Summertime
Chapter one
The New Arrival
School was finally over with, and summer break was on everyone's mind.
Kids and teens were walking quickly out the building, heading to parks, friends' houses or cinema's. Going somewhere that wasn't the school, and where they could enjoy the warm weather.
Everyone was looking forward to this moment, having no school for six weeks.
One boy, called Ash Ketchum, was currently heading home, walking with his friend who also lives in his hometown, Pallet town.
Ash was wearing blue and black trousers, he would be wearing a light blue hoodie, but it was slung over his shoulder, deciding not to wear it in the warm weather, on his head was a red hat with a black front, there was also a green semi-circle design on the cap. He also has raven black hair, brown eyes and red and white trainers.
Richie has a light brown hair colour and blue eyes. He, like Ash, usually wears a hat, but currently is holding it, letting the sun hit his face. Richie was wearing a dark green t-shirt and light green trousers and green and black running shoes.
"Finally here" Richie says happily. "It's great, isn't it?"
Ash nods quickly after the question. He was ecstatic that school was finally over and all they had to focus on was having fun and enjoying the summer weather with friends.
The duo come to a crossroad and stop, saying their goodbyes.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow Ash" The brown haired boy says, before looking both ways and crossing the road, heading home.
"Yeah, can't wait!" Ash replies excitedly, waving to his friend, before turning left and heading to his house.
'This summer is going to be great!' Ash thought.
Ash walks into the front garden, before pulling a key from his trouser pocket and puts it into the lock. He unlocks the door and pushes it, then heading inside.
"Hey, im home!" Ash shouts , hoping his mother hears him
When he gets in he takes off his shoes and leaves them at the front door, he then enters the kitchen to get a drink.
Ash pours himself a cup of water, then heading to the freezer to get some ice, adding it to his drink.
"Hey Honey.." Ashs mother, Delia says as she enters the room.
Ash could tell something was wrong, her tone of voice wasn't as cheerful as it ussually is.
"Whats wrong?" Ash asks her, with worry about his mother.
"Well, it's good news" Delia responds to Ash, still with a sad tone in her words. "I've got a new job, and we will get more money than my previous one, I had to take it"
A smile appeared on Ash's face, he was genuinly happy for his mother.
But there was still a small issue in his mind.
"Why do you sound sad about it?" Ash questions curiously, getting a higher paid job is always a good thing, right?
"It's in Hoenn, Lillycove city." Delia replies quickly, before looking away.
Ash was shocked, he realised what this meant.
Summer plans were canceled.
They were moving away.
Ash was speechless at this, and could give no reply. He was a level-headed boy, and realised that they had to do this for the money, he can't blame her for making this decision, and there was no point in putting his mother in more stress.
He looked at his mothers facial features, and saw that she still had an upset look on her face. He needed to do, or say, something.
"Well" Ash spoke with a fake smile. "At least I have a chance to meet new people if we move"
Delia smiled, knowing Ash had accepted the move in good spirit.
"And a new school gives me a chance to start fresh." The boy continues to explain.
Ashs smile slowly left his face.
"When do we move?" Ash asks, trying to get more information about whats happening.
"Tomorrow afternoon" She replies quickly.
Ash was again suprised, that was sudden, he wont even get to spend one day with his friends.
"Alright, ill go pack my stuff" Ash says, whilst trying to cover up the sadness in his voice.
The raven boy heads upstairs, grabbing his hoodie and drink, which had been left aside, forgotten during the conversation.
He heads to his room, and reaches for his phone in his jacket pocket, before finding a contact on his phone, and calling them.
"Hey Richie" Ash says.
"S'up Ash, why do you sound so sad?" The Auburn haired boy asks.
"When I got home, I found out that.." Ash replies, before trailing off, trying to find the words. Trying to tell his best friend about the bad news.
"Found out what?" Richie asks curiously, trying to pry Ash of information.
"Im leaving tomorrow, to the Hoenn region"
There was a silence over the phone.
Richie couldn't believe his best friend was leaving school, and will be over one hundred miles away.
"Its not a problem Ash" Richie says, with happiness behind his words. "We can text, call and all that stuff, maybe I will even enroll there next year!"
Ash had a genuine smile on his face this time, at least he still had his best friend.
"That would be great!" Ash says excitedly. "Ill be calling you all the time, make sure to keep in touch"
"I will, you should do the same" Richie responds.
"Yeah, ill see you then" Ash says.
"Later" Richie replies, before waiting a few seconds, then hanging up the phone.
When the phone line was cut out, Ash instantly had a feeling of regret, he shouldv'e said how grateful he was to Richie, and how much of a good best friend he had been. But this was not the time for regret. Ash gets to meet new people whilst still keeping his best friend, and he needed to think positive.
The boy put the phone down, and started to pack his clothes into boxes that were on his bed. He guessed his mother put them there earlier whilst he was at school.
After an hour or so, Ashs room was empty, apart from the furniture that will be moved in the morning, all that was left was his white walls and bed sheets, which will also be removed tomorrow. This was the last night they will spend in Pallet town.
"Ash dear" His mother calls from downstairs. "Ive ordered food, I got you a pizza"
"Ok" Ash replies. "Thank you"
Ash heads down the stairs and sits at the table, opposite her, then grabs a slice of his pizza and starts eating.
"Ive enrolled you into the Lillycove High School, and you will be joining as a second year." Mrs. Ketchum says, informing her son of what's happening when they move.
