Max was genuinely surprised. He had never encountered a pokemon, or at least a wild one, that was so eager to interact with humans. While it seemed very interested in his food, and water, it was also very interested in<span style="font-style: italic">him</span>. Almost as interested as he was in studying it. As it sniffed around him, it found the poke balls on his belt. She, so it seemed apparent, pawed at it for a few moments before finding the small white button at its center.<br/><br/>It startled him, the sound the ball made when it captured a pokemon. The pikachu had actually captured<span style="font-style: italic">itself</span>. Duke stood quickly, looking at Max quizzically.<br/><br/>Max hopped to his feet, grabbing for the poke balls on his belt. There had only been one empty one, and the pokemon had somehow found that one to be the most interesting. He was utterly speechless, "Duke...Return."<br/><br/>Moments later the mammoth dog pokemon was back in its own pokeball. "I didn't even," Max started to say aloud, and realized that he was standing alone, in the woods, talking to himself. A part of him was very pleased at the development; he didn't have to harm the pokemon to make it compliant, he didn't even have to throw the pokeball.<br/><br/>Max quickly packed up his things, and policed up his trash. Slinging his backpack over his shoulders he walked briskly in the direction of the path of Pewter City. It was miles away, but Max was in good shape. The behavior of this pokemon was interesting, and merited additional study. Max's chops in pokemon biology were significant, or at least he liked to think they were, but he would need to consult someone who had spent years studying them.<br/><br/>--<br/><br/>Later, at the Pewter city pokemon center, Max saw the nurse on duty there. "There's a pokemon biologist that lives in this area, isn't there?" He'd asked.<br/><br/>"Of course, he's quite famous," She explained, taking his pokeballs. "He lives in a small cottage north of Cerulean city."<br/><br/>"That's convenient," Max replied, reaching into his pocket for a local map, setting it down on the desk as the nurse began to place his pokeballs into the machine that would check their condition. "That's pretty near here," He said after a second.<br/><br/>She smiled at him, and nodded. "Yes, sir, very close! He lives in the lighthouse there, you can't miss it."<br/><br/>That seemed appropriate to Max. Like a pokemon that caught itself, a lighthouse was a beacon beckoning for him to inquire. "How are they, miss?" He asked after a few contemplative moments. The machine pinging away musically.<br/><br/>"Everything looks normal! You take very good care of them," She said in a naturally genial tone.<br/><br/>"I just caught the pikachu," Max said, almost guiltily. "How is she doing?"<br/><br/>"Perfect health," She assured him, placing a tray with his pokeballs on the desk in front of him. "Take care!" The nurse returned to her other duties.