Dawn wiped the beads of sweat off her forehead,
"Where are we goooing?", she whined. Ash and Brock looked back at her and smiled,
"Didn't we tell you, we're heading back to Pallet town to see my Mom and Professor Oak.", explained Ash,
"The Professor wants to take a look at my new pokemon."
"Couldn't we just go to a pokemon centre and send them on to him there?", she sighed.
"I want to see my Mom, okay. Do you have a problem with that?", Ash said, annoyed with himself for announcing that he missed his mother. Dawn looked thoughtfully up at the clouds,
"No, actually that's a good idea, we can rest up and I can meet your Mom!"
"You'll like her Dawn. Unlike Ash, she's pretty nice!", smirked Brock and was receiving daggers from Ash,
"Just kidding buddy! Hey maybe we'll see Tracy and Misty .", Dawn and Piplup exchanged looks,
"Oh yeah, these friends of yours you keep talking about. I can't wait to meet them - especially this certain Misty.", she said, seeing Ash's cheeks turn red, remembering the lure he had.
"Thank you very much for the sandwiches Delia, they were delicious! Weren't they?", Professor Oak cheerfully asked his assistant Tracy, who nodded. Mrs. Ketchum beamed,
"Oh it was nothing. I also want you to come around for dinner later too okay!", she chirped.
"Can Misty come too?", asked Tracy, helping a bulbasaur out the door.
"Of course she can! The more the merrier!", to be honest, Mrs. Ketchum was often very lonely even though she had Mimie and visited the Professor everyday - she looked forward to these dinners.
"I'll see you all later then. I have to go home and see if Mimie's okay.", she left and as she walked down the road to her own house when she spotted three figures at the horizon.
"Ash's home!", she gasped, she started into a sprint and crashed into the kitchen,
"Mimie, let's get to work, we have a big dinner to prepare.!", she declared,
"Mime?", it asked as if to say "What's the occasion?"
"My little boy has come home!"
"See, there's my house right there.", Ash pointed out a quaint house not too far way to Dawn,
"And over there is Professor Oak's laboratory, that's where I got Pikachu!"
"Is your Mom expecting us?", asked Brock, not seeing anyone around to greet them.
"Nope. It's supposed to be a surprise.", Ash squinted as he thought he could see two people up the road ahead, holding hands and then shrugged,
"We're here.", they stopped at the front door and he knocked. His Mother opened the door and immediately picked up Pikachu and gave it a cuddle,
"Nice to see you too, Mom!", Ash said sarcastically and then she attacked him also with a hug,
"Welcome baaaaaack! Come in, come in!", she beckoned them inside.
"Mom this is Dawn, Dawn - Mom.", said Ash said, distracted by the smell of food,
"What's for dinner?", asked Brock, also enticed by the smell.
"Boys eh?", Mrs. Ketchum nudged Dawn.
"Yeah - those two eat all of the time!", Dawn said, amazed at how Ash's mother was so nice - I mean he never cooks or cleans or - or - what does he do apart from eat, sleep and train?
"We'll be having guests around for dinner too, so you better clean up!", Mrs. Ketchum helped Mr. Mime to set the table.
"Oh, who's coming over?", asked Ash, munching on a breadstick.
"Oh the usual - the professor, Tracy and Misty. This is going to be so nice! Honey, are you okay?" she asked as Ash choked on the breadstick. Brock came to the rescue immediately,
"Don't worry - I know the Heimlich!", Ash pushed him off,
"NO! I'm fine.", he coughed as his mother gave him a disapproving look,
"What have I told you about chewing your food properly!"
"I don't think it was the food that was causing the problem, eh Ash?", Dawn said slyly.
"What are you talki-",Ash went to speak but the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!", yelled Dawn and she went to answer the front door.
"My, she is sure friendly, isn't she.", Mrs. Ketchum said and the boys nodded in agreement.
Misty and Tracy met up with Professor Oak at the Ketchum's front door, he was still in his lab coat and made it formal by putting a flower in the front pocket,
"Good evening you two. I do hope we're not late but I got carried away with some observations with some of the pokemon."
