Chapter 9: Avoiding a TrainerPike and Jake decided to head back towards their homeland. However, they took a different route in hopes of finding more pokemon for Pike to befriend. Pike was now at 40 remaining. They had come across another forest where they met and befriended an injured Zangoose. They helped it recover a bit, as it had battled another for a female's affection. This Zangoose had won, but he didn't escape without taking some serious damage. The Zangoose was incredibly friendly, even enough that he took the time to hear about Pike's curse. He found it hard to believe, even after Pike showed him the number. He suddenly sniffed out something and slashed at Pike and Jake, forcing them into some nearby bushes.
"I guess he didn't really like me after all." Pike figured.
"No, that's not it." Jake contrayed.
Jake sniffed something out that alluded him before, and Pike suddenly smelled it as well.
"There's a trainer nearby!" Pike realized.
"Exactly." Jake confirmed.
The trainer stumbled upn the injured Zangoose, who was too week to do much.
"I came here following some what I thought to be Pikachu tracks, but now I found something even better!" the trainer exclaimed.
Zangoose tried to run, but couldn't. Pike wanted to go out and help, but Jake held him back. The trainer threw a pokeball at the Zangoose and captured him. He then took it out of the pokeball and healed it with a potion. Pike couldn't really tell how, but he knew that the pokemon had changed in some way.
"I think I understand why I can't change back if I get caught." Pike announced.
"Really?" Jake wondered.
"Yeah. I realize that I'd change too in some way, and then I wouldn't even remember what I was like as human. I'd be too concern for the trainer that caught me, and I'd be making friends with their pokemon, but even though my body and mind would accept it, my heart would not." Pike explained.
"I don't really understand. I do know one thing, Zangoose gave himself up for you." Jake responded.
"You're right about that, and I don't really understand a whole lot myself." Pike stated.
"I think we should keep moving." Jake suggested.
"Yes, we should." Pike agreed.
The two continued on with their journey.
To be continued...Next time: A year has passed, and Pike has done the unbelievable, he's made 99 friends! Celebrations are short lived though, as Pike and Jake are confronted by a trainer who collects rare pokemon...and a couple of Pikachus in the current location is quite rare. Jake helps Pike escape and takes on the trainer on by himself. Pike watches in horror as Jake is easily overwhelmed. All hope seems lost, until help comes from the most unlikely of places.
Incase you didn't know, there's a reason I posted a chapter about Pike's birthday. See my profile on TV.com for more info.