Tierno looked at Red with a bit of surprise and asked, "It seems to understand what you're saying?"
Red blinked in mild astonishment. "Judging by its reaction, it must have understood!" he said, still watching Pikachu's indignant posture.
Steven Stone, observing the scene, nodded in awe. "That's incredible! How intelligent must it be to grasp such a complex human language?"
May, with a half-guilty smile, chimed in, "She's not only smart—she's adorable too! Honestly, I feel a little guilty for briefly imagining how to cook her just now."
Everyone turned to look at May in disbelief.
"That's seriously messed up!" Steven Stone exclaimed. "That's such a shady thing to say. And somehow, it fits you perfectly!"
The group burst out laughing, but Pikachu, who was still angrily pointing at Red and squeaking furiously, suddenly froze. It had caught May's remark and was clearly alarmed. A visible chill ran down its spine, and it stumbled backward a few steps, clutching its tiny chest in shock.
Then, without warning, Pikachu's fur puffed up, standing on end like a bristling porcupine. It threw its tiny yellow arms out to the side and clenched its fists, baring its teeth at May.
"Pika...chu!" it growled in protest.
Seeing Pikachu react that way, Tierno immediately stepped forward, waving his hand gently in reassurance. "Don't be scared," she said softly. "May was just joking. She would never hurt you."
Pikachu heard the sincerity in Tierno's voice and looked into her warm, smiling eyes. After a moment, the little electric mouse relaxed just a bit and turned toward May suspiciously.
"Pikachu!" it squeaked accusingly, as if demanding confirmation.
May raised both hands and gave a nervous chuckle. "I swear, I was only joking, little one! You're far too cute to cook. I'd rather cuddle you."
Despite her words, Pikachu narrowed its eyes in suspicion. May's nervous grin didn't help her case. The more she smiled, the more untrustworthy she seemed.
Red couldn't help but laugh. "What? Do I look like a villain?" he asked, turning to Steven Stone, Tierno, and Helbert. He pointed to his own face with a theatrical expression.
The trio struggled to hold back their laughter. "Yup, that face definitely doesn't scream 'hero,'" Steven joked.
As Pikachu stood there, still slightly wary, everyone was enchanted by its fierce little posture and adorable expressions. It was clear to all of them—it was too cute to handle.
"I want to hug it!" Tierno suddenly exclaimed, clenching her fists. Her voice was overflowing with pure girlish enthusiasm. "It's just too adorable!"
At that moment, Helbert came forward with a small stash of snacks in his hand. He smiled widely and knelt down, offering them to Pikachu. "Hey there, little buddy. Want some treats? Come to your big bro—I've got something yummy for you."
Pikachu's ears perked up the moment it saw the snacks. Its eyes sparkled. It pressed one chubby paw to its mouth and gave a little suckling motion, as though it could already taste them.
However, it didn't rush in. Instead, it stared intently at the food, occasionally glancing up at Helbert's silly grin. It seemed to be evaluating whether or not he was trustworthy.
"Don't worry, little guy. I'm not a bad person," Helbert said, trying his best to look friendly. His exaggerated smile came off more like a dopey cartoon character, which made the others laugh even harder behind their hands.
Steven Stone chuckled. "He looks so dumb right now!"
Still, Pikachu seemed convinced. The dopey smile apparently passed its test, and it took a small, cautious step forward.
Seeing this, Helbert's eyes lit up. "He's coming!" he whispered excitedly.
Tierno rummaged through her pockets for a snack, but came up empty. She looked to May and the others, hoping they had something.
But May and Red were tense. Red leaned in and said cautiously, "Helbert, be careful. Even if it's cute, it could still be dangerous."
May nodded. "Exactly. If anything goes wrong, throw the snacks and step back immediately."
Helbert turned to them with a carefree smile. "It's fine. This little guy is way too smart and adorable to attack someone!"
He turned back to Pikachu, who had now come within arm's reach. The creature sniffed the air and then looked directly at Helbert's silly grin.
May looked like she was about to step in, but Steven stopped her. "Wait, Master," he said. "If you suddenly interrupt, you might scare it, and that'd make things worse. Plus, its trainer let it roam around freely in Pallet Town. That must mean it's well-socialized and safe."
May paused, thinking it over, then nodded in agreement. She and Red both watched Helbert closely, their concern still visible.
Tierno, who had abandoned her plan to lure Pikachu with treats, also stared nervously. "Big brother…" she whispered softly.
Despite her faith in Pikachu's intelligence, it wasn't a human. There was still an element of unpredictability.
Meanwhile, Pikachu made up its mind. It figured this odd group of humans probably meant no harm, especially this goofy one in front of it.
The electric mouse stepped right up to Helbert. It gave one last glance at his dopey face and decided it was safe.
Helbert's heart soared with joy. He was practically glowing with pride.
Everyone else stood on edge, ready to react if anything happened.
But Pikachu, now completely relaxed, leaned forward and picked a snack from Helbert's outstretched hand. It popped the treat into its mouth and began munching happily.
"Pika-chuuu!" it chirped with delight.
Everyone collectively exhaled. The room felt lighter as Pikachu's cheerful mood lifted the tension.
Tierno smiled warmly. "So cute…"
Helbert was beaming. He felt as though he'd passed some kind of sacred trust test. Riding the high of success, he slowly raised a hand to gently pet Pikachu's head.
But Pikachu's ears twitched the moment he moved.
It misunderstood his intention.
Its eyes widened, and its whole body tensed up. In a flash, electricity sparked on both sides of its red cheeks.
"Wait—!" Red yelled. "Don't!"
But it was too late.
"PikaCHUUU!"
Sparks exploded, lightning shot out, and before anyone could move, a bolt of electricity struck Helbert dead-on.
"F—!" Helbert's eyes widened in shock, his scream cut off by a burst of light.
His whole body trembled violently, vibrating like a jackhammer as golden electric currents surged through him.
With a thud, he collapsed onto the ground, smoke curling up from his hair. Little electric sparks still flickered over him every few seconds, making his limbs twitch.
His fluffy afro-like hair stood on end, scorched and ridiculous.
"Helbert!"
"Big brother!"
"Gladion!"
Everyone rushed forward in a panic.