Heartbreak and Forgiveness, Chapter 1
By Arina Ketchum
Author notes: The characters "Electra", "Sailor Raichu", and "Tuxedo Takeshi" are property of Electra. Many thanks to her for allowing me the use of her wonderful characters.
WARNING: Contains some mature language. Would rate this at a PG.
As Ash Ketchum drove his sports car into the driveway of his three-story home in Elegant City, he imagined the look of delighted surprise his wife, Misty, would have, when he walked in, two days earlier than expected from a conference with the Pokemon League. Pikachu, sitting in the passenger's seat, smiled up at it's friend, as Ash parked next to Misty's aqua blue corvette and took off his seatbelt.
"Home at last." Ash said above the car's beeping, signaling him to take the key out of the ignition. "I'm glad we got here early, Misty really didn't want me to go anyway.
"Pika-Pikachu." Pikachu agreed as it leapt out of the car behind Ash.
Ash quickly opened the door and he and Pikachu dashed into the foyer as Ash called out, "Misty, we're home!"
When Ash got no response, he jogged into the spacious kitchen and found no one there. Suddenly, a shrill "Toge-Toge!" came from the second floor landing, and Ash and Pikachu knew immediately something was wrong. Racing back to the foyer, and up the stairs, three steps at a time, Ash found Togepi sitting outside Ash and Misty's bedroom door, clearly upset.
Without asking what was wrong, Ash tried the door and found it locked. "Misty!" he shouted frantically as he pounded on the door. "Misty, open the door!"
A few seconds later, Ash heard the lock being adjusted and the doorknob turn.
"Misty?" he asked hopefully. He pushed on the door and found no one behind it. "Hey buddy," he turned to Pikachu, "take Togepi downstairs for a snack, ok?"
"Pika." Pikachu said solemnly, knowing something was really wrong, and Ash and Misty needed to be alone right now.
"Misty?" Ash walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Misty was lying on their king-size bed, facing away from him. "Misty, what's wrong?" Ash asked as he crawled onto the bed next to her. Misty made no move to face him or answer.
"Misty," he touched her arm, "I can't help if you don't talk."
At his touch, Misty curled up into a fetal position and began to cry. "I can't." she sobbed repeatedly, "I just can't." It was obvious she was in pain, emotionally.
Ash took off his jacket, then slipped his arms around the prone figure, whispering in her ear, "Yes, you can, Misty. Are you upset because I left to see the League?"
Misty shook her head and sniffled.
"Did someone hurt you?"
Again, she shook her head.
"Is something wrong with the baby?" Ash had a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach as suddenly remembered Misty had an obstetrician's appointment today....Misty burst into more tears, confirming the answer to be 'yes'. "What - what did they say...was wrong?"
Misty sniffled hard. "I'm not pregnant." she said it so softly that Ash could just hear her. "The doctor said the home pregnancy test I took *sniffle* was just a false positive."
'Holy Mother of God' was the first words thought that went through Ash's head. Needless to say, he was floored by the news. Only a week ago Misty had taken the home test that brought the happy news, and now the official doctor tests were saying it was bunk. Ash rolled over to his side and stared up at the ceiling.
"Ash?" Misty asked quietly. Ash saw she had rolled over and was now looking at him with wide, fearful eyes. "Do you hate me?"
She had to even ask? "Dear God, Misty, what makes you say that? Of course I don't!" Ash reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. "We'll just keep trying, ok?"
"But what if I can't have children, Ash? What if I'm one of those women - "
"You're not." Ash said firmly. "You're my wife, and I love you and I will be here for you no matter what happens. I want you to rest now, Misty, and later I'll bring up some dinner, ok?"
Misty nodded and Ash pulled the blanket at the end of bed over her. "Just get some rest," he kissed her on the forehead, "I love you."
Ash walked downstairs, into the kitchen and sat down at the table. How had things gone from completely joyous to completely unhappy, Ash wondered. He himself felt like crying, but that seemed silly - Misty hadn't lost the baby (God forbid), because there was no baby to begin with, so what was the point?
Taking a deep breath, he called Pikachu and Togepi into the kitchen. Mouths full of Pocky, (Ash hadn't the faintest idea where they'd gotten that treat), they bounded in from the family room. Ash ran a hand through his black hair. How was he going to explain this to them? 'Hey guess what? Misty's not pregnant after all!', simply wouldn't do.
"Um, guys," Ash got down on his haunches. Remember last week when I told you Misty was going to have a baby?" Togepi and Pikachu both nodded. "Well, she went to the doctor and it looks like she's not having a baby after all."
"Pika-Pi!" Pikachu cried and jumped into Ash's arms to console his friend. Togepi just sat on the floor bemused by the fact that Misty was upset at all, because she had Togepi as her baby. What difference did it make if she had another one or not?
