Author's Note: Hey there readers, well I been stuck on my newest chapter for NKKC and I've haven't had the time to get the chapter where I wanted it so I'm stuck and this became the inspiration for my attempt at a one-shot. I started writing this around Valentine's Day, but a mixture of things went wrong and I haven't gotten to get writing like I wanted to, but here it is now. Well anyway, let's get to it…

Italics means thoughts

Disclaimer: As always I don't own Pokémon


Simply Stuck

"Ash…. Ash!"

"What Misty; I'm trying to concentrate?" The raven haired teenager asked his girlfriend of a year and several months while still surprised.

"So that's the burning smell I smell then?" Jabbed the fiery redhead

"Hey! I've gotten an A grade in a classes with two B's and only two C's"

"You're working on that paper Professor Allen assigned to you?" Misty asked as she sat on the edge of Ash's desk in their apartment styled place at the dorms.

"Yeah, I only got four pages written so far" Ash mumbled before putting his head in his hands.

"Don't you need ten pages or something like that right?"

"Yeah and if it weren't for Pikachu I wouldn't even have to be doing this"

"But if it weren't for Pikachu you wouldn't have met May, Dawn, or me for that matter"

"True, but you know why he came to find me?"

"No, why?"

(Flashback)

"Now can anyone explain why the collapse Pokémopolis occured?"

"Because some loser built it" One obnoxious voice called out from the crowd garnering snickers around him.

"Now Mr. Maroon, need I remind you why you're failing my…" But Professor Allen never got to finish that statement as a yellow colored Pokémon rushed into the doors onto the Professor's desk while holding a bottle in his paws.

"WHAT IS THIS RODENT DOING ON MY DESK!?" The professor screamed while his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. Quickly grabbing the closest thing to him, the older man grabbed a yard stick and starting swinging at the Pikachu. Ash, realizing that was his Pikachu, quickly tried to warn his history professor to stop, "Professor, don't!" Though upon hearing his master's voice the electric mouse turned to look at where he was before the stick stuck. Red covered the desk as broken glass scattered everywhere; Ash could only look on his horror as his electric friend was covered in his own…. "Wait a second that's too thick to be blood, then it must be… ohhh Pikachu!" Ash thought to himself as he face palmed. Suddenly the very somber mouse became very angry at the man who destroyed his favorite condiment. Covered in ketchup, sparks began to erupt from Pikachu's cheeks as the electric type fired a Thunderbolt at the professor. The room suddenly was covered by the bright glow blinding anyone crazy enough to look as the Professor's screams filled the room. Rather quickly though the screams and brightness faded leaving a burning smell in their place. As Ash rushed down the row towards his very satisfied mouse and the now smoking and blackened man. Laughter and jokes erupted at the professor's situation as some of Ash's classmates patted him on the back. Upon reaching the desk he saw the professor had managed to recover from his "shocking" experience while the electric mouse began to groom the ketchup off his fur.

"Ketchum, what have I told you about that mouse interrupting my LECTURE! I do not care that you are a champion because that does NOT mean your mouse can come in here and shock me either. For this you can write a ten page on Professor Eve's recent find at Pokémopolis; if it is not on my desk by Friday, that's two days from now, at 4pm then I will fail you immediately."

"But Professor you swung at my pokemon; what did you ex…"

"Ketchum, would you like to make that twenty pages due tomorrow?" Allen seethed. "Be happy it wasn't that from the start seeing as you fried my laptop and all my notes. Remember Ketchum Friday at 4."

"Yes Professor, come on Pikachu"

"As for the rest of you class is dismissed, but Mr. Maroon, seeing as I'm in such a lovely mood come visit me for your new paper due Friday as well." The professor finished, but as Ash walked out the door with his ketchup covered friend a "Ketchum you're finished, you hear…" was cut off as the doors closed behind them.

(End Flashback)

As Ash finished retelling his tale Misty erupted into a fit of giggles as she vainly tried to hold it in for her boyfriend's expense, but it was to no avail. Seeing how glum Ash was though was enough for her to quickly stop.

"Oh Ash, trouble just seems to flow you everywhere doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I never get a break do I?"

"Where is the little troublemaker?"

"In my room pouting"

"Why's that?"

"I took away his ketchup privileges; he can't keep doing this. I mean how far will it go? Both times he interrupted class was for me to open a bottle of ketchup, but this time he fried the professor and his laptop. Last time this happened he fried your bike with May and Dawn's, now a laptop which I have that paper due or I fail; I hate to think of what come's next if this doesn't stop." Ash said putting his head in his hands.

