3:20 PM
Kanto Plains
July 16
"Pikachu!" a familiar voice called. "Finish it, VOLT TACKLE!"
A signature Pikachu dashed through the plains, targeting an Electabuzz.
"Electabuzz!" another voice yelled. "Protect!"
Electabuzz raised two of it's arms, and suddenly a green-yellow-ish shield formed over it.
"Pikachuu!" the Pikachu screamed, ramming it's skull into the shield.
As Pikachu pressed, the shield began to crack.
"Keep going Pikachu!" the voice called. "Knock it's lights out!"
"Electabuzz!" the other voice called. "Don't lose it! Keep using Protect!"
"PikaCHUUUUU!" the Pokemon yelled as it smashed through Electabuzz's shield, striking it with a cold, hard, Volt Tackle. Electabuzz rolled across the ground until it came to a stop.
"Electabuzz!" the other voice yelled, angrily. "Get up, NOW!"
Electabuzz started to slowly get up, but you could tell that was it for Electabuzz. It's head fell back and hit the ground. Electabuzz was K.O'd.
"Electabuzz is unable to battle." an older voice announced. "The winner is Ash!"
As the challenger returned his Electabuzz, he simply started to walk away.
"Hey, Paul!" Ash called. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to train. Electabuzz has a long way to go." Paul retaliated. "Not that it's any of your business, Ash."
Ash simply tightened his fist in anger. