Chapter 21: On How an Electric Mouse Becomes the Protagonist
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
On a certain Wild Road heading to Vermilion City.
A Meowth suddenly leaped out in front of Ash and his group.
The kind of native, ordinary Meowth that walked on all fours, couldn't talk, and was lying there eating grass.
"Meow!"
Seeing the three approach, the wild Meowth lowered its body, the fur on its back standing on end, and let out a threatening sound.
"What a special Meowth! It can't even talk!"
Ash was greatly surprised. His eyes lit up, and he immediately decided to catch this special Meowth.
In the future, when he runs into Team Rocket, he can use a Meowth to defeat their Meowth, gaining a fundamental Type Advantage over them!
"Uh, Ash, normal Meowth can't talk..."
"The one from Team Rocket is the Abnormal Variant."
Brock and Misty explained from the side, somewhat speechless.
Why did it always feel like this youth's way of thinking was a little different from a normal person's?
Were all Meowth talking Pokemon in his mind?
I really want to pry open his head and take a look.
Red: "..."
No need to pry. On the scene, it really is...
"Whatever, I've decided to catch it! I choose you, Pikachu!"
As Ash swiped his thumb forward, the Pikachu on his shoulder leaped up and took an offensive stance.
He still had too few Pokemon. How could three top fighters be enough? He needed to gather a full table for a Four Emperors bond.
"Preemptive Strike! Use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded, taking the offensive.
"Pika!"
Hearing the command, Pikachu started running on the ground, its body covered in a layer of white light. With astonishing speed, it shot forward with a *swoosh*.
"Meow!"
However, the Meowth opposite it didn't just stand there foolishly and watch.
It let out a sharp cry and also began to run on all fours. In the same posture, its speed was in no way inferior to Pikachu's.
Quick Attack!!
*Clang!*
Pikachu and Meowth crashed into each other. The shockwave from the collision stirred the air, violently blowing the surrounding grass sideways. It was an evenly matched situation.
The cat and the mouse were both knocked backward.
"Be careful. Meowth are the kind of Pokemon that usually live the high life in cities. If one is in the wild, its strength won't be poor."
Brock quickly reminded him from the side.
But just as his voice fell, the large gold coin on the Meowth's forehead suddenly began to glow with a strange light.
Then, it flicked its front paws, as if throwing something.
*Thump!*
Pikachu's head seemed to have been struck head-on by something, and its body was sent flying backward as if it were a corpse.
"Pika..."
By the time Pikachu got up again, a large, red lump had already appeared on its forehead, and its eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.
It hurts!!
"Damn it! To think it even uses a Hidden Weapon!"
Ash said angrily.
But just as his voice fell, his pocket inexplicably deflated, as if something was missing.
"That move is called Pay Day. If Pikachu was hit by it, your allowance is gone."
Brock quickly reminded him again.
Ash: "?"
What's the principle behind that?
*Swoosh!*
Another gleaming gold coin Hidden Weapon came flying over!
This time, Pikachu's gaze focused, and its face instantly became serious as it hastily dodged to one side.
It hadn't really cared at first, but after hearing what that tan guy on the side said, if it got hit by the opponent one more time...
That would mean making things worse for the already-not-wealthy Ash.
And that would mean things would get worse for it, too?
Unacceptable!
A warm electric current flashed through his heart. Ash knew the feeling had come.
His expression immediately turned stern, and he roared loudly:
"Pikachu, use the decisive Thunderbolt!!"
"Pika... CHU!!!"
A powerful electric current burst forth from Pikachu's cheeks.
The lightning energy sprayed out in all directions, and the incomparably brilliant golden light illuminated the entire Grassland!
"Meow-meow-meow?"
Under the majestic Thunderbolt, the wild Meowth's eyes widened, and it could only stare blankly.
Its paws, holding the gold coin, froze in place.
*BOOM!!*
In the next instant, thunder and lightning exploded. Black smoke rose, and the Meowth was completely engulfed...
Soon, the lightning and smoke and dust dissipated. A large pit had even been blasted into the ground where it stood.
And the Meowth, which had been blasted into an Alolan descendant, was now unable to battle, lying on the ground.
"Great chance! I choose you, Poké Ball!"
Ash's eyes shone. He smoothly took a Poké Ball from his waist, adopted a pitcher's stance, and threw it without a second thought.
*CLANG!!*
The Poké Ball slammed heavily onto the Meowth's head, making things even worse for the already unable to battle creature.
"Meow#¥%@&!"
This time, the Meowth fainted completely.
But the red light of capture never appeared. The Poké Ball bounced once and simply fell to the ground.
Ash: "???"
Can the Poké Balls from the Research Lab be fakes?!
You've really outdone yourself, Professor Oak.
