A few weeks ago
(Giovanni POV)
Currently, Giovanni was sitting in his office looking at the operations he is running, there have been some successes and more failures due to the incompetence of his Executive Petrel. 'I need to send that incompetent fool into one of the bases in Johto. I hate to admit it but he still has his uses, especially his unmatched skill in disguising himself.'
As he finished that he thought to himself. 'I wonder if Silver is doing well' but as soon as he finished Archer came into the room, Giovanni expected positive news after all if anyone would be considered his second in command it would be Archer. But as soon as Archer started talking he started to become furious.
"Boss, I regret to inform you but operation, F.E.A.R has escaped due to Petrel thinking it was worthless." as Giovanni heard this he started seeing red in anger and yelled, "Bring that incompetent fool here now!!" Giovanni said that Archer called in some grunts holding Petrel.
As he was forced in, Petrel said, "What's the big deal that was just a useless rat?" As he said this Giovanni got even angrier as he said, "Do you never read your reports, that rat is more valuable than you are or ever will be! That rat was enhanced to be able to counter Project Mewtwo! Get out of my sight you are being sent to the Johto branch in a base that is just as useless as you… no that's rude I don't want to insult the base."
As Petrel was taken out of the room Giovanni got into the mic and made an announcement, "Everyone abandon your current operations project F.E.A.R has escaped; whoever can bring it back to me will receive an instant promotion to admen, get that rat by any means necessary."
For the next few days, all of the team rocket would be searching for project F.E.A.R with no results.
(Pichu POV)
A small yellow mouse darted through the forest, exhausted after escaping captivity. It felt like it could collapse at any moment. Suddenly, an Ekans slithered out of the brush and lunged.In a burst of desperation and fear, the Pichu let out a full-force Thundershock. The attack succeeded in scaring off the Ekans, but the effort, combined with its existing injuries, left the Pichu barely standing.Then it heard voices, Team Rocket grunts, along with the growls of Koffing. Terrified, it forced itself to run, unaware of the cliff ahead. It plunged forward—and fell.
However before it fell and got injured even more, a Kangaskhan manages to catch Pichu from his fall and takes the little mouse in with her baby and the rest of the Kangaskhan. And is given some herbs and berries to eat, so Pichu decides to stay with the mother and child in the group of Kangaskhan.
Current time
(Ash POV)
It was time for the Pokémon camp, not really a camp, more like a forest expedition just outside Pallet Town. Ash was already awake, thanks to not smashing the alarm clock this time, and he was dressed and ready to go. Its been a bit of time since his birthday when his mom asked him what he wanted as a gift he already knew, he asked for a Pokeball so he could catch a Pokemon if he found one and they wanted to go with him
Ash didn't really think it would happen, he just asked for it, you know since most children would ask for that, but to his surprise when he woke up on his birthday next to his bed he found a Pokeball, but not just any it was a Black sleek Pokeball, a Luxury Ball, which he was extremely happy about, he didn't know how but he didn't ask, he just hugged Delia when he did.
He burst out the door, backpack bouncing behind him, and made his way to Professor Oak's lab. As he arrived, he saw the group already gathered, everyone, even Chloe and a new face standing beside her. Ash waved. "Hey! I'm here, Professor Oak!" Everyone turned, and Oak gave a hearty chuckle. "Hello, Ash my boy! You're just in time, we were this close to leaving without you!" he said jokingly.
Ash jogged up to the group, pretending to be surprised as he noticed the boy next to Chloe. "Hey Chloe, who's your friend?" He said, he had to hold back the look of disgust he wanted to give, he really didn't like Goh but he needed him here for an excuse so he could sneak off and blame Goh.
Hearing this Chloe responded, "Hey Ash, this is my friend Goh from Vermilion City too. You said that I should bring someone along to make the trip interesting and Goh wanted to come along. He sometimes comes to watch my father's research."
Ash turned to Goh and smiled, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you, Goh. I'm Ash, from Pallet Town. I hope we can get along." he said, but he had to physically hold himself back, he really didn't like this kid, he was a proud Goh hater and he wasn't planning on changing
And so Goh took Ash's hand and smiled saying, "So your Ash, Chloe told me about you, she said you are probably the hardest working kid in your school, well I bet you don't know more than me though." He finished as he looked up like he just won an argument.
Before Ash could reply, Professor Oak clapped his hands. "Alright everyone, let's get going! The later we leave, the later we return. Off we go!"