Ash set down Pikachu on the tiled floor and tried hard to hide the emotional tears the hug had produced. "Thanks, Pikachu. Now I have to call Mom and Brock and tell them the news." He stood up and looked out the window. "Why don't you go play outside with the other Pokemon until it gets dark?"
Togepi and Pikachu agreed and ran to the glass sliding door in the family room. Ash released all his other Pokemon - even Charizard and Snorlax - so they could get some fresh air.
Taking another deep breath, Ash sat down at the videophone and dialed his mother's phone number in Pallet Town. "Hello, Mom?" he asked when she picked up the phone, "It's Ash."
Ash didn't want to be talking to his mother over the phone about this - he wanted to run into her arms for a hug, to hear her say everything was going to be all right. He was much too old for that nonsense, however. Right now, he needed to concentrate on Misty.
"I'm so sorry, Ash." His mother said sincerely. "I know you and Misty were really excited..."
"Thanks Mom."
"Is there anything I can do? Do you want me to visit for a few days . . .?"
"No, no that's ok Mom. We'll be ok." Of course he'd meant to say, "No, come as quickly as you can, 'cause you're little boy is hurting," but the words never came.
"Well," his mother said with much doubt. "If you're sure you'll be all right. Call me in a few days, ok?"
"Sure thing, Mom."
"Ash, I love you."
"I know, Mom."
"Are you changing your - "
"MOTHER!" Ash exclaimed even before she could finish. "I'm a grown man, for crying out loud!"
"And I'm still your mother, and as such, I have a responsibility."
"Um, right Mom. Listen, I still have to call Brock. I'll talk to you later. Bye!" Ash hung up with a heavy sigh of relief. He knew his mother loved him, but did she have to bring up the most embarrassing subject in the world every time they talked?
Ash sighed again as he picked up the receiver again. Talking to Brock would be a lot harder than talking to his Mom about this, because he, Misty and Ash had been friends since they were kids.
The phone rang once, then twice on the other end before it was picked up. "Brock?" Ash asked, his voice sounding sort of funny.
"Ash!" Brock cried happily as the videophone popped Ash's picture onscreen. "How are you, man!" he said as a door slammed in the background at his house. "Hang on, Ash." "Hey, El, Ash is on the phone!"
"Coming!" a female voice cried out.
Brock turned back to the screen as Electra, Brock's wife appeared behind him. "Hi Ash!" The brown-haired woman smiled. "What's up?"
"Um, well, why don't you go first?"
Brock's grin only widened as he looked up at Electra. "There's going to be another Stone in the family."
Ash's eyes widened. "You mean..."
Brock and Electra nodded.
"Your father re-married and they're going to have kids?"
Brock and Electra fell over. "Ash!" Brock yelled when he sat up again. "I have enough siblings as it is without adding step kids to the group!"
"No Ash, Brock's trying to say we're the ones having a baby."
Ash's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You guys?!" he cried.
"Yep, two months along. We just found out three days ago." Brock reached up and patted Electra's stomach.
"Now Misty and I can go shopping for maternity clothes and baby stuff as soon as I can get some time off from this slave driver here." Electra snaked her arms around Brock's shoulders.
Ash's face fell - straight down to the floor. "No, you can't." he said softly.
Brock sensed something wrong immediately. "Ash, what is it? What's wrong? Has something happened to Misty?" When Ash didn't answer, he threatened, "Ash tell me now before I come over there and beat it out of you."
Ash couldn't bear to look at his friends. "That's the real reason I called. Misty's not pregnant. Never was. The O.B.G.Y.N. said it was a false alarm."
Electra let out a small gasp of shock and Brock just sat in silence.
"Misty'll be waking up from her nap pretty soon. I have to make her dinner." Ash quietly said. "I'll talk to you guys later. Congratulations, too."
The videophone shut off so quickly that Brock didn't get a chance to respond. Electra, meanwhile, had run into the kitchen and grabbed her car keys.
"Let's go, Brock. They need us over there." Electra appeared behind him as she opened the closet door and grabbed her jacket.
Brock jumped up. "Whoa, Ele, slow down."
"Slow down? Did you see the look of pain on Ash's face? Think of how upset Misty must be!"
"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm thinking of. A pregnant woman puttering around their house, telling them to perk up is not the thing they need right now."
"Brock, don't you dare tell me I can't go!" Electra started growing angry.
Brock cupped her chin. "I'm not telling you, I'm ordering you to stay behind. Someone needs to take care of the breeder's shop anyway."
"Damn you, Brock Stone!" Electra screamed as Brock left through the front door. "Humph." she muttered. "You ordered Electra not to go," she said as she walked back into the kitchen and put down her car keys again, "but you never said anything about Sailor Raichu..." She walked back into the living room and held up a special transformation wand given to her not so long ago.
