But the stubborn Pikachu refused to give up. With lightning-like speed, it rushed toward Marowak's head and used Iron Tail, intending to strike a vital point.
Seeing this, Marowak didn't even bother dodging. It directly used its skull to withstand Pikachu's attack, then seized Pikachu's tail with one hand and slammed it back and forth against the ground.
With the Battle Armor Ability, Marowak would never be hit at a vital point by any move—even moves that are guaranteed to land critical hits had no effect.
"Pikachu, do I now qualify to be your trainer?" Red asked, signaling Marowak with his eyes to let go.
The moment it released Pikachu, Pikachu immediately used Iron Tail again, aiming for Marowak's body, only for Marowak to easily block it with its bone club.
Using the recoil, Pikachu quickly distanced itself from Marowak, its cautious gaze locking onto Marowak, ready to act again.
"Pikachu, I want to understand your past even more, and I want to heal the wounds in your heart. So… join my team and travel with me!"
This time, Red's words made Pikachu hesitate for a moment. The Power of Viridian that Red released could temporarily soothe Pikachu's heart, allowing it to experience a rare warmth—something Pikachu had never dared to hope for.
But Pikachu didn't want to bow its head to Red so easily. This was its pride—not mere tsundere stubbornness.
Sensing Pikachu's conflicted thoughts, Red decided to let Marowak and Pikachu have one final showdown.
"Marowak, use Headbutt!"
Marowak naturally understood Red's intention. It discarded the bone club in its hand, casually tossing it aside, then lowered its head and charged straight toward Pikachu.
"Pika~"
The intelligent Pikachu immediately understood Red's plan. It smiled faintly and shook its head, not expecting to be treated in such a special way.
Pikachu dashed forward as well, its tail shining with silver light as it fiercely swung toward Marowak's head.
"Bang—"
After a brief clash, under Pikachu's 'contemptuous' smile and Marowak's puzzled gaze—
Marowak's Headbutt sent Pikachu flying into the corner wall, smashing a spiderweb-like crater into it.
Seeing Pikachu lying motionless and unconscious on the ground, Red silently threw a Poké Ball and captured Pikachu.
The Poké Ball didn't shake at all—Red had perfectly captured it.
"Come out, Pikachu."
As the white light faded, the newly awakened Pikachu raised its head proudly, refusing to accept Red's touch.
[Ding! Successfully stacked the Lightning Rod Ability onto Pikachu!]
"Pokémon: Pikachu · Partner
Attribute: Electric
First Ability: Static (When a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by contact moves, there is a 30% chance to inflict paralysis.)
Second Ability: Lightning Rod
Moves: Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Thunder Shock, Agility, Slam, Thunderbolt, Thunder, Iron Tail, Volt Tackle…
Personality: Loves freedom, enjoys sweets, carries a painful past
Background: This Partner Pikachu was born in Viridian Forest. In order to compete with many Bug-type and Flying-type Pokémon for berries, it would often end up covered in wounds. Yet, it would feed the hard-earned berries, bite by bite, to its twin younger brother.
It rarely ate any itself, nearly leading to malnourishment.
On one rainy day when it had nothing to eat, for the sake of survival—and due to the accumulated pain over time—it ultimately hardened its heart and abandoned its unconscious twin brother, hoping the other could grow independently.
But Pikachu soon regretted it. However, due to a sudden battle, it was unable to return in time.
Even now, Pikachu is still lost in the guilt within its heart, unable to free itself, using the thrill of stealing every day to temporarily numb its feelings."
"Pikachu, I want to heal the pain in your heart, so you won't need to numb yourself with the thrill of stealing anymore."
Red spoke softly. Ignoring Pikachu's outward resistance, he forcibly pulled Pikachu into his arms and gently stroked its trembling fur, which shook from inner unease.
"You know? My twin younger brother also has a Pikachu. I can introduce you to it—maybe it'll help you feel a little better."
"Pika—"
Pikachu lifted its head in shock, looking at Red's gentle smile. At this moment, Pikachu was filled with anxious fear, because it no longer had the courage to interact with any of its own kind.
"It's okay. Everything will pass. I believe fate brought us together, and I also believe fate can help you… open the knot in your heart."
After saying that, Red looked up at the sky as the dark clouds gradually dispersed. Moonlight poured down, illuminating both Red and Pikachu's faces.
Beside them, Marowak and Dratini tactfully stepped back, not disturbing them.
Partner Pikachu was extremely rare. If Red's guess was correct, Ash's Pikachu was also a Partner Pikachu—otherwise, it wouldn't possess electric power far beyond that of ordinary Pikachu.
"Don't worry, I will definitely untie the knot in your heart…" Red said, letting Pikachu lean against his shoulder, soothing its restless heart.
...
The next day
"What?! You're saying this cute Pikachu is actually the city's great thief?!"
After a satisfying night's sleep, Officer Jenny stared in shock at the Pikachu on Red's shoulder after hearing his explanation.
Not long ago, out of kindness, Officer Jenny had even bought some candy for this 'well-behaved and adorable' Pikachu. She never imagined that the thief she had been trying to capture all along had been appearing right before her eyes.
Since Red had already captured Pikachu, Officer Jenny had no reason to forcibly take it away. She could only have Red take out his wallet and compensate the merchants in Pewter City for the losses caused by Pikachu's theft over time.
At that moment, Officer Jenny witnessed Red's financial strength up close. He even compensated the merchants multiple times over, praising them for their 'care' toward Pikachu during this period.
At first, the merchants wanted to scold Pikachu, but upon seeing the doubled compensation, their expressions immediately brightened. They even welcomed Pikachu warmly, hoping this "lucky charm" would stay in their shops longer.
Pikachu snorted disdainfully, feeling contempt toward these hypocritical people. If Red hadn't paid off the debts, they might have even called others to beat it.
Though somewhat amusing, Red still accepted the honorary medal from Officer Jenny, recognizing his act of punishing evil and promoting good for the people of Pewter City.
However, Pikachu sitting on Red's shoulder was clearly displeased, feeling as though it was being indirectly mocked.
(I patronize your shops because I think highly of you. I wouldn't even bother with bad stores. Be grateful, you foolish humans!)
...
Viridian Forest is a forest located on Route 2, between Viridian City and Pewter City.
A wide variety of trees densely form a natural maze, and many people have gotten lost within it. The lush foliage blocks out much of the light, making the interior of the forest somewhat dim.
Because of this, the most common Pokémon in the forest are Bug-type and Flying-type, and the trainers wandering here are mostly Bug Catchers.
Therefore, before entering Viridian Forest, experienced trainers often advise others to prepare plenty of Antidotes and Paralyze Heals, just in case.
"Pika pi!"
Although it carried painful memories, upon returning to its homeland, Pikachu still revealed a faint smile of joy—because this time, it was no longer alone.