David's room was dimly lit, the flickering candle on his desk casting long, ominous shadows against the walls. It was a setup straight out of a low-budget horror movie—except instead of a cursed doll or a creaking door, it was just David and a very confused Pikachu.
Pikachu perched on the edge of David's bed, its big eyes blinking with curiosity. Its ears twitched nervously as it watched David fiddling with something on his desk, his silhouette stretched across the wall like some sort of mad scientist's apprentice. If Pikachu squinted hard enough, it swore it could see devil horns sprouting from David's shadow.
"Pika pi...?" Pikachu murmured hesitantly, tilting its head.
David turned around slowly, his grin stretching wider than it had any right to. The kind of grin that made you instinctively pat your pockets to make sure your wallet was still there.
"Well, well, well," David cooed, his voice dripping with dramatic flair. He reached out and grabbed an apple from his desk—a slightly bruised, questionably ripe apple that he may or may not have "borrowed" from the principal's garden earlier that day. In his defense, it was just hanging there, unguarded, practically begging him to take it. It was practically fruit charity.
"Today, my friend, we dine like kings," David announced grandly, holding the apple up like it was the Holy Grail.
Pikachu tilted its head the other way. "Pika?"
He reached under his bed, shuffling through piles of crumpled papers, old Pokémon trading cards, and a questionable number of snack wrappers before emerging victorious with... ketchup packets. Two of them. Bright red and suspiciously crumpled, the kind you get for free at breakfast shops.
Pikachu blinked. "Pika...chu?"
David's grin only widened. "Yes, my electric little friend, ketchup. The nectar of the gods. The universal equalizer of terrible cafeteria food and stolen apples."
Now, the ketchup packets themselves had their own backstory. David had been "collecting" them for weeks—okay, months—from the breakfast shop on 5th Street. He had perfected the art of the casual swipe. Every morning, he'd stroll in, order the cheapest bagel on the menu, and proceed to stockpile ketchup packets with the efficiency of a survivalist preparing for the apocalypse.
In fact, his personal stash had grown so large that he once considered selling them back to the shop at a "discount." He was convinced he could single-handedly crash the ketchup market if he really put his mind to it.
But tonight, the stash would finally serve its true purpose.
David rummaged through his barely organized kitchen, which was really just a corner of his room where he'd stacked a hot plate on top of a mini-fridge. Pikachu watched him with wide, expectant eyes, like a toddler eagerly waiting for cookies.
"Pika pi!" Pikachu squeaked, its eyes sparkling with excitement. Apparently, it hadn't yet learned to question David's culinary skills.
David grabbed a somewhat dull kitchen knife—dull because sharpening it would cost money, and he was already living off ketchup packets and borrowed apples. He sliced the apple into uneven cubes, some big enough to choke a Snorlax and others barely visible. Pikachu didn't seem to mind; it was already drooling a little, cheeks sparking faintly with anticipation.
"Now, for the secret ingredient," David whispered, leaning in like he was revealing the meaning of life. He reached into the drawer next to his desk and pulled out a handful of ketchup packets, tossing them onto the counter like he was shuffling poker chips.
David tore open the ketchup packets, squeezing the contents onto the plate in a swirl that was more chaotic than artistic. The crimson streaks of ketchup oozed around the apple chunks like some sort of culinary crime scene. "Voila! Apple à la Ketchup!" David announced with a grand gesture, like he was unveiling a masterpiece.
Pikachu's nose twitched, sniffing the odd combination of sweet apples and tangy ketchup. Its eyes sparkled with excitement as it looked up at David for approval. "Well, go on then," David said, waving his hand. "Dinner's served."
"Pika pi!" Pikachu chirped, leaping forward and stuffing its cheeks with as many apple slices as it could manage. Its face puffed up comically, round and stretched like a furry balloon. It chewed with enthusiasm, ketchup smearing around its mouth like a messy toddler.
David chuckled, watching Pikachu gnaw away happily. "Not bad, huh? Gourmet dining right here," he said, patting Pikachu on the head as it chomped through the pile. Pikachu's cheeks were working overtime, stretching and bulging as it gnawed on the chunks of apple with fervor.
