then levitating Nica onto his oversized head. She spread her legs apart for a balanced stance and concentrated. “It’ll take a few minutes of charging, but I can get us to Ponyville in no time with a long-range teleportation spell.” She focused her magic into the charge, unaware of the few blue dots sparking along her horn as it gently flopped with every movement.

“I can’t hold it anymore,” Primarina gasped before snatching Nica from Pichu’s head with his fins. He pressed the tiny pokemon to his cheek and giggled. “You’re just soooo cute, you tiny sweetheart. That wittle tail and your adorable itty bitty cheeks. Oh, you little, cuddly, fluffy, precious cinnamon bun. I want to play with you, cherish you and protect you. I’ll use those few minutes she’s powering her spell to snuggle the heck out of you.”

Nica chuckled sheepishly before giving up her limited freedom to the enthusiastic ally.

Pichu smiled sheepishly, missing the constant weight and support present when Nica was perched atop his head. It was a struggle to resist leaping up and snagging the miniature Raichu back into his grasp.

Octavia looked at Primarina with a look of disapproval, more so annoyed Primarina could break his composure while she was forced to watch.

Starlight glared at the siren with an overpowering look of envy, furious with both herself for not thinking of it first and the pokemon for stealing the cuddle-sized Nica away.

In a blinding flash of teleportation, Starlight appeared on solid and snow-free ground in Ponyville. Smoke was coming in puffs from her horn while she panted from the magical energy dispersed during such a long-range jump. She lost her balance and stumbled onto a bench, wiped sweat from her forehead and smiled proudly. “We’re here. Now let’s…” She paused and her ears drooped as two issues quickly were brought to her attention.

The first one being that she didn’t appear in front of the Spa, despite remembering its exact coordinates due to her first meeting with Trixie. Instead, she was laying atop of Twilight’s castle next to a fountain and sunbeds.

The second issue being the fact that she was alone. Pichu and the tiny Raichu were nowhere to be seen. She poked her own horn and gulped. “This isn’t good.”

Nica blinked in confusion while perched atop of Pichu’s head, flanked from both sides by his pronged ears. Instead of seeing Ponyville’s spa waiting in front of them, she stared at the lines of towering trees in the darkened forest. While she wasn’t intimidated before, being at a different size somewhat changed that, while the shadows stalked them from all sides.

Pichu said. <The teleportation failed.>

Nica looked at the numerous thorny vines spiking towards them, alongside crimson dots peering out from behind the underbrush. Three gigantic flowers with jagged teeth accompanied the vines, which reminded her of the grass pokemon called Carnivine and the massive head of a Hydra.

Both her and Pichu’s ears perked up at the rustling coming from the bushes, only for them to see a pack of creatures made of wood emerge, drops of green goo falling from their open mouths. Their fangs glinted in the limited light, eager for something to crunch into.

A loud roar caught their attention as a massive creature with a big mane and scorpion tail approached them from behind.

<Timberwolves, Manticore, and so many vines… this isn’t good,> Nica said and gulped as her breathing rapidly increased. Each monster was practically a giant from her new point of view.

<Don’t worry! I’ve handled them before, I’ll beat them again,> Pichu reassured his frightened companion as he hid his own lingering doubts. He lowered himself to four paws, taking a fighting stance. <You’re safe with me. I promise.>

Nica jumped on top of his shoulder with a single bound, keeping a close eye on her surroundings. Her senses sharpened as she heard Pichu’s breathing with her tiny ears. The creatures of the Everfree Forest and thorny vines seem to be even more aggressive than they were a few hours ago. To make matters worse, my hero became a weaker Pichu, and my powers are no doubt weakened as well. Were there this many here the last time we adventured in the forest? The day was going so well too.

Her ears drooped as she realized her limited worth.

Can I even be of use to him at my new size? What if I’m nothing but a burden or distraction. She shrank a little bit without even noticing, now being ninety percent of her previous small size. I want nothing but to protect my hero from danger with my power, and when an opportunity finally arrives, I’m tiny and powerless. I don’t want him to risk his life to protect me! Can I be even more worthless? She continued to shrink as the shoulder she balanced herself on suddenly became a little more spacious.

Ch.11 - A Tiny Problem - Pt.1

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Summoning of Chu

Chapter 11
-
A Tiny Problem - Part 1

Pichu’s eyes were narrowed into thin slits and his ears were spiked aggressively, twitching as he tried to pinpoint each beast’s position. He observed the approaching monsters and vines, quickly finding the biggest threat. Wow… that Cragadile is humungous… I mean, it looked massive before, but now... He glanced over at his shoulder to Nica, who maintained her usual fighting stance with a tiny ‘Iron Tail’ raised and ready. Even tiny-sized, she’s still willing to fight if it means protecting me. If everything is so big for me, I can only imagine how gigantic it must be for her.

He looked back at the Cragadile and stomped, finding his new strength to be very underwhelming. Normally, our size rarely matters when it comes to our real power, but I doubt that same theory applies to shrinking in this weird world. He chanted his name, charging electricity into a glistening orb atop of his short, inky tail. Nica protected me during the fight against yaks. Now when she’s so small, it’s my turn to return the favor and protect her!

He felt Nica’s tail constrict around his shoulder for stability, no doubt understanding his intentions. With a quick jump and spin, he threw the sphere of electricity at the Cragadile, aiming towards the creature’s squinted eyes. To his disappointment, a few thorny vines crafted a last second barrier, causing a detonation of lightning long before the orb could hit the intended target. The vines remained unharmed.

Pichu gulped in fear. Unlike the last time he had faced the forest’s foes, his adversaries were not only numerous, but showed a terrifying teamwork similar to their own. His ears sprung to attention as he picked up a pitter-patter of footsteps near him.

<Behind you! Jump forward!> Nica warned with a squeaky voice, due to her shrunken vocal cords.

Pichu leaped forward without a second thought as a large, poisonous stinger hit the ground with a loud thud. The toxic point just missed him, scarring the dust kicked up from his frantic getaway. He twisted in mid-air while attacking the manticore with ‘Thunderbolt.’ The beast roared in pain but didn’t back down.

<Your attack isn’t nearly as strong as before! You won’t push him back with this kind of power,> Nica commented. <We should retreat while we have the chance.>

Pichu grit his teeth and clenched his forepaws, refusing to give in. If his raw power wasn't strong enough in this weakened form, he just needed to push himself harder to compensate. WIth a loud shriek, he unleashed bolts of electricity once more.

The manticore winced and stumbled backwards as multiple burns scarred the hybrid’s coat, static still flickering. A few seconds later, long tendrils laced with jagged spikes emerged from the ground, redirecting the electricity away from the beast and into the soil. The lightning was rendered useless.

Too focused on maintaining his powerful attack, Pichu failed to notice two massive plants flank him from both sides. With a shrill screech, the overgrown weeds released a choking cloud of poisonous gas and targeted the pre-occupied pokemon. His ‘Thunderbolt’ was interrupted when a feeble blow made contact with his belly, pushing him back a mere two meters. Upon seeing a cloud of gas clotting before him, he looked around in panic. “Nica, where are you?!” Much to his relief, his tiny friend rounded the poisonous vapor and jumped towards his face, now clinging to his pink cheeks with the bronze patches of her forepaws.

Nica looked into his large eyes with a disapproving glare. Even in her small state, he still felt a wave of shame wash over him when seeing her disappointed in him. <Pikachu! A lot of your strength lies in your agility, but you seem very prone to counterattacks, especially when unleashing all of your power for one attack. You need to be careful!> She gestured at the living plants behind her while clinging to his face with her other paws. <As you can see, we’re surrounded. If you focus too hard on defeating one opponent, others will soon swarm you the second you let your guard down.> She climbed back onto his shoulder and frowned in frustration. <Normally, I would cover you and let you focus on offense, but at my size… ugh… this is so irritating! I’m useless when this small!>

Pichu considered his guardian’s words. She does have a point. I need to alter my strategy a bit, seeing as I’m down an ally. Glancing to the right, he noticed a massive maw charging at him and focused a blast of lightning towards the foe while evading the large jaw. The moment the plant tried to swallow him again, he stood on a single leg and swung his tail, pushing a smaller orb of electricity into its mouth. The plant dropped to the ground with smoke escaping from it. Nica remained desperately clinging to his shoulder, trying her hardest to avoid being thrown to the ground like a rag doll.

His ears sprung up at the noise from behind, while his attention focused on another living vine opening its maw to unleash a stream of poisonous gas. With a single jump, he evaded both the long, massive jaw of Cragadile chomping at him from his blindspot, and the cloud of gas which unfortunately had no effect on the stone beast. He landed on top of the plant’s head before unleashing a weak ‘Thunderbolt’ against it. While unleashing weak shocks, he sent extra charges of power into his shortened tail and looked at the third monstrous tendril. Small streams of toxins leaked from the carnivore’s open jaw.

As he expected, it opened its large mouth, intent on swallowing him whole. With ‘Iron Tail’ charged, he jumped at the plant’s jaw and spun, only for his shorter tail to miss the target by a few centimeters. His surroundings darkened as the aggressive flora quickly pounced, capturing him in its maw and releasing a relentless stream of noxious fumes. A muffled painful yelp echoed through the forest as his tiny feet and belly sunk into the creature’s acid. <Great, just great. I just had to forget that my tail is way shorter now.>

<A change in tail size is certainly difficult to adapt to, especially so soon. I know from my own personal experience,> Nica pointed out, her own tail wrapped around Pichu’s ear for support. <Regardless, any ideas on how we get out of here, or will you go for pure force?>

<Pure force should do,> Pichu said, feeling Nica brace herself for the upcoming attack. The tendril attempted to chomp on the squirming pokemon, but it was no match for the battle-hardened creatures. With an ear-splitting screech, he used ‘Thunderbolt’ as electricity started burning the hostile weed from the inside. <Hold tight!> he mumbled before using ‘Quick Attack.’ Despite the limited space, he burst away from his bindings, piercing through the plant’s mouth.

The second his paws touched down on the flattened grass, he briskly shook the remaining acid from his body, staining the wildlife with the toxins. He glanced down and saw that the lower half of his body was covered in burns, with multiple bite marks and scratches decorating his hind legs and tail . <It seems that while those vines are immune to electricity, those plant creatures aren’t. At least there’s something going for me at this point.>

<Watch out from your left!> Nica warned, tapping his head to regain his attention.

Pichu heard her cry while noticing an incoming attack from his right at the same time. A ghastly creature of fallen timber lunged, emerald magic seeping throughout its body, while its eyes flashed with death. Charging another ‘Quick Attack,’ he got out of the way in the nick of time, striking one of the Timberwolves from the side as it shattered into pieces of wood.

If what Starlight told me about Timberwolves is accurate, they are made of lumber and are held together by enchantments. The stronger their magic, the more durable they are and the faster they can restore their form. He watched as the pieces of wood started piecing itself back together at an alarming rate, indicating that his foes were more powerful than before.

As three Timberwolves started circling around him, he bent his legs and waited for an attack. Bolts of lightning flickered from the dots on his cheeks. As all pack creatures jumped at him as one, he leapt up, evading their jaws and wooden claws while striking all three with a single ‘Thunderbolt.’

He landed on a piece of wood as a green aura of magic scattered on the ground.

<We’re surrounded!> Nica hollered.

Pichu glanced around, noticing numerous vines in a diversity of sizes blocking all possible ways of escape. From one side approached the previous Cragadile with slow but long steps, causing small quakes under Pichu’s feet. From another approached the manticore with saliva dripping from its opened mouth.

The monsters and plants are surprisingly well coordinated and cooperative. They're nothing like they were a few hours ago, Pichu thought as he tried to jump over the obstacles, only to be pulled and face-slammed into the dirt.

Confused, he looked at his tiny feet and gasped. A thorny vine which spawned from underneath him was wrapped around his little leg, preventing him from moving. Before he could react, three more vines grew from the ground and constricted both of his legs in an unrelenting grip. He raised himself to a standing position and struggled against the vines, his teeth grit and forepaws flailing as he pulled his legs with all of his strength. A few seconds later a few more vines grabbed both of his forepaws while a bigger vine held his belly in place.

Pichu gulped in fear as he found himself immobilized. Two large beasts towered over him as he felt the tendril’s thorns press into his limbs and belly. With a loud shout, he attacked with a ‘Thunderbolt’ against the vines… with no effect. His electricity was redirected into the ground, proving utterly useless. He repressed a yelp and fought back twice as hard upon feeling the sharp points prick even farther into his skin. The vines started to suffocate him as the approaching predators only got closer, seemingly smirking with their victory. He wriggled, trying to swing his short ‘Iron Tail’ against the vines, yet failed to reach any. He was trapped.

Suddenly, just as he was about to lose hope, he noticed the vines immobilizing his left forepaw lose their grip, only for the same to happen to the vines holding his left leg.

Pichu peeked over at his miniature guardian, who now stood next to his rear leg, striking any vine emerging from the ground with her ‘Iron tail.’ He nodded before swinging his short tail to cut the vines holding his right limbs in place, his breathing no longer restrained by the vines wrapped around his neck.

Once free, he jumped over the clawed lion’s paw which tried to strike him before chanting his name in focus. With a quick swing, he tossed a small orb of electricity at the manticore, who jumped back in a hasty attempt to evade. ‘Electro Ball’ hit the ground instead with a explosion of electricity, kicking up a large cloud of dust. Wait… wasn’t Nica… Pichu’s face became pale at grim realization. She was still on the ground, oh no… what if she was caught in that explosion!?

He looked over the ground in panic, frantically searching for the tiny Raichu moving among the grass. An aggressive cragadile wasn’t as concerned about his shrunken friend as he was though. Not interested in letting him search in peace, it raised its massive tail, ready to strike and crush him.

Pichu narrowed his eyes and took a step back, ready to evade, only for a manticore’s paw to stomp on him from behind. In act of pure panic, he shouted a long-lasting “chuuuu…” as electricity sparked and flashed around the manticore’s paw, forcing it to withdraw or be burned. He didn’t get an opportunity to stand though as the massive, raised tail of the Cragadile descended, its entire weight pressing on his little body. A long scream of pain followed, though muffled by the dirt he was stuck face-first in. The static ability activated in the form of paralyzing electricity, yet it did little in terms of pushing the colossal beast off of him.

Pichu felt a surge of relief when roughly three tons of crushing force was lifted from his body. He raised his head and looked to the side with a bit of struggle, focusing on a tiny creature surrounded by an aura of electricity, who ran on top of the Crocodile's muzzle. Did she… just hit it in between its eyes with a ‘Volt Tackle’? He stood up and gasped. The aura of her electricity alone was smaller than the pupils in this creature’s eyes, and yet she’s still trying to help. Not only that, but she’s succeeding!

Despite Nica looking like nothing more than a bug to the towering beast, the strength of her ‘Iron Tail’ proved just enough to force it to close its eyes. The moment the colossal clawed foreleg raised in preparation to squash the tiny pokemon, she jumped to the ground, evading the powerful slam. The Cragadile smacked itself in the face, roaring with a primal rage before raising its massive foreleg. Its second attempt on squashing the tiny pokemon failed as Pichu’s paralyzing electricity went through the beast’s muscles, preventing his limbs from moving.

Hearing a loud, angered bellow, Pichu turned around and stood face to face with a manticore's bared jaws. Its lips were pulled back in a feral snarl, and without a second’s notice, the hybrid leapt towards its prey. Using ‘Quick Attack’ he ran underneath it and jumped, striking the unprotected part of its belly. He grit his teeth and massaged his tiny arms from the backlash. Though the move had no recoil damage, his previous injuries were more than enough for him to feel the strain this battle was putting on his beat and battered body. To make matters worse, using electric attacks seemed a bit painful, adding tiny burns into the mix.

He struggled to hide his grimace as he felt Nica hop atop his shoulder, landing on a bruise formed from his recent thrashing.

The manticore snorted, brushing aside the attack and charged once more, swinging its massive paw.

Pichu vaulted himself into the air, effectively dodging the swipe, and landed on the manticore’s foreleg before channeling a large voltage of sparks into his tail. He jumped up as an orb of electricity appeared, balancing on the extra limb. Nica, however, was no longer clinging to his shoulder.

<Nica!?> Pichu frantically screeched, concerned for his bite-sized friend. He landed on a branch of a nearby tree and scanned the battlefield as horrific thoughts of worst case scenario darted to his attention first. His fears were quickly put to rest as he spotted her sprinting across the manticore’s paw, coated in lightning. She ducked within the beast’s fur before reaching its face and smashing herself against it to finish her ‘Volt Tackle.’

He followed up with his ‘Electro Ball,’ tossing his pre-formed sphere of lightning towards the manticore’s opposite side. Before it could make contact, a collection of thorny tendrils snaked out of the ground, weaving together to create a barrier and block the orb. His attack fizzled out, useless when absorbed by the vines.

He formed one more, jumped forward and launched it at the brute from above. Watching in horror, the creepers responded and moved to intercept his second attempt, only to be sliced down by Nica’s ‘Iron Tail.’ Electric proof the vines may have proven to be, these were still thin enough for the tiny Raichu to cut.

An explosion of electricity followed as the sphere struck the top of manticore’s massive head.

The manticore stood on its trembling legs for a moment before succumbing to the static swimming up and down its body and falling to the side. One look at the burns covering his face being enough for Pichu to tell that it was unconscious.

Not wasting a moment, he ran towards what looked like movement in the scorched grass. He stood and presented his forepaws, Nica bounding up a second later. <I… I can’t believe you fought with such bravery while being so tiny.> He raised his paw and nuzzled Nica’s face with the tip of his little button nose. <You were incredible!> He shouted in excitement as the volume of his voice forced Nica to cling to his nose, struggling not to fall off. She winced and fought to maintain a smile on her face. <You may be much smaller and your attacks may be way weaker than normal, but even then I can still depend on your skills and teamwork. You really are the best.>

<You really think so?> Nica asked as she smiled proudly and her eyes sparkled in joy. <I… I don’t care if I’m way smaller than a Cutiefly. I won’t be insignificant, not if I can help it!> she continued with confidence growing in her voice as she stomped with her right foot. <I’m still a well-trained Raichu. I won’t be a burden to you and let the trials I’ve gone through be proved meaningless.> Her body started glimmering within the darkened forest for a few seconds as her size started to increase, her ears becoming just a tad bit longer.

<Wait, you grew a little...> Pichu narrowed his eyes. <And hey, what’s up with those bruises and burns?>

<Other then the recoil damage from using ‘Volt Tackle,’ I got caught off guard nearby the explosion caused by your ‘Electro Ball’...> Nica rubbed the back of her neck. <Twice...> She smiled sheepishly and gave an awkward chuckle. <At my current size, even being close to your attacks is a bit dangerous.>

<S-sorry, I should’ve been–>

Nica pushed her forepaws against Pichu’s mouth, closing it with a prompt ‘shush.’ <Don’t apologize. I’m tough, I can endure it. This is what I’ve conditioned myself for. So long as I can help distract those humongous creatures so that you can defeat them, getting hurt is a low price to pay. As long as I can be useful, I don’t care what happens to me.>

Pichu didn’t get an opportunity to protest as the earth under his feet started to tremble, tossing both pokemon to the side. His ears wilted and fastened to the side of his head, as he witnessed a colossal being emerge from the soil before him.

A tendril snaked towards the sky, casting looming shadows over the neighboring trees. The vine shuddered and swelled, uprooting the forest’s flora as each thorn embedded in its thick skin grew to the size of a Rockruff, each spike sharpened.

Pichu’s eyes stood propped open in shock, as his pupils shrunk to mere dots. Looks like I ordered more than I can chew with this adventure… He shook his head. What am I thinking? Thrilling adventure, hard battles, teamwork with Nica… that’s everything I wanted to happen, and more! Getting flattened by giant, thorn-covered vine… totally worth it.

Nica looked away from the titanic vine and jumped onto Pichu’s shoulder, snapping him out of his revelation. <These plants are getting faster, bigger, and more aggressive. It may have been a fun game before when we were wandering the Everfree, but now we’re fighting the very ground we stand on!> she shouted with a squeaky voice.

Pichu turned around and ran, only to trip over as Nica fell from his shoulder. <Not again!>

Tumbling over the ground, Nica stopped her decent and pushed herself to her four paws, her gaze focusing in on the aggressive vines constricting Pichu’s limbs. She shuddered before gathering the courage to dash into danger, risking everything as she leapt towards her trapped companion. Facing living wildlife wasn’t too new, but going head to head with flora immune to her lightning, one of her main defenses, was a nightmare for any electric pokemon. Not to mention their maneuverability underneath the ground was awful, allowing them to strike from below, a big disadvantage for creatures like her not blessed with the levitation ability.

Without a moment to lose, Nica sprinted towards her hero with a metallic gleam shining in her tail, only for more vines to raise from the ground and block her path. She fell back as her ears perked, hearing a suspicious noise spawning from underfoot. Swiveling her tail into the soil, she backflipped just in time to dodge an incoming tendril, using her long appendage to push herself to safety.

Nica glanced at the titanic vine, which seemed to be preparing itself for a powerful swing. <Oh no…> She looked back at the trapped Pichu and darted towards him, zipping in between the vines which tried to block her way. <Pichu!> she shouted, slashing and cutting at tendrils that dared stand in her way. Too focused on reaching her confined hero, she failed to notice two vines stalking behind her, capturing her mid-air as she was about to decimate another foe.

She grit her teeth in frustration. While the vine itself was only big enough to trap one of Pichu’s legs, for her it was large enough to squeeze her entire body, leaving her gasping for air. The other snaked around her long tail, immobilizing it.

<Nica!> Pichu howled before one of his captors stuffed his mouth shut, contracting around his head. Nica watched as it slowly suffocated him, his face turning an alarming shade of blue.

Nica threw away her inhibitions and directed as much power as possible into her strangled tail, desperately trying to ignore the massive thorns being shoved against her body. Though her tail was trapped along with the rest of her, it proved flexible to wiggle itself to a more promising position when pushed hard enough. With a deep focus, she moved the pronged edge to strike against one vine, giving her breathing room. Once her tail was free, she swung it against the other one, which promptly dropped her to floor. With a strong push of her tiny legs, she leapt to her forepaws and dashed to her earlier destination, but she was too late.

Out of reflex, she ducked, forced to watch as the titanic vine smashed into Pichu with insane force, sending him flying against a nearby tree. The vine didn’t stop there as it collided with Pichu once more, destroying the timber while sending his battered body airborne against a large trunk sitting further back. He arched in pain as his body was crushed into the waiting oak, nearly destroying the second tree in the process. Would Machamp grab a car and use it like a baseball bat, smashing a thrown Pichu with it while sending him flying out of the stadium’s borders, it would still look weaker than what she just witnessed.

Nica whimpered, running with every ounce of her remaining strength. By now, pure adrenaline fueled her as she dodged to and fro within the army of aggressive tendrils, each out for blood. She leapt over a fallen tree, using her tail to protect herself with as she made her way to Pichu. Small wood fragments littered the clearing, tossed in either the surrounding vicinity or mini craters created by Pichu’s earlier tumble.

She pressed her legs into the dirt, kicking up a microscopic cloud of dust before stopping herself in front of the bruised Pichu. <Are you okay?!> she frantically cried before placing the copper-dipped edges of her tiny paws on his cheek, shaking his head while trying to check his pulse at the same time.

Pichu whimpered in pain before standing up and massaging his forehead. <That was… a... strong hit…>

<You’re okay!> Nica shouted before jumping onto Pichu’s shoulder and nuzzling his cheek. He winced from the sudden outburst but ignored the ringing in his skull and returned her affections.

<Of course I’m okay. I’ve been hit much harder than that in the past. Have some faith in your hero,> he teased, adding a playful wink. A sudden wave of pain washed over him as he put pressure on his scarred legs, causing him to grit his teeth and sit. <Though my body…. was way tougher back then.>

Nica sighed in relief before giggling. <Look on the bright side. You can now try to prove that you can become strong and win hard fights without evolving as a Pichu. You know, battling for the honor of all those Pichu who don’t want to evolve into Pikachu and stuff. It’ll be way harder though, and it might take someone getting used to for a head that big.>

<Way harder? No kidding.> He stood up and looked around, still fearful of hidden enemies. Upon seeing vines form a trap inside the passageway behind him, he dashed in the opposite direction, not very eager to continue fighting. He’d had more than enough battling for today. <We need to hide and rest, that’s for sure. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.>

<Maybe we can find a place to conceal ourselves from the top of a tree, or at the very least learn where we are now before continuing,> Nica suggested, scanning the forest for familiar landmarks while holding onto Pichu’s neck.

<That’s a great idea,> Pichu said before reaching the peak of a nearby bough, using the supporting branches to peer over the leaves. He held a forepaw over his head while examining his surroundings.

Nica leaped atop Pichu’s head and surfed her gaze over the sea of trees, the forest seeming endless from her new perspective.

Pichu proposed.

<That’s the old castle of the Royal Sisters. It is where Twilight and her friends got the Elements and defeated Nightmare Moon,> Nica said, not noticing Pichu’s confused expression.

<Elements?> Pichu asked.

<It’s a long story involving powerful artifacts and the healing of an alicorn princess from corruption and jealousy. We have got no time for that, especially while trying to escape pokemon-crushing vines,> Nica wisely pointed out. <I’ll tell you all about it when we make it out of this place.>

<Sounds good,> Pichu agreed before jumping from branch to branch, soon arriving next to a rickety wooden bridge. He stopped in front of what looked like their final boss standing in between them and their destination.

Nica’s breathing turned sporadic, her ears dropping beside her widened eyes. Before them stood a massive, bear-like creature, sporting numerous star constellations within its transparent body. Each of its massive paws was equipped with razor sharp claws and were big enough to squash them with a single stomp. Whether the creature weighed thirty or fourty tons was hard to tell, but merely staring at it made her feel like an insignificant grain. <M-maybe we c-can go around this creature?>

<If we do, it will follow us into the castle, destroying the one place we would be able to regroup,> Pichu pointed out before taking a fighting stance, raising his stubby tail in the air. The ruined tower of the castle was visible behind a line of trees.

<Oh… I was afraid you were going to say that.> She leaped to Pichu’s shoulder and took a similar battle pose. When she had the option, she preferred to sort things out without using violence, but when faced with such aggressive creatures of the Everfree, she feared she didn’t have any other choice. Small sparks flickered around her cheeks.

Maybe we could lure that creature away deeper into the forest and then sneak around it using the underbrush. Although it’s big, it might not be too perceptive, giving us an opportunity to escape to the castle… She shook her head. No, if he says fighting is the only option, he must be right. He didn’t overcome great dangers and prevent the power of legendary pokemon from being abused by making poor decisions. I need to trust him, like he has trusted me. We can do this!

The ursa roared before approaching with slow but heavy steps, its eyes staring them down, treating them as nothing more than a mere snack.

Pichu stood on all four paws, preparing himself for the very slim chance of avoiding a confrontation. <Excuse me, but I have to ask; is there any chance we can avoid conflict? We would simply like to pass by.> He pointed at himself while balancing on his remaining limbs. <I’m very small and not worth the effort to hunt, trust me on this.>

The beast keep approaching, exposing its sharp teeth.

<Negotiating is pointless without our translating collars. These creatures just can’t understand us,> the Pichu said to his guardian without taking his eyes from the massive opponent, who was getting closer and closer.

<It wouldn’t work even when we had them. When I first met you, scaring away the manticore wasn’t difficult, but today they are attacking without fear and hesitation. Something is clearly wrong.> Nica pointed out, <They don’t seem to care about what happens to themselves, only catching us.>

Bolts of electricity started escaping the dots on Pichu’s face. <If they get more aggressive, then we’ll just fight harder.> With a loud shout, he attacked with ‘Thunderbolt,’ leaving a few burns on the ursa’s face. The beast roared in pain, though it was more agitated than hurt. <This creature may be big, but without those annoying vines in the way I should be able to outspeed him and land more hits.> With the help of a ‘Quick Attack,’ he leaped to the side, evading the beast’s paw before striking its side with his head.

Nica held tight to Pichu’s shoulder, wondering how she could be of help against opponent that big. I guess I’m just along for the ride.

Pichu was panting heavily as the long fight started taking a major toll on him. The beast before him seemed to be on its last legs, coated in a layer of burns and scorch marks. The question was who would drop first? Was his electricity going to run out? Or would the beast lose consciousness? Not having a normal-sized Raichu to recharge his electricity substantially lowered his chances.

He charged power into his tail before using ‘Quick Attack,’ slamming his head against the ursa’s face. The moment his right foot touched the ground, he leaped forward and spun, swinging his short tail against cheek of the large beast, completing the combo. Attacking at close range backfired though as the beast’s clawed paw struck him and pinned him against the soil, digging his face into the dirt.

The bear raised his paw and stomped quickly as a loud, painful “chuuu…” escaped his mouth. Due to his ‘Static’ ability, paralyzing electricity struck the gigantic ursa, yet it did little to stop the beast from squashing him with full force. He attacked with ‘Thunderbolt’, but the beast didn't give up pressuring him into the ground. If anything, when the creatures muscles locked up, it put more weight atop his fragile body, leaving his key advantage useless.

A few drops of saliva fell onto Pichu’s cheek as the beast opened its mouth, displaying its teeth in all their shining glory. Pichu’s ears dropped as his face was drained of color. While slow drips of drool splashed onto his face, his heartbeat skyrocketed, thumping against his ribcage.

Nica jumped from the grass and ran up the gigantic forepaw while building up ‘Volt Tackle’ with ‘Iron Tail’ already prepared in advance. With a quick jump, she hit the massive beast dead in between the eyes, following up her assault with a few well placed ‘Iron Tails.’

Pichu whimpered in pain, feeling the shift in weight when the ursa raised his other forepaw in attempt to smash Nica.

The tiny pokemon cringed upon hearing his gasps, but continued nonetheless knowing it would be better in the long run. She climbed onto the ursa’s head and ran into its ear, evading the reckless swung of its large paw. The beast roared in rage and pain as bolts of electricity started shining from his left ear, lighting up the night-sky creature.

Pichu threw himself to the side the moment the large paw was lifted from him. He grit his teeth, feeling a debilitating aching in multiple spots all over his body.

The ursa stood to its full weight and started smashing its own head, trying to free itself from the annoying intruder. It pressed its claw into its ear, only for Nica to leap onto its finger and run on its paw. The large beast put its own paw into its mouth and closed it. It pulled the paw out, yet outside of saliva, no tiny creature was on it.

Pichu’s ears drooped and his mouth opened agape. The large monster started chewing… his friend. The nicest Raichu he ever meet was now being eaten alive before his very eyes for no other reason than trying to protect him. Feeling a growing anger simmering in his chest, he unleashed one ‘Thunderbolt’ after another against the beast’s face. He jumped and climbed up the ursa’s belly with ‘Quick Attack’, striking its chin. Pure rage fueled every action, bordering on desperation to free his hopefully surviving friend.

The large beast, which was still standing on two rear legs lost its balance, tilting and crashing onto its back with a powerful quake. Nearby trees dropped numerous leaves from the impact and the landing echoed a loud thud.

<Release her!> Pichu shouted before slamming the mouth open with his ‘Iron Tail.’ He jumped into the open mouth before climbing out with an injured Nica resting on his forepaw. Both he and his little friends had bits of saliva covering their fur. <Nica, please tell me you’re alright. You’re strong, I know you’re alright. Please Nica.>

He glanced down at the large monster, who simply lay unconscious and in defeat. Feeling somewhat safe, he sat on the monster’s neck and raised Nica up to his face on a single paw, poking her gently. <Wake up, please.> His ears perked up and a wide smile grew on his face upon seeing movements of his tiny friend.

<I’m… f-fine…> Nica weakly mumbled as she pushed herself to a shaky standing position, balancing herself on his outstretched paw. Her fur was covered in bruises, from her belly to her four limbs.

<How can you still joke after what happened? The teeth didn’t break any of your paws, did they?> Pichu asked in concern.

Nica examined her features and next stretched her rear legs, slightly wincing but otherwise okay. <They hurt quite a bit, but no broken bones this time around.> She fell onto her belly as her limbs hung motionlessly on both sides of Pichu’s forepaw. <Though I admit, I really need a break. I feel absolutely beaten.>

<So do I.> He perched Nica on his shoulder before carefully climbing down the large monster, racing to the ruined castle for both shelter and rest, limping slightly from time to time on his bruised legs. With the final beast beaten on their way to safety, he could only hope things would turn out okay for him and his fallen companion.

Ch.11 - A Tiny Problem - Pt.2

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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.>

<But why?> She mumbled, a slight blush appearing on her face.

Nica hesitantly nodded. <I… 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.>

Nica started back in silence, unsure what to say. Everything he said was true.

<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.>

<I… see your point. I’ll try.> Nica gave in, relenting with a nod.

Oh my, I didn’t expect visitors at this hour. Who do I owe the pleasure?

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?

He was about to respond, only to feel Nica’s feet land on his head.

<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.

<What did he say?> Pichu asked before glaring daggers at Darkrai.

<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.

Mimikyu had never felt more alive.

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!”

Gliscor and Ninetails stayed silent, agreeing from the sidelines.

<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!”

Ch.11 - A Tiny Problem - Pt.3

View Online

Summoning of Chu

Chapter 11
-
A Tiny Problem - Part 3

With Darkrai no longer lurking inside the castle, Pichu began exploring the abandoned fortress. The walls were decorated with repaired tapestestries, each coming in two different varieties. One had a golden hue with a depiction of the morning sun, while the other sported a dark violet hue around a crescent moon. Small stars were sprinkled within its borders. A pony silhouette rested under the celestial bodies, representing the two princesses who once ruled the land, so he was told, but judging by the state of the castle, Pichu assumed things didn’t work out too well.

The walls were cracked with deep divots carved into the stone walls. With each step, a small cloud of dust follow in his wake while the impact echoed within the walkway, decor resting in between hidden corners and wrapped around unused walkways. The front room of the stronghold was in decent condition, but as they trekked deeper in, Pichu could tell these sections hadn’t been given the same treatment. Nica sat casually on his shoulder, using her versatile tail to secure herself as she glanced around at the ruins.

<So… he’s the one who caused so much damage in a sweet place like Equestria,” Pichu said, trying to fight the silence with a conversation. “I’m surprised you and the ponies forgave him so easily, considering his clear lack of guilt. He didn’t seem too concerned with the harm he caused these harmonious lands.>

<Well… he actually felt very guilty. I was able to sense it while he explained what happened to the Elements of Harmony. He’s just really good at hiding his emotions,> Nica said while climbing atop Pichu’s head. She continued in saddened tone, <To be fair, I can sympathize with him a bit. In our world, an evil criminal organization known as Team Galactic hired Pokemon Hunters to catch Darkrai for them. They planned to abuse his powers for their own personal gain, and chased after him relentlessly, day in and day out. Who knows how long he was on the run, desperately trying to escape his captors. One day, he faltered and they were able to catch him, which made us jump into action.>

Nica smiled proudly as she puffed her chest, giving a small smile from Pichu’s shoulder. <Thankfully, we were able to cripple the hunters by destroying their expensive equipment and even managed to recruit most of their team to our side. It wasn’t too hard, considering Miss J, the leader at the time, was the worst boss ever in my personal opinion, based on how mean she was to both her pokemon and employees. I soon lead my team on a rescue operation.>

She took a quick breath, calming herself.

<Did he know that you were the one who saved him from those guys in the past?> Pichu asked before leaping to the side in haste. The once solid board under his paws was swinging open, leading down to a dark passageway. He raised his guard, wary of any more possible traps placed around.

Pichu said as his aimless wandering lead him to a room with a long dining table and numerous chairs, including a not-so-hidden passageway into a neighboring space.

Ignoring a thin trail of grime, he crawled into the new area, gazing in awe at the comfortable nook. There was a few withered books lying opened on the floor, but most objects were neatly organized, a few select tomes on the shelf still in prime condition. He walked over the violet flooring and approached a sofa shoved into the corner, hopping atop without a second thought. Gently placing Nica onto a plush pillow, he snatched one for himself and rested next to her, closing his eyes in bliss.

<You said it,> Nica sighed as half of her tiny body sank into the posh pillow. She perched herself on her back and closed her eyes.

Pichu followed Nica’s example, but woke up several minutes later. He layed blearily on the couch, unwilling to awaken the sleeping Raichu from her slumber. Trying to keep watch, he forced himself to stay alert, but as minutes went by his eyes slowly drooped, soothing him softly to sleep. Before he lost consciousness, he pulled Nica closer and wrapped himself around her miniature body, falling asleep side by side his resting companion.

Umbreon was the first to break out of his shock, shoving himself forwards and sticking his muzzle into Mimikyu’s face. “What do you mean you’re not Pikachu? You look like one, and I don’t happen to remember a second Pikachu dropping from the sky, so you better fess up now, or else things are gonna get ugly real fast.

Though startled, Mimikyu could recognize a threat, and his eyes narrowed as his teammate tried to intimidate him. “I am not lying! I am Mimikyu. M-I-M-I-K-Y-U. You know, one of your partners alongside Astra and Captain Nica as we journeyed the Alola Islands? Or am I that forgettable?

Ninetales brushed next to Umbreon, looming closer to the disguised pokemon. “Mimikyu? That’s impossible! You can’t shapeshift, and not to be rude, but your costume isn’t nearly good enough to be mistaken for a real Pikachu. If we even believed this ridiculous story, which we don’t-”

Umbreon growled in agreement, baring his teeth.

“How would this even be possible?”

Starlight pushed her way into the conversation, levitating a small mirror from inside the castle, currently trying to tame her frazzled mane. “Wait, you’re Mimikyu?

“Yes! Try to keep up!” Mimikyu grunted in annoyance. He leapt forwards and snatched Starlight’s mirror, pulling it closer while ignoring the others cries of annoyance. “See, I am-”

His words were cut short as he truly looked at himself in the mirror for the first time. Though he could see his normal disguise, his wayward eyes staring back at him, there was a mystical glimmer shining outside his form. Rather than his normal limp ears, perked ones reflected back, sporting a bright yellow instead of the dulled buttercup he was familiar with. Bright crimson dots were present on his cheeks, even coming with complimentary shafts sparking from them, helping him express his agitation. His tail, once an inky wooden stump, carved in a Pikachu’s design, was spiked in the shape of a lightning bolt with a brown coloring creeping from his body.

Even his eyes, which peered from below his costume, were hidden. The holes used for watching his surroundings were gone, melted in to the body the others must have mistaken him for. He could see his familiar shape, but only faintly, as this arua overpowered his true self, tricking his companions, and even himself for a moment.

“What…? How is this possible?” he mumbled, still staring in awe at his reflection.

“That’s what we’re trying to ask you,” Ninetales muttered. “Well, if you really are Mimikyu, tell us something that only he would know.”

Mimikyu sat for a moment, trying to think of something to convince the others, before smirking as a brilliant idea came to him.

“Well, would Pikachu know that when Astra first tried to catch me, you fell head over heels into a ditch of mud after I tripped you with my ‘Shadow Claw?’ You had sludge everywhere for hours as Astra tried to convince you to take a bath! Fluffy, fire pokemon and baths don’t mix very well.”

Both Umbreon and Gliscor took a step back, attempting to hide their chuckles as Ninetales’ face grew a deep blush. Starlight shoved her hoof into her mouth, picturing the majestic nine-tailed fox falling on his face.

“Mimikyu! You swore you wouldn’t tell!” Ninetales howled before tackling the spirit to the ground. “Though, I must ask, why do you look like a Pikachu?”

“I don’t know! One moment I was wandering the forest, battling a couple of creatures, picking some blue flowers before taking a nap and I wake up like this!” He waved his fake head from side to side, his ‘new’ ears shown as flying along.

Starlight gasped in realization. “Oh, no… Did you say blue flowers?”

Mimikyu nodded.

“With cobalt spots laced around the petals?”

Another nod.

“I think I might know why you’re having this problem. The real Pikachu, Nica and I had a similar issue. We encountered this flower in the forest, and each of us received a ‘prank,’ so to say. My horn turned useless, causing me to accidentally teleport the other two pokemon into the Everfree, while Nica shrunk to the size of her ego. Though the joke is supposed to be bad, she was absolutely adorable!” Starlight gushed.

“Why am I not surprised.” Mimikyu mumbled, rolling his eyes at the ponies display.

“Pikachu ended up being turned into a Pichu, the flora apparently finding it funny, considering he planned on not evolving into a Raichu. So, there’s a Pichu and snack-sized Raichu stuck in the middle of the Everfree, while you’re here looking like one of the pokemon we were supposed to find!

“Nica’s one of the strongest creatures I know. If anyone can take care of themselves in those spooky woodlands, it’s her!” Now it was Mimikyu’s time to gush, smirking as he pictured Nica easily overpowering any threat the forest tried to throw at her. Starlight and the Wonderbolts stationed behind her wiped the grin of off his face.

Rainbow Dash stepped closer, the elite fliers deciding to land after seeing the Pikachu. “Yeah, I don’t think our world has the same rules yours does. Nica told us all about how small pokemon can be super powerful, but here, when a creature’s shrunken down from their normal size, their power tends to as well. Nica’s amazing and all, but with how little self-esteem she has, she’s gonna be really tiny. That equals less and less power.”

Mimikyu’s face morphed into horror, before jumping into action. “Then what are we doing moping around here!? We need to go and save her!”

<And Pikachu,> Gliscor added.

“Yea, sure… him too. C’mon!” Mimikyu grasped Rainbow with his shadowy claw, pulling her down towards the ground before vaulting himself onto her back. “Hurry!”

Rainbow snorted, annoyed at being treated like a ride, but dashed off nonetheless, leaving a spectrum of colors in her wake.

“Mimikyu, wait! Don’t you want the antidote for Poison Joke?” Starlight called as the pegasus grew fainter and fainter in the distance.

“No time! Let’s go!”

Ninetales and Umbreon did the same, leaping atop the closet Wonderbolt and taking off to the skies. Gliscor launched himself up using his powerful tail, and drifted slightly beside his companions, wearing his stoic mask as always. Starlight merely shook her head and galloped off, chasing after the retreating figures.

I’m coming Nica!

After about half-an-hour of napping, Nica blearily opened her eyes and mumbled, <I’ve been thinking. The poison joke curse changes my size depending on my self-esteem. We’ve figured that out, but why would it change you into a Pichu?>

Pichu stretched and yawned as he remained conscious enough to hear her words. <Well… this curse is like a prank with some irony mixed in. Maybe because I’m not a fan of evolution, prefering to grow strong with the form I normaly have, it de-evolved me,> Pichu pointed out as he supported himself with one forepaw on the spacious pillow. Nica was still curled by his side, using his body as a perch.

Nica whispered, forgetting how quiet she was when shrunken down.

<I see. As for me, I’ve faced plenty of different challenges as a Pichu, and defeating Alakazam during the Kanto League was my biggest challenge at the time. Since Astra never allowed me to evolve without proving myself, it was very difficult going up against a pokemon in their final stage, while I hadn’t evolved once. Still, I doubt I would ever manage to defeat Regirock or Registeel as a Pichu. The difference in power would be just too great, no matter how long I train. And, you have a good point. That oversized head would get very annoying.> She giggled, though upon noticing a big smirk on Pichu’s face, she asked. <Why are you so happy?>

<Worse? What do you mean?> Nica asked innocently.

<Well… considering the idea behind this prank, it could turn me into a Raichu instead.>

Much to his confusion, his body started to glisten a light blue as an odd sensation overcame him. His once stubby tail grew, elongating until it reached its previous length, and yet still continued. A bolt of lightning formed before branching off, connected to his body by a long black cord, allowing his tail to bend in ways he never knew possible. His sharpened ears became smoother, bending into a curved triangle with elegant curls at the end, springing out from his round face. The dots on his cheeks shimmered, before flashing white and shifting to a deep yellow, followed by a white belly and bronze-dipped paws. His limbs expanded, shifting longer. Now, his rear paws allowed for a greater maneuverability and durability, a huge contrast to his previous legs. He froze at the realization of what was happening, his face, drained of color, displaying pure shock.

Nica leaped from her pillow onto his knee and stared with glittering eyes, her face displaying indescribable joy. A tear of joy rolled down her face, a vision she could only dream of coming true.

<I… turned into… a Raichu…?> He spread his bigger forepaws and waved in aggravation. <Oh come on!>

<If I may say this, you look amazing as a Raichu!> Nica shouted in jubilation before climbing up his belly and hanging onto his black nose. She grinned. <You can even learn if it will affect your personality or not. Come on, it will be fun!>

He sighed and placed Nica on the tip of his bronze patch, stumbling before correcting himself. If he thought becoming a Pichu was bad, changing into a Raichu was on a whole new level. If this had happened in the past, even temporarily, it would easily be classified as his worst nightmare. Though now, with Nica at his side, it didn’t feel so bad. <Now that I think about it, if the Poison Joke made me a Raichu to begin with, our lives wouldn’t have been threatened by the forest’s inhabitants in the past hour. It should either have kept me as a Pichu or gave me access to the power of my final evolution, not switch when it least matters.>

Nica nodded in agreement before a slight shake shook her out of her daydreaming.

Raichu continued on, unaware. “We could have been seriously injured! I understand this plant’s whole thing is jokes, but I don’t find it very funny. Since when can it just change others at a whim as well? What’s wrong with this flower?

<Did… did the floor just tremble?> Nica whimpered, snapping Raichu out of his ranting.

Raichu stepped from the sofa and glanced at the floor, now feeling the vibration under his paws. The tremors didn’t last long, but shifted on and off, each coming back with renewed vigor. Somehow they grew stronger.

Curious, he walked outside from the not-so-secret room while pulling his long tail behind with Nica perched on his shoulder. He leaped towards a nearby window. With the things he had seen today, he doubted anything could shock him at this point, though somehow, what he saw was the cherry on top.

His throat dried instantly as his mouth hung open agape. Either his eyes were playing tricks on him, or the transparent bear-like creature they had just defeated, had come back bigger and meaner than before. The star constellations swirled around its orbit, featuring different ones than last time. This one must have been a parent, returning to exact revenge on whoever attacked its child. He gulped in fear as each tree shook, their roots barely holding on as the beast marched by.

The creature looked over, and made eye contact with the Raichu, before releasing an angered bellow and charging straight towards the abandoned castle.

Ch.11 - A Tiny Problem - Pt.4

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Summoning of Chu

Chapter 11
-
A Tiny Problem - Part 4

The beast clutched several trees, hooking through the bark with its massive claws before ripping the poor flora’s roots from the soil and threw them at crumbling walls of the castle. The creature’s furious roar echoed throughout the forest, causing a shiver to jolt down Raichu’s spine. Its glare seemed to cut daggers through the fortresses barriers, looking like it wanted nothing more than to decimate the ruins, with him and Nica inside.

Of course, the final foe we encountered just had to be the child of this titanic beast! Raichu stomped his enlarged paw against the stone flooring, gathering his courage for the inevitable fight.

The sun was slowly descending beyond the horizon, hiding its glimmering embrace as the sky became a deep crimson, casting a gloomy glow across the clearing.

Raichu puffed out his chest, suddenly feeling extremely grateful for changing to his final evolution, no matter how late it might have been. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, having the power of a Raichu greatly improved their dwindling odds of survival. At least now they stood a solid chance.

<We need to escape!> Nica shouted, wrapping her tail around Raichu’s curled ears for extra stability. Her tiny paws were clinging for dear life atop his head, the bronze-dipped edges reflecting the dimming sunlight.

<And where will we run? Into the aggressive vines?> Raichu snapped back, feeling the responsibility of keeping them both safe as it pushed down harder and harder on his shoulders. By now it felt like he was carrying the world on his back, except in the form of a miniature companion. He pointed at the numerous shifting vines snaking amongst the trees in distance. The terrain around the castle seemed to be the only ground not yet corrupted by the mysterious plants and wildlife.

<Maybe we can hide?> Nica suggested, her paws trembling. Though terrified, she managed to keep her voice steady, attempting to stay calm in the overwhelming situation.

<So what we can do?> Nica asked.

Raichu placed his guardian on a nearby window sill before looking into her tiny, oval eyes. <I’ll distract it while you hide somewhere safe in the castle. Hopefully I can keep him busy until Darkrai fixes the mess he caused.> He poked his white belly, now devoid of most of its previous bruises.

Nica declared with narrowed eyes and clenched forepaws. She attempted to jump atop his shoulder, but before she could wrap her tail around his it for stability, he grasped her and gently placed her back.

<Out of the question,> Raichu said as Nica stomped, her cheeks puffing out. She turned her back to him and flapped her tail back and forth in aggravation. Sighing, he muttered, <How about this. Try to increase your size while I distract it.>

<Increase my size? Oh right, my self-esteem.> Nica flailed her forepaws in an attempt to regain her balance as the castle itself trembled from the beast’s powerful stomp. It was still storming around outside, trashing the outer layer of the ruins. If they waited too long, the creature would be on top of them, trapping them inside the abandoned castle.

<Remember what I told you before?> Raichu asked, receiving a nod of confirmation in return. <You need to realize how great the things you do are. Stop comparing yourself to me, or Ash or anyone. You are an amazing Raichu, who just needs to find a healthy balance between being proud and being humble. I’m counting on you!> Without waiting for an answer, he launched himself out of a rigid crack in the window, jumping onto a nearby stone statue before dashing towards the ruined tower.

With the ursa major staring directly at him, he held his forepaws together in a pleading gesture and shouted, <I’m really sorry If I hurt your child. We were attempting to escape from the Everfree’s depths. The wildlife has been uncharacteristically aggressive lately, and I was concern for myself and my friend’s life while traveling through. I apologize if I injured one of your kind, but in the end I was just defending myself.> He continued begging, his voice adapting a desperate tone,

The ursa major lifted its massive paw, pulling back one of its limbs before releasing it in a powerful swing. The beast’s eyes were narrowed, its muzzle pulled back in a frightening snarl. Whatever the creature wanted, it certainly wasn’t peace.

It seems that without my translating collar, negotiations are out of question. Raichu sighed and murmured to himself, <So fighting it is.> He grit his teeth and channeled a large charge of electricity into the base of his tail, lifting the limb into the sky. While chanting his name, lightning gathered, forming a sparking orb that sat comfortably atop his lightning spiked tail. Standing still, he waited, freezing until the bear’s piercing claws came towards him, jumping when the paw became too close for comfort. A loud echo of destruction resinated from behind, and a quick glance back confirmed the statue he sat on was demolished along with the accompanying tower.

With a quick spin, he attacked with ‘Electro Ball,’ striking the gigantic head of the ursa major. Seconds later, a massive boom followed, sending bolts of lightning flying from the detonation point. He landed on the ursa’s arm as the beast roared in pain, stumbling a few steps back.

Raichu clenched his forepaws and bombarded the creature with a flurry of ‘Thunderbolts,’ aiming his attacks at the current burns on beast’s face. Despite a massive size difference between the two foes, his attacks actually managed to cause serious damage, especially when he targeted its previous wounds.

Upon seeing another paw on a collision course with him, he ducked down, falling towards the ground with a graceful spin to stick the landing. Not wasting a moment, he shouted a loud ‘chuuuu’ while attacking the beast’s right ankle with another ‘Thunderbolt.’

Raichu prepared to launch himself higher once more, only to grit his teeth and close his eyes, smooshing himself into the soil. His legs bent from the tremors caused by the ursa major’s paws stampeding across the terrain. Seeing as the massive beast tried to take a step forward, most likely to step on him, he prepped another ‘Electro ball.’ The titanic size of his opponent made each movement slow enough for him to charge an attack uninterrupted.

Good thing those vines haven't reached the castle yet. Dealing with those annoying plants was hard enough when battling manticores and timberwolves. I can only imagine how unstoppable this ursa would be when supported by them. He shuddered, picturing himself constricted by the thorn-embedded vines while being stomped on. I would be finished the moment I lowered my guard! Another sphere of lightning was charged as he jumped, watching the creature’s paws miss its target. With a spin in mid-air, he threw the orb at the ursa’s ankle, striking the same spot he had assaulted with a barrage of ‘Thunderbolts’ just a moments before. The force of his attack caused the beast to drop to one knee, roaring in agony.

He climbed up the collapsed leg of the ursa major while charging power into his tail, running up the monster’s belly with a ‘Quick Attack.’

The beast prepared its clawed paw for a powerful slap, grunting in frustration.

Seeing the move from a mile away, Raichu attacked the creature’s elbow with a combination of ‘Quick Attack’ and ‘Iron Tail.’ With a slight miscalculation, he swung his longer tail a bit too late, bouncing back down atop the beast’s belly. He glanced at his tail and frowned. Oh, right. While it has more range now, it also takes much longer to swing. Mistakes has been made... He shouted in pain from being slapped by the gigantic paw, feeling his back pierce through the wall of the castle. Ugh, I need to pay attention. If I keep losing focus, I’ll lose for sure. He yelped again upon bounding in between a few sets of pony armor. Tumbling farther into the darkened hallway, he crashed into a couple more sets of chainmail before finally rolling to a stop. He fell onto his belly while the floor ended up covered by scattered metal, some pieces finding their way underneath his stomach.

A painful and annoyed ‘chuuu…’ escaped Raichu’s mouth before he pushed himself to his paws, a big bruise now decorating his cheek. He shoved aside a heavy metal hat which was dangling from his ear and draped across his face. He pulled it off, glaring at the head piece, then glanced at his ‘Iron Tail,’ which glowed in the darkened lobby. He muttered, <Nica makes it look so easy.> He narrowed his eyes before running outside, a new determination glinting in his eyes. Now, jumping through the hole in the wall, he blasted back into battle with a ‘Quick Attack.’ He leapt to the side, then straight up, evading a clawed forepaw and sending another ‘Electro Ball’ against the other knee.

Nica observed the raging battle from the oriel, resting atop the window latch. Her ears drooped as she wished for nothing more than to protect her hero, something she was currently unable to do thanks to her pathetic size.

With a surge of determination, she took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes, her forepaws clenched. Pichu… I mean Raichu… I mean Pikachu… yea, Pikachu is right. I need to stop diminishing my own self-worth. She thought back to the numerous compliments from the ponies she saved, back then dismissing their praise. A warm feeling flooded her body, the kind words and grateful messages making her smile with joy. Being in Equestria and helping its residents was, without a doubt, the best experience she has had in years.

She took a deep breath and whispered, <I’ve earned each evolution through multiple struggles and extreme challenges. I’ve worked hard to earn them, never abusing or misusing the powers I’ve received.> Her size increased a little, the slight glow lighting the dimmed room. Psyching herself up, she hopped in place, pumping her strong rear legs along to the chanting of her voice.

<I’ve worked harder than other members of my team to help my trainer achieve her goals, and I’ve always strived to do my best. I’ve trained with other team members and pokemon for hours, encouraging their efforts while helping them improve, even if they were my opponents.> She grew a little again, the shimmer becoming brighter. She leapt atop the candle holders lining the walkway, using her tail to swing herself from arch to arch. Her movements were graceful and controlled as her pep talk increased the accuracy of every movement.

<I’ve trained myself to near-death out of guilt for those I couldn’t save. I’ve rescue lives whenever I could and stopped powerful trainers from abusing the power of pokemon for selfish and evil deeds.> Her size increased to half the size of a Pichu. Her smile radiated within the room, shining brightly as she landed on the padded sofa, balancing on a single paw.

Concentrating, she focused on her lightning, adding more and more to a growing mass in the palm of her forepaws. It had none of the power of an ‘Electro Ball,’ but a small sphere was created, casting a brilliant glow outside of the space. She threw the orb into the air, tossing the ball up and down with the lightning-shaped dagger on her tail.

Nica stomped and shouted with passion, <I’ll admit, I may have failed to accomplish enough considering how much power I have, but I’ve searched for any opportunity to be helpful, no matter the challenge that accompanied it. I did the best I possibly could have. I’m not worthless!> She grew to the size of a Pichu, her surroundings no longer as titanic as before. The globe she launched flew back and forth as it rose towards the roof, shining bright as ever. It stayed there for multiple moments, before slightly quivering and falling to the floor, the radiant light softening.