"Raichu Thunder Power, MAKE UP!" she yelled.
The air began to sparkle with electricity as a thin wave of lightning wove around her body as her clothes disappeared and were replaced by a seifuku - a uniform that consisted of a white leotard and red skirt, matching red boots, and a gold tiara with a garnet stone in the center.
"No one orders me around, especially you, Brock Stone!" Sailor Raichu snarled. She held the transformation wand above her again. "Senshi teleportation!"
In an instant, Sailor Raichu had disappeared by the powers of the pen, on her way to the Ketchum residence.
* * * *
"Brock!" Ash exclaimed when he answered the door later that night.
"After you called, I jumped into my car to see if -"
"Hi Brock!" Electra popped her head out from the kitchen and smiled cheerfully.
"Electra!"
"What happened to you, dear? Your car break down on the way over?"
"Electra came by about two hours ago and made dinner for us." Ash said.
"Ash, I'm going to take some tea up to Misty. I'll be back down in a few minutes." Electra called out.
As Ash and Brock heard her go up the steps, Ash said, "I don't know how she got here so fast."
"Neither do I." Brock lied, silently fuming. He knew exactly how Electra had arrived so soon and he'd be having some very strong words with her when they got back to Pewter. "How's Misty?"
"She's a little better since Electra arrived. She even ate half the serving of stir-fry Electra made for dinner."
Brock nodded. "Maybe I should go then, since Elé seem to have taken over."
"No, no, Misty's been asking for you, and Electra promised you were coming."
"Does she know?"
Ash nodded. "She took the news better than I expected."
Brock laid a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Ash, had I known, I wouldn't have said a word until much later. I'm sorry."
"It's all right, Brock. She would have found out eventually; it's best not to keep secrets from her."
"I didn't mean just Misty, I meant you too." Brock explained at the sound of two sets of footsteps coming down the stairs.
"She wanted to see you." Electra said as she appeared in the doorframe, holding Misty by the arm.
"Hi Brock." Misty smiled weakly. She was dressed in a nightgown and bathrobe, her short red hair hanging loose. "I'm sorry I'm not properly dressed . . ."
Brock cut her off with a hug. "It's ok, Misty," he said softly, "How are you?"
"I'm ok."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Why don't we sit down in the family room? We have a lot to talk about." Electra said.
"Sounds good." Ash grabbed Misty as Electra followed behind Brock. Electra knew Brock was furious with her, and getting angrier, but she had had enough of Brock Stone telling her what and what not to do.
Ele, we'd better head for home." Brock announced at one a.m., "and let Ash and Misty get some sleep."
"NOW?!" Misty and Ash cried as one. "You guys wouldn't make it home before three!"
"Uh-huh." Electra yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "You've never helped birth a bunch of Igglybuff babies in distress in the middle of the night, gone to bed at five, then gotten up at seven to open the shop. We've done this before, Ash, it's no big deal."
"What if you fall asleep at the wheel? I won't allow you to go, both of you upstairs to the guest room on the third floor now!"
* * * *
"We'll have to call Tim in the morning." Brock said as he stripped down to his boxers. "He'll have to cover for us at the shop until we get home."
"Mm." Electra nodded as she changed into the cotton nightgown Misty had loaned her.
"Electra?"
"I heard you." Electra announced flatly as she folded down the bed covers. "Goodnight."
Brock watched as his wife carefully avoided looking at him as she snuggled into bed. Something was up with Electra, but Brock couldn't put his finger on it.
Neither of them slept well that night, even though the previous day had been tiring for them both. Electra rose at six, and quietly slipped on her clothes.
Brock followed her downstairs into the kitchen a few minutes after she'd left their bed. She was about to break her fourth egg into a green ceramic glazed bowl when Brock, leaning against the doorframe, a frown on his face, asked, "You can't give me the cold shoulder forever, Electra."
Electra cracked the egg against the rim of the bowl and dropped its contents in with one swift move.
"Who said I'm giving anyone the cold shoulder, especially you, my husband."
Brock strode over to her and stood behind her, the anger from last night building again.
"What in God's name is wrong with you? I'm the one that should be angry, not the other way around!"
Quickly, Electra held her transformation wand above her head, "Raichu Thunder Power MAKE-"
Brock grabbed her wrist, cutting her off. "Teleportation won't work this time," he growled. He was bound to get physically hurt in a minute by Electra, but like hell he was going to stand there without a word from her after last night's stunt. He grabbed the wand out of her hand and made her turn around. She looked down at the floor.
"Look at me, Electra." he growled, shaking her a little. "Look at me, damn it!"
Electra obeyed, only for one moment. Brock's mood changed entirely when he saw her eyes bright with tears. She tore from his grip, and ran out of the room, crying, "Baka!"