"You know," David said, leaning back in his chair, "I was kinda worried you'd be picky. But I guess ketchup and apples are... well, your thing?" Pikachu just kept chewing, eyes sparkling with delight as it worked its way through the meal.
David grinned, leaning back and crossing his arms. "If Ash's Pikachu can live off ketchup, I don't see why you can't," he mused, rubbing his chin. "Who knows? Maybe you're like... the second coming of that Pikachu. What do you think, huh? Gonna start frying Legendaries soon?"
Pikachu paused its chewing for a moment, eyes wide and sparkling, then nodded with so much enthusiasm that a chunk of apple flew from its mouth and bounced off David's forehead.
"Oi! Watch it!" David laughed, wiping his forehead and flicking the piece back onto Pikachu's plate. "I can tell you're gonna be a handful. But hey, maybe you and I... we're gonna be unstoppable. A dynamic duo! The terror of trainers and the scourge of fruit markets everywhere!"
Pikachu squealed with excitement, cheeks sparking just a little with static electricity. It clapped its little paws together, leaving faint ketchup stains on its yellow fur. David winced. "Ah, great... now you look like you just came back from a ketchup massacre," he chuckled, grabbing a tissue and wiping Pikachu's face.
Pikachu didn't mind; it just leaned into his touch, nuzzling his hand affectionately. "Pika pika," it murmured, eyes half-closed with contentment.
David felt a soft smile spread across his face. For once, things didn't seem so bad. He had a Pokémon partner—no, not just a partner. A friend. And maybe, just maybe, things were finally looking up. Even if they were surviving on ketchup and stolen apples for the foreseeable future.
David leaned back with a sigh, watching Pikachu continue its enthusiastic munching. "Alright, pal. First, we figure out how to feed you. Next, we conquer the world... or at least the nearest diner for more ketchup packets," he smirked.
Pikachu paused its munching just long enough to give him an enthusiastic nod, then dove right back into the apples. David chuckled, shaking his head. Maybe things wouldn't be easy, but they sure as hell were going to be interesting.
***
David blinked back into reality just in time to see Pikachu absolutely demolishing the last of the apple slices on the plate. It was a sight to behold—apple chunks flying left and right, Pikachu's cheeks puffed up like balloons, juice dripping down its chin like it was competing in some sort of speed-eating contest.
"Whoa, slow down there, vacuum cleaner," David chuckled, watching Pikachu munch away with such dedication that it looked like it was training for the Apple-Eating Olympics. Pikachu paused, blinking up at him with wide eyes, mouth still stuffed with apple.
David raised an eyebrow and leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper like he was revealing a world-changing secret. "Hey... you know what makes it even better?" he said, pointing to the puddle of ketchup on the edge of the plate.
"Pika?" Pikachu tilted its head, eyes glancing from David's outstretched finger to the glistening red sauce like it was some kind of forbidden treasure. It squinted suspiciously. Apples were already amazing—what kind of sorcery was he suggesting?
"Trust me," David grinned, sliding the plate a little closer. "Dip it in. You won't regret it."
Pikachu hesitated, ears twitching nervously. But David's grin was annoyingly confident, so Pikachu grabbed a chunk of apple, glanced up one last time as if silently saying, If this is bad, I'm shocking you, and cautiously dipped it into the ketchup.
The moment the combination of sweet apple and tangy ketchup hit its taste buds, Pikachu's eyes practically bugged out of its head. "Pika Pi!" it squealed, sparks of electricity flickering from its cheeks. Its tail shot straight up like it had just discovered the secret to eternal happiness.
David burst out laughing, clapping his hands. "See? What did I tell you! Gourmet dining, right there!"
Pikachu didn't even look up—it was too busy double-dipping, then triple-dipping, then just straight-up licking the ketchup right off the plate. Within seconds, the apple slices were gone, and Pikachu was shamelessly licking the edges of the plate, eyes half-closed in pure bliss.