"Keep writing your paper and I'll see about Pikachu okay?"

"Thanks Mist"

Now that Ash was soothed somewhat it was time to fix Pikachu. By no means was Pikachu disloyal, but ever since Ash got to college Pikachu had been a pain. Refusing to go into his Pokéball and always wanting to be around Ash had created a problem that hadn't occurred before. Because Pokémon weren't allowed in lecture halls for several reasons, Pikachu had to stay behind at the dorms while Ash went off to class; having too much free time and feeling rebellious got Pikachu into a lot of trouble, which translated to Ash. The food workers in dining services had almost caught the mouse on several occasions stealing ketchup bottles off the tables. Even Residential Life had trouble with the mouse frying key card boxes allowing access in the residential halls because he had no card a quick zap would gain him access but fry the box at the same time. After all these months things should have changed, but they hadn't and thanks to Pikachu once more was Ash put in a bad spot. Not only was this putting him in a bad light as a Pokémon Champion, but every time something happened an angry call from his mother would follow.

Though Misty would never admit, she knew that the only thing that the electric mouse fried that Ash was truly at fault for was her bike. Though May and Dawn and had their bikes fried that was Pikachu's fault though at the time the cute little mouse was just too innocent to blame. Now that he had gone and pulled all these stunts including a fried professor and laptop which could cause Ash to fail or lose his high B grade, things had gone far enough. Even though Ash took Pikachu with him after class except for on their dates the mouse still acted out. Over winter break Pikachu got back to his normal self, but not even a month back and Pikachu got Ash in a precarious spot again, which would cause the champion to lose sleep and have trouble following the lectures in class.

She knew that Pikachu meant the world to Ash, but when it came to punishment that darn mouse would always find a way to get around it or just disobey Ash. Pikachu knew better though than to disobey her with that fiery temper. He knew that while Ash would be mad he wouldn't do much though. Misty on the hand, once you set her off there would be no place hide from her wrath. One Mr. Maroon, the star football Linebacker for the Vermilion Thunder, found out the way after he tried to cop a feel before the redhead summoned the infamous "Mallet of Doom"; you can guess what happened after that.

Misty knew that she would have to approach the mouse carefully; too blunt and Pikachu could shut down entirely, too soft and the stunts continue. Entering Ash's room she saw that the mouse was indeed pouting looking out the window.

"Hey Pikachu, I need to talk with you" the redhead spoke softly.

The mouse immediately knew that he was in big trouble. Anytime his Pikachupi had come to talk to him when he was in trouble like this was never a good sign. Normally if he ever shocked her and Pikapi she would brush it off and go on with her day like nothing was wrong. He couldn't remember the last time he had to shock the duo out of their arguments; now he just had to occasionally watch them flirt and give him no attention. Feeling the bed shift he knew that Pikachupi was sitting down and this would lead to some sort of talk between them.

"Pikachu, why are you acting this way? Don't you realize all the trouble you're causing?" Silence followed, but that would not deter a girl as stubborn as her. "Do you want to end up at Professor Oak's Pikachu; because that's where this is going next" This statement definitely caught the electric mouse's attention.

With a quick and fearful "Pika" Pikachu leapt into a standing position looking at the redhead as his eyes felt full of fear. He wanted Pikapi's attention; not to be sent away from him. He would do whatever it took not to be sent away, including obeying Pikapi's ketchup ban if needed.

Knowing that Pikachu's full attention was on her, the redhead knew that she had to capitalize on driving the point home with Pikachu so that this never happened again. Suddenly a "Ring Ring Ring Phone Call!" pierced the silence of the dorm followed by a disgruntled groan out of a certain black haired champion.

"Pikachu, I think it's best if you listen to what a certain someone has to say about your actions." Putting her arm out, Misty allowed the yellow mouse to climb up on her shoulder before heading into the central room where Ash was about to answer the Video phone.

"Hey Ash, put the call on speaker" The redhead called out before disappearing out of the view of the Video phone's camera.

"Alright" Ash complied knowing that one disgruntled female was on the line and he didn't need another in the room with him. Pressing the talk then speaker buttons an extremely loud "ASH KETCHUM!" greeted the three. Knowing this was coming Ash and Misty covered their ears while a Pikachu nearly jumped out of his skin. Pikapi's mother could be stern, but this was absolutely scary. Misty tried to calm the mouse, but if Mrs. Ketchum had him this scared already one of two things were going to happen: Pikachu would have a heart attack or be scared straight. The redhead hoped it was the latter.

