2: New Home

“Pikachu! Hold up! Where are we going?!”

“No time. We need to go!”

We kept running. From what little I can gather, Pikachu is late for… Something. A date? A job interview? Work? Why is he taking me with him? I’d follow him anyway. He’s my only guide to this strange new world. Without him, I’m lost.

Eventually, we reach a gap in the path. It’s far too large for us to jump and if we fall, well… Let’s just say that it wouldn’t end like my skydive.

Pikachu looks at the pit, panicking. “No! No, this is the only way there! We need to get across!” He looks around frantically for a moment, then holds his gaze on a cave entrance. Looking to the other side of the chasm, there’s another cave entrance. “That’s it’s! That’s how we’ll get across!”

“Do you even know if the two tunnels even connect?”

“Only one way to find out. Oh, and be on your guard. Who knows who we’ll run across.”

With those words, I feel an anxious feeling in my gut. Like being given a test you had no idea was coming and never studied for. “On my guard?! What are you– and he gone…” With no choice, I followed him into the cave.

It isn’t long before we encounter what Pikachu was probably talking about. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Two gears, 90 degrees from each other, moving. And it has a face.
It’s alive.
 

“Klink. Not a problem. We’ll just fight past.”

“Fight? Fight?! I’ve never fought someone in my life!” Of course, he was already attacking the “Klink.” But… How he did it was what shocked me the most (no pun intended). Those red cheeks started sparking with electricity. Then a huge discharge of electricity arcs between him and the Klink. The Klink, somehow still alive after that passes out. All I can do is stare, jaw agape. “H–h–how–”

“I’ll explain later. Let’s keep moving.” So, we do. Eventually, we do indeed make it to the other side of the chasm. “See? It worked. Come on! We’re almost there.”

Ahead there is a barren wasteland. It looks completely uninhabitable. Why are we going there? Is there some significance to this place?

Pikachu calls out. “Quagsire! I’m here! I’m sorry I’m late!” A blue aquatic creature, I’m guessing another “Pokemon,” approaches us.

“Hmmm… I see. Hmmm… I was close to leaving. Hmmm… But I figured I’d stay for a little while longer.”

Pikachu looks at him, relived. “Thank you. I was worried for a moment there.” “Hmmm… Not to worry. Hmmm… So, you brought the money?”

“Yeah. 1200 Pokè.” Thunder takes out a bag filled with golden coins and hands it to Quagsire, who takes out a roll of paper and hands it to Pikachu.

“Thanks!”

“Hmmm… I should be thanking you. Hmmm… I’ve been trying to rid myself of this plot for a while now.” Wait… Pikachu bought this barren plot of land? Why? The cost to renovate it enough for it to be a viable plot would be staggering. “Hmmm… Pleasure doing business with you. Hmmm… Farewell.” With that, Quagsire leaves.

Now, time for answers. “Ok. Pikachu, I have a lot
 
of questions. And number one is this. Why did you buy a plot of land that looks like the essence of life itself abandoned this place?”

“Mostly because of its close proximity to mystery dungeons.”

“Proximity to what?”

“Mystery dungeons. Areas that have some mysterious properties. Always changing, always exciting to travel through. Though, looking back… I’m not sure if it was worth the cost. That was almost all my money.”

Ok, well I’m not going to badger him about questionable real estate choices. “So… That… Thing. That… Electric… Thing… Back in the cave. How did you do that?”

“It’s just a natural ability of mine. My cheeks generate and store electricity that I can discharge at will. All Pikachu can do it.”

“That’s… actually pretty cool. Is there anything I can do?”

“You’re a grass type so your moves are mostly plant based.”

“Like vines and seeds and such?”

“Yeah. Perhaps later I can show you the ropes of combat.”

“Fighting is an important aspect here?”

“Heck yeah! It’s a sport to most. Though it’s also used in defense.”

“Interesting. Also, what do you plan to do with this land?”

“Oh, this? I’m planning to create a haven for Pokemon interested in adventure. I’ll call it Pokemon Paradise.”

“That’s an ambitious project… How do you plan to do it?”

“I… I never actually thought that far ahead… But we’ll figure something out.”

“‘We?'”

“Yeah. We. You don’t have a place to stay. You may as well live with me.” Uh… Stay with a stranger I just met? Is that safe? Well… He’s right. I’ve got nowhere to stay. I guess… I might as well. Besides. He seems nice enough.

“…good point. I suppose you’re right. I’ll stay.” I swear, he looks like he looks like a kid on Christmas Day. He’s so filled with joy.

“Yeah! We’re going to have so much fun!” I’ll admit, it’s slightly infectious. I can’t help but smile.

“It’s starting to get late. Where do we stay?” Almost immediately, his smile fades. 

“Oh… Oh… Uh…”

“Didn’t think that far ahead?”

“No. No I didn’t.” Well… This is brilliant.

“Guess we’re sleeping under the stars.”

We got a fire going and made some rather primitive sleeping bags. It’s not much, but given the circumstances, I’m glad we have something.

“Hey… Alex?”

“Hm?”

“I wonder… In legend, humans liked to give familiar Pokemon nicknames that they’d call them. Since we’re going to be living together… Would you like to give me one?”

“Sure. Uh… Let’s see… Shock? no. Static? Nah. Sparky? Mh, maybe… Oh! I got it. Thunder. I’ll call you Thunder.”

“Thunder… I like it. Yeah. It sounds powerful. Alright. From now on, I’m Thunder.

I smirk a little and yawn. “I suppose we should rest up.”

“Yeah. You’re right. Goodnight Alex.”

“Goodnight, Thunder.” And with that, we drift off to sleep.