The forest expedition began, Oak occasionally stopping to explain various Pokémon behaviors, habitats, and types. Ash, however, was far more focused on observing the Pokémon around them than listening. Butterfree fluttered past, a herd of Doduo and Dodrio grazed by a pond, and deeper in the forest, he spotted a group of wild Bulbasaur and Squirtle relaxing in the shade.
'I guess that's where Oak gets all of the starter Pokemon, I wonder why he didn't just tell Ash to wait as he went to get another one, or better yet just have an extra pair lying around.' As Ash was thinking, Goh was impressing all the other children with his big knowledge of Pokemon.
Ash was taken out of his thoughts when he saw two trainers, a girl in a pink dress and a Squirtle, and a boy in a red vest with a Bulbasaur. The girl was fighting a Caterpie, and as soon as Squirtle used what seemed to be a bubble beam she threw a Pokeball and caught the Caterpie. All the other children looked surprised and Oak proceeded to explain about catching and how it works.
As the day continues they reach a Farfetch'd, then Oak explains that all Pokemon evolve and then Goh starts to pull the 'umm actually card', "But that Farfetch'd doesn't evolve not all Pokemon can evolve, there are tons of Pokemon that can't evolve."
Ash hears this and thinks to himself, 'Ehh, might as well deflate his ego a bit' as he begins to say, "Who decided that, just because we haven't seen a Farfetch'd evolve doesn't mean it can't happen, that's what we have researchers like Oak for to find new information about pokemon, maybe all pokemon can evolve and we just haven't found out how to make them evolve."
As he finished he got a mixed bag of emotions, Oak looked at him with happiness and appreciation, the children looked at him like he was a philosopher, Goh looked at him with a bit of surprise and a little bit of embarrassment, and Chloe just looked tired because she knew Goh's tendencies.
As the expedition continued, Oak led the group across a bridge and began talking about Water-type Pokémon. Meanwhile, Ash, Goh, and Chloe lagged behind.
Chloe spoke first. "Goh, you shouldn't talk over people. This is why you don't make friends."
Goh responds, "Who said I wanted to make friends, besides I have you and now Ash as my friends, now what I want is to catch a Pokemon that no one has ever seen before."
Hearing this Chloe sighs. Goh responds by starting to argue, "Don't make fun of me, it's my destiny I can practically hold my future in the palm of my hand, You believe in me don't you Ash!"
But before Ash can answer they hear a loud crash, looking over from the trees they see a large Nidoking, fighting a small flying mouse-cat-like Pokemon, this was Mew of course only Ash knew this. As they fought Nidoking was getting embarrassed, first using earth power but Mew dodged and then used earth power back leaving the Nidoking weakened.
As Goh saw this he yelled, "It just used the same move as that huge Nidoking, not only that it is using it better than Nidoking!"
As the Nidoking recovered it attempted a shadow ball, only to miss again and get hit with a copy of it leaving it barely standing, in a last attempt Nidoking attempted to use an ice beam, only to fail again and be copied, and used to take it down. Meanwhile, Mew is treating the whole fight like a game, laughing like a child, and as soon as Nidoking fainted, Mew started to fly away.
Without thinking, Goh took off after it. Chloe shouted, "Goh! Stop running ahead!" and Ash followed. He may not like Goh but this is the chance he's been waiting for. They reached an open field where Goh came to a stop, scanning the area. Chloe caught up and said, "Goh, you shouldn't run off like that. We're not supposed to be here, we need to get back to Professor Oak."
Before they could move, an Electabuzz stepped out of the trees. But it suddenly shimmered and transformed, revealing itself to be Mew. It darted off again, and the chase resumed, with Goh, Chloe, and Ash in hot pursuit. Mew morphed into a Dodrio to speed across the plains, then leapt into the river and transformed into a Gyarados, swimming downstream. Goh yelled, "Get back here! You won't get away from me!"
The wild chase led them deeper into the forest until they arrived at a cliffside. There, they suddenly heard the panicked cries of a baby Kangaskhan falling, and the desperate shouts of a mother Kangaskhan, and a tiny, frightened Pichu, echoing through the trees
A moment earlier, the little family was simply enjoying some quiet time, snacking on berries and herbs they'd foraged. The baby Kangaskhan, curious and full of energy, wandered a little too far from the group. Pichu, ever the protective little companion, noticed and quickly ran after him.
"Pichuuuu!" he squeaked in warning, trying to get the baby to stop.
But the baby Kangaskhan was already teetering near the cliff's edge. Pichu rushed forward—just in time to reach the little one—but the dirt beneath their tiny feet crumbled.
Both of them began to fall.
"PIIICHUUU!" the tiny mouse cried out as they tumbled toward the rocky forest floor far below.
