I always wanted to do a drabble. Involving Ash.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. Sob, sob, sob. ... Really.
I – Shopping
Pearlshipping (Ash x Dawn)
Summary: There's only one day left for the group to stay in Veilstone City, and Dawn's using it for her own shopping pleasure. Of course, Ash quickly protests, but his curiosity gets the best of him when the two come across the 'forbidden store'…
"We have to explore any and every mall in the City," Dawn ordered, "And we have to do it by the end of the day. Any objections?"
Ash Ketchum sheepishly raised his hand to voucher his opinion, but the blue-haired Coordinator quickly slapped it – and his only ounce of male dignity – away in a second's notice. "This is serious business, you know. I can't blow away my competition without an array of outfits to choose from!"
"You already have a whole suitcase of dresses and skirts and… other girly things," Ash whined, clasping onto a nearby chair leg as Dawn pulled him by the hood. "Your entire sleeping tent is a mall!"
"Don't get smart with me," Dawn threatened, successfully prying the Trainer from his safehold. "We're only gonna be in this city for another day. Anyway, you were the one who told me to make the best out of life."
"You were the one who told me that nothing that I say makes sense," Ash skillfully added, receiving a sigh at the other end of the conversation. Rolling her eyes, Dawn rammed him outside the door and into the Pokemon Center's lobby. "Anything that you'll like to bring along?" she asked, making a quick pace towards the exit.
"… I left my pride on the floor. Can we go back and get it?" he joked, only to be pulled away from his haven.
Veilstone City was a vast, disproportionate clump of shopping centers and overly dressed teenage girls. It didn't help that Dawn – as 'mature' as she could be sometimes – was losing herself to any little thing that she encountered on her way. Ash spent half of the time pondering on how Paul – unruly, stoic, bad-boy Paul– had lived through the mania for so long. Reggie, on the other hand… he was already leaning on the girly side.
"Pay attention," Dawn ordered, snapping Ash from his thoughts, "Or you'll get lost in this crowd. And trust me, I'll rather look for clothes over looking for you." Ash frowned; he just hated when females mentally abused him. "Oh, look, its the black shirt that I wanted!" his companion squealed, scurrying over to a display. Ash took the time to mock her when her head was turned. "Oh, look, its that really pretty white hat! Oh, I always wanted to get a pink skirt just like that!" he teased, enjoying his first laugh since the start of his 'shopping adventure'.
"Would you stop kidding around?" Dawn scolded, handing Ash yet another bag to carry. "Don't worry, we're almost done. Only one more store to go!" Ash's eyes practically sparkled. "And the best thing is, you can't come into the store, so I won't have to drag you in!"
"Ehh…" Ash sighed, his eyes reverting to a squinted form. "Since it's the last store, I'll love to come in with you…"
Dawn suddenly glared, folding her arms in a typical female gesture. "The only store that you want to enter is the only store that you can't?!" she snapped, her arms flailing. Ash timidly nodded. "I… I can't believe this! Ugh," she exclaimed, shoving six large designer bags into his hands. "Hold these. And you better not run off, Ash!" The Pokemon Master-in-training took his turn to roll his eyes. He had braved through thick and thin – and not to mention, a stampede of mentally misguided women – and he received this in return? Gah.
Remembering an old suggestion by Dawn, 'always put your mind to use', Ash leaned on the side of the store and strategically planned how to enter the store, quietly and unnoticed. "There could be a window on the side that I could squeeze through… nahh…" he muttered. Where was Team Rocket when you needed them? They always seemed to sneak into the hardest of places.
What could be so bad about the store, anyway? Ash contemplated, trying his hardest to sneak in a peek. The display glasses were oddly covered with stylish, over-patterned black paper, and the entrance was a large door that was overlapped by shaded glass. Pretty shady… he concluded, leaning over as much as he could and reaching for the doorknob. Creak!, and the door was wide open, practically welcoming Ash into its confinements. "I just can't leave a golden opportunity hanging," he reassured himself, striding into the lavish hallway of the boutique. "That's a rule that all Pokemon Trainers follow. Dawn would understand."
Ash's eyes spontaneously widened when he finally came across the store's merchandise. "Ahh…" he monotoned, staring blankly at a pair of… underwear? This was what Dawn had come here for? The Trainer glanced to his left, to eye another pair, this time colorful. Telling himself not to, Ash then turned to his right, where his eyes met with… Piplup-patterned panties?! He had enough of the female torture, as he ran towards the exit, but was stopped by a familiar face.
"Ash… whatever-your-name-is Ketchum!" Dawn screeched, folding her arms yet again. "I knew that you would pull a trick like this! How did you even get in? The side window?!"
"I was heavily considering that, but my creativity ran dry, and the front door worked just fine," Ash jested, quickly blocking his face from any possible incoming punches. "Please, please don't hit me."
"Something told me to being Brock," Dawn monotoned. Ash broke out in laughter. That would of worked. "What did you see, anyway?"
"Weapons of mass destruction…" he began, shaking his head profoundly.
Later, at the Pokemon Center…
"Piplup," Ash beckoned, carefully eyeing the small penguin Pokemon, "You wouldn't believe where I saw you…"
End of Chapter One
r&&r?