I only own the character of Michelle. Nothing else :3

Afraid of One's Own Shadow

"Okay Shelly, let's go!" Ash picked up his 2 year old daughter and held her close to him. Pikachu, who sat on Ash's shoulder, rubbed against Michelle. But the girl wasn't pleased with being held.

"Down Daddy!" Michelle pointed to the ground, "down!"

"Down?" Ash asked, "You don't want me to carry you?"

"No!" Michelle shook her head frantically, "I wanna walk."

"Okay," Ash laughed, putting Michelle back on the ground, "just stay close to me, kay?"

"Yes," Michelle began to run forward.

"Michelle, you're not listening to me!" Ash cried, hurrying after the little red head. He didn't need to run much further, however. Suddenly, Michelle stopped in her tracks. She was looking down, standing perfectly still. She tilted her head a little, then moved her right arm outwards. She put it back down, stood still again, and then shook out both of her arms.

"Michelle, what are you doing?" Ash giggled, looking down at the girl.

Michelle screamed and fell backward.

"Michelle!" Ash leaned down to his young daughter, "are you alright?"

"Daddy!" Michelle cried. She grabbed his leg and buried her face into his knee. Ash raised an eyebrow. Michelle turned her head gently, looked down at the ground, and put her face back against Ash's knee.

"Come on Shelly, what's wrong?" Ash frowned.

"Bad!" Michelle's muffled voice replied.

"What's bad?"

"That!" Michelle turned away from Ash's leg again to point to the ground. Ash looked to where his daughter was motioning. She was pointing at her shadow.

"Michelle, that's your shadow! There's no reason to be afraid of it!"

"Bad!" Michelle cried again.

Ash sighed. Why was Michelle afraid of her shadow all of a sudden? Had she just noticed it was there? Sometimes, he just didn't understand the logic of young children.

"Pika!"

Ash and Michelle looked forward. Pikachu had jumped off of Ash's shoulder and was standing in front of them smiling. He pointed with his little paw at his shadow. Michelle screamed again.

"Michelle!" Ash tried to reason with her.

"Look out Pikachu!" Michelle gasped, "it's gonna get you!"

"Pikachu," Pikachu shook his head. He leaned over and patted his shadow. Michelle was wide eyed, and Ash was just confused.

"Pikapi," Pikachu gave Ash an almost pleading look. That's when Ash realized what Pikachu was doing.

"Oh, I see!" Ash laughed. He picked up Michelle and moved her away from his leg so she was next to him, "its okay Michelle! Look."

He pointed in front of him, at his own shadow. Michelle squealed fearfully.

"It's not gonna do anything," Ash smiled, "shadows are nice. Their good." Michelle didn't look convinced. Ash narrowed his eyes in deep thought. Then, he got an idea. He groaned inwardly at it, but he knew it was the only way he could get the message across to Michelle.

"Aw, hello shadow!" Ash greeted the ground. Michelle was blinking wildly. She hugged her father's side and hid part of her face against it. The other half she kept looking at his shadow.

"I love you shadow," Ash cooed. He leaned forward and kissed the ground. Grass doesn't taste very good, Ash thought miserably to himself. He picked himself up and looked at Michelle. She was gaping at his shadow.

"See, look!" Ash grinned, "It's nice."

Michelle looked in front of her at her own shadow and blinked at it. She sat down on the ground and gently patted it.

"Good shadow," she mumbled, still patting it.

"Is everything okay now?" Ash asked sweetly. Michelle looked at him and nodded. Pikachu happily jumped back onto Ash's shoulder.

"Thanks buddy," Ash whispered to Pikachu. Looking back at Michelle, he asked, "Ready to go now?"

"Yes," Michelle jumped up, "but…I think I want you to carry me now."

Ash gave Michelle a quizzical look. The little girl pointed at her shadow and explained, "It is nice, but I don't like it following me around."

"Okay," Ash nodded, "I'll carry you."

He picked up Michelle and she buried her face into his shoulder. As he walked, Ash felt something in his mouth. He turned his head and spit it out. It was a blade of grass.

The things I do for these kids, Ash thought to himself jokingly. He looked down at Michelle, who was gently kissing his shoulder.

Thinking again, Ash happily decided, eh, it's worth it.