"But there is still summer break between then and now, so lets not talk about school if thats ok?" The raven haired boy asks, not wanting to be reminded about school when there is no school for 6 weeks.
"Ok honey, but on the first day im sending you to get your uniform, then there will be no talk about it until nearer the time" The mother agrees, making a deal.
The boy nods, agreeing with the terms, better to get it over and done with straight away.
'I can't believe there is a uniform for this school, this is gonna suck' Ash thought to himself, prefering to wear his signature look.
"Well, I know its going to be hard, since its still quite early, but try to get some sleep" Delia informs. "There's a lot to be done tomorrow, and ill need you to get your uniform and some groceries, whilst I show where the furniture will be going in our new house."
"Alright" Ash responds. "Goodnight."
Ash heads up to his room, and rumages through the boxes, to try and find a pair of shorts and a white t-shirt to sleep in, as he forgot to leave them out.
Once they were found, he changes and places travelling clothers on the floor for tomorrow and the clothes he wore today into one of the brown boxes.
He then brushes his teeth and heads to bed, for his last sleep in Pallet.
A voice woke Ash from his sleep, his mother was at his door, shouting at him to wake up.
"Ash, get ready, we will need to go soon!" She yells.
Ash gets out of bed and heads to the bathroom, and splashed cold water on his face, in an attempt to snap out of his drowzyness feeling.
The raven haired boy picks up the clothers from the floor that he will wear today and quickly changes, then going down stairs to get some breakfast.
As he hops down the steps, he saw a plate on the table, deciding it was for him, he picks up the fork and starts eating.
A knock is heard on the door, and his mother goes to answer it.
The voice was unusual, Ash couldn't recognise it.
Maybe it was the people transporting the house items.
The assumption was correct, three men entered the house and took hold of some of the boxes, and placed them into the truck outside, as well as some of the furniture, like the coffee table and sofa's.
After half an hour or so, the men had took all the items into the van, and would drive a long journey to the Hoenn region, Ash and Delia would get there before them, but should be arriving at the new house tomorrow.
The door was left ajar after the men had left, and a figure entered the household.
"Ash, your still here!" A voice exclaims excitedly.
"Richie!" Ash replies happily, glad to see his friend one last time before leaving.
"Thanks for being a good friend these years Richie" Ash said appreciatively.
"You too, keep in touch" Richie replied seriously.
"You know I will, almost everyday" Ash responds with a smile, before giving his friend a high-five.
"We need to go now honey" Delia informs sadly.
"I'd better go then, have fun Ash" Richie adds, before waving and leaving the house.
"Seeya Richie!" Ash calls, waving back to the auburn haired boy.
"Lets go then" Ash says, turning to his mother, grabbing his hat and walking to the door.
The two Ketchums get into the car on the driveway, and drive to the airport.
The drive took around twenty minutes, and they parked their car in the airport parking spaces. It would take a week for the car to be transported over-sea's, but due to Lillycove's academy being close by, and Delia's work in walking distance, it was not a huge problem.
They entered the glass automatic doors to get into the airport.
The airport as busy, people with suitcases walking quickly around the place, trying to get to their planes or booking area.
"Follow me honey." Delia informs. "Don't get lost"
Ash rolled his eyes, but thats what his mother has been like for all the years of his life, why would she stop being protective now?
They joined the end of a long queue, waiting to get their boarding passes for the aircraft.
They waited for thirty minutes before finally talking to a receptionist to get their tickets sorted, and suitcases were not a problem to check-in as they were being transported by the company helping them move house.
"Thank you" Delia says happily, glad to be prepared to join the flight with everything taken care of.
Ash and his mother both head to the gate number, which was shown on the many tv screens showing departure times.
'Hoenn, Lillycove, gate 12, 12:45pm' Ash read from the screen.
The time now was midday, 12:00pm so they decided to head towards the gate and wait to board the plane.
They had shown their passports through security, and walked through the endless corridor to find gate 12, where they would wait for around ten minutes, before walking onto the plane.
They show their tickets to the workers and they tear apart from the ticket, to show it had been used.
The duo then walks through the small walkway to the aircraft, and look at the tickets to try and locate which seats they would be sitting in.
'Seat 14c' was read on Ash's ticket, and looked to his mother, guessing she was around the same.
"I'm in 14b". She informs him.
"Cool, let's go sit down" Ash replies, whilst walking down the aircraft to find the seats.
"Twelve, thirteen" Ash lists aloud. "Ah, fourteen"
He looks towards the letters on the seats, and luckily for Ash, C on each row is a window seat.
Everyone slowly fills the plane, and takes their allocated seats, the cabin crew did their average checks and the pilot spoke to the passengers, explaining about the local temperature and other small facts about their destination; Hoenn.
They fasten their seatbelts and the plane takes off, soaring into the blue sky, heading to Lillycove city.
Ash was looking out the window, bored. His mother was sitting there casually watching the in-flight film.
Ash would be watching the film too, but too many thoughts kept invading his mind.
'What will it be like in Hoenn, I hope things go okay.' The Kanto native thought to himself. It was easy for him to make friends with his friendly personality, but would the boy allow himself to adapt to the change?
"Please put all tables into the folded position, and electronic equipment away as we make our descent to Hoenn."
The plane touches down on the runway. Then it slowly goes through the paths to finally stop at the terminal.
"Welcome to Hoenn!"