"Muc attacked you again?", sighed Tracy and the Professor nodded, embarrassed that he couldn't even lie about it anymore. The door opened and a blue - haired girl of about twelve greeted them,
"You must be the guests, hi, I'm Dawn - a friend of Brock and Ash. Please come in, dinner's ready.", pushing the guests inside,
"How do you do.", the professor managed to say. Misty and Tracy sat at the table,
"Well hello lovebirds!", squealed Mrs. Ketchum. Misty looked around as she heard two familiar voices repeat the word "lovebirds". She turned around and saw Ash and Brock,
"Guys? You're home….."
"Didn't you two know - Tracy and Misty are an item! Isn't that cute!", Mrs. Ketchum squeaked, putting plates of food on the table.
"WHAT!"
The whole room went silent and everyone looked over at Ash, even Pikachu got a bit freaked out,
"Something wrong honey?" , his mother asked. Ash shook his head as he realised as he was getting weird looks from everyone. He and Brock sat at one side of the table with Dawn, as Oak, Tracy and Misty sat opposite them. Mrs. Ketchum sat at the top and smiled at all her guests.
"Wow, Misty has a boyfriend - who knew?", Brock whispered. Ash kept his mouth shut, there was so much he wanted to say, like - Tracy? She was going out with TRACY? Mild - mannered pokemon watcher Tracy! Since when did Misty become interested in boys - no, since when did she get interested in Tracy?
"Pika - Pi", Pikachu sat up on his shoulder when he noticed his trainer's troubled expression.
"So Ash, I heard that you had some pokemon you wanted me to see.", smiled professor Oak.
"Uh - huh, lots and lots of new single pokemon….", he said absentmindedly. Oak frowned,
"Single Pokemon?", he repeated.
"Pull it together man.", hissed Brock.
"Maybe you'd like to see my pokemon professor!", said Dawn. The professor shrugged,
"I'd be happy to. That's a fine Piplup you have." he said patting the Piplup on it's head.
"Yes, fine…..", Ash said, dazed, staring blatantly at Misty, who was trying to look anywhere but Ash. Tracy began sketching the Piplup.
"Who wants dessert?", chimed Mrs. Ketchum.
After dinner everyone went into the living room except for Ash, Brock and Dawn.
"Sooo, that's Misty.", said Dawn, giving Piplup some food, "Is she usually that quiet?"
"No.", said Brock, "She usually has a lot to say, like another person I know", he looked over at Ash who was spooning ice - cream into his mouth,
"What?", he asked, his mouth full of double chocolate chip ice - cream.
"What is wrong with you?", asked Brock, as if he didn't know.
"Nothing."
"Alright, if you're not going to tell us, we'll leave and you can tell Pikachu.", suggested Brock, he and Dawn left, leaving Ash and Pikachu staring at each other silently. Eventually Pikachu shrugged,
"Pika Pi?"
"I'm fine and even if something was wrong I can't tell you because Brock and Dawn are hiding behind the door. A loud "Dammit!" could be heard outside. Ash sighed,
"Well, we better go join the others in the living room."
When Ash and Pikachu walked into the room and he let out a tortured sigh as he saw the only place to sit was on the couch beside Tracy and Misty.
"Hey Ash!", said Tracy, "Long time no see!"
"Uh. Hi Tracy, how is everything?"
"Things are going great, as you can see.", he said cheerfully, putting his arm around Misty.
"Remove that arm now!", yelled Ash, hopping up. For some reason Tracy swiftly pulled his arm back,
"Ash, what are you - sixty?", snapped Misty, realising it was the first time she had spoken to him since she got here. Ash looked around and saw his Mother frown at him,
"It's just - just, that this is a respectable place. So please - keep your affections to yourself.", he said, through his teeth and saw that his mother was smiling again. Misty got up,
"Ash, my Azuril needs some food, could you show me where you keep your pokemon food, please."
Ash looked over at Brock who was whistling the "Funeral march".