Nica tapped her forepaws nervously as distress became visible on her face. As much as she wanted to grow more and help the Raichu, her fear started to take advantage of her, the fear of becoming arrogant. She didn’t want to become a snobby Raichu, nor did she want to allow pride get the best of her. The orb dimmed, casting the room in lengthening shadows. Would she really remain humble, hardworking and helpful if she stopped convincing herself of her inferiority? Would she be willing to risk her own life for others if she started to believe that her life is worth more?

She shrank little by the little as an inner battle started waging deeply within her mind, the sphere discarded in the corner flickering violently.

With the monster unable to move, Raichu hiked up its massive belly towards its shoulder, now focusing on offensive plays against the ursa’s head. He shifted from move to move, launching a powerful orb of lightning before casting a ‘Thunderbolt’ seconds later. ‘Quick Attack’ after “Quick Attack’ struck the beast’s nose, the Raichu following up with multiple ‘Iron Tails’ against its eyes. The fight continued as he kept up the pressure, never relenting.

Raichu grabbed the ursa major’s ear and sent a jolt of electricity inside, a trick he learned from watching tiny Nica’s previous attempt to help him. He released the ear and ran onto the ursa’s head before a massive fist could grab him and throw him to the floor. he panted in between his heavy breaths as a few drops of sweat fell down his face onto the bear’s constellations. He glanced at his larger legs, which had proven to be surprisingly agile despite their bigger size.

He looked at his long tail and concentrated. The moment it started to glow with a metallic sheen, he leaped down and slammed it against the ursa’s nose, adding another bruise to the growing collection. He clung onto the nose while the ursa rebutted. The beast kept roaring while losing the will to fight, crumbling before his very eyes. Each ‘Thunderbolt’ broke its resolve strike by strike. I was strong and tough as a Pikachu, but this is on a whole new level. This isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

<So… will you give up? If you back down… I won’t… need to harm you anymore…>

The ursa major narrowed its eyes, still interested in swatting him like a fly rather than retreating. A new wave of determination seemed to wash over it, strengthening its previously fleeting commitment.

Raichu sighed. <Fine, have it your way...> He jumped up as massive paw smashed into the ursa’s nose instead of him. He attacked with ‘Thunderbolt’ as his electricity surrounded the large creature’s head, replicating an effect similar to ‘Electric Terrain,’ if only visually. He could feel the lightning spark with each step across its skull, spiking damage directly. With another paw speeding towards him, he focused on controlling his ‘Iron Tail,’ taking example of Nica’s innovativity. With a solid swing, he hit the approaching paw’s back, pushing himself towards beast’s muzzle with the recoil of its own attack before hitting it with ‘Iron Tail.’

he said with a satisfied smile, only for his body to glow as an odd sensation overtook him once more.

<Oh no, not again!> He knew this feeling, the shifting of bones and muscles forming new bonds. He closed his eyes, feeling as if his legs became feeble once more, shrinking back inside a smaller base. His head suddenly dragged down towards the floor, weighing a ton more in comparison to the rest of his body. His long and agile tail twisted back into an inky stump, leaving his ‘Iron Tail’ practically useless in this new form, due to lack of range. The moment he opened his eyes and looked at his tiny yellow paws, he stomped and shouted, <Poison Joke!> He groaned, wishing he was blessed with the move ‘Flamethrower. Anything to burn those annoying flowers down to the ground.

Pichu looked at the gigantic eye of ursa major and smiled nervously. His ears perked up at the noise of incoming paws speeding at him from behind. He turned around and jumped, trying to escape, yet when compared to what he was capable as Pikachu or Raichu, his tiny legs provided him with less prowess. While he flew above the first paw, the second one was but seconds away from grabbing him, and ultimately crushing him.

As the gigantic paw flew closer and closer, it was at this moment he knew… he screwed up. He closed his eyes shut and waited for his inevitable demise.

While bracing himself for the painful impact, he opened his eyes in confusion when nothing happened. Paws reached for him and grasped him, but instead of the massive clawed ones, he felt familiar ones hold him closer. He glanced to the side and was greeted by the cheerful face of his guardian. <N-Nica? You’re back to normal?> As he was lowered onto the head of the ursa major, he examined her features. <Actually, you’re Pikachu-sized now, but it’s a lot better than being tiny.>

Nica whimpered. <T-trust me… overcoming my fears and guilt to get to this size wasn’t easy.> She raised her head and looked back with a new confidence shining in her eyes. <What I tried to say was: I’ve trained extremely hard for years and won against opponents way stronger than me. I beat legendaries before even touching a Thunderstone.> She puffed her chest and raised her head proudly. She lowered her head, her ears drooped and she tapped her forepaws nervously. <I… didn’t go too far, did I?>

Pichu gave an encouraging smile. He clenched his paw and cheered, <Let's show this beast who’s boss!>

Nica nodded. <Wait… something seems off. We’ve been talking for a bit, how come that ursa didn’t launch a counter attack?> Her ears perked up a moment later as four blurry shapes became visible, a loud boom ringing from the silhouettes. Upon closer inspection, she made out three Wonderbolts soaring over, with pokemon placed atop their backs. Farther behind, Gliscor drifted several meters back, using the wind to maneuver himself to the battlefield. Her friends were throwing attacks left and right at the large ursa. <Oh… that’s why.>

Umbreon attacked with a devastating <Shadow Ball> from Soarin’s back, hitting the ursa in a burned spot on its nose. Rage powered his assault as the pokemon was furious at the creature for hurting his sister.

Ninetales sent scorching fire against the vines that were stealthily making their way towards the castle, burning them to ash in seconds. Spitfire glanced at him with a smirk, her own mane and tail replicating the fox’s flames.

Finally a Pikachu jumped from Rainbow Dash’s back while clawing the ursa’s squinted eyes with ‘Shadow Claw.’

Another barrage of attacks followed from the airborne pokemon, causing the weakened ursa major to slowly fall on its back, crushing numerous trees while causing a minor earthquake. The pokemon on ursa’s head grabbed its ears for support, their eyes closed and ears drooped as powerful thudding noise echoed through the forest.

With the large foe defeated, the group’s attention focused on the incoming Pikachu.

Wait a second… a Pikachu!? How can it use ‘Shadow Claw?’ He backed away from the invader warily, giving the approaching stranger a distrusting stare.

Nica spread her forepaws in an inviting gesture as the electric mouse leapt from the ursa’s muzzle right into her embrace.

<Nica! Be careful!> Pichu cried as the pokemon landed in Nica’s hold, but stopped in confusion as Pikachu began nuzzling her face with glee.

“You’re safe!” The Pikachu shouted before examining Nica’s features. “You’re… smaller…” He looked at Pichu. “And you’re a Pikachu no longer. What happened?”

Nica rubbed the back of her neck and smiled sheepishly. <It’s a long story. Let’s just say that I faced the weirdest and most exciting adventure ever. Though a bit dangerous. Although, I can ask you the same question. Why do you look like a Pikachu?>

Pichu stood beside Nica, a look of confusion present. <What? You know another Pikachu?> A small tinge of jealousy swirled inside of him, though he had no idea why. He repressed the feeling still. <Uh, but yea. I guess it was a crazy day. If you don’t mind me asking, who are you exactly?>

Nica began to giggle. <Oh, Pichu! This isn’t a Pikachu, this is Mimikyu!>

<Mimikyu!?> He gasped as the imposter gave him a devious smirk.

“It’s true.” He waved his changed tail in the air, twirling around Nica as he displayed his new appearance. A mocha colored collar was wrapped around his neck, though it was quite large. As Gliscor landed next to the ensemble, he put two and two together, realizing ‘Mimikyu’ was wearing the winged pokemon’s neckband.

Pichu walked closer, tapping ‘Mimikyu’s’ nose, observing his normal look from a new perspective. <Hmm… I never realized how adorable I was.>

Mimikyu grunted in annoyance, returning to Nica’s hold. “Did this monster try to hurt you?” He shifted his glare to the downed beast laying below them.

<Well, it wanted to hurt us, but Pichu… who was a Raichu at the time… was the one facing off against it, back when I was extremely tiny. For some reason it was very aggressive, although that might be partly our fault. I believe we attacked its child when we first arrived at these ruins, knocking it out without realizing it was merely a baby.> She paused and cleared her throat. <But in short, the creatures and plants of this forest acted extremely hostile towards us.>

“If that’s the case, can I behead this large creature and keep its head as a trophy?”

Nica gasped as her face became pale. She shook her and head and waved her forepaw in disapproval. <No beheading of any of creatures living here, understand?>

“Awww…”

Pichu poked ‘Mimikyu’s’ shoulder and asked, <Do you think Ninetales would be interested in burning the field of blue flowers that were responsible for putting our lives in danger?> He and the Pikachu began conversing, whispering about the demise of Poison Joke, while pulling an annoyed Ninetales into the conversation.

<Not you too,> Nica muttered with defeat in her voice.

Ch.12 - The Queen of Snuggles

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 12
-
The Queen of Snuggles

<I’m officially beaten!> Pichu shouted as he dashed into the guest room, jumping atop the bed. He body-slammed the puffy pillow before nuzzling it, sinking into the soft material with a satisfied sigh. <Ahh… that hits the spot!> He squirmed deeper into the cushion.

Nica entered as well, gracefully leaping to the side of her companion, currently diving in a sea of plush comforters. She placed one translating collar on the table beside the bed while keeping the other one wrapped securely in her tail’s grasp. She approached the moving bundle of fluff and said,

Pichu pushed himself to a sitting position, only his bruised head visible from his current spot. Small scratches were littered around his body, and large bags under his eyes indicated many sleepless moments and exhaustion. Even with the abuse, he still maintained a cheerful smile. <Are you kidding?> He waved his short, stubby paws. <The danger, the adrenaline, the excitement! I loved every moment of it. Except maybe almost being crushed, but that was still pretty cool too, especially when you saved me. It will keep me satisfied for longer than a week.> He climbed up from the middle part of the pillow to sit at the edge. <And the best part…> He pointed at Nica with a kind smile.

Nica clenched the bronze patches of her forepaws, gathering all of her courage. She smiled and said with new-found confidence in her voice, <Considering you and your trainer’s ambition, teaming up with the partner of the Pokemon Master must have no doubt made today’s adventure even more enjoyable!> She shimmered once more, growing a millimeter taller moments later.

<It’s not just that,> Pichu added with a quick shake of his head. <Having an adventure with an extremely skilled pokemon was nice and all, but sharing those great experiences with a very friendly, helpful and brave Raichu like you is what made it truly amazing.>

Nica blushed, her words becoming lodged in her throat. A small, embarrassed grin made itself known as she peeked back at Pichu.

He pointed at himself. <The way you cared about my safety, putting yourself in danger just to protect me, risking your life to get me out of harm's way!> He held his forepaws very close to each other, <Not to mention you accomplished all of this while being teeny tiny! I don’t know how you do itl> Turning his forepaw back to Nica, he continued, <I’ve teamed up with many different pokemon over the years, some good and some bad, but your teamwork was one of the best! No doubt about it.> He held his forepaw on his chest and added, <After today’s adventure, I feel as if I could entrust you with my very life. Even if you’re at your best, or at your worst, I know I can depend on you no matter what challenges are thrown at us!>

<B-but… I’m unworthy of…> Nica paused as her body shrank a few millimeters. She shook her head and switched her frown to a hesitant smile. She held a forepaw over her wide belly while regaining the millimeters she just lost.

Pichu smiled, displaying a pearly, white row of his little teeth. He balanced on the tips of his tiny feet, stretching his forepaw towards Nica’s shoulder to gently pat it. <Seems someone finally started seeing her own worth. I’m so happy for you!> He gave a warm smile as Nica struggled not to duck away, embarrassed at the praise.

<Thank you,> Nica whispered before plopping herself in front of the pillow, their eyes meeting. <To be honest, every time I heard of you and your trainer’s numerous achievements, I would purposely convince myself of my inferiority. Beating myself up constantly, whether through training or battles, it made me work harder when I thought of how I could be doing so much more. I would criticize every move done wrong, every mistaken step, but no more!> She narrowed her eyes. <I’ll try to find a better balance between my pride and humility, and I certainly won’t let it affect me in such a negative way again.>

<And I’m positive you’ll succeed,> Pichu said with an encouraging smile. His gaze soon turned somber as he met Nica’s stare. <Part of me actually feels a bit disappointed. With the dangerous forest returning back to normal, exploring it will no longer be as exciting as it was today, and the residing beasts will either run or become less aggressive.> He crossed his arms and frowned. <The fact that you convinced Twilight to put warning signs before wild patches of those blue flowers rather than allowing Ninetales to burn them is a bit disappointing. I was looking forward to getting some good old fashioned revenge for a change.>

Nica looked to the side, her ears dropped. With a saddened tone she mumbled, <Are you really that angry at those flowers… for turning you into a Raichu?>

<Not exactly. To be honest, being a Raichu wasn’t as bad as I expected,> Pichu responded, giving Nica a grin. She glanced up and smiled, a spark of hope returning. <I’m more frustrated at its comedic timing when it transformed me in between my evolution forms. I almost ended up crushed by a gigantic paw because of that.>

Nica blushed and rubbed her forearm nervously. <Well… about that… I was kind of hoping it would let you stay as Raichu for a bit longer. Teaching you advanced tail tricks would have been a lot of fun.>

<You can still do that when I return back to normal,> Pichu pointed out, waving his own tail in response.

<It just won’t be the same.> Nica shook her head in disappointment. <Besides, there’s not much I could teach you. My best techniques require a long tail for their full potential.> She sighed as her ears drooped. <Not to mention that you didn’t get enough time to learn if evolving will affect your personality in a negative way. It would put your biggest fear to rest.>

Pichu hopped up from the pillow and looked up, gazing back at her depressed expression. <Actually, you helped me to put some of my biggest fears to rest, fears I was unaware I even had. You showed me my evolution in a much better light, and I thank you greatly for that.>

<Even if I did, it still changes nothing. You’ll never evolve anyway...> Nica muttered, casting her eyes downwards.

Pichu placed forepaws on his hips and said, <Never say never.> A sassy smirk shone through his reluctant tone.

Nica could sense he was still unsure about what he said, but there was hope, and she was going to take what she could get. <Huh? Did you say what I think you said?>

Nica gasped as her pupil’s became wide. With a quick swipe of her forepaws, she wrapped Pichu in a tight hug. <I’m soooo glad!>

Pichu grit his teeth, feeling Nica’s paws unintentionally squeeze his bruised and battered body. At times like this… I wish… she was… way smaller… Scratch that… I should be grateful… she’s not at her... full size… Upon being released, he gasped for air, dramatically stumbling back and collapsing atop the bed.

Pichu could do little but laugh at the cheerful reaction of his guardian. <It seems in the end, this adventure helped us both overcome some of our fears.>

Nica nodded. <Indeed, and I’m happy for it. However…> Her tone of voice became more serious. <My fear of being useless and my fear of failing to save lives are something I embraced a long time ago. It motivates me to work harder and overcome any hardship.> She shook her head. <Your pride motivated you to become the best without evolving, and my fear made me nearly unbeatable and dependable. I would rather not try to overcome those fears too quickly. Or at the very least find a more healthy alternative to motivate myself.>

<Fair enough,> Pichu muttered before climbing back onto the fluffed pillow, once again sinking into it. He stretched his forepaws and released a satisfied sigh before continuing, <I’m exhausted. I can’t wait to wake up in the morning and get this curse dealt with. Hopefully the cure will be finished by then.>

Nica bounced beside her friend, flashing a smile while she playfully nuzzled Pichu’s nose. Moments later, she forced herself back and slowly walked away, whispering, <Good night and sweet dreams… hero.>

<What about you?> Pichu sleepily murmured.

<What about me?> Nica asked, stopping at the edge of the bed. She glanced at the Pichu in confusion.

<Well, considering how much you had to endure during today’s adventures, you should go to sleep as well and recharge your batteries. You can skip your night exercise and stuff.>

Nica turned around and shook her head. <Sorry to disappoint, but the hardship we faced today is nowhere near enough to make me skip my training.>

“What!?” Pichu shouted, climbing onto the edge of the pillow. He gave Nica a look of pure pity, scooting closer to the slightly taller Raichu. <But why put yourself through such intense training?! You’ve explored the aggressive Everfree Forest, fought against the prideful and stubborn Yaks, climbed three mountains in a row, and faced monsters while being the size of my paw. Facing such trials no doubt made you stronger already. There’s no need to train tonight, right?>

Upon spotting her crestfallen expression, he waddled over to Nica, gently cupping her paws and staring into her eyes with a pleading gaze. <Right?> he repeated, already knowing the answer.

Nica said with a sad shake of her head. <I may be much more skilled and durable than you, but I’ve only managed to surpass my limits once. I’m at the point where I can no longer improve. In fact, I need to keep pushing myself just to maintain my current skills and survivability.> She pointed at him. <You have talent, that’s obvious. You can improve your abilities at a very fast rate and learn very quickly, but I can’t. My skills, power, stamina, durability; they may be great, but a harsh, painful and never-ending training regime is the price to pay for it.>

Pichu’s ears drooped, now understanding Nica’s predicament. <I… understand. Still... > He held his forepaws together, a desperate attempt to change her mind. <After today’s adventure, I believe nothing will happen if you skip your training for just tonight. There must be something more fun or relaxing you can do than train yourself to complete exhaustion.>

Nica rubbed her chin for a moment, thinking deeply before tapping her paws at the realization. <Actually, there’s something I can do now while I’m affected by poison joke. It may even be fun.>

<Whatever it is, go for it!> Pichu encouraged.

She cheered, darting off without another word.

Fluttershy rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned as she slowly perched herself on her bed, feeling the soft fuzz of a pink pillow greet her drowsy head. With a peaceful yawn, she pulled a custom eiderdown, which was speckled with red velvet and cotton candy pink butterflies. She snuggled deeper into the blanket as its warmth enveloped her.

She glanced up at wooden birdhouses swaying above her head, at the spotless grey fireplace, and then at the numerous books resting on the shelf next to her bed. After considering her options, she stood from her bed to set up a small fire before picking up one book with her wing.

With the soft pillow supporting her back and the eiderdown covering her legs, she opened a book with a few lively bunnies playing in the woods on the cover. Light from flames at the fireplace providing just enough visibility for night reading.

Fluttershy’s ear perked up at a familiar noise, one she found to be surprisingly quiet and squeaky, though she couldn’t place where she remembered it from. She scanned her bedroom for any sign of the creature, yet failing to find anyone.

She looked at the edge of the bed, seeing two little critters sitting there. <Mr. Patrick? Why are you all the way here? And who’s your little friend?” She placed the book down, open on the first page and crouched into a sitting position to take a closer look. “Please, come closer. Don’t be shy, I’d just like to see who you are, if you don’t mind.” As the white rodent and his little companion approached, Fluttershy’s eyes became wide. “N-Nica…? B-but you’re so small! How?” She lowered her head, her eyes now focused on a pokemon one third of the rat she stood next to.

Nica ran closer and leaped onto her muzzle, hanging to it with her paws. <It’s a long, long story involving some mischievous poison joke.> She positioned herself, now sitting on the muzzle instead as her rear legs sank into the velvety, yellow fur. <Let’s just say that today was very eventful. Even more so than some of my days fighting crime back in my own world.>

“Poison joke? Oh dear…” she murmured as the movement of her snout forced Nica to tighten her grip. With a slow movement of her wing, she slid the tip of it under Nica’s legs, picking her up and rolling her onto a makeshift cloud of fluffy feathers. “I heard from my animal friends that hostile vines started to spawn in the Everfree Forest, and today I saw a few clouds embedded with thorns slowly making their way out of the Everfree’s borders. Please tell me you didn’t end up in any danger while being so small.”

<I’m sorry Miss Fluttershy, but it would be a lie if I claimed to have avoided peril.> Nica stepped from the tip of the pegasus’ wing and started trekking down. The moment Fluttershy lowered her wing a bit more, Nica perched herself among the yellow feathers while nuzzling one with her cheeks. She peeked from behind the plumes and shot the mare a toothy smile. <But worry not! My Pikachu friend fought bravely to defend us while I did my best to support him. Though it is worth mentioning that he was a Pichu due to the poison joke’s influence, which worked against us a bit. Even with that setback, he managed to keep us both safe, proving me once again why he’s worthy of being called a hero.>

“Oh… can you tell me more?” Fluttershy asked with a growing interest as every vibe in her body begged her to snuggle the tiny Raichu. Images of her nose gently pressing into the little white belly already appearing in her mind. “And a little bit louder, please.”

Nica shouted, realizing she had to speak loudly in order to be heard.

Mr. Patrick jumped onto the wing beside her, squeaking his encouragement. Fluttershy smiled at his kind words.

“It seems Mr. Patrick is also very interested in learning how a mighty mouse-like creature such as yourself got so small, as well as the adventures you may have faced in that scary forest,” Fluttershy translated. “Oh, but before you start, may I ask you what you’re doing in my cottage so late at night? Not that I mind a friendly visit, but…” She tapped her forehooves nervously, awaiting for an answer.

Nica stood on the tips of her rear legs while her tail shivered in excitement.

“Favor?” Fluttershy questioned as she carefully raised her wing closer to her face. Her muzzle was only centimeters away from her tiny companions face’s, able to distinguish their overjoyed expressions.

Nica walked through the makeshift jungle of feathers before supporting the copper-dipped edges of her tiny paws against Fluttershy’s muzzle. <Since Poison Joke changes my size depending on how I view myself, I took advantage of it and shrank myself with the help of my humility.> She pointed at Fluttershy. Her body shrank, becoming as small as one of Mr. Patrick’s limbs. She took a few steps backward and tapped her forepaws nervously with a blush appearing on her cheeks. <If you won’t mind…>

Fluttershy’s eyes sparkled with joy and a big toothy smile grew on her lips. “Of course I can snuggle and nuzzle you, and you can sleep on my wing for as long as you want.” She giggled before giving her shrunken friend an excited grin. “I hope you won’t mind if I playfully tickle you with the tip of my wing? Or if I give you a cute nickname?”

“Deal,” Fluttershy cheered as she raised her other wing, tickling Nica’s face with its tip. The pokemon sneezed and then chuckled before falling onto her back in mock agony, vanishing from her sight among the forest of feathers. “Now, what kind of adorable nickname should I give someone as adorable as you? When Applejack shrank, Spike called her Appletiny. Maybe Raitiny, or Nicatiny?”

Nica curled her tail into a tight coil, imitating a snake ready to strike, before springing it out in joy. She held forepaw on her chest and declared, “For this night and just for you, I shall take the nickname Tinychu!”

"Tinychu?" Fluttershy asked.

The rat looked between Fluttershy and the tiny pokemon. He held forepaw over his mouth while uttering a variety of cheerful giggles.

Fluttershy giggled with a warm feeling filling her heart. “This name is absolutely adorable and lovely, my cute little Tinychu.” She squealed in excitement. “Listening to an interesting story before going to sleep, playing silly games, cuddling and snuggling with you while you’re so tiny! It’ll be so much fun.”

<You said it!> Tinychu cried before forming a devious smirk. Rubbing her paws together, she glanced to Fluttershy with a look of pure innocence, before springing off of the mare’s wing and shouting, <You’ll have to catch me first though!> The giggle’s of the Tinychu could be heard echoing throughout the cottage.

Mr. Patrick leaped from the wing onto the bed, now looking at the tiny pokemon from the edge. He looked at Fluttershy, squeaking a question or two.

“I believe she wants to play tag, and you're more than welcome to join. I’m not sure if I could even catch someone as agile as her on my own,” Fluttershy answered as she gently pushed away her eiderdown and carefully stepped from her bed, turning on the nightlight before searching for her tiny companion. While she was aware of this pokemon’s extreme durability, which was vastly superior to her little critters, stepping on her tiny friend was something she preferred to avoid.

She watched as a small, lightning-tipped tail darted underneath the bed, barley avoiding her outstretched wing.

The mare wandered around the bed, lowering her head to get a good view of below her cot. She spotted Tinychu curled behind a dust bunny, a small speck she must have missed during her spring cleaning. She stretched her wing under the bed in attempt to snatch Tinychu who effortlessly foiled her attempts.

The enthusiastic rat leaped from the bed and ran under it, flanking the pokemon. Tinychu ran away in between his paws as each of the rat’s limbs were as big as her entire body.

The chase continued as Tinychu sprinted behind an old chair propped against the wall.

“Hehe, I can see you silly!” Fluttershy called, noticing Tinychu’s little tail popping out from behind the cover. The little creature dashed away in mock panic as the mare closed the gap, gently flapping after her. As Tinychu jumped onto her bed, hiding under the pillow, Fluttershy giggled and lifted it up, only to blink in confusion.

“Tinychu? Nica?” She questioned, but she had disappeared without a trace. Or at least, had disappeared before a musical laughter spawned from beneath the massive eiderdown. A little bump could be seen moving from within, occasional snorts and giggles slipping loose.

Fluttershy couldn’t help but burst out laughing as well, not bothering to catch her friend for the moment. She watched as Mr. Patrick ran under the eiderdown, and than as the Tinychu squirmed out from underneath the heavy comforter and vaulted herself atop her lifted pillow, glancing at her with a tiny, playful smile. She returned the smile as she observed Nica make her way over to her headboard, latching on to another cushion.

Mr. Patrick blocked Nica’s path, running left and right while corraling her on the cushion.

Fluttershy dropped the pillow she was holding back onto the bed before reaching for Tinychu with her hooves, trapping her gently in between one hoof and the other pillow.

“Gotcha!” Fluttershy teased with a smile on her face as she slowly lifted the edge of her hoof to peek under it, only to frown seconds later at the spot Nica used to be. The little critter had seemingly disappeared. It was only a little later Fluttershy identified the Tinychu’s location, feeling her little paws traipse across her back, using her wings as a diving board. The pokemon took three testing jumps before launching herself off, landing with an unrivaled grace.

<See ya!> Nica called while dashing among the floorboards. She already jumped over the playful rat and made her way across the room before the pegasus realized where she was heading.

Fluttershy darted up and chased after with a determined grin, attempting to make up for lost time. She stalked after, attempting to use her soft wings to scoop up the mouse pokemon, but no matter how close she got, Tinychu was always one step ahead, surpassing even her most agile critters in terms of agility and jumping prowess.

Tinychu quickly scaled her stone fireplace to escape, using the rugged sone croppings to propelled herself upwards. With a final squee, she tucked herself behind a framed portrait, making sure to keep her long tail out of sight.

“I’m gonna get you!” Fluttershy teased, pretending she didn’t notice the little ball of fluff laughing atop the fireplace mantle. “Hmm… where’s Tinychu?” She quickly glanced behind a stuffed chair. “Not here. I wonder...” She tiptoed to the Tinychu’s spot, circling around one of the picture. Her rat assistant winked at her from the floor, playing along.

“Where…” She tried to casually walk near the mantle, pretending to be looking behind the small stack of logs piled in the fireplace. Noticing that Tinychu was gazing in the opposite direction, she giggled, attempting to stifle her laughter before her bite-sized friend caught on.

“She…” Just a couple more steps. Fluttershy thought as she snuck closer, eyeing up her prize.

“Is!” Taking Tinychu by surprise, Fluttershy sprung behind the startled pokemon, opening her wings and surrounding the little pokemon. Soon, she gently locked her in her feathery grasp, encasing her in a prison of fluffy doom. Very reluctant shouts of protest were heard before they died down almost as fast as they had come.

Nica’s eyes slowly began to droop, the warmth creating a spot of pure bliss. In seconds, she was curled in Fluttershy’s hold, falling fast asleep with little complaint.

“Oh my, you must be exhausted after all those adventures you and Pichu went on. Let’s get you to bed, we can talk over tea later, when you feel rested.”

Fluttershy carefully carried Tinychu to her bed, balancing her tiny body on her wings. She was moments away from placing her down on the bed when pokemon’s eyes shot open.

Not wasting a moment, she jumped up and sprung atop the pegasus’ head. “Hehe, I tricked you!” Nica cheered, before grabbing a strand of Fluttershy’s mane and swinging to freedom. She leapt across the chamber, overtaking more and more ground with every bound, when she reached the room’s entrance. She winked and slipped underneath the door, her shadow following a second later. “To get me, you need to try a little harder!”

Fluttershy shook her head in amusement. I should have known she had a trick up her sleeves. It’s on Tinychu. The cutest wins! She took off with a renewed determination, following after her companion’s trail with Mr. Patrick waiting for her to open the door.

Around half an hour later, Nica was pressed in between a nest of feathers on one of Fluttershy’s wings, and the tip of the other which tickled her belly. The Tinychu returned the favor as she snuggled in the mare’s wing a moment later, embraced within a multitude of plumage as she gave a soft sigh of satisfaction before crawling up beside the mare’s head. She replaced her previous perch for a small, improvised nest in Fluttershy’s pink mane, following up with a gentle poke to her cheek. Her paws alone sank into the rich fur.

<That was tons of fun! But now time for the story you’ve been waiting for. It all started when Pikachu took me to Sugarcube Corner for a treat, and then…> Tinychu started as she slowly began to increase her volume, ensuring the nearby large ear would hear every squeaky word.

Mr. Patrick exposed his ear, listening while perched on the pegasus’ belly. Each minute of the trilling story filled him with conflicting fear and excitement, finding Nica’s struggles and battles inspirational.

It didn’t take long before Fluttershy’s warm, cheerful smile turned into one of terror as she hid her head under a pillow, only to provide the Tinychu with a large portion of midnight cheer-up snuggles. As Fluttershy fell asleep holding her pillow with her forehooves while pressing her face into it, Tinychu curled herself up on the middle part of her right wing, holding Fluttershy’s feathers under her head in a tight embrace while perched in her improvised nest.

Ch.13 - Reunion

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 13
-
Reunion

Nica awoke after a solid night’s rest, stretching her stiff muscles. She released a long yawn, still dreaming about her peaceful nap. It had been about two weeks, or maybe even more, since she was able to fall asleep without losing consciousness from exhaustion. It seemed that recently she was constantly being pushed to her limits. She examined her fur, not finding any remaining bruises from her recent adventure within the Everfree’s depths.

Hopping to her paws, she noticed Fluttershy and her rat friend were nowhere to be seen. Instead of being tucked away on the mare’s soft wings, she was comfortably placed on one of of her pillows, a small blanket made of Fluttershy’s pink mane pooling around her paws. Folding the miniature comforter, she plopped it on her pillow and jumped over to the window sill. The morning sun seemed to smile upon the land as gentle rays of light shone down, warming the chilling wind and enchanting the outside scenery.

Among Fluttershy’s garden, she could spot the pegasus tending to her crops, frollicking around numerous bunnies and birds, with even a bear standing off to her side. Angel Bunny was not pleased, hopping in place with a scowl as he glared daggers at the current creature Fluttershy was paying attention to. Wow, Angel certainly is possessive of Fluttershy. I wonder if I got on his bad side already.

Hopping onto the floor, she sqeezed herself under the closed door and made her way downstairs, landing on her durable hind legs for every jump she took. Passing multiple bird houses, she leapt atop a nearby residency, holding onto the structure with her tail.

Before she began swinging, she peeked inside the house, making sure she didn’t disturb any creature who lived inside. When the interior proved empty, she started swaying back and forth, seconds later jumping and alternating from home to home as she made her way closer to the door. With a final launch, she flew forwards and landed, hooking her tail around the knob and pulling it open.

She ran through tall grass before leaping onto a nearby log, using her momentum to then vault herself closer to the mare. A few sparks were released into the air, catching the pegasus’ attention. <Fluttershy! Do you need help with anything?> She walked over to the mare and her audience of critters, a calm smile present on her face.

“Oh, hello Tinychu!” Fluttershy responded, lowering herself to the ground. She gently booped muzzles with the shrunken pokemon in a silent greeting.

Nica’s face flushed crimson as the neighboring critters chuckled at her nickname. Angel looked positively furious, stomping his furred paws against the soil as she sensed little quakes under her tiny feet. Nica glared at Fluttershy before retorting, She sighed as Fluttershy gave her a pleading look, finally adding, <Fine, you may call me Tinychu.> She ran closer and hopped atop her shoulder, quickly burying herself in her cotton candy pink mane. <So, what are you doing?>

“Well, poor Harry here didn’t get enough to eat this morning, so I’m getting him some fresh food to enjoy.” Angel Bunny snorted in annoyance from behind, slowly munching a carrot while staring daggers at the bear. “There’s no feeling worse than operating on an empty stomach.”

<Definitely!> Tinychu nodded.

Without a word, Fluttershy handed her a small apple slice, pre-cut earlier for her other, tinier creature friends. She grimaced at the sour taste as she munched on it for a bit, gazing around at the scenery, watching the numerous animals frolic and run about the clearing. Her ears twitched as she picked up on a high pitched squeaking, a feeling of anger and frustration following.

Glancing to her right, she noticed two mice bickering, one standing possessively over a pile of nuts and berries. The other kept attempting to snag some, only egging on the first. Things were escalating fast, and when the second prepared to bite the first, she jumped into action.

Without a second thought, Nica darted over to the rodents, pushing herself in between the feuding pair. When she threw herself in the middle of the mice, she took the brunt of the second’s attack, wincing as she felt the razor sharp teeth dig into her smaller frame. With a grunt, she dug her rear paws into the ground and pushed the mouse back, ignoring the sting in her arm.

<Mister, I understand you may want some nuts, but that is not how you get them!> She scolded. <Attacking a friend is never ok!> She twirled around, now glaring up at the first mouse. <And you. I understand you like having a lot of food, but with that much you should be willing to share. If anything, I’m sure Miss Fluttershy would be more than happy to give you both some of hers.>

As both mice looked down at her in confusion, she began gesturing at them, the food and Fluttershy, using paw gestures while writing on the ground with her tail to fill the needed words. Their heads ducked low to avoid eye contact, lowered in shame. She could sense a strong feeling of regret, washing over both animals as they realized what she was meaning to say.

One mouse stepped forwards and snatched a nearby stick, drawing his name into the soil.

After walking around the scratchy letters etched into the ground, Nica was able to make out the name Daniel. The second copied his moves and wrote down her own name, Bella. <Now, how did this all start?> She wrote the question with her tail, taking careful steps between each letter. She watched as both mice began attempting to act out their argument, Bella continuously waving her paws in the air while Daniel was digging a small hole in the ground. A bit later, she was finally able to make out what they were attempting to say.

So, if I understand their gestures correctly, they both started collecting together, but Daniel suddenly became very possessive over the pile the moment Bella tried to split it in her favor, Nica thought as the arguing duo started squeaking at each other again. She approached the arguing mice and separated them with the help of her tail.

With their attention on her, Tinychu looked up at them with a look of disapproval. She stood on her rear paws, placed forepaws on her hips and shook her head. She waved her forepaw at the mice. <You should be ashamed.> Using her tail, she wrote another message, this one pointing out Fluttershy’s kindness and care.

Sensing regret, both critters started muttering squeaks in an apologetic tone before hugging each other. Tinychu turned around and dashed back over to the pegasus, who was currently tending to a variety of plants. Leaping atop her back, a tiny eep escaped the mare’s mouth.

She ran over and squeaked into her ear, <Um, Fluttershy. I’m sorry if I scared you but I was wondering if you had someone extra snacks left over for these two critters. They got into a little argument over some snacks.>

“Oh dear, I hope everyone’s alright,” Fluttershy whispered, bending down to fetch some of the edibles piled beside her.

Nica jumped down, landing next to the pile. She stood on tips of her rear paws and puffed her chest. <Don’t worry, I took care of it. I’m dependable when it comes to diplomacy,> she said as her body nearly tripled in size, her inner thoughts of her inferiority pushed aside for the moment. Fluttershy gave a small smile, pleased that Tinychu was praising herself for once.

Seeing as Fluttershy was about to reach out for the cheese, Nica simply smiled and leaped towards it herself, slicing two fragments with her ‘Iron Tail.’ With one fragment wrapped by her tail and another held with her tiny paws, both being slightly bigger than her, she performed a giant jump, launching herself over to the waiting mice with little difficulty. She handed them the food as both gave a smile and darted off, adding the snacks to their shared stash.

“So, I was thinking that we could stop by the spa and see if the cure is ready, if you’d like,” Fluttershy began, crouching down. She outstretched her wings, inviting Tinychu to hop on top of it. Within seconds, Tinychu was nuzzling the soft feathers, finding them somewhat smaller than before.

<That’d be great! I like being tiny, but I would feel awful if I was unable to help someone because I was too small.> She glanced down at the fluff she was snuggling with.

The mare giggled as she set aside the collected food. With Tinychu curled within her wings, she began the trek back to Ponyville.

Nica’s head peeked from behind the soft feathers as her lightning-spiked tail stood out from the spread wing, a wide smile shining on her face. From all snuggling sessions, cuddling exchanges and naps on puffy plumes, the ones she experienced yesterday were definitely the best. Even though she didn’t push herself hard enough for her usual standards, choosing to visit Fluttershy instead, it wasn’t anything she couldn’t catch up with. Worth it… so worth it!

She grasped the mare’s delightfully dreamy feather and nuzzled it affectionately, taking advantage of her little size before she would receive the cure.

“Hey, Fluttershy! Is Nica with you by any chance?”

Tinychu looked over towards the source of voice, quickly noticing her friend Starlight, as well as the heroic Pichu who was perched atop her back, both looking massive from her perspective. She dashed towards the edge of the outstretched wing, balanced herself on her long tail and waved her paws enthusiastically. <Hey, Pichu, over here!> As she had hoped for, both Starlight and Pichu turned their heads, spotting her little frame. They both gave a cheerful grin and sauntered over, lowering their heads to get a better look.

<Hey Nica. Did you had fun during your mini vacation from training?> Pichu asked curiously, noticing the glow in her eyes.

She gushed, gently cuddling a lone feather while Fluttershy blushed and ducked her head down.

<Oh, so that’s where you snuck off to. I should have known,> Pichu teased before leaping without warning onto the expanded wing, causing it to shudder due to the added weight. Nica stumbled, quickly losing her balance and collapsing into Fluttershy’s forest of feathers. He sat down next to her, gently picking her up with his forepaws.

She shook her head, dispelling Pichu’s newfound fears. <Of course not. You convinced me that there’s nothing wrong with being a bit proud of your accomplishments. I may not be on your level yet, but I’ve had a fair share of struggles and achievements in my life. I’ve helped a lot of people and pokemon alike, and I hope those I helped will continue to pass on that kindness.> Her size doubled in an instant, a light glow sparking and flickering out as fast as it came. She gave a warm smile as she grew to the size of Pichu’s pink cheeks.

<That’s amazing! I’m glad you're appreciating the great things you do.>

Starlight gazed at Fluttershy with a raised eyebrow, smirking at the pegasus’ shy grin. “Let me guess; Snuggling and cuddling all night?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Add a couple games, storytelling and extra nuzzling times three.”

“That much, wow.” Starlight leaned towards Nica, gently bumping the ‘Tinychu’ with her muzzle. “You sneaky, little sweetheart. You couldn’t help yourself, could you? Although, I think it’s my turn.”

Nica didn’t respond verbally, but instead approached on her rear paws and embraced Starlight’s muzzle, rubbing it with her tail. Starlight could only resist the temptation for a few seconds, before she gave up and levitated the fluff ball against her furred cheek.

“Primarina and Fluttershy had their fun, now get ready for Starlight’s session,” the unicorn cheered, speaking in third person.

Nica laughed. <The more the merrier.> Though, their fun didn’t last for long as they arrived at the Ponyville spa a few minutes later.

Once again perched on Fluttershy’s wing, she eagerly looked at her traveling companions, as they all took in the room’s interior.

Littered around the room in a horseshoe loop, were gigantic beds, each topped with a calming coral pink mat and fluffed pillows. Warmed towels were draped over the edge, making Nica’s body tingle, but sadly, getting a massage was out of the question at her current size.

A massive wooden container sat in the middle of the room, circled by a set of stairs and an elevated platform. Swimming around in the enclosure would be a blast, especially with all her friends, but she wouldn't be surprised if they provided her with a smaller basket, to fit her shrunken state. Artistic vases were propped amongst the room, housing wild flora which added a decorative charm to the building. Once she regained her normal size, she would make it a top priority to treat her hero to a day at the spa, making sure he experienced all the attractions this place had to offer.

“Hey, look at that. Our brave heroes are back from their dangerous adventure, having learned many important lessons along the way,” a voice teased, hidden behind Pinkie’s poofy mane. Litten’s head popped out, following his earlier banter, until his eyes widened in shock at having spotted their different appearances. His flame-themed collar rested snug around his neck. “And apparently being changed by the experience in more ways than one.”

Nica peaked over towards the source of voice from the edge of Fluttershy’s extended wing, blushing as the cat’s stare focused on her.

<You have no idea.> Pichu rolled his eyes before jumping from Starlight’s back onto her head, addressing the fire-breathing pokemon from the higher ground. Starlight merely sighed, adjusting herself so he didn’t topple over. <To make matters weirder, I think it was more irritating being a Pichu rather than being a Raichu. I prefer larger paws and a longer tail over having an oversized head that drags me down. Also, while I managed to ignore it, being zapped whenever I used an electric attack got a bit annoying after a while.>

Litten gasped. “I would have never expected to hear something like this from you, especially with all the shenanigans you pulled with Nica over your dislike of evolution.”

<What can I say, my outlook shifted a bit.> Pichu shrugged, hopping off Starlight’s head and onto the floor.

Litten glanced at Nica and said, “I was going to ask you guys if you would be up for a game of tag, but now I’m wondering what you two have been up to yesterday.”

Fluttershy draped herself across the massaging table with her left wing still spread. “Game of tag? Nica and I played it already. I must say, it was the cutest game I’ve ever had the honor of playing!” She giggled as Nica nodded her head in agreement.

Pinkie Pie ignored the discussing creatures as she displayed a wide, toothy smile. Her body trembled uncontrollably, as her eyes sparkled. She was barely holding herself together, seconds away from exploding at all the cuteness stuffed into one tiny pokemon. “So… so… so itty-bitty-adorable! I was told you could change your size, but didn’t expect you would be that small!”

Nica observed as Pinkie Pie mysteriously moved a forehoof in her direction, only to notice a collection of tiny-sized cupcakes resting on her sole. They had lightning-shaped borders twisting around the cupcake liner, each topped with mouthwatering chocolate icing. She took one with her forepaws, grabbing the largest treat which was nearly as big as her head. <Thank you!> she shouted before sinking her teeth into the frosting. Being tiny sure comes with benefits, she thought, taking another bite before licking off the excess icing that dotted her nose and cheeks.

Starlight opened her saddlebag and peeked inside. “I brought translating collars. How about we call the spa ponies to bring in the antidote, and then Nica and Pikachu can tell us all about their adventures.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, as Litten jumped down and stalked up to Nica, a mischievous smirk present. He hopped onto the massaging table before climbing onto the spread wing, perching himself on the soft feathers while whispering, “So, which name do you prefer? Pica, or Nikachu?” The Raichu blushed, taken off guard, but before she could retort, a loud ‘bang’ filled the spa. It alarmed a variety of workers who dashed into the room, their attention now focused on the unexpected guests who stood in the main lobby.

The door was flung open behind them, showcasing a unique trio. The first was a creamy yellow mare who was being pushed forward with some unknown force, currently blushing and hiding behind her aqua-colored bangs. Her turquoise eyes were ducked down, highlighting a lavender collar that sat snug around her neck, a rosy red scarf poking out. A small flower was pinned into her hair, matching her first accessory, with a posh hat accented with a lone crimson feather that was stamped as her cutie mark.

Alongside her sat Rarity, though rather than walking, she was placed atop a floating couch, a hoof over her mouth as she whispered profanities to herself. Her mane was coiled into tight curls, and her eyeshadow was sprinkled over her eyelids, though a small streak of blue darted to the left, as if she was pulled away half way through her makeup routine. The sofa she was on held a light silver glow, shimmering in the air.

Finally, a small creature popped through the door, hovering on its own tail. Its ears were pointing up, the same glow coating them as the couch. The pokemon had a deep ocean color washing amidst its eyes, seemingly reflecting the sea itself as its body held a similar frame to Nica. Stubby, rounded paws were held to the side, sporting dark tangerine fur as the end of each limb was dusted in white. Each cheek had a yellow dot, matching its dulled lightning bolt shaped tail, which rocked back and forth in the air, riding the air currents. A confident grin was present, shining back to all the shocked occupants.

“Coco Pommel? What are you doing all the way here in Ponyville?” Pinkie questioned, tilting her head to the side. “And with company?” She gasped. “So you’re the new pony and pokemon in Ponyville my pinkie sense warned me about. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming for a visit?” She stood on her rear hooves and spread her forelegs wide, somehow summoning a small batch of confetti out of thin air. It rained down atop of her as a party hat was mysteriously placed atop the mare’s head. “This calls for a welcome party!”

“Oh um, I’m just… visiting.” Coco shook her forehooves dismissively while displaying a sheepish smile. “Please, don’t bother. This trip was very last minute.”

Litten looked at the third guest from beside Nica with a look of disbelief. <Another Raichu? And an Alolan one? This is quickly turning into a ‘Chu’ family reunion or something.>

<Family reunion?> Nica murmured to herself before her eyes became wide. <Could he be...?>

“Rarity, forgive me for asking, but since when did you start riding your fainting couch?” Fluttershy mentioned from her perch on a massaging table.

Rarity groaned before shooting a deadly glare to the creature levitating next to her… the tail-surfing Raichu. “This method of transportation was forced upon me! I had no choice,” she claimed dramatically, falling back with her hoof thrown across her forehead.

It seemed like a fun and fast way to get us into the spa at the time. I had no idea it would stir up such a fuss, the pokemon responded, speaking directly to Rarity with his telepathy while rubbing the back of his neck. He looked over to the mare with an embarrassed smile.

“Apology accepted. Just try to think before you act next time,” Rarity said as she crossed her forelegs.

No promises! the pokemon replied, smirking as he set the couch down and floated closer to the onlookers.

“And since when can Raichu float on their own tail?” Starlight asked as Pichu looked at the intruder, a weary expression showing.

Nica rubbed her eyes, recovering from shock and made sure she wasn’t dreaming. She slowly walked closer, gasping in surprise. <Brother, is that you?> She ran atop Fluttershy’s wing, hoping to climb onto her head for a better view. She stopped as the Alolan Raichu started levitating towards her, slightly shocked he noticed her meek presence. She waved her forepaws and asked once more, <Ace... is that you?>

<Nica?> Ace muttered before his blue-silvery eyes sparkled with happy tears, as if coated in glitter.. <You… you… you are…>

<Small, I know! It’s all because of–>

Without letting his sister finish, Ace flew over and snached her from Fluttershy’s wing, giving her a tight squeeze. Litten jumped off the mare’s wing with a huff as Fluttershy fell back in surprise. <You’re ok!> He shouted, twirling in random circles. He hugged her even tighter as Nica grinned, excited to see her kin as well while ignoring the crushing aspect of this embrace.

<So you were concerned about me?> she teased, popping out of his grasp and onto his shoulder. She giggled before asking in a baby voice, <Did you miss me?> She poked his nose as he blushed, before he snatched her once more.

Ace stuttered. He replaced his sheepish smile with a goofy smirk and balanced her on the white patch of his forepaw. He soon began rubbing her belly with the other paw, then with his tiny nose, and then pressed her into his cheek, nuzzling her without mercy. <Who’s an adorable little sis? Yes you are, yes you are. Oh, I will remember this day for the rest of my life!>

<Lucky me!> Nica shouted in annoyance while her voice ended up muffled, lost among his endless orange fur.

“You’re Tinychu’s brother… I mean, Nica’s brother?” Fluttershy asked, laying on the floor from his earlier outburst. She stood up, shaking her wings out and pulling them to her sides, no longer needing to support Nica. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m always happy to meet members of the cute ‘chu’ pokemon species.”

Ace’s ears flashed a shiny silver as he levitated Nica from his paw. He placed the white edges on his cheeks and exclaimed, <Tinychu! Oh sis… why didn’t you tell me you were rebranding from overwhelmingly cute to weapon-grade adorable?> He perched her on his paw once again as his nose was but a minimeter from her face.

<Excuse me, but did you call her your sister?> Pichu repeated, now staring at the levitating pokemon with his full attention. <So you're her brother?>

Nica glanced at her hero with a wide grin forming on her face. This was a perfect opportunity to introduce her hero to a family member, an opportunity she was willing to take. I can only hope Ace doesn’t do something silly and ruin the moment, she thought, rolling her eyes at her kin’s former antics, only to end up pressed against his chest in a tight hug.

Ace looked down at the Pichu. <So not only Astra and Emily’s pokemon ended up in this world. Interesting.>

Nica pressed her tiny paws against her captor, her muscles burning as they tried to push her away from the upper part of his belly. The force of his paw was simply too strong thanks to the size difference, as she sighed and submitted. Though luckily, he ended this battle and kept his forepaw raised in front of his face.

<Hey sis, can you introduce me to your friend?> Ace asked.

Litten muttered, <Friend-zoned> to Pichu with a smirk.

The smaller pokemon simply glared at Litten, his face flushed, before focusing back on the Alolan Raichu.

<But first, explain your new size. I really want to know what caused you to become cuter than you already were,> he continued, placing Nica atop his paw once again.

Nica stood on the tips of her rear paws and placed her forepaws on her hips. <My size was altered a few hours after I touched a flora found in the Everfree forest known as poison joke. It’s a blue speckled flower that casts a ‘joke’ on whoever comes in contact with it, and it chose to change my size depending on my self-esteem.> She puffed her chest. <However, thanks to my survival skills, durability and reflexes, I managed to pull my weight despite my miniscule form.> She raised her chin proudly. Her size increased second by second as her tiny frame became too large for a single paw. Standing on a single leg, she leaped down onto her brother’s tail. She stood on tips of her rear legs, balancing herself.

The Alolan Raichu scooched over to add more room for his sister, his eyes widened in shock. <Wow... I can’t believe it! You actually bragged about your amazing abilities. This is spectacular.> He held his paws towards the sky in a praying motion. <Thank you Arceus for this miracle!>.

The little Raichu repositioned herself, climbing up Ace and standing atop his forepaws once more. Each of her rear legs were balanced on a white patch on each of Ace’s forepaws. She pointed accusingly at him and asked, <I’m changing my size at will, and that’s what you’re focused on?>

<Let’s get real. Pokemon changing size, neat. Tons of ‘em can do that with the move ‘Minimize.’ You praising yourself, now that's impressive! I still can’t believe it’s happening. I feared this day would never come.> He flew over to Pichu, exclaiming, <Pinch me! I must be dreaming!>

Nica rolled her eyes. <Let’s just say that my self-esteem has increased after my last adventure.> She pointed at the Pichu sitting on the floor and said, <And my friend is actually a Pikachu. He just became a Pichu due to the poison joke. The joke played on him was de-evolving. He never wanted to evolve into a Raichu, because of bad past experiences, so the flower instead turned him into a Pichu.>

Ace looked at the Pichu with a growing curiosity.

<Ace, do you remember the heroic Pikachu I told you all about, the one I’ve admired forever?>

Ace nodded. <You mean Ash’s Pikachu, yes…> He gasped and looked at Pichu in shock. <You don’t mean…>

Ace smirked as Nica spotted a small spark of excitement glow in his eyes, the very thing she had been hoping to see. Making sure her brother and her hero would become great friends was something she was looking forward too. Two of the most important pokemon in her life being best buds was a dream come true, one she didn’t want to wake up from. Nica, focus! Priorities first. She shook her head before asking, <Sooo… brother. Since I now know that you were summoned into Equestria like the rest of Emily’s pokemon were, care you tell me what you’ve been doing all this time?>

Ace smirked. <Sure, but once I’m done, I want to know about the adventure that seemingly boosted your pride overnight, along with your thousand out of ten cute factor. Oh, and I also want in on that nice, hot bath!>

<Deal!>

Ch.14 - Little Lost Ace - Pt.1

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Little Lost Ace

Chapter 14
-
Little Lost Pikachu - Part 1

Each region of the Pokemon World has its own special charm. Different legendary creatures roaming across its borders, their power both respected and feared, with a variety of gym leaders, bringing new challenges to arriving trainers determined to prove themselves. A Pokemon league gracing each region, with an Elite Four representing the highest might and strength a place had to offer. Though many would say Alola was one of the most unique.

Four massive islands were sprinkled across rocky waters, forcing trainers to endure rigorous trials on each atoll rather than a traditional gym. The tropical forests were laced with excitement, new pokemon to catch and thrilling encounters. The chain of islands pushed people to their limit, the same with pokemon, giving all living creatures a special quirk, something unknown to other regions. Z-rings held a tight grip on trainers, merely myths to most as only the most elite and worthy were known to possess one.

For ordinary tourists, however, it’s a place to relax amongst the warm breeze, enjoy a variety of tropical foods and swim at the beach with resorts and attractions at their disposal. A must have was the spectrum of flavors that came with Malasada, a famous treat plastered on almost every booth, though only a special few knew how to bring out its true potential.

Two skilled veterans were relaxing on the beach, one having risen above all others and earning the title ‘Pokemon Master,’ while the other had just began to make her legacy. Instead of chasing after adventure, facing trials or adventuring into the wild, they were simply relieving stress with the sun, sand and water as peaceful companions.

Emily was lying comfortably on a padded sunbed, basking in the cool shadow of her umbrella. Her silver hair was tied into a loose braid and thrown across her back, soaking in the sun’s vibrant rays. A retro straw sun hat was placed atop her head, mainly for looks, matching along with a pale blue swimsuit, tightly hugging her body and accentuating hidden curves. Icy blue eyes peeked out from the blinding light, though anyone who was close with her knew that her gaze was filled only with warmth for those she respected and cared for. The powder white purse she always had at her side was tossed into the sand, now partially buried underneath a bronze blanket, six pokeballs resting above. Four were currently empty.

A few meters away lay the daughter of her former boss, Astra, a girl with bright orange hair. Once stashed away in a secluded bunker, now being one of the strongest trainers alive. She had risen from an orphan, stolen away from her parents and continued their mission. A few years later, she was surpassing the skills of her mother and possessing the tactical thinking of her father, something that she was greatly admired for.

Emily raised her head to glance over at the sea, squinting her eyes to search for her partners in crime. Starmie, a large starfish with a huge crimson ruby encrusted on its chest, was surfing the waves alongside a siren-like pokemon, who took a moment to wave his fin at her. She giggled as she watched the male creature flaunt his pearl woven hair, something that he always seemed annoyed with.

It seems Astra’s Starmie and my dear Battleship are enjoying themselves. Even professionals needs to loosen up a little and have fun from time to time, Emily thought as she looked away from Primarina.

She turned to watch the beach, ignoring the numerous tourists and their pokemon as her attention focused in on a large, green beast with a giant flower blooming on his back. Though scary to some, Venusaur was extremely peaceful, kind in almost every aspect. Only when on the battlefield did this gentle giant release his ferocity. A pleasant smile graced his face as an egg-shaped pokemon was taking a nap under the giant flower, hiding in its cool shadow. On top of the flower lay a nine-tailed golden fox, his belly exposed to the sunlight and his forepaws playfully stretched outwards, the massive bulb soaking up any excess light that shone through.

Seeing how the mighty pokemon of her new boss were sunbathing, made such powerful veterans approachable. She could tell participating in activities such as these were making a big difference. Venusaur and Ninetales seem to be enjoying the sunbath, although Blissey not as much... I hope it isn’t too hard for Astra to find some enjoyable hobbies for herself and her team. Sometimes she takes her duties and goals way too seriously… kind of like I did years ago. She sighed, reflecting on the many events that shaped her into who she was now.

Snapping out of her daydreaming, she looked further ahead, now observing a fat pokemon with big flat hands bouncing a beach ball towards a smaller, pink one. While both pokemon stood on two rear legs and had hands, their features stood out from the humans. Her dear Queen Audino despite her smaller size and gentle nature, gave Commando Hariyama a tough challenge, turning a fun game into a competition.

Emily searched for her pokeballs, spotting them resting beside her blanket. She stared specifically at the ones that weren’t empty, still housing pokemon. While her Excadrill and Arcanine, which she named Tank Destroyer and Knight refused any naval activities, maybe they would still play in the sand and enjoy themselves. Scratch that idea… Knight dislikes when sand gets stuck in his fur. His coat is too rich for his own good. She thought back to her seventh pokemon, an Alolan Muk, which she had to keep in reserves since he got a bit too friendly when interacting with tourists and locals.

She looked at the remains of Astra’s pokemon. A Gliscor, Scizor and Lucario, who meditated on the sand while sitting next to one another. Lucario’s rear legs were crossed, followed up by a calm and focused expression on his face. Scizor sat on his knees, remaining as silent as ever while Gliscor balanced himself on his tail with his wings wrapped around his entire body. Whether he was meditating or sleeping was difficult to tell as even his face was well hidden beneath the wings. Either way, she knew the moment something happened, he would be the first to spring up, alert as ever.

Her vision was blocked by a wide, white belly as two silvery-blue eyes looked back at her with a hint of sadness. His gold-like fur was dotted with white patches at the edges of his paws.

“Ace? What’s wrong bud?” Emily asked as she looked at her Alolan Raichu, whose smile was always the brightest whenever they visited the beach. Seeing him somewhat depressed wasn’t easy for her in the slightest. Their short vacation was meant to raise the morale of their team after all, not drop them further. She sighed, already knowing the reason for his grief. As more time passed, it became harder and harder to comfort the lonely Raichu.

Ace’s oversized ears flashed slightly as his voice echoed in her mind. I miss my sis. Any chance Palkia can send us as well? Just for a bit?

Emily shook her head, once again repeating the same answer to the same question.

Bummer… It’s been a month, and I’m starting to miss surfing with her, Ace muttered as his ears drooped. His rear paws balanced on the yellow part of his tail as he hovered in the air.

Emily groaned. Ever since Astra’s partner, Nica, visited her family as a Raichu, she left a big impression, and not long after three young, eager Pichu approached the bunker at the bottom of the mountain, demanding to become part of the team. Seeing their enthusiasm, she allowed one to join her squad while naming him Ace, who quickly brought a ton of energy and life into her professional and serious team. When she thought back to that moment, she couldn’t imagine picking another, having bonded with Ace before she even chose him. There was something about him that spoke to her, and before she knew it, there was an Ace on her team. Even her own serious and determined look melted when facing Ace’s enthusiastic personality.

“I know you miss and worry about her, but I’m sure she’s alright. She’s a master of survival after all. Palkia tasked her with an important mission for a reason and swore to bring her back after two months,” Emily said with an encouraging smile before pointing at the waves dancing on the horizon. “Just have fun on the water. In four weeks she’ll be back and have a new collection of riveting stories to tell us about the exciting adventures she had in this other world.”

Ace forced a smile before spreading his forepaws. In a thrust of speed, he levitated towards the sea while forcing Emily to protect her face from the sand flying into the sky in Ace’s wake. He quickly reached the closest wave, only to summon a much larger one, which created a tunnel for Ace to ride through.

Just as she was about to settle back in her chair, Emily’s eyes became wide upon seeing an odd phenomena as a few sparking portals formed in mid-air. The yelps of panic could be heard on the beach as the rifts started sucking in pokemon with an unfathomable force, the wind alone forcing Emily to cover her face once more.

The moment she lowered her hand, her face became pale at a startling realization. Both Astra’s and her pokemon vanished from sight. Most of their powerful, personal army gone in an instant as only the pokemon inside their pokeballs were spared the experience. She stood up and approached her boss, who now looked at the scene in confusion, masking her mounting despair. With Astra’s partner gone, Emily knew she was secretly grieving, but with Astra's entire team gone, she had no idea how her boss would take the news. “Sir… I mean, Astra… we may have a problem.”

Astra glanced back at her and rolled her eyes. “You don’t say.”

Ch.14 - Little Lost Ace - Pt.2

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Little Lost Ace

Chapter 1
-
New Frontier

The Alolan Raichu blinked in confusion as the ocean’s crystal blue waves no longer surrounded him. Instead, a veil of shadows circled around him, with only a distant spark of light to guide him. With no clue what was going on, he narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, using his momentum to increase his speed. The illumination from ahead became brighter and brighter before the scenery shifted into a grassy field, speckled with wildlife and flora.

He stared into distance for a few seconds, seeing a long trail of train tracks instead of the endless water, noticing only a small stream further ahead.

With a quick glance down, he noticed his white, spotted paws squished together, and spread them out quickly before he tumbled onto the ground. Thankfully, his tail kept him afloat as he flew over numerous wooden planks, the chocolate brown blurring into a single streak due to his speed.

Slowing his pace, he raised a single forepaw above his eyes to keep the sun’s illumination at bay, and examined his surroundings. His mind struggled to make the sense of the situation he was thrown into, attempting to process the string of events. On his right stood a massive mountain, the sum of three smaller hills melded together, with a forest dwelling underneath its peak .

When looking to the left, he saw the river leading far into the horizon, as well as a large waterfall spawning from the mount’s tops and supplying the smaller creeks with water. Each mountain he saw was coated in grass and trees with some snow dusted on the summit.

With an impatient flip, he spun around on a dime and stopped, changing his direction and observing the opening he just popped out from. After a closer look, he realized it wasn’t a hole though, but a tunnel specifically made for trains, emphasized by the tracks and stone padding.

He rubbed the back of his neck in confusion, pressing the white patch of his forepaw into his sun-kissed fur. So… instead of relaxing on the beach and surfing through a tunneled wave, I ended up in a real, carved tunnel with absolutely no idea where I am. Great… just wonderful.

Closing his eyes, he froze in place, bobbing up and down in the air as he levitated with ease. He poked his head in frustration, muttering, <Think, think!> To any other passerby, they simply would have heard the mouse-like creature whispering a singular sound, a confusing “Rai, Rai.” His forepaw started moving in a circle on his forehead, massaging it, though it didn’t do much good. <I was surfing casually, enjoying myself as much as I could, only for some dark, sparking hole that appeared out of nowhere to pop to existence in front of me. In the blink of an eye, my surroundings became completely dark and I ended up here. What could have happened? Was I attacked?>

Raichu lowered his forepaws and sighed in defeat. He raised his head, looking back at the towering mountains as he weighed his options. Staying in place will get nothing done, but where should I go? he thought, glancing between the natural landmarks he just discovered. Following those tracks are hopefully the best way to find a town, but which way should I go. Back into the tunnel or simply forward?

He began to fly forward in a random direction before pausing, and glancing back into the neighboring forests. <But wait, if I venture into the nearest jungle, maybe I can find some friendly pokemon to help me out.>

He shook his head, and took a couple calming breaths. <No, I’m getting ahead of myself. I should just follow a definite sign of civilization. Maybe I’ll find someone who knows where I am. But, still. Which way to go?>

Shrugging, his cheeks sparked with bolts of electricity as a determined expression overtook his face. <When life’s waves push you back, you gotta just ride ‘em forward.> His leg’s bent slightly as he spread his forepaws, maintaining a balanced posture as his tail pushed him forward, leading to a small bridge propped over a river. The grass swayed in his wake, his thrust creating a strong breeze as he flew along the tracks. He mumbled to himself as only the lone wildlife kept him company, <Gotta go with the flow.>

As initial confusion passed by, replaced with a persisting curiosity, he withdrew one forepaw to his head and rubbed his chin. It’s obvious that I’ve been separated from my trainer and the rest of the team. Although if they were also brought to this place I might be able to find them and regroup. I just hope they’re alright.

After several minutes of gliding, he soared over a rocky bridge, one durable enough to support the weight of a train, while rays of the sun warmed his face. His eyes opened widely in shock at realization. <Nica! How could I forget?> He smiled in excitement, rubbing his forepaws together as he thought of the possibility. Palkia sent Nica to an alternate dimension to protect creatures from a mysterious threat. What if I was somehow summoned there as well?!

With a growing curiosity, he pressed on, nursing the idea while examining his surroundings. He attempted to relax and allow his calm nature to take over, but he couldn’t help it as his muscles tensed. With the amount of training he had fought through, he knew he couldn’t simply let his guard down. With him being in unfamiliar surroundings and separated from his team, he was at a big disadvantage.

Soon, after nearly half an hour of travel, he forgot his earlier misgivings and collapsed down on his belly, using his forepaws to support his head. Has it been a half hour, or even longer? He wondered, yawning as he started forwards with a bored expression. His attention zeroed in on a sea of trees in distance. The train tracks split not far ahead, one leading deep into the forest while the other slithered into a small slit, carved into the side of a small mountain. With a final decision needing to be made, he took a deep breath and continued forwards, ignoring the forest lingering just outside his peripheral vision. Oh… I really hope I got teleported into the same world my sis was sent to and not into another world filled with super powerful and hostile beasts. Oh please, please, please! he pleaded to himself, unconsciously holding his forepaws together in a praying gesture.

Hoping his unsaid plea was heard, he titled himself forward, increasing his speed as flew forward, causing the weeds creeping through the train tracks to shake in his wake. He levitated into the tunnel as his surroundings dimed, his fur standing on end as haunting shadows seemed to dance within the stone walls. His ears perked up in alarm as a shrill screech tore his attention away.

He bit his lip, leaving a small mark as the pupils in his eyes shrank to mere pinpricks. His ears clamped down to the side of his head, shaking at the sudden realization. <No, no, no, no, no!> he chanted, and with a sharp turn, he levitated to the side, crashing into the rocky wall. A small yelp of pain escaped his mouth, though it was drowned out by the train’s thundering cry. Even after it flew by, he could still hear the machine’s noise bouncing around in his head as he struggled to catch his breath.

He collapsed on his levitating tail, grasping his chest as his heart desperately fought to escape it, pounding in sink with his shaky breaths. He gently massaged a new bruise on his cheek, overjoyed at avoiding being run over, even if he was a bit sore. After being crushed by more than one ‘Steamroller,’ it was an experience he certainly didn’t want to repeat. Huh… bullet dodged. He wiped the pooling sweat from his forehead, taking a moment to calm his nerves before leaving the tunnel, continuing with his travel. I should introduce myself to the locals. Maybe they can help me. It would definitely be better than wandering around aimlessly.

His mouth dropped open in shock, as he spotted a row of skyscrapers colliding with the clouds. Aside from multiple, nourished crops lining nearby hills, he noticed a massive city nestled beside a river. Each building had a unique grace to it, whether from the color it was coated in or the architect who it was designed by. The bustling city would be completely isolated from land, if it weren’t for the bridge bonding the two together. A big smile grew on his lips as he discovered his newest destination.

<A big city built beside a gigantic river! Now we’re talking,> the Alolan Raichu said, pressing the white edges of his forepaws against his cheeks in child-like joy. His eyes sparkled in amazement at the variety of creatures just waiting beneath the surface. As the city became bigger, the closer he got, each creation was easily dwarfing his small size. His eyes narrowed, focusing on a statue standing tall in the distance, displaying the might of each citizen living within the cities borders.

In one hoof it held a book, while a torch rested peacefully in the other. Robes made of an emerald green concrete covered most of the statue, its tail and mane an being the only exceptions, while a spiked crown decorated its head. The statue’s left eye looked back at him with a calming, motherly expression.

I get the impression that this statue is representing a female. Ace smiled as he admired the impressive creation, its robes falling gracefully at its sides. I must admit that the residents of this city really know how to turn something into a work of art. He glanced at the large, wooden head perched atop a tall building, frozen in shock or fear, he couldn't tell. Grimacing, he thought, Well… maybe not all their creations are perfect. Oh well.

After a couple more minutes of dull travel, Ace narrowed his eyes, slowly losing the excitement he had prior. It was obvious that in order to reach the city he needed to pass a very long bridge, which seemed to be supported on a few gigantic horse shoes. He giggled, imagining a Rapidash’s old shoes being used to hold up such a civilization. However, under the bridge was a massive quantity of water, unseen earlier.

Ace’s eyes became wide upon realizing that the river was actually connected to even larger body of water. A sea or maybe even the ocean pooled beneath the cities base. This metropolis… it’s built on an island… a freaking island! He spread his forepaws out and waved them in excitement while dancing on his tail. He stopped a moment later and bit his bottom lip as he resisted the urge to fly from the bridge and shout with joy. He didn’t have time to surf after all, more or less have an underwater exploration. He needed to make contact with the locals and find his sister.

As a few long and painful seconds of resistance passed, Ace grit his teeth and closed his eyes before shaking his head. Screw this torture! He thought, before declaring, <Sorry Nica, but you can wait just a bit longer. Naval creatures, here I come!> He took a deep breath before levitating off of the bridge, falling into the awaiting water with a loud splash. His cheeks looked like two little balloons.

He opened his eyes, examining the underwater scenery. Noticing a faint shimmer shining from the bottom, he swam towards it while still balanced on his longest limb, barely slowed down by the water’s pressure thanks to his trusty tail. He shot through the water like a torpedo, emitting a stream of bubbles as he sunk farther and farther down.

Soon, he found his prize. A glistening pearl was nestled in the murky soil. After a moment of admiring the sparkling pearl, he looked at the underwater creatures, which looked nothing like the water pokemon he had met in the past. All the water types in here look tiny and defenseless. That’s so sad, how are they supposed to battle or protect themselves? A few air pockets escaped from his mouth as he continued his underwater adventure. He looked up at the silhouette of the large statue, deciding to observe it from up close. I suppose taking a moment to admire such a mighty creation won’t hurt, but I can’t forget why I came here in the first place. He tapped his head. The locals! First good impressions are important.

“I must say, Manehattan truly is the largest city in Equestria. The culture, the glamour, there is so much to see!” An earth pony declared, standing out from the locals due to the variety of tourist clothing covering her body. A bright, blue mane stood out atop her orange fur. She gestured at the statue behind her and added, “Visiting it was worth every bit.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” muttered a bronze stallion wearing similar clothes, with a big logo ‘I -heart- Manehattan’ present on his premium t-shirt. He sighed, still remembering the con-pony who scammed him out of ten bits, “The citizens are always busy and bustling around, and the city itself is a bit too modern for my taste. I find Canterlot’s culture to be much richer, even if a bit more traditional.”

They walked along the edge of the water, taking pictures of the glamourous scenery. Their carefree attitude was interrupted by small bubbles forming on the water’s surface, making its way even closer to the shore.

Curious, the pair approached the edge of the water. They flinched as some sort of creature emerged with a loud splash. Thay backed up in alarm, but after closer inspection, they realized the creature didn’t seem aggressive.

The mare blinked in confusion. Was the animal ahead of her some sort rare fish species? Since when fish could levitate on their own tail... and had paws instead of fins?

<Hello there, the name’s Ace! What’s yours?> the creature said. The ponies looked on in shock, standing still as all they could hear was a muffled, “Rai, Raichu.”

“W-what?” the mare asked as the wet mouse-like animal grabbed her foreleg with its short paws and shook it. Their size difference like that between an adult and a foal, though it certainly didn’t act like one.

Oh, sorry! You probably didn’t understand what I said. A young, male voice echoed in her mind. Can you understand me now?

The mare kept staring, her eyes wide in shock. Did this creature just speak to her... in her mind? She nodded hesitantly as her brain did its best to keep up with the list of surprises being thrown her way.

Cool. The name’s Ace and I’m an Alolan Raichu. Nice to meet you! he spoke once more before releasing her forehoof and allowing the startled mare to respond.

She chuckled nervously before holding the forehoof to her chest. “My name is Soft Rose,” she pointed at the stallion standing next to her, “and this is my husband, Faded Script. Nice to meet you too.” She sat and rubbed her arm nervously. “How are you speaking to me without opening your mouth? This is so weird.”

Telepathy. One of the charms of being a psychic type. He gave a toothy smile before placing a paw on his chin and adding, Well, it takes a lot of practice as well. Not many can do it, other than a few select creatures and legendary pokemon, Ace responded as he placed one forepaw on his hip while puffing his chest.

Faded Script looked at her in confusion. “Is this part of the attraction? Nopony told me we would be greeted by a creature floating on its tail."

“I must say, you do look familiar for some reason.” Soft Rose blinked before taking a step back. She dug her hoof into the saddlebag at her side before taking out a folded newspaper. She opened it in haste, then looked at a page with a similar-looking creature. This one had a different shade of orange, and rather than snow-dusted tops, the one in the image had bronze paws. She looked at the so called “Raichu” before her. His ocean blue eyes looked nothing like the oval ones in the picture.

Is something wrong? Ace asked, concerned, before levitating towards the mare’s side, now looking at the newspaper. Sis… that’s my sister! It has to be her!

“Sister?” The mare looked at the animal in confusion as the Raichu before her started to fly in circles. After the tenth circle, she felt a strong headache coming over her.

The stallion glanced at the article before asking, “You’re related to the Heroine of Manehattan? The one that saved dozens from a fire? The one that took out one of the biggest gangs in Manehattan?” His mouth dropped open in shock as the creature nodded in confirmation. He read off more from the story, his eyes widening as well as the pokemon continued to nod.

Ace’s ears flashed with a silver sheen as the newspaper floated from the mare’s hooves, landing between his paws instead. <Heroine? Now I’m totally sure it has to be her.> He looked at the mare and spoke in her mind, My sis just loves helping and getting involved in dangerous stuff. She just can’t help herself when it comes to… well, helping others. He gave an innocent smirk as the stallion remained stunned.

A big, wide smile grew atop Rose’s lips. Without hesitation, she grabbed the pokemon by his shoulder and pressed herself into his side.

Ace yelped in surprise as newspaper fell from his hold. He closed his eyes, blinded by the light from the camera’s flash.

“A picture with the brother of the Heroine of Manehattan. All of my friends will flip out when I tell them that. I’m so excited!” She held the fluffy creature in front of her face with her forehooves as his tiny, button nose nearly collided with her muzzle. “You have to tell me all about her. Everything!”

Ace looked back at her and just grinned. Sure, it all started when…

“Excuse me.”

The group turned their heads in surprise, Soft Rose in annoyance, taking note of the approaching officer. The mare had a midnight blue uniform with an additional tie to match the title, accented by a pair of tinted glasses and a rounded hat sitting peacefully atop her head. The cities badge was plastered across the top, the police cap concealing a bright orange mane, striped with pale yellow streaks. Her hair was styled into neat curls, pulled back into a professional bun. Her gray fur shone as the sun’s gentle rays reflected off, adding a small sparkle in the officer’s teal eyes.

Ace levitated over as he spotted the officer’s golden badge, sitting the left from the tie.

“I apologise for interruption,” she said as she dipped her head, before pointing at the levitating Raichu, “but I can’t help but notice some resemblance between you and Miss Nica. Are you both related by any chance?”

Ace’s smile widened as his eyes started sparkling with anticipation. <Did you just say, Nica?> He jumped joyfully, stirring up a small whirlwind as he spun in circles. In seconds, he floated away, nearly threatened to pull the officer’s cap with it. He paused, remembering the ponies couldn't understand his natural speech, similar to his own trainer.

He stopped in front of the cute-looking cop as his nose gently bumped with her muzzle. You just said Nica, right? That’s the name of my sis! So she is in this world! He started leaping from one rear paw to another, hopping on his tail as his forepaws shook in excitement.

“This world?” the mare officer asked as she tilted her head to the side, looking more confused than ever. “Wait, did you just speak without moving your lips? And what’s up with the ‘Raichu, Rai,’ from before?” The couple from beside merely sighed, having gone over all of this just moments before. Soft Rose stepped forwards to explain, but the Raichu beat her to the punch.

Ace lifted her forehoof and shook it energetically. The name’s Ace, and I’m an Alolan Raichu! I spoke to you telepathically since your species doesn’t seem to understand my original language. It’s super nice to meet you miss cool-cute-looking cop. I’m also Nica’s brother, the ‘Heroine of Manehattan’ as you call her. Where is she, can you tell me? He withdrew his paws, dropped to his knees, held his forepaws together in a pleading gesture and looked at the pony with begging puppy eyes. Tell me where she is. Please, please, please!

The mare took off her glasses and gave him an overwhelmed smile. “Wow, you’re an enthusiastic one.” Her ears drooped. “I apologize, but I don’t know where your sister is at the moment. I only know that she left Manehattan nearly two weeks ago, after dealing with the crime. I heard she was doing a ‘hero for hire’ kind of thing, so I doubt she would have stayed here for long. Sorry bud.”

Ace lowered his head as a sad pout formed on his face. He felt a hoof raise his chin a moment later.

“But worry not, little one. I know someone who may be able to help you.”

R-Really?

The mare nodded before gesturing with her forehoof to follow her. He waved goodbye at the tourists and did so without complaint, Soft still muttering to her husband about her unfinished story. “My name’s Copper Top. It’s nice to meet you Mr. Ace.”

Ace nodded, levitating by her side while synchronizing his speed with her walking pace.

“Before Miss Nica became involved with the police and helped us deal with the local mob, she had been working for Coco Pommel as her bodyguard. I believe Miss Coco may know about your sister’s whereabouts.”

Ace held his forepaws on his cheeks before crying out, <She helped deal with the mob! That’s so cool.> He sat on his tail and looked at the mare while speaking in her mind, adding, I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised. When it comes to dealing with dangerous criminals, my sis is the first in line to kick them back into their cells.

The mare giggled.

By the way, I must say you look really cute. Can I pet you or rub your fur? He asked, ignoring the mare’s mortified expression.

Copper Top blushed and shook her head. “What… no!”

Ace frowned before his ears flashed. The black glasses levitated from the earth pony’s muzzle and plopped down atop his nose. Can I at least wear these? I want to look cool when meeting the pony that my sis worked for. Gotta make a good first impression, ya know?

“S-sure… although next time just ask before taking something. I would hate to arrest a fluffy little guy like you for stealing.” She stopped in front of a freshly painted boat made of wood, gesturing behind her as she stepped aboard. It was equipped with one sail, painted in a yellow and blue coat, a police mark decorating the sides.

Ace frowned. A boat? Nah, not my style. That’s way too boring. Unless... His ears flashed again, this time very brightly as a large wave emerged from the sea, lifting the entire boat alongside him and the mare.

“Hey! What’s going on? This isn’t normal!” the police officer screamed as she grabbed the sail with her forehooves, holding onto it with all of her strength. “Are some powerful, punk unicorns playing a prank on me? If so, stop!" she screeched, drenched from the massive waves splashes. “No, it must be a natural disaster. Is Manehattan doomed?”

Chill. I simply summoned a wave of water for a big boost in speed. Ace smirked as his move “Surf” worked like a charm. As his tail landed on the crafted wave, he surfed towards the town next to the police boat. Quicker and certainly in style. That’s the only good way to travel. I’ll get us to the other side of the shore in a jiffy.

The officer grit her teeth before taking a deep breath into her lungs, yelling, “I demand you stop those shenanigans in the name of the law!”

Ch.14 - Little Lost Ace - Pt.3

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 14
-
Little Lost Ace - Pt.3

Coco Pommel observed the bustling crowd of ponies from the behind the polished glass counter, already feeling her confidence dwindling away. The hoof-made outfits, neatly hung on each available mannequin, ranged from anything a pony could dream of. Simple dresses easily attracted the eye of any mare in the vicinity, while lines of crisp, black suits were in high demand with the colts. Though now, rather than hung up for display, nearly every article of clothing she had made was stuffed in some ponies bag, prepped and ready for check out.

A few drops of sweat slid down her face, leaving an unsettling ‘plop’ on the glass as her breathing became erratic. She gripped her chest, struggling to calm herself. Ever since her fluffy bodyguard locked up the heart of the local crime organization, the most dangerous part of Manehattan became much more lively, resulting in her little shop getting a major boost in customers. During her short-lived time with Suri, she was prepped to deal with high class ponies, taught to help them find the most fashionable creations. Here, she ended up with a mix of poorer ponies demanding cheaper products, picking the first clothes that caught their eye before exchanging it for a meager amount of bits at the counter.

Of course, once in a blue moon, a customer with higher standards wandered into her little boutique, though it was much too rare for her liking. While she didn’t dream too big, hoping only to run a little humble shop of her own, she still wanted to make use of her talents and creativity, not end up stuck on manufacturing duty.

When it came to her customer base, their style was never a guarantee, constantly challenging and pushing her to create something unique for every client. A pony could walk through the doors, decked out in a casual, business sheek one moment, and the next could trot through with a disorderly array of metal earrings, topped with a shaved mane and a mess of tattoos.

A gruff cough snapped her out of her daydreaming. With a sheepish smile, she glanced to the front desk, noticing a bulky stallion impatiently waiting in line.

“How much for this one?”

“T-that will be… twelve bits,” Coco murmured hesitantly, as the stallion glared, tapping his forehoof repeatedly against the tiled floor. He held an emerald, leather jacket in the other hoof. The moment the stallion dropped his bits on the counter and turned around, she let out a deep sigh, wiping the pooling sweat from her forehead. Even after months of dealing with customers, the fear of having a confrontation with one never left her.

Coco looked at the growing line of customers and gulped. It was only a matter of time before she would run out of stock, having nothing left to satisfy the growing mob of clients. Dark bags were present underneath her eyes, showing the result of numerous sleepless nights.

She glanced over her shoulder, spotting the opening to her back room. Inside was filled to the brim with spare clothing materials and all of her hard-earned bits, the same space she used to craft every outfit displayed in her store. Her young assistant, an orphaned unicorn colt, walked outside the back room, several jackets levitated in his buttercup yellow aura as he set them on the dummies, one at a time. She watched as he trotted from stand to stand, his violet mane frazzled, similar to her own. He glanced back at her with wide eyes, giving her a clear message that they couldn’t keep up with the overwhelming demands. It was obvious she needed to hire a bigger workforce and expand to keep up.

Coco looked over at another waiting customer, a unicorn who levitated an elegant, grey suit with black stripes in his magical grip. She gave a small smile, noticing one of her finer pieces.

“How much?” The stallion grunted, staring down at the watch fastened around his hoof.

Coco gathered her fleeting courage and whispered, “This one… fifty bits.”

“Fifty?” The unicorn’s head popped up, a look of disbelief written across his face. “Really?” he added in firm tone before glaring at her with narrowed eyes. “Do you really expect anyone would pay such a large amount of bits for this?” He gestured at the suit in distaste, refusing to pull his eyes away from her.

She felt her heart pounding against her chest as a narrow bead of sweat found its way down her face. A meeker part of herself demanded she lower the price, simply to please the customer, but her intuition warned her against it immediately. If she showed such signs of weakness so quickly, others would start to bargain with her, something she wasn’t all that good at.

Her attention shifted away from the stallion as she noticed a police officer entering her shop. Her heart froze for a second, picturing the worst, until she spotted the mare’s interesting company. “N-Nica? No… it can’t be… it’s someone else…?” she murmured to herself as she focused in on the fluffy animal levitating next to the officer. While this creature resembled her cute and trusty bodyguard, there were some big differences. Not to mention that the tinted glasses were no longer hiding the officer’s eyes, quickly changing owners as they now rested on the animal’s button nose. The mare squinted her eyes in annoyance, but simply sighed, seemingly used to the levitating creature’s antics.

The stallion behind the counter pounded on the desk, muttering, “Can I get some service around here?”

Coco stepped back and gave an apologetic smile, before glancing at her young assistant and calling, “Leaf, would you cover for me for a moment?”

“Sure,” the golden furred colt said as he trotted towards the counter. As he neared the desk, he balanced on his rear hooves and propped himself up against the counter, giving the stallion a quick one-over.

“Thank you,” Coco said before walking towards the officer, passing by numerous, waiting customers. She didn’t dare look them in the eyes as she scurried by, her head ducked low.

“So… about that discount…” The stallion mused, attempting to turn the tables on the young colt.

“Fifty bits, pay or leave,” Quiet Leaf snapped back with a sharp tone, pulling the suit over with his magic. A buttercup aura coated the fabric as he held it up, inspecting the clothing. “No, scratch that. I want sixty bits considering the circumstances.”

“W-what?”

“Look around you.” The colt gestured behind the stallion, motioning towards the numerous ponies waiting for service. The line wrapped around the store, just a few ponies away from peeking out the front doors. Many were conversing with their neighbors, trading fashion advice, while some stood off to the side, glancing at the time every ten seconds with annoyed expressions.

“We have an overwhelming amount of customers and we’re running low on all of our best products,” he continued, leaning on his hoof in boredom while lazily pointing at the customer’s clothing. “One of which you’re currently buying. We should have raised our prices a while ago…” He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Now that I think about it, sixty bits is a bit too low, maybe we should…”

“Here, sixty bits,” the stallion stuttered before dropping the bits on the counter. He snatched the suit away before trotting out the front doors, pushing a disgruntled client out of the way. Quiet Leaf held a satisfied smirk, eying the great amount of bits resting in front of him before peeking over at Coco and giving a quick wave. The mare merely shook her head and chuckled, turning her attention back to the floating creature.

She zeroed in on the animal’s pearly white belly, imagining herself stroking the rich and fuzzy fur. Nica was always more than happy to let me rub her silky soft stomach to relieve stress… I miss that. Her ears drooped for a moment. With a small sigh, she tore her gaze away from the creature’s fur and gave the visiting mare a smile. “Hello Officer Copper Top. What brings you to my little store? And who’s your adorable companion?” She raised a forehoof up to her face. “I hope it’s nothing serious.”

“Nah, nothing to worry about,” the officer responded. “Just wanted to let you know about this little guy I found hanging out around Manehattan’s Statue. He said his name is Ace, and he kept going on and on about finding his sister, Nica.” She grinned, noting Coco’s shocked expression. “Since she worked for you as your bodyguard, I thought you may be able to help him out.”

“You’re Nica’s brother?” Coco gasped, her eyes becoming as wide as saucers. “So that’s why you resemble her so much!”

I sure am! A cheerful, male voice resonated within Coco’s mind, but before she could question it, the tail-surfing creature eagerly picked up her forehoof and shook it, practically shaking the mare as well. The name’s Ace, nice to meet you miss! He levitated up to her face and gently booped her muzzle with the white tip of his forepaw. I must say, you look both cute and stylish, prefect for a mare of your profession. Coco blushed, taking a few steps back, but the pokemon simply flew beside her and continued. Also, such a nice bowtie you got there. He tapped the tip of scarlet tie against his button nose and brought it closer, nuzzling it with his cheek.

With a nervous chuckle, she slipped out of the animal’s hold and stumbled backwards. She gave a sheepish smile, overwhelmed by this creature’s boldness. “N-Nice to meet you, Mr. Ace.” She looked at his wide neck before pointing at it with the tip of her forehoof. “You don’t have translating collar?”

Translating collar? Ace’s voice echoed in her mind.

“You don’t have one of Princess Twilight’s collars… and you’re not even speaking!?” Unconsciously, her voice began to rise in volume, attracting the attention of some nearby clients. “How are you communicating with me?” She shouted in confusion, her face flushing in embarrassment as nearly half the line of customers gave her questioning looks. Her head ducked down, avoiding each of their ludicrous gazes.

Ace poked his bulky ears, seemingly ignoring her outburst. Telepathy. It’s so much more helpful than my sister’s ability to write. He displayed his trademark toothy smile as he fixed “his” glasses. Cool, isn’t it?

Copper Top looked between Ace and Coco before saying, “I take it he introduced himself already? His telepathy may seem a bit weird at first, but you’ll get used to it after a while.” Noticing the fashionista’s head dipped low, she added “Oh, and you’ll learn to ignore the looks.” She gave Ace a mock scowl as he rubbed his neck.

Hehe, sorry… but telepathy still rules!

The seamstress nodded before looking at the officer’s outfit with a growing curiosity. Small drips of water splashed onto the tile, creating a mini puddle underneath the mare’s hooves. “Your uniform’s a bit wet, what happened?”

“Oh, that… I had a little accident while on my boat, but that’s irrelevant,” Copper Top said with a shake of her forehoof before shooting the Raichu an annoyed glare. With a quick strike of her forehoof, she knocked the black glasses from Ace’s nose, and darted to the side, displaying a smug grin as the shades landed directly on her snout. The pokemon crossed his paws and displayed a pout in response. “I’ll get to the point. Mr. Ace here is looking for his sister. I assumed you may be able to help him since she was your former employee.”

Ace peeked at her with a big, hopeful smile while hopping up and down on a single leg. I was told my sis was a badass bodyguard before she became the heroine of Manehattan and stuff. You gotta tell me all about her adventures and help me find her. He held his forepaws together and added, Please, please, pleaseeeee!

Coco felt her heart nearly melt as Ace gazed at her with his ocean blue eyes, a small silver spark shining from within. She glanced back at the crowd of ponies and paused, before dejectedly murmuring, “I… I’ll do my best to help you… but…” She was abruptly cut off as she felt Ace’s fuzzy paws wrap around her neck, her face soon being pulled into the creature’s soft fur. As much as she didn’t want this hug to end, she couldn’t afford it the delay it caused. “But I can’t deal with any more responsibilities on my plate right now.” The moment she was released, she gestured at the numerous ponies. “As you can see my hooves are tied.” She gave the fluffy create an encouraging smile. “Though, you may stay here for now, if you’d like. The store closes in about an hour. I’ll help you then.”

“That’s very kind of you, Miss Coco,” Copper Top said before taking off her hat and lowering her head politely. “I’m afraid I need to return to my duties, Patrols won’t do themselves! I’ll leave Ace in your care.”

“B-but your uniform…” Coco started.

“Oh, this? Don’t worry about it, it’ll dry up in no time. Farewell!”

The fashionista watched as the cop strode away, trotting towards the front doors before disappearing into the inner weaving of Manehattan. Turning with a renewed vigor, she glanced at Ace, only to be met with his pleading gaze, one filled with expectation and hope. At this point, she could only pray to satisfy the energetic Raichu and repay Nica for her kindness, the least she could do for her former bodyguard.

With a gentle shake of her forehoof, she uttered, “This way please.” She swerved in between her customers, stepping with a practiced grace as Ace merely levitated a bit higher, flying over the heads of the waiting clients. She gave one last glance at her trusty assistant, assuring he didn’t need any help handling the customers. He caught her stare and waved her forwards, giving her a confident wink. “Don’t worry boss, I got this!” Quiet called as she walked behind the counter and opened the door, inviting the pokemon inside.

Ace examined his new surroundings with a growing interest.

Giving the room a quick one over, he noticed the space they were in now was much larger than the previous one, though not nearly as pristine. Random machinery lined the walls, some propped up on an oak desk while older ones were thrown haphazardly in the corner. Numerous rolls of mismatched fabric were neatly piled beside the sewing machines, certain colors specifically picked out. A stunning diversity of colors lit of the room, adding a refreshing shine to the dulled walls and covering up the rips torn on the wallpaper. Small swaths of yellow tapestry attempted to mask one of the right walls, along with two tiny windows, but only succeeded in blocking the natural sunlight struggling to break through. The lack of light caused a dimmed shadow to fall over the space, accented by the dust bunnies scurrying about.

Hmm… looks like she got started trying to fix this place up, but never finished. Ace thought, floating over to the wall and rubbing a single, stubby paw over the paper. It came back with a small smudge of dust, nearly unnoticeable for those who weren’t looking for it. He shrugged as Coco spoke up, gesturing towards the room’s decor.

“This is my main area for storage,” Coco explained before pointing at a sofa in front of square table, poking the couch as an invitation for her guest to sit on. “Though it also doubles as a workplace.”

Accepting the invitation from the adorable pony, he dashed towards the sofa, but slowed his speed before colliding with the furniture. With careful steps, he hopped down from his tail before perching himself on a soft pillow. He lowered his tail onto the sofa while coiling it next to pillow.

“Would you like some tea?” Coco asked with a warm smile as she pointed at the teacup, which already sat prepared on the square table. “Leaf made it for me earlier, but I didn’t have time to drink it; so if you’re thirsty, just help yourself.”

Ace looked at the precious smile of this cute earth pony, one of the three pony species that Copper Top told him about on their way here. While waiting in the front of the store for Coco, he recalled gazing at the different breeds, giving small gasps as he was able to spot a unicorn, or an excited squee as he noticed a pegasus. It took almost all of his willpower to stop himself from flying over and giving those wings a snuggly, squeeze.

Though, with Miss Coco, there was something warm and pleasant, something that made him feel comfortable and calm in her humble enclosure. It also helped that her mane glistened like a crystal clear wave, mimicking a bold waterfall collapsing from a mighty cliff. He held his forepaws together as he resisted the urge to rub that aqua mane. If only he was able to learn the move ‘Minimize!’ He could surf for hours on that mane of hers. Thank you. His ears lightly flashed silver as he levitated the cup over, taking a tiny sip.

“Feel free to take a nap. You must be exhausted if you went through the same ordeal Nica went through. I’ll tell you all I know about your sister whenever you wake up,” Coco said, making her way to the door. Moments before she opened it, she spun around and added, “Oh, and please don’t touch anything!” With that, she trotted out the opening, leaving the Raichu alone.

Ace observed the pony walking out until she closed the door. Almost immediately bored, he then looked around the room, noticing a large quantity of golden coins stocked in a secluded corner, along with a handful of other resources. <Leaving a stranger with such valuables for the taking? Now that’s some serious trust,> he said to himself before returning to surveying the area.

A store filled to the brim with clothes… all these materials… dust covering the walls... he thought, piecing together the random assortment of clues while tapping his chin. Wait… she’s making clothes, amazing quality clothes, and using all these cloth-making gadgets with her hooves? Wow… now that’s something. Ace’s ears perked up and a mischievous grin formed on his lips upon noticing rolled tapestry, the very same that decorated a small portion of the room’s inner walls.

He shrugged. If he was gonna be stuck here for an hour, he might as well help out. He stretched his tail out before balancing himself on the dulled-lightning point. With the help of a weakened ‘Psychic’ attack, he levitated the material, now searching for something to glue it to the wall.

It didn’t take long before a mop, pieces of wet fabric and tapestry hovered all over the room, surrounded by his silvery aura. With a flick of his ear, the mops spun, trapping a corner of dust bunnies while the wet rags gently scrubbed the walls. Together, they made quick work of the dust on the floor and walls while all the little cracks were spotted and covered. Ace levitated from one spot to another with growing excitement. Upon noticing a few buckets of paint stashed behind a couple of boxes, he displayed a toothy smile, and quickly set to work.

“Thank you for coming. Please visit us again soon,” Coco exclaimed as she waved at the last pony, before locking the door and collapsing against the wall. She gave a small huff, and paused. Her face was aching from all the smiling she did, some fake and some real. It made her day interacting with the clients that wandered her shop, but never before had she had so many. To be frank, it was getting more than a tad overwhelming. The moment she was left alone with her assistant, she wiped the drops of sweat from her forehead and leaned her head back, taking a deep breath as she heard her mane connect with the wallpaper.. After this experience, she could safely say she prefered to get less customers than more in the future.

“We’re really in over our heads,” the unicorn colt mumbled as he approached her, staring back at her with a starling look of worry.

“I know that, Quiet Leaf, but I’ve never hired anyone before. This shop has been my responsibility alone ever since I opened it, and to be honest, I never expected or even considered the need to expand my work force. I don’t even know the first place to start,” Coco answered as she began to walk towards the backdoor, Leaf by her side. His flank was decorated with nothing but a single, green leaf, reflecting on his impressive stealth as at times she failed to even hear his hoofsteps. Despite his young age, thus far he had proved himself quite reliable as an assistant.

“What about me and Nica? We both work for you,” The colt pointed out.

Coco shook her head. “Oh, but it was Miss Rarity who asked Nica to work for me, and you’re under my care. It’s just not the same as hiring.” Her breathing became shallow, as a worried look overtook her. “Should I hire somepony to focus on manufacturing, or maybe someone to sell at the counter? Or maybe someone who would do the bookkeeping. How much workforce can we even afford?”

Leaf trotted next to her and puffed his chest. “Just leave the counter to me. I can squeeze some nice, extra bits from the customers, not to mention that raising prices is a must if we are forced to continue on like this.”

Coco rolled her eyes. While she appreciated how smart her assistant was, and how skilled he was at interacting with the clients, she didn’t approve of his cunning methods. To make matters worse, his habits of pickpocketing hadn’t died out yet.

As she opened the door, her jaw dropped open in shock, nearly hitting the floor. The renovating she had started and never found time to finish was… finished… for lack of a better word. Maybe even too finished for her liking. Layered above the yellow tapestry hanging from the walls, she saw hastily painted images with naval themes, from waves of water crashing into a beach to lone islands flourished with palms. While the quality of the paintings weren’t of the highest calibre, just looking at them filled her with vacational longing.

She looked up as the Alolan Raichu seemed to be working on something on the ceiling. She bit her lip and rushed to pull her limited stock of materials away before drops of paint could fall on them. “C-careful, please,” she called up, catching the creature’s attention.

Ace peeked down at her before descending, now floating in front of her with smeared forepaws placed on his hips, rubbing the ocean blue paint into his formerly spotless fur. Lone brushes coated in different shades of paint descended into their respective buckets as he focused on the entering ponies. Neat, isn’t it? It will totally bring a chill atmosphere into your workplace.

Coco opened her mouth to rebut, but before she could even speak, Ace floated towards her side, snatching the colt next to her up into his embrace. She turned around, now starring as the odd Raichu held a pony much bigger than him with little difficulty. She could see a strong blush and look of annoyance on Leaf’s face as Ace started to eagerly rub his belly with the white-dusted tip of his forepaw.

“H-hey… stop it… c’mon, cut it out!” Quiet Leaf sputtered, most likely responding to the pokemon’s telepathy. He started wriggling, pushing himself out of Ace’s surprisingly strong hold. With an ungraceful ‘thud,’ he landed on his back on the tiled floor. “Ugh… dude, that was embarrassing.”

Ace awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, displaying an embarrassed smile.

Pushing himself to his hooves, he gave a suspicious look at the floating mouse-like creature. “More about me? Mind your own business…” Leaf muttered, finally showing all the pent up stress collected from the day. Coco glared at her young charge, giving him a stern look.

Oh Quiet Leaf… she thought, watching as the colt paused and realized what he said. He sighed, and turned back to Ace. The pokemon was looking down, wringing his paws together in an anxious show as he hovered lower, nearly brushing against the floor.

“Hey, uh… sorry,” Leaf continued, hanging his head in shame. “Guess I’m still a bit stressed from all those orders earlier. Do ya’ still wanna know more about me?”

Ace nodded enthusiastically, springing back up into the air.

“Well, long story short, I’m an orphan.” Quiet started, sharing his past while more words followed. He began reluctant, but as he continued both Ace and Quiet became enraptured with the story.

A small smile began to form as Coco watched on with pride. It was a big challenge to get him to open up, more or less get along with the cops. It was like pulling teeth when they questioned him about those gangs. Now, he’s practically sharing his life story. I am glad he’s willing to trust Ace with his past… I hope he’s feeling a bit more comfortable living here. .

Quiet Leaf continued as Coco focused back in on the conversation. “I was raised by some of the local gangs, though they’re all locked up now, thanks to Nica. They taught me how to survive, as well as how to steal, cheat and beg for bits. Anything you can imagine, as long as it helped benefit them in some way. They used me to distract those they tried to rob or to use my charm to beg bits out of richer ponies.”

Ace’s mouth opened agape, which only encouraged the colt to keep going.

“It was the same gang that started to demand bits from Miss Coco.” He pointed at the earth pony, who rubbed her forehoof nervously at the unpleasant memory. “After Nica crashed the gang and sent them to the police, freeing me, Miss Coco offered to give me shelter, and I have been her assistant ever since. It’s nice to feel genuinely needed, rather than used to make some other pony richer.”

Ace held forepaws on his cheeks before looking at her in excitement. His admiring gaze only making Coco blush even more than she was, leaving her at loss for words for a moment.

“I… just did what I felt was right.” She stuttered. “This poor dear had nowhere to go and nopony to look after-” She was abruptly cut of as her hooves floated from the floor, her entire body being levitated into the air as Ace dashed forwards and embraced her. She was perched on the sofa she had offered her guest before. Leaf was gently placed in front of her while Ace leaped from his tail onto the pillow.

I need to know it all! My sis, why she worked for you, how you two met, tell me more, more I beg! Pleaseeee!

Coco cleared her throat as she was once again assaulted by the puppy dog stare of those blue-silvery eyes. “Well… it all started when I bought an old storage building in this part of Manehattan, which I then tried to turn into a little store of my own. It was really, really cheap, so I thought it was a good investment.” She lowered her head and sighed. “It turned out this part of the city was controlled by the mob while Crusher’s gang demanded a ridiculous sum labeled as ‘protection money’ from me.”

Quiet Leaf raised his forehoof as if he were in class and spoke up. “The leader was way too bold. If the mob found out that they operated on their territory, they would be either recruited or killed. My streetsmarts told me to escape before they dragged me to my early grave.” He pointed under his eyes. “Got a hard hoof in the face for it though.” Laughing he added, “Guess it’s better than being six feet under.”

Ace narrowed his eyes.

“If not for your sister, I don’t know what would have happened to me,” Leaf revealed with a warm smile, which in turn brought a newfound happiness to Ace’s expression.

Coco continued, “When I told my friend, Miss Rarity, about all of this in a letter, she came to me with a... ” she placed her forehooves on her cheeks while displaying a dreamy smile, “cute, cuddly, fluffy, long-tailed pokemon, a Raichu named Nica. She became my bodyguard, protected me from the mean ponies, and stopped the gang from terrorizing ponies such as myself.” She took a quick breath. “She was more than a hero, but no one could ever convince herself of the good she did.”

Her voice took on a grim tone as she narrowed her eyes. “Things became serious as the mob set a nearby building on fire, torching the ponies inside because they didn’t pay their dues. I was terrified, I thought my neighbors were going to burn alive, as the firefighters still hadn’t arrived.” A small smile snuck onto her anxious expression. “That’s when I looked to my side and saw Nica was gone. When I glanced forwards, she was already halfway gone, fearlessly charging into the building. She saved countless ponies stuck on the higher floors, as they couldn’t escape the flames, more and more burns scarring her coat as she jumped back in. I had never seen such an inspiring act of bravery.”

Ace seemed overjoyed, a bright smile showing as he exclaimed, That’s my great sis, I would expect nothing less from her.

Coco nodded. “She was great indeed, and very strong and durable. Not only had her tail managed to support the weight of any pony, her legs were tough enough to endure a fall from the highest floor, and I believe that leftovers of a melted pan were stuck to her rear leg. It had to hurt a lot.”

Ace bit his bottom lip, wincing as he imagined going through the same thing. He would be forced to tap out if he were in his sister’s post, lacking her incredible durability and willpower.

“In anycase, when the police asked Nica to help them punish the mob, she was more than eager to assist. Despite being badly burned, she raided the mob’s base the same night and defeated their strongest officers. I was afraid she wouldn’t come back, but she did. She was my hero that night.” She pushed herself to her hooves, and walked over to her desk, pulling out a set of newspapers stashed away. “And many other ponies in Manehattan seemed to think the same thing.” She pushed over the same article Ace first saw when he arrived in this strange world, gently placing into the Raichu’s open paws. “She was dubbed the heroine of Manehattan!”

Ace tapped his forepaws together before jumping onto his tail and flying in circles around the sofa. He dropped to his knees, tucking the stray papers at his side and supported himself with his forepaws. Gazing at her from the edge of his tail, he begged, What happened next? Come on, tell, tell!

Coco tilted her head backwards a little, pulling it back from the pokemon’s button nose. “Well… with my store safe, she started taking on different jobs. The last I heard from her was that she saved a cluster of ponies on a rescue mission into a mine, and later that she moved to Canterlot, but that was more than a week ago.” She lowered her head to the colt in front of her and nuzzled him, who gladly returned the gesture. “Thanks to her, my store became very popular, and I’m even considering to adopt Quiet Leaf and give him the care and love he never experienced.”

The pokemon looked at the exchange with a dreamy smile.

Coco raised her head and tapped her chin. “I’m almost positive she’d be back in Ponyville by now. If you wish to visit her, that is the best place to look.” She lowered her forehoof and smiled. “I can even escort you to the train station and buy you a ticket. It’s the least I can do to make you and Nica happy.”

I’ll pass.

“W-what?” Coco asked as she blinked in confusion. “Isn’t that why you came here in the first place?”

Ace flew over and started nuzzling her cheek. He snuck black-part of his tail around Quiet and pulled him in closer, trapping both ponies in a massive hug while still balanced on the edge. He gave a happy squeeze, adding, My sister is always teaching me to help others. And, to be honest, an adorable, elegant and fluffy cinnamon bun like you...” he tapped her nose, making her give a small snort, “needs all the help you can get! He withdrew his face before booping Quiet’s muzzle in a similar manner. From today forward, I’m your personal assistant.

<Personal assistance?> Coco asked in confusion.

Ace glanced at Leaf’s pissed expression before adding. I mean, your secondary assistant.

Coco opened her mouth, but wasn’t able to say much as Ace’s voice started talking to her in her mind without pause.

I mean, it’s obvious you’re too trusting for your own good, leaving strangers in a room with all your materials and golden coins, especially after adopting a child who was taught his entire life how to cheat and steal. Your voice is just so calm and innocent, and your storage looks like a mess. With a sheepish smile, he added Hehe, no offense.

“None taken,” she sighed, motioning for Ace to continue.

Ace pointed at her forehooves before adding, Not to mention that that police officer told me about the other races. Unicorns have their horns, which work almost the same as my ‘Psychic’ and allow them to levitate objects. Not to mention pegasus have their wings for delicate matters, but all you have are your hooves to work with. He gestured over to the machinery and materials used for clothing production. You make all these clothes, which look really neat by the way, without the help of psychic powers. He poked his left ear and added, Long story short, my psychic power is now at your disposal. Bowing, he looked up at her and smirked.

“W-what? But what about your sister?”

My sis can wait a few days. I bet she would totally approve of me helping you. He levitated towards a stack of materials, patting it. I’ll claim this as my bed. I think I’ll crash here and maybe explore the docks of this large city in my free time. A place to sleep on and some food and water is all I need in exchange for my help.

“B-but…”

Ace levitated towards another stack of materials, separating the pile into a few smaller stacks, organising them by color. How about we start with a little reorganization. Just tell me what to do and I’ll get all this stuff cleaned up and organized in a jiffy.

“But I…”

Ace levitated over, leaped into her embrace and patted his belly. And if you feel stressed, you can rub my belly! But… that will cost you extra. He pressed his forepaw into the fur on her belly and added, Unless you let me rub the creamy fur on your belly in return. I’m always up for cuddling and snuggling exchanges.

Coco closed her mouth and sighed. It became obvious that her newest, enthusiastic assistant didn’t leave any room for negotiations. All she could do is ride this crazy wave and hope she wasn’t pulled under.

Ch.14 - Little Lost Ace - Pt.4

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 14
-
Little Lost Ace - Pt.4

“Hmm, just a tad more yellow over here… Oh, no! That’s too much! Thread a single strand of blue instead,” Coco instructed, watching Ace’s every move as he worked diligently on his newest addition to her back room. She paced anxiously, creating steady tempo of thuds as her hooves worked across the floor, panic written all over her face. Speaking as if defusing a bomb, she crept closer to the Raichu and whispered, “Easy does it… “ She looked back at Ace’s face which was scrunched in concentration while his ears radiated a silvery aura.

Multiple materials levitated above the pokemon’s head, suspended by his physic power as his forepaws worked with the sewing machine. A yellow t-shirt was fed halfway into the device, an elegant pattern etched into the top section of the fabric.

Coco released a soft sigh and gave her second assistant a proud smile. “Very good. I must say, you’re learning quite fast.” She peeked back at Ace’s work, examining the craftsmanship. Hopping atop his tail, the Raichu floated up and grasped the shirt, holding it up for her to get a better view as he wore a confident grin. Though it wasn’t perfect, or near her own set standards, she was thoroughly impressed with how fast he was able to stitch the piece, with little to no formal training as well. After a second look, the shirt proved big enough to cover half of an average pony with two adjacent openings for forelegs.

While this product was mostly made out of yellow cloth, once dressed on a pony, the chest part would display royal blue inscriptions of the word “Summertime,” surrounded by a simple cut-out view of the beach. She could see the joy Ace projected as he worked, delighted at being to craft something going along with his favorite naval theming.

“Now, just a small touch up over here,” Coco said as she pointed at a lone spot just above the wave threaded into the shirt. “I think a couple more blue strings will do, for now at least.”

Ace nodded before levitating a needle enthralled with a dark, bronze thread, creating a simple inscription of a surfing pony. Judging by the shape, it showed the outline of a mare’s body type, with extremely similar bangs and tail style to her own. Shrugging, she brushed it off and turned to Ace, who was now looking up at her with an eager smirk.

“Very good,” Coco praised with a warm smile.

Cool! So, how many of these do you need?

Coco rubbed her chin for a moment, looking down at the completed model. “I suppose eight will do as a starting line. We can add five plus-size shirts for taller ponies and two miniature ones for younger foals. Any orders that come in larger or smaller than the ones we already have, we can just customize a specific request for them,” she explained while thinking of the average size of her customers. While the majority of ponies visiting her store were grownups of a similar size, some stallions proved to be quite tall. Trying to manufacture this new naval line in a diversity of sizes without knowing how her clients would react would be too risky for now.

Ace saluted before levitating over two extra sewing machines and a large quantity of materials, tripling his efforts. Narrowing her eyes, she spotted small beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, barely noticeable unless one was looking for it. She knew that Ace had a huge amount of physic power at his disposal, but even now, this was extremely impressive for any pony… and a tad worrisome if he were to overwork himself.

Coco chuckled nervously at the display before approaching her own sewing machine, struggling to push away the negative thoughts that had been clouding her mind. With a reserved sigh, she made herself comfortable, focusing her attention on an assortment of products of higher quality. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, pointing a single, stubby hand towards the six. I can’t believe it’s only been two days since Ace appeared in my shop and offered to assist me. His progress ever since then has been remarkable, she thought to herself before looking down at the suit currently placed into her own sewing device. Two shades of gray fabric were layered on top, ready to be threaded into the main piece. She turned it back on and sat down, getting comfortable as she straightened out the clothing.

Humming along with the gentle whur of the machine, she mused, I must admit, this Raichu has an artistic side. As long as I keep him passionate about his work, he easily pulls his weight, and then some. She narrowed her eyes, scoffing as her stitches became slanted. While most of her customers didn’t pay too much attention to any imperfections of her jackets, shirts and shoes, it was a different story for those who spent hard earned bits on her suits. With a reluctant sigh, she quickly undid the thread and began once more, perfecting her original seam.

Once done, she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and glanced at the clock, gasping as she realized that half an hour had already flown by. She looked back at Ace, who seemed to be finishing his fifth shirt. Now that I think about it, Ace’s first attempts were more of experimentations, and although many were of poor design, they all had different unique designs and stitches. Makes sense for someone who has never worked in this kind of industry.

She sat and observed the Raichu at work, thinking back to her many attempts at teaching him. He’s clearly hasty and lacks patience, prefering to dive headfirst into something rather than learn the ropes first. So unless he can change that, I fear he won’t be able to make any high quality products anytime soon. Setting aside her current materials, she watched as Ace levitated the fabrics with pure concentration, showcasing an unbelievable amount of skill, even for a talented unicorn. On the other hoof, he puts his heart and soul into projects that inspire him, something that I can take full advantage of when we’re working on naval themes. Not to mention how important his ability at multitasking is with all those individual threads and needles. Probably balancing himself on wild waves and levitating on his tail for who knows how long helped with that. While I don’t see him making any marvelous creations, making average quality clothes at a quick pace is another story. Something that’s perfect for most of my daily customers.

Coco felt a burst of pride as Ace finished his seventh creation in record time, only taking a few seconds to take a break and drink from a nearby water bottle before resuming his work. The standards of my customers are pretty low, which makes sense for this part of Manehattan, something that fits Ace’s skill set perfectly. She thought back to her attempts at showing him how to make clothes by her own example, occasionally pointing out his mistakes as they went along. All the time she put into teaching him was already paying. With how fast he was able to manufacture lower quality goods, it left her tons of time to really focus on her best works. The time she spent training him was already paid back, for once making her feel as if she was on top of her clients overwhelming demands.

She raised a forehoof up to her face and chuckled, trying to hold in her giggles so she didn’t disturb her enthusiastic worker. His productivity skyrocketed the moment I agreed to let him to make that naval line. I’m actually keeping up with the demands for a change now!

Pulling out a notepad stowed away, she snatched a pencil with her mouth before writing down an important idea to remember. Note to myself. She wrote. The first worker or two I hire need to be selected for the manufacturing of lower quality clothes, similar to what Ace is doing now. Leaf has already proved himself more than responsible enough at the counter and I can handle customized orders and higher quality designs. After putting away the notes, she looked back at the sewing machine with glee before returning to work, this time focusing on an order she had from a serious business pony. Suits like these are what took up most of her time, consuming each precious second she spent trying to perfect her designs. She glanced at the numerous measurements she took along with the requested details of the order before getting back to threading the gray shades. Though, before she could finish the final improvements, Ace’s snow dusted paw popped up in front of her and playfully booped her muzzle, causing her to snort in surprise.

What’s next, boss? the Raichu asked, awakening the fashionista from her thoughts. He looked at her with an open eagerness displayed on his face while bouncing up and down in excitement on his own tail. Clearly, even after a bit spent mindlessly threading multiple shirts, he was still as energetic as ever. He didn’t even seen bored, something that really impressed her.

Coco looked at the clothes that were stacked moments ago, only to find them gone. “Where…?” she began.

Already set them up on the dummies, Ace cut in before puffing out his chest and rubbing the fluff a top it. Being quick is essential in pokemon battles, and I’m no Slowpoke.

Coco walked towards the front room. Soon, she was bypassing the open door as her attention focused on a long line of dummies, all cleaned and outfitted with the naval line of jackets and shirts just produced.

Quiet Leaf stopped inspecting the mannequins upon noticing her and approached. “Don’t worry. I kept an eye on the number two,” he said, pointing towards Ace, “and made sure he set everything as you like.”

The fashionista sat and rubbed the back of her neck, suddenly overwhelmed by confusion. After weeks of overworking and stressing, it felt odd to find herself with… free time. She actually had free time. Not that all her hard labor didn’t pay off as she earned quite a small fortune, but it still came at the expense of her own health. “We… we’re actually done?”

Leaf jumped into the air with glee, beaming as he sprinted towards the door, a relucant Coco in his grasp. “Finally!” he called. With a final bound, he pulled her out the door and exclaimed, “We have been stuck in here for forever. Let’s go outside and do something fun!”

“F-fun?” Coco said hesitantly before a warm smile overtook her previous worries. “I suppose we could have some fun for a change. How about a nice stroll at the local park?”

Leaf’s ears drooped, a bored groan sounding a second later. “A park?” he whined, gently pulling on her hoof in aggravation.

Coco frowned, oblivious. “Is something wrong?”

The unicorn colt stomped his forehoof against the sidewalk, glancing over at Ace for support. “You call a walk in the park fun?” He tilted his head to the side. “You didn’t go outside often as a filly, did you?”

“I suppose we could… uh, jazz it up a little bit by going to a theatre.” She gave an excited squee. “I heard there was a new drama coming out today on Bridleway, hmm… Colts and Dolls was it? Oh, I can’t wait!”

Leaf facepalmed, as did the pokemon floating by his side. “After being stuck in this store for days straight, I want to do something exciting.”

Ace nodded. Sorry boss, but I think we have you outnumbered on this one. A wicked grin grew on his face as the Raichu darted to Leaf and grabbed his shoulder, giving him a playful shake. After a few seconds, the colt gave a similar smirk and dipped his head in agreement.

Coco’s eyes became wide, the mare taking multiple, frantic steps back as her two assistants cornered her. Gulping, she muttered, “I have a really, really bad feeling about this…”

Coco’s face was deathly pale, almost completely devoid of colors as she stared at the endless ocean before her. Is this really what her dear Leaf considered as fun?

Before her was not only a wave, but a colossal one, at least ten meters tall with an overjoyed tail-surfing pokemon resting at the very top. Ace wasn’t alone though as he balanced himself at the very tip of his tail, leaving most of the space for the colt whose hooves were wrapped around his belly for balance. How Ace didn’t lose balance with so much weight pulling on him? She had no idea.

She felt her heart trying to escape her chest the moment Ace surfed down the wave before diving into the water with a loud splash. She rubbed the collar on her neck nervously, waiting for them to emerge, hoping she wouldn’t end up swimming to their rescue. She sighed the moment Ace emerged from the water, surfing up the tall wave.

Coco bit her bottom lip as Ace flew onto the top of the wave and than further up, performing a triple somersault with Leaf screaming “Yaaaaahoooo” from the overwhelming thrills. She started walking backward as the wave changed its direction, now going for the shore. She braced herself, covering her face as the wave hit the water, splashing in front of the shore while raising droplets onto her fur. The moment she lowered her forehoof and opened her eyes, she yelped as Ace tackled into her. She blinked, finding herself trapped under the colt and the pokemon while they stared at her. Their smiles bright enough to melt solid ice.

“You have to give it a try, it was amazing!”

Come on. Spread your wings, live a little, Ace said in her mind.

“W-what… you want me…” She jumped to a standing position and shook her forehooves. “Oh no, no, no, no, no.” She replied, darting backwards in haste and hiding behind the nearest object she could find.

She yelped the moment Ace grabbed her forehoof and pulled, leaving the majority of space on his tail for her to stand on. Coco looked down as her legs were close to each other, forced to balance on limited space. Before she considered stepping to the ground, she already found herself floating above the body of water with Leaf shouting encouragement from the shore.

Coco’s ears drooped as she sat and wrapped her forehooves around Ace’s neck, her rear legs now hanging down on the sides of pokemon’s tail. How such a small creature even manage to lift all her weight with little difficulty was beyond her understanding. She gulped and whimpered as her ride summoned a five meter tall wave, which they started climbing a moment later. The amount of adrenaline her body produced surpassed even the time when she saw Nica fight off the gang members or run into a burning building.

“I didn’t sign up for this!”

Just imagine you’re on a magical chariot flying among the clouds.

“This is not the same and you know that!” She screeched, squeezing the soft Raichu beside her for all she had. Ocean water sprayed up from beside Ace, splashing up onto his makeshift board and hitting the seamstress right in the face. Coughing, she spit out the salty water and hugged him even harder, holding on tight as the wave reached its full height. With multiple unbearable moments passing by, they finally reached the top and slowly crept over the top as if descending a roller coaster.

Here we go! he called in her mind with a cheerful “Rai” following moments after.

Ch.14 - Little Lost Ace - Finale

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 14
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Little Lost Ace - Finale

Ace levitated in between two lines of tall buildings next to the main road, waving at the bypassing ponies who occasionally stopped to glance at the tail he was floating on. There are so many chariots for ponies pulled by ponies. I wonder if I could get far in that field of work. He wondered, watching as a similar cart flew by, stirring up dust. The tips of his rear paws easily kept him balanced even in the busy atmosphere and a cheerful smile was glued to his face. He glanced to his side, spotting a grateful look on Quiet Leaf’s face, which only filled him with satisfaction. The colt sat comfortably on his tail, brushing his damp mane out of the way as he observed the cities best attractions. He then looked to the right at his boss, whose legs were trembling with every step while her tail and mane were still soaked from their earlier adventure. A few drops of water dripped down from her fur and onto the pavement.

Should I order a chariot for you? Or maybe you want to sit on my tail, Ace offered in Coco’s mind, who immediately shook her head to his suggestion. Sorry if my surfing was a bit too hardcore. I should’ve gone easier on you.

“Y-you… t-t-think?” Coco sputtered, still shaken from riding up and down countless waves.

Trying to keep up the conversation, he looked up at the sky and said, I still find it hard to believe that ponies called alicorns can move the moon and the sun around the planet. He giggled. Oh, haha… I get it. It was a joke. I should’ve realized. He began shaking his head in disbelief.

“Oh, but it wasn’t a joke. I don’t lie,” Coco said, sounding a tad insulted at being accused. “Everyday, Princess Celestia and Luna raise the sun and moon. There was even a big battle quite someone time ago over ponies worshipping the sun more than the moon. I’ll have to get you some history books for you to look into sometime soon.”

Ace merely scoffed. Yea, you guys got me, you don’t have to keep going with this.

Leaf pulled his gaze away from the sights and added, “Huh, what about the sun and moon?”

“Ace thinks I was lying about alicorns raising the sun and moon every morning and night.” Coco said, giving the Raichu an annoyed glare.

“Oh, that. Yea, I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth bud. Just wait till you meet up with Nica. She’ll totally prove us right.”

Ace looked at his companions with a sassy smile. They were obviously pulling his leg, but at the very least it meant that Miss Coco had some sense of humor. He wouldn’t be surprised if they got Nica in on it as well. Anything going for that adorable, innocent Cocoa was good in his eyes.

His ears perked up as he found himself levitating towards a two floor-building with the word ‘Nightclub’ written above. Near the entrance, multicolored lights were flashing from the top floor, drawing him in even closer. He moved his forepaws up and down to the rhythm of the music, letting Quiet jump off before darting down to Coco’s side. How about a slow dance in a nice atmosphere to calm your frayed nerves?

Coco wrapped her forehoof protectively around Leaf and shook her head. “A nightclub? I absolutely refuse.” The colt raised his head to speak up before the seamstress butted in. “And this young stallion refuses as well.” Looking him in the eyes, she added, “There is no way I’m letting you in there.” Glaring, he backed down and muttered under his breath, reluctantly letting his adoptive mother guide him away. She pointed at the green scenery further ahead of the street. “I’d rather have a calming walk in the park, thank you very much. Isn’t that right Leaf?”

The colt said nothing.

Ace shrugged, watching as the mare and colt walked down towards the park. <Alright, one step at a time I suppose,> he said to himself before quickly realizing that his telepathy was the only efficient means of communication he had at the moment. His ears flashed lightly as he spoke to his boss. Wait for me at the park then. I want to see what a nightclub filled with ponies have to offer. Sighing, his boss picked up some bits from her purse and placed them in his forepaws. With an overjoyed grin, he nuzzled her affectionately. A hundred thanks! See you soon.

With permission from his boss and some gold coins in his paws, he flew into the building, performing an eager somersault mid-air with the help of his tail before landing in front of a bartender pony. Something semi-strong please. I want to have some fun.

He eagerly placed ten bits on the wooden counter before examining his surroundings.

At first glance, the place looked like a wreck. The first couple of stalls were trashed, the wooden stools scratched and the plush seating ripped. A variety of drinks were spilled across the floor, leaving stained marks streaked all over the rotted floors. Ace scoffed in disgust, hovering over the mess atop his tail, before glancing over the corner and spotting a delusional stallion dancing around an empty mug. Other than him though, only four other ponies were scattered around, seeming suspiciously empty, even for a bar like this.

His attention was torn away from observing the environment around him as he noted numerous ponies staring at him in confusion. Rolling his eyes, he turned back to the counter to receive his drink, only to be dissapointed as the table was empty. The bartender just kept staring at his tail instead of doing his job. He waved his forepaw in front of the pony. <Hello, anyone there?> he muttered, before continuing in the employee's mind. I know I look cool and all, but you need to stop daydreaming. I ordered a drink.

“Oh, uh sorry.” The stallion stuttered. He blinked, before turning around and messing with the multitude of nozzles behind him, the soft fizz signalling a drink was being poured. A glass filled to the brim was soon placed before him. “Here ya go.” The pony pulled the bits into the register, pocketing two for himself. Ace placed the drink on his tail and continued deeper into the bar, refusing to look back at the mess behind him.

Traveling down a side hallway, he turned a corner and continued up a flight of stairs. Not too soon after he stopped, gazing in confusion at a door peeked open just down the walkway. Flashing lights were shining through the cracks, drawing him in closer. He tried to hold himself back, but the curiosity was simply too much. He cracked in seconds and snuck a glance through the door. Grabbing his glass, he gasped, darting through as he noted the complete contrast between this space and the room he was just in. Now this is a real club! He thought, flying through the door with an eager grin.

Before him was a room packed with dancing ponies, many dressed in sharp suits and stylish tops. On his right were a scattered collection of elegant oak tables with crimson, emerald, and cyan lamps, flashing sporadically. Cushions were tucked atop each stool, looking like a perfect place to rest your hooves after a long night of dancing. Gazing up, he spotted a spiralling disco ball, twirling glinting lights and dazzling sparkles around the room. Each tile on the floor was painted over, covered by shadows as each curtain in the room was shut tight. This section was a treasure that was hidden away from the rest of the city, and Ace had just found the jackpot.

It wasn’t long before he dashed over to the dance floor and began grooving, hopping atop his tail and closing his eyes to block the harsh lights. Drops of liquid dripped from the drink in his forepaw. It also didn’t take long before numerous ponies took notice of the new intruder. Ponies froze from where they were dancing and watched as the Raichu simply continued, twirling and darting amidst the checkered ground. His grin never faltered, even as he opened his eyes and glanced around, noticing the abundance of stares he was receiving.

<What’s up guys!> he called, forgetting that the other clients could only hear, “Rai, Raichu, Rai!” All among the bar, ponies began whispering, asking questions to one another with a hesitant tone, unsure of if he posed a threat.

“Is she… the Heroine of Manehattan that the newspaper wrote about?” shouted a rowdy stallion from the further back of the room, only for the patrons around him to scowl, displaying glares filled with fury. The atmosphere became tense in a manner of seconds.

Ace repositioned his rear legs as he turned towards the approaching crowd, which formed a quick circle around him. A few ponies shut the curtains before joining in, disgusted expressions visible on each stallion’s face. Most mares left the dance floor and sat upon the collection of stools, grabbing their drinks and sipping as they waited for the show to start.

His confusion only grew as each patreon took out any weapon available. Ponies ranged from grabbing whatever was closest, such as a rusty crowbar or wooden plank, to running over to their bags and grasping a variety of daggers and knives. At his left, he even spotted one taking out a shining axe with some sort of inscriptions written on the metallic-part. The axe itself sparkled with power, as if it was a powerful artifact rather than basic weapon. How thugs like this got their hooves on something like that, he had no idea. Some held their weapons in their magical grip, while other resorted to using their wings or hooves to hold them.

He looked at the bits in his hold. Surely a group of thugs wouldn’t want to rob him for such pathetic scraps. Not that Coco wasn’t generous or anything! Was it mean of him to think of the bits his boss gifted him with as scraps, even if he did so for a mere moment?

“The Heroine of Manehattan, such an honor to have you stumble upon our club. I must thank you for so willingly coming straight into our hooves.” A tall and rugged-looking stallion stepped out from behind the main gathering of ponies. His fur was a dirty bronze, with a short-cut mane and tail. He wore a stylish leather jacket and polished shoes, taking a viewer's attention away from the long scar that rested just below his eyes. A long and sharp looking sword decorated his flanks, matching the weapon he currently held in his hooves.

Ace concentrated, attempting to single out this pony in the collection and talk to him. While communicating to more than one creature with telepathy proved difficult and tiring, a major weakness in this method of conveyance, having a boss-type pony to negotiate with somewhat solved the problem. I’m not Nica actually, he corrected, while raising his right forepaw to his chest and balancing his remaining bits on the other paw. My name’s actually Ace and I’m her brother.

The boss looked taken back for a moment as Ace communicated with him, but he quickly covered it up. Scowling, he added, “I don’t know how you’re able to talk to me without moving your lips, but I couldn’t care less.” The stallion narrowed his eyes. “And I couldn’t care less if you’re that fat excuse of a rat or her brother.” He stomped, creating a deep dent in the floor, the loud thud being a threat for non-involved ponies to leave, fast. Half of the nightclub emptied in an instant, scurrying down the stairs and outside. The bartender walked upstairs in a hurry, grabbing the most expensive wine with his forehoof on the way, before darting back down and leaving along with the rest.

Ace merely rolled his eyes, inwardly laughing at the stallion’s attempt to look tough as he took a sip from the glass propped up on his tail.

“Your sister ruined our proud family. Before she arrived, we were ruling a small chunk of the city while shaking down the rest. We were feared by others, respected along with the highest gangs and most importantly, disgustingly rich. Now we’re but a scrap of our former glory.” He angrily stomped with both of his hooves, causing a small quake that only Ace didn’t feel, thanks to his levitation. “Your sister ruined our family, so it is only fitting we’ll ruin hers. Get ready to die, scum!” He roared, unleashing a loud war-cry before he pulled a sword from the scabbard resting on his saddlebag. A meter-long, sharp weapon was held by his teeth a moment later as his armored company slammed their weapons against the floor, most likely a warm up before they would slam it against the levitating pokemon.

Ace remained calm, observing the furious ponies. I wonder; do sharp and blunt attacks with crowbars, baseball bats and sharp swords count as a steel attack, normal attack, or as a fighting move? I have resistances against two out of three, and thankfully normal attacks aren’t super effective. He tilted his head to the side to evade a thrown dagger, slightly wincing as it scraped his perked ear. Ok, then. Swords and daggers, definitely a steel attack. A couple more thugs threw their weapons, badly missing the Raichu even as he became distracted. Actually, I wonder why there’s no sword-like steel move. There’s ‘Sacred Sword,’ but it's a fighting move, which I still question to this day.

Upon seeing the massive stallion jump up while swinging his equally massive sword, Ace’s ears flashed with his trademark silver aura, and so did his eyes. The large sword snapped in half like a twig while the stallion bounced against the ceiling, leaving a hole in it. Screams of panic could be heard from the other mob members as their fearless boss was tossed around like a ragdoll. A sharp sound reached his ears, and when he looked down, he noticed his glass had shattered on the floor, the drink spilling out. Oh come on! He thought, glancing down at his remaining bits and realizing he didn’t have enough to purchase another. With a reluctant sigh, he turned back and focused on the current battle.

Ace grit his teeth, attempting to stay balanced on his tail as ponies from all around rushed him, jumping up and swinging their weapons in a feeble attempt to knock the pokemon down. Ducking down, he swerved underneath an incoming stallion and picked him up in his telekenetic grasp. The brute screamed, struggling with reckless abandon to free himself, though it proved useless against Ace’s unyielding grip. Swinging, he vaulted the pony into a large group of others, throwing all of them backwards.

A knife bounced against his back, leaving a small visible mark, though looking like a tiny scratch or bug-bite when compared to his usual post-battle wounds. Turning around, he spotted another group, dashing towards him, eager to avenge their boss. Ace squinted his eyes and let his cheeks spark, though before he could release his electricity, a few members were able to sneak up behind him. Taking their daggers, they begin slashing at the levitating Raichu, refusing to relent for even a second. He winced, enduring the piercing damage, as well as a clear hit from a club making contact with the back of his head. With a scream, he released a bright charge of electricity, that struck true. Every mob member in the room screamed as the high voltage ran through their bodies. The thugs attacking him were on their backs, limbs twitching.

When he stopped, he looked around and surveyed the damage. Ponies all around him were burned and scorched from his attack, many also wearing a variety of bruises from being tossed around the room. Just as he turned to leave though, a thug jumped up, stumbling on his own hooves. A couple followed and desperately tried to retrieve their weapons and continue the fight. Ace displayed a toothy smile and exclaimed, <You guys certainly are determined, I can give you that!>

He grinned, spreading his forepaws out wide while narrowing his eyes. Bolts of electricity escaped his cheeks as the lining of bruises on his fur added a major boost of intimidation factor. The brutes, now realizing just what the mouse-like creature could do, couldn’t help but unconsciously back up, nervous to challenge the Raichu once more. <You ponies are more challenging than usual, I like that.> Giving a smug smirk, he gestured towards the mob ponies, standing up one at a time, before declaring, <Bring it on!>

“You won’t make me talk scum, do your worst!”

Ace rolled his eyes as he floated in the shadow of the massive statue, the same one he marveled at when first arriving in the city. He levitated a large stallion upside down above the water whose hooves were neatly tied up by two ropes. While a few bruises were present on Ace’s fur, many more burns covered his captive, adding to the scar under his eye.

After keeping the head of the stallion underwater for around ten seconds, he pulled him up and asked, I heard you ponies were setting buildings on fire whenever the ponies living there didn’t pay their “protection fees." He lowered the stallion for another ten seconds before continuing. Not that I approve of any methods of violence, but what happened to the good old ‘sleep with the water pokemon’ methods? Did using water to dispose of victims go out of style? I mean, what do you guys have anything against water?

“You can drown me as much as you want,” The boss sputtered, spitting out a stream of water. “I won’t sell out my brothers!”

Ace shrugged. <We’ll see about that.> He lowered the stallion again, adding two extra seconds each time he repeated the progress.

After his fifth underwater venture, the mob member coughed out more water and shouted in a female-sounding voice, “What is the meaning of this?!”

Ace’s eyes snapped open as he was greeted by a familiar face. <Carrot… I mean, Copper Top?> He stood up, now balancing on his rear paws as he stood atop a staggered pile of unconscious thugs. He placed his forepaws on his hips and indignantly spoke in the cop’s mind. I was daydreaming a good ole’ fashioned interrogation and you ruined it. Thanks a lot. His ears drooped in disappointment. Due to his good-hearted nature, his imagination was the only option to see himself as a hardcore, anti-hero badass. His sister’s teachings had quite a big role as well.

Copper Top approached with firm steps while more police officers entered the nightclub, warily holding their weapons in front of them. She gestured at the pile of bodies and exclaimed, “I will ask again, what is the meaning of this!?”

Ace took a deep and calming breath before sitting on his levitating tail and facing the officer. Just a bunch of tough brutes trying to avenge their leader. He placed his forepaws on his hips and raised his head in pride. They thought they could take down Nica’s family member, the spectacular Ace! They were wrong.

“Are they… ?” she questioned, tilting her head towards the stack of fallen thugs.

They’re fine. Just a bit shocked, Ace responded, giving a small chuckle at his own joke before patting the matted mane of the unconscious leader.

“Are you…?”

I’m fine. Just a few scratches. Using fighting and steel attacks against a psychic and electric pokemon is a bad idea. These guys obviously didn’t do their homework.

“Okeeey…” Copper Top glanced at the numerous weapons scattered on the floor, and then estimated the damage done to the establishment: A few broken bottles leaking expensive cider or wine were scattered about the floor, while some burn marks were scorched into the walls and counter. Numerous tiny holes, about the size of a hoof were punched into the floor, along with some burnt tapestries and broken tables. Looking up, she noticed a pony-shaped mark on the ceiling.

As weird as it sounded, there was surprisingly little damage done to the establishment considering the supposed number in the battling party. How was this place still standing was a miracle already. “How about you come with us and leave a statement at the police station? Considering all the weapons lying around, it looks like you were the victim here, but we still need to question you.”

Sure, lead the way, Ace said before picking up half of the unconscious ponies with his ’Psychic’ attack, levitating them above the ground and depositing them into the officer’s custody. Just make sure to tell Miss Coco about my achievement. I was supposed to meet with her in the park nearby and she’ll get worried if her secondary assistant goes missing.

Copper Top lowered her glasses, giving the Raichu an incredulous look. “You’re working for Miss Coco now, while taking down mob members? Talk about history repeating itself.”

“He did what?!” Coco shouted in shock before dramatically placing a forehoof on her forehead and fainting off to the side.

Quiet Leaf and Copper Top looked down at her in pity as the fashionista now lay in a crumpled bed of lilies and roses.

“Oh dear…” They both sighed, glancing at each other before helping the fallen mare to her hooves.

Ch.15 - Pt.1 Fashionable Surprise

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 15
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Part 1 - Fashionable Surprise

“So... you finally made up your mind to leave?” Coco asked, a prominent frown present as she was perched on a padded cushion atop the sofa, Leaf by her side. A similar expression was surfacing on the young colt’s face.

Ace simply nodded as he made his way into the back storage room, levitating over with ease to the other side of the table while three cups of tea were miraculously balanced on his tail.

She resisted the urge to jump up and grasp them before they clattered to the ground, giving a relieved sigh as Ace handed both her and her assistant a steaming mug, filled to the brim with freshly brewed tea. She took a sip before placing the teacup on the table next to the sofa. She tapped her forehooves nervously, before unconsciously speaking in the most motherly tone she could muster, “I mean… we’re not stopping you or anything, and you have every right to reunite with your family. It’s just that…” a small sniffle stopped her mid-speech, the words becoming lodged in her throat. She struggled to finish, simply gaping as Quiet Leaf jumped in, shooting her an understanding glance.

“We’ll miss you. You’re pretty cool, Ace,” Quiet finished. He continued, seeking comfort in Coco’s warm embrace, “You’ve been so much fun to have around the store, and even the customers have been warming up to your mind-speaking and other shenanigans. Not to mention that you’re really the only one here who actually knows how to party. Gotta say though, surfing with you was definitely the best.”

Coco rubbed her foreleg nervously. “I… not so much. It was… a bit too stressful for me…” She sat up straighter, giving a brilliant grin as she reflected on the good times. “But I really appreciate your efforts in trying to help, and you were really fun to have around, even if our cooperation was a bit… unpredictable.”

Ace finished his tea and exhaled as a steady stream of steam escaped from his mouth, creating a small puff of vapor. He placed the teacup on the table, quickly jumping up and holding his paws to his cheeks in a child-like joy. I’m the one who should thank you, Miss Coco. You gave me a place to stay when I had nowhere else to go and taught me a variety of useful things, even if I only scratched the surface. Not to mention that working for an adorable, fluffy wittle sweetheart like you was such a pleasure. Helping a kind pony like you is a meaningful reward in itself. He hovered over and squished her cheeks, ignoring the mare’s protests before pointing at her and adding, If it was up to me, I would summon a bunch… No, an army of Raichu and convince them to help you! You deserve it.

Coco lowered her head, attempting to cover her forming blush. She used her bangs to block her reddening face and gave a sheepish smile. “S-stop it! You’re embarrassing me.”

Leaf gave his caretaker a curious glance, silently wondering what the pokemon could have told her a moment ago. He looked at the Raichu and asked, “Still, why decide to leave for Ponyville now? You’ve been working here for almost 4 days, and other than the bits used at the bar, you’ve asked for nothing in return.”

That’s simple, Ace spoke in the colt’s mind, acting as if the answer was obvious. He sat upon his tail and swung back and forth, kicking his hind legs up and down in joy while giggling playfully. Your sweet caretaker finally decided to take a day off, and she even managed to hire a worker who can take my place in the store. As much as I would love to help more, this seems like the best time for me to reunite with my dear sis. He looked at the fashionista and repeated himself, with a few small changes here and there.

Coco lowered her head in defeat. “You’ll never stop calling me cute names, will you?”

Ace crossed his forepaws and shook his head. Nope!

“Figures.”

Coco took a sip of her tea before looking back at the enthusiastic pokemon. “Since it’s our day off, how about we accompany you to Ponyville?” Upon noticing a wide grin forming on Ace’s face, she raised a forehoof up to her mouth and giggled. “You’re so cute when you’re excited or happy.”

<So are you,> Ace cooed in his own language, giving the mare a sassy smirk.

The fashionista tapped her chin while gazing up at the ceiling. “Now that I think about it, I’ve visited Rarity’s store in Manehattan, but never in Ponyville. I should write a letter and tell her we’re coming. She can meet us at the train station and give us a tour of the town!” Coco began to eagerly reach for her pen and paper, only to stop as Ace jumped up and darted before her, shaking his head.

And ruin the surprise? Ace sputtered, giving the mare a look of disbelief. No way!

“Surprise? We’re going to show up unannounced?”

Well duh! Where’s the fun in showing up if they know you’re coming? Ace grinned, raising major red flags in Coco’s mind as the Raichu floated closer. Feinting to the right, he dashed by and ruffled the seamstresses mane, giggling at her reaction, before levitating over to Quiet Leaf and repeating Coco’s earlier question. So, how ‘bout it? Are you gonna come with us to Ponyville?

“I’m going to have to pass,” Leaf said, catching his caretaker’s attention. “Someone needs to look after the store while you’re gone and keep it safe. Just simply closing it and leaving it unguarded would attract a thief or two.”

Weren’t you a thief before? Ace asked, giving the colt a mock suspicious glance. Speaking from experience?

Leaf narrowed his eyes and shot Ace a raspberry. “I was, but I wouldn’t dare steal from Miss Coco. If anything, I’d steal for her.”

Coco smiled awkwardly, giving a few nervous chuckles. Should she be happy that her little Leaf was willing to do so much for her, or worry that his troublesome past still had heavy influences on the poor colt’s mind? “Are you sure you want to stay and watch the store all on your own?”

Leaf nodded. “Sure do. Besides, Copper Top and some other cops are gonna be patrolling near our shop quite often. If I get bored, I’ll just go hang out with them.” Spotting Coco’s worried look, he rolled his eyes and added, “And no, I don’t plan on getting arrested or anything.”

Ace chuckled. <Let’s not waste any more time slowpokes! The earlier we leave, the better.> Circling around the room a couple times, he jumped down behind the couch and popped out with the biggest, fluffiest and most comfortable pillow imaginable, only to carefully levitate the seamstress on top of it. Making sure she was balanced, he hopped atop his own tail and floated next to her. <Some fresh air will do you good.>

Coco blinked in confusion, momentarily stunned after being tossed atop the pillow. After a second, she glanced down at her Ace-styled “chariot” and muttered, “What are you planning?”

Leaf looked at the pokemon, tilting his head to the side and scrunching his face up in uncertainty.

Oh, you’ll see! Ace cheered as he tapped together his paws, a wide grin forming on his face. Without wasting a moment, he levitated a cluster of bags and saddlebags over. Let’s get packing. Ponyville awaits!

Coco Pommel stared at the horizon in disbelief as her flank and hooves were stationed on a soft, levitating pillow with Ace ahead, leading the way. A saddlebag sat next to her left foreleg, her cutie mark inscribed on both sides. The train tracks kept them company as they made their way towards Ponyville, moving at speeds far greater than any train she had ever been on. Though she had to admit that even if it was efficient, this ride was anything but normal.

“This is wrong on so many levels,” Coco complained, thought she didn’t dare step off the pillow she clung to. While she learned to trust her loving, but crazy assistant, she knew that he often acted before thinking it through. It also didn’t help how stubborn and bold he could be at times. Someone as timid as her had little chance of changing his mind whenever it was set on something. “How are we even going to find Rarity if neither of us have ever been there?”

We explore, duh... Ace answered as he glanced over his shoulder, his rear legs keeping him stable. Exploring is a ton of fun, trust me on this.

Coco sighed and lowered her head in defeat. This was going to be a long day.

As Celestia’s sun was high on the horizon, providing her subjects with warmth, two particular friends were making their way in between the colorful homes of Ponyville, occasionally catching one or two confused glances from bypassing citizens.

Ace admired the charming constructions, finding yellow to be the most common color coating the rural buildings. After being stationed in Manehattan with Coco, he had grown used to the towering skyscrapers, though it was a welcome change from the normal hustle and bustle of the city.

He took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh, clear air with a goofy grin adorning his features. Minutes came and went as he had explored a small part of Ponyville, mentally remembering which streets he had passed and which he still needed to inspect. The ponies didn’t seem to be as surprised by his presence as the ones in Manehattan, though many furtive glances were directed at the mare riding behind him.

“I’m not sure if any of this is a good idea,” Coco Pommel murmured, ducking her head down to try and avoid the confused stares from the town’s residents.

Ace looked over his shoulder at the mare perched on the levitating pillow. An original beige bag, handcrafted by the mare herself, sat slung over her shoulder, accented with a trio of bright crimson flowers carefully tucked into the stitching. Though, the fauna was dull in comparison to the deep blush that decorated her cheeks, her bangs coming just low enough to block most of her flushed face. With a sigh, Ace hovered over and brushed the seamstresses hair to the side, merely laughing as she shot him an annoyed look.

“I know you wanted us to surprise Rarity, but the part with the floating pillow and train-skipping is going too far.” A puzzled look flashed through the mare’s face, before she added, “Besides, if she doesn’t know we’re coming, why would we have to skip the train?”

Oh, well that’s easy. Surfing through the air is way faster and cooler than riding on some boring train. Not to mention that some fresh air and sunlight will do you good, Ace spoke in Coco’s mind, not annoyed by her complaints in the least. Besides, awesome entrances are key!

Coco Pommel sighed. “Easy for you to say.” She tapped the soft material under her hooves with a pointed look in Ace’s direction. “You’re not the one sitting on a levitated pillow.”

Just close your eyes and imagine you’re riding in a pegasus chariot, he repeated, shooting her a hopeful smile.

“I said it before and I’ll say it again.” Coco shook her head. “It’s not the same and you know it.”

“A youn’ pony like ya too lazy to even walk, such a disgrace for yer kin. Ah would expect it from a unicorn, but not from an earth pony.”

“Ya said it.”

Both looked towards the source of voice in surprise, spotting two elderly mares stumbling towards them.

The first one wore a poofy mane style with faded hair, resembling a stormy cloud, resting atop her pale purple fur. A pair of scarlet glass sat on her nose, exaggerating her pink eyes as she shot Coco a disapproving glare. The two cowered under her stare, watching as she strut by, huffing and puffing to the clang of her golden necklace, the same color as the tea set adorned on her flank.

The other one had snow dusted mane was tucked back into a neat bun, a few curly strands poking out, standing bold against her pale green fur. Her amber eyes glowed, narrowing in disapproval as she shot them a distasteful scowl. She strut by, huffing and puffing as her apple printed bandana swayed gently in the slight breeze. A tasty pie, made of delicious granny smiths, sat on her flank, matching the mare it represented.

Ace looked at the elderly earth ponies, his ears drooping upon noticing the extremely thin legs this old mares were forced to walk on. A large part of him demanded to pick both mares up in his telekinesis and place them on the pillow before escorting them to their destination. Either that or give them something to eat. It looks like they have been starved! he thought. Though, after some quick consideration, it seemed best to leave the ponies to themselves, especially after noticing how annoyed they were at Coco.

“That’s it. I can’t take it anymore.”

Ace looked over his shoulder as his former boss stepped from the pillow and stretched her legs, gently shaking them up and down. A few seconds later she was already trotting by his side. They continued to wander, eventually coming across a large tower tucked away in the outskirts of Ponyville.

“This building looks exactly like a place Rarity would live,” Coco noted, stepping up to the carousel and secretly admiring the whimsical designs of the building.

The pokemon descended, now floating next to the fashionista at a slow pace. I still can’t believe you never paid her a visit in this charming little town? So much for you two being great friends and all.

Coco narrowed her eyes and frowned. “This wouldn’t be a problem if we sent a letter to her about visiting Ponyville. I’m certain she would’ve waited for us at train station. She could have guided us here on the spot. ” She gestured at the surrounding homes. “Instead, we had to scout half of the town.”

The pokemon patted her shoulder with the white patch of his forepaw. There, there. There’s no such thing as too much exploring, is there?

Coco sighed. “Let’s just get this surprise over with.” She stopped in front of the door and knocked on it.

“Coming!” From behind the door, they could hear the sound of gentle thuds, similar to trotting down the stairs. “Be there in just a moment, darling!”

Coco shot Ace a firm glance, already wary due to the Raichu’s mischievous smirk. “I’m going to introduce you to my friend. She’s helped me with a lot, so I expect you to stay on your best behavior.”

His grin grew bigger. I’ll leave a great first impression, you can count on that.

“That’s what I am worried about,” Coco muttered before looking back at the door. Rarity’s face popped through the opening, a big smile present on her face.

“Welcome to… Coco Pommel?!”

Coco yelped upon being wrapped into a tight hug, her vision blocked as Rarity’s violet curls swung into her face.

“Oh, it’s so good to see you! It’s been too long,” Rarity exclaimed.

Ace grinned, watching their exchange before flying towards the window and quietly sneaking inside. Being able to move without stepping against the floor greatly limited the amount of noise he made.

“If I knew you were visiting, I would have cleaned up a bit and planned a tour of Ponyville for you in advance. How did you even find me? I don’t recall ever giving you my Ponyville address.”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to call ahead of time, but a new friend of mine insisted on making it a surprise visit.”

Ace silently giggled as he levitated close to the inner wall, staying out of sight from both mares.

“New friend? Did he not come with you?”

Coco glanced around, calling out, “Ace, it’s no time for games. Come out of hiding this instant!”

Ace raised his forepaw and grinned before quickly poking the mare’s side with his paw. Surprise! he shouted in the mare’s mind, causing the unicorn to yelp and leap to the side.

Rarity turned around and looked at him in confusion. “Who are you?” She peeked at Coco, tilting her head to the side. “Is this your friend?”

“Yep, that’s him.” She sighed, rolling her eyes at her assistant’s antics. She walked beside Rarity into the boutique and trotted into the main room.

“You almost look like Nica… but different.”

That’s because she’s my cool sis.

“Your sis?” Rarity asked. “You mean Nica is your sister?”

Bingo. He poked his own chest and puffed it out in pride. Just like Nica, I’m also a Raichu, just a different variety known as an Alolan Raichu. That’s why my features and abilities are different as well.

Coco cleared her throat and began, “Rarity, I would like to introduce…” But, before she could finish, Ace levitated in front of Coco, and balanced on the edge of his tail.

Standing on the tip of one of his legs, he popped up and performed a polite bow. The name’s Ace, got it memorized? He hovered closer as his tiny nose was but centimeters away from her muzzle. Because I am totally memorizing a rare mare like you. He winked, causing Rarity’s pristine white fur to turn a deep shade of red.

“Hmm, Ace…” she mulled, performing a quick bow of her own. “Rarity, charmed to make your acquaintance,” she murmured as she started to examine his unique features. “You’re a different variety indeed. First, your ears; while they have similar shape, they are a bit bigger and bulkier, and seem to be accented with a gold-like color.” She lowered her head and poked his wide belly with the tip of her forehoof as the pokemon giggled in response. “Your belly color is the same, but the patches at the end of your legs and paws are white, rather than Nica’s bronze. You both also have orange fur, but different shades. Yours seems lighter, like a mix between gold and tangerine.”

She raised the pokemon with her magical grasp as her aqua aura surrounded the Alolan Raichu, before inspecting his longest limb. “Your tail is very unique though. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.” She lowered the pokemon back onto his tail and started to trot around him, examining him from all sides. “You’re also a little bit smaller, and the stripes on your back are white instead of bronze.”

Loving the attention, Ace placed his forepaws on his hips and raised his head, playfully smirking. Checking out the goods now, are we. Oh yea!

Rarity blushed once more and sat in front of him, backtracking. “Oh, my deepest apologies. I could not help myself. It’s not everyday I get visited by a pokemon, more or less one that levitates on its own tail.”

And who’s complaining? Not me, that’s for sure. He tilted his tail slightly up while spreading his forepaws to the side, taking a quick pose as if riding a wild wave. Check this pose. If you need a mannequin for a surfing line, search no more. Your dream model had arrived!

Rarity looked into Ace’s eyes, smiling at their vivid hue. “While Nica’s eyes are oval, yours seem like a wonderful blend of the sea’s waves and silver snow. That’s quite a special color for eyes if I do say so myself.”

Hehe, wow. Here I thought they were just blue. He paused, stroking his chin before continuing, Silvery snow eyes, you say. Ace grinned, dashing around Rarity in a quick circle before stepping onto her back and striking a pose. Balancing atop her head, he spread his arms out and began rocking forwards and backwards. From now on, call me Silver Surfer. I like the sound of that.

Rarity peeked up at her exuberant passenger before giving Coco a look of confusion.

“Before you ask, yes… he always acts like that.” Coco sighed before smiling at her assistant, still riding pretend waves above the white mare. “But he’s quite fun to have around, and I must add, even some of the toughest customers grew attached to his cheesy one-liners and his telepathy.”

“I see,” Rarity mumbled thoughtfully as she observed her newest guest, who was currently floating from one pony dummy to another, booping each mannequin’s plastic muzzle. “He’s very lively, and so much more confident and prideful than humble Nica. It’s hard to believe they’re related.”

Ace darted over, overhearing the two seamstresses conversation. Can’t argue with that, he told Rarity, before pausing and glancing back at his ‘boss’ with a saddened expression. He spoke to Coco and then to her friend, repeating himself. Nica’s doubt in her amazing a abilities is so depressing, though I can’t really blame her for her low self-esteem. It’s hard for her to feel proud of herself when the hero she admires is weaker, less experienced, not fully evolved, and yet has somehow accomplished so much more in less time. That’s kind of soul-crushing if you ask me.

He poked his own chest, pointing at himself. Personally, I like myself for who I am and I don’t let this kind of stuff get to me, but my sis is a lot more sensitive. He thought back to his sister’s hero, sighing before adding, Yet she still managed to put aside all that disappointment and work as hard as she can. She still admires that Pikachu rather than being envious of him.

His ears straightened upward in a flash, before he blinked away and reappeared before a plastic stand. His eyes shone with a silvery light as a stylish fedora levitated from one dummy, descending onto his head, delicately pushing his ears to the side. Coco’s saddlebag shot open, the clasps undoing, as a familiar pair black glasses floated onto his button nose. He flew over towards three, tall mirrors resting next to a platform. <Looking good,> he cooed, titling his specs down and winking to himself through the glass.

Rarity looked at the pokemon’s ears, enraptured by the display, before curiously asking, “Considering your ability to levitate objects without using Equestria magic, you must be a psychic type, correct?”

Psychic and electric actually, Ace corrected, flying over and leaping onto Rarity’s back. He sat on it, stretching like a cat before resuming, Still, how did you know?

Rarity pointed at the stairs in distance, climbing up towards the second floor. “A pokemon who is under my care also possesses the ability to levitate objects. He has been assisting me with big elements of my work. A water and psychic type called Starmie, I believe.”

Astra’s Starmie is here? I’m sooo saying hello to my water buddy. Be back in a sec!

Before Rarity or Coco could protest, Ace jumped from her back onto his own tail and dashed towards the stairs, vanishing from their view.

Ch.15 - Pt.2 Gathering of the Chu's

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 15
-
Part.2 - Gathering of the Chu's

“He’s Nica’s brother? Who would have thought?” Rarity looked back at Coco and asked, “How did you two meet? You really need to tell me the full story, darling.” She walked backwards while gesturing for Coco to sit and make herself comfortable. “Please, have a seat. I’ll prepare some tea for us both.”

“Thank you, Miss Rarity, but I promised Ace that I would help him locate and meet his sister, so if it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I would prefer to skip the tea and tell you the short version, at least for now.” She sat and tapped her forehooves nervously. “Please, don’t feel offended.”

“Offended, oh please,” Rarity teased as her horn ignited with her trademark magical aura, and a moment later, a long, crimson couch levitated towards them. She sat on the couch and got comfortable, before she tapped on it. “Please, sit down. I am all ears.”

Coco nodded before perching herself on a rolled pillow.

Rarity waved her forehoof encouragingly. “Go on, tell the tale! You have my full attention.”

The shy fashionista smiled warmly before speaking, “Do you remember how you first brought Nica into my shop so I could hire her as a bodyguard?”

“But of course. I even read articles from the Manehattan press about her heroic deeds,” Rarity said, a small puff of pride surfacing. “I had no idea the extent of spectacular things she had done, but I knew she was a perfect match with your shy demeanor.

“Well… about that…” Coco rubbed the back of her neck. “Since the police remembered that Nica was my former bodyguard, when a similar pokemon started levitating through the city while exploring near the statue,” she pointed at herself, “Miss Copper escorted him to me, assuming I would know what to do.”

“She mistook him for Nica?”

Coco shook her head. “She didn’t, but since he looked quite similar, she mentioned Nica’s name, and then told him that she once worked at my store. It was a big surprise when a self-hovering Raichu suddenly appeared at my doorsteps one day and started asking about his sister.”

“I see… and in the end you decided to hire him as your assistant?” Rarity questioned.

“More like he appointed himself for the job.”

Rarity tilted her head to the side in confusion.

“Ace started asking me a bunch of questions about his sister, and then proclaimed himself as my secondary assistant. He started helping me out with all my work, befriended my young, number one assistant Quiet Leaf, and has been living with me ever since,” Coco explained. “He didn’t actually give me a choice in the matter, but in the end I am glad he stayed. His psychic typing made him an excellent assistant, and I finally got some free time after a few days straight of nonstop and restless work. His stitching could use someone work, but his enthusiastic nature more than makes up for it.”

Rarity held a forehoof in front of her mouth and chuckled. “You sure have plenty of luck when it comes to Raichu. They just love helping you out!”

“Seems that way,” Coco said before looking at the stairs and hearing a variety of ‘Raichu’s’ and ‘Rai’s’ coming from upstairs. “As for his ability to speak directly to us, in our mind, it was his alternative to his sister’s ability to write and read. The only downside is he can only communicate to one pony or creature at a time.”

“You mean his trainer taught him?” Rarity inquired.

“Not really. According to Ace, his sister, as a Pichu, spent half a year learning how to read and write under Astra’s guidance when they were isolated on a mountain, so when he evolved into an Alolan Raichu, he spent months studying how to speak telepathically. It seemed to really help their dynamic, for both trainers, or so I’ve heard.”

And I’m Emily’s pokemon.

Rarity yelped and fell from the couch from the shock, yet though she braced for impact, she didn’t hit the floor. Instead, she was levitated and perched on top of the sofa while receiving a sassy smile from the pokemon. She smiled in return, giving him silent thanks.

Emily was working with Astra’s parents, performing as a trusted officer for their forces. After the police tried to arrest her on false charges, she escaped, and years later ended up working for a rag-tag group of Pokemon Hunters. Astra dealt a big blow to the hunters with the help of her pokemon and friends, and recruited Emily to rejoin the organization and her cause. He raised his head in pride while perched on the couch in between two mares. And after my sister, previously a bit of a bully, visited us as a brave Raichu with a heart of gold, I couldn’t resist the chance to get a pokemon trainer of my own. So, I joined Emily, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I couldn’t live without her.

“Hmm, Interesting. Still, there is something that is bothering me,” Rarity mulled as both Coco and her assistant looked at her curiously. “It seems all summoned pokemon ended up in Ponyville or nearby it. How did you end up in Manehattan?”

Ace showed his toothy smile. I found myself surfing above a channel of train tracks stuck inside a musty tunnel. I left it and decided to follow the tracks, wherever they ended up taking me. Around an hour or two later I reached a big city surrounded by a massive pool of water. He giggled. Probably took the wrong turn… figures.

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Yes, figures.”

Ace ignored the mare and exclaimed, Enough talking about me. He peeked from behind the couch, now staring out the window. So, where’s my sis? I want to surprise her!

“Nica…? Oh right! Ever since yesterday’s adventures, she’s been stuck under the influence of the Poison Joke. The spa ponies no doubt have the antidote already, so we can wait for Nica… Yeeow!” Rarity yelped, while Coco giggled at her over the top reaction.

<A trip to the spa? Now you’re talking!> Ace shouted before levitating both mares with the help of his telekinesis power.

“Can you stop doing that! Or at least give me a warning!” Rarity cried, promptly being ignored as the Raichu set off. After balancing himself on his tail, he hovered towards Coco and nuzzled her cheek affectionately. Miss Coco, you deserve nothing more than to relax after all your hard work, and what’s better than enjoying the spa with a friend or two. He poked her nose, causing her to blush. It’s not exactly a lively party at a raging nightclub, but it’s good enough.

Ace glanced at the couch and grinned, an idea forming within his scheming mind.

Ace surfed through the air, following Rarity’s directions while on his way to the spa building, an excited smile present on his face. He waved cheerfully at bypassing ponies, though rather than return his friendly gestures, their gazes went straight to the mares riding atop the velvet plush couch, currently floating through the air. He glanced over his shoulder at Rarity, who covered her face in embrasement.

“I can read the headlines now!” Rarity exclaimed, sighing at the Raichu’s antics. “A local fashionista uses her fainting couch as a personal chariot. I’m never going to hear the end to such rumors. Oh Celestia, how did I end up in such a predicament?”

Coco patted Rarity’s shoulder in a consoling manner. “There… there… it’s not as bad as you think.”

Just imagine you’re riding a pegasus chariot! Ace spoke, communicating to Rarity in her mind.

“It is not the same and you know it,” Rarity muttered as she lowered her forelegs and narrowed her eyes, trying tomantain as much of her fleeting dignity as possible.

Ace resisted the urge to laugh before gazing at the pinkish-yellowish building in distance, resting upon the horizon. The most noticeable feature seemed to be a few pointy edges or the building’s exterior reaching towards the sky, attempting to grip the clouds in their iron hold. <That’s quite an interesting roof design. These ponies sure know how to make things stylish. Let’s hope it’s functional.> He closed his eyes and clenched the white patches of his forepaws in excitement before speeding up, charging towards the opening. <Mr. Spa, get ready, because here… we… come!> The door was pushed open by both his psychic power and body momentum as he flew inside.

He stopped and looked around, examining his surroundings.

Numerous beds for comfortable chilling and a calming massage? Check.

A large container filled with hot, steaming water for a relaxing bath? Check.

Sturdy stairs leading to said container and a mirror? Check.

A few vases filled with flowers to dispense a lovely scent throughout the building? Check.

Oddly shaped pillars which seem to serve more of a decorative purpose rather than actually support the building? Check.

A group of ponies huddled in the middle of the room with a Pichu and Litten among them, now staring at him in confusion? Check.

A soft pink earth pony, topped with a teal-blue mane and tail, along with a blue earth pony blessed with a pink mane and tail. Seems both are wearing white fuzzy headbands and carrying all the necessary supplies needed in this place, such as creams and towels. Definitely the most charming spa workers I have ever seen, Ace thought before lowering the levitated couch to the floor with a weak thud sounding moments later. If anything, now I know I’m in the right place!

“Oh um, I’m just… visiting.” Coco shook her forehooves dismissively while displaying a sheepish smile. “Please, don’t bother. This trip was very last minute.”

Litten looked at him while perched on a spread wing. <Another Raichu? And an Alolan one? This is quickly turning into a ‘Chu’ family reunion or something.>

“Rarity, forgive me for asking, but since when did you start riding your fainting couch?” Fluttershy asked from her perch on a massaging table.

Rarity groaned before shooting him a deadly glare. “This method of transportation was forced upon me! I had no choice,” she claimed dramatically, falling back with her hoof thrown across her forehead.

“And after I apologized to Rarity, I noticed you, little sis.” Ace levitated Nica over, giving her a loving squeeze as third of her body was lost among the fur on his white belly. “I mean, I totally knew you could handle yourself, not to mention beat up any bad guy, but… “ He levitated his sister back, allowing her to sit on the edge of a bucket with water. Raising his paws, he held them about an inch apart, adding, “I might have been just the smallest, tiniest bit worried about you.” Chuckling, he dipped under the water and resurfaced, quickly changing the topic as he noticed Nica’s mischievous grin. “That nickname though, it’s brilliant! I mean, Tinychu. That’s weapon-grade adorableness right there!”

Ace pulled himself out of the tub, shaking his wet fur before leaping atop his tail. With a sigh, he fell on his back and caught himself with his forepaws tucked comfortably behind his head, maintaining a relaxed posture above the container of steaming water. Black tinted glasses were balanced on his right ear, lazily hanging off the side as he gave a satisfied expression. His rear paws were dipped into the liquid beneath him, soaking up the delightfully hot water and providing him with another pleasant experience.

Ace ignored the cluster of nearby ponies who were sharing the heated bath with him, his attention focusing on two little heads peeking out of the antidote dissolved water. Thankfully, it seemed his sister’s translating collar wasn’t affected in water, proved by how he was able to speak while diving and playing in the tub with Nica’s neckband on.

<So you decided to help Miss Coco in her time of need. I’m so proud of you!> Nica shouted in a squeaky voice as her forepaws rested against the edge of the bucket, her face radiating with unadulterated pride.

<There is something I still don’t get.> Pichu continuously looked over at Nica, attempting to grab her attention. When she finally returned his glance, he added, <If he really had missed you as much as he claimed and was worried about you so much, why didn’t he go to Ponyville immediately? I mean… I approve of helping those in need and all, but still…> He shot Ace a suspicious glance.

Nica climbed up, now balanced at the edge of the bucket while a few random drops of water fell down her wet fur. She placed her forepaws on her hips and shook her head. <Ever since Ace joined Emily, I’ve done my best to teach him how important it is to help others and put his best paw forward.>

“Miss Coco was a super cute, nice and innocent little cinnamon bun. I just couldn’t bring myself to abandon her when she was so overwhelmed,” Ace said as he caught a blush forming on the fashionista from the corner of his eye. “Plus, part of me knew you would be fine. Surviving against the odds is what you’ve been preparing yourself for since the beginning of your journey!”

Nica cheered before tapping her forepaws together in joy. <Now it’s our turn to tell the story. Oh, I’m so excited. You have no idea what kind of incredible adventures we faced yesterday… > she paused, continuing with, <or the entire time we’ve been here, I guess.” She leapt towards Pichu’s nose, poking it before falling into the water with a playful splash. <Will you do the honor?>

Pichu nodded. <With pleasure.>

Ace grasped the glasses balanced on his ear with his paws, placing it on his eyes to block out the bright lightning. As much as he wanted to unleash his excitement, he needed to play it cool. He didn’t want to leave a bad impression in front of a hero his sister had admired for so long. Already chuckling, he began to imagine the crazy things they claimed they experienced, before exclaiming, “I’m all ears!”

Ch.16 - The Spa and the Surfer

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Lost Little Pikachu

Chapter 16
-
The Spa and the Surfer

“As I was holding my ground against the Everfree’s resident Ursa Major, the Poison Joke’s curse thought it would be hilarious to change me from a Raichu into a Pichu… in the middle of combat!” Pichu declared, shaking his head in annoyance as he stalked back and forth on the raised platform. Standing beside the massive container, one paw was reserved for holding his translating collar against his neck, while the other waved wildy in the air, emphasizing each word the pokemon spoke. “A view flooded with stars trapped in a titanic, transparent paw would be the last thing I ever saw before being crushed, if not for Nica.”

The tiny Raichu, currently half the size of her hero, circled around the pool with relaxed strokes, her face radiating with pride as Pichu continued with his story.

Litten, perched on a massaging table, listened to the story from afar with concealed interest. He purred as the pony’s hooves gently massaged his back, slowly easing out the variety of knots.

Pichu pointed at Nica. “Just in the nick of time, she was able to grow to my normal size by putting aside her insecurities and actually acknowledging her own heroic deeds.” With a warm smile, he added, “And she did it all just to save me.”

With a small jump, he dove into the bucket and swam over to Nica, squeezing her in a tight embrace. Ignoring the Raichu’s blush, he continued with his tale. “We were just about to put that beast in its place until the Wonderbolts and a couple of our friends came to our rescue. They blasted the guy with a couple well-aimed moves before giving us both a lift out of the forest.”

“I’ve already heard this story from Nica, yet it still shocks me all the same,” Fluttershy mumbled with a worried look on her face. “I’m glad that it had a happy ending. I don’t know what I’d do if either of you were badly hurt.”

Coco glanced up at the bucket in pity, her ears drooping while her eyes on were watering, on the verge of tears. “To think… that you had to endure such a scarring experience…” She whimpered before whispering, “After all you did for Leaf and me, it would break my heart if something happened to you. I-I… ” She began, though was unable to finish as the words became lodged in her throat.

<Please don’t feel sad, Miss Coco,> Nica said in a soothing voice, yet all the other ponies could hear was “Rai, Raichu, Rai Rai.”

Pichu looked down and to the side at the massive container filled with steaming water, or rather at the ponies relaxing in it. Their heads were propped against the gigantic pool’s rim, held just high enough to avoid being dropped into the liquid as most of their eyes were shut in peaceful bliss. Starlight kept staring back at the Pichu in excitement that surpassed that of even Pinkie Pie, while Coco sought comfort in Fluttershy’s embrace, snuggled under one of Fluttershy’s extended wings.

He glanced at Ace with a hint of annoyance, watching as the Alolan Raichu rested atop his longest limb, maintaining a relaxed posture with his forepaws tucked under the back of his head. His glasses were propped atop his button nose, occasionally adjusted with his telekinesis as he drifted halfway in the water, supported by his tail. “Hey, are you even listening?” A small part of him felt jealous as well, wishing he could use his own tail as a personal bed or transportation.

Ace raised his glasses with his psychic power and opened his left eye, giving Pichu a lazy grin. “Of course I am. I may not look like it, but I assure you, I’ve heard every word.” He withdrew one paw from under his head and gently stirred it through the water. “I believe we were at the part where the Wonderbolts escorted you two out of the Everfree?” Turning, he raised his forepaw and poked the collar on his neck. “Thanks for letting me borrow your translating gadget, sis. Talking with others with telepathy is nice and all, but only for private discussions. It gets kinda awkward in larger groups.”

<You’re welcome!> Nica shouted, before swimming over to Pichu with a smug smile.

Pichu looked at his smaller friend. “What?”

<You know you can get yourself a tail like that if you spend a month or two living in Alola,> Nica said while swimming in place before him. <Assuming you’ll surf on the water a lot to offset your experiences in other regions… and maybe also change diet to more sugar-based. Your body needs to want different adaptations to make it work.>

“What… but I…” He sighed. “You sensed my jealousy, didn’t you?”

<Guilty as charged,> Nica admitted with a nod, smiling sheepishly.

“Being able to levitate on one’s tail is not only really cool, but it has lots of utility like surfing on wild waves and performing aerial tricks. Not to mention just relaxing like this,” Ace said, butting in to their conversation. “If you evolve in Alola, you certainly won’t regret it.”

Oh come on! First Nica showed me how kind and understanding Raichu can be, then demonstrates how fast and agile she is, along with her flexible tail. Now her brother is joining in! Why do they have to make evolving so appealing? I’m not ready to take that step yet, and they’re certainly not making it any easier, he thought while swimming in lazy circles inside the bucket. He looked at the little Raichu, rolling his eyes at her enthusiastic grin, only to squint them shut as a brilliant light began emanating from Nica. His own body began to shine similarly a moment later.

He felt soft, damp fur press against him and soon heard the noise of breaking wood. When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself trapped under Nica’s belly with fragments of the bucket scattered around. The water from the bucket swarmed out, now streaming into the bigger container holding everyone else.

<S-sorry!> Nica yelped before pushing herself off of Pikachu.

With the heavier pokemon no longer weighing down on his back, Pikachu stood up on his paws, shaking his fur like a dog, and scattering a barrage of water droplets in the process. Nica took his example, though jumped down before shaking herself, to avoid splashing anyone else. Those caught in Pikachu’s mini rainfall blinked in surprise, though Ace didn’t seem to mind.

Starlight’s horn ignited as she levitated Pikachu’s collar over and attached it, the band fitting perfectly.

No longer feeling so wet, he started examining his features, checking his limbs, belly and back for any changes. His rear paws were still tiny, but much longer than a Pichu’s stubby legs. His forepaws and tail had stretched, becoming much lengthier and familiar. He quickly touched his own face and neck, ensuring they were back to normal as well, before a big smile formed on his face. “Finally!” He stretched his rear legs for a moment before performing a flip mid-air, stopping and balancing himself on a single foot with ease. “Much better. Being Pichu and Raichu was interesting, but for now I’d rather stay like this. I think I’ve changed forms enough for one day.” He took a step back, only for his feet to slip on the watery surface of the raised platform. He slid towards the large container, yet for some reason didn’t slam head-first into the water.

Blinking in confusion, he noticed a lightning shaped tail wrapped securely around his belly. Looking behind him, he spotted Nica and gave her a grateful grin, murmuring, “Thanks.”

<You’re welcome!> Nica smiled, retracting her tail before walking over towards the mirror.

Pikachu felt his feet make contact with the platform, before glancing over and peeking at his reflection. He patted his fur down, placing his paws on his hips and giving the mirror a smug smile while standing next to Nica. “I really missed this form, even if I was only a Pichu for less than a day.“ His attention focused on the Raichu’s reflection. “And I must say, I certainly prefer seeing you as the big, mighty and heroic Raichu you are.” He nuzzled Nica’s side, pressing his cheek into her soft fur. “Being tiny doesn’t suit you. You’ve overcome way too much hardship to look like anything less.”

Nica lowered herself onto four paws and nuzzled him in return, giving him a loving squeeze with her tail at the same time. <You’re too kind,> she responded, stepping to side before pointing at herself. <Personally, I don’t mind being smaller.> She rubbed her forearm, adding, <What I meant to say is… as long as I don’t need my full power to protect anyone, and as long as I get to keep my tail, I don’t mind being way smaller than others. It can actually be pretty enjoyable.>

“No surprises there,” Ace said as he levitated towards the edge of the container, catching their attention. “I bet you would love to shrink yourself at will just to make fights against weaker opponents fair. That’s the sis I know and love.” Noticing the two share a subtle glance, he narrowed his eyes and looked at Pikachu, asking, “Did you challenge her to a fight by any chance?”

Pikachu rubbed the back of his neck and smiled nervously. “Hehe, y-yes…”

Nica bit her bottom lip before looking to the side, whistling while she avoided eye contact with the curious Alolan Raichu.

Ace glanced between them both, tapping his chin and gazing at the two in bewilderment. “Why do I get the impression that something big has happened that I’m unaware of?” When both remained silent, staring down at the ground, he huffed and darted over to Nica. “Come on sis, what are you hiding from me?”

Starlight laughed from the other side of the container, watching the awkward display. She raised a forehoof from the water and pointed at the blushing pokemon. “You have no idea about the drama and misunderstanding those two went through.”

Pikachu and Nica wildly flailed their forepaws in the air, wordlessly begging Starlight not to reveal anything about that particularly embarrassing event. The mare saw them and smiled, giving the two an evil grin.

“Oh, do tell,” Ace inquired with full interest, oblivious to what was going on behind him.

“Celestia, where do I start?” Starlight chuckled as both Nica and Pikachu facepawed. “Maybe at the part where Nica learned that the one Pikachu that happens to fly through the portal is the one she has admired all this time, or maybe I can tell you about what happened after she learned that her hero had a strong disliking to Raichu due to a couple terrible experiences with his evolution, making him in turn not want to evolve.” She shrugged. “But in short, Nica was afraid that her hero would hate her, while Pikachu thought he offended her, which lead to a seemingly never-ending game of cat and mouse.” Pointing in Pikachu’s direction, she leaned closer. “He later challenged her to a pokemon battle, trying to prove that he wouldn’t be jealous of her no matter what happened.”

“Pokemon battle?” Coco asked, tuning in. “That sounds a bit dangerous,” she muttered, sinking deeper into the container.

Out of nowhere, Pinkie popped up from underneath the water and gasped in excitement before grabbing Coco by her shoulders, their cheeks colliding. “Applejack and Rainbow Dash told me all about it! It involves two pokemon attacking each other and two trainers telling them what to do by yelling at them while taking cool poses. Rainbow Dash said the battle between Nica and Ninetales involved lots of crazy explosions of electricity, stone-melting, creating large craters and stuff like that.”

“Oh my…” Coco and Fluttershy murmured in unison, each holding a forehoof in front of their gaping mouths.

Starlight rolled her eyes, quickly pulling away Pinkie with her levitation before she would scar the two sensitive mares for life. “Pikachu refused boost of magic and Nica refused to battle him unless he meet this condition. Lucario suggested he should fight Ninetales instead. It was going well… for a time.”

Ace sat on his tail, still listening eagerly while sinking half of his belly into the hot water. “Wait, so you’re telling me ponies can increase a pokemon’s power with their magic? Now that’s awesome! Seems a lot better than the move ‘Helping Hand.” He chuckled. “And certainly more useful than yelling ‘you can do it!’ over and over as some energetic trainers tend to do.”

“Hey! Hearing encouraging words in the middle of a hard fought battle usually gives me the strength I need to keep going, not to mention a reminder of the strong bond between the trainer and the pokemon. Ash always gives me the determination I need to keep fighting,” Pikachu muttered in protest.

“Still, no matter how ‘encouraging’ his words are, it won’t help you much when you’re knocked out. Besides, nothing can beat a magic boost that strong if it lets you hold your ground against a survival and combat master like Nica,” Ace pointed out, giving his sister a proud grin.

“Well, I can’t argue with that,” Pikachu said as his mind provided him with images of being quickly outmatched once his opponent started giving it all, an opponent who praised Nica for being even tougher. Furthermore, for the next days he saw enough of Nica’s skills to see the big picture, and he could tell that the female Raichu could do even better with enough motivation. If anything, motivation and lack thereof seemed to be Nica’s greatest strength and also her greatest weakness.

“Even fighting Mega-Evolved pokemon didn’t push me as hard as fight against Ninetales once he got serious. I should’ve accepted Nica’s idea from the get go.” He rubbed his chin, thinking deeply with closed eyes. “I wonder if this magic boost would make me as strong as if I evolved and than mega-evolved. That would be a unique experience,” Pikachu said, earning Ace’s intrigued stare.

The Alolan Raichu frowned and crossed his forepaws. “To think that so many powerful pokemon have gained mega-evolution, all while it is still out of our grasp.” He peeked at his sister. “I hoped if anyone, Nica, with Astra’s help would succeed in finding the first Raichite stone, leading to them being the first Mega evolved Raichu. Pity they failed. I would have looked amazing as a mega pokemon.”

Nica shook her head. <I… I didn’t, and still don’t like that idea. Many mega-evolved pokemon I have faced in battles seemed uncomfortable in their new forms, a few even in pain, leading to outbreaks or uncontrollable tempers. It must be extremely unsettling to have to switch back and forth into a different form. It’s all just forced and unnatural. While I could debate if all normal evolutions affect one’s personality all that much, mega-evolutions certainly do, especially considering how fast they build up their anger. It’s rare to find a pokemon who can handle that kind of evolution, even fewer who actually enjoy it.> She smiled. <Being able to use Z-moves is all I need.> She glanced at Pikachu, giving him a mischievous grin. <Besides, I know a certain someone who just couldn’t resist trying to tackle a Mega-Raichu head on just to prove a point.>

Pikachu puffed his chest, tapping on it with a single paw. “Most likely.”

Nica responded, poking his side with a small frown present on her face.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes and shot Nica a challenging glance, taking a deep breath before blurting out, “And if I promised I would do it just to challenge myself and have fun without taking it too personal and without trying to prove anything?”

“Well…” Nica smiled sheepishly, tapping her forepaws nervously against each other. “The outcome would probably depend on how much you surpassed Mega-Raichu in terms of skills and experience.” She forced a smile. “But I can say for certain that you’ll try your hardest to keep your word.”

Pikachu nodded firmly, “I sure will. I suppose it will come down to how enjoyable that such a fight would be.”

“In any case.” Starlight coughed, catching everyone’s attention while giving Ace an annoyed glance. He merely responded with a sheepish grin, motioning for her to continue. “As I was saying, we tricked Nica into having a nice, relaxing bath with Pikachu so they could resolve their problems with a simple discussion,” she glared at the two, ignoring their embarrassed chuckles, “without having one of them run away before things could be worked out. It worked like a charm.”

“So diplomacy in warming water saved the day. Now that’s a solution I can get behind.” Ace slapped his forepaw against the water playfully, splashing a small portion up into the air. Using the move ‘Psychic,’ he directed it at Nica’s face with a grin, mocking a fake frown as his sister easily blocked it with her tail. “The entire world, or uh universe,” he sputtered, glancing over at the ponies resting within the container, “would become a much safer and more peaceful place if all diplomatic meetings and negotiations would take place in bathtubs. Hmm, or maybe a spa would be the best place.”

Pinkie laughed, moments away from sinking underwater in her fit of giggles if not for Fluttershy’s wing holding her up. “Bathtub negotiations, that’s a good one.” She jumped from the water and sat on the edge of the container, tossing her damp hair to the side before waving her hooves in the air. “I can see it now: Princess Cadence and Shining Armor taking a bath with King Sombra while negotiating the empire’s independence. Thorax relaxing in a hot tub with Queen Chrysalis in an attempt to reform her. Or Princess Celestia bathing with Nightmare Moon while trying to convince her to abandon her quest for vengeance.” She laughed some more, nearly falling over. “Oh Ace, you’re a real knee slapper.”

“I have no idea who any of those people… er, ponies are, but they sound very important,” Ace responded, giving the laughing mare a confused look. He simply shrugged his shoulders before standing up on his tail and levitating himself out of the water, now hovering in front of Nica and Pikachu. “Speaking of important figures, I couldn’t help myself but notice a shared look of admiration between you two.” He put on his black glasses and added, “It’s really nice to see that the respect isn’t one-sided.”

“Of course I respect her. She’s definitely earned it more than once,” Pikachu said, noticing Nica’s brilliant smile from the corner of his eye. He held forepaw on his chest and added, “To be honest, I constantly feel as if I am the one undeserving of her incredible admiration.”

Nica looked between him and Ace and shook her head, cutting of her hero before he could say anything more. <Of course you deserve it.> She sealed his mouth shut with a bronze patch of her paw before he could respond. <And before you say anything, I’ll admit, at first I admired you based on rumors of your trainer’s victories, but over time I’ve had the honor of witnessing your incredible bravery, kindness and dedication.> She raised his chin with her paw and looked into his eyes.

Pikachu opened his mouth, but closed it quickly, his words lodged in his throat.

“Awww… that was so touching.” Ace sighed, holding his forepaws together in dreamy fashion, before plastering him beside his cheeks.

Coco glanced at the small tears in Fluttershy’s eyes in confusion, quickly leaning over and whispering into Fluttershy’s ear. “Uh, what did she say?”

“Nica has been idolizing this Pikachu for a while, though mainly based on rumors of his trainer’s achievement. Even after spending so much time with him, and getting to know him better, her admiration hasn’t diminished one bit,” Fluttershy answered. “She still looks up to him as her hero and they respect each other more than ever now.”

“Awww… that’s so cuteee!” Pinkie shouted before bringing out the heavy artillery.

Pikachu’s moment of silence was interrupted the moment he noticed a small cannon stationed in between Pinkie’s hooves, the fuse already lit and burning. “Get down!” He tackled Nica to the side, only for harmless confetti to shower over them, blanketing both in a layer of party supplies, and an extra Pinkie piled on top.

“False alarm, hero. Next time, leave this kind of stuff to the professionals like my sister,” Ace said with a chuckle as he levitated Pinkie off, before attending to Pikachu and Nica. He poked Pikachu’s side and looked at him with a smug smile painted on his face. “Unless you just used it as an excuse to get…” he leaned in closer, whispering, “a more intimate touch with her, if you know what I mean.” Taking off his black glasses and winking, he floated away, laughing at Pikachu’s stunned expression as both Litten and Nica’s ears perked up, able to hear the two’s conversation.

Litten laughed. “I wish. I’ve been their number one fan from the start bud, believe me.”

Both Pikachu and Nica blushed in embarrassment, still standing right beside each other without daring to look the other in the eyes.

Ace levitated his black glasses from his eyes and balanced his rear legs on the back side of his tail before grabbing Pikachu with his physical grip and placing him on the second half.

Pikachu turned around and looked at Ace in confusion. “What’re you doing?”

“Taking you for a ride, obviously… duh.” Ace rolled his eyes. “You’re someone Nica admires and praises, and I really want to get to know you better.” He placed his forepaws on his shoulders and said, “So, what better way than for us to have a little outdoor adventure? You know, some fun in the sun, if you catch my drift?”

Pikachu pointed at him accusingly. “You know you could’ve just asked if I wanted to ride along before you snatched me up like that?”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!” Ace shouted before plopping down atop his tail and clenching the white patches of his forepaws in excitement. “Having a real hero ride with me on my tail, now that’s amazing!”

Pikachu turned around before taking his example and sitting, wondering how they both managed to fit on such a limited space. He squeezed his paws even tighter around the base, before glancing at Ace. A moment later he felt the Alolan Raichu’s forepaw grab him, holding him securely in place as he began to zoom in tight circles around the spa.

“Listen buddy. Nica has admired you for so long, and she even got the chance to spend time with you. I want some of that too. I’d even be up for a pokemon battle so I can see what Nica’s hero is really made of.”

Pikachu’s ears perked. “Pokemon battle?” He smiled, his eyes sparking in competitive joy. “Sure, I would–”

<Stop right there!> Nica shouted with a firm stomp. The moment they stopped on the platform next to the mirror, she stepped in front of them and declared, <There will be no unfair fights on my watch.>

Pikachu and the tail-surfing Raichu’s ears drooped.

“But siiiisss... “ Ace moaned, but before he could finish Nica cut him off.

<No buts!> Nica said, pointing at them accusingly. <Not only are you a Raichu, which gives you an upper paw in terms of raw power and durability, but being a psychic type lets you bypass certain resistances. Your opponent would have no such luxury in a true battle.>

“Ugh… fineee mooom,” Ace grumbled in annoyance. He turned around to the left to peek over at the party mare. “Is there any beach or a big collection of water in the area?”

“Sure,” Pinkie said with an energetic nod, hopping over to the pokemon. She looked at the ceiling while tapping her forehooves against each other. “There’s the main river going through Ponyville,” she started, twisting her body and using the front curl of her cotton candy mane to point to the left, “the lake where I chillaxed with Rainbow Dash,” she continued, flipping upside down and pointing behind her with her hind leg, “and the secret lake under the Everfree Forest called Mirror Pool where I once made a hundred of clones of myself.” With that, she popped up and grinned, briefly hopping atop her four hooves.

Pikachu, Ace and Nica gave Pinkie an odd stare.

The party mare smiled, taking a deep breath, but before she could speak Pikachu bounded forwards and covered her mouth, giving a sheepish smile as Pinkie continued talking even with the pokemon’s paws and belly blocking her mouth. “Yeah, we would love to hear the story but maybe some other time?”

“Mmm…” she mumbled through his fur. Pikachu released it a moment later, landing on the platform.

“Ok then, back to the topic at paw. Is the body of water big or small?” Ace asked.

“Hehe, paw!” Pinkie giggled. “I see what you did there!”

“Pinkie…” Pikachu began, though before he could get much farther, the pink mare’s face became extremely serious, as the party planner sat down deep in thought.

“Well,” Pinkie held her forehooves close to each other. “If I tried to throw a water-park themed party, I would probably fail.”

“Water-park themed party, now you’re speaking my language!” Ace exclaimed as he levitated closer and nuzzled Pinkie’s cheek.

Fluttershy spoke up, ”We have a pool in Ponyville, but not a very big one. As for the river, it is thin and shallow in most places, not very safe for swimming. If I may suggest something, a picnic on a grassfield or on a hill would be fun too.”

“Picnic? I’ll pass. I can’t show the heroic Pikachu a good time without a solid source of water,” Ace said with a frown as he crossed his forepaws, slumping down atop his tail.

Litten spoke up, “Congrats Pikachu, your fanclub now has two dedicated Raichu instead of one. Have fun with that.” He sat and started licking his fur, the spa pony once massaging his back now absent.

Rarity gave a wide smile and raised her forehoof, as if in a classroom. “Actually, if I may add an idea, my parents and my younger sister live next to a riverside, which is quite deep and wide. Maybe it would suffice for your ‘Water-park themed party.’”

Pinkie facehooved. “Oh right, there is, how could I forget!? Maybe some near-the-water-fun party can become a thing after all. I’ll get to planning that right away.” Without a moment to wait, she dashed towards the exit, a small trail of confetti trailing after her.

“I like her,” Ace noted, watching the mare dash away.

Ace turned towards his sister and added, “How about this? Coco deserves the best outdoor vacation, and since you’re super kind and all, you can–”

<Look after her?> Nica asked, finishing his sentence.

“Bingo!” Ace shouted in joy as he circled around his sister, grabbing Pikachu once more and placing him on his tail on the way. “And I’m sure Rarity and her pegasus friend would be delighted to help as well.”

“The name’s Fluttershy.” The shy pegasus smiled, swimming closer to the visiting fashionista before holding out her hoof for a quick shake. “Coco, do you like animals, nature, tea or picnics?”

“Well, uh… I’m not really sure if I like them or not. I’ve spent most of my life in a big city and I wasn’t much for outdoor activities.” She flashed a grin at Fluttershy. “But they sound lovely, so I would be delighted to give them a try.” She rubbed her shoulder nervously. “Just… no scary animals, please.”

Fluttershy giggled. “Don’t worry, none of my animals are scary.”

“Well, not everyone seems to be very fond of bears like you are Fluttershy,” Rarity pointed out, giving the pink-haired mare a specific look.

Fluttershy merely laughed, turning to Coco and ignoring the ghastly white color her fur took on. “Oh, Harry is a big sweetheart.” She cooed. “I bet you’ll end up loving him!”

Rarity sighed. “Still, I insist we start with a quick tour of Ponyville, then have a tea party and picnic at the very end.”

“Sounds good to me,” Fluttershy chirped, climbing out of the water with careful hoofsteps, before turning around and extending a helpful hoof to Coco, who was struggling behind her.

“Sounds like fun,” Coco added, stepping out from the water with the pegasus’ help. They both extended their hooves to Rarity who gladly left the water.

“Hot baths certainly are refreshing and relaxing, but spending too much time in the water always leaves my skin pruney. It’s simply unhealthy for one’s fur, especially when you are expected to keep such high standards in the beauty industry,” Rarity ranted, quickly examining herself and her friends for any blemishes.

“I wish I could deny your words, Rarity,” Ace spoke up, “but diving for too long affects both my fur and skin in a negative way as well.” The Alolan Raichu shivered. “Ugh, it pains me to say anything wrong about water.”

“Considering that Twilight is but a day away from finishing her spell, I want to spend as much time as possible with Nica before I have to say goodbye,” Starlight said with a determined expression as she climbed out from the container and levitated over a towel. She quickly got to work on her wet fur. A few spa ponies trotted out seconds later to bring a couple more, handing them to Rarity as she distributed them out evenly with her magical aura.

“She’s leaving already... “ Fluttershy muttered, her ears drooping in disappointment.

<I’m not leaving right now, so please don’t be sad. Besides, I’m sure I’ll be able to come back and visit soon,> Nica reassured the mare as she grabbed Fluttershy’s forehoof between her paws, giving a kind squeeze. <Twilight promised her portal spell would let me visit Equestria again, so please, don’t feel sad.> She gave Fluttershy her warmest smile, snuggling up with her before giving the mare a massive neck hug, wrapping her tail around her body.

“That’s great!” Pikachu spread his forepaws and waved them cheerfully in the air. “I’ll finally be able to reunite with Ash. He must be going crazy in my absence. I hope he somehow manages without me looking after him.”

Nica released Fluttershy and approached her brother. <I suppose leaving you both to have your ‘guy-time’ and bond with each other in private isn’t such a bad idea. I’ll catch up with Coco in the meanwhile and show her a good time with some of Ponyville’s best attractions. Maybe we can we can even have a yummy taste testing at Sugarcube Corner with some of Pinkie’s best treats!> Nica sighed, already drooling at the prospect of sweet snacks. She snapped out of it quickly, before throwing a serious stare in Ace’s direction.

“Oh, stop it already,” Pikachu said with a shake of his forepaw and a slight blush. “You’re seriously giving me too much credit.”

Litten chuckled, watching the two pokemon’s display. “So Pikachu took some of Nica’s humility for himself while giving some of his pride in return. I certainly approve.”

“Will do sis,” Ace replied, giving her a salute. “Anyways, do you want your collar back?” he questioned, quickly unclasping his collar and handing it towards his sister.

Nica shook her head, pushing it back into his paws. <Fluttershy understands me, so she can translate my words for everyone else. You can keep it for now, or at least until you have your own.>

“Thanks sis, you’re the best!” Ace said before nuzzling Nica’s cheek. He grabbed his black glasses with his paws and flew towards the exit, only to stop next to Litten who was perched on the massaging bed, sighing in bliss. “Hey buddy, wanna join? We’re gonna be playing at the river for a bit and surfing on some sick waves.”

“Me? Join you and play in the water?” Litten raised an eyebrow at the surfing Raichu, giving the pokemon a distasteful glare. “Oh sure, I would love nothing more than to go drown in my most potent weakness.” He frowned at Ace’s obliviously happy expression, muttering, “Swimming though a river of pain and suffering sounds like just my cup of tea. You two have fun, but no thanks.”

“Come on, you have no idea what you’re missing scaredy-meow.” He grinned, poking the cat’s side before jumping back as Litten swung his claws, hissing. “Fire typing or not, water can be a blast to play with. Think of it as a mix between training and fun. If you want to become strong, adapting to your weakness is a must.”

Litten was about to respond, but a massive crash from the back captured their attention, briefly distracting each of them from their current debate. An overly muscular stallion burst through the walls, shattering a section of the foundation as he flexed his pecs, flapping his comically undersized wings in anticipation.

“Yeaaaaaa!!!”

Pikachu whispered into Ace’s ear, both wincing as they tried to zone out the pegasus’ screaming. “I’ve encountered many pokemon with weird body shapes, and as a Pichu my head was always a bit too big for my little belly, but this stallion is on a completely new level.” Glancing back, he looked backwards at the stallion’s thin, brittle legs somehow still supporting his massive torso and belly. Small cracks were indented into the floor as he stomped around, his wings fluttering behind him. How those tiny wings could support such a large mass was beyond his comprehension, leaving him with a headache as he tried to figure it out.

“Agreed,” Ace whispered back with a nod.

Bulk Biceps approached Litten, now towering over the cowering kitten as the once brazen cat stared back with a nervous smile. “Kitty like massage?” the hulk asked, standing on his rear hooves before stretching out his forelegs. An unsettling series of cracks followed as the massage worker popped each bone, tilting his head side to side, in sync with his body. “First five minutes of extra strong massage free of charge!” He cheered, stalking closer to Litten with an eager grin.

Litten bit his bottom lip, glancing once more at the gigantic stallion before pushing Pikachu off of Ace’s tail with a huff and taking his place in seconds. “Swimming sounds lovely!” He howled, overshadowing Pikachu’s “Hey!” before chanting, “Go, go go!”

“Your wish is my command!” Ace cried, speeding off as Pikachu shook his head and bounded towards the levitating Raichu who took off from the spa like a rocket.

Panting, Pikachu darted behind them, shouting out, “Wait for meeeeeeeee!”

Nica leapt down from the tall platform resting next to the container of water, her attention focused on the depressed stallion, currently sitting slumped against the wall. Seeing his drooped ears and sensing an overpowering aura disappointment, she jumped onto the massaging bed and stood on the tips of her rear paws, giving the pony a wide smile. <There, there… > she said as she gently stroked his cheek. <I’ll gladly accept your massage! In fact, it would be an honor.>

“What did the long-tailed critter say?” Bulk asked, gazing questioningly at the pokemon currently rubbing his cheek.

“She would like to take Litten’s place and let you massage her,” Fluttershy said as she walked downstairs alongside the other ponies.

Rarity looked between Fluttershy, the pokemon, and the massive stallion before trotting over and whispering in the Raichu’s ear. “Ummm… Nica, darling. You do realize what you are getting yourself into, correct?”

<Of course I do,> Nica reassured, soon collapsing on her belly and supporting her chin atop her forelegs. <Start when ready.>

Bulk Biceps displayed a toothy smile before jumping onto the massaging table and pressing his hooves into her soft fur. The floor trembled with each of his powerful steps, the massage table barely able to resist snapping in half under the massive pressure.

Nica closed her eyes and smiled, wincing with each pound, feeling as if she was repeatedly struck with a powerful ‘Rock Smash.’ <Yes… that’s the spot.>

Ch.17 - The Water Bender - Pt.1

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Summoning of Chu

Chapter 17
-
The Water Bender - Pt.1

“Hey! Where are we going?” Pikachu panted, keeping a steady pace behind the Alolan Raichu. His breathing began to become a tad labored, but he continued nonetheless without complaint.

“Towards the river, duuuh,” Ace exclaimed before putting his black glasses back atop his nose, his surroundings darkening as a result as he messed around with the translating collar strapped around his neck. He squinted his eyes, adjusting to the new tint as he glanced over his shoulder, spotting the Pikachu sprinting behind him. Giving an embarrassed chuckle, he added, “Litten took your spot, but I can carry you on my back if you want. There’s plenty of room!”

Looking to the side, he spotted Litten’s annoyed glare as he barely held on, a rear paw hanging off the edge. “Well, uh, enough room.”

“No thanks,” Pikachu responded, quickly backtracking as he noticed Ace’s hurt expression. “I mean, I can keep up with you on paw just fine.” With a shake of his head, he continued running, his paws creating a gentle thud against the ground. He observed the multitude of colorful houses and ponies as he passed, the trio slowly but surely making their way towards the watering hole. “In fact, I prefer to run.”

“Too proud for a shoulder ride?” Ace teased, doing a quick loop around Pikachu before speeding up.

“Not really.” He paused, tilting his head as a memory came to him. “Actually, this scenario reminds me of a race with a different Alolan Raichu I had some time ago.”

Ace was zooming along now, unknowingly flying faster and faster through the air as Pikachu darted alongside him. While not as fast as his sister, he took his training involving tail-surfing and speed very seriously.

“So, how do you know where the river is?”

Ace slowed down, letting Pikachu bypass him as his rear legs were still perfectly balanced atop his tail. “I scouted half of the town with Coco, before we met up with you all,” he pointed ahead, “and I remember a small stream to be in that direction. Let’s hope it’s the same one they were talking about.”

“That’s good,” Pikachu huffed. “Sooo… are you into pancakes or racing, or both, by any chance?”

“Pancakes?” Ace’s interest peaked as he sped up once again, now levitating next to the Pikachu. “Oh, now I get it. You’re referring to Nina and her Alolan Raichu. The ones who won their third pancake race in a row the last time I met her.” He placed forepaws on his hips and shook his head. “To answer your question, no. I’m not all that into pancakes. Never bothered to participate in the race either.”

“You didn’t, why?” Pikachu asked, shocked. “You seem to be quite fast, and even now I feel this isn’t your full speed.”

“You guessed correctly,” he said, quickly making three full circles around the running Pikachu. With an unrivaled focus, he levitated a trio of pebbles into the air, letting them land in his open paws. “I just didn’t want to humiliate them.” He raised his chin and carefully placed each stone atop his nose, one at a time. Those rocks were then balanced and staying strong, even as he floated down the path, side by side with Pikachu. He slowed down and spread his forelegs, concentrating on the little tower swaying on his nose. No psychic power, just balance to keep it stable. I was an Alolan Raichu for about a year already when I met her. Since then, I’ve trained the speed and balance of my air-surfing very diligently, and to be honest, I was kinda afraid I would actually win, he spoke telepathically, not daring to open his mouth lest the pebbles were toppled from the disruption.

“You were afraid to win? I don’t get it,” Pikachu responded, sounding off a chuckle as Litten’s head popped up and he shot him a confused look. “Just answering Ace, he spoke to me with telepathy.”

The cat pokemon merely shrugged, laying his head back down atop Ace’s tail. Pikachu ran up and poked the fire-types side, ignoring the annoyed spark of the Raichu as he nearly disrupted the stones.

“Hey Litten, did you see Ace’s cool stone tower?” Litten snorted, a small puff of flames escaping his snout. Pikachu titled his head to the side, adding, “Oh well, I thought it was cool.”

Ace continued, oblivious to the exchange that just happened. How would you feel if you practiced nonstop, only for one specific sport, day in and day out. Say you were extremely passionate about it, even managed to win three times in a row after beating the current champ. And then suddenly, someone with no experience in said sport comes along and challenges you. They practice for a bit, maybe an hour or two and end up actually winning. I may seem arrogant and act without thinking from time to time, but I respected them too much to ruin their winning streak in a sport that didn't interest me.

“Oh… I never thought about it that way.” Pikachu’s ears drooped. With a sigh, he lowered his head as Ace’s words hit him like a hammer. He felt the guilt build inside him as he muttered, “We were originally invited to the race to have fun and challenging run with one another, but one arrogant remark from that Alolan Raichu sent me over the edge. It soon became personal and all I could think of was beating her.” He lowered his head. “Nica was right about me being too easy to provoke. Especially when it comes to my evolution.”

So you and Ash tried to defeat them at their own game?

Pikachu looked up at him, giving a sheepish smile. “We… kinda did. In the end I ended up sharing second place with the Raichu. A Komala won the race.” He slowed down and scratched his head in confusion, adding, “I still don’t know how Komala managed to balance the pancakes. Oh well.”

Dang… poor Raichu. I bet if they challenged you and Ash to a pokemon battle, you would crush them, even with their advantages. To draw in their own game is just sad.

“I know. At the time, I blamed Raichu for having it easier and being lazy. Basically, I tried to prove I could win without floating around on a tail the entire race.” Pikachu sighed. “I didn’t think how humiliating it would feel if I actually managed to win. A newcomer who practiced a pancake race for only a few hours winning against an evolved veteran who cared about the sport.” He muttered to himself under his breath, moaning as he realized all his mistakes. “Ugh, what’s wrong with me?”

Chill dude. It’s no biggie. He assured, giving Pikachu a gentle pat on the back. The rock pile atop his nose rumbled, threatening to collapse, though Ace kept it balanced as he leaned to the side just in the nick of time. If a veteran like her had trouble defending her title against a rookie, she must have slacked off in her training, believing no one could defeat her. Overconfidence does that to those who win a couple times in a row. As humiliating it was, maybe sharing second place with you will motivate her to train more diligently. Hopefully she’ll stay dedicated to training and won’t get cocky again, Ace said in Pikachu’s mind before snapping his head upwards, causing the tower of stones to fly into the air and land neatly atop his head, rather than crumbling to the floor. Though I must admit, you’re really talented if you only needed a few hours to learn a completely new sport, more or less keep up with the reigning champion.

Pikachu gave a nervous chuckle, still not used to the barrage of compliments he seemed to receive daily. “Y-yes… Nica also told me that I learn very quickly.” He looked ahead and mumbled, “Let’s just change the subject. If you’re not into pancakes, you’re into surfing though, right?”

“You sure got that right!” Ace shouted in excitement, shaking his forepaws back and forth through the air. As a result, the once peaceful pebbles finally fell, dropping one by one on Litten’s head. With a grumble, the cat pushed himself up, shooting Ace an annoyed glare before straightening up. “How did you know?”

“Hehe, l-lucky guess,” Pikachu said before stopping and pointing at the thin river positioned in front of them. “We’re here.”

“Perfect!” Ace shouted before positioning himself above the water’s surface. He grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes as he felt a sharp string at his sides. He hissed in pain before glaring over his shoulder at his passenger. “Careful with those claws, dude. I’m nowhere near as tanky as my sis.”

“S-sorry,” Litten stuttered, withdrawing his claws from both sides of Ace’s belly, wrapping his paws around the tail. In panic, he pressed himself down, squishing himself against it while praying he wasn’t dropped into the water.

Ace rolled his eyes. “C’mon, don’t be a scaredy Meowth! You could at least wait until I show you my awesome moves.” He patted Litten’s head gently before looking at Pikachu with a mischievous smirk. “Watch this!” The water inside the thin, shallow river started to move and squirm before jumping up into the air, turning into a large wave of water in seconds. Seeing Pikachu’s mouth hang open, Ace smiled in satisfaction before balancing himself and surfing through the river on the large wave he summoned. “Impressed?”

Litten’s fur spiked up on his back as his tail whipped to and fro, his grip increasing in strength. His paws became damp as they held fast to the bottom part of the Alolan Raichu’s makeshift surfboard, which now skimmed against the top of the water.

“Sure I am. I didn’t expect you would use the move ‘Surf.’ How do you even know it?”

Ace glanced down at the Pikachu puffing beside him, struggling to keep up as he zoomed down the river atop his wave. Ponies yelped in surprise as he flew by, leaving a few soaked in the process. “My naval buddies taught me.” He paused and looked to the side, his attention now focused on a pegasus whose spectrum colored mane and tail were waving in the wind, giving off bursts of color as it hit the light. “Sup,” he called, giving a quick wave.

“Sup.”

“Can I help you?” He placed forepaws on his hips and smiled proudly, winking as the mare slowed down to fly beside him. “Or are you here just to watch me surf in style?” He adjusted his shades and gave a heroic pose, still smirking as the pegasus rolled her eyes.

“I definitely admire your style, that’s for sure. Also, those black glasses, totally cool,” she admitted before bypassing Ace. She twisted around mid-air and glided backwards before meeting his gaze head on. “When I saw someone riding a large, wild wave through the river, I couldn’t help but check it out. I didn’t expect to see a Raichu.” She crossed her arms. “But you’re not Nica, that’s for sure. So…?”

“Of course I’m not like my sister. As you can see, my features are totally different.” He poked his ears and gave a polite bow. “And definitely cooler. The name’s Ace, and I am the Alolan variant of a Raichu. Got that?”

“Totally. The name’s Dash, Rainbow Dash. Sound good?” The mare extended her foreleg towards the pokemon with a grin.

Ace slapped the hoof with white patch of his paw. “Nice name.” He levitated himself up away from the wave, now hovering next to the pegasus. “Great wing-control. Flying backward like that is so cool, not to mention impressive.”

“Not as cool as riding on a massive wave on your own tail…” Dash paused, her eyes sparkling in excitement. “Wait, you can levitate yourself on your tail as well?” She spread her limbs out wide, still soaring backwards. “That’s so awesome. I thought Nica was cool, but you’re even cooler!” She rounded Ace and poked his side with her elbow. “Though I should expect nothing less from Nica’s kin.”

Ace smiled and circled Rainbow Dash in return, looping around her three times before flying back to his wave. “Finally someone who gets it. Are you an athlete? Do you know any cool moves? How do I get a rainbow mane as cool as that?” he blurted out a barrage of questions, though the mare only listened to one.

“Sure I know cool moves, even cooler than that surfing might I add!” Dash said as she darted around the pokemon four times now.

“Then how about I show you mine, and you show me yours?” Ace rounded the pegasus five times.

“Could you please stop doing that!?” Litten shouted, the pupils in his eyes dilating as they continued circling one another. “My head is spinning from you two flying around and round and round...”

“S-sorry,” Ace said before lowering his tail, perching it on the ongoing wave of water. His ears flashed with a silver aura of power as he altered the wave’s direction to fit the upcoming turn in the river.

“Wait, so not only can you levitate on your own tail and surf on waves, you can control the very water as well?”

Ace poked his ears and puffed his white, fluffy chest. “Sure can. Psychic powers baby. Oh, and my water pokemon friends taught me the move ‘Surf.’”

Dash squealed, clapping her hooves together. “Finally!” She started flying side by side with the surfing pokemon, a wide grin painted on her face. “Nica has done so many cool stuff with her tail, agility, electricity and survivability, but she was way too humble to admit it. It’s so great to see her cooler brother not having low self-esteem issues.”

Ace rolled his eyes. “I know, right. Ever since Nica visited us as a Raichu, I started idolizing her, considering before she left she was kinda a bully.” He ignored Rainbow’s gasp and continued. “Simply holding back my praise not to upset her was a struggle of its own.” Seeing a bridge on the way, he said, “Take a deep breath, Litten! We’re going in.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Litten muttered, releasing a feral shriek as he realized exactly where they were going. “Oh, no. No, no, no, no! We are NOT going underwater!”

The wave of water seemed to vanish in an instant as it fell back towards the river. With a deep breath, Ace dived into the water, shaping himself like a torpedo before emerging from the other side of the bridge. His ears flashed with a silver aura as a big wave emerged from the water once more, carrying him back into the air.

Litten shook his head and hissed, poking Ace in the side with his claws. “Was it really necessary? You could have just levitated over the bridge!”

“Of course I could have, but it would have been too simple,” Ace commented, ignoring Litten’s outraged cry.

“Second that. Diving under the bridge, now that’s cool,” Dash agreed.

“Well then, why didn’t you go under?” Litten howled, giving the mare an aggravated look as his fur stuck to his lithe frame.

The pegasus stuck out her wings, flapping them in synchronization as she replied, “Can’t. If my wings get too wet I won’t be able to fly.”

Litten grumbled in annoyance.

Ace smiled widely, allowing his massive wave to crash into the riverside shore. He grabbed a yelping Litten and landed the ground, holding the cat pokemon up into the air as if displaying him in front of an audience. He squinted his eyes shut and shook the water from his fur, opening them just in time to see Litten screech and push himself free from his grasp.

Pikachu was still sprinting from a bit away, taking a few moments to catch up while Dash landed, trotting over to the three pokemon.

Ace examined his new playground with a smile. There was a small hill on his left and two odd little homes resting side by side on his right. Apparently those houses were normal by the towns standards, but they were still weird looking to him. There was a quaint windmill near him right beside a deep pond. “We’re finally here!” He levitated above the water, bypassing the muddy coast, stopping above the grassy ground.

Litten embraced the grass, rolling as he relished the feeling of solid ground beneath him.

“Come on, little dude. It wasn’t that bad,” Ace said, receiving a sharp glare and a furious hiss in response. He looked to the side, spotting a huffing and puffing Pikachu stumbling up beside him.

“You’re… fast… when surfing… on water…” Pikachu sputtered between his quick breathing, a few stray drops of sweat sliding down his face. “Next time I’ll just use ‘Quick Attack’ to keep up.”

Ace rubbed the back of his neck and muttered, “Sorry, got into a talk with this cool pegasus and forgot about you. Hehe, my bad.”

Pikachu followed the Raichu’s gaze and spotted Dash, standing beside him. He waved and said, “Hey Rainbow.” He sat and looked to the left at the riverside. “I must say, this place looks nice.”

“Totally. Now with more water in place, I can show you some more advanced tricks,” Ace said, only for Pikachu to grab his forepaw and pull him towards the ground. “Hey, why are you stopping me?” The pokemon opened his mouth to explain but was quickly cut off by the Raichu. “Oh... I get it, you want to surf with me. I was hoping you would ask for that! Litten’s no fun.” He pouted, oblivious to Pikachu’s various attempts to butt in. “Surfing with a hero like you is a dream come true!” He took two steps back, freeing half of his tail space before pulling Pikachu onto it. “You prefer me holding your shoulders, or you holding my sides?” He tapped his forepaws together. “Or maybe try to balance yourself without my assistance. Now that would be cool, though it would take someone time getting used to.”

“Well… I was actually hoping we could just sit for a moment and talk. I can see you love water and know the move ‘Surf,’ but I still don’t know how you know it or why?”

Ace’s ears drooped with a sad pout appearing on his face as he flopped against the shore in disappointment.

“W-we can surf after the story,” Pikachu added in haste, in hope of lifting his spirits.

Ace smiled and slowly levitated towards the coast before sitting on the side of his tail, patting the free space. “Go on and sit. Make yourself comfortable.”

Pikachu nodded and sat, leaving a few centimeters distance in between them. “It feels just like that time when Nica allowed me to sit on her tail while we were taking a bath.” He chuckled. “I think I’m getting used to it.”

“Sitting on a tail is the best.” Ace giggled before levitating his tail onto the water surface, allowing his and Pikachu’s rear legs to sink in it. The water was surprisingly warm after soaking up the sun's rays. “Comfortable?”

“Yep.”

Rainbow Dash flew towards the closest cloud and pushed it towards the water, perching herself on the puffy surface alongside the duo.

“I’ll stay on the land, thank you very much,” Litten said as he relaxed on the coast, lying on his side. “I’ll never understand creatures who like water.”

Ace looked up at the sun with the black glasses still protecting his eyes, feeling a pleasant warmth on his face and back as the water gave a delightful, dull chill along his rear paws. His ears flapped in the slight breeze as he listened to the singing of the local birds. Taking a deep breath, he admired the new view, watching as the crystal-clear water reflected the gentle rays of the sun, hills at his side covered by fresh sheet of grass, and noticing the impressive capital built on a mountain in a distance.

He glanced to the side at the Pikachu, who despite not being fully evolved managed to accomplish such incredible deeds. Deeply inside, he felt a strong respect to the smaller but greater pokemon, desiring to earn his respect in turn. The fact that such a great hero sat by his side on his tail was already a huge honor. He stopped his daydreaming once Pikachu’s eyes met his as he started see the curiosity burning in his pupils. He took a deep breath, more than willing to share details of his past.

“I’m not sure if Nica told you this already, but our herd lives on a snowy mountain on an island, isolated from pretty much all sides. The freezing and harsh environment made us tough and adapted us to the cold, but finding pokemon to befriend that weren’t an ice type wasn’t easy.” Muttering, he added, “All the ice type were too cold.”

“So it was lonely there?” Pikachu asked, probing deeper.

“Lonely? Not at all. We had each other, and a few friendly fire pokemon who from time to time shared their heat with us in exchange for food and sometimes just our company. But those of us who sought friends among other species visited the jungle.” He looked up at Rainbow Dash. “One of my sisters often dreamed of flying through the sky, so she befriended and regularly visited flying type pokemon. Though she didn’t sprout wings, she was given access to rides, allowing her soar to her heart’s content” He looked down at his rear legs which were still draped in the water and held a forepaw on his chest. “As for me, watching the seemingly endless water from the tip of a mountain always fascinated me, so I started visiting the beach to see what it had to offer. What lay underwater for me to explore.”

Pikachu looked at him and said, “Let me guess, you got interested in exploring the ocean and started befriending its residents?” He smiled upon receiving a nod. “You remind me of Misty and Lana. I think you three would get along nicely.”

“Misty and Lana?” He asked questioningly, though Pikachu simply shook his head.

“Another time.”

Ace paused, before taking off his glasses and placing them on Pikachu’s nose instead. “They look pretty good on you.”

“Hey, don’t stop there,” Rainbow Dash whined, her wings flapping in aggravation.

“Sure, sure. Don’t get your wings in a twist.” Ace looked at Dash and covered his eyes with his forepaw as the strong rays of the sun became blinding, now with his shades off. “I quickly learned how to swim and started to enjoy it and diving to explore underwater flora was great. I tried to make friends too, but being an electric pokemon made it a bit difficult.”

“Difficult, why?” Dash asked.

Litten facepawed, calling over from where he rested on the shore. “Weakness to electricity, which is extra dangerous when underwater!” The cat stood up and trotted over, laying a bit closer to where the three conversed. “Wouldn’t you know that?” With the mare’s confused expression, he continued. “Your wings? Doesn’t electricity hurt a bunch since you’re technically a flying type?”

“Huh? I mean, pegasi are actually pretty resistant to lightning, especially since we deal with it daily, when making weather and all that.”

“Haha, sure. Make weather.” Ace giggled, though Dash simply tilted her head. Litten gave a confused look back, and Pikachu took the silence as his chance to add in.

“Well, a bunch of pokemon have wings and aren’t flying types. Heck, look at Gliscor. He can fly-”

“Glide,” Ace corrected.

“Fine, glide. He has wings as well, yet he’s actually both ground and flying type so electricity doesn't even affect him.

“Anyways, back to the main topic…” Dash mumbled.

“Oh, yea.” Ace nodded. “For a water type to invite an electric type into their domain requires a lot of trust. But I didn’t give up, and over the years I gained enough trust and even befriended some water types who were kind enough to take me for an underwater ride here and there.” He puffed his chest. “I even got really good at holding back my electricity, despite still being a Pichu. There was this one time a Sharpedo swam up to me and gave me a nasty ‘Bite’ attack, and I didn’t even let one spark go.” He sighed. “Ugh, simpler times when I didn’t have so many weaknesses.” He felt a paw on his shoulder and looked down at the smiling face of Pikachu.

“That’s an interesting passion. Was pursuing it difficult?”

“It was… but mostly because of Nica,” Ace answered.

“Nica?” Pikachu asked.

“What are you talking about?” Dash gasped, gaining a thoughtful expression. “Is this what you were talking about earlier, with Nica being a bully and all?”

“Yep.” Ace rubbed back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. “I know it may be difficult to imagine, but before she became Astra’s pokemon, Nica was impatient, had a very hot temper, and liked bullying others. Attacking flying and water pokemon that I and my other sister tried to befriend was amusing to her and made things difficult for us.”

“You can’t be serious!” Dash cried as she jumped towards the edge of her cloud, nearly falling from it. “She’s like, the nicest pon-pokemon ever! She would let herself get crushed before touching a fly. How could she possibly be a bully?”

“Told you it was hard to imagine. Most of us were kind of happy when Astra convinced Nica to join her, and you have no idea how shocked we were when she returned to us as a Raichu,” Ace said before flying up towards Dash’s cloud. “She was incredibly kind and apologetic. She admitted to all her wrong-doings right there and then, humbled herself before us and even asked us to punish her. You have no idea how much joy her visit brought to our mom.” He looked at Pikachu and added, “It was the first time we met a Raichu, and she showed our final evolution in a really great light.”

“Is that why you became one?” Pikachu asked.

“Kind of. After seeing what became of Nica, I wanted a pokemon trainer of my own. I followed her to the bunker and plead Astra’s friend, Emily, to take me on an adventure.”

“Emily? I met most of her pokemon already,” Pikachu said, before counting off each of their names. “Battleship, Commando, Queen, and now you Ace.”

Rainbow Dash sat on her cloud and commented, “I’m not sure if those names are really cool, or really ridiculous.”

“My name’s cool,” Ace said as he gave the pegasus a hurt look. “Right?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dash responded with a nod and quick shake of her foreleg. “So, what next. Did you became Emily’s partner and start kicking flanks and taking names?”

Ace looked to the side, blushing. “Well… I had the motivation to work hard, but Emily already had a competent and strong team. I had a lot of catching up to do to the pokemon that had been traveling with her for so much longer.” He looked at Pikachu as his ears drooped. “When Astra and Nica had already defeated the champion of Sinnoh and neutralized three of Team Rocket’s most dangerous trainers, while you and Ash stopped a natural disaster involving three flying legendary pokemon, I was still a tiny Pichu with a love for swimming but little to none combat experience. I was… pretty uncool when it came to you all.”

“But you caught up, right?” Dash asked.

“Not… necessarily.” Ace shook his head as his tone became more humble and lacking in his usual confidence. “I don’t have a great talent like you do, Pikachu, and even less experience. Nica did her best to train me whenever we met, but there’s still a lot I need to learn.” He took a deep breath and raised his head arrogantly. “B-but even if I’m not the strongest fighter on the team, I’ll get there one day! Besides, I’m definitely the coolest, by far, and I’ve learned plenty of really cool tricks. Some team members even calls me the glass cannon or the most specialized fighter.”

Dash chuckled. “Seems someone grew a big ego to overcome the fear of failure. I get you buddy. I know how you feel.”

Pikachu patted Ace on the back from his spot on Raichu’s tail. “Nica is very sensitive and got really upset when I was jealous of her. I hope you won’t mind it if jealousy gets the better of me from time to time.”

Ace picked Pikachu between his forepaws and smiled. “Surely not. Admire me all you want. A hero like you being jealous of me, now that would be flattering.”

“If that’s the case, how about a pokemon battle,” Pikachu said as he narrowed eyes and shot him a challenging stare. He pointed at him, “You…” and next at himself, “against me. One on one. Let’s find out if you can impress me.”

Dash nodded. “Sweet! A cool battle, I’ll need to grab some popcorn and a drink.”

Ace levitated towards the grass and released Pikachu, who landed on his four paws and stared back with expectation painted on his face. “You’re on!”

Ch.17 - The Water Bender - Pt.2

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Summoning of Chu

Chapter 17
-
The Water Bender - Pt.2

“A legendary fight between a charismatic, tail-surfing Raichu and a brave, heroic Pikachu!” Ace shouted enthusiastically, flying numerous circles in joy around him before leaping into the sky. His stubby paw was pointed high into the air as he struck a heroic pose, using his telekinesis to stir up a small wave. The water droplets danced through the air, reforming at Ace’s base and creating a crown underneath his paws. With a flick of his paw and twitch of his ears, he unclasped the Nica’s collar, remembering it’s electric-absorbing properties. He tossed it to Dash, who easily caught it with her wings.

he cried, dancing atop his tail as he began his own recount of the upcoming battle. <A heroic underdog facing off against his stronger evolution in battle!> His cheeks sparked in anticipation, setting the ring of water around him alight with an electric charge, now able to flow freely without being absorbed by Nica’s neckband. <Struggling to defeat a powerful foe, one with a big advantage!>

Rainbow Dash flew in front the two, chanting as she view the two pokemon psyche one another up. “Yeah, let’s do this!”

Pikachu threw Ace’s black glasses towards Rainbow Dash, who snatched it from the air with her hoof this time for safekeeping before firing up his own lightning in response, displaying a confident grin. With a series of, “Pika, Pika, Pi’s!” the pokemon released a strong ‘Electro Ball,’ using a large burst of his stored power. Smirking, Ace dug his tail into the wave’s current and used its pressure to push himself higher, allowing him to effectively avoid Pikachu’s powerful yet slow blow.

<Will the brave Pikachu overcome the odds?> Ace persisted, adding more and more hype with every word. He sent his own electric-powered surf in return, his ears sparkling with a bright aura as he commanded the waters forwards with ‘Psychic.’ He watched as Pikachu jumped high into the sky, just in time to avoid the devastating damage from his combo move. He watched in pride as his wave crashed into the shore, sending sand, dirt, grass, and rubble flying everywhere. What was once a serene coast line was now nothing more than scarred earth, showing testimony to the destructive power just released upon the land.

Litten scuttled backwards immediately, his fur on end as he stood witness to the massive blast. Huffing, he stalked away, heading towards safer grounds as the riverside became several meters wider, expanded by Ace’s attack. He attempted to hide the fear blooming in his eyes with an unflinching stare, one which he soon turned on the Raichu.

Glancing up, Ace focused his attention on Pikachu whose cheeks flared to life, unleashing a devastating ‘Thunderbolt’ from above a second later. He gritted his teeth yet refused to back down, holding in his cry of pain as he felt the electricity jolt through his body. Sputtering, he stumbled back, surprised at just how strong his friend was. Even with his type resistance, a barrage of burn marks were scattered about his belly and face, showing scars from the attack he just endured. With a loud shout, he unleashed his own ‘Thunderbolt,’ overpowering Pikachu’s attack while gifting the smaller pokemon with even more scorch marks in return.

Ace narrowed his eyes as his rival began falling towards him with a brightly glowing tail. His body was coated in electricity, soaking into his tail and combining the strength of hard steel and wild, powerful lightning. Huh, not bad, bud, Ace thought, perking his ears. If I’m not mistaken, that looks like a combo from Nica’s arsenal. He propelled himself higher, climbing the wind as he rose head on meet Pikachu’s challenge, all the while continuing with his personal monologue.

<Or will the stronger rival show his dominance?!> he shouted, taking a step back and relying on the tense muscles in his rear paws to keep him steady, as his ears shone, prepping for a counter attack. The moment Pikachu swung his metallic tail, he blocked the attack with a raised forepaw, wincing as he felt the shock echo through him, though he didn’t budge against the resisted impact.

Using his other forepaw, Ace grabbed Pikachu’s tail, keeping him immobile as the caught pokemon squirmed and wiggled, desperate to break free. Seeing the hero’s surprised gasp, he unleashed a powerful ‘Psychic,’ sending his pre-evolution crashing into the ground at extreme speeds, sparing nothing for the eager opponent. A pain filled grunt escaped Pikachu’s mouth, muffed by the the earth stuffed into his face as the hero layed pitifully on his back, covered in a variety of bruises and buried under rocks, soil and plant debris.

Ace bit his bottom lip, his ears drooping to his sides at the feeling of guilt building in his chest, being forced to watch Pikachu struggle to dig himself out from the rubble. Unlike his durable sister, his fighting style was one of a glass cannon, focusing on technique and raw power rather than stamina. Using a full power and non-resisted ‘Psychic’ was no doubt very painful for the unevolved hero.

He landed on the ground and lowered his head, now staring down at the floor with a saddened expression, dejectedly rubbing his paws back and forth in the sand. He closed his eyes, not bothering to evade the incoming electricity as his fur accumulated a few extra burns.

Both Pikachu and Rainbow Dash darted over, gazing questioningly at the Alolan Raichu.

Pikachu gasped in surprise before standing on the tips of his rear feet, supporting his bruised forepaws on Ace’s belly. Their eyes met, Pikachu being forced to move constantly just to keep eye contact as Ace tried desperately to look away. “What? But… why?” he asked, trying his best to ignore the harsh ache in his back, though the occasional crack in his voice gave it away. “You were so into it a moment ago.”

Ace picked Pikachu with his paws and gently placed him on his tail, the two now sitting next to one another as Dash watched from above. With a flick of his wrist, he levitated the translating collar from the pegasus’ hold onto his neck, before placing the black shades back onto Pikachu’s face. He sighed and said, “I just… realized something. We both resist electric and steel attacks, but my ‘Psychic’ and ‘Surf’ would be devastating against you. Just like Nica said, fighting you would be too one-sided thanks to my typing and evolution.”

Pikachu’s ears drooped and he couldn’t help but feel a bit annoyed at the implication. “Are you assuming I was going to lose to you that easily?”

Dash frowned, flying around to face Ace. “Listen here bud. Don’t think you can win just because you have an advantage. Overcoming the odds is what great athletes do.” She crossed her forelegs and huffed, sticking a hoof before the hovering pokemon. “You may look cool…” She paused, looking over the bruised Raichu once more, before adding, “And be super chill, but I’ll be cheering for him to defeat you.”

“That’s the problem!” Ace sighed, pushing the mare’s hoof back down at her side. “Let’s assume I do win, which honestly, wouldn’t be difficult due to my advantages; it would be a sour victory, making me feel like a big, bad rival bullying a weaker opponent.” Dash’s angered glare, softened, now replaced by confusion. “And if I lost against an unevolved pokemon whose attacks I actually resisted, it would make me look like a pathetic loser. No matter how you look at it, I would end up getting the short end of the stick.” He glanced down at his paws in disappointment, pouting. “I’ll be playing the role of the mean rival. This is the worst!”

Pikachu looked at him in pity and patted his shoulder consolingly. “Being a stronger opponent wouldn’t make you mean or bad, at least in my book.”

“Or mine,” Dash added.

Ace raised his head and shrugged, giving the two an unapologetic glance. “Sorry, but I refuse. In the end everyone cheers for the underdog, while I would be nothing more than an obsolete obstacle for you to overcome. No fun in that.”

Pikachu grumbled. “So now all the Raichu I meet refuse to fight me for the sake of being a good sport. Just my luck!” He stood up and jumped, spreading and shaking his forepaws in annoyance. "Screw my rivalry towards my evolution, I just want to have a great fight! Is that too much to ask for?!" He landed on the same spot of Ace’s tail he had occupied moments before and crossed his arms, mumbling to himself in frustration.

Dash leapt from her cloud and pushed it closer to the levitating Raichu. She sat on the white puff, stared at Ace with an eager expression and inquired, “So in other words, being both psychic and electric type makes you way stronger, right?”

Ace narrowed his eyes and shook his head, giving the mare an incredulous look. “Are you kidding? Sure, it increases my offensive arsenal and gives me strong resistances to fighting and psychic attacks.” He grabbed the pegasus’ muzzle and stared her down, meeting her shocked gaze head on. “But instead of having one weakness… now I have four!”

“Four?” Dash asked, tilting her head to the side. “Is that bad?”

“Um, is that even a question?” Ace exclaimed, throwing his paws into the air in disbelief. Unknowingly, he pushed Pikachu to the very edge of his tail before stalking back and forth the remaining space, circling around the mare at the same time. “Do you have any idea how much stress I endure whenever my opponent uses a super effective move against me? When I'm battling, the moment I see my foe open their mouth, along with that terrifying dark aura surrounding their sharp teeth, I can’t help but cower. I’m a glass cannon, not a flipping tank, for Arceus sake!”

He booped the mare’s muzzle, before twisting around in the blink of an eye and grabbing Pikachu’s head in turn, staring him down with an unwavering intensity. “During pokemon battles, how does it feel getting hit by a super strong ‘Crunch?’ The feeling of them sinking their teeth into your fur?”

“Uh, it’s certainly not enjoyable,” Pikachu began, before being released by Ace. His face smashed into the Raichu’s tail, though the pokemon didn’t seem to notice as he continued floating around, ongoing with his rant.

“Now, imagine that move being super effective,” he turned to glare at the pegasus still rubbing her snout and continued, “when you’re now a psychic type, as well as electric. Not to mention, when someone throws a ‘Shadow Ball’ out of nowhere, or a bug type moves like: ‘Signal Beam,’ “Bug Bite” and ‘Bug Buzz.’ The list goes on and on! Even fighting and psychic pokemon that I often resist have moves like ‘Payback’ or ‘Shadow Ball’ as coverage.” He paused, slumping atop his tail as his ears drooped at his sides. “In plenty of cases, I’ve ended up as the underdog because of that.” He stood up and inspected himself, muttering, “Not to mention, why do so many moves I’m weak to involve biting me? Do I taste that good or something?”

Ace glanced at Pikachu. “Having only one weakness… is a luxury I no longer have,” he mumbled, before lowering his head and bumping noses with his pre-evolution, setting off a gentle ‘clink’ as his eyes pressed against the tinted glasses. “How many times has someone used a strong ground-type attack against you?”

“R-rarely…” Pikachu replied, swiftly pulling his face back from the Raichu’s head.

“Besides, if you’re skilled enough, I’m sure you can find a way to counter it. My sister does it all the time.” He held up a singular, stubby paw as if counting from a checklist. “‘Earthquake?’ Just hump in the air to dodge. ‘Dig?’ Just ‘Iron Tail’ the arena and knock your foe out or flood the ground with ‘Surf.’” He paused, stroking his chin for a moment before shouting, “Now that I think about it, there aren’t even many ground type attacks to choose from.”

Litten raised his head, mumbling, “Fissure, Earth Power, Bonemerang… Need I go on?”

“They’re all the same!” Ace pouted, crossing his arms across his chest. “To be honest, I don’t even remember the last time anyone used Earthquake against me.”

“Well… now that you mention it, I don’t think I was ever attacked with ‘Earthquake.’ The move ‘Dig’ was the one I faced the most,” Pikachu stuttered, giving a nervous chuckle at the intensity in the Alolan Raichu’s eyes.

“There we go. Do you see what I’m getting at?” Ace patted the electric mouse’s head. “Cherish your nearly weakness-free typing, Pikachu. Cherish it…”

“S-sure…”

Litten chuckled. “Cherish it indeed.” He gave a nasty look towards the water, grumbling about it dousing him from earlier.

“Double typing means different strengths yet more weaknesses at the same time… got it,” Dash noted with a nod.

Ace levitated up higher into the air and turned around, now staring wistfully at the water. “Don’t look so down, Pikachu. I still plan to impress you. Trust me, it will be fun.” Using the move ‘Surf,’ he summoned several wild waves to appear on the water’s surface. As if commanding the elements themselves, the sun shone through the transparent substance, causing a blinding sheen to shine through them. “Hold onto me,” he suggested, narrowing his eyes and setting his sights on the massive breakers before him.

Pikachu did as he was told, now standing behind Ace while balanced on his tail, a single paw clutched around the Raichu’s waist while the other held his glasses steady.

Ace flew towards the waves with reckless abandon, bouncing from one to another. Though fast, he elegantly darted through the water’s terrain, manipulating each wave with an unmatched control as he skillfully surfed over and around them. As he went, the Raichu would throw in an occasional trick, causing Pikachu’s stomach to drop as he did a variety of somersaults, flipps and dives.

Pikachu’s pupils shrunk in alarm as he saw Ace’s ears flash, a familiar silver aura coating them, the trademark glow reminding him of the powerful beating he received just minutes ago. Seconds later, a shaft made entirely of liquid rose, larger than everything else, yet they only went faster as they got closer. Shouting, Ace called, “Here we go!” as they spiraled within the tunnel of water, though when they emerged, all Pikachu could feel was an exciting rush of adrenaline, causing him to smile in joy.

Ace glanced at his passenger, whose face, thankfully, displayed excitement rather than fear. “Take a deep breath, we’re going in.” He surfed along a big wave, shooting into the air like a jet before diving into the water with a great force. Both pokemon’s ballon-like cheeks were filled with air as they explored the bottom part of the river, gazing in fascination at the multitude of creatures, many unlike ones in their own world. The depths of the stream turned out to be pretty boring though without any strong water types dwelling beneath the surface, and Ace wasn’t sure if he could even communicate with the fish.

Several seconds later he emerged from the water and released his breath, carrying a drenched Pikachu on his shoulders, their post-battle burns and bruises no longer noticeable due to their wet fur. “Not much to explore here it seems.”

“Maybe, but diving was still fun,” Pikachu said with a big smile, attempting to lighten the mood before withdrawing his paws from Ace’s sides. He spread his limbs out wide in attempt to maintain his balance on his own. Holding out his paw, he extended the glasses back to Ace, who took them with his magical grasp.

“Thanks bud,” Ace said as he slipped them on.

“No problem,” Pikachu responded. “It seems you have a great sense of balance.” He grinned, raising his paw for a fistbump. “Let’s find out how good mine is.”

“That’s the spirit,” Ace said, meeting his friend’s bump. He leapt into the air, laughing as he heard Pikachu struggling to hold, much less stand on his own two paws as he bounced from wave to wave.

Pikachu gritted his teeth, tilting left and right as he gripped Ace’s tail, desperate to keep himself from falling. After several seconds, he narrowed his eyes and lunged forwards, grasping the Raichu’s mid section before pulling himself to his tiny feet. His eyes narrowed, showing full concentration as he managed to stay standing, enduring each twist and turn from the water’s wild waves.

“Not bad,” Rainbow Dash called, flapping her wings now. “How about I increase the difficulty with a tornado?”

Ace turned to look at Dash, who now flew next to him with an excited smirk. Ace tilted his glasses down and shook his head, asking, “Increase difficulty? Tornado?” He narrowed his eyes and grinned, pushing the shades back up. “Bring. It. On!”

It didn’t take long for ‘Equestria’s fastest flyer’ to get started as she rapidly flew around the stream, kicking up streams of wind and the occasional pocket of water. “Woohoo!” She cried, flapping harder as the tornado really started to spin.

“This reminds me of the move ‘Whirlpool,’ but this one seems much stronger,” Pikachu commented before pointing at the wild waves that now howled along with the wailing winds. “We’re in for a ride. Are you sure you can surf like that?”

Looking back at Pikachu, he laughed, patting the pokemon on the head. “Have you forgotten who the best surfer is? Sure I can, or should I say ‘challenge accepted.’” Ace bit his bottom lip in concentration as he dove forward, breaching the outer layer of the tornado and began surfing around the inner rings. As he moved higher and higher, the air became unpredictable, flying to the left when assumed it would strike to the right. Around thirty seconds later, his tail pressed against the surface of the waterspout, digging a deep gash into the wind’s defense, soon surfing on the rounded wall of air and water as his body naturally tilted to the side.

Hearing Pikachu’s yelp, he glanced to the side in alarm and noticed him falling, crashing into a strong wave of water with a small splash. He followed, diving into the liquid and swimming deeper into the water before grabbing him and emerging above the surface. “Heh, sorry about that. Got kind of carried away with those awesome currents. You okay there, buddy?” He helped Pikachu up between his paws, staring at his face in concern.

“I’m fine, thanks to you,” Pikachu responded, grateful as he wiped some small droplets remaining from his last diving session. He pushed himself free from Ace’s hold while stepping onto his tail. He turned around and spread his forepaws, trying to maintain balance once more. “Your underwater speed is incredible. Way above my swimming speed.”

Ace gently grabbed Pikachu’s shoulder with the white patches on his paws and maneuvered him before him, pressing down to avoid a repeat of what just happened. With a shout, he continued to climb up the waterspout again, holding nothing back now that he had the hero secure in his grasp. The overwhelming noise of ravenging wind and flying water filled the area, drowning out almost all attempts for conversation, until Ace called out something that was quickly snuffed out by the wind.

“What?” Pikachu cried.

“I said, that’s why I love being an Alolan Raichu. The moment I evolved and gained ability the to surf in the air, I started to wonder if I could use it to surf on and underwater, especially after I spent so long exploring and hanging out with my friends under the water’s surface.”

“And it helped?” Pikachu asked, shouting to avoid being muted by the raging winds.

“You have no idea. When I was still a Pikachu, I was really good at swimming compared to my family, and even some other slow water pokemon, but most naval creatures could spin circles around me. When I evolved, I could surf on the surface of water with no loss in speed, and even exploring underwater doesn’t slow me down much, due to being able to ride atop my tail. I even managed to learn how to use the move ‘Surf’ from my other buddies.” Ace displayed an overjoyed smile, cupping his paws together. “In other words, my dream came true.”

“I’m happy for you,” Pikachu added, though his attention was focused on the summit of the tornado, the top that was rapidly approaching the two. Both spotted Dash’s smirk as she circled the top, giving constant energy for the windstorm to consume. “We’re almost at the peak!”

“Which means… it’s time for our big finish!” Ace chanted before narrowing his eyes. His ears flashed and with a single swipe of his paw, the tornado burst apart, sparkling into a dazzling display of falling droplets, as if it was raining.

The pegasus blinked in confusion, finding herself trapped in a silvery aura. She struggled to flap her wings, though they were stuck, and her raging tornado was gone, having seemingly vanished. Before she could panic, the magical grasp had disappeared, giving her full mobility once more

Litten glanced up, but not in time. Releasing a feral screech, he sprinted farther in towards land, yet wasn’t fast enough. The water assaulted him, drenching the poor cat-pokemon once more as he desperately tried to shake himself dry, muttering dirty things about the Alolan Raichu at the same time.

“Thanks, Dash. It sure was one exciting ride,” Ace exclaimed, pushing his glasses into to place atop his nose as he held a bulky paw up, similar to that of a thumbs up. Dash repeated the gesture, though faced some limitations. He went for one last dive, using one paw to scout ahead and his other to keep his passenger in place. Emerging, he spit out a small stream of water and levitated towards the shore.

Pikachu jumped from the Alolan Raichu’s tail and started bouncing in place, hopping atop his tiny feet. “That was great.” He called, “Again, again!”

Ace smiled at the enthusiastic Pikachu. “Sure, but how about we watch Dash show us some of her tricks for now.” He gazed at the approaching pegasus, shooting her a good natured smirk. “I wouldn’t want to outshiner her now, would I?”

“Haha, you wish! Sounds good to me, though,” Dash responded as she now hovered above the ground with slow flaps of her wings. “I’ve showed you my tornado, and most Wonderbolt tricks require teamwork and other pegasus’ for starters. Maybe I should pull out my Sonic Rainboom, or should I leave the best for last?”

Ace leaned back, propping his paws underneath his head and gazed back at the mare. “I don’t mind watching your best trick first. Show me what you’re made of!” He cheered. “But don’t be too blown away when I show you my best moves!”

“Haha, please.” She struck a pose mid-air, tossing her spectrum mane back and forth. “It takes a lot for me to be blown away.”

Ace watched in joy as Rainbow Dash took off, darting into the sky. With a yelp, he jumped as he felt something beside him, but relaxed as he saw Pikachu make his way on his tail, joining him willingly. Smiling, he moved aside for the hero to get comfy, and they both looked on in excitement as the first sparks of a rainbow ignited within the atmosphere.

Ch.17 - The Water Bender - Pt.3

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Summoning of Chu

Chapter 17
-
The Water Bender - Pt.3

Once perched comfortably next to Nica’s brother, Pikachu looked at Ace with curiosity, a question coming to life. “I was wondering,” he murmured, capturing Ace’s attention. “Since Nica was training with you, she must’ve fought you as well. Considering your type advantage, have you defeated your sister in a pokemon battle?” He started intently at the Raichu, waiting for his response.

“Well… yes and no…”

Pikachu’s ears perked up, his eyes widening in surprise. If he learned anything about the friendly, female Raichu, it was that her extreme survivability and impressive skills could overcome any odds and beat any foe in battle. Even legendary and other very powerful pokemon have failed to defeat her. “Meaning?”

“In a normal fight, I lose to her every time. Our battles are pretty one-sided.” He gave a nervous chuckle and continued, “I’m definitely making progress, but even with my advantage in combat, I’m still no match for her incredible skills. She endures my every attack and is always one step ahead. There is an exception though.”

“Now I’m curious. Come on… tell me, tell me!” Pikachu begged, but paused as he saw Dash preparing for her stunt.

Both gazed at the sky in awe, pausing as they watched the mare’s spectrum of light flash across the atmosphere, lighting the heavens with a stunning tint of color. Every cloud was blown away, torn apart into wisps of vapor as the pegasus dashed by. A loud boom followed, seemingly setting their heads ringing. Pikachu giggled as the mare twisted and turned throughout the air, the rainbow trailing behind. Soon as the display was over, he turned back to the Raichu next to him and grinned, poking his side as a cue to continue.

Ace smiled widely, admiring the spectacle as he clapped his forepaws. Once the colors vanished, he looked at Pikachu, finally acknowledging the pokemon’s jabbing at his side. Continuing, he asked, “I’m sure you’ve faced many gym leaders using water pokemon, correct?” Pikachu nodded. “While their battling field has many floating platforms, it is mostly filled with water.”

“True,” Pikachu said with a nod, a memory of facing Milotic on such a field surfacing in his mind.

“Well... “ Ace tapped his forepaws together. “I once challenged my sis to fight me on such a field, to give me an even bigger advantage. The battle lasted for half-an-hour, both of us fighting to our very limits, but in the end I managed to defeat her… just barely.”

Pikachu gasped, nearly falling from Ace’s tail. “That’s incredible! And here I thought she’s unbeatale. How did you manage that?”

As Ace was about to answer, Dash glided down, sparks of her recent rainboom still slipping off her wings. Seeing the two converse, she grumbled, “Hey, are you even watching?” Crossing her hooves over her chest, she frowned in annoyance and hovered over to the levitating Raichu.

“Of course! Your speed was incredible, not to mention that stunning display of colors. Though, even while I was watching, I was able to talk to Pikachu. No biggie.” Ace explained, nodding energetically.

Dash merely shrugged, asking, “So, what were you two chatting about?”

“Well, Ace was just about to tell me how he actually managed to beat Nica in a one versus one battle. Wasn’t that right?” Pikachu exclaimed, giving Ace his best puppy eyes.

“Wait, what?” The mare shouted in excitement, stretching out her wings. “Sounds awesome! You have to tell us all about it.”

Litten approached, staring at Ace with a growing curiosity.

“Fine, but only if you explain to me how you learned that amazing trick of yours later today,” Ace muttered, giving in to the begging of the creatures around him.

“Deal,” Dash said, booping Raichu’s forepaw with her hoof.

With a grin, Ace slipped into his normal persona and pushed up his glasses. “Listen closely, my adoring fans, because your jaws are about to drop in amazement!”

“In your dreams,” Litten teased, before continuing, “But by all means, do try to amaze us.” He raised a single forepaw and held it up to his mouth, pretending to yawn in boredom. “Wake me up once you’re done.”

Ace gazed around in awe at the stadium towering around him. It was specially made for explosive battles between trainers, represented by the reinforced steel support beams and extra strength platforms. With a thundering rumble, the area shifted. A large circle in the middle of the room split in half, giving way to a massive container crawling from the ground. Moments later, small hatches on either side opened and released an endless stream of water into the vessel. Platforms sprung forth, seemingly popping up from underneath the ground and began to float, bobbing and swaying as the water continued to fill the container up to the brim. Both Nica and Ace gave the other an eager grin as only a clutter of buoyant podiums remained, both pokemon taking their place on either side of the stadium.

He looked back to the side and at his sister, who gave him a warm smile in return. <Are you sure you want to battle?>

<Totally!> Ace shouted before levitating forward, zipping around atop random platforms as water flared up in his wake. He stopped at the edge of the fighting area, staring at his sister. <This sure is one fancy stadium you got here. Being partner of a champ comes with someone serious benefits.>

<Thanks,> she nervously chuckled, adding, <though I would prefer if we didn’t destroy the place during our training. There’s a budget to cover for the damage during our battles, but even the champs have their limits.> Nica let herself down, falling to four paws as her stance relaxed. Her tail was held high, shining silver as her cheeks sparkled with excess lightning. <Are you ready for some solid exercise, Ace?>

<On such a beautiful field? Always!> He levitated towards the middle of the field, summoning small geyser of water to surf on.

<Perfect. While your progress on land is… average at best, your performance on naval terrain is exceptional. With this battle I’ll find out if its best to focus your training on your speciality or help you become more well-rounded.>

<Yea, yea… whatever. Stop trying to postpone my defeat and let’s battle!> He raised his forepaws, summoning a large wave and hopping atop it as he gazed at his sister from the higher ground. <What am I saying? Maybe on this field I will finally defeat you. Get ready to be washed away!>

Channeling his psychic power, his ears twitched as the massive summoned wave began to shift, changing course at an alarming speeds as Ace directed it around the battlefield. Nica merely smirked as she spotted it, using her powerful hind legs to launch herself into the air as Ace floated back and abandoned his post. The breaker flew past, shattering and dispersing as it slammed into the stadium wall, with Nica still descending in the air.

Thinking fast, she unleashed one weak ‘Thunderbolt’ after another, forcing her opponent to zip around on the naval field as her third attack struck him. With a flourish of her tail, she landed and steadied herself against the water’s wild rocking.

<Not bad,> Ace called out. <But that was just a warm up! Get ready for the real show.> He summoned another wave once more, but now, the breaker was twice as big.

<Hmm, pulling the same tricks?> Nica shouted, cupping her paws around her mouth. <That’s not gonna work on me.>

<Hehe, not so fast sis,> Ace mumbled, grinning as he launched himself headfirst into the water. Nica watched on in confusion, frozen until she spotted small flickers of lightning. Ace’s cheeks flared to life, setting the entire wave sparking as the Alolan Raichu released burst after burst of electric energy into the water. Soon, he came out, drenched, but he wasn’t done yet. His ears twitched, coating the water in a silver aura as it created a circle around Nica and prevented any form of escape.

The Raichu crouched low to the ground and prepared to jump, hoping to out scale the waters, but the moment she jumped, Ace flew from top of the wave, bouncing her back towards the platform.

He followed up with a Thunderbolt, forcing his sister to evade while keeping the rest for his combo attack, speaking, <Nice try, but you're not evading this one.>

Glancing around, Nica froze and braced herself as she realized she couldn’t escape the wave’s punishment. She raised her tail in a defensive stance and channeled her ‘Iron Tail,’ before following it up with ‘Light Screen.’ Moments later, the wave crashed and hit its mark.

Ace floated higher and observed the battle field as the wave cleared away. Though it wasn’t shocking, he was disappointed as he spotted Nica still standing strong, her tail raised high in the air with ‘Light Screen’ and ‘Iron Tail’ still shining. Other than a few burns littered on her coat, it seemed as if the wave hardly phased her.

<Wow, your power certainly has improved!> she cried, attempting to be heard over the waves. <Good hit.>

Ace rubbed his nose with white patch of his forepaw. <Thanks, sis. As long as there’s a lot of water nearby, my waves are way bigger and hit a lot harder. Larger waves really help to contain your agility.>

A small splash of water crashed over Nica, yet when the wave dispersed his sister was nowhere to be seen. <It’s time for you to practice your aim against a very agile opponent,” Nica reappeared from behind him and darted from platform to platform, delivering a demanding series of blows towards Ace.

The Alolan Raichu surfed in a zig-zag pattern in attempt to evade, using the rocking waters to his advantage to improve his mobility. His efforts were useless though as at least half of Nica’s attacks connected. He was forced to grit his teeth and bare it. Though not very strong, the continuous electric shocks and metallic tail strikes took a heavy toll on his weak defenses. His own ‘Thunderbolts,’ ‘Surfs’ and even ‘Psychic’ attack damaged the platforms as his sister kept leaping over the water, jumping from one to another. While they both showed a lot of speed on this field, Nica showed a big edge in terms of accuracy and skills, even when battling on an area fit to his specialties.

Ace paused. With how fast Nica is, I’d be lucky to even land a single blow on her. If I manage to hit her, it needs to be powerful. He hovered high into the air and began to channel a dark aura. It twisted and snaked through the air, surrounding Ace before disappearing in a puff of smoke. With ‘Nasty Plot,’ my special attack is greatly increased, but only for a bit. I need to make my next attack count.

Squinting his eyes closed, Ace channeled his ‘Psychic’ and listened, his ears flashing with silver power as a plan formed in his head. Levitating backward, Ace steeled his nerves as his rear legs kept him balanced on his tail. His sister leaped from platform to platform while repeating “Rai, Rai, Rai,” over and over again, before being surrounded by an aura of electricity. The moment Nica jumped towards him, Ace spread his forpaws, wincing from the incoming impact. He nearly toppled off his tail at Nica’s supercharged tackle but somehow managed to stay on. He wrapped his paws around his sister, holding her in grim lock as they both fell into the water.

After a moment of struggle, Nica swung her ‘Iron Tail,’ freeing herself from Ace’s hold before following up with a quick ‘Thunderbolt,’ the water increasing the damage of her attack.

Ace grit his teeth, ignoring the resisted damage before returning the attack in kind, causing an explosion of electricity, lighting the water in a flashy display. Pushed away by the explosion, he flew up towards the surface. As he emerged and flew into the air, his attention focused on the surface of water, awaiting for his sister. The moment he saw her head peek out and take a deep breath, he unleashed a powerful ‘Psychic’ and pushed her back underwater.

A confident grin adorned the Alolan Raichu’s face, motivating him even while covered in an array of burns. While his mobility wasn’t all that hindered underwater, the same couldn’t be said about his sister. He knew his sister well, knowing how incredibly important agility and speed was to her. With a major factor that worked in Nica’s favor gone, he stood a chance to actually beat her… for the first time, and he was going to take it.

"And whenever I got her underwater, we traded blows in my favor due to my Psychic typing. My sis learned it the hard way and was forced to fight carefully, afraid she would end up pushed into the water, while I was afraid to press my offense on land, resulting in a long battle. When I was about to lose from exhaustion, my sister lost consciousness from her injuries." All three creature’s had their mouths open in shock, glancing at the Raichu as he gave a sheepish grin. “So, whatcha think?”

“That… that… was amazing!” Pikachu called, with Dash eagerly nodding in approval behind the pokemon.

Litten stalked closer, admitting, “Well, I’m still awake, so I must admit, not only an impressive battle but great story-telling skills. I felt like I was there, in the middle of the round with you and Nica.”

“Either way, whatever you did with that wave was so cool! You certainly are a master when it comes to water.” Rainbow shouted out, giving the Raichu a friendly hoof-bump.

“What can I say? While I still lack skill and experience, when it comes to naval warfare, I’m nearly unstoppable. I was even afraid that using the riverside to my advantage against you in a battle would have been a bit overkill.” Spotting Pikachu’s annoyed look, he desperately shook his forepaws and added, “Not that I’d beat you too fast. Just that tends to be my secret techniques in battles.”

He placed his forepaws on his hips and raised his head in pride. “When Astra needed someone to deal with criminals operating on the water, I was the one to lead the charge with Primarina and Starmie right by my side.” He patted his chest, giving a confident smirk. “Be it an attack on an armored ship, underwater base or sabotaging a rogue submarine, I was always the expert for the job.” He paused, rubbing his paws together evilly. “The best part, I got to annoy Team Aqua and Team Magma to no end.”

Ace looked at the sky with a dreamy smile painted on his face. “Evading torpedoes and Sharpedo while underwater, defeating Team Aqua’s pokemon and kicking Team Magma’s backside. Good times.”

“Wait… but aren’t Sharpedo water and dark types? Were you not afraid of facing their super effective biting moves, especially on their turf?” Pikachu asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

Ace looked at him and shook his head, projecting an arrogant grin. “Their turf? Water is my turf too and even dark types won’t scare me there. Not to mention that my bud Primarina always had my back with her ‘Moonblast,’ even taking a couple ‘Crunches’ when times got tough. My naval friends always had my back when I needed them most, and I’ll always have theirs.”

“I personally prefer combat in the sky, but underwater fighting sounds really cool. You totally need to tell me about it,” Dash said before landing in front of Ace. With a glance back at her wings, she paused, adding. “If only my wings didn’t become useless when soaked. I’d be Equestria’s fastest flyer and Equestria’s fastest swimmer.”

Ace shook his face before looking at the smaller pokemon, meeting his admiring gaze.

“I must say, I’m really impressed,” Pikachu began, his words filling the Alolan Raichu with satisfaction. “What about pokemon battles against other trainers. What are some of your best victories?”

“I’ll tell you… if you’ll tell me yours first,” Ace answered.

Pikachu rubbed his chin. “Well… from the top of my head, I think my greatest victories were when I defeated Regice in a one vs one fight. Oh, also when I defeated Tyranitar and Metagross in a row, and still had enough strength to do a big chunk of damage to a Charizard during the Kalos League.”

Ace gasped. A Pikachu with such fragile defenses defeating two pseudo-legendaries in a row. No wonder Nica admires him. He’s one tough cookie.

“By the look on your face, I assume that’s quite a big deal,” Dash said. “I hope Twilight will let me check out that world of yours. It must be really fun in there.” She swung her hooves high, performing a couple punches mid-air. “I bet I’d be just as good as any pokemon in your world.”

“Watching and participating in pokemon battles can be fun, but watch out, Rainbow Dash,” Pikachu warned, “someone may mistake you for a pokemon and try to catch you. I assume you wouldn't fancy being dragged around by someone else.”

“Let them try,” Dash called as she puffed out her chest. “I may not be as strong as you guys, but I want to see anyone try to capture me,” she pointed at her wings, “when I use these bad boys.”

Pikachu stepped from Ace’s tail, gazing up at him with a startling amount of expectation. “Now your turn. Come on, impress me.”

Ace shut his mouth and nodded. “S-sure.” He brainstormed, trying to think of any event that would impress the heroic Pikachu. “Well, there was that one time when Emily challenged the Elite Four in Sinnoh, trying to follow in Astra’s footsteps. When Emily fought Flint, her six pokemon versus his five, the deciding match was between me and his partner Infernape.”

“Flint’s Infernape? He defeated me and another two of Ash’s pokemon. He’s one of the strongest opponents I ever faced.” He pointed at him, staring in disbelief. “And you beat him in a one vs one?”

Ace shrugged. “What can I say. My psychic typing helped me resist his ‘Close Combat,’ my ‘Surf’ countered all of his fire moves, and my ‘Psychic’ attack was super effective against his fighting typing.” He lowered his head and rubbed his arm with his forepaw. “But despite having so many advantages, I just barely beat him. My sis can do it no problem even though her ‘Iron tail’ is weak to both fighting and fire moves.”

“Maybe, but it’s still really impressive. That Infernape is so strong that he would no doubt beat Tyranitar, Metagross, and maybe even overcome the mega-evolved Charizard. Defeating him is a large achievement. Besides, battles aren’t all about who has the advantage. You couldn’t have won if you weren’t smart and skilled, out maneuvering at least some of his more devastating moves.”

Ace smiled. “I guess you’re right.”

“What about the champion?” Pikachu asked.

Ace stood on tips of his rear paws. “Oh, right. Ever since Astra became Pokemon Master, Flint took her spot and became the champion, at least until Cynthia defeated him and defended her title for many more years to come.” He hunched down, rubbing his neck. “We tried to defeat her… and lost.”

“Lost?” Dash asked. “Hmm, she must be very tough.”

Ace levitated towards Dash and explained, “Of course she’s tough, especially her super, powerful Garchomp. Battleship was our secret weapon against him, but she knew about him and kept her Garchomp in reserve until dealing with him, using a different pokemon to knock him out.”

“What about you, Ace? How well did you do in that fight?” Pikachu asked as he jumped onto Rainbow Dash’s head, now looking down at him from the higher spot.

Ace looked at Dash with a hint of jealousy in his eyes, already missing the feeling of heroic Pikachu sitting on his tail. “Well… this was actually my chance to shine.” He pointed at the riverside behind him. “You know that I specialize on fields filled with water. Let’s say that the fight between Emily and Cynthia prior to me being selected created a lot of large craters all over the battlefield. When Emily send me into the field, she told me to use ‘Surf’ to fill all craters with water, and soon more than half of the battlefield worked to my advantage.”

“I see, clever,” Pikachu said. “Sounds like something Ash would come up with.”

Ace chuckled. “What can I say? My trainer was always a dedicated field officer; good at examining her surroundings for an ambush, quick to use any terrain to her advantage and creative when dealing with unexpected scenarios.” He took a quick breath. “A complete opposite from Astra who freezes when facing the unexpected. My sis’ trainer is more like a long-term strategist who plans for months or even years in advance, while my trainer is more into what’s happening here and now. They’re both quick to grab a weapon and fight by their pokemon’s sides when in a pitch though.”

“If you say so,” Dash mumbled, trying to follow along with the two’s conversation. Growing bored quickly, she shook her head, giggling as she felt Pikachu’s annoyed huff from where he sat.

Litten approached and frowned. “Hey, Pikachu. If I ever decide to challenge Ace to a fight, shock the idea out of me. It means I’ve gone crazy.”

Pikachu chuckled at the remark.

Ace cleared his throat and continued, “Normally, Garchomp would have a massive advantage against me. However, ‘Earthquake’ and most ground type moves don’t work if the opponent is swimming in the water, or in my case surfing on it.”

Pikachu gasped and pointed at Ace. “So you got rid of your weakness to ground just like that. Impressive!”

Ace showed his teeth in a big smile, feeling a new surge of excitement flowing through him. “That Garchomp was really strong, tough and well trained, but as long as I could surf over the battlefield and dive underwater using the craters, I could evade his powerful attacks. Ground types aren’t affected by electric moves, but not to psychic moves, and since Garchomp is a ground and dragon type, he isn’t resistant to ‘Surf.’” He pointed at Pikachu. “I may not be as naturally gifted as you are in combat, but you put me in an area with water, I can shine brighter than any star.”

Ace and Pikachu stared at each other, both pokemon eyeing the other with a mutual respect.

It was clear for the levitating Raichu that he had managed to impress the very hero that his sister had admired for so long, an achievement that filled him with pride and happiness. Truly a day to remember and treasure for the carefree surfer. He stepped to the side, freeing more space on his tail. “Jump on. Let’s go surfing and have more fun.”

“Sure, but I have one important question that has been bugging me for a while,” Pikachu began.

“Shoot.”

“I’ve noticed that you’ve stood, sat, rode, danced and whatever else you can think of atop your tail, but never once have you stepped atop the ground.”

Ace’s eyes became wide, his ears perking up in alarm. He didn’t like where this was going one bit.

Rainbow Dash flew forwards, allowing Pikachu to grasp the Alolan Raichu’s cheeks. “How good are you at running?”

“R-running…?” Ace gulped, a few drops of sweat rolling down his forehead.

Litten grinned as he noticed his hesitation. “Yes, running.” He gave a devilish smirk. “Show us how fast you can run when you’re not surfing on that tail of yours.”

Ace opened his mouth, about to refuse, but was pressured by Pikachu’s pleading stare. “Come on, show me how fast can you run. Please?”

“B-but…”

“Come on buddy. Why are you hesitating?” Dash asked. “Oh, I get it. You’re chicken. Is running on your paws too much for someone as cool as you?”

Ace gave a sad whimper, his ears drooping as he realized his defeat. He levitated closer to the ground before carefully climbing down his tail. For the first time in a while, his rear paws felt soft contact with the grass. While balancing on even a single limb atop his tail was his field of speciality, taking steps on four was another story.”

Rainbow Dash landed next to Ace and gestured with her forehoof. “Go on, run. Show us some crazy speed.”

Ace wiped sweat from his forehead, took a deep breath and ran, his steps lacking in coordination. His awkward running ended a few seconds later as his forepaws crossed, causing him to trip over and slam his face into the dirt.

Litten sniggered, then chuckled, and then burst into laughter as he rolled on the grass. “Looks like you’re literally eating the dirt!” He cried, wiping tears from his eyes as he chortled at the fallen Alolan Raichu.

Pikachu jumped from Rainbow Dash’s head and ran over, heaving Ace under his shoulder while helping him stand.

The surfing Raichu glanced at Pikachu for a moment, who returned the look in pity. He turned around, curled into ball and covered his blushing face with his forepaws and his tail.

Rainbow Dash approached with slow steps and muttered, “So…. you can surf, levitate, dive and fight underwater, but can't take a few steps on the ground without tripping over.” She shook her head. “Sorry buddy, but I need to cut a few points from your coolness score for this. I was even thinking about trading my Lucario for you with whoever takes care of you now, but I changed my mind.”

Ace groaned. His untrained forepaws failed to keep up with his strong rear legs, resulting in a disastrous combination, leaving him flat on his face. There was absolutely no coordination between his limbs. “And everything was going so well. I feel like sinking into the ground from embarrassment.”

Litten stopped laughing and stood up. “I can help with that. One deep hole to bury you in coming right up.”

“Don’t bother. I got this.” Ace’s ears flashed in with a silver aura as a big chunk of ground littered with some grass and a flower levitated up. He stepped into the hole and dropped hovering dirt on himself, his vision going black.

Pikachu and Dash looked at each other in confusion, and then stared at the red rose resting at the top of the pile of soil.

Litten’s eyes became wide in alarm as he rushed towards Ace and started frantically digging him up. “When I said I was going to bury you, I was kidding!”

Ch.18 - Welcome Party

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Lost Little Ace

Chapter 18
-
Welcome Party

The riverside swelled, splashing into the shore next to a lone windmill as a big chunk of water was currently being used for Pinkie Pie’s water-themed party. Many guests were present and chatting, all having received similar style invitations from Ponyville’s resident ‘party planner.’ Ace and Dash were zipping around the liquid terrain with Pikachu clinging on to the Alolan Raichu’s tail with a massive grin present on his face. The pre-evolution jumped, launching himself off Ace’s tail as he dove forward and cheered.

Ace watched, laughing at the hero’s expression, before taking a big gulp of air. He held his breath in his ballon-like cheeks while levitating underwater, emerging with a big splash as all the dirt and soil was washed away from his fur. Pikachu jumped off and dove back into the water, currently attempting to spot Rainbow Dash. The collar Ace borrowed from Nica was absent, now wrapped securely around his sister’s neck. He spread his forepaws with a mischievous smirk adorning his features. Targeting the nearest prey, he spotted a jumbo float in the shape of a bed with a certain seamstress before lowering himself to four paws. Shouting in glee, he vaulted himself forward and surfed atop his tail, riding it as if it was a torpedo as water sprayed up all around him.

He bent his legs, waiting to reach his target before jumping at Coco. The mare yelped in surprise, nearly falling over as Ace crashed by her side and giggled. The float shook from the impact. Not wasting a moment, he nuzzled the fashionista affectionately, unintentionally pushing her to the edge of the makeshift raft before it flipped over, causing them both to fall into the water.

Ace’s head popped up from underneath the river almost instantly. Looking around, he noticed a certain mare was missing. Channeling a small portion of his psychic power, he surrounded Coco and gently lifted her higher, allowing her head to break the water’s surface. Splish splash, we’re taking a bath! he spoke telepathically before swinging his forepaw against the water, sending a flurry of droplets into the mare’s face.

The fashionista closed one eye and turned her head to the side, taking more splashes as she shook her head at her assistant’s childish antics. She swung her foreleg lightly against the water, returning the gesture. A surprised look shifted to a happy one as a cheerful chuckle escaped her mouth.

Now that’s what I’m talking about! Live a little and enjoy yourself. You deserve it, Ace exclaimed in Coco’s mind before diving into the water. He positioned himself under Coco’s rear legs before flying straight into the sky, picking the mare up and securing her with his forepaws. His rear legs lost balance as they flew out beneath him, forcing him to sit and grit his teeth as his forepaws trembled. He narrowed his eyes and kept steady though, refusing to show that this was pushing his limits. He wasn’t used to lifting things, or ponies, that were four or five times his own weight. Levitating objects and pokemon with his ‘Psychic’ power was much easier and now hoisting Coco over his head with his limbs was costing him some of his physical strength.

He flipped the float with a flick of his ears and placed the mare on it. The moment the seamstress landed, he bombarded her with questions, asking, Do you need a towel? Vanilla ice cream? Or maybe some excitement involving a massive wave of water?

Coco paused, trying to absorb the questions before nodding. “Uh, yes to number two. I definitely wouldn’t mind some ice cream, if it isn’t too much trouble.”

He saluted. On it! With his quick water-surfing and levitating, he flew towards Coco’s bag and grasped a few bits in his magic grip, excitedly clapping his forepaws together like a child. Riding atop his tail, he dashed towards the ice cream stand and approached the vendor. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream! A moment passed, before the Alolan Raichu quickly added, Oh, uh please! He gave a nervous chuckle as the yellow stallion nodded and prepped his order. It wasn’t long before the ice cream was placed before him, resembling the worker’s cutie mark, a symbol of ice cream with a bronze, white and pink scoop in a golden cone.

Sending his bits in exchange, Ace levitated the snack by his side before delivering it to Coco. Seeing her grateful smile filled his heart with joy as he remembered her unrelenting kindness. Using a weak ‘Surf’ attack, he summoned a wave to ride on as he examined his surroundings.

Rainbow Dash was napping on a fluffy cloud high above the coast with his tinted shades dozing at her side. If I recall correctly, seems like Rainbow is ‘chillaxing.’ He rubbed his paws together with an evil grin. I’ll definitely be sneaking up on her later on! In the back of his mind, he noted to get his glasses back as well. He couldn’t misplace Coco’s gift.

Looking to his right, Fluttershy lay in front of the coast on her stomach, busy talking with a few water creatures called fish. Venusaur relaxed by her side, drinking some of the river’s water while absorbing a ray of pleasant sunlight with the large flower on his back. Upon a closer look, he noticed a little, white vixen known as an Alolan Vulpix sleeping under Fluttershy’s wing. Probably one of Ash’s pokemon that ended up in Equestria. Such a cute, little lady.

Glancing to the left, he spotted Rarity sitting on a wooden pier with a slightly annoyed expression as she conversed with a nearby stallion. A ‘used’ straw hat sat comfortably atop his head, resting on his short-cut hair as it blocked out the worst of the sun’s light. He had a thick, brown mustache threaded over his nose along with a pair of bushy eyebrows that sat beside a single, elbony horn. Three footballs adorned his flank, entrapped in white fur, as the stranger rested a foreleg around the mare to his side. The mare sitting next to him had a deep purple mane that looked more situated for housing birds than belonging on her head. A trio of cookies represented her cutie mark, standing out against her pink fur. Rarity seemed to shout something towards her younger sister a moment later.

The smaller unicorn had four forelegs wrapped around one of Starmie’s limb as she rode the water pokemon, her eyes closed and mouth open in excitement.

Starlight and Nica, with Pikachu recently joining in, kept tossing beach balls to each other. Despite the beach toys being twice the size of Pikachu, the little pokemon didn’t seem to mind, tackling it with his tail, head or shoulder.

Two nearby trees had a banner tied up to them, which proved big enough for Ace to read at a distance. In sloppy writing, the poster spelled out, Happy Welcome Party for Coco and Ace, in a splash of colors. He couldn't help but smile at Pinkie’s effort.

Two dozen ponies, give or take a few, were present as well, either having a relaxing picnic on a blanket atop the grass or swimming in the water, some with bathing suits and some bare.

Eh, I wouldn’t call this a true beach party, but it’s good enough, Ace thought before focusing his attention on the organizer herself.

Pinkie placed a big blanket with a mix of cupcakes and candies inscribed onto it near the coast, patting it.

Watching Pinkie, Litten nodded and accepted the invitation, situating himself on it without a second thought as Ninetales followed closely behind.

Ninetales rubbed the blanket as if examining its softness and quality before perching himself next to the smaller pokemon. He rolled his eyes upon seeing one of his tails become a pillow for Litten’s chin, only to cover his back with two of his other tails and secretly wrap one more around the kitten.

Pinkie left three cupcakes and two cups of lemonade next to the fire pokemon before galloping towards the water. She cheered and leap atop a diving board, one she set up before the party that just graced the water’s edge.

Ace changed the direction of his wave, deciding to surf towards Pinkie, who used the platform to jump high before falling into the water. This is one cool river party you organized. You’re really good at this. Much to Ace’s surprise, the earth pony stopped herself a meter above the water and looked up at him, hovering mid-air.

“Thank you,” she responded, giving the Raichu a genuine smile. “Making everypony and everyone happy is something enjoy and take pride in. I take it very seriously.” Pinkie paused and stared at seemingly nothing for a few moments before finally falling into the water, causing a weak splash. Her head popped up, though rather than her normally poofy mane she sported a straightened one, still dripping with small water droplets.

Ace abandoned his wave and levitated towards Pinkie Pie, now staring at her curiously. I had no idea you could levitate.

“Levitate?” She shook her head. “I just stopped falling to answer you. I wasn’t levitating, silly!” Pinkie said, releasing a small snort. “I wouldn’t just ignore you! That’s rude.” She dug her forehoof through her wet, flat mane before pulling out a pair of goggles and putting them on her eyes. “The last one to touch the bottom of this river is a soggy pancake!”

Wait… how did you… Ace rubbed the top of his head in confusion, wondering how this mare managed to store so many items in her mane, especially now when it was thin and flat. As Pinkie Pie dived underwater, Ace smiled and thought, She’s weird, but it makes me like her even more. No matter how much I like her though, she’s not gonna win! With a grin, he took a deep breath and dove into the water as well, taking on the challenge. A trail of bubbles was left in his wake as he bypassed Pinkie and touched the soft, muddy bottom of the river. He looked up, searching for Pinkie, but the mare was gone.

“Seems I’m the pancake, congrats!” Pinkie murmured, somehow speaking clearly even though she was swimming beside him.

Ace flinched, nearly losing balance on his tail. He turned around, seeing the party mare floating right behind him. How did you…? He shook his head, deciding not to question it. After all, pokemon tended to do impossible things on a daily basis, so why would this not apply to ponies as well?

After a bit of underwater exploration alongside Pinkie Pie, he nuzzled her, making sure to keep his electricity in check, before carrying her up to the surface.

“Watch out!”

Ace’s ears perked up as he leavitated to the side, dragging Pinkie with him and swiftly evading Starmie who nearly crashed into him.

My apologies, Starmie said telepathically, giving a slight bow with the little unicorn still on top.

No biggie, Ace responded. While he knew that Astra’s Starmie never bothered to develop the skill to communicate telepathically with humans, talking between two psychic type pokemon was another story. It came naturally for their typing.

“Wait, you’re that tail-surfing Raichu!” Sweetie Belle shouted before jumping from one of Starmie’s limbs onto the free, now dwindling, space on Ace’s tail, causing him to back up while maintaining balance on white tips of his rear paws. She examined his features with a detailed eye, something passed down from her older sister. “Slightly smaller, chubby, bigger ears, blue-silvery eyes rather than oval ones, white tips on your paws and white stripes on your back.”

Ace smiled and allowed the filly to examine his features, feeling a sense of deja-vu. As the examination continued, the Raichu became bored and struck a few poses, making the filly laugh at the sight.

“I must say, you look really neat,” Sweetie said with a smile. “You look less fierce than your sister, but you’re definitely just as cute and that tail-surfing is really cool. I think I prefer Nica in terms of design, but you’re not far behind.”

Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself. Ace winked, circling behind the filly while stepping on edge of his tail, keeping his paws out for balance. He started examining Sweetie in return, standing on the tips of his rear legs as the filly seemed to soak up more and more space. Your silky fur reminds me of the wild wave’s foam, something stunning left in the aftermath of the ocean… He shook his head, realizing his poor choice of words. Scratch that. I can imagine finding you deep within the ocean’s trenches as a shining pearl, illuminating even the darkest depths. Something that people spend their entire lives desperately searching for, just for a glimpse of true beauty.

Sweetie blushed, suddenly out of words at the Raichu’s smooth talk.

Ace bit his bottom lip, realizing his poor choice of words once again as he hung his head in embarrassment. Uh, n-not that I’m hitting on you… b-bye! He levitated the filly onto Starmie’s limb and flew towards the coast. Upon noticing that Nica and her friends were no longer bouncing beach balls to each other, he flew over to check on them.

“Oh, Ace. Perfect timing,” Nica said as she waved at him, signalling for him to come closer. The translating collar was wrapped securely around her neck, the yellow, lightning stones shining brilliantly in the sunk. A matching one was strapped on Pikachu.

<Perfect timing?> Ace gave a confused look, before glancing at Nica for clarification. <What are you up to, sis?>

“Just something fun. I thought that since we’ll be returning to our home world tomorrow, we should show a breathtaking spectacle, for everyone to remember us by.” She turned to Pikachu and pointed at him. “And I need you two to help me.”

Pikachu approached on his two feet, walking through the grass. “Sure, how can I help?”

Nica grinned, untying and throwing her collar towards Starlight before charging electric power into her tail. Her longest limb sparked in anticipation as she lowered herself to four paws.

Pikachu’s ears drooped. “But why? I don’t want to hurt you…” He shook his forepaws, reconsidering his words. “I mean… I know you’re tough and it wouldn’t damage you much, but still. I hate the idea of trying to harm you.”

<Just trust me on this,> Nica called before running away, increasing the distance between them. She stood on her two legs with her tail raised in front of her.

Ace recognized that stance. A samurai with her katana as one, awaiting for her opponent to strike in order to counter, a favorite position of his sister. What are you planning? he wondered to himself.

Pikachu lowered his forepaws, now standing on four. He repeated his name while charging an orb of electricity on the tip of his tail.

Ace observed the sphere curiously which after several seconds grew to half of Pikachu’s size. It took a moment before it was thrown at his sister. Even with a sister as tough of his, he couldn’t help but worry, seeing how much power backed behind that punch.

Nica leaped to the side while using her longest limb, causing the orb of electricity to circle around her tail and grow in size little by little.

<Using ‘Iron Tail’ and the resulting magnetic electricity to take control of Pikachu’s ‘Electro Ball.’ Neat,> Ace said to his sister.

<It’s more than that,> Nica explained before swinging her tail with a quick spin, throwing the orb towards the sky. <Pikachu. Do you remember our game of buckball? Let’s do it again, but with ‘Electro Ball’ instead. We’ll make it a big one.> She jumped up with incredible speed, waiting for the sparkling sphere to start falling before tossing it towards Pikachu.

The smaller pokemon nodded, watching with anticipation as the ‘Electro Ball’ flew closer. His tail glowed a bright, metallic sheen in response as he intercepted the orb with a careful turn of his tail and the overpowering force of magnetism.

<Great, now launch it towards my brother.>

Ace clapped his forepaws in excitement before concentrating on the orb of electricity, which grew in size even more before Pikachu threw it towards him. Ace’s ears shone in power as he forced the condensed lightning to circle around himself, as if a moon in orbit with him being the planet. “Piece of cake.” After sending a large jolt of electricity into the orb, making it the size of a Pikachu, he pushed it towards Nica with his psychic power. “I can use psychic to control my electricity. It’s no challenge at all.”

Nica shook her head, giving her brother an exasperated grin. <It’s not meant to be a challenge, just fun!> she shouted before snatching the ball towards her with her flexible tail.

Starlight, Pinkie Pie and Coco Pommel gathered at the coast and started observing the game with growing curiosity, waking up Rainbow Dash who grunted in annoyance. The mare peeked over her cloud at the commotion, hopping out a moment later to join in and observe the glowing ball of electricity.

Ace kept levitating randomly, following wherever the electricity chose to go as he was forced to jump up and down, soon switching to left and right. He was throwing the orb of electricity towards Nica or Pikachu in excitement, who kept running and jumping while bouncing the orb in kind. As the game went on, Ace picked up on an interesting pattern.

Pikachu, despite being unevolved, proved capable of sending a lot of electricity into his orb, charging it very quickly before throwing it away. I remember how much weaker my raw power was before I used the thunderstone, yet this though little guy can dish out so much electricity at this stage of evolution. Now that’s impressive. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. He certainly deserves that hero title. Staring at the Pikachu, he could only feel overwhelming admiration, and maybe a tad bit of jealousy, for the tough little guy.

Nica however kept the ‘Electro Ball’ close to herself for much longer, easily controlling it thanks to her longer tail while moving it around playfully, as if it were a normal beach ball. While his sister lacked the raw power he and Pikachu possessed, she was still a battle-hardened Raichu with unrivaled stamina, allowing her to charge three times more power without getting tired.

Ace however specialized in offense, named as the glass cannon. He delivered powerful attacks that changed the tides of battle, yet when punished with powerful attacks, he couldn’t stay standing for long. That’s when Nica shone, helping her teammates avoid the worst of the damage and finding openings to attack in return. One thing was certain, he put a lot more electricity into the sphere than Pikachu did, though he couldn't deny that he would be the one to get tired first out of the three chus.

The ‘Electro Ball,’ which started as half the size of Pikachu was now almost as big as a grown mare, no doubt ten times more powerful than it was at the start.

Ace focused his attention on Pikachu, who at the start was filled with excitement, then started taking the game as a challenge to prove his strength. Now however, his face was coated in sweat, his breathing was heavy, and instead of narrowed and determined eyes, his face showed panic and fear. Not that he could blame him. An ‘Electro Ball’ of such size could do a lot of damage to even a tough electric pokemon, and was difficult to manipulate with such a short tail. One wrong move would mean a world of pain and with Pikachu’s pride, there’s no way he would back out, even if it meant serious damage.

Nica redirected the orb of electricity above her head, causing it to float above the tip of her heart-shaped tail. <Sorry, Pikachu.> She gave a sheepish grin.

"It’s okay. I really loved the challenge,” Pikachu responded with a hesitant smile. He wiped the pooling sweat from his forehead and finally took a deep breath, able to relieve some of the stress of keeping the ‘Electro Ball’ going.

Nica looked at her brother and said, <Alright, Ace. It’s time for the big finish. Unleash your ultimate secret technique.>

<My ultimate secret technique?> Ace’s mouth opened widely in a big smile and his eyes sparkled as if covered by glitter, his forepaws raised up to his cheeks. <You really mean it, sis?>

<I’m not joking. I told you I want this to be a breathtaking spectacle,> Nica answered.

Pikachu looked at the levitating Raichu and questioned, “What secret technique?”

Ace beamed in happiness, now understanding his sister’s idea. The chance to impress the ponies like Rainbow Dash and a hero like Ash’s Pikachu was in his grasp. <Just watch and get ready to have your mind blown.>

He levitated towards the water, summoning a large wave of water with his ‘Surf’ move, expertly coiling the riverside around his tail, positioning it as if it were a cobra ready to strike.

<Naval!> he shouted, raising both forepaws high to the sky as his ears flashed in power. Using ‘Psychic,’ he grabbed the twenty meter tall wave and raised it upward, changing its shape from the snake into a beast with two massive wings.

<Storm!> He balanced four paws on his tail and grinned, using ‘Nasty Plot’ as a dark aura surrounded his body, temporarily boosting the strength of his special attacks. He could feel a new power coursing through him, and even if it was brief, he was going to take advantage of it.