"Tell me why I'm hearing that Pikachu that fried your Ancient History Professor?"

"Umm… well mom" Ash's hand flew up behind his head as he glanced off to the side "Pikachu got a bottle of ketchup and rushed into the lecture hall for me to open it, but he hopped up on the Professor's desk and well..."

"Well what mister?"

"Well the Professor got his yard stick/ pointer and started swinging and hit the bottle. Pikachu got upset and shocked him."

"Pikachu still isn't behaving I take it?"

"No mom, it doesn't matter what I do"

"Ash, remember the talk we had over Christmas break about if Pikachu kept acting out?"

"Yeah…want about it?"

"I think it's time that Pikachu got sent to the professor's honey"

Still hiding behind the corner, Misty felt Pikachu go completely stiff in her arms.

"Mom please, just one more chance…"

"Ash, I'm not going to give on this. Pikachu can't be around you anymore; he acts out and has gotten you in a lot of trouble. I mean if I were to let him stay how could I be sure that he'll stop this streak?"

Taking this as her cue the redhead came out from behind the corner with the mouse. "Ash let me talk to your mom okay?" Relenting, the raven haired trainer got up from his seat and allowed his girlfriend and starter to take the spot.

"Hi Delia"

"Hello there Misty; got the little troublemaker with you I see" The older woman greeted, but sounded disapproving of the electric type.

"Pikachu, do you want to be sent to Professor Oak's?" The mouse quickly shook his head, "Then you've got to stop this because next time something like this happens that's where you're going like it or not" Delia could as she said this that the mouse started to tremble from fear. Misty glanced at her boyfriend and saw the pained expression even though he wasn't looking at her.

"Mrs. Ketchum we'll handle this so Pikachu won't act out again. If he does though, he'll be sent to the Professor's"

"Alright, but Pikachu, you'd better start behaving because we won't be having this conversion again; also no ketchup for a week understand me?"

"Pi, Pikachu!" the electric mouse nodded thankful for a last chance even at the cost of his precious ketchup.

"Now that all fixed up, Ash can you come here for a moment?" Obeying his mother's wish Ash came back into sight of the camera behind his girlfriend.

"Make sure to get that paper done, oh Ash, are you still changing your you-know-whats everyday lik…"

"MOM! I'm in college now; of course I change into clean clothes everyday including those!" A crimson streak graced his features as both his starter and girlfriend laughed at his expense.

"I just don't want you to be one of those boys who think it's alright to wear dirty laundry as long as it's been turned inside out, that's all honey"

"Don't worry about that Delia, I'd beat him into the laundry room with my mallet if he pulled a stunt like that" The redhead spoke still trying to quit chuckling from the previous statements.

"It's good to know that you'll keep my boys in line Misty. Well make sure Ash finishes his paper and have a wonderful night" At that Ash face palmed.

"Night Delia" the redhead replied.

"Night mom" Ash groaned from behind the hand covering his face.

"Night Sweetie" With that the connection closed leaving the three to themselves.

"Pikachu, you heard that, so no more trouble from you and no ketchup. Start behaving and you'll get those privileges back okay?" Misty said while lightly tapping his nose getting an enthusiastic "chu" in response.

Turning around to face his trainer the mouse spoke, "Pikapi, pika chu kachu pika" Grabbing Pikachu out of his girlfriend's lap Ash wrapped Pikachu in a hug.

"It's alright buddy; I forgive ya, but like ma said, no more" Putting the mouse on his shoulder Ash turned back to the computer. "Well, that's fixed, but now I got that paper to worry about"

"Oh don't worry, Ash I'll help you, but you'll owe me a date mister"

"I knew there was a catch" Ash groaned.

"Of course I don't for free you know" the spoke adding in a wink. "Now get Pikachu away from my laptop before he fries that too" A thud sounded as Pikachu fell from his Pikapi's shoulder.

"Did Pikachupi really have to go there?"


Author's Note: Well that was my first one-shot what didja think? I'm thinking about doing a one-shot sequel to this if it be wanted for V-day. I've also gotten a solid start NKKC's next chapter so that'll be come out soon. As always Review Please and tell me what ya thought. Until next time,

Thunder