"Please.", she said again. He got up and followed her up to the kitchen,
"Sorry about that Misty but my Mom has this thing about public affection.", Ash explained as Misty pulled out some Pokemon food from the top cupboard,
"Hey I thought you didn't know where the food was kept…"
"Who do you think you are ASH KETCHUM!"
"Um… Ash Ketchum.", he said, taken aback.
"I know what you're trying to do?", Misty said, putting large - sized earmuffs onto her Azuril to protect it from the verbal assault she was about to give Ash.
"I'm not trying to do anything! I've just got here because I missed the place and my Mom and I thought I was missed too but I was obviously wrong!"
"Ha! Your missed! Maybe by your Taurus but when you're not here everything is just great!", said Misty, nastily.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you are so full of it and when you're around I do crazy stuff like - SHOUT AT THE TOP OF MY VOICE!"
"Hey I didn't tell you to start screaming , I didn't do anything!"
"And when I'm around Tracy - I'm never angry! I'm always happy, always! Know why? Because he doesn't forget me!", there was silence and awkward glances towards each other,
"So that's what this is about?"
"About what.", Misty said, shakily,
"I dunno, about us?", Ash shrugged.
"What "us" there is no "us". Wait, wait - you think I like you! Ha! You're even big - headed then I thought - I'm with Tracy, I like him not you!"
Ash folded his arms,
"You can say all the insults you want but it's the fact that you're lying to me that gets to me.", he turned and went back to the living room where it was unusually quiet - it's probably because they heard everything except the last part.
"So Ash.", said his mother, "Did you find the food after all?"
"Yes."
"I'd better go, I've a lot of things to do. I'll see your pokemon tomorrow Ash.", Professor Oak got up, thanked Mrs' Ketchum for dinner and swiftly made his way out the door.
"I better go too.", said Tracy, who said bye to everyone but Ash and left with Misty in tow.
"Well bye to you too.", Ash said bitterly as the door slammed behind them.
"Pika - Pi."
"Yes the food was great, wasn't it guys?"
"Pika - Pi, Pikachu - Pi, Pikaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Sorry I don't speak Pikachu."
"Ash, what the hell was that!", asked Brock.
"What was what?"
"You and Misty! Wow I thought she was going to physically assault you!"
"I thought she was quiet - boy was I wrong.", said Dawn, not used to hearing such levels of screaming.
"I know - what is her problem! That's young love for you! What a great couple she and Tracy make. Honestly, I wish those two the best!", said Ash, in the most insincere tone of voice he could manage,
"Well I'm sorry dear, but it doesn't seem like she has the problem.", his mother said, her arms folded,
"When you found out Tracy and Misty were going out you immediately reacted negatively. Brock didn't and he's as close a friend to her as you are and Dawn didn't."
"I don't know them…"
"The point I'm trying to make is - I think you two have unfinished business and you need to sort it out before someone gets hurt."
"Yeah Ash, Misty and Tracy are our friends - we should accept that they're both happy with each other.", said Brock.
"Yeah. It's late and we need to get up early tomorrow if we want to get back to our journey. I'm gonna go to bed. Night.", he walked out.
"Wow , things were so much simpler when he was ten.", said Mrs. Ketchum.
Ash stretched out and yawned as daylight sneaked around his bedroom window curtains,
"Pikachu buddy, I'm not fully awake could you…"
"!", the electric mouse used thunderbolt on his master, it was okay it didn't hurt - too much.
"Thanks Pikachu, I got the boost I needed.", he said, smelling of burnt toast. A knock came on his door,
"Ash! Breakfast is ready!", his Mother was still as chirpy as usual. Ash got a sudden headache when he just remembered the events of last night,
"Oh Jeez, I am such an idiot!", he grumbled,
"Pikaaaaaa!", Pikachu said in agreement. Ash wanted to put his head under his pillow and not come out of his room for days on end, or maybe never.
"I made pancakes!", damn it his plan foiled by his mother's excellent culinary skills.
"I'll be there in a minute.", he pulled on his jeans and plopped his hat lazily on his head and headed to the kitchen.
"Good morning, sleepyhead!", said Dawn, who was even chirpier than his mother. Brock nodded at him from over a newspaper which had a great article on Officer Jenny.
