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Narrator's POV

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After what seemed like hours, Ash reached the place where him, Clemont, Bonnie and Serena had come earlier - The Cerulean Lights - Water Festival.
He looked around the ground desperately. The crowd was still there,  but a little bit smaller than earlier.

He walked around, trying to restore his breath and looking for Pikachu. "Pikachu..." He said.
"Where... are... you..." He gasped for breath.

It was getting weirder. He looked around inside the stalls and behind the bushes and trees. He also looked around he restaurant in a small distance.
Nothing. He found nothing. 

He knew that Pikachu may be with Misty, but is he really?

Pikachu was still with her.
Ash sighed. At least Pikachu was safe. Or was he? He was so confused about what to do next. Should he go to Misty's place and get Pikachu? But her place is too far: it would probably be morning by the time he gets there.  

Should he go back home? But, he can't just leave Pikachu like that wherever he was.
He had no choice. He hopelessly traipsed back home. He felt so weak and so irresponsible.

Something whizzed above the woods.
"Hawlucha," Ash muttered. The pokemon stopped and clung on a tree, his bright eyes glowing in the night. He rose up into the air once again and seemed to gesture to a particular direction. "What is it??"

Hawlucha said nothing, but pointed towards from where he came from.
Ash knew exactly what he was trying to say. He wanted him to go into the direction.

Hawlucha darted off along with Ash. Ash never realised what he was doing until they finally got out of the woods.

There, he saw, near a rock, Pikachu.
Ash ran towards him. Pikachu was laying on the boulder, fully unconscious. He took him in his arms tenderly.
"Wake up!" He said. He didn't want to sound too emotional to him.

He looked at him carefully. Hawlucha landed nearby.
On Pikachu's neck, was something. Something Ash couldn't recognise.  There were... rashes. But they weren't ordinary rashes. They glowed. 

"Pikachu?" Ash muttered again. He didn't know what he could do. What could be a possible way for Pikachu to get golden rashes?
Are they harmful? Or are they not?

Pikachu didn't move a muscle. But he was fortunately breathing.
There was no other way but to get back home.

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Clemont, Bonnie, Serena and Delia were waiting still waiting on the threshold. Ash walked there, Pikachu in his arms, as if nothing happened.

"You found Pikachu?" Clemont rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I did." Muttered Ash quietly.

"Is he fine?" Serena asked.
"Yeah." He replied.
"He doesn't look like it."
"He is fine, okay?"

"Is this the first time you've lost him? You should be more careful."
"I will be, mom."

Ash and everyone else went to bed without questioning anything. Ash as usual got the lower bunk and Clemont the upper one, while Serena headed to Delia's room where Bonnie was already tucked to sleep by Delia.

Pikachu was still. Ash placed him carefully on the bed after Clemont was on the top bunk. He pulled his covers upto Pikachu's neck and switched off the lights.
He tucked himself in the bed and took the same covers above his head like a tent.

The rashes glowed bright gold, illuminating pikachu's now pale face. What in the world was he supposed to do now?

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Somewhere about fifteen miles afar, a shiver ran down Misty's spine when she realised what had happened.
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