"Hey, hey, leave some ceramic, would you? I only have one plate," David snorted, reaching over to nudge Pikachu's head. Pikachu looked up, ketchup smeared around its mouth like it had just survived a tomato explosion.
"Pika... Pi?" it said, eyes wide and hopeful, glancing back at the empty plate.
David crossed his arms, giving Pikachu a mock glare. "You want more? You just ate half an orchard!"
Pikachu puffed out its cheeks indignantly, sparking a bit of static electricity in protest. David held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! Geez, you're worse than I am," he laughed.
As he turned back to his makeshift kitchen, David muttered to himself, "Guess I'm hitting up that breakfast shop again tomorrow... Time to grab another handful of those ketchup packets. Wonder if they'd notice if I took the whole box this time?"
"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cheered, tail swaying back and forth with excitement.
David glanced back, shaking his head with a grin. "Well, at least now I know your weakness. Apples and ketchup... You're not gonna be cheap to feed, are ya?"
Pikachu just squeaked happily, rubbing its belly and looking at him with big, hopeful eyes.
"Yeah, yeah... I get it," David sighed. "Looks like I'm gonna have to get real creative with breakfast shop theft... Uh, I mean, strategic resource acquisition."
Pikachu just nodded in agreement, fully on board with whatever chaos came next, as long as it involved more of that sweet, sweet ketchup.
***
David cleared his throat with the kind of dramatic flair that made Pikachu pause mid-lick, eyes wide and cheeks still smeared with ketchup. He straightened his posture, clasped his hands behind his back like he was about to deliver a presidential speech, and looked Pikachu dead in the eye.
"Pikachu," he began, his tone dripping with authority, "since you've practically inhaled a mountain of apples and half a bottle of ketchup, it's only fair that you get a bit of exercise. Gotta keep that figure in check, y'know? Or one day...," he leaned in closer, voice dropping to a whisper, "...you'll be too chubby to eat apples and ketchup ever again."
The words hung in the air like a thundercloud. Pikachu's ears perked up instantly. Its paws shot to its belly, squeezing the tiny pooch it had formed from its epic binge. It blinked twice, eyes growing wider by the second, like it had just glimpsed a horror movie but with less zombies and more... vegetable snacks. Pikachu's imagination must have been going wild because its fur bristled, and it stared off into the distance like it could see its apple-and-ketchup-free future flash before its eyes.
"No apples... no ketchup..." David could practically see the tiny electric mouse spiraling. Pikachu wobbled for a moment, clutching its cheeks dramatically like it was about to faint from the pure emotional trauma of the thought.
David tried hard not to laugh, but the corners of his mouth betrayed him. He rubbed Pikachu's smooth, soft belly, poking it just enough to make Pikachu flinch back to reality. "See this?" David said, squeezing Pikachu's belly like it was a stress ball. "If you keep eating like that and don't train, you're gonna be slower than a Snorlax on a treadmill. And trust me, I've seen that. It's not pretty."
Pikachu looked up, horrified. "Pika?!"
"Yup," David continued, nodding sagely. "You'll turn into a big ol' yellow fluffball. You won't be able to run, and battling? Forget it! I mean, do you want to be the first Pikachu that gets outpaced by a Magikarp? Because that's where this is heading, pal."
Pikachu shivered at the thought, eyes narrowed with sudden determination. It nodded frantically, like it was ready to start jogging laps around the room that very second. David could practically hear the Rocky theme song playing in the background.
Seeing Pikachu's newfound resolve, David grinned and clapped his hands. "That's the spirit! But training isn't just running around. We gotta do it right," he said, walking over to the dusty old storage room. "Stay right there, I got just the thing."
Pikachu sat up, paws clenched, eyes gleaming with resolve. David disappeared behind a stack of boxes, and the sounds of clanging metal, creaking wheels, and a suspicious number of curse words floated back out. After what felt like an eternity of questionable construction noises, David finally emerged, pushing... something.
It was a contraption that looked like it had been built by someone who watched too many cartoons. A gigantic hamster wheel, cobbled together from spare bicycle parts and what appeared to be a treadmill motor, rolled into the room. Attached to it was a bizarre-looking harness with what could only be described as ketchup-filled oxygen masks at the ends of two little wires.