"I was thinking, maybe we could skip seeing the professor and go back on our way to the Sinnoh.", Ash suggested casually.
"Aw but the professor said he wanted to see my pokemon!", cried Dawn. Mr. Mime handed them all a plate of pancakes.
"The professor was so looking forward to seeing your new pokemon, sweetie!", his mother also cried.
"Maybe a quick visit couldn't hurt…", Brock gave him a knowing look,
"But what about Tracy?"
"He's working for the professor, he has to be professional and not let personal matters get involved with his work.", Ash stated. Dawn snorted,
"Yeah like the way you were so professional last night, Ash!"
"Shut up! That's got nothing to do with anything! Moooooooooooooooom!"
"Don't give it if you can't take it, sweetheart!"
Tracy gave the pokemon their breakfast before heading into the Professor's lab. When he did, he sighed warily as once again the Professor was attacked by Muc.
"Tracy! Get the Pitchfork!", Oak yelled to a horrified Tracy,
"Doesn't it have a poke ball?"
"Just grab something! I can't feel my legs!", he cried back. Tracy picked up a poke ball and returned the creature into it.
"Professor, I think you should consider leaving Muc elsewhere, for your own safety."
"It's fine Tracy! That's just how we bond! It just got out of hand - that's all!", the professor said with his trademark optimism. Tracy nodded and went around, checking that all the pokemon were safe.
"Hello! Professor, are you there?", came a familiar voice that made Tracy tense up.
"Hello you three! Finally, I get to see these pokemon of yours."
Ash and Dawn and Brock called out there pokemon and the Professor observed them,
"Yes these are being taken care of well. Good work! Dawn would you like to see Ash's pokemon outside?"
She nodded and ran out. The professor gave Pikachu a pat on the head,
"How are you my friend?", he asked.
"Pikaaaa!", the yellow creature replied warmly.
"And what about you Ash?", Ash looked at him, surprised,
"I'm fine professor. As long as my pokemon are happy - I'm happy."
"That's good to hear because if my Pikachu had a fondness for let's say an Azuril, but the Azuril already is really good friends with a Maril and didn't have time for the Pikachu, well then I would say my Pikachu would not be happy - meaning I wouldn't be happy.", the professor said, giving a slight smile. Was this happening? Was the professor actually talking about relationships with Ash. The professor continued,
"But the Pikachu is not willing to give up yet - even though the Azuril and Maril might not be happy about it. How does the trainer cheer this unhappy Pikachu up?"
"That's easy keep him motivated, keep training, keep doing what you set out doing in the first place - to be the best at what they do.", said Ash, giving Pikachu a wink. The Professor scratched his head, that was obviously not the answer he wanted to hear,
"So you're saying push all matters of the heart away and just keep living life as it is, do you think Pikachu would be happy about that?"
"Of course he would!", but Ash swallowed hard as he saw the doubtful expression on his own Pikachu's face.
"Pikachu Pi….", it said quietly.
"Would you risk it for a chocolate biscuit?" Oak asked arching his eyebrows while he dipped his chocolate hobnob into his tea.
Ash looked at Professor Oak confused "Ugh what?"
"I mean would you like some tea and biscuits?" ,he said hurriedly , "Go see if the others would like some for me would you, off you trot that's a good boy."
Still looking confused Ash went to find Dawn and Brock. He heard a girl screaming bloody murder. Ash ran outside to the paddocks Professor Oak had behind his laboratory to find his herd of Taurus thundering after a horrified Dawn. "MY HAIR IS GOING TO BE RUINED!" she screamed.
Brock was sitting on the fence of the paddock watching with amusement.
"Shouldn't we help her?" Ash puffed when he reached his friend.
"No Tracy has it all under control" Brock replied as Tracy galloped past on a Ponyta and scooped Dawn onto it's back.
"Oh of course the almighty Tracy saves the day," Ash mumbled bitterly.
Tracy helped Dawn off the Ponyta, "Thanks Tracy!" Dawn beamed fixing her hair with tremendous speed.