The trip back to Pewter was the engaged in complete silence. Electra sat in the passenger's seat, staring out the window. Brock drove, chewing on a fingernail, and staring blankly at the road ahead. Occasionally, he would look over at her, wondering what exactly had gone wrong in Pallet. At one stoplight, he took out her transformation wand, and placed it on the seat beside her. Electra didn't even flinch when it rolled against her thigh.
At the speed they were traveling, they reached home in an hour and a half. As soon as Brock pulled into their driveway, Electra grabbed the wand and made a break for their house.
"Electra! Electra wait!" Brock called as he struggled to unfasten his seatbelt and go after her. "ELECTRA!" He finally got free of the seatbelt and ran up to their bedroom and found the door to be locked. Pounding on it, he yelled, "Electra, open this door now!"
"SENSHI TELEPORTATION!"
"Electra, don't!" Brock rammed the door and the lock broke under the force.
Electra had simply disappeared into thin air.
* * * *
Electra didn't come back that night, or the night after. Months passed without a word from her. Brock grew increasingly worried every day that passed. Six weeks before Electra's due date, he was going crazy, and three weeks later, he was going berserk. What if she'd already had the baby? Had somehow gotten into some trouble and was in need of medical attention, without being able to contact anyone?
Finally, he thought, he only had one option left.
That night, a bright spotlight filled the night sky, the silhouette of a Raichu's head inside it. Pewter City had seen this light before - Sailor Raichu was being called on to defend the city.
Tuxedo Takeshi looked up at the sky as he leaned against the giant light situated on a skyscraper's flat roof. She would come - unless she was detained . . .
"You can turn off the spotlight. I'm here." Sailor Raichu said behind him.
Takeshi turned to face her -and his heart leapt with joy - her stomach was still swollen, meaning she had not given birth yet. Her gloved hands clenched into fists as a strong wind blew her long hair and his cape. "If this is about Electra, she's not coming back."
"Because of a simple misunderstanding?"
Sailor Raichu laughed harshly. "Misunderstanding my foot. If Brock's already forgotten, I'll have to remind him. Brock seems to forget that Electra is his wife - his life partner, not another one of his brothers or sisters he has to act a parent to. When Brock ordered Electra to stay behind after Ash called that night, that was the last straw. When Brock got angry when he saw her that night, and then the next morning, she made up her mind to leave. Ash and Misty are her dear friends too, just because she was pregnant and Misty wasn't did not mean she would rub it in Ash and Misty's faces."
Takeshi turned to look at the sky again. "Someone needed to look after the shop."
Raichu choked back a loud laugh. "That's Brock's best excuse? You males are all the same, with no hope of changing. Electra was right to leave when she did. Her unborn child will now live in a home free of Brock's cruelty toward her and maybe even the child itself. I'll tell Electra I tried my best."
Raichu began to walk off, the bottoms of her high heels scraping along the rooftop. Takeshi clenched his fist and squeezed his eyes shut. "Wait."
The scraping noise stopped and Raichu looked over her shoulder.
"I made the same promise to Brock, that I would negotiate. If Brock changed - if Brock honestly changed his mannerisms, his way of treating Electra, would she forgive him and come back?"
"It's not that she has to come back - it's the old Brock Electra was friends with, the one she fell in love with, that must return. Why would Brock want to change now after all?"
"Because - " Takeshi paused. "He loves her with all of his heart, although he doesn't know how to show his affection for her at times. Surely she must realize that, and love him back just as much?"
Raichu answered, "If that is your message, then I will relay it to -" she suddenly gasped, as if in pain, and fell to her knees.
"Sailor Raichu!" Takeshi rushed to her. "What is it?"
"The baby!" she managed to gasp. "The baby is-" Just as she said that, her body began to undo the powers of the transformation wand, and once more, she became Electra, mild-mannered Pewter citizen - that was about to give birth on top of a skyscraper!
"The contractions started two days ago and they weren't severe until just before I transformed..." she winced.
"Sshh. It's all right. We'll get you to a hospital in time."
"Thank you, Tuxedo Takeshi," she whispered as he picked her up in his arms. "The contraction's passed now, but the time in between them is shortening."
"We'll use a few secret shortcuts through the city to get to the hospital faster."
"Takeshi? Do you think you could contact Brock for me and tell him it's time?"
Takeshi smiled down at her. "I'm sure that can be arranged."
"...And tell him...tell him I love him and I forgive him, because I know he has changed."
Takeshi nodded. "I think that is best left for you to do, Electra, face-to- face. Now," he said pointedly to her stomach, "you stay in there until we get to the hospital and Daddy arrives, because Tuxedo Takeshi may be a superhero - but he knows nothing about giving birth!"
So said, Tux, Electra, and said soon-to-be-born-baby raced across the top of the skyscrapers to the nearest hospital.
End Chapter 1
By Arina Ketchum
Author notes: The characters "Electra", "Sailor Raichu", and "Tuxedo Takeshi" are property of Electra. Many thanks to her for allowing me the use of her wonderful characters.
WARNING: Contains some mature language. Would rate this at a PG.
As Ash Ketchum drove his sports car into the driveway of his three-story home in Elegant City, he imagined the look of delighted surprise his wife, Misty, would have, when he walked in, two days earlier than expected from a conference with the Pokemon League. Pikachu, sitting in the passenger's seat, smiled up at it's friend, as Ash parked next to Misty's aqua blue corvette and took off his seatbelt.
"Home at last." Ash said above the car's beeping, signaling him to take the key out of the ignition. "I'm glad we got here early, Misty really didn't want me to go anyway.
"Pika-Pikachu." Pikachu agreed as it leapt out of the car behind Ash.
Ash quickly opened the door and he and Pikachu dashed into the foyer as Ash called out, "Misty, we're home!"
When Ash got no response, he jogged into the spacious kitchen and found no one there. Suddenly, a shrill "Toge-Toge!" came from the second floor landing, and Ash and Pikachu knew immediately something was wrong. Racing back to the foyer, and up the stairs, three steps at a time, Ash found Togepi sitting outside Ash and Misty's bedroom door, clearly upset.
Without asking what was wrong, Ash tried the door and found it locked. "Misty!" he shouted frantically as he pounded on the door. "Misty, open the door!"
A few seconds later, Ash heard the lock being adjusted and the doorknob turn.
"Misty?" he asked hopefully. He pushed on the door and found no one behind it. "Hey buddy," he turned to Pikachu, "take Togepi downstairs for a snack, ok?"
"Pika." Pikachu said solemnly, knowing something was really wrong, and Ash and Misty needed to be alone right now.
"Misty?" Ash walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Misty was lying on their king-size bed, facing away from him. "Misty, what's wrong?" Ash asked as he crawled onto the bed next to her. Misty made no move to face him or answer.
"Misty," he touched her arm, "I can't help if you don't talk."
At his touch, Misty curled up into a fetal position and began to cry. "I can't." she sobbed repeatedly, "I just can't." It was obvious she was in pain, emotionally.
Ash took off his jacket, then slipped his arms around the prone figure, whispering in her ear, "Yes, you can, Misty. Are you upset because I left to see the League?"
Misty shook her head and sniffled.
"Did someone hurt you?"
Again, she shook her head.
"Is something wrong with the baby?" Ash had a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach as suddenly remembered Misty had an obstetrician's appointment today....Misty burst into more tears, confirming the answer to be 'yes'. "What - what did they say...was wrong?"
Misty sniffled hard. "I'm not pregnant." she said it so softly that Ash could just hear her. "The doctor said the home pregnancy test I took *sniffle* was just a false positive."
'Holy Mother of God' was the first words thought that went through Ash's head. Needless to say, he was floored by the news. Only a week ago Misty had taken the home test that brought the happy news, and now the official doctor tests were saying it was bunk. Ash rolled over to his side and stared up at the ceiling.
"Ash?" Misty asked quietly. Ash saw she had rolled over and was now looking at him with wide, fearful eyes. "Do you hate me?"
She had to even ask? "Dear God, Misty, what makes you say that? Of course I don't!" Ash reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. "We'll just keep trying, ok?"
"But what if I can't have children, Ash? What if I'm one of those women - "
"You're not." Ash said firmly. "You're my wife, and I love you and I will be here for you no matter what happens. I want you to rest now, Misty, and later I'll bring up some dinner, ok?"
Misty nodded and Ash pulled the blanket at the end of bed over her. "Just get some rest," he kissed her on the forehead, "I love you."
Ash walked downstairs, into the kitchen and sat down at the table. How had things gone from completely joyous to completely unhappy, Ash wondered. He himself felt like crying, but that seemed silly - Misty hadn't lost the baby (God forbid), because there was no baby to begin with, so what was the point?
Taking a deep breath, he called Pikachu and Togepi into the kitchen. Mouths full of Pocky, (Ash hadn't the faintest idea where they'd gotten that treat), they bounded in from the family room. Ash ran a hand through his black hair. How was he going to explain this to them? 'Hey guess what? Misty's not pregnant after all!', simply wouldn't do.
"Um, guys," Ash got down on his haunches. Remember last week when I told you Misty was going to have a baby?" Togepi and Pikachu both nodded. "Well, she went to the doctor and it looks like she's not having a baby after all."
"Pika-Pi!" Pikachu cried and jumped into Ash's arms to console his friend. Togepi just sat on the floor bemused by the fact that Misty was upset at all, because she had Togepi as her baby. What difference did it make if she had another one or not?
Ash set down Pikachu on the tiled floor and tried hard to hide the emotional tears the hug had produced. "Thanks, Pikachu. Now I have to call Mom and Brock and tell them the news." He stood up and looked out the window. "Why don't you go play outside with the other Pokemon until it gets dark?"
Togepi and Pikachu agreed and ran to the glass sliding door in the family room. Ash released all his other Pokemon - even Charizard and Snorlax - so they could get some fresh air.
Taking another deep breath, Ash sat down at the videophone and dialed his mother's phone number in Pallet Town. "Hello, Mom?" he asked when she picked up the phone, "It's Ash."
Ash didn't want to be talking to his mother over the phone about this - he wanted to run into her arms for a hug, to hear her say everything was going to be all right. He was much too old for that nonsense, however. Right now, he needed to concentrate on Misty.
"I'm so sorry, Ash." His mother said sincerely. "I know you and Misty were really excited..."
"Thanks Mom."
"Is there anything I can do? Do you want me to visit for a few days . . .?"
"No, no that's ok Mom. We'll be ok." Of course he'd meant to say, "No, come as quickly as you can, 'cause you're little boy is hurting," but the words never came.
"Well," his mother said with much doubt. "If you're sure you'll be all right. Call me in a few days, ok?"
"Sure thing, Mom."
"Ash, I love you."
"I know, Mom."
"Are you changing your - "
"MOTHER!" Ash exclaimed even before she could finish. "I'm a grown man, for crying out loud!"
"And I'm still your mother, and as such, I have a responsibility."
"Um, right Mom. Listen, I still have to call Brock. I'll talk to you later. Bye!" Ash hung up with a heavy sigh of relief. He knew his mother loved him, but did she have to bring up the most embarrassing subject in the world every time they talked?
Ash sighed again as he picked up the receiver again. Talking to Brock would be a lot harder than talking to his Mom about this, because he, Misty and Ash had been friends since they were kids.
The phone rang once, then twice on the other end before it was picked up. "Brock?" Ash asked, his voice sounding sort of funny.
"Ash!" Brock cried happily as the videophone popped Ash's picture onscreen. "How are you, man!" he said as a door slammed in the background at his house. "Hang on, Ash." "Hey, El, Ash is on the phone!"
"Coming!" a female voice cried out.
Brock turned back to the screen as Electra, Brock's wife appeared behind him. "Hi Ash!" The brown-haired woman smiled. "What's up?"
"Um, well, why don't you go first?"
Brock's grin only widened as he looked up at Electra. "There's going to be another Stone in the family."
Ash's eyes widened. "You mean..."
Brock and Electra nodded.
"Your father re-married and they're going to have kids?"
Brock and Electra fell over. "Ash!" Brock yelled when he sat up again. "I have enough siblings as it is without adding step kids to the group!"
"No Ash, Brock's trying to say we're the ones having a baby."
Ash's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You guys?!" he cried.
"Yep, two months along. We just found out three days ago." Brock reached up and patted Electra's stomach.
"Now Misty and I can go shopping for maternity clothes and baby stuff as soon as I can get some time off from this slave driver here." Electra snaked her arms around Brock's shoulders.
Ash's face fell - straight down to the floor. "No, you can't." he said softly.
Brock sensed something wrong immediately. "Ash, what is it? What's wrong? Has something happened to Misty?" When Ash didn't answer, he threatened, "Ash tell me now before I come over there and beat it out of you."
Ash couldn't bear to look at his friends. "That's the real reason I called. Misty's not pregnant. Never was. The O.B.G.Y.N. said it was a false alarm."
Electra let out a small gasp of shock and Brock just sat in silence.
"Misty'll be waking up from her nap pretty soon. I have to make her dinner." Ash quietly said. "I'll talk to you guys later. Congratulations, too."
The videophone shut off so quickly that Brock didn't get a chance to respond. Electra, meanwhile, had run into the kitchen and grabbed her car keys.
"Let's go, Brock. They need us over there." Electra appeared behind him as she opened the closet door and grabbed her jacket.
Brock jumped up. "Whoa, Ele, slow down."
"Slow down? Did you see the look of pain on Ash's face? Think of how upset Misty must be!"
"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm thinking of. A pregnant woman puttering around their house, telling them to perk up is not the thing they need right now."
"Brock, don't you dare tell me I can't go!" Electra started growing angry.
Brock cupped her chin. "I'm not telling you, I'm ordering you to stay behind. Someone needs to take care of the breeder's shop anyway."
"Damn you, Brock Stone!" Electra screamed as Brock left through the front door. "Humph." she muttered. "You ordered Electra not to go," she said as she walked back into the kitchen and put down her car keys again, "but you never said anything about Sailor Raichu..." She walked back into the living room and held up a special transformation wand given to her not so long ago.
"Raichu Thunder Power, MAKE UP!" she yelled.
The air began to sparkle with electricity as a thin wave of lightning wove around her body as her clothes disappeared and were replaced by a seifuku - a uniform that consisted of a white leotard and red skirt, matching red boots, and a gold tiara with a garnet stone in the center.
"No one orders me around, especially you, Brock Stone!" Sailor Raichu snarled. She held the transformation wand above her again. "Senshi teleportation!"
In an instant, Sailor Raichu had disappeared by the powers of the pen, on her way to the Ketchum residence.
* * * *
"Brock!" Ash exclaimed when he answered the door later that night.
"After you called, I jumped into my car to see if -"
"Hi Brock!" Electra popped her head out from the kitchen and smiled cheerfully.
"Electra!"
"What happened to you, dear? Your car break down on the way over?"
"Electra came by about two hours ago and made dinner for us." Ash said.
"Ash, I'm going to take some tea up to Misty. I'll be back down in a few minutes." Electra called out.
As Ash and Brock heard her go up the steps, Ash said, "I don't know how she got here so fast."
"Neither do I." Brock lied, silently fuming. He knew exactly how Electra had arrived so soon and he'd be having some very strong words with her when they got back to Pewter. "How's Misty?"
"She's a little better since Electra arrived. She even ate half the serving of stir-fry Electra made for dinner."
Brock nodded. "Maybe I should go then, since Elé seem to have taken over."
"No, no, Misty's been asking for you, and Electra promised you were coming."
"Does she know?"
Ash nodded. "She took the news better than I expected."
Brock laid a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Ash, had I known, I wouldn't have said a word until much later. I'm sorry."
"It's all right, Brock. She would have found out eventually; it's best not to keep secrets from her."
"I didn't mean just Misty, I meant you too." Brock explained at the sound of two sets of footsteps coming down the stairs.
"She wanted to see you." Electra said as she appeared in the doorframe, holding Misty by the arm.
"Hi Brock." Misty smiled weakly. She was dressed in a nightgown and bathrobe, her short red hair hanging loose. "I'm sorry I'm not properly dressed . . ."
Brock cut her off with a hug. "It's ok, Misty," he said softly, "How are you?"
"I'm ok."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Why don't we sit down in the family room? We have a lot to talk about." Electra said.
"Sounds good." Ash grabbed Misty as Electra followed behind Brock. Electra knew Brock was furious with her, and getting angrier, but she had had enough of Brock Stone telling her what and what not to do.
Ele, we'd better head for home." Brock announced at one a.m., "and let Ash and Misty get some sleep."
"NOW?!" Misty and Ash cried as one. "You guys wouldn't make it home before three!"
"Uh-huh." Electra yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "You've never helped birth a bunch of Igglybuff babies in distress in the middle of the night, gone to bed at five, then gotten up at seven to open the shop. We've done this before, Ash, it's no big deal."
"What if you fall asleep at the wheel? I won't allow you to go, both of you upstairs to the guest room on the third floor now!"
* * * *
"We'll have to call Tim in the morning." Brock said as he stripped down to his boxers. "He'll have to cover for us at the shop until we get home."
"Mm." Electra nodded as she changed into the cotton nightgown Misty had loaned her.
"Electra?"
"I heard you." Electra announced flatly as she folded down the bed covers. "Goodnight."
Brock watched as his wife carefully avoided looking at him as she snuggled into bed. Something was up with Electra, but Brock couldn't put his finger on it.
Neither of them slept well that night, even though the previous day had been tiring for them both. Electra rose at six, and quietly slipped on her clothes.
Brock followed her downstairs into the kitchen a few minutes after she'd left their bed. She was about to break her fourth egg into a green ceramic glazed bowl when Brock, leaning against the doorframe, a frown on his face, asked, "You can't give me the cold shoulder forever, Electra."
Electra cracked the egg against the rim of the bowl and dropped its contents in with one swift move.
"Who said I'm giving anyone the cold shoulder, especially you, my husband."
Brock strode over to her and stood behind her, the anger from last night building again.
"What in God's name is wrong with you? I'm the one that should be angry, not the other way around!"
Quickly, Electra held her transformation wand above her head, "Raichu Thunder Power MAKE-"
Brock grabbed her wrist, cutting her off. "Teleportation won't work this time," he growled. He was bound to get physically hurt in a minute by Electra, but like hell he was going to stand there without a word from her after last night's stunt. He grabbed the wand out of her hand and made her turn around. She looked down at the floor.
"Look at me, Electra." he growled, shaking her a little. "Look at me, damn it!"
Electra obeyed, only for one moment. Brock's mood changed entirely when he saw her eyes bright with tears. She tore from his grip, and ran out of the room, crying, "Baka!"
