Supermarket Adventure
"Could you just please go shopping for me, Ash?" The voice asked over the phone. The person holding the phone sighed, letting his shoulders drop.
"Fine Misty. Don't blame me if I get the wrong stuff though," He answered before snapping the phone shut, disconnecting the call. He looked down to his partner Pokémon, Raichu, who's ears twitched in response.
"I have to do everything around here, huh buddy?" Ash asked the rodent, and the mouse's ears only twitched. About a month had passed since the birth of little Ashley, and since then, her mother, the Gym Leader of Cerulean City had gone back to her position. Thus, this left her father, the current Pokémon Master, to take care of her at home during the daytime hours. Once the sun had fallen, her mother would come home, and her father would leave.
Course, Ash and Misty weren't the only parents in the household. Raichu and Marill had both conceived an egg, which later on, had hatched into a male Pichu. Ash and Misty, both trainers to the new parents, had agreed to name the newborn, calling him Neko.
"You coming Raichu?" Ash turned to the mouse, and he quickly nodded, and dashed out to the car, followed by his son. Ash walked out minutes later, carrying his baby daughter. He set the infant into her car seat, and strapped her in. Raichu grabbed Neko by his scruff and jumped into the car floor, then jumping onto the seat next to Ashley. He set Neko down before sitting down and wrapping his tail around the young Pichu. Being so young, Neko was very energetic and like all babies, was very curious about the world. Of course, this wasn't his first time being in a car, so he wasn't as keen to get out of his father's grasp.
Arriving at the nearest Supermarket in Viridian City, Ash, followed by Raichu and Neko, walked over to the nearest basket and strapped the baby carrier to the front. Seeing that his baby daughter was safe, he turned to Raichu and Neko.
"Raichu, make sure you keep a sharp eye on Neko. I don't want to go searching the store again to find him, you hear?" The 27 year old asked in a serious tone, and Raichu nodded. So, the so-called trek around the store –by Neko's standards– had begun.
Firstly, this was the first time Neko had ever set foot into a Supermarket. He had been in smaller stores, but this one was huge compared to those Gas stations. His developing senses were going haywire. Everything was so new; the different smells of various fruit, the feel of the cold tile floor under his tiny paws, even the many voices coming from other humans and Pokémon. Suddenly, something bright and shiny caught his attention. To him, it looked like a fruit that had fallen out of it's place on the shelves. As their group had stopped in that right spot, Neko couldn't take his eyes off of the fallen fruit. He had to go get it. So, he did.
As the group headed off without Neko, Raichu turned to make sure his son was still with them, and sure enough, he was missing. At that moment, Raichu swore he felt his heart skip a beat. He looked up at his trainer quickly to make sure the Pokémon Master wasn't paying attention. He was too busy trying to find certain foods from the list that Misty had always set up incase she couldn't shop herself.
Without noticing, Raichu slipped off into the many isles to find his missing son. He didn't want to yell out to the young Pichu, cause then he would defiantly get attention from his trainer. He frantically looked around, trying to spot a glimpse of yellow fur, but so far he didn't have much luck.
In the next isle from where Raichu, a trio of familiar faces, were currently arguing over their next meal for that night.
"Come on Jessie! We haven't eaten this in weeks!"
"And I'm not planning to cook it anytime soon!"
"We culdz have Pizza!" The feline out of the trio exclaimed and the woman glared at him. He hesitated before putting the frozen pizza back into the freezer.
"Momma? Are we almost done?" The little girl, who was about the age of 5, asked her mother.
"Almost sweetie, just as soon as your father and Uncle Meowth quit complaining for what we're having for dinner." She reassured the child, and the girl smiled with relief.
Just as the trio had started walking out of the isle, Raichu slipped on the waxed tiled floor, and ran into Meowth, knocking both Pokémon over. Of course, this went unnoticed by the humans as they exited the isle and into the next.
"Ow… Hey bud, wats the big ideaz- Huh… Raichu?" Meowth looked at the rodent as Raichu regained his composure.
"Why are ya's in such a panic?" The feline asked and Raichu waved his arms frantically as he explained his situation.
"So, yours missing your kid huh? Well… I guess I culdz help… but we's better be quick before our human friendz notice thatz we're missing," Meowth replied and Raichu nodded before hopping onto all fours once more and running down the isle.
Though, even as his father was frantically searching for him, Neko was having a good time, exploring the Supermarket. He carried the fruit –which turned out to be an apple– as he ate it, and looked around at each shelf that covered the towering isles. At the end of the isle, his nose came across a smell that was strong, yet was somewhat familiar. So, his curiosity getting the better of him, he ran over to the smell. The smell came from large, glass cases which held small, black beans.
That's when he remembered what this smell had come from. Almost every morning back home, the humans would have a machine that would make a black liquid. His father told him that this liquid helped the humans stay awake in the morning, giving them extra energy. He remembered him calling it coffee. He tilted his head. The same smell was coming from these small beans. Neko shrugged, and went on to the next isle.
A few isles away, Raichu turned the corner, panting as he searched for his son. Meowth wasn't far behind. Suddenly Raichu caught a glimpse of black tail and some yellow fur. His ears perked up and he bolted, trying to catch up. Meowth, however, was having a hard time trying to keep up with the rodent, and panted heavily as he ran after Raichu.
"Rai!" Raichu called out, and Neko turned to see his father running up to him. The young Pichu blinked, unaware that he was causing trouble. His father glared at him, scowled him for running off, then grabbed him by the scruff again and walked over to the exhausted Meowth.
"Well, tis looks like ya founds yours kid, Raichu. Now let's get backs to our human friendz before we get in trouble ourselves." And with that, both Pokémon waved their goodbyes before searching for their human friends.
It didn't take much for Raichu to find Ash again, though he knew was in trouble, as he could see the glare on his face as he walked up to his trainer.
"Raichu, didn't I tell you to watch him? And where'd he get that apple?" Ash pointed to the large, half-eaten apple that was in Neko's grasp. Ash sighed, knowing he would have to pay for an apple along with everything else that filled the basket.
"Oh Raichu, what am I going to do with you and Neko?"