<Dragon!> He shouted before screaming his name, unleashing an empowered ‘Thunderbolt’ while sending all the electricity he could muster into his creation.

The gathered ponies’ mouths hung open in shock. Coco and Fluttershy hid behind Venusaur, choosing to miss the light show.

Rainbow Dash stared at the spectacle with wide eyes and a massive toothy smile, picturing herself performing the same move. Unable to contain herself, the mare began to holler, “Woohoo! Keep it up!”

Ace grit his teeth as numerous drops of sweat fell down his face. He stumbled, feeling as if his body became completely drained of energy all of a sudden. Combining multiple attacks may have been easy for his sister, who had huge reserves of stamina and low raw damage, but for a high power attacker like himself, using four moves at once was another story. Keeping all the gathered water and electricity together further drained away his stamina as he felt his legs began to give out. Not now, he chanted to himself, begging his faltering body to hold on for just a bit longer.

“Great! Now send your Naval-Storm-Dragon to hit Pikachu’s ‘Electro Ball,’” Nica shouted before jumping up high and swinging her entire body, throwing the pony-sized orb high into the sky.

Ace narrowed his eyes as his paws and legs trembled. Using all the power he could muster, he sent his creation into the sky, watching as the ‘dragon’s’ wings seemingly pushed it higher and higher, the bundle of elements sparking together to create the Ocean’s Spirit. It flew among the wing, levitating on a collision course with the orb of electricity. Using what was left of his strength, he stood on the white tip of a single rear paw, taking a heroic pose. <Go Naval-Storm-Dragon! Show your might!>

The sky quickly exploded in a blinding spectacle bursting with stray bolts of electricity. A thundering boom echoed along the shore, showering the unfortunate guests in a shower of lightning. A flurry of droplets followed, the ponies looking up in shock at the dragon was ripped apart from the devastating attack, descending back into its original elements.

Fluttershy and Coco both yelped, the two timid mares immediately seeking shelter under Venusaur's belly as the pokemon lowered his stance above the two protectively. Two vines snaked out from the creature’s back and he held them close as they were overwhelmed by the sheer noise and power of the explosion.

Starlight’s horn flickered to life, a strong barrier coming to life. She raised it over the assembled guests who either covered their faces from the blinding light or curled into tight balls in fear.

Ace’s body started shaking, trembling uncontrollably as spare sparks of energy zipped through him, finding no other place to go. Attempting to stand, the Raichu’s legs gave out from underneath him as he fell to the ground, crashing into the soft grass as his vision went black.

“Ace, are you okay?”

He didn’t respond, deciding to remain trapped in the grasses soft embrace for a bit longer while giving his burning muscles a moment to rest. After all, he had just used a big portion of his energy and laying on the ground felt quite nice. He was always zipping around on his tail or diving into the water. Allowing his paws, belly and face to relax against the soft grass, he sighed and let his tense muscles unwind.

“Here, let me help.”

Ace felt someone grab his right forepaw and slide under the right side of his belly before heaving him to an awkward sitting position. He massaged his forehead with his left forepaw before opening his eyes. <Thanks Pikachu. My secret technique may have the power of three super-charged attacks combined, but it sure drains me. I forgot how taxing it could be.> He took a few deep breaths and wiped the sweat from his forehead before stepping onto his tail. The Pikachu who helped him stand started staring at him with a look of excitement and admiration. Pushing away the pain, the Alolan Raichu struck a heroic pose, before asking, <Did you enjoy the show? It’s not everyday people or pokemon see that kind of power.>

“Are you kidding?!” Pikachu shouted before bouncing from one rear foot to another, shaking his forepaws in excitement. “I’ve traveled a lot and seen many amazing things, but combining four attacks like that was among the best spectacles I have ever seen.” He pointed at the sky. “And when your attack collided with ‘Electro Ball,’ the power unleashed in that explosion was incredible. I think it could’ve been strong enough to knock out even a powerful legendary pokemon.”

Ace laughed at Pikachu’s enthusiasm. <Electro Ball, charged continuously for minutes by a talented Pikachu and two Raichu, aided by the combination of my ‘Surf,’ ‘Psychic,’ ‘Nasty Plot’ and ‘Thunderbolt.’ Certainly waaay above the power of a Z-move. Legendary pokemon may be powerful, but even they wouldn’t be able to endure a strike like that.> He paused. Looking back at Pikachu, he added, <Though the move is powerful, I need to be careful when I use it. If I perform it early on and miss, that’s almost all my energy sapped in one go. That would be devastating for me in a battle.>

Pikachu nodded, listening along to Ace’s advice as Nica approached, her face radiating pride while translating collar was once again decorating her neck. “Great work everyone. I knew we could pull it off.”

“That was amazing!” Dash shouted as she circled above heads of the electric mice. She stopped, now hovering in mid-air while looking at each pokemon in turn with an unrivaled enthusiasm. “That explosion was spectacular and so much brighter than even my ‘Sonic Rainboom!’” She flew closer to Ace as her muzzle nearly collided with his little button nose. “Why didn’t you show me that you could make dragons made of electricity and water? It totally makes up for your embarrassing running fiasco. I need to ask Coco if she wants to trade you for my Lucario. Be right back!”

Ace blinked, the wind from Dash’s sudden flight causing his ears to flap in the breeze.

Nica whispered, “Should we tell her that we’re leaving tomorrow?”

Ace shook his head. “Let her have her moment.”

“Nica!”

The group of pokemon looked towards the approaching Starlight, who glanced back at them with a startling mix of worry and anger, a deep russet shade covering most of her face.

“Yes?” Nica asked obviously as she tapped her forepaws and tilted her head. “Did I do something wrong?”

Starlight pointed at Canterlot. “You do realize that the explosion you caused together was strong enough to do some solid damage to the capital.” She then pointed at the numerous houses not far from the riverside, some soaked from the freak storm caused by Ace’s special move. “Or in this case, raze a third of Ponyville.”

“R-really?” Nica whispered, bowing her head in shame. “I knew it was going to be strong so I sent the orb towards the sky, but I had no idea it was going to be this strong.”

“And it’s a good thing that you did. If you aimed at the ground, we would have another post-Tirek battlefield on our hooves.”

Nica bit her bottom lip as her eyes became wide and her face a deathly pale. Her ears drooped a moment later, trembling along with her forepaws, that were now held together. “I’m sorry! It won’t happen ever again!”

Starlight sighed and shook her head. “At times like this, I’m just glad you’re on our side.” She wrapped Nica’s neck with her foreleg and pressed her cheek into her chest. “There, there. I didn’t mean to make you sad. I’m sorry if I came on a bit too strong.”

Pikachu and Ace watched the display with their ears drooped, before smiling sheepishly at the scene, still trying to comprehend the destruction their innocent game could have caused. While they worked hard to be the best they could be, even to a point of mastering powerful Z-moves, none expected their teamwork would bring forth power of such magnitude.

Ch 18.5 - Farewell Party (Expanded)

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Lost Little Ace

Chapter 18.5
-
Farewell Party

“Psst, Ace,” Pikachu whispered, spotting the Alolan Raichu’s drooped ears. He gently rubbed the surfer’s back, trying to break the tension. “Your secret technique. What’s it all about?”

Ace stepped to the side and sat on his tail, but before he could perform an inviting gesture with his forepaw, his little buddy was already sitting by his side. Smiling warmly at his smaller companion, he asked, <Do you remember the story I told you about when I first joined forces with Emily? The one where she already had an experienced team while your trainer had defeated the champion of the Orange Islands.>

“Yes,” Pikachu said with a nod. “You also told me that even after three years, you still needed to improve to catch up with the rest of the team.”

Ace grinned, giving the pokemon by his side a playful noogie. <Not bad, hero. Looks like you were listening.>

“Of course!” Pikachu exclaimed. “It’s not everyday I meet someone as cool as you and Nica.”

Ace chuckled, turning his head so his pre-evolution couldn't see the growing blush on his face. Using the black part of his tail, he pushed Pikachu closer and bopped him on the nose. <Well, back to my secret technique, you’re exactly right. I wanted to prove my worth to Emily, but I still lacked the training and experience that her team displayed. Since I wasn’t strong enough, I asked my sis if she could help me get more powerful. I’ve challenged her a bunch of times since then.”

“And she beat you with ease,” Pikachu pointed out, mischief clear in his tone.

Ace frowned in annoyance. “She did… until we agreed to fight on an area filled mostly with water, a battleground that suited my fighting style.> Ace paused, gazing at the nearby riverside as he relived the battle in his head. <Nica came up with the idea. She figured that since I wouldn’t be able to catch up with the team in terms of power and skills for a long time, it would be best for me to focus on taking my speciality in naval warfare and twisting it to my advantage.>

“And you both came up with this technique as the result?” Pikachu finished, putting two and two together.

<Bingo!> Ace said, smirking as he poked Pikachu’s nose once again with the white tip of his paw. <After a month of training and testing stuff out with my sis, we came up with this combination.> He stood up and levitated towards the water’s surface, his passenger staring up at him curiously in response. <First, I use ‘Surf,’> he began, before floating over the water and grasping a small portion out of the river. Using ‘Psychic,’ he held up the water and crafted it into the shape of a mini dragon, adding, <but for this technique to work, I need a big source of water to pull from to make the attack strong enough. Forming it out of thin air was simply too inefficient in battle and drained too much energy.>

Bringing the naval beast closer, his cheeks sparked as he released a small amount of lightning into the monster, causing it to crackle with electric energy. He held his creation up high in front of the Pikachu, giving a toothy grin as he displayed his prized treasure.

The little pokemon poked its’ muzzle, causing a few sparks of lightning to escape the water and jolt through his forepaw.

<Water alone is enough to nullify the ground type resistance and make electricity even more potent, though they both must hit at the same time, hence why the two attacks are combined.> He poked towards his right ear. <Using ‘Psychic,’ I can not only push all this water and electric power against my opponent at double my normal speed, but change the trajectory of my attack in case they tried to evade. In other words, one big scary and homing water dragon.>

He stood on tip of a single rear leg and gestured towards the sky, taking on a heroic pose. <And boom! I overcome our adversaries with unstoppable force, saving the day.> Spotting his friend’s skeptical stare, he abandoned his brave stance and rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. <Hehe, uh, most of the time.>

“Is it practical in combat?” Pikachu questioned. “I mean, you kind of fell to the ground after using it.”

Ace blushed, covering his face with his forepaws. <About that… It is a somewhat risky technique as it requires a lot of concentration and drains a lot of my power at once, not to mention it leaves me wide open for attack while I’m charging it and after, so I need to be extra careful. It’s really useful in double battles, so that while I’m powering up the attack, my partner can protect me as I deliver devastating damage.> He puffed out his chest and raised his head pridefully. <But if used in the right time and place, extremely powerful opponents fall to my might. I bet even legendaries would have to back down. It’s like a riskier, but stronger version of my Z-move, ‘Stokespark Surfer’ that I mastered under Emily’s guidance.>

“Stokespark Surfer?” Pikachu asked. “I don’t think I’ve heard of that one.”

<It’s a Z-move that lets me fly towards the sky and charge power,> he levitated up a few meters above the water as Pikachu grabbed Ace’s tail with his forepaws. <And then dive against my opponent while unleashing all that energy!> He flew into the water, only to emerge a moment later as his passenger shook his wet fur. <We took a lot of time to modify that Z-move a bit so it fit my fighting style. While it doesn’t do as much damage as it used to, I learned how to spread electricity over the area whenever I hit or miss my target.>

Ace took a deep breath before continuing, <This scattered electricity acts similar to ‘Electric Terrain,’ not only boosting my speed for a while, but also making my ‘Thunderbolt’ stronger. In other words; less powerful Z-move, but greater utility thanks to a makeshift, short-lasting electric terrain.> He raised his chin proudly. <Most pokemon use their Z-move as a powerful finisher, but I use mine to keep momentum in battle.>

Pikachu stood up, throwing a forepaw around Ace to keep his balance, before pointing at the Alolan Raichu. “Now I see what kind of pokemon you are.”

<You do?> Ace asked, blinking in confusion.

“You fear that your natural skills and power aren’t good enough, so you focus on mastering different techniques to tip the battle in your favor, including fighting on water terrains and coming up with these awesome super moves. You prefer to improve your moves and techniques over pure strength and durability.” Pikachu pointed at himself. “I’m always trying to become stronger and improve my agility and skill set. Together with Ash, we found a way to use two different Z-moves, but both focused purely on raw power.” Pikachu turned, now pointing at Ace. “You, on the other side, try to be creative with the terrain and techniques instead.”

<That sounds about right. You can call me a technical fighter if you want,> Ace said before shaking his head. <Scratch that. Silver Surfer or Ace still sounds way cooler.>

Pikachu chuckled before looking at the water with a lowered head. His ears drooped.

<What’s wrong?> Ace asked, tipping his pre-evolution’s head up with his forepaw. <Why the frowny face?>

“B-because… I just started getting to know you, and tomorrow we’ll reunite with our trainers... and go our separate ways.”

<So you do care!> Ace exclaimed, jumping into the air. Squeezing his cheeks together, he called, <That’s so sweet, come here!> The Raichu grasped Pikachu’s shoulders and pulled him into a massive hug, pressing his face into the other pokemon’s fur. Their hug was cut short as a cotton candy mane emerged from the water, followed by two big, blue saddened eyes and a weak splash.

“You’re leaving tomorrow?!” Pinkie shouted, startling both pokemon. They both attempted to throw out their arms for balance, but it was too late as they plummeted into the water as a result.

Ace quickly grabbed Pikachu and levitated him up before being met with Pinkie’s panicked stare.

“Ace, you can’t do this to me! I just welcomed you to Ponyville and you’re leaving the next day? That’s not fair!” She wrapped her tail around Ace’s belly, pulling him as she swam towards the coast. Once on solid ground, she looked at him with her best puppy eyes and flattened her ears against the side of her head, throwing her hooves together in a begging gesture. “Can we play and spend more time together. Pretty please!”

Sure, Ace responded, only to be grabbed by Pinkie’s foreleg and pulled away while his passenger fell from his tail.

Pinkie was oblivious to Pikachu’s struggles as he attempted to brush the sand out of his fur and continued forward, running towards the two fire pokemon dozing on a blanket. “Litten!” the mare called, dramatically collapsing against the ground. “I have the worst news! Ace is leaving tomorrow!”

Faking a concerned tone, the cat replied, “Oh no! Not Ace! Whatever will I do?” Litten smiled cheerfully from his comfortable spot on the blanket, purring as numerous tails pressed against his body with one supporting his chin.

Pinkie Pie popped up before the cat and tapped his head. “Exactly! That’s what I was thinking,” the mare began, unaware as the kitten growled in annoyance and placed his head back down. His eyes opened in alarm though as Pinkie finished with, “Which is why we’ll spend the next couple of hours playing together to make some fond and everlasting memories. If we’re splitting apart, we need to make the time we have as fun and as memorable as possible.”

Litten’s cheerful smile vanished, replaced by one filled with annoyance. “Great… just wonderful,” he mumbled.

Ninetales opened one eye, peeking at his little companion with a mischievous grin. “Sounds like a blast,” the fox teased, gently pushing the kitten towards the pony. “I’m sure Litten would adore spending as much time as possible with you all before we depart.”

Ace levitated closer to the cat pokemon and patted him on the head before rubbing his chin. Litten’s eyes flashed with fire and it took all his willpower to resist biting the Alolan Raichu’s forepaw, but by some miracle, he resisted the urge. <Come on little buddy. We’ll have lots of fun.>

“I doubt it.”

Pikachu fell onto the ground in an exasperated heap, sighing before rubbing his forepaw against the grass, as if trying to trace a frowny face. His ears drooped as he placed his head in his paws, now staring at the ground with a sullen expression. Why am I feeling sad? I’ll finally be reunited with Ash once again. I’ll see Lillie, Lana, Kiawe and Mallow and their pokemon again. I should be happy… Isn’t this what I’ve wanted?

“Is something wrong?”

Pikachu raised his head and looked at the approaching Raichu. “N-nothing.” He forced a smile.

“You know you can’t fool me.” Nica stopped and towered in front of him, unintentionally reminding Pikachu of their size-difference. She placed her forepaws on his shoulder and looked down at him with a patient smile. “What’s weighing down on your heart? You know I’d be willing to do anything to help you.”

“Well… it’s just…” He took a deep breath before speaking. “I know I should be happy to see Ash again, but I’ll miss this place.” He gestured over the guests playing all around them. “These ponies have been incredibly welcoming and nice, certainly a crowd I’ll never forget.” He pointed at her. “But most of all, I’ll miss you. You’ve been there for me through thick and thin.” He paused, chuckling before continuing, “Even when it seemed like all was lost. I don’t know even know how to thank you.”

Looking to the side, he spotted Ace and Litten. The Alolan Raichu was cheerfully riding atop his tail, chasing the kitten throughout the beach. Judging by the flames and resounding hisses from the cat, it didn't look like he was having the best time, though Ace remained oblivious, dodging each blast with a toothy grin. “And I didn’t even get to spend time with your brother. He’s been a lot of fun to be around.”

Pikachu looked back at Nica, his eyes beginning to water. Tilting his gaze away, he quietly wiped away the tears. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but just playing or teaming up with you or your brother is so much more enjoyable than having a battle against him or you would be, and trust me, that’s saying a lot for someone who likes to battle as much as me.” He lowered his head, giving a weak chuckle, only to feel Nica’s paw raise his chin up to meet her comforting stare.

“No frowny faces on my watch, mister! This party is far from over and we have plenty of time to play together before you guys have to get going.” Noticing Pikachu’s reluctant expression, she pulled him closer and winked, whispering, “Ace included.” Nica grabbed his forepaw with the bronze tip of her paw and towed him behind as she darted towards the shore, pulling her pre-evolved form away from the section he had isolated himself in.

“If you say so,” Pikachu mumbled, though his smile was strained.

Nica hesitated, pausing before turning to face the pokemon by her side. “Uh, there’s something I wanted us to do together, but I was too afraid to ask.” Her tail fell against the ground with a dull thud as she nervously rubbed her paws together. “Afraid it would ruin the progress we made,” Nica said, catching his interest. “For years, helping others improve has been the only thing I truly enjoyed in pokemon battles, so I was wondering.” She gave him a hopeful glance. “Can we train together tonight and maybe tomorrow morning?”

“Train together? Of course, I would love to!” Pikachu shouted in excitement before looking at Nica in confusion. “But why were you hesitating to ask? Were you afraid that I would take training too personally and get jealous of you?”

“Hehe, pretty much. I had hoped that we could avoid any activity involving fighting or competing with one another, especially pokemon battles, but now I believe there’s nothing to fear.” She smiled and gave Pikachu a confident grin. “I trust you.”

“Oh, come on now,” he teased, pulling the Raichu in for a hug. “I thought we were over that.” It wasn’t until Pikachu thought back to one of his talks with Nica before adding, “Wait a moment. Didn’t you tell me that you would only train me if I evolved and that there isn’t much you can teach me as long as I’m a Pikachu?”

Nica gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed her neck. “Well… I did say that, but what I meant was that I can’t teach you my most advanced techniques, which require a long tail.” She poked Pikachu’s shorter tail with her own. “However, I’ve seen you fighting many times already and I know you’re a fast learner. I’m sure there’s room for a tiny improvement I can help with.” She pointed at herself and grinned before raising her nose arrogantly, though the tone of her voice betrayed her playfulness. “Plus, I’m a really good target for practice. Trying to hit me despite my great agility and break my flawless defenses will no doubt help you learn how to overcome even the most defensive and agile opponents.”

Feeling a growing excitement and rush of happiness, he jumped onto Nica’s neck, embracing it while nearly knocking onto her back. “I swear I won’t let my past experiences with Raichu get the best of me again. We’re going to have so much fun!”

Nica embraced him while pressing her cheek against his ear. “I’m sure of that.”

“Actually, I know you’ll refuse, but… umm… nevermind.”

“Come on, don’t be shy. Being shy and humble is my thing and doesn’t suit you, though I suppose it would do us both well to find a better balance. Now, back to topic at paw...” She patted his back before giving him an encouraging smile. “I’ll help the best I can, so speak up.”

Pikachu kept staring into her eyes, easily seeing Nica’s enthusiasm and goodwill. He sighed and spoke hesitantly, “Before our training, can we... “ he gulped, “have a friendly battle? And before you ask, I’ll use the magic boost to even the odds. And if you don’t feel comfortable fighting me and refuse, I’m fine with that.”

“Sure, I accept.”

“See, I knew you wouldn't... “ Pikachu’s ears perked up as his eyes became wide. “Wait, what?!”

“I said I accept, but on condition that I can end it the moment you’ll stop having fun.” She narrowed her eyes. “Or if the battle becomes too one-sided, though hopefully it won’t be the case considering how strong Twilight and Starlight are when it comes to magic.”

Pikachu kept staring back in disbelief. “R-really? But I thought… you know…”

Nica noded. “I know what you’re trying to say, but the aura I sensed from you really has changed over the past days. I believe you feel comfortable enough in my presence to enjoy our battle, even when losing. Not to mention that I spotted some weaknesses in your fighting style that we can work on during our fight.”

She looked to the side, continuing in more hesitant tone. “I just… I just feel that we got to know each other enough. Not only you are willing to accept magic boost to even the odds, but I don’t sense any competitive drive towards me.” She held forepaw on her chest, her smile bright and wide. “You know about my accomplishments but don’t see me as rival to overcome. You don’t want to upset me, and I no longer fear I’ll upset you or hurt your pride. Not to mention that I can tutor you during our battle. I want to give it a chance.”

Pikachu opened his mouth and smiled warmly. Thinking back to days the spend with each other, he learned two aspects of Nica’s character: Her dislike for battling weaker foes, and desire to teach and help others. And there was her fear of making others frustrated in one-sided battles. All he needed now was to fight not to win, but just for fun and to improve, and hopefully the magic-boost would be strong enough to encourage Nica not to hold back.

Ch.19 - Honor and Respect - Pt.1 (With minor changes)

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 19
-
Honor and Respect - Pt.1

Once again on the post-Tirek battlefield, the princess and her student performed the roles of pokemon trainers with Pikachu and Raichu under their command.

Pikachu stood on his four paws while in a fighting stance as he stared at his opponent with a soft stare. A confident smile present on his face. The prospect of facing Nica’s real power and skills in action filled him with excitement.

“Before we start, I need to test something,” Nica said as she raised her long tail in front her. The normally yellow part was now a metallic grey instead. She pointed at her tail and said, “Can you attack with a ‘Quick Attack’ as hard as you can?”

Pikachu nodded before running towards the raised tail, his speed increasing in an instant. The moment his head collided with the raised tail, both he and his opponent ended up pushed in the opposite directions.

Thrust six meters backward, Pikachu pressed his four paws into the ground and managed to keep his battle stance.

Nica maintained her balance on her two feet, pushed backward about three meters away.

“Twilight, now your turn!” Nica shouted.

Pikachu approached the alicorn and looked up as her horn was now millimeters above his head. He watched the aura of magic leave the princess while surrounding his body. His eyes became wide. What’s this feeling… warmth… power.... It feels as if I was charged with electricity coming from numerous lightning strikes. Yet there is no struggle or pain… it feels so much easier to control. His body started glowing with a lavender aura.

He looked at Nica in the distance and asked, “I feel… like I’m getting stronger, and not just with my electricity. Was this the magic used on you when you were facing Darkrai?”

“Good guess,” Nica said with a nod. “Darkrai learned how to use dark magic to make himself much more dangerous. He believed that if pokemon conquered Equestria, they would be able to use this magic to become more powerful and surpass their natural limits.”

Starlight raised her head in pride. “Luckily, I created this spell in advance to better support my friend. Boosted by mine and Luna’s magic, we made her powerful enough to penetrate Darkrai’s magical defenses, turning what looked like a lost battle into a great victory.”

“So your input into the conflict wasn’t small after all,” Pikachu noted.

“You got me there,” Nica said, now sporting a shy blush. “Hiding it seems futile at this point anyway.”

Pikachu looked at his little limbs which now felt capable of lifting much greater weights. Curious, he raised his miniscule rear feet before stomping as strong as he could and his feet ended up sinking a few centimeters into the stone. He gasped. Never before had his rear legs had so much strength. Now even more curious than before, he slammed his forepaw against the ground, causing a weak quake. He glanced at his tail as sparks of electricity started to escape from his body.

“Use ‘Quick Attack’ when ready,” Nica said as she once again held ‘Iron Tail’ defensively ahead of her.

Pikachu didn’t need to be asked twice, more than eager to test out his enhanced power. Now running faster than ever before, he smashed the metallic tail with his head, causing a shockwave to spread. His legs sank into the ground while his opponent ended up pushed several meters away.

Nica’s rear legs left trails in the stone, keeping her stable, and she quickly examined her tail, noticing a few small cracks.

Pikachu blinked in confusion before gasping. “Did I just...wooow!”

Nica started clapping cheerfully. “‘Iron Tail’ is way more powerful than a ‘Quick Attack’ and is resistant to normal type attacks, yet you managed to damage it. Incredible!”

Starlight asked, “Does this mean that Pikachu is now as strong as he would be if he evolved into a Raichu?”

Nica grinned and shook her head. “Not really. He’s now much stronger than he would be as a Raichu.” She took a fighting stance and narrowed her eyes, her tail raised threateningly above her head. Bolts of electricity broke free, sparking around the dots on her cheeks. Any signs of hesitation were gone.

Pikachu kept looking at his guardian’s determined stare. This was it, she was more than willing to fight him with everything she had. On one side it meant they were going to have a real pokemon battle, but something continued to bug him. I should be happy… I know… but something feels odd with this scenario. Pikachu’s eyes grew wide at the realization. When he faced those two Raichu before, he was outclassed in terms of raw power, fighting against a stronger opponent. Only surpassing the Raichu with skills and speed would earn him victory. Now the roles seemed reversed.

He shook his head and concentrated. Now was not the time to think about such things. He had a great fight ahead of him, against a friendly Raichu no less. No pride on the line, no need to show Nica that he can be strong without evolving, just earning each other’s respect and the excitement of fighting a friend. In a sense, he liked it more this way. He prepared himself for the glorious battle while an excited smile formed on his lips.

“Go Nica, show how awesome you are!” Dash shouted as she hovered above the ground and cheered from the sidelines.

“Do yer darn best Nica! Show him what an honorable Apple can do,” Applejack hollered along side the pegasus.

“Eeyup.”

Lucario remained silent, observing the battle while balanced on one leg and with crossed arms.

<Go Pikachu, go Nica, make this enjoyable for both sides!> Ace shouted enthusiastically as his ears flashed with power. He’d untied the collar from Pikachu’s neck, safekeeping it to ensure its safety from battle-damage. He lowered his head and whisper a prayer. <Magic, please make Pikachu mega-strong, please close the gap between them, please let Nica have the challenge of her life…>

“Show her what Ash’s pokemon are capable of!” Lycanroc cheered, ending it with a loud howl. A large multi-colored collar was present on his neck, as if it was made of random minerals in a diversity of colors.

Pikachu relaxed his battle pose and gave his opponent a confident smile. <Are you ready for a great battle?>

Nica held her forepaws together in front of her face and performed a half-bow, her head now lowered in respect.

Pikachu blinked before standing up on his rear feet and mimicking Nica’s gesture.

“Now that’s a good sport,” Dash commented.

Applejack nodded in agreement with a short “Eeyup.”

Pikachu returned to his fighting stance on his four paws while Nica stood on two. Her tail was positioned in front of her with the grace of a seasoned fighter, slicing through the air like a deadly katana.

Starlight stomped, initiating the duel. “Nica, attack with ‘Volt Tackle!’” The long-tailed pokemon didn’t move an inch. “Ummm… why aren’t you attacking?”

<Because it would end poorly. We need to let them attack first and respond accordingly, striking only once we see an opening,> Nica explained as her trainer no doubt only heard the repeating of her own name. She remained in her calm yet focused posture, like a samurai waiting patiently for its foes move while ready to strike.

Pikachu kept staring back, not daring to move a muscle. It was a new part of his guardian he hadn’t seen before, not even when teaming up against Yaks, and unlike their adventure in the Everfree Forest, Nica was at full size and at her best..

“Well, If they won’t attack, we will! Pikachu, use ‘Thunderbolt!’” Twilight commanded.

PIkachu nodded. <Here goes nothing.> He jumped and clenched his forepaws before unleashing a powerful ‘Thunderbolt.’ A large rain of bolts bigger than ever before flew straight towards the Raichu as he continuously shouted his name.

“Nica, defend with ‘Light Screen!’” Starlight called before she lit her horn, teleporting twenty meters away.

Nica remained calm as she raised one forepaw in front of her, while her metallic tail sank deeply into the ground. A translucent screen-like barrier appeared before her.

Pikachu covered his face as the brightness of his attack became too much to bare. Despite his distance, the explosion threw him back as a tower of electricity climbed high into the sky. The moment his feet touched the rocky ground, he gulped, fearing the damage which his empowered attack would do to his friend. As the dust descended, he gasped. Nica stood firmly on her two legs inside a massive crater which was several meters wide.

As he approached the crater, his attention focused on the tail which was still in the ground. Wait… if I remember correctly, a water/flying pokemon pressed his steel wing into the ground to defend against my electricity. Serperior did the same during a tournament but with his tail instead. He narrowed his eyes. Not only did ‘Light Screen’ weaken my attack, but she grounded my electricity as well, clever.

“Pikachu, use ‘Volt Tackle!’” Twilight shouted, pulling Pikachu out of his thoughts.

“He traded it for ‘Electro Ball,’ remember?” Starlight asked, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, right, attack with ‘Electro Ball’ instead!” Twilight commanded.

Pikachu nodded before repeating his name as a massive aura of electricity flared into life. An orb of lightning grew at the tip if his tail, only to become twice the size of his entire body. With a little forward jump and spin, he threw his destructive sphere into the crater.

“Nica, get out of the way!” Starlight screamed with frantic shakes of her forehoof.

Pikachu observed his opponent who refused to jump away, going against the order from her trainer. What is she planning?

Nica remained calm, waiting for the orb to get closer before she leaped lightly to the side, swinging her ‘Iron Tail’ with bits of magnetic electricity surrounding it. As if grabbing the orb, she used her tail to redirect the attack towards him.

The pupils in Pikachu’s eyes shrank as his own attack now bolted in his direction. Copying his opponent’s action, he jumped forward and created a buildup of electricity in his tail. By using the magnetic stockpile of lightning, he was able to bounce it once and then send it straight back towards Nica.

The long-tailed pokemon ran forward and flung the attack back with her tail in a similar fashion, repeating their recent game at the lake.

The exchange continued as Pikachu soon felt sweat dripping from his head. Due to his tail being shorter, it left less margin for mistakes as both sides continued to build up the pressure. The distance between them shrank with each of Nica’s steps.

Much to his surprise, Nica pushed the orb of electricity up and jumped, before redirecting it down. Memories of the game buckball flashed in his mind, reminding him of a similar strategy. The orb of electricity however wasn't throw at him but at the ground.

Pikachu bit his bottom lip before jumping out of the crater as a massive explosion followed, increasing the size of the pit even more. Too distracted by the blast, he didn’t notice Nica’s ‘Thunderbolt’ striking him in mid-air as electricity careened through his bones.

His feet smashed into the dirt with a weak thump as he examined himself in surprise. Not only did Nica’s ‘Thunderbolt’ seem just as weak as before, but the aura of magic surrounding him seemed to have weakened the attack.

<Twilight’s magic not only strengthened your power and physical strength, but also weakens any damage you receive,> Nica explained as she stood on the tips of her rear paws with her tail raised defensively, her face showing full concentration.

“Pikachu, attack with ‘Iron Tail!’” Twilight commanded.

“Nica, defend with ‘Iron Tail,” Starlight responded, now understanding her friend’s fighting style a bit better. She squealed, stomping in excitement. “I can’t believe I get to command Nica in a serious battle. It’s so much fun!”

Rainbow threw Starlight a jealous glare.

Pikachu jumped up and focused power into his tail before falling and swinging it at Nica. His opponent leaped backwards just in the nick of time as his tail smashed the ground at the edge of the crater instead, causing numerous large stones to shoot from the ground as the rocky formation crumbled. As if using a ground attack, the tremor lasted for a few seconds while a cloud of dust now coated most of their surroundings.

With his tail drove deep into the ground and dust blinding him to his surroundings, he failed to notice an incoming attack, only hearing a loud repetitive “Rai, Rai, Rai!” before Nica’s head struck him. His tail was tugged free as bolts of electricity caused a few small burns to appear on his body. He anchored his paws against the ground, now on guard. His ears perked up, picking up the noise of paws stepping against the stone at a quick pace. He leapt backward in time to evade ‘Iron Tail’ which shot from the dust. With his own tail still charged with power, he ran towards Nica and swung it again and again, aiming blind.

A rush of adrenaline and excitement overcame him as his slashing swings kept missing. Each swing evaded as Nica bounced herself backward on her rear paws, dancing to the rhythm of his strikes while standing on only one limb at a time.

Keeping her distance, Nica pushed her tail forward as if it was a halberd, going for a piercing strike while also keeping him at bay.

Pikachu heard the noise of clashing metal as his ‘Iron Tail’ intercepted two strikes, only for the third to be trust into his belly. Not distracted by such a weak and resisted attack, he leaped forward and swung his tail against Nica’s head, only for the Raichu to tilt her head back as his tail hit only air a few centimeters in front of her nose. His failed attempt was answered by a quick ‘Iron Tail’ slashing against his side.

<You’re good,> Pikachu praised with a proud smile as he once again stood on four paws. The dust no longer blocked his vision, blown away by the swings of their tails.

<T-thank you,> Nica said with a blush as she kept her tail raised defensively before her.

<Exception?> Pikachu asked.

<Do you remember when I told you I spotted a weakness in your fighting style?> He nodded, but remained on guard. <Your attacks are fast and extremely powerful. Even without magic they’re still capable of heavily damaging even a very powerful and more evolved pokemon… but…>

<Come on, tell me,> Pikachu said encouragingly, his curiosity at his peak.

Nica explained as her ears dropped. <Fight against the Yaks, creatures of the Everfree, and especially your fight against Ninetales. You showed little difficulty evading strong or fast attacks, but you were almost always hit after failed offensive. It is quite common to give up defense and evasion when doing an all our attack.> She taunted him with the movement of her forepaw. <Keep attacking, I will demonstrate what I mean.>

“Pikachu, use, Volt… I mean… ‘Thunderbolt!’” Twilight corrected as she now hovered in front of the crater, watching the battle from the air.

Pikachu nodded at his temporary trainer before unleashing a ‘Thunderbolt.’ A massive wave of destructive electricity thrashed the battlefield, before belining towards the opponent.

Nica raised her paw, summoning ‘Light Screen’ once more before running forward, now surrounded by an aura of electricity while her tail shone a metallic grey.

Blinded by the brightness of his attack and too busy powering it, Pikachu failed to notice his guardian breaking through his electricity, hitting his face with a well-aimed ‘Volt Tackle.’

Pikachu rolled into the hole behind him before stopping his descent as his feet anchored themselves against the stone. Only a few small bruises were present on his face as the aura of magic weakened the strike. Not that his opponent’s ‘Volt Tackle’ was all that strong to begin with.

The moment he opened his eyes, he yelped in surprise as Nica swung her tail a few times, slashing him with a weak ‘Iron Tail’ more than once. She’s giving me no time to recover! Pikachu realized.

“Defend with ‘Iron Tail!’" Twilight commanded.

“Keep up the pressure, Nica! Don’t give him a chance to regroup!” Starlight countered. “If that’s what you think is a good course of action, that is.”

Pikachu jumped forward and swung his ‘Iron Tail’ against Nica, who jumped over him while slamming her tail against his back, smashing him into the tilted wall of the crater. He was becoming too acquainted with the stone for his liking.

“Electro Ball!” Twilight shouted in panic. ”Please work, please work!”

Pikachu concentrated electricity into his tail while springing himself against the stone. A small part of him felt a growing annoyance at being outplayed, but he suppressed it. His attention focused on Nica who maintained her calm, concentrated fighting stance, tail still raised in a familiar fashion.

“Nica… do the tail thingy…” Starlight commanded from the edge of Pikachu’s crater.

The moment he pushed the ‘Electro Ball’ against Nica, she redirected it back with her tail. Pikachu sent power into his own tail as quickly as possible, sending his attack back at his opponent.

Nica caught the orb of electricity with the magnetic field on her own tail before running away and charging at him, repeating her name. Her ‘Volt Tackle,' ‘Iron Tail’ and Pikachu’s ‘Electro Ball’ now at her disposal, creating a deadly combo.

Pikachu gulped before summoning another ‘Electro Ball,' or at least trying as the process was interrupted when Nica propelled the sphere at him. With a quick jump, he dodged the attack, but Nica simply jumped to where he was heading too, smashing her body into his belly in an explosion of electricity.

His falling wasn't peaceful as his own Electro Ball quickly exploded upon contact with the ground. The massive explosion quickly reached him, adding extra burns while pushing him away with an extreme force.

Pikachu felt his back sink into the rocky surface of the pit as his limbs were now stuck inside it. He opened one eye, only to open another as his pupils shrank. Nica’s ‘Iron Tail’ stopped millimeters in front of his face.

<Are you okay?> Nica asked with concern as she sank her tail into the stone behind Pikachu’s head, yanking him free.

Pikachu sighed in relief as a few drops of sweat were present on his forehead, his breathing slow but heavy. <Y-yes… I’m fine… just a bit shocked.>

Nica smiled warmly. <I’m glad to hear that.>

Pikachu smiled too, appreciating this act of mercy.

<Listen, you can’t always put all your concentration and power into a single move, as it leaves you wide open to a counterattack. You need to consider what your opponent will do if you miss,” she pointed at him, lightly touching his chest with the bronze edge of her paw, “and what you should do to defend against it or to catch them off guard.> She sat and took a deep breath. <Balance your power to be less predictable. If you suspect your foe is skilled enough to evade, put less power into your ‘Thunderbolt’ in order to charge your ‘Iron Tail’ at the same time, and watch his movement. If his evasion won’t be anything special, redirect your electricity to hit him. If he jumps far away and counterattacks immediately, have your tail ready to parry.”

Pikachu nodded, now listening with full attention.

“If he decides to simply evade and stay on defense while you’re close enough, follow up with a ‘Quick Attack,' but have your ‘Iron Tail’ charged and ready. If he tries to hit you, just jump aside and run around him, using ‘Quick Attack’ for additional speed to hit him from another angle. If he evades, expect an attack from the side or behind and use ‘Iron Tail’ to block it, or simply backflip and attack with ‘Iron Tail’ before he can make a move. While in battle, ‘Iron Tail is an amazing attack that can be used for offensive or defence, same with many other moves. Unpredictability is the key.”

She stood up and patted her chest. “Or here’s another alternative. If he goes for a direct hit, just turn around and grab his limbs. Static electricity may paralyze him, or you can go for a quick ‘Thunderbolt.’ Take every opportunity you can. Don’t think about your current strike but about the one after.”

Pikachu nodded again.

<You’re tough, I’ll give you that, which means that you have been hit by many brutals attacks over the years.> Nica placed her forepaws on her hips and gave him a grin. <That’s why I get the impression that the majority of your combat-wounds comes from your opponent’s counterattacks whenever you miss.>

<Well…> Pikachu blushed and rubbed the back of his neck while displaying an awkward smile. Now that he thought about it, he had little difficulty evading many powerful attacks, but counters usually hit him.

<Figures,> Nica said as she placed her forepaw on his shoulder. <You’re very strong and durable, but in the end you’re still a Pikachu. Your body is vulnerable. You should try to avoid getting hit whenever possible. Tanking hits is good for training, but may cost you a victory in some important fights.>

<You do have a point,> he agreed. <But that’s a lot to take in at once.>

“You both okay down there?” Twilight asked as she floated above them, a worried look on her face.

They’re fine. Nica is just in lecturing mode, teaching Pikachu and stuff, Ace said, levitating next to the alicorn.

“Really?” Twilight asked with a wide glee. “Who am I to stop another's lecture. Best of luck!”

Nica waved at the alicorn and nodded before continuing, <Just be creative. I’m sure your trainer often came up with great strategies, but let’s be honest, he doesn’t need to tell you when to dodge for you to know that it’s the best course of action.>

Pikachu giggled. <So true. He often warns me about danger, but in many cases I was going to evade anyway or I was just unable to dodge. I think it would be easier if he just told me when not to evade, suggesting a different game plan instead.>

Nica shared a chuckle. <I’m sure you used many smart strategies over the years. Just be creative, and don’t fear to use only a small part of your power so you will be able to follow up with something the moment I dodge.>

Pikachu clenched his forepaw before his face and nodded. For some reason, Nica’s lecture reminded him of Ash, and he knew he could trust her.

<Perfect, now show me your creativity,> Nica cheered encouragingly before jumping out of the crater, now standing at the edge.

Pikachu took her example before taking a fighting stance. <You can count on me. I’ll make you proud!>

Ch.19 - Honor and Respect - Pt.2 (Expaned)

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 19
-
Honor and Respect - Pt.2

Twilight grinned before taking a deep breath and shouting, “Pikachu, attack with ‘Thunderbolt!’ Show them what a pokemon’s power enhanced by magic can accomplish!” She blushed and tapped her forehooves. “'I...think I'm starting to enjoy this way too much.”

Pikachu clenched his forepaws, but quickly remembered Nica’s suggestion. Using only a part of his power, he unleashed a ‘Thunderbolt’ at Nica while waiting for her counter-move, careful to also charge power into his tail at the same time. He wasn’t disappointed when his attack missed. Nica now ran on the edge of the crater while surrounded by a glistening aura of electricity.

“Combine ‘Volt Tackle’ and ‘Iron Tail.' I want to see your combos in action!” Starlight commanded as her horn produced a few random sparks of magic in excitement.

Recalling his fight against the large Raichu and combining it with Nica’s teachings, he summoned a ‘Quick Attack,' using the boosted speed to evade ‘Volt Tackle.’ Expecting a follow up, he stopped and turned around, waiting. Faintly hearing his guardian's soft steps, he pulled in the edge of his tail to evade her ‘Iron Tail.’ Attempting a similar strategy that left a larger foe stumbling for balance, he continuously sprinted around his opponent while doing her attacks. Was it going to work against Nica? He was about to find out.

“Nica, why aren't you attacking?” Starlight asked as the long-tailed pokemon now stood on two feet with closed eyes, her tail raised but unmoving.

“Pikachu, use ‘Quick Attack!’” Twilight commanded.

He stopped rolling and ran, charging at his guardian from behind, only to feel ‘Iron Tail’ slap him lightly from the side. Why I do get the impression she trained the use of her tail against extremely fast attacks? That timing was just too perfect. The moment his paws landed on the ground, he didn’t bother to turn around but instead jumped, hearing the noise of ‘Iron Tail’ striking the ground behind him as he made a 180 turn in mid-air, now facing his opponent.

<That was great, more of that, more of that!> Nica cheered with clap of her forepaws. She jumped forward and swung her tail offensively, switching in seconds from his best cheerleader to a challenging opponent.

Pikachu grabbed his own tail and started rolling around his opponent once more. Five seconds soon bled into ten when suddenly, he felt pain in his side as he lost his balance, now sprawled on his side.

<Got you,> Nica said playfully with her tail straightened in his direction. <That was an interesting trick, but it leaves you blinded to your surroundings and is hard to control. One precise attack is all it took.>

Pikachu stood up and gave his opponent a proud look. There’s no denying it. She’s way more skilled and agile than the other Raichu I faced. A trick like that is useless against her.

Twilight rubbed her chin before smiling widely. “I got it, Pikachu! Attack the ground with ‘Iron Tail’ and follow it with ‘Electro Ball.’”

Pikachu nodded before summoning electricity while repeating his name, his tail now coated in a metallic grey.

“Don’t give him any openings!” Starlight shouted as she gave her mentor a challenging glare. “Interrupt him with ‘Thunderbolt.’”

Pikachu tanked the attack as he ran at his opponent, striking the ground with ‘Iron Tail’ in front of Nica’s feet while lightning was still charged in his body. Nica leaped into the air to avoid the massive tremor, strong enough to be considered a weak imitation of the move ‘Earthquake.’ As she flew back down, Pikachu gathered a large mass of electricity into his tail, quickly summoning a powerful ‘Electro Ball’ and launching it at his foe. She’s in the air, so she can’t evade, but she can redirect the attack. He grinned and charged a ‘Thunderbolt,' hitting his own orb of electricity the moment Nica tried to push it away, detonating the sphere of pure lightning.

He watched as his guardian now fell at the wall of the crater with extreme speed while smoke was emerging from her bruised body. The impact between Nica and the stone alone caused a quake he felt under his feet. He wiped sweat from his forehead, approaching with slow steps while taking slow breath of air into his lungs.

<That… was... amazing!> Nica shouted as her voice echoed from the hole in the wall, which seemed to be two meters deep upon a closer inspection. With the help of a ‘Thunderbolt’ she destroyed the surrounding rubble in an attempt to free herself, and then ran down the cliff wall. A big grin was present on her battered face. <Stuff like that is great, keep it up!>

Pikachu gasped. Due to magic enhancing his power, the explosion alone seemed as strong as three of his ‘Electro Balls’ combined, causing enormous amounts of damage. Despite it seemingly to have been resisted, Nica didn’t even notice. Her excitement and pride in his achievement hid any sign of pain. Not wanting to lose the momentum, he nodded, not waiting for any command as he charged at Nica with a weakening ‘Quick Attack.’

Like a fencer, Nica blocked the strike while being pushed two meters backward, her feet keeping her stable.

Pikachu infused power into his tail and kept up the pressure, immediately following his last strike with an ‘Iron Tail.’ The clash of steel echoed over the charred battleground. In spite of the overwhelming power of his attacks, Nica proved to be the superior fencer, carefully pushing his strikes aside with her ‘Iron Tail.’ He could break her metallic defense if she blocked them head on… and she knew it.

Be unpredictable, do not think of what you do now but what you’ll do afterwards… He recalled as Nica’s teachings produced a plan in his mind. His advantage in raw power was obvious, but it seemed useless if it couldn’t land a hit. If he could bypass his guardian's reflexes and agility, he could win. With a grin, he pressed the attack, waiting for Nica to push back as he allowed her ‘Iron Tail’ to strike his belly. He wrapped his paws around Nica’s tail before it could propel him back.

Nica no doubt unraveled his strategy as he felt his back being smashed repeatedly into the solid stone at a quick pace, enduring a growing pain as the magical aura partially shielded his body. He grit his teeth and closed his eyes. It became clear that while she had a weak offensive, she had exercised and trained her tail for years, and in more than simply fencing.

Thanks to his enhanced strength, he held on and focused on his electricity, unleashing the strongest ‘Thunderbolt’ he could muster in a great bright display of power all the while holding her tail with all of his four legs in a vice grip.

A massive depression formed as he and Nica stood across each other, both in a fighting stance and covered in black and blue marks. Despite Raichu being the one to accumulate greater damage, Pikachu was the only one breathing heavily.

She… she may have taken less hits than me, but my strikes were way stronger… and yet she can manage to ignore the pain and keep smiling? Just how durable is she? His attention focused in on the fact that while Nica was injured, she didn’t show any sign of vulnerability. While he used a lot of stamina for his powerful attacks, most missing, his guardian seemed to conserve her strength. Now I’m certain. While her offense is weak, long-battles are her speciality. She’s not trying to defeat me… but rather tire me out.

<Having fun?> Nica asked with a cheerful smile, oblivious to Pikachu’s struggle at keeping up.

<I… sure... am.> Pikachu nodded between breathing. So what if he was losing? It was still an exciting battle, and he was learning quite a bit. His fighting style somewhat improved due to his guardian’s guidance.

She grabbed her tail and nuzzled it. <It’s really good at keeping me stable no matter how hard they try to shake me off. I assume you use this strategy as well.>

He nodded. <I do… but my tail doesn’t help with it. I hold to my opponents with my paws and it helped me a lot against a Metagross… twice, and that one time against an Onix. Though holding against them was really difficult.>

<You beat two Metagross with this strategy? I defeated a Mega Metagross with it, strange coincidence,> Nica noted with a cheerful laugh, holding a forepaw on her mouth.

<No kidding, this magic is amazing,> Pikachu praised as he looked over the lavender aura that still surrounded his body. Even though he was being hit a lot more often, he still seemed to be able to keep up with his taller opponent. <Still, I’m even more amazed by your durability. Any other Raichu would give up by now.>

Nica blushed. <Thank you. I may be in pain, but what are aching bones and burning muscles to seeing my hero using my teachings in action. Seeing your progress makes me sooo… happy!>

Pikachu smiled warmly. Aside from intense battle and growing more skilled by the second, seeing NIca enjoy it as well left him with a warm feeling.

Big Mac glanced over at Lucario and asked, “Nica doesn’t seem as tired as Pikachu, is she winnin’?”

Lucario nodded, barely moving an inch. “Nica, agile, great reflex, Pikachu, greater power, Nica’s injuries, greater. Nica, superior stamina and durability, Pikachu’s magic… weakening. One get tired, one lose.”

Big Mac dipped his head in understanding before returning his attention to the battlefield. Despite magic giving Pikachu a big advantage, Nica displayed many more years of harsh combat experience, allowing her to keep up with a smaller but stronger opponent. In the end, it would come down to who could stay standing the longest in a show of stamina. “Nica seems to waste less energy. Her attacks are… calmer… and more precise. She appears to land a might more hits on Pikachu, even if his moves are stronger.”

“Nica, defend: Powerful attack, evade, weak attack, block, tired opponent, lose.” Lucario narrowed his eyes and looked at Pikachu, who began to strike with much more aggression. Without hesitation, his bigger opponent defended herself accordingly while using less energy in the process.

Pikachu’s ‘Iron Tail’ smashed Nica a few meters deep into the soil, while his ‘Quick Attack’ lobbed her into a stone wall despite being blocked by her own ‘Iron Tail.’

In response Nica hit him back with a few weak ‘Iron Tails’ and two weak ‘Thunderbolts,' leaving small but numerous bruises on Pikachu’s body. The aura of magic slowly diminished the longer the battle raged on.

Lucario took a deep breath and spoke up. “Pikachu at the beginning, wasteful, Nica, lectured. New strategy, attacks, balanced, fighting style, less wasteful. Nica, years of experience, mastered defensive style, superior. Sensei vs. student.”

“Are ya sayin’ that even though Nica corrected out Pikachu’s mistakes and motivated him to be more creative, she still fights way better due to her havin’ more experience and diligent training?”

Lucario nodded.

Rainbow Dash devoured a large bucket of popcorn, alongside a slightly annoyed Applejack.

The pegasus athlete spoke first. “I must say, they’re both incredibly fast. Nica’s faster though.”

“True, but Pikachu with all that magic stuff can sure pack a mean punch… Ah mean… hits harder with electricity and that destructive tail. Even Big Mac can’t crush boulders, create craters and cause earthquakes like he does,” Applejack remarked.

“Strength doesn’t mean much if the opponent is too fast to get hit. In fact, it just means Pikachu will tire himself out faster,” Dash pointed out.

“Ah can’t argue with that. Ah know the importance of stamina on a long day of applebuckin’, and Nica seems real’ good at extended fights.”

Lycanroc growled in frustration. Though the Raichu seemed kind enough, there was no way he was going to ditch his teammate. “This isn’t good. Pikachu’s offense may be extremely strong, but Nica’s defense became impenetrable. She’s dragging out this fight on purpose.” He narrowed his eyes, now looking as Pikachu tossed another orb of static, this one smaller and weaker than before. Both pokemon ended up pushing the sphere at each other with their charged tails, yet it was clear who was getting tired faster in this exchange. Pikachu's attempt to attack his sphere of electricity with 'Thunderbolt' failed as Nica recognized the pattern and jumped out of the way.

“She weakens his ‘Thunderbolt’ with ‘Light Screen’ and by pushing her tail into the ground. She bounces Pikachu’s ‘Electro Ball’ right back at him. Even if more powerful, ‘Quick Attack’ can’t fully break through her ‘Iron Tail, especially with a type disadvantage.” Lycanroc growled again, digging his claws into the ground. “To make matters worse, Pikachu isn’t the only one learning from his mistakes. What worked once against Nica doesn’t fool her anymore.”

Dash grabbed a nearby jagged stone and started swinging it in mid-air. “Speaking of ‘Iron Tail,' when they clash it looks as if they’re fighting with swords. That’s so cool!”

“Yippee,” Applejack cheered while bouncing on her hooves, her traditional hat now flailing wildly in her grasp. “That longer tail is no joke. Not only does it have an unbeatable range, it’s useful fer both offensive and defense. She’s pushin’ him back!”

Dash hovered above the ground and crossed her forearms. “One would think the longer tail would be harder to use and slower to swing, but she’s so fast with it.” She took another big bite of her popcorn, munching it down. “But what’s confusing is why isn’t Pikachu using that big electric wall thingy? That should give Nica a run for her bits.”

“Probably ‘cause she ain’t packin’ us much power as that ol’ fire fox. That big shield wouldn’t do too much in a close quarters competition like this one. Probably take too much power ta do so too.”

Rainbow shrugged. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Would still be cool to see it again.” She peered at Lucario for a moment in deep thought. “Hey AJ, do you think Big Mac would be interested in a little exchange?”

“Exchange? What do ya mean?”

“My Scizor for his Lucario,” Dash answered.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Lucario can’t fly. Are ya sure ‘bout this?”

“Of course I am. I mean, look how cool he is and how cool he talks. He may not have wings, but unlike Scizor, he isn’t silent at all times,” Dash said with a firm nod before flying towards Big Macintosh.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Tradin’ pokemon? I’m not so sure ah’m a fan of that. Ah wonder if it’s a thin’ where they come from.”

As the battle progressed for several minutes, the crater grew in size and depth. Both pokemon stood at a standstill on desolate, beaten, and charred black soil.

Starlight and Twilight sat at the edge of the large pit, observing the clash in silence as their commands and instructions no longer seemed necessary.

“Starlight?”

“Yes?”

After a moment of internal conflict, Twilight took a deep breath and asked, "When you powered-up Nica with Luna’s help during the battle with Darkrai, did she tire herself out quickly?"

“Well… Nica fought him with everything she had. Though it enhanced her natural strength, it drained her both physically and mentally. It was the first time I performed the spell, so her body hadn’t been able to adapt to such boosts yet,” Starlight explained.

“And when compared to how much magic I gifted Pikachu with?”

Starlight spoke up, “You supplied around one fifth of the magic to Pikachu compared to what Luna and I gave to Nica, so the strain his body is experiencing is much weaker… however… his body is also smaller and more vulnerable, unlike his evolution.”

“I was afraid it would lead to that,” Twilight grimly stated as she rubbed her chin. “Nica wanted to make this a fair fight so her evolution wouldn’t give her an advantage, and thanks to my magic it was Pikachu who had the advantage instead. But it seems his body isn’t able to handle so much power and becomes weaker the longer this fight lasts.”

“So in other words, because Nica has such great stamina and an unbreakable defense, Pikachu won’t be able to defeat her in time, and very soon his powers will revert back to normal.” Starlight sighed. “I bonded alot with Nica in the past weeks. She’s such a sweet and innocent little cinnamon bun who doesn’t care about winning. Her only goal is to make this a fair and fun fight. If Pikachu’s gifted magic is waning this quickly, she won’t be happy about her growing advantage. That’s for sure.”

Both ponies locked eyes as they continued to watch the battle with a growing sense of dread.

Pikachu’s legs trembled, sweat covered his face, and his breathing was dangerously slow. A burning sensation snaked through his muscles as his bruised and battered body pulsed in pain with every step. The aura of magic weakly shimmered in the sunlight, swiftly flickering on and off. He observed Nica with tired eyes, who was covered by bruises, burns and cuts, yet hid her pain well and maintained her calm stance.