"What the hell were you doing in there?" Ash demanded.
"She didn't believe us when we said they were 'wild Taurus' looks like you were wrong doesn't it?" Brock replied laughing at a bedraggled Dawn.
"Well Professor Oak wants us all to come in and have tea and biscuits with him." he half heartedly beckoned them into the laboratory wishing he himself had been trampled by the Taurus.
"So Tracy where's Misty today?" Brock asked innocently.
Tracy stiffened "she went to see her sisters for the day," he said with forced cheerfulness.
"Awwww I was hoping to get to actually talk to the famous Misty, you guys left in an awful hurry yesterday," Dawn said chirpily.
"Well we had our reasons!" Tracy said bitterly giving Ash daggers. Ash ignored Tracy's evil looks and loped on ahead of them and the turned around and said sarcastically, "Well at least you were here today Trace, who knows what would have happened we may have 'forgotten' Dawn and she would be kissing the dirt right now."
"And what a tragedy that would have been." Brock muttered only to have Dawn clip him by the ear.
"Ow ow jeez I was just joking!"
Tracy gave Ash one more evil glare then walked on ahead into the lab.
"Wow Ash I've never seen Tracy so angry." Brock whispered opening the door for them.
"Well that's his problem" Ash grumbled.
"Well thanks for the tea professor. Those biscuits were delicious." Dawn said munching on another biscuit.
"You really should be thanking Tracy, he made them with Misty yesterday."
Ash and Brock looked at each other in horror ,"WHAT?", and spat out the remainder of biscuits in their mouth's in unison.
"Misty can cook now." Tracy said proudly, "All she needed was a good teacher," he said pointedly.
"Yeah I bet you taught her lots of things!" Ash snapped.
"Oh jeez look at the time!" Brock said standing up swiftly trying to break the tension.
Oh yeah ha ha we better get back to Mrs Ketchum's." Dawn said with as much chirpiness as she could muster.
"Well be sure you come see me before you head off Ash. And remember what I said about the unhappy Pikachu." Professor chimed giving Pikachu a wink.
"Ash, what was he talking about, I mean - is Pikachu unhappy?", asked Dawn, as they walked back home. Ash shrugged,
"Well my little buddy's okay, he must've been talking about some other Pikachu, right Pikachu?", he looked over at Pikachu who gave a half-hearted,
"Pika."
Ash saw something glint in the sunshine up the road ahead and went towards it as Brock and Dawn went back to his house,
"Pikachu, do you see that?"
"Pikaaaa- Pikachu.", it nodded,
"Wonder what it could be?", he asked himself as they cautiously got nearer to it.
Misty skipped and sang as she went on her way to Professor Oak's after seeing her sisters. She couldn't get over the look on their faces when she said she had a boyfriend, they almost went into cardiac arrest when she said it was Tracy that she was dating. She was in a great mood even after last night's events and so she carried on with her favourite song about being a mermaid and pretty and stuff.
"Ooooh.", she said, stopping suddenly as she saw something shiny up ahead,
"What is that?", she ran to it, hey it might be some change.
"It's a - Pokeball?", she said, inspecting it closely, she turned around swiftly when she heard footsteps,
"Who leaves a Pokeball lying around?", said Ash scratching his head, looking at the Pokeball in Misty's hand.
"YOU! What are you still doing here?", she demanded. He took the Pokeball from her,
"I live here.", he said dismissively, shaking the Pokeball,
"I wonder what pokemon is in here?", suddenly a net shot out of it, trapping Ash, Misty and Pikachu,
"Ahh! What just happened?"
"What's the big idea!", yelled Misty, rustling around.
"Pika - Pi!, Pikachu - Pi!", Pikachu added and suddenly sinister music played that sent shivers down their spines.
"Team Rocket!", they said in unison. And a cruel laugh echoed from the meowth-shaped blimp that was carrying the net off the ground.
"To protect the world from devastation!", sang Jessie and was joined by James, holding a rose,
"To unite all people within our nation!"
"To extend our reach to the stars ab-"
"Get us out of this thing!", cried Misty. Meowth looked out from the blimp and tutted,
"What?", asked James, confused, "Did we not catch Pikachu?"
