Because it's been years in the making- Frontierverse snippets!

"...You do realize I can understand some words, right?" Satoshi noted. "My dad didn't trained me to understand Pokémon for nothing. It's just..." He waved a hand in the air. "There's something preventing the two of us to properly communicate." He crossed his legs. "How about we start from the top, with our names?"

{Names?}

Satoshi grinned. Now that was clear as day. "Yeah! Two of mine are kinda like titles, so we can skip those. Mine's Kawaguchi Satoshi. Do you have one?"

The Pikachu crossed his arms and paused before answering. {I guess? We didn't really have names, just specific sounds we answered. This is mine.}

Upon hearing it, Ash couldn't help but frown. "...Did your clan named you after either Zapdos or Raikou? Narukami? I definitely heard a 'Naru' somewhere."

{Wait, that's how the sound translates to you?} Pikachu couldn't help but chuckle. {A sound that can translate to 'sound'. That's meta.}

"...I like it."

{Huh?}

"I've been able to understand you clearly right now, I think. If that sound is just 'Naru', then that's your name. How about it? Instead of just calling you Pikachu, I'll call you Naru from now on." Satoshi's newest smile was soft. "What do you think?"

The Pikachu blinked. {You're weird, but I'm fine with that.}

§§§§§

"Come on, Naru, you've got to get in the Ball," Satoshi pleaded.

{...Promised...} was all the boy understood from the Pikachu's weak chatter.

"I don't know what you promised, but please!" Satoshi placed the Ball next to the Pokémon. "It's the only way you'll stay safe."

With a deep breath, the boy stood up and faced the dozens of Bird Pokémon above him, spreading out his arms, shielding Naru from view. "Now listen up, an' listen well! I'm of the Bloodline of the Phoenix, member of the Kawaguchi family! I'm gonna be the World's Greatest Pokémon Master, an' I'm not lettin' you jerkwads get in my way! Come on an' get me, I dare ya!"

Naru blinked, staring at his new trainer- and everything fell into pieces. And thus, with a surge of adrenaline, sensing where the next lightning bolt will fall, he ran up Satoshi's body and leap towards the incoming bolt.

{My promise... was to never leave your side!}

§§§§§

The girl stared at him. "Are you sure you're okay? You were completely spaced-out and looking a little ill there."

"...Sorry 'bout your bike," he mumbled in a monotone, looking away from her.

She sighed. "That's a little late for that, but seriously. Are you sure you're okay?"

"...No." He curled up against himself even more. "'M not. Just wanna sleep, but can't. Not 'til..." He looked over to the emergency room.

The girl frowned. "It got worst?"

He flinched. "I didn't mean to!" he began, speaking in a single breath, shaking like a leaf. "I just started out and I know nothing 'bout Pikachu except my cousin has one, and we weren't getting along so I tried to get along, and then I got mad at myself because I couldn't understand him, and then-"

"Woah, easy now." She gently grabbed his shoulder, to which he tensed upon the touch. The blue heterochromatic part of his eyes seemed to glow brighter, somehow. "That's too much at the same time, and you're getting pretty jumpy there." She began to rub his shoulder. "Take some time and catch your breath, okay?"

"'M sorry," he repeated, eyes getting out of focus.