Finally, David held up a fishing rod-like pole, except instead of a lure, it dangled a shiny red apple, smeared with globs of ketchup that dripped tantalizingly to the floor.
Pikachu stared, first at the wheel, then at David, then back at the wheel. Its ears twitched. "Pika...?"
David beamed with pride, tapping the wheel like a salesman at a car lot. "Behold! The Pikachu Power Generator 3000! Also known as... my electricity bill solution," he added with a wink. "All you gotta do is run, right? And in return, you get this!" He pointed dramatically to the ketchup-drenched apple bobbing just out of reach.
Pikachu's eyes locked onto the apple with laser focus. Its nose twitched, drool practically pooling at its feet. Without hesitation, Pikachu scampered over, eyeing the apple like it held the meaning of life. It reached out with its tiny paws... only to come up short.
"Yeah, see," David chuckled, hooking Pikachu up to the weird little harness. "You gotta run to get it. Simple, right? Little cardio, little apple... everybody wins!"
Pikachu, still hypnotized by the ketchup-coated fruit, didn't seem to register the absurdity of the situation. It stepped onto the wheel, never taking its eyes off its prize. Slowly, it began to trot, little legs pattering on the metal surface.
The wheel spun with a creak, and Pikachu's eyes lit up with hope as the apple wobbled slightly forward.
"See? It works! Just a bit faster now," David encouraged, clapping his hands like a coach. Pikachu doubled its speed, tiny legs a blur of motion. The apple dangled just out of reach, swinging back and forth, taunting it.
Pikachu growled in determination, sparks crackling from its cheeks as it dug in, running harder.
David leaned back, arms crossed, nodding with satisfaction as the lightbulb above his head flickered to life. "And that, my friend, is what I call renewable energy."
David watched Pikachu tearing up the hamster wheel with the kind of energy that would make marathon runners blush. Sparks flew from its red cheeks like it had just discovered the pure joy of cardio. The electric crackling lit up the entire dimly lit room, turning the shadowy corners into something straight out of a rave party.
"That's it, Pikachu! Keep it going!" David cheered, clapping his hands like a football coach who'd just seen his team score a last-minute goal. "And remember to discharge those cheeks! Running's good and all, but we need that juice!"
Pikachu paused mid-sprint, ears twitching. "Pika... pi?" it squeaked, looking back at David with a tilted head, clearly not understanding the correlation between running and zapping.
David just waved it off like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Trust me! If you don't discharge, you're just running for nothing. We're talking wasted electricity! And that... we cannot afford." He rubbed his hands together like an evil mastermind, practically cackling under his breath.
Pikachu blinked, shrugged, and then with an adorably determined expression, its cheeks began to sizzle and crackle. "Pika... CHUUU!" Bolts of electricity shot out, lashing against the metal of the hamster wheel and surging through the cables David had rigged together with more duct tape than actual wire.
"Zi! Zi! Zi!" The room brightened up so suddenly it was like someone had flipped the sun on indoors. Light bulbs, which hadn't flickered on in weeks, suddenly glowed with a steady brilliance that David hadn't seen since... well, since the last time he actually paid the electric bill.
He grinned ear to ear, stepping back and admiring his handiwork. "There we go! Now that's what I call renewable energy!" He puffed out his chest, proudly blowing out the single candle he'd been using for light and shoving it back into the drawer beneath his cluttered desk. "Who needs candles when I've got my very own, living power generator?"
David rubbed his hands together gleefully, already imagining his nonexistent electric bill. "Starter trio Pokémon? Pffft, forget that. I got myself a Universal Power Generator! I'm basically off the grid now! Eat your heart out, Tesla."
Pikachu, still running like it was training for the Pikachu Olympics, looked back, confused but encouraged by David's enthusiastic fist-pumping. "Pikachu! Keep at it!" David shouted. "If you can keep this up, I promise I'll grab you some of those leftover apples from the principal's garden tomorrow!"
Pikachu's ears perked straight up. "Pika?!"
