Pokemon: The World Tree

Chapter 2: A Walk Through the Forest

"So," Maya asked for the umpteenth time, "how about now?"

"No." the Pikachu said automatically.

The electric mouse shoved some underbrush out the way and motioned Maya to go though.  "How about now?"  The young Natu asked once she caught up.

"No, not yet."  The Pikachu said, reassuming the lead.

After another minute of walking Maya pleaded, "Can we take a break yet?"

"We've only been walking for two hours."

"My feet don't care!"  Maya nearly shouted,  "Just one little break.  Please?"

"No." the Pikachu said sternly, "At any moment it's going to start pouring, and with my luck it'll be when we get to the clearing.  I don't want to get caught in the rain so hurry up.  This is a day long trip-"

"You said it was three days!"

"It will be a three day walk if you keep dragging your feet." he said as he maneuvered through the branches of a fallen tree.

The mouse's ears batted as a sharp crack echoed through the damp air.  Maya brought her leg off the ground and cried, "My leg, it's broken! We need to stop!"  The Black Pikachu kept moving, "I - I can't move, help me.  Please, ouch, ouch ooo."  Maya's emotion soaked words, and theatrical performance, were powerful enough to make even the coldest Pokémon break down in tears. Or so she thought.

"Your leg isn't broken, you just stepped on a twig," the Pikachu said without looking back or slowing down. "And stay quiet, or do you want every Pokémon in the forest to come?"

Maya put her leg down and glared at her traveling partner, it wasn't very effective. "But I'm so ttiirreedd."

"Complaining won't make it better."  The Pikachu snapped.

"Actually it does.  It just takes your mind off everything, you know?  Hey!  That's what you can do.  Tell me a story.  If you do I won't even remember my aching feet."

"I don't know any stories kid."  The Pikachu said much too quickly.

"Then tell me your story."  When he did not respond, Maya prompted, "How'd you get to be so weird looking?"

The Pikachu stopped for the first time since they started.  He turned to face the bird Pokémon, "Stop talking," he said with a long sigh, "please."

"I just mean, why are you black?"

The Pikachu massaged his head, cursed his luck, and continued walking.

"I mean, I know that there are shinnies - Oh! Sorry, I meant uniquely colored Pokémon - and I've never seen a real Pikachu, but aren't they supposed to be yellow, or orange?  Right?" she pressed.

"Yes," he half-heartedly replied.

"And you look like a regular Pikachu except you've got all black fur, well maybe a really dark brown, I can't tell.  And now that I look at it, your tail is huge; it's like, long and fat.  Also shouldn't your cheeks be red?  Their blue you know.  Well not blue, more of a teal or aquamarine."

"I know how I look." The Pikachu interjected, "Please, drop it."

"Why are you dark brown and teal with a big tail?"  Maya asked without hesitation.

"I don't know."

"Did you come from a place full of black Pikachu?" Maya pressed.

"I don't know."

"Were you born like that, like I am with my purple feather?"

"I don't know."

"Are you a new kind of shi- Uniquely Colored Pokémon?"