Extra 12: I choose you! (26)

"Use [Tackle]!" - Ash exclaimed earnestly.

"Pika!" - Pikachu quickly shook its head and ran at Eevee while the opposing Pokémon was still a bit disoriented.

"Dodge and use [Swift]!" - Gary commanded as he saw how his partner was ready to continue.

"Evoi!" - Eevee quickly jumped to the side as it squinted and shot a stream of stars from its snout.

"Counter with [Thunder], Pikachu!" - Ash exclaimed as he watched Pikachu leap backward in an attempt to dodge and launch a powerful electric attack at his opponent.

"I think you forgot one little detail, Ash" - said Gary as a smile appeared on his face as he watched the stars turn around and head towards Pikachu - "The [Swift] attack is an attack that never misses!"

"Pikapi!" - Pikachu yelped in pain as he felt the stars impact his back as he attacked Eevee, only to land with a scowl on his face as he shot an annoyed glare at his rival.

"Pikachu, are you okay?" - Ash asked with concern, but relaxed when he noticed how Pikachu nodded normally.

The attack had been accurate, but the damage it had caused was almost irrelevant.

"Evoi evoi" - Eevee looked at Pikachu seriously as it smiled disdainfully, only to notice how its opponent seemed as if nothing had happened.

"You'll need more than that to provoke Pikachu" - Ash snorted as he saw what his opponent's Pokémon wanted to do.

"You may be right, but there are other ways to be able to gain a Pokémon's attention" - said Gary with a strange smile on his face - "Eevee, use [Attraction]!"

"Evoi ~!" - Eevee quickly winked as a cluster of hearts burst out of its body.

"Pikachu, release an electric shock to cancel that attack!" - Ash shouted in terror as he watched the hearts enter inside Pikachu.

"Pika!" - Pikachu looked with hearts in its eyes at Eevee as it timidly approached.

"Oh, dang," Ash muttered as he sighed regretfully.

* * * * *

"Oops, that's fucking bad" - muttered Kurama as he let out a laugh - "Gary's smart to use that kind of ability to increase his odds of victory."

"[Attraction], a status move that only works on Pokémon of the opposite sex of the user" - said Ivy while shaking her head - "The effect is to leave the target in the [In Love] state, which causes the target to prevent attacking the user"

"It's a move both cute and lethal" - Ivy continued as she shook her head - "Although this move has its flaws, such for example that attacks won't necessarily miss."

"Ash" - murmured Delia as she looked at her son.

Kurama was about to comfort her, but he noticed a small detail, a blue-haired man and a red-haired woman, were cheering with all their might for their son, but what made the situation strange was not the couple, but a strange Meowth that could talk like a normal person - "Ok, I think I'm dreaming."

* * * * *

"Come on you little dweeb, you have to beat that idiot!" - Jessie shouted as she scowled at Ash.

"It would look bad for us if you were beaten by that brat!" - James shouted as he growled in irritation.

"Meowth, that's right!" - shouted Meowth as he glared at Pikachu - "Are you seriously going to let that furball beat you, you rat with hepatitis!"

Those three were none more, and none less than the [Team Rocket] trio that had been chasing Ash and his friends during their journey, though they were now unemployed because of Kurama, who had managed to capture their boss, though this didn't affect them much because thanks to their extensive work experience, they could do everything but steal Pokémon.

"By the way, shouldn't we be selling Hot Dogs?" - Meowth asked as he cocked his head to the side.

"True, but after that yellow rat wins" - Jessie replied as she snorted in disdain. She couldn't let that dunce who had defeated them so many times be defeated by a cute brown stuffed animal.

"Now that I remember, we also have to get ready for our turn at the clothing store" - James said as he folded his arms - "I never thought we'd end up like this, though now that we're no longer part of [Team Rocket]"

"I only regret that I couldn't be the boss's spoiled pet" - replied Meowth as he sighed regretfully - "Although in retrospect, our life is much better now that we're independent"

"True, at least now we have a stable job and income, and who knows, maybe I can go back to my initial dream of becoming a nurse alongside Chansey" - Jessie muttered as she took the necklace she had - "What do you guys say?"

