Episode 36:
Instinct

Icy headed out of the canyon. “Cyber, GO!” he called as he held out Cyber’s pokéball. Cyber came out and awaited instructions from its master. “Cyber, run rover conversion program!” Cyber converted to a land rover and Icy hopped in. “Let’s head towards the shore Cyber.” Cyber took off. No one paid any attention to him as he exited the canyon. He rode down the road leading towards the ocean.

Meanwhile, in a field near the shore, Sara walked around playing in the flowers. She was a very cheerful and beautiful pikachu and had many pokémon friends. The butterfrees fluttered around her as she picked a colorful bouquet. She lived in a small forest just outside of Fuchsia City. From what she was told, her parents had been captured by trainers, but she didn’t ever hold a grudge against them. She understood that most trainers are very kind to their pokémon and she believed that someday, she would soon find herself a master to take care of her.

Icy was speeding down the path to the shore when something he saw interested him. “Cyber, stop quick!” Cyber hit the brakes almost sending Icy flying. “Return Cyber.” Icy looked into the field. At first, he didn’t notice Sara, only the butterfree flying around in the air. “They’re so pretty... huh...” His eyes focused in on Sara. Emotions he hadn’t felt before began to set in. To him, she was the most beautiful creature on earth, even if she was only a pokémon. But for some reason, that detail was no longer relevant to Icy. The fact that she was a pikachu made him even more attracted towards her. He couldn’t understand what he was feeling. He left almost like he was...

Sara spotted Icy staring at her blankly. She giggled and ran up to him not knowing anything about Icy’s past. He was still speechless. All he could do was look at her. His eyes were transfixed on her. She looked at him and giggled again. Then, she saw the small black device around his neck. “Pika. Chu pi kapi?”

“Huh?” Icy snapped out of his daze.

“Pika. Chu pi kapi...,” Sara repeated.

For some odd reason, Icy understood what she was saying. He didn’t know why at first, but then he realized.

** Flashback **

During the experiment, he could hear clearly what his pikachu, Static, was saying to him.

** End Flashback **

The experiment must have had other side effects on him. He responded, not speaking through the translator, “Ka. Chu pika pikachu cha pi-chu-ka-pi.” [It’s a translator.] She looked at him oddly not knowing what a translator was. She pointed to it again, gesturing to take a closer look. Icy look it off his neck and handed it to her. She looked at it and shook it. Icy grabbed her hands to make her stop. “No. You’ll hurt it.” Sara understood. “Talk into it.” She put the device close to her lips and started speaking. Upon hearing her words come out in English she dropped the translator. Icy dove to catch it, then placed it back around his neck.

“Why do you have that?” Sara asked.

Icy wasn’t sure how to answer her. How could be explain to her that he was once human? He decided it be best to tell her the truth. “I have it because I hang out with a group of humans. I was once a human myself.” Sara stepped back. She felt very confused. “Please. I don’t want to hurt you.” She tried to sort through everything that was happening. She moved closer to Icy again.

“How can you be pikachu if you also human?” Her question startled Icy for a second. He didn’t know pokémon had enough intellect to hold such conversations. He answered her anyway.

“There was an experiment I took part in. It was to help trainers better understand their pokémon by letting them communicate in their own languages. But something went wrong. I was transformed into a pikachu by a strange beam.” Now it was Sara’s turn to have the blank expression. Icy turned away from her. The feelings he had were slowly fading and he felt as if his heart had been smashed to pieces. A tear formed in his eye.

Sara collected herself and ran towards Icy. “Pika!” she cried out. Icy stopped and turned around. “Where are you going? I want to know more about you.” This confused Icy. Suddenly, he felt there was still a chance of something between them.

“More about me? Like what?” Icy asked.

“Well. Since you are a pikachu, and I’m a pikachu... Well... Didn’t you learn anything about feelings when you were human?” Icy was shocked. Sara was definitely gifted with intelligence. Maybe it was because she had seen many humans in her life and had grown accustom to their customs, although never being captured by one before.

“Umm...” Icy said looking for words.

“What was your name. My parents called me Sara.”

“Uhh... My name is Icy. Sara is a pretty name. I like it.”

Sara smiled. Icy was beginning to wonder if she shared the same feelings he was having for her. Sara began wondering the same. “Icy... Hehe... That’s a cute name. Do you come from the mountains or some place cold and snowy?”

“No. My parents just liked the name I guess.” She was holding his hand now. Hesitantly, she asked, “Icy, were you a pokémon trainer when you were human?” Oddly, she didn’t have a worried look on her face from what Icy could tell.

“Yes. I fact, I had just began my pokémon journey.” Knowing her next question, he continued, “And yes, I am still a trainer. People from my world have accepted the fact that I can still be a trainer. They seem to think it’s interesting.” Now she had a worried expression. Icy could tell what she was thinking using his psychic powers. “Don’t worry, I’ve no intentions of trying to capture you.”

She smiled at him and replied, “I think you already have.” Her body fell into Icy’s. He now understood what his feelings meant...