But to everyone's surprise, that Poké Ball suddenly opened with a *pop*.
Ash subconsciously touched his waist.
That's right, his Rayquaza and Utility Bird were still there.
The light dissipated, and in everyone's sight was a Pikachu.
Its physique was slightly larger, its fur a little darker, and its demeanor quite seasoned.
The strangest part was its face. It wasn't squash-shaped like Ash's Pikachu, but rather a small, round face that gave it a somewhat exotic style.
Ash: "???"
He reacted in just an instant.
Professor Oak snuck something extra in, stuffing another Pikachu into an empty Poké Ball?
You've really outdone yourself, Professor Oak!
Red: "..."
What kind of thought process is this?
But he had finally discovered that he was carrying a second Pikachu. Whether it was intentional or not, even someone as withdrawn as Red couldn't help but reveal a motherly smile.
"Finally, I don't have to get up in the middle of the night to find food just for Pikachu."
At the side, Misty rubbed her eyes, recalling something, and said triumphantly:
"Haha, Ash! I told you you had a second Pikachu! I finally have proof!!"
A second Pikachu?
Seeing the two look at her with confusion, Misty continued to explain:
"Didn't I say it before? In Viridian City, you were carrying two Pikachu, and one of them could even use a super high-level Move called 'Extreme Speed'."
"Pika~!"
Seeing this, Ash's Pikachu also jumped over happily.
It raised a small paw and pointed at the cat nearby, as if asking for credit.
"Pika."
Red's Pika, on the other hand, stood on its tiptoes slightly to make itself a little taller.
Then it rubbed Ash's Pika's head, acknowledging its battle record.
Mouse Pokémon all have a type advantage against Cat-type Pokemon; they have a racial advantage in this regard.
"Pika?"
"Pika!"
"Pika pika pika pika..."
The two began to communicate in the universal language of Electric Mice, leaving the three humans who didn't understand the language to just stand by and watch, utterly clueless.
But one thing could be confirmed.
This was not the first time these two Pikachu had met.
The two Pikachu chattered again, seeming to be communicating something.
If Meowth were here, perhaps he could have translated for them.
Round-faced Pikachu: "Xiao Pi, how many battles have you fought recently?"
"Slacked off in three."
The round-faced Pika nodded, quite satisfied.
"Not bad. For us of the Electric Mouse clan, as the Child of Destiny, slacking off is a racial skill that must be mastered."
"But you can't slack off all the time. Your own muscles still need to be tough."
"In future battles, you must strive to be the first Pokemon to appear. Seize all the initial focus, and after defeating one opponent, temporarily retreat from the spotlight."
"Then, reappear during the finale to reap the kills, blow up the surrounding field, destroy some of the nearby facilities, and become the most dazzling Electric Mouse on the stage."
"This way, others will get the mistaken impression that you alone carried five other ordinary teammates from start to finish."
Red's Pika instructed repeatedly.
*On How an Electric Mouse Becomes the Protagonist*.
Ash's Pikachu nodded again and again upon hearing this, as if it had obtained a precious treasure. Its own experience points skyrocketed.
It thought to itself, *As expected of a great senior. The experience points from this one talk are equivalent to fighting Team Rocket 10 times.*
"Hey, hey, Pikachu, is this your relative?"
Seeing the two Electric Mice finally finish their conversation, Ash couldn't help but lean in and interject with a question.
What the hell? Why was his own Pikachu half a head shorter than the other one, but so much wider horizontally!?
"Pika~"
The round-faced Pika twitched its ears, raised a small paw, and gave Ash a friendly greeting.
This was the instruction Red had given it before he left: to temporarily become the Pokemon of this youth named Ash.
Although the Trainer's level seemed a bit low, his aura was similar to Red's...
On this point, the round-faced Pika's impression of Ash was actually not bad.
Seeing this, Ash seemed to understand something and asked:
"So, you want to travel with me?"
"Pika~!"
The round-faced Pika nodded, acknowledging Ash's status as a Trainer.
"Then it's a pleasure to have you."
Ash bent down, intending to rub the exotic Pikachu's head.
*Zip!*
But just as he reached out his hand, this Pikachu agilely ran up his arm and jumped onto his shoulder.
Then, it casually rubbed his head, its expression surprisingly mature and practiced.
"Pika pika~~!"
If Meowth were here, Ash would have understood what it was saying.
"From now on, I've got your back, kid."
And so, a second Pikachu inexplicably appeared on Ash's shoulder, and the three of them inexplicably left the Grassland...
"Finally, it's symmetrical."
"But sore shoulders are also a problem..."
He shrugged his shoulders and muttered.
After a long while, the wild Meowth got up from the tall grass, completely bewildered.
Meow???
So they just came over to beat me up?