It feels… so weird, he thought as he considered the circumstances. In the past when he fought against both of the arrogant Raichu, he was the weaker one, outclassed in terms of raw power and durability. Fighting against the odds forced him to act carefully, take advantage of his speed, surprise his opponent with skills and better strategies. As the scrimmage dragged on, he tired both Raichu out as the difference of power in between them shrank, giving him the opening for a victory.

This time however, this scenario made a full 180 turn. He began as the dominant one with magic partially shielding him from the damage and boosting his onslaught of electricity. Nica was the one who faced unfavorable odds as he could overpower her attacks with ease. As the battle dragged on, Nica took advantage of her greater speed and superior skills, tiring him until the difference in power shrank in between them.

I feel… as if I was the Raichu fighting a Pikachu. Despite having more raw strength, I’m being outclassed by Nica’s speed and skills at every turn. He looked at the beaten terrain in silence, collecting his thoughts, grateful his opponent gave him a moment to reflect. When he faced a stronger adversary, the challenge was anything but easy, but defeat motivated him while victory filled him with pride. Right now however his excitement and enjoyment was slowly being replaced by both shame and annoyance. Was this how the Raichu he faced in the past felt? Their pride hurt as they couldn't keep up with a weaker rival?

<Should we… end this fight?> Nica whispered as she approached with slow and doubtful steps on her two rear feet. <You seem tired… and I sense… that you’re not enjoying our fight as much.>

<N-no... not yet.> Pikachu gasped as he clenched his forepaws before unleashing a half-hearted ‘Thunderbolt,’ wheezing as his attack was easily countered with a similar bolt from Nica. Both strikes were equal in strength.

<I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. Long fights are what I specialize in, and I no longer see Twilight’s magical aura surrounding your body.>

Pikachu grit his teeth and forced himself to stand. <N-no… I can still fight…> He struggled against his tired body as his hind legs nearly collapsed from the strain of supporting his weight.

This wasn’t over yet.

And then it clicked. That very thought was coming deep from his pride. No, I shouldn’t lie to myself. There’s no way I can win, and she seems really concerned about me. His ears dropped. Normally he would fight to the very end, satisfied knowing he did his best, but was it worth it in this particular battle?

When he saw Nica train herself despite being on the verge of exhaustion, it filled him with sadness and concern, even crying as she refused to stop torturing herself. What if fighting to his limits was no different? He already knew he had lost, and he hated the idea of seeing tears fall from those innocent eyes.

<I… I yield.>

<You do?> Nica blinked in confusion. <You mean it!?> she asked, taking a step back in surprise.

Pikachu fell onto his belly, no longer forcing himself to stand as he gave his aching limbs a rest. It didn’t take long before he was picked up and held like a baby by the bruised Raichu.

He stretched his arm, patting Nica’s shoulder as he gave her an encouraging smile. <You won, and the way you fought was amazing. Congratulations are in order.>

<Thank you,> Nica said as she pressed her nose against his and nuzzled it. <Thank you for throwing in the towel. I know it must’ve been hard for you, but I appreciate it.>

Pikachu chuckled while no aura of magic surrounded his body. <To be honest, it was easier than I thought.>

Starlight and Twilight walked closer. Ace levitating over a moment later alongside Rainbow Dash, both clapping cheerfully.

Pikachu took a deep breath and added,

<I’m glad,> Nica answered, sharing his enthusiasm.

“Hey, Pikachu,” Ace spoke up, catching everyone’s attention as Nica’s collar was now decorating his neck. Pikachu’s collar was lying on the tip of his tail. “Once you get better, how about a fight against me?” He patted his chest, his chin raised in pride. “Even if magic works only for ten minutes, give or take a few, it still gave you incredible power. Totally makes up for me being a Raichu and knowing ‘Psychic’ attack. No shame losing against you and it would make victory taste so sweet with this kind of boost.”

Rainbow Dash wrapped her foreleg around Ace’s shoulder while nuzzling his cheek. “I call him as my pokemon for that battle. Starlight can power-up and command Pikachu. Round two here we come!”

“I have nothing against it. I still have some final corrections to work on anyway,” Twilight commented, a satisfied smile present on her face. Whatever data she gathered in recent battle, it was more than enough.

Nica nodded. <As long as magic even the odds, I approve.>

Pikachu smiled widely, then laughed. The curse that kept those two amazing Raichu from fighting him was finally lifted. And even if he had to give up some of his pride in return, allowing outside boosts that he normally wouldn’t approve of, this time he didn’t mind. As long as everyone was happy, it all that mattered.

Ch.20 - Afterparty

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Little Lost Pikachu

Chapter 20
-
Afterparty

Once Celestia lowered the sun, her sister promptly took her place, replacing the wandering clouds with a multitude of stars as the sky faded from its clear blue to a deep midnight. A small group was gathered, squinting their eyes in the limited light provided by the moon. The craters and eroding rocks scattered around the post-Tirek battlefield were barely visible for the average pony, but were easy enough to spot for the trained eyes of a battle-hardened pokemon.

Litten and Ninetales were standing together, watching as Starlight peered off into the distance. Small sparks escaped from the mare’s horn as she powered a simple light spell. Anxiously tapping her hooves, she turned around and asked the two fire pokemon, “Are you guys sure they’ll be ok?”

“For the third time, yes. They will be ok,” Ninetales muttered, rolling his eyes. “Nica is perfectly capable of handling herself.”

Litten gave an annoyed huff. “So is Pikachu!”

“Yea, sure. He’ll be fine too… with Nica there.” Puffing out his chest, Ninetales added, “She isn’t captain of the champ’s team for nothing.”

“I know, I know,” Starlight responded. “I just can’t help but get nervous. It’s so dark outside and they’ve been gone for quite bit.”

Glancing to the side, the mare spotted two figures slowly making their way to the group. With cautious steps, she sent a surge of power into her horn and illuminated the silhouettes, smiling when she spotted Nica with a slightly tired Pikachu in her grasp.

“Nica!” Starlight and Ninetales simultaneously called as Litten rushed over to Pikachu.

“Uh, are you okay?” the kitten asked, gently prodding him with his paw.

At that, Pikachu jumped up with a nervous laugh, taking a moment to balance himself. “Of course.” Turning to Nica, he added, “So, now that warm ups are out of the way, should we start the main workout now?”

Nica tilted her head to the side, giving her pre-evolution a confused glance. “What do you mean? We haven’t started our warm up yet.”

Pikachu’s jaw hung open in disbelief. “What? That wasn’t even a warm up?”

“Nope!” Nica called, oblivious to the pokemon’s struggles. “I just wanted to relax your muscles so you’d be ready for the real warm up. Besides, some light jogging never hurt anyone, right?”

“R-right, hehe.”

Following up, Ninetales walked closer and shut the electric pokemon’s mouth with a single tail, rolling his eyes at his dramatic display. “We’re barely getting started.” Leaning closer, he whispered, “So, are you sure you can handle it?”

Standing tall, Pikachu stretched out his limbs, hopping from paw to paw in anticipation. “Of course I can! It’s gonna take a lot more than that to make me quit.”

“Haha, looks like someone doesn’t want to disappoint his girlfriend,” the fox joked as Litten chuckled from beside him.

Pikachu sighed, placing his head in his paws. “Oh no, not you too!” Ignoring the two’s teasing, he turned back to Nica and asked, “So… what first? Will we clash our ‘Iron Tail’s,’ or practice the use of our electricity?” Unable to hide his excitement, he clapped his forepaws together in joy, staring at the powerful Raichu with a spark in his eyes.

“Maybe later. I was thinking about starting with a bit of weight lifting,” Nica responded, showing her teeth in a wide smile. She pointed at a nearby boulder. “Some good exercise to keep our little limbs strong.”

Starlight looked at the boulder next at the little pokemon, narrowing her eyes. “A bit of weight lifting? Why do I get the feeling that you’ll exhaust yourself in the end?”

Pikachu bit his lip before grabbing Nica’s forepaw, now staring at her with worry. “You… don’t plan to… you know...”

Nica sighed, shaking her head. “And this is exactly why I tried to keep it a secret.” Turning to Starlight and Pikachu, she gave them both a reassuring smile. “Even if I will become a bit weaker in the end, I prefer it over making you sad and worried. I won’t train to an extreme, I promise.”

“That’s all I needed to hear!” Pikachu shouted, releasing her paw. He looked at the pony-sized boulder and asked, “I hope you don’t expect me to lift that. I can cut it easily with ‘Iron Tail,’ but I’m pretty sure it’s far above what I can lift.” He rubbed his chin, thinking back to Twilight’s tests not long ago. His four paws managed to lift one hundred and twenty kilograms before giving up, but glancing at the stone before him, it wasn’t hard to tell that it was certainly much heavier than that.

Starlight lit her horn, scanning the boulder. “Two hundred and five kilograms. Are you sure you want to lift it, Nica?”

“Yes, but not alone.” Nica did a quick stretch before lying on her back, her four limbs raised and ready. She looked to the side and said, “I was hoping we could practice our teamwork before improving your techniques. Will you lift that boulder with me?”

Without hesitation, he approached and turned to the side, pressing his back against the hard ground, copying Nica’s stance. While he found his perch to be somewhat uncomfortable, it was worth it when his right raised forepaw made contact with Nica’s left arm, causing a small blush to spread over his face. Being smaller than his partner, he raised his head and arched his back, trying to keep his limbs at the height of Nica’s paws.

“Perfect,” Nica exclaimed before looking at the unicorn. “Starlight. Can you drop that boulder on us?”

“Alright, and good luck!” Starlight said before charging her horn. A celeste aura coated the giant rock as it levitated into the air, its bottom somewhat flat.

Pikachu looked at the hovering stone, now lying in its shadow. While he knew that his little paws were no match for such weight, he felt relieved knowing he wasn’t going to face it alone. He glanced at Nica and then at the stone, narrowing his eyes. The moment the blue aura of magic vanished, the boulder began its descent, dropping from two meters above them and smashing into their paws.

He grit his teeth, struggling to hold in a yelp of surprise as his raised legs bent and trembled under the weight. A weak jolt of pain went through his four paws, yet he held the massive rock at bay. He looked to the side, noticing that Nica’s strong legs took most of the impact. Even under the crushing force, she kept a determined smile on her face, looking over at Pikachu to make sure he was handling okay.

“Great job,” Nica praised, showing no signs of discomfort. “Now we’re going to do some weight lifting. We need to synchronize the lifting and lowering to be efficient. Can I count on you?”

“Of course you can!” Pikachu shouted with a strained nod. He wasn’t going to hold the team back.

“Okay, now lift,” Nica called as she pushed her legs against the stone, raising it one millimeter at a time.

Pikachu grit his teeth, pressing his little limbs against the hard stone with a burst of energy.

“Down,” Nica said as she lowered her legs, letting the boulder descend.

Pikachu felt the massive weight press with full force as his limbs trembled. He stopped pressing a second too late, wasting some of his strength as he struggled to hold the boulder up without Nica’s support.

“Lift,” Nica said, her legs raising the stone.

Pikachu aided his partner, his muscles now at work.

“Down.” The calls became shorter as the two began to work in sync.

Pikachu lowered his legs, trying to match Nica. Her intention behind the exercise became clear.

Up, down, up, down. Pikachu and Raichu kept raising and lowering the stone, their legs more synchronized with each heft.

“Okay, now something harder,” Nica said with a beaming smile. “We will go one, two, three, and then push the stone upward.”

Pikachu nodded, now focused even more on the challenge ahead.

“One,” Nica said in haste.

He lifted and lowered the stone, matching Nica’s movements.

“Two,”

He repeated his actions, lifting the boulder a little higher than before. Being smaller proved slightly problematic as he needed to stretch longer to keep his legs high enough and match his partner.

“Three,”

Pikachu grit his teeth, tensing his muscles while gathering all of his strength.

“Push!” Nica commanded.

Pikachu’s face turned a bright, cherry red as he pressed the boulder alongside Nica’s. The rock flew a meter upward from their combined effort. The pupils in his eyes dilated as the stone seemed to slow mid-air and came hurtling back at them, the force of gravity now on its side. It fell on them, yet Nica’s legs took most of the impact once again.

“Great, again!”

Pikachu felt beads of sweat dripping down his head and paws as he kept lifting and lowering the stone, using all his strength whenever pushing the boulder. Breath in, breathe out, he mentally chanted as he panted, trying to fill his lungs with the oxygen it desperately needed.

Litten looked at Ninetales who was licking his fur, staring at him with pleading eyes.

“What?” Ninetales mumbled before shaking his head. “You want us to lift weights together?”

Litten nodded.

Ninetales frowned and looked to the side. “No way. My paws are for agile combat, not for raising weights.” He tried to look away, only for Litten to press his paws against his fur, staring at him silently. He growled, yet the cat-pokemon didn’t look away nor relent. “I can’t believe I’m saying this… fine… but if I notice that you’re slacking, I’ll leave you trapped under the boulder. Got that?”

“Deal!” Ninetales watched as Litten enthusiastically ran towards a clutter of stones, inspecting each one and trying to choose which one would suffice.

Nica stopped raising the boulder, now keeping it in place as she turned to talk to Pikachu. “Alright. Time for another challenge. We’ll push this stone aside without using our forepaws.”

Pikachu’s eyes became wide. How were they going to pull this off with only half of their lifting strength? Upon noticing that Nica withdrew her forepaws, he took her example. He grit his teeth as the weight suddenly pressed with even greater force, causing his feet to tremble uncontrollably.

“One!”

He pushed against the stone, raising his rear legs while his forepaws were pressed against the ground instead, used to gain as much leverage as possible. More drops of sweat fell down his forehead.

“T-two…”

He pushed again as the muscles in his rear legs started burning. At times like this he regretted not having fully evolved legs.

“T-t-three…” The stuttering in Nica’s voice became sporadic.

He closed one eye, his other eye now focused on Nica’s rear legs, which were trembling uncontrollably. It became clear that his partner did at least four-fifths of the work as drops of sweat started to cover her face as well.

“P-push!”

He closed his eyes as his face became red once more, putting all strength he could muster into his miniscule rear paws. The weight pushing down on him vanished as a loud crashing noise reached his ears a moment later, the ground trembling. With a pained breath, he pushed himself to a sitting position. He looked at Nica, who pointed behind him. Turning around, Pikachu gasped. The boulder lay nearly a meter behind them. He looked at his tired feet, and then at Nica’s rear legs. Their combined might proved enough to push two hundred kilograms a meter over their heads.

“Not bad. Our moves became more synchronized with practice,” Nica praised, dusting herself off before standing.

Pikachu felt his partner’s forepaw on his shoulder and he couldn’t help but feel satisfaction from their teamwork.

Nica withdrew her forepaw and stretched her rear legs. “Our warm up is not over yet though. Starlight, bring in the rope.”

“On it,” Starlight said as she opened her saddlebag, levitating out a rope and than another. “I was actually wondering why you wanted me to pack these. Now I’ll finally get to find out.”

Pikachu looked at Nica with growing excitement. He expected to have fun during their training, and so far, he wasn’t disappointed.

Step after step, Pikachu looked at the rope wrapped tight around his right forepaw and right rear paw, or rather the other limbs that they tied together. The fact that Nica on his right was bigger than him and taking longer leaps, made synchronizing their steps a bit problematic. He didn’t let it hold him back though, adapting to his partner’s running as Nica in turn tried to take smaller jumps to make the trek easier for him.

<Leap left!> Nica shouted, her neck now void of the translating collar.

Pikachu followed her command, leaping to the left alongside his partner and evading Starlight’s beam of destruction. While problematic at first, he quickly learned how to match Nica’s movements. The most troublesome part however proved to be when his partner ran at full speed, which was at least fifty percent faster than his top speed, resulting in him being dragged along. He had to admit though, running at Nica’s speed without using his ‘Quick Attack’ for a speed boost was an interesting experience.

<Right, forward, backflip,> Nica commanded, executing each move with perfect precision.

Pikachu leaped right and then forward, quickly standing on his rear legs before backflipping, evading a barrage of beams. The moment his and Nica’s rear legs hit the rocky ground with a weak thud, he smiled in satisfaction. “I must say, your agility is spot on. I think I’m improving my evasion bit by bit simply by trying to keep up with you.”

Nica blushed before signaling Starlight to pause in her attacks. <T-thanks.> She lowered herself to four paws, forcing Pikachu to do the same. <Now we will try to break Starlight’s barrier together.>

Pikachu nodded before giving the unicorn a sassy smile. "Starlight! Better use your strongest barrier!" He stomped with his left forepaw and narrowed his eyes. "Because we're breaking it for sure!"

“Good luck with that,” Starlight said before trapping herself in a crystal barrier made of magic, the same one she used to stop Twilight’s assault. “This barrier is way more durable than your average protective bubble, and it can return the force used against it with a powerful explosion. It will take more than one or two pokemon attacks to break this shield. Do your worst.”

As his partner ran ahead, Pikachu followed suit, trying to match Nica’s steps with the ropes tying their limbs together. It didn’t take long before her speed surpassed his, making her paws take faster and longer steps for him.

Nica repeated her name, charging an attack.

Pikachu blinked in confusion as aura of electricity started to surround them both. Volt Tackle? he thought, only to feel Nica’s cheek press up against his. He closed his eyes upon feeling her electricity charge his body, powering it up. His legs suddenly became faster, allowing him to match Nica’s speed.

<Can you boost us with ‘Quick Attack?’> Nica called, their tails flapping violently behind them.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes, concentrating a large burst of his power in his rear legs before boosting his speed. A cloud of dust and stone fragments formed behind them as their speed doubled in an instant. He gasped as their speed just kept steadily increasing, already way above the speed of his usual ‘Quick Attack’ as they circled around Starlight.

Curious, Pikachu focused on his own electricity, sending it through Nica’s cheek as the aura of her ‘Volt Tackle’ grew in strength. He smiled widely, feeling a big rush of adrenaline. They continued to sprint forward, Pikachu’s raw power charging an unstoppable ‘Volt Tackle’ as Nica’s unlimited stamina resupplied his weakening reserves. Even still, Starlight held strong, taking a defensive stance.

They both turned towards Starlight, closing the distance in an instant before slaming themselves into the crystalic barrier with the combined power of a boosted ‘Volt Tackle’ and speed of boosted ‘Quick Attack.’ The shield struggled, attempting to push them back, but it wasn’t long before it shattered into pieces, a massive explosion of electricity following.

Pikachu pressed his legs into the rocky ground, as did Nica, both struggling to come to a full stop. A large cloud of dust erupted from the ground, forcing both pokemon to wave away the grime as they searched for Starlight. Turning around together with his partner, Pikachu bit his bottom lip, now staring at the scorched, unconscious pony who lay still at the bottom of a giant crater. While the lack of sunlight limited their visibility, he could’ve sworn a little trail of smoke was escaping from the unicorn’s fur as embers danced around her unmoving form.

“I’m sorry!” Nica shouted before running towards the unconscious pony. “Oh no, Starlight are you okay? Please answer!”

Pikachu yelped, pulled against his will as the Raichu frantically ran towards the mare.

After ensuring that Starlight’s life wasn’t in any danger and escorting her to the castle, which mostly involved Nica and Ninetales carrying her all the way, the group returned to the post-Tirek battlefield.

Pikachu looked at the fire duo, who started training with each other quite intensively as their flames lit the surrounding area.

“Come on, Litten, is this all the speed you can muster? You’re faster than that,” Ninetales complained while taking tiny backward leaps, evading Litten’s numerous scratches and flaming bites from sinking into his limbs.

Pikachu gasped as Ninetales’ tails spread, sending energy into the sky as small sun-like orb started floating over their heads, lighting the area. While the tiny artificial sun was nothing when compared to the real deal, it proved strong enough to give the group full visibility, as well as increase intensity of Litten’s flames.

“Do what I taught you!” Ninetales commanded.

Taking a deep breath, Litten inhaled, only to send a burst of flames against his opponent, creating a little vortex around Ninetales.

“You learned ‘Flamethrower’ already? Wow, nice job!” Pikachu praised, remembering how long it took for Litten to learn the last move.

Ninetales walked out from the vortex of fire with only a few, little burns decorating his normally spotless golden fur. His flame-proof translating collar decorated his neck, unscathed. “It is a lot easier to learn a move when it is properly demonstrated. Litten may be inexperienced but he has some potential, all he needed were some pointers.”

Litten grinned. “You think I have potential? It is unusual to hear praise from you,” he commented, flapping his tail.

“Did I say you have potential?” Ninetales asked before raising his head arrogantly. “What I meant to say was that I have potential at tutoring. Feel free to call me ‘Master Ninetales’ from now on.”

Litten rolled his eyes, yet was still smiling. “Whatever you say.”

Pikachu giggled before looking at Nica, or rather at her oddly positioned tail. The black flexible part, which increased its reach, was wrapped around Nica’s belly, leaving only the yellow part very close to her back. In fact, it seemed as if… “Nica… are you trying to make your tail look like mine?” Even though Nica’s tail had a heart-shaped tip, it was the intention that mattered in the end.

<I will fence with you as if I was a Pikachu while searching for any weaknesses. It has been years since I had a short tail so it will hold me back, but it will help me find a way to improve your technique,> Nica explained as she tested movements of her ‘new’ tail. First she swung it up and down, then left and right, finding each strike swift and responsive while resisting the urge to stretch it out to its full length. Standing on the tip of her rear foot before spinning her entire body, she leapt from one rear leg to another while using the movement of her own body to swing her ‘Iron Tail.’

Pikachu held a forepaw to his chest and displayed a dreamy smile, experiencing a pleasant warmth inside his chest. The fact that this superior Raichu was imitating his inferior fighting style just for tail fencing was already touching, but knowing how much Nica adored using her long tail, only to give up on it for the sake of their training made it even more meaningful. Part of him wanted to use poison joke to temporarily become a Raichu to return the gesture, but the risk of becoming a Pichu again was just too great.

Charging power into his tail, he leapt forward, spinning his body as his ‘Iron Tail’ clashed with Nica’s. They both pressed against each other, neither giving in with their relentless attacks, jumping and twisting as Nica lost ground with each clash.

Pressing his advantage, he pushed Nica’s tail aside, shaking her balance while going for her cheek. The Raichu tilted her head backward, evading the attack just in the nick of time. He continued his combo with another strike, only for his opponent to jump over, swinging her tail against the back of his head. He ducked in response, evading the short-range attack. I don’t care if this is just training. This is so much fun! If this is one of the last interactions I will have with this lovely Raichu, I am going to enjoy it and prove myself.

He shook his head before parrying three, quick tail strikes in a row. A clash of metal echoed throughout the terrain and he couldn’t help but grin as he noticed Nica’s cheerful smile with each hit. Actually, screw proving myself. Not against this Raichu. I’m just going to focus on enjoying myself.

In the background of the chu’s training, Ninetales stood tall over Litten, pressing him into the ground with his forepaws. A cocky smirk sat on the fox's face.

“And here we go again. It seems speed and grace is not your thing,” Ninetales taunted, maintaining his dominating position.

“Yu dun say…” Litten mumbled as a pawful of dirt was stuffed into his face.

“Maybe a more fierce and relentless fighting style will suit you better,” Ninetales whispered to himself before withdrawing his weight and leaping back, allowing his smaller foe to stand. He narrowed his eyes and shouted, “Come on, Slowpoke. Stand up and fight.” Shaking his head, the fox turned his back on the cat and muttered, “I can’t believe I’m wasting my time on a rookie as pathetic as you.”

Litten shook the dirt from his face and growled, the fur on his back spiking up as it erupted with a plume of fire.

Ninetales chuckled. This is too easy. “Come on you weakling. You’re years behind Pikachu and months behind Lycanroc, and if you don’t get your head in the game, you don’t stand a chance of catching up with them,” Ninetales taunted, his gaze displaying a mix of disappointment and anger. He leaped to the side, evading ‘Flamethrower’ while not taking his eyes from his opponent, the ‘Drought' effect still flashing above their heads. “Is that all? The gap in speed and power between us is insane. Try all you like, you won’t cross it!”

Litten jumped forward, opening his mouth as an eruption of flames leapt forwards. ‘Fire Fang’ after ‘Fire Fang’ was used to keep up the pressure, though not a single one landed.

Ninetales danced between his opponents bites, giving him a confident grin. “I’m getting sleepy here. Are you trying to prove to me that I’m wrong about you? If so, you’re screwing up!”

Litten’s attack speed increased as the rocky terrain started melting from his boosted ‘Flamethrower.’ The attack ‘Scratch’ directed against the larger pokemon now looked more like a ‘Slash.’

Ninetales’ pace increased in speed as he was actually forced to put some effort into evading Litten’s attacks. With a quick jump, he pressed his forepaws against Litten’s head, pressing him into the ground. “And you’re eating dirt again. Are you just going to let me do this? Or will you actually do something about it?” He lowered his head and whispered into Litten’s ear. “I would even dare to say that you’re as incompetent and as inconsequential as that lazy Rowlet…” To his satisfaction, Litten pressed forepaws into the ground and pushed himself forward, freeing himself and almost causing Ninetales to lose his balance.

Litten cut off Ninetales’ escape with a quick ‘Flamethrower,’ only to jump and sink his ‘Fire Fang’ into his thin forepaw. His eyes narrowed in frustration as a furious growl escaped his mouth.

Ninetales grit his teeth before giving Litten a proud smile. “Yes… a fierce and relentless fighting style suits you way better. Not bad.”

Litten withdrew his fangs, taking a few deep breaths of air as a few drops of sweat fell down his forehead. “You… You taunted me… on purpose?” His angered expression softened. “All those lies,” he mumbled, “just to motivate me?”

“Did I?” Ninetales said before looking to the side. He added in a joking tone, “I am quite an honest fellow.”

Litten approached before gently licking the injury on Ninetales’ forepaw, causing him to blush.

“H-hey… s-stop that...” Ninetales said, withdrawing his forepaw. “You need to remain furious at me, motivated to work hard and improve by trying to surpass me. You don’t get all buddy-buddy with a threatening rival or harsh mentor. You are doing it wrong!”

Litten held his forepaw on his mouth and giggled. “Too late for that. You try to act all mean and tough, but I can see your softer spot. You remind me of an old big friend of mine I took care off. You big softy.”

“S-softy? I’m not soft…” Ninetales mumbled as his face turned a bright red, the temperature of his body raising with each passing second. “I think someone needs to teach you a lesson, squirt. Say it again and see what happen!”

“Sure softy,” Litten said, smirking.

Ninetales narrowed his eyes and growled, unleashing scalding flames from his mouth. He turned his head quickly, purposely missing his attack, while Litten yelped and leaped to the side. “There is still tons of work to get done, rookie. Better get ready for some solid pain in your muscles, because I am going to train you hard and I won’t go easy anymore.”

Litten nodded energetically before taking a fighting stance before both pokemon ended up enveloped in a fierce battle. While he could tell that the taller pokemon still held back, there was barely any room for him to catch a breath. Until now the superior fighter didn’t fight back and allowed him to be on the offense, though a burn he received on his side told him it was no longer the case. He winced from the pain before putting on a determined face, “That’s what I was hoping for.”

Epilogue ( + link to the sequel )

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Little Lost Pikachu

Epilogue

With Celestia’s sun no longer on the horizon, only a few flickering candles and the magically supplied glow filled the map room with light. The lavender and blue shine from Starlight and Twilight’s magic was reflected by the memory gems dangling from above, illuminating the room with a collage of colors similar to that of a disco ball.

Twilight sat in her respective seat with a hay sandwich on a plate before her, a humble supper for the humble princess.

Starlight snagged a seat close-by, choosing the one with Rainbow Dash’s cutie-mark decorating it. A few electric burns were visible on her forehead and chest.

On the opposite side, taking Fluttershy’s throne, were two tired creatures still exhausted from their intense training regimen. Both had a vegetable salad and a slice of strawberry cake on their side of the table.

Standing on the bronze tips of her rear paws, Nica eagerly reached for the cake slice, taking another quick bite as the frosting smeared around her mouth. Even though she still had a few bruises and stray patches of dirt decorating her fur, only her head and bubble-like cheeks were visible across the table as she chewed the food with a big smile on her face. Her long, flexible tail flapped left and right in delight while her rear legs trembled a little from the training and weight lifting they had just recently endured.

The yellow, mouse-like pokemon laid flat on the table next to his plate, his legs stretched in four different directions while his fur was soaked in sweat. His breathing was quick and ragged as he fought against the overwhelming desire to close his sleepy eyes.

“So let me get this straight,” Starlight mumbled, rubbing the burns on her fur. “Your teamwork was not only enough to pierce my strongest barrier with a single attack, but was also able to knock me out?” She looked at both chu’s with a proud smile. “And after you placed me in my bed, you both continued your training alongside Litten and Ninetales? I must say, I am impressed.”

Nica licked the frosting from her mouth and gulped, her trusty magical translating collar decorating her neck as a slight blush bloomed on her chubby cheeks. “Well, I wouldn't call it a single attack. Me and Pikachu used a combination of my ‘Volt Tackle’ and Pikachu’s ‘Quick Attack.’ She paused, glancing down in thought. “Actually, after we touched each other’s cheeks, we were able to charge one another with electricity, making each other faster and stronger the longer we powered our combined attack. If we struck your barrier separately, it would have most likely resisted us.”

Twilight nodded in understanding. “Sounds similar to the spell that Starlight created.” She pointed at herself and her student. “When we used it to channel our magic into you or Pikachu, your durability, speed and power increased immensely, even if only for a limited time.”

“Exactly,” Nica said. She showed her teeth in a wide smile and explained, ”During my adventures with Astra, I learned that when two electric pokemon work together, they can accomplish some incredible things.” She looked at the exhausted Pikachu, her grin growing even larger. “My hero is not only really strong, but was eager to cooperate, making our teamwork that much stronger.”

Pikachu pressed his trembling forepaw against the table, pushing himself to a sitting position with a large huff. “I just… I just wish…” He took a deep breath. “I wish I had at least half of your stamina.” He wiped sweat from his forehead. “While I loved every second of our training, it became harder for me to keep up the longer it lasted. I still can’t believe you managed to keep a smile on your face the entire time!”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Nica said as her ears drooped. She looked down in guilt, murmuring, “I should have gone easier on you.”

“No way!” Pikachu shouted, jumping up in alarm. He stumbled for a moment, nearly falling to the side, before steadying himself and looking at Nica. “Pushing myself to my limits is what makes me stronger!” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He sat a moment later, too tired to stand.

Starlight grinned and spoke up, exclaiming, “Considering that soon you’ll reunite with your trainers, there’s nothing wrong with going a little overboard.”

“It’ll no doubt made your time together more memorable,” Twilight cut in.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Pikachu said as he looked at the Raichu with a mix of happiness and respect. Nica returned the glance in kind.

The Raichu climbed onto the table, held her forepaws on her hips and spoke in a teasing tone, “So when you push yourself to your limits, it’s fine, but when I do it, everyone is worried. How is that fair?”

Pikachu and the others rolled their eyes.

Starlight stepped from the throne, walking along the side of the table until both pokemon were in hoof’s reach. “And to think that only a few days ago you two couldn’t even talk face to face, and now you’re the best of friends!” She sighed, shaking her head. “All that drama for nothing.”

“Drama, whatever are you talking about?” Nica teased, plopping herself down beside Pikachu. Getting comfortable, she wrapped the black cord of her tail around her hero’s belly, using the lightning tip to support his shoulder. Much to her surprise, Pikachu crawled closer, supporting his other shoulder against the side of her belly.

Starlight stood on her rear hooves, placing her forehooves on the rounded table before her with a dull thud. “Nica,” she began, her expression becoming serious. “For the past month you’ve been here with us, I’ve seen the pain you’ve endured due to your inferiority complex and humility. No matter how hard you worked to protect and serve the creatures of Equestria, including us, you always believed it wasn’t enough. It hurt to watch you beat yourself up day after day for doing so much more than anyone asked for, and frankly, deserved.” She paused, gesturing towards the Pikachu curled up at her side. “To think the one you’ve admired all this time helped you take the first step to overcoming it.”

Twilight gulped, quickly finishing the sandwich before glancing at the smaller pokemon. “I must admit, you possess a very competitive nature and your unfortunate experiences with two mean Raichu left a very bad impression of your evolution. I’m glad that Nica was able to show you a better side of your evolution and help you overcome your jealousy.” She looked at Dash’s throne and added, “There is nothing wrong with being competitive and trying to do your best, but if taken too far, it can bring out anger and depression.”

Nica and Pikachu looked at each other. No “thank you” was needed as their stares alone showed their gratitude.

Starlight spread her forelegs, wrapping both pokemon into a firm hug. “I won’t say goodbye yet, because I plan to explore these islands of yours.” Leaning down to Nica, she whispered, “I’ll learn first-hoof what it’s like to be a trainer and make you proud.”

“And I’ll be cheering you on,” Nica responded as she wrapped her tail around Starlight’s belly, tightening their embrace.

“Alola is very welcoming,” Pikachu said, allowing himself to be squashed into the embrace. After the grueling training session, he simply couldn’t resist the mare’s strength. “I’m sure they’ll welcome ponies with open arms. Oh, and thanks for the translating collars. I bet everyone will flip when they can understand our speech.”

“You’re very welcome.” Starlight released both pokemon from the hug, giggling as Pikachu stumbled for a moment and fell to his side.

“Oof,” Pikachu grunted, landing on his stomach. His limbs quivered as he tried to push himself up, but to no avail. Nica dashed over and gently pulled him to his paws, standing beside him as the smaller pokemon thanked the Raichu with a quick ‘thanks.’

“Haha, sorry about that,” Starlight said, flashing the pokemon an apologetic smile. She went to pat Pikachu on the back but stopped when she spotted his concerned expression. “You okay?”

“Yea, it’s just, I… I hope Ash didn’t take our disappearance too hard…” Pikachu murmured to himself before distracting himself with the dazzling gems swinging from the ceiling. ”Hopefully when we tell him about the adventures we had and about Equestria, it will make up for making him worried.”

“Don’t feel bad. It wasn’t your fault you were summoned here and it’s not like you could return earlier.” Nica grabbed Pikachu and hauled him over to the edge of the map, attempting to carry the pokemon to his guest room. “Better get some rest. We’ll have one extra training session tomorrow morning, and I think I’ve figured out how to improve your fighting style a tiny bit. It would make me happy if my teachings could help you and your trainer even a little bit.”

“It is always about helping others, isn’t it?” Pikachu asked from his somewhat awkward position. “Ash really likes meeting strong pokemon and skilled trainers. I am sure he’d love to meet you and your friends. We can even get our trainers to meet each other.” Pikachu clapped his paws together in excitement. “Imagine if we could travel together! That would be fantastic.”

Nica leaped onto the floor, now walking towards the exit. “I… don’t think that will work.”

“Huh, why’s that?” Pikachu asked, giving his friend a confused and slightly saddened glance.

“Well… do you remember how much I was afraid of you learning more about me… afraid you would grow jealous of me and see me as a rival to overcome?” Using her tail, she opened the double door, waving farewell at the ponies who soon returned the gesture. She shut the door with her tail and walked through the hallway. “Astra has similar fears. She’s determined to avoid the heroic Ash no matter what.”

Pikachu smiled and poked Nica’s nose playfully. “Then we just need to help her open up to him. If we work together, we can do anything.”

Nica nuzzled Pikachu’s nose with her own. “You can count on me.” She looked at the ceiling, now deep in thought. While she grew to enjoy her hero’s company over the past four days, feeling much more than simply respect and friendship towards him, she could sense his emotions in turn. While the time was running out and part of her wanted to tell her hero what she really felt before their paths would split, she didn’t sense similar feelings from him. If he only saw her as a great friend, she would only hurt him and possibly ruin their friendship by trying to make it anything more.

She looked down at the smaller pokemon in her arms, who had already departed for the land of dreams. She stared warmly at his cute little smile, wishing she could hold him like that much longer. There was still some time before they would find their respective trainers and say their goodbyes. She needed to make the decision by then. Should she stay silent and let them go their separate ways as great friends? Or should she reveal the feelings she had tried so hard to suppress, knowing that he would most likely not return them?

Efficiently opening the door to Pikachu’s room, she leaped onto the bed, slowly and gently placing the exhausted and bruised pokemon onto the soft pillow. “Maybe I can convince my trainer to visit yours often… assuming you don’t leave Alola anytime soon.” She looked at the window of the guest room, then back at Pikachu. Not only had she met and befriended the superior hero, but also made friends with Twilight and other gold-hearted ponies. Finding time to visit them all was no doubt going to become a headache, but it was worth the trouble.

Nica smiled. “Sweet dreams.”

Starlight looked away from the closed door, picking up the empty plates from the table with her levitation. “So… we’ll finally explore the world that raised such powerful and kind creatures like Nica. I have to admit, I’m feeling a bit nervous. And you? Are you nervous or excited?”

Twilight spread her wings, flew over the table and landed in front of Starlight, their muzzles now only a few centimeters away from each other. “Just look at my face and tell me.” She grinned, her teeth shining white as flames burned in her eyes.

Starlight took a step back, chuckling nervously. “Well… I’m not sure if I would call it a nervous or excited smile, but it certainly isn't the face of mercy. It looks as if you’re ready to blow away anyone who gets in the way of your exploration.” Starlight shuddered. “I’m scared to think of what would happen if someone ruined your notes.”

Twilight giggled before flying for the exit. “Finally my work will bear fruit. I think I’ll invite Ninetales and Rainbow Dash to join us.”

Starlight nodded. “I’ll go to Sugarcube Corner tomorrow morning to ask Litten as well. Ace is staying with Coco at Rarity’s, but as Emily’s partner, we should take him too. He could help us navigate alongside Nica and Pikachu.”

“Agreed,” Twilight said. She opened the door with her magic, but as she was about to take a step forward, she stopped and glanced at her student. “By the way… wasn’t Astra’s Gliscor living with us? I haven’t seen him at all in the past few days.”

“Now that you mention it, I also haven’t seen him. Maybe we can ask our friends to look for him while we’re away.”

“Good idea,” Twilight said as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “I hope that wherever he is, he’s not in any trouble.”

“For justice!” Gliscor shouted, sharply gliding towards a raging creature. Below the pokemon sat a massive beast, sporting a thick, impenetrable shell on its back like a turtle. Four tree trunk legs sprouted from the shell, holding the creature up off the ground as moss coated its back. As Gliscor darted closer, a snake sprang out of hiding from within, opening its mouth for a brutal blow.

Using ‘Acrobatics,’ the pokemon dodged left and right in the nick of time, avoiding the beasts fangs before descending upon them, using his scorpion like tail to deliver a devastating strike. With a boost of speed, he zipped around each of beast’s body parts, leaving sliced marks on its neck, snake-tail and legs.

“And for good measure!” He slammed both of his clawed hands into the ground, causing the earth to shake and split apart under the massive turtle. The heavy beast bounced against the walls of stone and dirt before crashing at the bottom. “Can’t jump over ‘Earthquake’ with that heavy shell? Your reign of terror is over.” He scanned the area for any other possible threats, sensing nothing but rocky mountains all around. While only the stars and moon were present in the sky, the lack of visibility was no issue for him.

“Wow, that was quick. I must say, you’re efficient.”

He landed and rubbed the back of his neck, giving a polite bow in greeting. He was now staring at white-yellowish mare with her mane and tail split into a collage of pink and blue. Three candies were present on each flank as the ponies cutie mark. “Thank you for your praise, Dame Bon Bon. I am glad I could aid Nica in her effort in making this world a safer place.”

“Pity we don’t have more fighters like you. Our agency that was supposed to keep monsters in check is now nothing but a joke when compared to what it used to be. Our best ponies are long retired and we haven’t had any good recruits to train in decades. As hard as it is to admit, we’re nearly useless now,” Bon Bon muttered as she opened her saddlebag. “Here’s your payment. There was a bounty for capturing this creature. It was particularly nasty.” She grabbed a small pouch with her teeth.

“I shall take only half and share it with Captain Nica. Keep the rest for yourself,” Gliscor said as he patted his armored chest.

Bon Bon nodded before placing the pouch of bits back in her saddlebag. “That’s generous, considering you did most of the fighting. How about we split the reward at the local inn and return to Ponyville. Your friends must be missing you.”

Gliscor shook his head before pointing at a large mountain in distance, or rather at some sort of settlement at the top. “I can’t return yet. I shall visit that place and see if they need any help.”

“That place?” Bon Bon sighed. “That, my friend, is where the griffons live. I’ve heard that they are mostly mercenaries and all they care about are bits. But if you’re determined, search for a griffon named Gabby. She was in Ponyville once and she’s the nicest of the bunch.”

“I shall. Thank you for the advice, Dame Bon Bon. I shall search for Lady Gabby and offer her my services.”

The pony rolled her eyes. “Has anyone told you that you’re too formal?”

“Too many to remember.”

Bon Bon chuckled, patting the pokemon on the back. “Why am I not surprised.”

Fluttershy yawned, sleepily making her way upstairs with her left wing spread out to the side. Once in her bedroom, she approached her bed before glancing at the fluffy creature resting on her wing. The white vixen was curled into a ball, perched in between her yellow feathers. A feeling of nostalgia overcame her.

“It seems Nica is not the only one who likes to sleep on wings,” Fluttershy murmured before gently placing the little creature on top of one of her pillows. She gently nuzzled one of the pokemon’s cheeks and whispered, “Good night, my little Vulpix. Sweet dreams.”

As she perched herself on the bed, keeping some distance from the ice pokemon, she looked at the ceiling and slipped under the covers. “I’ll need to teach her some more about self-control. Poor Angel.” She lay down on her side and closed her eyes, ignoring the slight chill that came from the ice pokemon at her side.

In the meanwhile, one trembling white bunny held a blanket around his body, desperately trying to warm himself up, while buried within numerous pillows in his basket. Specks of frost formed white, bushy eyebrows on his forehead as a few stray icicles hung from his ears. While his pride and ego demanded he fight for Fluttershy's attention and show the newcomer her place, teasing, taunting and pranking the ice pokemon certainly didn’t end as he expected.

Angel raised his shaking head, and peeked from underneath his blanket at the window. He shivered just thinking about the large, flower monster that slept next to the rabbit dens outside. After being turned into a living icicle by a little fluff ball, he certainly didn't feel like becoming a fertilizer anytime soon.

Deep inside Sweet Apple Acres, rested a quaint tree house. A thick, shaggy carpet was stretched across the floor, sporting a little filly and a ghost pokemon. The mare had a single pillow propped underneath her and a blanket tucked over her small form, as Mimikyu dozed off beside her, both sleeping beneath the starry sky. What looked like a recipe for disaster was in fact a sleepover between the harmless filly and the powerful ghoul. A strong blush was present on Mimikyu’s costume and a small smile was decorating his stomach.

Scootaloo and Mimikyu’s cheeks were pressed against each other.

Suddenly, a faint buzz alerted the ghost pokemon. Mimikyu’s eyes shot open as he spotted a hungry mosquito in the dim light, making a beeline for the sleeping filly. A black destructive claw shot out from under its costume, crushing the little bug into a bloody pulp before it got the chance to suck some of the pony's blood.

<Goodnight,> Mimikyu whispered.

Far underneath the ground rested Maud, who was in a deep sleep. She was surrounded by a collection of shimmering rocks that provided light to see by. A trusty Lycanroc lay on the carpet by the bed’s side as the pony’s forehoof was resting on top of his head, no doubt from the petting session they had right before they felt asleep.

<So… looks like we’re going home soon,> Ace mumbled as he sat on his tail and floated before the riverside, gazing at the water’s ripples as he tossed a stone.

Indeed, spoke a familiar voice in his mind. A large starfish was floating on the water before him.

It makes little difference to me, Starmie answered, remaining stoic. The dim shine of the moon was reflected by the ruby on it’s stomach, casting a crimson glow on the Alolan Raichu's face.

Ace lowered his head and sighed. <I hope I can convince Emily to befriend that heroic trainer. If they could spend time together, I would get to adventure and learn more about his Pikachu. I’ll need to think of some new tricks to impress them.”

You like him? Starmie asked telepathically.

<Of course I do!> Ace shouted, shaking his forepaws in excitement. <He’s brave, proud, playful and kind. He wants to earn respect and respects others. While it is a bit sad that he doesn’t want to become a Raichu, I can at least admire his resolve and determination.>

Does he like you and Nica?

<He definitely likes and respects me, which is super cool.> He paused and crossed his arms over his chest, growing a smug grin. <I mean… it’s not like I’m too surprised. Especially after he saw how cool my ‘Naval-Storm-Dragon’ move is.

<As for Nica...?> He pressed his forepaws against his cheeks.

Ship them? Elaborate?

<Well...> Ace tapped his forepaws together. <You know… like… ummm… like getting those two together on a large luxurious ship. You wanna have great food, a wonderful view of the sunset, and a romantic atmosphere... that kind of stuff.> He held his forepaws close to each other. he slapped his forepaws together, <they kissed!> He raised a forepaw up to his mouth and giggled. <Usually the process speeds up if the ship is about to sink.>

How so?

Ace rolled his eyes and spoke telepathically, Man… I really need to get you to watch 'Poketanic' one of these days. You’ll totally understand the meaning behind shipping pokemon after that.

Acknowledged, Starmie responded before swimming away.

Ace looked at the sky, and to his surprise, spotted a falling star. <Pikachu seems a bit blinded by his adventurous spirit, not interested in romantic relationships in the least.> He closed his eyes and thought deeply, Please, shooting star, grant my wish. Help my sis score a date with the hero she admires so much. I hope Nica makes the first move. He lowered his head and held his forepaws together, displaying a dreamy smile. <Ooohhh… it would be so amazing if she really did it.>

Glancing down, Ace placed a forepaw on his chin. <Hmm, I wonder. What would be their ship name. Nicachu or Pica?> After a moment of consideration, he mumbled,

Ace paused and smacked his forehead. <Oh no.> He muttered, shaking his head. Jumping to his paws, he stood and darted after the starfishes retreating form.

Under the cover of night, a cream colored fox darted between buildings, searching for a particularly tasty-looking one. It wasn’t long before Ninetales spotted the bakery and snuck around back, before silently leaping in through an open window. He began to explore the sweet shop, making sure to stay as quiet as possible. Using his memory of the place, he checked the kitchen and then the rooms upstairs, spotting Popplio sleeping with the twins, a fin wrapped protectively around each one. After more searching with ninja-like steps, he slowly opened the door into Pinkie’s room, noticing Litten sleeping on the carpet next to the bed.

Ninetales stepped forwards and cringed as the floor beneath him gave a small creak. Litten’s eyes flickered open in alarm, but they quickly softened after spotting the vixen.

With slow steps, Ninetales approached the cat-like pokemon, pointing at the carpet. Upon receiving a nod, he rounded Litten and perched himself on the same carpet, wrapping a few of his tails around his little pupil. A strong blush was present on his face as he snuggled beside the pokemon, though his initial embarrassment passed as Litten began to purr in his embrace, placing his head on the foxes tails. He closed his eyes, praying that Pinkie wouldn't drive him crazy tomorrow.

Lucario sat in silence, maintaining his position as he stared at the house floating above him. From within the cloud’s walls, he could sense Rainbow Dash’s aura, feeling her exhaustion as stars speckled the night sky.

He remained still, holding his meditation pose before closing his eyes. He prefered to sleep outside of his pokeball, not bothered by the wind nor cold of the night. While he regretted he couldn’t explore the home of his pegasus’ companion, he didn’t mind sleeping outside.

The ponies… their magic… great potential… Battling, rising potential… inefficient. Peaceful talents, great development, combat talents, poor development. Ponies peaceful… pokemon competitive… skill gap massive… He opened his eyes and stood up with a clear goal, interrupting his thought process. With firm steps, he walked through the night, his direction, a forest in the distance. Forest filled with predators. Size… superior to ponies, magic and power… inferior to ponies. Pokemon, returning soon. Time limited… Dangerous forest… worth exploring, worth learning.

Staring into the distance, Scizor guarded the entrance to the Apple family home, as if awaiting an attack at any moment. His metallic ears picked the noise of an opening door from behind as he turned around, wary.

“Can’t sleep?”

He looked at Big Mac before shaking his head. The large pony sat by his side before staring at the sky.

“Nice view, isn’t it?”

Scizor turned around, observing the stars on the sky before nodding.

“Silent fellow, ain’t ya?”

He nodded again, not giving the pony much attention. He kept his eyes trained on the outside forest, determined to stay focused.

“Ah see…”

Minutes turned into an hour of silence before Big Mac grinned. “Nice to meet someone who can admire the peaceful view in silence. Good night bud.” He patted the pokemon’s back before walking back inside, returning to his deserved sleep.

Scizor crossed his hands and closed his eyes, listening for any threats while standing in front of the door.

While the elements were returned to the Tree of Harmony, taming the enraged forest, some side-effects remained as a pack of Timberwolves made their way towards the apple-filled orchard. Their wooden bodies shone with green magic in the darkened atmosphere. They crept within the trees, planning to snag a few apples enhanced with earth pony magic, though weren’t opposed to catupring more suitable prey.

The pack’s attention shifted toward some slight movements in one of the trees, their ears perking as the leaves rustled. Each Timberwolf growled in sync as some sort of creature jumped onto the ground. Its black coat perfectly camouflaged the creature into the night, yet bright gold rings encircled the creatures form, betraying its location. The pokemon gave a furious growl, his eyes blazing as he stalked closer to the wolves.

Umbreon approached with firm steps, not betraying a bit of fear. There seemed to be no magic emanating from the creature, leaving the wolves turning their noses in distaste.

The leader moved to the side, walking around this mysterious newcomer, only for it to jump in their way.

The alpha gestured with his head, giving the signal to his pack to surround the smaller creature. One eager pack member couldn’t help himself though, jumping at the critter with a desire to kill.

A black sphere shot from Umbreon’s mouth, blasting the attacking Timberwolf into splinters as resulting black flames ate away at the wood, burning it. The once proud Timberwolf reformed into a little wooden puppy, glancing around in confusion before darting away with its tail in between its legs.

Each member stumbled backwards before turning towards the forest they came from and fleeing, following the puppies example. None were interested in fighting against a creature who could damage their bodies and weaken their magic on this scale.

Umbreon raised his head proudly, before turning back and preparing himself for another attack. No one was going to enter Sweet Apple Acres on his watch.

A series of muffled noises came from under a mass of fat as Hariyama slept on his belly. His massive form crushed both the bed underneath him and the little filly that was sleeping beside him. It didn’t take long before the large pokemon ended up being thrown off, creating a hole in the wall before rolling across the road. Hariyama remained asleep, now snoring.

Lily Longsock took a quick breath of fresh air before she bit her bottom lip, staring at her destroyed bed and the hole in the wall. “Oops… Mom and Dad won’t be happy about that.”

She walked towards the hole, examining the damage. While she didn’t have much of a problem with restraining her strength at home, ending up trapped under a half-ton heavy pokemon in her sleep caught her off guard. She looked at the sleeping Hariyama covered in sand and dirt from the road. “You just had to roll onto me in your sleep.” She lowered her head and sighed. “I should have let you sleep outside after all.”

Sleeping inside a cozy cottage was a light grey mare, dozing on her belly with her wings flared out behind her while a serene smile was present on her face. Her limbs were sprawled across the bed, casting creases against the comforter, though one forehoof was wrapped firmly around a small, rounded pokemon.

With a quick roll, Derpy pressed Rowlett into the sheets, causing it to open his eyes and screech in alarm. Springing to life, the owl trashed the mare’s room, dragging the pony around as it smashed into walls, a table and the ceiling. Even with the ruckus, Derpy remained sleeping, slightly snoring as Rowlett darted around the room like an enraged rocket.

Derpy tightened her hold over Rowlett without a care in the world, causing the pokemon to turn a deep shade of purple from the sudden lack of oxygen.

Rowlett felt sweat drip down his body as he tried to gasp for air. Was the crushing hug a punishment for his outbursts? If I survive this, I will keep my outbursts in check, I swear! Please, don’t squeeze the life out of me! he prayed in his mind as his struggle against Derpy’s hold proved fruitless. Maybe I can use Leafstorm to push her away? I just hope it has an effect on this indestructible pegasus. He considered his options, hoping he wouldn’t be forced to turn his caretaker’s room into a more of a complete disaster than it already was.

Octavia looked from her comfortable spot in the bed at the pokemon, Primarina, a majestic naval creature with a love for singing. Her face displayed nothing but guilt. Was it alright to let such an artist sleep on the floor while she slept on a warm, toasty comforter?

After a moment of contemplation, she thought about her roomate. I wonder if Vinyl would mind much if I donated her bed for Primarina. Surely she wouldn’t refuse to make such a noble sacrifice? She displayed a mischievous, little grin as she stood up from her bed, taking silent steps before opening the door. Her destination, Vinyl’s lair.

<So, how’s working in the hospital?> asked Audino, only a small patch of snow white fur showing on her belly, chest and face. Pink fuzz covered the rest of her body, like a hood with an opening in the middle.

<Very quiet. Whenever I was brought to the pokemon center or volunteered to assist Nurse Joy, there were trainers left and right demanding assistance.” Blissey gestured towards the empty building. “Now, it’s just boring. I feel as if my talents are being wasted,> she responded, sitting on a bench next to her ally. <Working as a bodyguard and healer in Astra’s team is much more exciting. I am missing all the action.>

Audino looked away from Blissey, now staring at the stars in the sky, finding the view so much greater than any outdoor night back in their world. It was as if an artist had personally looked into painting the sky for them, creating the perfect canvas to share this beautiful night. <Working at the veterinary clinic is somewhat demanding. Other creatures living here seem to rely on ponies’ care a lot.>

<These peaceful ponies seem to live in a world filled with dangers,> Blissey pointed out. <If what I learned from the doctors and Nurse Redheart is true, whenever there is a great danger, everypony relies on Princess Twilight and her friends to resolve it and protect them from harm. It almost feels as if everyone placed all their burdens on that group of mares.> She looked at Audino, finding slightly difficult to turn on the bench due to her egg-shaped body. <Twilight and her friends must really care about others if they are willing to put themselves in danger just to protect them. I can understand and respect that, but…>

Blissey paused, taking a moment to find proper words. <Do you… do you think that if we leave, that Twilight and her friends will manage to keep Equestria safe?>

<What do you mean? I understand that they failed against Darkrai, which is why Nica was sent here, but they overcame all other threats,> Audino pointed out. <Besides, Darkrai wasn’t from their world. He was very powerful and had combat experience that surpassed all villains that they successfully defeated. Are you afraid that one day they may face an opponent that they can’t overcome?>

<Exactly. If we stayed here, we would be able to support them. I just think it's unfair that everyone expects Twilight and her friends to keep them safe, while she can’t count on anyone but her friends to support her. I wish she had more allies, that’s all.> Blissey explained, looking at Audino with a look filled with worry. <If Equestria was to be invaded by an army, the moment Twilight and her friends fall, Equestria would crumble right alongside them.>

<Ironic, isn’t it?> Audino asked as she looked at the mountain sporting this country’s capital. <The heroes of this world must remain strong, because if they fall, so will this nation. Yet, because the heroes are so strong, everyone depends on them too much, becoming weaker themselves.> She lowered her head and sighed. <When the Guardians were betrayed and the criminal organizations thrived from ignorance of the populace, I was sure that it was only a matter of time before they captured legendary pokemon and used them to harm our world.>

<Yet it didn’t happen,> Blissey pointed out. <Astra took the torch from her parents and did her best to weaken those organizations before they recovered and before they could become too great of a threat, becoming a stepping stone. Other trainers rose against criminals as well, and I heard that Ash made many allies who have helped him in every fight. People and pokemon in our world can rise together to fight off those threats.>

Audino yawned. <I’m getting sleepy.>

<Me too,> Blissey murmured as she yawned as well, both pokemon now supporting each other’s sides against one another. <Good night, Queen.>