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The two of them are running, running as fast as they can from the pokemon attacking them from above and the pokemon attacking from behind them.
The pair managed to stumble across a dangerous group of pokemon.
The group has obviously been hurt by humans, judging by the scars on each of them and their immediate attack on Ash.
The pokemon are trying to liberate pikachu by murdering Ash.
Yeah, it's not a very fun time.
Unfortunately, in some weird twist of fate, pikachu broke one of its legs, so hanging on by his front two paws and half cradled by Ash, the two are running.
The branches are being slapped onto Ash, drawing blood from every scatch.
Pikachu is, however, being shielded by the damage by Ash.
A water jet is shot at Ash's leg, making him stumble onto his wrist.
"Are you okay?!" pikachu shouts despite it not coming out like that, and instead, it says, "pikapi!?
Ash doesn't answer besides a slight hiss of pain and immediately jumping forward onto his feet, dodging the swoop from the sparrow with only a single Tallon.
Pikachu is shifted to his other side, exposing the already red wrist to the pokemon.
"Pikachu!" pikachu yells to Ash, not the exclamation of "your wrist!"
"We'll be okay pikachu!" Ash says, a panicked smile obviously there to reassure pikachu.
It absolutely does not reassure pikachu. The two continue up the rocky terrain, dodging attack after attack.
Eventually, they hit a dead end. A cliff .
Ash swirls around to try and run back before the rouge pokemon surround them, but it's too late. A large group of pokemon has gathered in front of them, blocking the exit.
Pikachu stares at the threats in front of them, back raised, ready to defend itself and Ash.
A Charizard with small holes missing from its wings and a long scar on its tail swoops down, ready to fire a flamethrower at the two.
"Pikachu thunderbolt! Aim for the tail!" Ash says, and pikachu immediately charges up the attack and hits the Charizard on the tip of its tail, making it flip over in the air.
Most of the attack missed. However, a tiny bit danced too close to Ash's face, making him raise his arms, one to protect pikachu on his shoulder and one to stop the flames from hitting his face.
It works, the flames dancing along his arms, burning him in the process.
The group of pokemon towering above them step closer and closer, aiming an attack of some kind.
"We are saving you from that monster!" the group leader, a nidoking missing one of its ears, shouts at pikachu.
"NO! He's not a monster!" pikachu shouts back. It's not sure how it will get out of this one. But Ash is known for his plans to get them out of the impossible.
But as soon as pikachu looks over to Ash, it doesn't like what it sees.
Scratches on his face and arms from running through the forest away from the pokemon trying to 'free' pikachu by killing Ash.
Burns among his entire body. His whole left arm smoldering red from the Charizard attack. His hair was slightly on fire, and burn holes littered amongst his clothes.
But the worst was the look in Ash's eyes. Pikachu doesn't see the burning determination he often gets in situations like this or even the thrill of excitement from another journey.
Instead, there was terror, terror, and resignment .
It scares pikachu.
Ash backs up again as the pokemon get closer and closer, but Ash nearly slips, a few pebbles falling off the cliff they backed themselves into.
Pikachus eye flit back to the pokemon in front of them.
"We are here to save pokemon from trainers. You will feel better when he's gone." nidoking says with a smile on its face. Glee in its eyes to kill Ash. It's best friend. His other half .
That cannot happen.
Pikachu glares back at the pokemon. Who are now charging up some of their strongest attacks to hit simultaneously. If that attack hits, even just a percentage of it. It would prove fatal .
Pikachu looks back to Ash, waiting for instruction. A plan, anything.
Instead, it sees Ash looking down.
Ash pulls off his hat, and pikachu gains hope. When the hat is turned backward, Ash is determined to get out of whatever predicament they got into.
What it didn't see was Ash reaching behind himself to grab something from his belt.
Ash takes his hat off and slips it onto pikachu, the hat slips over its eyes too big, but the pokemon pushes it up to look at Ash.
The trainer smiles a pikachu, looking more like a grimace.
"I'll get you out soon, pikachu. Don't worry…." Ash says to pikachu, confusing it.
What does he mean by get you out soon? Get it out of what?
His words made sense in the most sicking way.
As pikachu sees a red light circle around it, pikachu knows what Ash meant.
No, no, no!
This cant happen. It's pikachu and Ash; they go through things together . So why is Ash pushing pikachu away?
Pikachu feels its body start to dissolve and enter the Pokeball and fights with all its might to not enter.
Nononononono
It needs to help Ash. Ash can't take that attack. He would die . At the very least, pikachu wouldn't have to live without him. But if pikachu is in this Pokeball, Ash would die, and pikachu would have to live without him.
NONONONONONONO
Tears slip out of the pokemon's eyes as the calming blanket of darkness from the night is replaced with the uncomfortable emptiness of a Pokeball.
Pikachu is hyperventilating as it feels this, panic rising infinitely.
Sparks start to erupt from Pikachus cheeks. Its leg is no longer hurting from the broken leg, and it's not just the adrenaline.
Instead, it's the Pokeball that soothes the pain from pokemon.
But pikachu doesn't pay attention to that, just the rising panic of being trapped in the tiny prison.
NONONONONONO
IT NEEDS TO GET OUT.
The last thing pikachu hears before the signature ding of a trapped pokemon in a Pokeball is one of the loudest explosions it has ever heard in its life...