It was at this moment that Ash, Goh, and Chloe arrived—and when they saw the babies falling toward the water, they knew the little ones were too young. They wouldn't survive the impact.
As Goh stood frozen and Chloe covered her mouth in horror, Ash gritted his teeth and sprinted forward. "Hang on!!" he shouted, throwing off his backpack and diving after them.
Chloe screamed, "Ash, no!!"
Goh reached out, too late to stop him. "What is he doing?!"
Ash ran as fast as his small legs could take him. He had been working on his Aura, and this was as good a time as any to try it. He began pouring Aura into his legs to make them stronger and faster. He was getting closer—the babies were still falling.
Ash could only hope this would work. If it didn't, he was pretty screwed. As he jumped from the cliff's edge, he caught the babies in midair with his small arms.
"I got you!" Ash grunted, as they looked up at him.
But now all three of them were falling together, heading straight for the water below. Pichu's hatred of people was conveniently forgotten as he clung to Ash's head.
"I'm not letting go…!" Ash whispered, hugging them tightly.
Then, in a shimmer of pink light, the wind shifted. A soft glow surrounded them as they suddenly stopped falling mid-air. Ash mentally thanked Arceus—Mew had helped him.
He glanced around and saw Mew flying beside them, its large blue eyes glowing, its body pulsing with psychic energy. It giggled and spun once before gently carrying them back up to the top of the cliff, setting them down safely beside Chloe and Goh.
Ash sat up, still clutching the two Pokémon, panting hard.
"You're crazy!" Chloe yelled, both terrified and relieved. She looked like she was about to cry as she gripped Ash's hoodie.
"You could've gotten hurt!" Goh added, wide-eyed.
Ash laughed. "Ha… sorry. Please don't tell Professor Oak about this. If my mom finds out, she'll kill me—before smothering me in hugs."
As he spoke, he looked down at the Kangaskhan and Pichu. From the cliff, they could hear the mama Kangaskhan running around below, trying to reach them and collect her babies.
Above them, Mew hovered, giggling at how reckless Ash had been. Goh looked up, finally getting a good look at the Mythical Pokémon. He tried to reach out and touch it, but Mew laughed and teleported away.
"So close…" Goh mumbled.
"Well, sometimes things don't go as planned," Ash said as he rubbed the Kangaskhan and Pichu. He tried using a little Aura—since it could be used for bonding, he figured he might as well try.
As he patted them, they visibly relaxed. Pichu even looked like he wanted to lean into it—until he remembered that Ash was a human. With a puff of his cheeks, he let out a Thunder Shock, lighting up Ash, Chloe, and Goh.
They all fell over into the grass, extra crispy.
Ash groaned from the grass, smoke still wafting off his hair. "Ow… okay, I probably deserved that."
Chloe sat up beside him, her hair sticking out in every direction. "Probably?!"
Goh coughed out a puff of smoke, too charred to speak.
Pichu jumped out from Ash's hands and stood protectively in front of his adopted brother. The baby Kangaskhan just looked confused.
Before the moment could last much longer, the mother Kangaskhan finally broke through the brush with a rumbling cry. She scooped up her baby and Pichu, hugging them tightly.
The Kangaskhan looked down at her babies and smiled. Then she stepped forward, grabbing a berry from her pouch and offering it to Ash in thanks.
"A… berry?" Ash blinked, taking it carefully. "Thank you."
"I guess that's her way of thanking you," Chloe said, already trying to fix her spiky hair.
"Yeah, I guess," Ash said, looking at the berry and tightening his grip on it as he smiled.
The mama Kangaskhan placed the baby and Pichu back into her pouch and waved at them before turning to rejoin her herd. Pichu looked back and, hesitantly, slowly waved goodbye. He couldn't shake the feeling that Ash wasn't so bad. And while clinging to him earlier… he had caught Ash's scent.
Meanwhile, Ash, Goh, and Chloe sat in the grass, sighing in relief. Not long after, they heard rustling in the bushes. Out came Professor Oak, who looked relieved to find them—but also horrified at their extra-crispy appearance.
"So this is where you three have been! As soon as I noticed you were gone, I came running as fast as I could. What were you doing this deep in the forest?! You look like you got shocked!"
They tried to make up an excuse, but, well… the scorch marks on their clothes really didn't help. So they just said they'd helped a Pichu in trouble, and it shocked them before running off into the forest.
Oak could tell that wasn't the whole story, but honestly, he didn't care. He was just relieved they were safe. With some scolding, he guided them back to the group, and they returned to Pallet Town.