The trip back to Pewter was the engaged in complete silence. Electra sat in the passenger's seat, staring out the window. Brock drove, chewing on a fingernail, and staring blankly at the road ahead. Occasionally, he would look over at her, wondering what exactly had gone wrong in Pallet. At one stoplight, he took out her transformation wand, and placed it on the seat beside her. Electra didn't even flinch when it rolled against her thigh.
At the speed they were traveling, they reached home in an hour and a half. As soon as Brock pulled into their driveway, Electra grabbed the wand and made a break for their house.
"Electra! Electra wait!" Brock called as he struggled to unfasten his seatbelt and go after her. "ELECTRA!" He finally got free of the seatbelt and ran up to their bedroom and found the door to be locked. Pounding on it, he yelled, "Electra, open this door now!"
"SENSHI TELEPORTATION!"
"Electra, don't!" Brock rammed the door and the lock broke under the force.
Electra had simply disappeared into thin air.
* * * *
Electra didn't come back that night, or the night after. Months passed without a word from her. Brock grew increasingly worried every day that passed. Six weeks before Electra's due date, he was going crazy, and three weeks later, he was going berserk. What if she'd already had the baby? Had somehow gotten into some trouble and was in need of medical attention, without being able to contact anyone?
Finally, he thought, he only had one option left.
That night, a bright spotlight filled the night sky, the silhouette of a Raichu's head inside it. Pewter City had seen this light before - Sailor Raichu was being called on to defend the city.
Tuxedo Takeshi looked up at the sky as he leaned against the giant light situated on a skyscraper's flat roof. She would come - unless she was detained . . .
"You can turn off the spotlight. I'm here." Sailor Raichu said behind him.
Takeshi turned to face her -and his heart leapt with joy - her stomach was still swollen, meaning she had not given birth yet. Her gloved hands clenched into fists as a strong wind blew her long hair and his cape. "If this is about Electra, she's not coming back."
"Because of a simple misunderstanding?"
Sailor Raichu laughed harshly. "Misunderstanding my foot. If Brock's already forgotten, I'll have to remind him. Brock seems to forget that Electra is his wife - his life partner, not another one of his brothers or sisters he has to act a parent to. When Brock ordered Electra to stay behind after Ash called that night, that was the last straw. When Brock got angry when he saw her that night, and then the next morning, she made up her mind to leave. Ash and Misty are her dear friends too, just because she was pregnant and Misty wasn't did not mean she would rub it in Ash and Misty's faces."
Takeshi turned to look at the sky again. "Someone needed to look after the shop."
Raichu choked back a loud laugh. "That's Brock's best excuse? You males are all the same, with no hope of changing. Electra was right to leave when she did. Her unborn child will now live in a home free of Brock's cruelty toward her and maybe even the child itself. I'll tell Electra I tried my best."
Raichu began to walk off, the bottoms of her high heels scraping along the rooftop. Takeshi clenched his fist and squeezed his eyes shut. "Wait."
The scraping noise stopped and Raichu looked over her shoulder.
"I made the same promise to Brock, that I would negotiate. If Brock changed - if Brock honestly changed his mannerisms, his way of treating Electra, would she forgive him and come back?"
"It's not that she has to come back - it's the old Brock Electra was friends with, the one she fell in love with, that must return. Why would Brock want to change now after all?"
"Because - " Takeshi paused. "He loves her with all of his heart, although he doesn't know how to show his affection for her at times. Surely she must realize that, and love him back just as much?"
Raichu answered, "If that is your message, then I will relay it to -" she suddenly gasped, as if in pain, and fell to her knees.
"Sailor Raichu!" Takeshi rushed to her. "What is it?"
"The baby!" she managed to gasp. "The baby is-" Just as she said that, her body began to undo the powers of the transformation wand, and once more, she became Electra, mild-mannered Pewter citizen - that was about to give birth on top of a skyscraper!
"The contractions started two days ago and they weren't severe until just before I transformed..." she winced.
"Sshh. It's all right. We'll get you to a hospital in time."
"Thank you, Tuxedo Takeshi," she whispered as he picked her up in his arms. "The contraction's passed now, but the time in between them is shortening."
"We'll use a few secret shortcuts through the city to get to the hospital faster."
"Takeshi? Do you think you could contact Brock for me and tell him it's time?"
Takeshi smiled down at her. "I'm sure that can be arranged."
"...And tell him...tell him I love him and I forgive him, because I know he has changed."
Takeshi nodded. "I think that is best left for you to do, Electra, face-to- face. Now," he said pointedly to her stomach, "you stay in there until we get to the hospital and Daddy arrives, because Tuxedo Takeshi may be a superhero - but he knows nothing about giving birth!"
So said, Tux, Electra, and said soon-to-be-born-baby raced across the top of the skyscrapers to the nearest hospital.
End Chapter 1