c148: Evil Pikachu
Hearing Gardevoir's warning, Chen Xiaoxiao's gaze instantly shifted.
Among the rows of dull-eyed Pokémon, one figure stood strangely apart
a Pikachu, small and familiar, yet unnervingly still.
Weird?
All of these Pokémon were acting strangely because of the anesthesia, so why single this one out?
"Gardevoir," Xiaoxiao asked through telepathy, her brows knitting. "What's wrong with this Pikachu?"
Her partner's mental voice was sharp with tension:
"Xiaoxiao… this Pikachu carries a Dark-type aura."
Xiaoxiao's eyes widened. A Dark-type Pikachu? That was unheard of.
The Psychic line was naturally sensitive to darkness especially Gardevoir, whose mind could feel the creeping, cold edge of corrupted energy. If even she was unsettled, there was no mistake.
---
The Disturbing Revelation
"What? Pikachu… with Dark-type energy?" Xiaoxiao thought in shock. She extended her own senses, focusing on the aura the way her system training had taught her.
A jolt of unease ran down her spine. It wasn't just static electricity, but something heavier, like shadows clinging to the creature's soul.
No wonder Gardevoir warned me… This is wrong.
Her head spun with questions. Could this be a mutation caused by poachers? Or—like in the League archives was it a rare case similar to the "Shadow Pokémon" whispered about in Orre?
---
The Examination
By then, the rotation of tests had reached the strange Pikachu's turn.
"Alright, next," Xiao Zhao announced, pulling out a measuring stick. He carefully aligned it against Pikachu's back. "Height matches the standard species average."
Then he had it step onto the weight scale. The readout blinked.
"…Huh?" His eyes widened.
"Not only is this Pikachu not underweight, it's nearly double the normal standard!"
The staff glanced at the display, baffled.
"Did the scale break?" one muttered.
Xiao Zhao tested it by stepping on himself only to find the scale perfectly accurate.
"Strange… Pikachu normally weighs around six kilos. This one is twelve." He scratched his head. "It doesn't even look bulky, yet it's heavy like a stone."
Chen Xiaoxiao inhaled sharply. A double-weight Pikachu with Dark-type aura? Every sign screamed that this was no ordinary case.
---
Gardevoir's Whisper
"(Xiaoxiao… this Pokémon hides its feelings. It acts calm, but inside it is cunning. Uneasy. Dangerous.)," Gardevoir whispered mentally.
Xiaoxiao glanced at the rodent. It stood stock-still, letting the staff probe it without flinching, as if vacant. Yet its aura churned with suppressed malice.
A born actor, Xiaoxiao thought grimly.
---
Testing the Cheeks
Xiao Zhao slipped on insulated gloves and pressed gently against Pikachu's round, red cheek sacs. Normally, even a friendly Pikachu would instinctively spark.
This one didn't move. Its black eyes just stared.
"Hm? No response?" Zhao frowned. "Gardevoir, how's its state?"
Xiaoxiao quickly sent a telepathic signal: Don't expose it. Say it's stable.
Gardevoir nodded smoothly. "Pikachu is emotionally stable."
Though unconvinced, Zhao let it pass and gestured for the next test.
---
The Thunder Shock
"Alright then. Pikachu, use Thunder Shock!" Zhao encouraged, setting an Electric-type energy cube in front of it.
The mouse twitched its ears. Sparks flickered, then burst in a crackling arc. The attack looked dramatic, but when the smoke cleared, the floor tiles were untouched.
"Standard case of low reserves," Zhao muttered. "It obeys, at least."
But Xiaoxiao, still tuned into its emotions, felt something different. The Pikachu had deliberately suppressed its real output, disguising its power. It didn't even like the energy cube, it radiated distaste, even disgust, at the sight of it.
It's pretending. Fooling everyone.
---
A Dangerous Suggestion
Zhao noted down the test results, then turned toward Xiaoxiao with a sudden smile.
"Miss Chen Xiaoxiao, you seem very interested in this Pikachu. Since you were the one who rescued these Pokémon, would you like to adopt it? It might recover faster under your care."
The words froze her in place.
Adopt… this?
If it were just an ordinary Electric-type, she wouldn't hesitate. But Gardevoir's warning echoed in her mind: a Dark aura, emotional cunning, dangerous potential.
Put a Dark-corrupted Pikachu in the middle of my Psychic partners? Wouldn't that be asking for conflict?
Her pulse quickened as she weighed the risk.
---
30+ advanced chapter on patreon....Visit patreon now to read my exclusive content... posting 5 chapters per day, Our collection is now available on PATREON
visit patreon.com/Elbertovic to view 30+ advanced chapters
Please subscribe guys