"Yup!" David nodded solemnly, placing a hand on his heart like he was swearing an oath. "Those big, juicy apples that nobody bothers to pick because they're too busy pretending to be educated. I'll make sure you get the best ones!"
"Pikaaa!" Pikachu doubled its speed, the wheel spinning faster, sparks flying everywhere like it was New Year's Eve. The poor electric mouse had no clue it was being swindled into unpaid labor with the mere promise of scavenged fruit. It didn't know that in the human world, there was a term for this: "whoring for nothing." And David was a master at it.
While Pikachu continued its power-generating marathon, David's stomach growled loudly enough to rattle the dusty windows. "Right... food," he muttered, turning to face his tiny fridge, which was practically an antique. He opened it, and the light inside flickered on, powered by Pikachu's relentless sprinting. David raised his eyebrows, impressed. "Hey, it works! Maybe I should make Pikachu run in the mornings too... save a bit on heating bills."
He rummaged through the shelves, lips pursed. "Alright, let's see... we got... oh ho, the big crucian carp and those fat little crayfish I 'rescued' from the principal's fish pond. And look at this! Green onions, ginger, garlic—all courtesy of the principal's back garden. Man, he really is committed to public service. Even his vegetables are up for community outreach."
David rubbed his hands together like he was about to perform a magic trick. "Tonight, we're feasting, Pikachu! Braised crucian carp, spicy crayfish, and... well, a bit of rice if I can scrape the bottom of the bag. I'm treating myself tonight. Not out of luxury, mind you, but necessity. If I don't eat this stuff now, I'm convinced my luck's gonna run out, and I'm gonna be back to Rattata-level rations by next week."
As he lined up his makeshift ingredients on the counter, he paused, frowning. "You know... the principal's got all this stuff growing everywhere, but no rice? What kind of respectable educator doesn't grow rice in his back garden? It's practically criminal!" David smacked his fist into his palm, eyes bright with inspiration. "I should file a complaint. How are we supposed to learn about sustainability and hard work if there's no rice field? What kind of school doesn't teach kids to grow their own food?!"
He nodded proudly to himself. "Yup, all part of the greater good. It's not whoring for nothing... it's community service!"
Behind him, Pikachu was still running with all its might, sparks flying as it chased that illusionary apple hanging just out of reach. David gave it a thumbs up. "Keep at it, buddy! We're saving the world... one unpaid electric bill at a time."
David sat at his creaky wooden table, staring at the two dishes before him like he'd just stumbled upon the Holy Grail... twice. A plate of braised crucian carp glistened with a glossy, caramelized coat of sauce, while a mountain of spicy crayfish steamed beside it, practically daring him to dig in. His stomach growled like an irritated Snorlax, and he didn't waste any more time.
"Stuff Cheeks mode: activated," he muttered to himself, shoveling food into his mouth with the grace of a hungry Munchlax. For someone who typically survived on scavenged apples and leftover ketchup packets, this was practically a five-star dinner. He leaned back in his chair, chewing with exaggerated satisfaction, like he was living out a food commercial in slow motion.
"If I don't have to pay electric bills anymore, then all that saved money…" he paused dramatically, raising his fork as if delivering a grand speech, "goes straight to food expenses! And what's wrong with that? Huh? Nothing! Not a damn thing!"
He took another massive bite, nodding to himself. "I'm practically a genius. Self-sustaining energy, gourmet meals… This is what they call living the dream."
Meanwhile, Pikachu was still running in the hamster wheel, sparking and crackling with electricity like a furry little dynamo. But something distracted it—a tantalizing aroma wafting through the room. Pikachu's ears perked up, its little nose twitching furiously as it tried to pinpoint the source. The wheel slowly ground to a halt, and Pikachu sniffed the air with all the intensity of a Growlithe on a scent trail.
"Pika… pi?" it squeaked, eyes narrowing suspiciously as it spotted David at the table, practically inhaling his meal. Pikachu blinked, looked back at the wheel, then back at David, then back at the wheel again. Sparks fizzled out of its cheeks, and it stomped its tiny foot in disbelief.