"I could work in a lab as an intern" - replied Meowth as he shrugged his shoulders - "My talents could be put to good use as a translator for those Professors."

"You have a point, I am planning on going home for a few days to reconcile with my parents and make it clear that I have no desire to marry my fiancée" - James replied as he folded his arms.

"Fiancée?" - Jessie and Meowth asked in surprise.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you this, but I come from a wealthy family, and I ran away from home because I didn't wish to marry the fiancée my parents chose for me" - answered James while shaking his head.

"That explains a few things" - said Meowth while shrugging his shoulders - "Anyway, it's good to know something new about your friends."

Jessie didn't know how to react, after all, she was a middle-class woman.

"We'd better save that for another time, it's not like it changes things that much" - Meowth said as he gained his friends' attention.

"Well, you're right, nothing changes that we know you're from an upper-class family" - Jessie replied as she nodded - "You're still the same idiot of partner that's been by my side all these years."

"I confirm, especially the idiot thing" - nodded Meowth with a smile.

"Jessie, Meowth" - said Jame with a smile, which quickly turned into an annoyed expression - "Was the idiot thing necessary?"

"Yes!" - exclaimed the aforementioned two, before letting out a laugh, one that James quickly joined in.

"Thanks, I needed that" - said James as he looked at Jessie with a smile, not noticing how his companion's heart, was starting to pound.

"Is something wrong Jessie?" - Meowth said as he raised an eyebrow - "I'm asking why you're blushing?"

"Keep quiet, you stupid cat!" - Jessie exclaimed as she averted her gaze.

". . ." - James was silent when he saw this as he looked in another direction because he could feel himself starting to get embarrassed too.

For the first time in years of companionship, the two of them remembered that they were people of the opposite sex who had been living together. Their relationship was so strong and irreplaceable, it just needed a little push to transform into something more.

"You two are acting weird" - Meowth muttered as he shook his head, to quickly focus on the battle.

* * * * *

"Eevee, use a [Shadow Ball] barrage!" - Gary exclaimed earnestly.

"Evoi!" -Eevee began to channel dark energy into its snout and began to launch a flurry of black spheres at its opponent.

"Pikachu, react and dodge!"- Ash exclaimed, only to see his friend receive all the attacks, one after another-"Pikachu!"

"It's useless, Ash, when a Pokémon is in a state of [in love], it's practically useless until it wakes up" - replied Gary seriously - "Let's end this, Eevee, use [Return]!"

A huge silver glow covered Eevee's body as it ran full speed at its target.

"As a tidbit, [Return] is an attack that gains more power the stronger the connection between trainer and Pokémon is" - Gary said as he looked at Ash with a huge smile - "And we have the best connection!"

"I know you can hear me, Pikachu, wake up!" - Ash exclaimed as he watched his Pokémon continue gawking - "Pikachu!"

"Pi?" - Pikachu shook his head as he heard his trainer's cry, only to notice how Eevee was just a few feet away - "Pikapi!"

"Too late, Ash, it doesn't matter anymore that your Pikachu woke up!" - Gary exclaimed fiercely - "Use all your power, Eevee!"

"Pikachu, I know you can do it!" - Ash exclaimed earnestly - "Trust your instincts and you can make it, I know it!"

"Pika" - Pikachu quickly braced himself.

A strong electric current coursed through its body as it shot full speed at its opponent.

"What's that?" - Gary asked in surprise because he didn't expect such a drastic change.

"I have absolutely no idea" - Ash replied as he pulled out his Pokedex so he could check Pikachu's attacks, only to be surprised to see how a new attack was alongside his friend's other moves - "[Volt Tackle]"

[[Volt Tackle], the signature move of Pikachu's Evolution Line, concentrates much of its power into a powerful electric charge that causes massive damage, but also hurts the user] - the Pokedex recounted as realization dawned on Ash - "Come on, Pikachu![Volt Tackle] full power!"