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Pikachu feels so stupid. And weak. And useless.
How did it fall for such a stupid ruse? He's supposed to be the smarter one.
Instead, pikachu trusted someone it shouldn't have, and now Pikachu and Ash were stuck in this situation.
Ash hums, holding pikachu close and petting its ears, trying to calm it down. Ash carefully minds the collar.
Pikachu hates the collar. Hates the fact it's on pikachu, hates that there's a matching one on Ash. Hates that the two were collared like pets.
Pikachu is gonna have to go out there and fight again. Pikachu is going to be ripped from Ash's arms soon. Pikachu is going to be taken from his trainer soon.
"It'll be okay, pikachu," Ash says, despite the bad injuries currently forcing him down. They had tried to escape a week ago.
They made sure Ash would regret it. It took days for Ash to wake up again, and pikachu had to watch.
They couldn't hurt pikachu. They needed pikachu to be strong.
But Ash? They couldn't care less about Ash beyond the fact they could use Ash to get pikachu to obey.
Pikachu has to obey until Ash gets stronger and can escape.
The door opens, and pikachu stiffens. Ash holds pikachu closer, but pikachu gets grabbed anyway. They use rubber gloves to stop him from using its electricity, and the collar is metal, conducting all the electricity regardless. They've locked its tail in a guard. Pikachu can't use iron tail until it's off.
Pikachu growls as they leave the room. Ash and pikachu make eye contact before the door closes. Ash looks sad.
Pikachu hates it when Ash is sad.
Pikachu gets shoved into a small room with a portcullis about to be opened. Pikachu's tail guard opens, and its collar breaks off, leaving it free to attack anything it would like.
The portcullis raises, and pikachu makes eye contact with its opponent. It's just a baby. Pikachu looks at the baby cubone with sadness. It doesn't want to fight it.
The cubone looks around the ring with slight alarm. It was probably hatched a few days ago. This is its first match.
The people watching scream and shout for a good fight. Pikachu glares at them before creeping forward.
Pikachu approaches the cubone. The cubone smiles, waving its bone at pikachu. It must have been raised in isolation so far. It doesn't know the punishment for a bad fight.
Pikachu apologizes to the cubone.
Cubone tilts its head, looking Confused.
Pikachu speeds up, using a quick attack to headbutt the cubone.
The cubone cries as it gets attacked, being thrown into the wall behind them. The crowd cheers.
Pikachu Hates them.
The cubone cries, not getting up. It doesn't understand a battle yet. Pikachu powers up an iron tail.
Pikachu is sorry. But if it doesn't give a good fight, Ash will get hurt.
And it can't let Ash get hurt.
Pikachu looks over to the small gap in the wood, where it can see Ash's eyes watching him. Ash looks sad. When he sees what pikachu is about to do, he looks away, not wanting to affect Pikachu's battle.
It affects pikachu.
Pikachu shifts its attention to the cubone, speeding up with an iron tail, but forces it into the cage it came from.
The cubone cries again. Pikachu jumps up, aiming an iron tail.
The crowd cheers, ready for the kill. Pikachu shifts, twisting in the air and cutting the rope that holds the cage door open. Closing the cage, trapping the cubone inside.
A peaceful loss.
But not one without without punishment.
Pikachu is forced back onto the guard, and collar being thrown into the cell. Realizing Ash isn't there.
Pikachu rages.
It won. Why is Ash getting hurt?
But pikachu knows why. It's because pikachu didn't give enough of a show. Enough brutality to please the customers. The one paying for the illegal Pokemon ring, run by the actual team Rocket.
Pikachu glares, it attacks, it yells.
The door opens. Ash is thrown in. Ash hits the ground with a thud as pikachu rushes over, making sure Ash is okay.
Ash's eyes are covered by his hair as he lays limply on the ground. Pikachu purrs, nuzzling Ash's cheek.
Pikachu sits on Ash's chest, watching the door. Guarding Ash for anyone else who may try and hurt him. No matter what pikachu could actually do.
Pikachu hears voices behind the door. Pikachu growls, getting away from Ash to be able to attack.
The door opens, and James jerks his head in.
Pikachu makes a confused noise, tilting its head.
"Pikachus in here!" James says, slipping into the door with Jessie following. They are both wearing the Team Rockets outfits for the ring. They must be in disguise.
"Prepare for trouble! And a rescue. " Jessie whisperyells.
"Make it double!" James says.
"To protect the world from-"
"Can we hurry!" Meowth whines, cutting in. He was in a cage carried by Jessie. They must have disguised themselves and snuck in by using Meowth.
"Shut up! If anyone hears you, we're busted!" Jessie whisperyells as James squats down to pikachu holding a pick to get pikachu free from its limiters.
"We're here to get you out," James says, and pikachu smirks.
"Pika, pichu pik" Pikachu snorts, Meowth growls.
"We are not good guys!" Meowth hisses, clawing at the cage.
"The only people who get to kidnap you are us!" Meowth says, crossing its paws.
Pikachu rolls its eyes, finding its collar unlocked. James unlocks it's tail quickly after.
"Where's the twerp," Jessie asks, pikachu gestures to the side, where Ash is still lying limply.
James and Jessie hiss. The twerp is in bad shape. Jessie grabs pikachu by the scruff of its neck as James picks Ash up and lifts him on his back.
They're escaping this place.