You mean to tell me… I'm busting my tail in this electric treadmill, and this guy's over there living like he's in a Michelin-star restaurant?! Pikachu's eyes narrowed further, and tiny sparks of frustration snapped from its cheeks.
Ding!
[You've received +10 Negative Emotion Points from Pikachu…][You've received +10 Negative Emotion Points from Pikachu…][You've received +10 Negative Emotion Points from Pikachu…]
David felt a shiver run down his spine, the kind you get when you know you've just been spotted doing something incredibly suspicious. He didn't need to turn around to know Pikachu was glaring holes into the back of his head. He could feel it. The weight of judgment. The sizzling tension of unspoken rage. The distinct, electric hum of betrayal.
David coughed awkwardly, still not turning around. "Ahem… Pikachu, my good friend!" he began with a tone far too cheerful to be genuine. "Y'know… I've been working really hard all day, what with setting up your, uh… exercise routine and all. I haven't even had a chance to eat!" He held his fork aloft like it was evidence in a court case.
"Pika…" Pikachu's eyes narrowed further, cheeks sparking with what looked suspiciously like barely-contained fury.
David cleared his throat again, a little more nervously this time. "And you just ate, didn't you? All those apples and ketchup? I mean, you basically had an all-you-can-eat buffet of sugary goodness! Gotta make room for more, right?"
"Pika… Pika?" Pikachu's suspicion wavered just a little, its head tilting as it tried to process David's logic.
David jumped on the opportunity like it was the last train out of Grudge Town. "Right! And that's why you're exercising! To make more room for… uh… apples! And ketchup! All you can eat, baby!" He spread his arms wide like he was presenting a grand prize. "And the stronger you get, the more you can eat, right? Apples and ketchup forever!"
Pikachu blinked, tiny paws scratching its head. It seemed… almost convinced? David's grin spread wider. He was practically a miracle worker. Who needs actual logic when you've got smooth talking?
"Tell you what," David said, turning around and giving Pikachu a thumbs-up that practically sparkled with false confidence, "you finish up this little training session, and I'll make sure you get even more apples and ketchup tomorrow. Fresh from the principal's garden! Just for you!"
Pikachu's eyes sparkled, its earlier grudge replaced with something closer to wide-eyed enthusiasm. "Pika!!" it cried out, tiny fists pumped in the air before it turned back to the wheel and began running with even more energy than before. Sparks flew out of its cheeks, the lights flickered, and the wheel hummed louder than ever.
David leaned back in his chair, taking another satisfied bite of spicy crayfish. "Ahh," he sighed, patting his stomach, "if there was a world championship for smooth-talking Pokémon, I'd be the reigning champ."
He stretched his legs out, watching Pikachu generate enough electricity to light up the whole block. "I swear, I'm practically a motivational speaker. Call me 'The Pikachu Whisperer.'"
With Pikachu's trust restored and the room lit up like New Year's Eve, David leaned back in his chair and resumed eating. The generator hummed, the lights flickered, and for a brief moment, all was right in David's bizarre little world.
***
David leaned back in his creaky old chair, a steaming bowl of spicy crayfish balanced precariously in his lap. He fumbled with the remote, flipping through channels like he was on a mission. "I swear," he mumbled through a mouthful of food, "if I don't find something decent to watch, I'm gonna start narrating my own life like it's a soap opera." He mashed the remote buttons harder, each click sounding more desperate than the last.
The TV blinked to life, and the screen lit up with the familiar sternness of a news broadcast. A reporter with the personality of a cardboard cutout droned on:
"This just in—an unprecedented earthquake has struck the Sakura Kingdom, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties. Experts are speculating that the quake may have been triggered by... wait for it... Legendary Pokémon."
David snorted so hard he nearly choked on a piece of crayfish. "Oh, really? Experts are 'speculating'? Next, they'll tell me water's wet and Magikarp's still useless." He jammed the remote again, skipping through channels like he was defusing a bomb.
The next channel had a guy screaming at the top of his lungs: "Help! My brother's Farfetch'd got heatstroke! Somebody call Nurse Joy!"