"We did. But we also got that twerp and the original twerpette in the net too!"
"Should we let them go?", asked Jessie.
"Naw, we'd risk losing Pikachu too. Let's just bring 'em to the boss, he'll deal with them.", Meowth concluded and they sailed off back to headquarters.
" Aww yoos twos look good together!" he cooed at the two frowning kids.
"Like Brad and Angelina but without da millions of kids!"
"Thanks I'll take that as a compliment" Misty snapped before realising what Meowth had actually said, "Hey! Wait, we are not a couple!"
"She's already got a boyfriend.", Ash pointed out. Jessie popped her head out to see them,
"Really?", she asked, both eyebrows raised.
"Ye - esss! Why do people find that so hard to believe?", Misty said quietly to herself.
"Who's her boyfriend?", asked James, not one to miss out on gossip.
"Tracy Sketchitt.", said Ash, amused by the sudden attention on Misty's love life.
"Ya mean that twerp that's always drawing.", asked Meowth.
"The very twerp.", smirked Ash. James looked at his companions in confusion,
"But Jess, I thought she would always end up with the short twerp."
"Me too James - that's why I now owe Meowth 20 bucks.", she said, looking downtrodden.
"In case you were wondering - I was rooting or you!", Jessie called down to Ash, who blushed.
"Glad someone was..", he said under his breath.
The three heroes were silent for most of the journey but then Ash laughed,
"What's so funny?", asked Misty, he took off his hat and brushed his fingers through his messy, raven - black hair,
"It's kinda weird seeing you with no Togepi.", she smiled back,
"You have no idea how much I miss my little Togepi."
"Now you have Azuril."
"Yeah thanks to Tracy."
"You two have gotten pretty close over a short period of time, haven't you?", Ash asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"He used to visit me everyday at the gym, he knows so much about Pokemon and is so sweet!", she cooed, at that point Ash felt like vomiting.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Will I like this question?", Misty sighed. Ash shrugged.
"Fine, what is it you want to know?"
"What does Tracy have that I don't?", he asked in a sad voice. Misty was taken aback,
"That's not a fair question….."
"I know, I'm sorry. I'm glad you're talking to me again, by the way.", he said quickly trying to change the subject.
"What do you think of Dawn?"
"She seems nice, enthusiastic about Pokemon so it's not hard to see how you guys became friends.", she beamed.
"There's a long story behind that"
"There always is."
"Where do you think we're going?"
"I don't know Ash, but I promise you I'm going to kick their Team Rocket butts when I get out of this."
"Don't worry they'll mess up somewhere - they always do."
Tracy knocked on the Ketchum's front door reluctantly and was met by a smiling Mrs. Ketchum,
"Tracy! Can I help you?"
"Well I was wondering if Misty was here, Mrs. Ketchum, she was to come by the lab two hours ago. I called her sisters to see if she was still in Cerulean but they said she left some time ago.",
"Oh.", she chirped, "Well, I'm sorry honey she isn't here.", neither was that son of hers, this can't be good.
"Maybe she's at the lab now - you should check.", she beamed.
"You're probably right Mrs. Ketchum, thank you anyway .", he said, turning to walk back to the lab when Dawn ran out,
"Hey Tracy!", she said, Tracy looked at her shyly,
"Um hi Dawn!"
"Did Ash go back to the lab?", she asked, Tracy frowned,
"No, he didn't - why?"
"No reason!", sang Mrs. Ketchum. But Dawn continued,
"I haven't seen him since we were at the lab, Brock doesn't know where he is either and I just heard you say Misty is missing too - huh, what a coincidence!", she smiled as Mrs. Ketchum smacked her hand on her forehead.
"Would you like us to help find her?", offered Brock, Tracy declined his offer politely,
"I'm sure she will turn up."
When Tracy left the other three let out a sigh of relief,
"Doe someone want to tell me just what is going on?", Mrs. Ketchum frowned at Dawn and Brock.
"Your guess is as good as mine.", shrugged Brock.