{Later that night}
Pichu lay curled up with the Kangaskhans, but he'd started to notice things.
Mama Kangaskhan was falling behind the rest of the herd because she had him in her pouch, too.
She was giving him part of her food—meaning she was eating less herself. Pichu felt awful. His presence meant she was suffering. And after all she'd done to help him heal…
He tried to climb out of the pouch, to tell her he'd walk beside her and find his own food. But she just shook her head, like he was being silly, and gently placed him back inside.
After all, what kind of mother wouldn't willingly cut off her own arm if it meant feeding her children, adopted or otherwise?
So, with a heavy heart, Pichu knew he had to do something—for her sake. So she could be happy again.
In the middle of the night, he quietly sneaked out of the pouch and ran away, leaving behind tears… and a makeshift thank-you note in Pokémon language, just saying:
"Thank you for being my mama."
It hurt. It hurt like hell. Even the experiments he'd been put through didn't feel half as bad as this. But he had to do it.
And now, Pichu was alone again.
He was still just a baby. Born in a lab. He'd escaped. He didn't know how to find food, or how to survive. He barely knew how to fight.
But then… he remembered that boy.
He wanted to slap himself for even considering going to a human for help—but he was desperate. And that boy didn't seem all that bad.
So he took a breath… sniffed the air… and began following Ash's scent, padding through the forest in search of him.
—-
Ash was lying in his room. Delia had scolded him earlier, but in the end, she was just happy he was safe. After dinner and helping around the house, Ash went to his room and collapsed onto his bed. Beside him sat the Luxury Ball he'd gotten as a birthday present.
He picked it up and spun it in his hand, "Man… it would've been nice if I could've caught Pichu early… whatever. I guess I'll get him in the end. Still, it would've been cool to flex on Gary," Ash muttered with a small chuckle.
Then he jumped when he heard a little knock on his window.
He looked over, and saw a small yellow hand tapping the glass. Two yellow-and-black ears twitched just under the frame, Pichu.
Ash walked over and opened the window. The little Pokémon stood there with his arms crossed slightly, not looking directly at him—but still there, nonetheless.
"Chu…" he mumbled.
Ash smiled. "Hey, you're the Pichu from today. What are you doing here?"
That question was answered when Pichu's stomach gave a loud grumble. He blushed in embarrassment.
Ash laughed. "You hungry? Okay, wait here. Come on—sit on the bed," He tapped the bed and snuck out of his room to the kitchen, quietly grabbing a bottle of ketchup and a few berries so he wouldn't wake Delia.
He came back and sat on the bed next to Pichu, handing him the berries. The little Pokémon started eating happily. Then, he looked curiously at the red bottle in Ash's hand.
Ash offered it. "Here, try it. I know you'll like it. Cross my heart."
Pichu squinted at it, took the bottle, and cautiously squeezed out a bit of the red liquid. He licked it, And instantly loved it, "Piii!" he chirped, licking it excitedly.
Ash chuckled. "Told you~" Pichu kept eating, even trying the bizarre combo of ketchup on berries—which, for some reason, he enjoyed.
After the meal, Ash asked gently, "Hey… so why are you here? What about the Kangaskhan?"
Pichu froze. His ears drooped as he looked down sadly, "Pi…"
Ash nodded. "I see. You left for their sake." He slowly reached out and rubbed Pichu's head. The little Pokémon didn't stop him, "So… what are you going to do now?"
Pichu didn't respond. He just kept clutching his ketchup bottle.
Ash smiled gently. "Well then… you wanna live here? With me?"
Pichu looked up in surprise, wide-eyed. For a moment, he looked ready to shock Ash again and bolt out the window, but Ash quickly raised his hands.
"Wait, hear me out! You'll have food, shelter, and if you want, I can help you get stronger and evolve. And if you ever want to leave, I won't stop you."
Ash looked at the Luxury Ball and held it out, "So if you want, we can. But if you don't, that's okay too. I won't make you stay. You're free to go. But if you do stay… from now on, we're friends."
Pichu stared at Ash. He could tell the boy meant it. He wasn't forcing him. He was giving him a choice.
Pichu hesitated. Being around humans still made him nervous. But… this one didn't feel like the others. He smelled different. He felt different.
Pichu looked down, clicking his little tongue in thought.
"Fine," he thought. "I'll just get food and shelter for now. Then, once I can take care of myself, I'm gone."
He slowly raised his tiny fist… and tapped the Poké Ball.
**1 Roll… 2 Roll… 3 Roll… Ding! **
Ash gave a wide, toothy smile.
He'd caught Pichu.