David blinked. "Heatstroke? Isn't that bird, like, 90% celery?" He didn't wait for an answer; the channel changed again.
"Today, I'm going to teach you how to catch a Kyogre... with just a bucket and a really big net!"
David scoffed. "Yeah, good luck with that. Might as well try fishing up a Gyarados with a cheese stick."
Click.
A wildly enthusiastic guy with the energy of ten Espurrs on caffeine was on the screen. "Just a little public service announcement, folks! Gardevoir is, in fact, reproductively isolated from humans! Don't ask why—I tested it myself!"
David stared at the screen for a long, horrified second. He clicked the remote like it was an emergency eject button. "What the hell did I just watch...?"
He finally settled on a comedy channel where two comedians dressed as Machoke were attempting synchronized push-ups while trading bad jokes. "Now this is quality programming," David grinned, shoveling another forkful of food into his mouth.
Meanwhile, across the room, Pikachu was still running in the oversized hamster wheel generator, cheeks sparking with occasional bursts of electricity. It had been running for so long that the wheel practically groaned in protest. Little beads of sweat dotted its fur, and its tiny legs were wobbling like it had just tried to learn Ice Skating from a Sneasel.
"Pi...ka..." Pikachu wheezed, squinting over at David, who was currently giggling like a toddler at the TV. Pikachu's little nostrils flared as it caught the scent of David's meal—the spicy, delicious aroma practically wafted across the room like a taunt.
Pikachu blinked in disbelief. This whole time it had been sprinting its little heart out, generating enough electricity to power half the neighborhood... and David was over there living his best life, watching TV and stuffing his face with food?
Suddenly, the two suction-mask things strapped to Pikachu's cheeks seemed to get heavier, pulling more electricity than before. Although it didn't understand why, Pikachu had a strong suspicion that the electric box was the reason behind it.
When David opened it, the absorption of electricity grew faster. The wheel spun faster, lights in the room burned brighter, and Pikachu's little paws scrambled to keep up.
"Pi... Pikachu?!" Pikachu's eyes bulged as it ran even faster, sparks flying off its cheeks like a malfunctioning Christmas decoration. It shot a glare at David, who, unsurprisingly, was completely oblivious.
[You've received +10 Negative Emotion Points from Pikachu...]
[You've received +10 Negative Emotion Points from Pikachu...]
David, fully absorbed in his TV show, chuckled as one of the comedians got hit in the face with a pie. "Now that's comedy gold," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He didn't even notice Pikachu's growing frustration.
Pikachu's paws were practically slipping against the wheel now, legs wobbling like jelly. Sparks fizzled out from its cheeks, dimming slowly. Its little legs finally gave out, and it stumbled to a stop, flopping face-first onto the floor like a deflated balloon. Its fur was soaked with sweat, and the little electric sacs on its cheeks were utterly drained.
"Pika...chu…" it groaned, lying flat on its back, eyes swirling with exhaustion. It peeked over at David, who was still eating and laughing, completely unaware. Pikachu's eyes filled with despair. How long had it been running? Hours? Days? Maybe weeks? It sure felt like it.
David finally turned, a bit of sauce still smeared on his cheek. He saw Pikachu collapsed on the floor and raised his eyebrows. "Oh hey, you're done already? Wow, good work, buddy!" He gave Pikachu a thumbs-up like he'd just finished a marathon instead of powering David's TV binge.
Pikachu's eyelid twitched.
[You've received +10 Negative Emotion Points from Pikachu...]
[You've received +10 Negative Emotion Points from Pikachu...]
David stretched his arms, a wide grin plastered on his face. "See? I told you it'd be good for you! Now you're all fit, I've got free electricity, and—" He slapped his knee, laughing. "Look at that! The TV's clearer than ever! I'm a genius!"
Pikachu let out a long, suffering sigh, staring up at the ceiling. It could almost swear it saw its own soul floating out of its body.
David, meanwhile, turned back to the TV, blissfully unaware of the tiny storm of resentment building just a few feet away.
Pikachu: Although I'm not a human, but you are a real dog! !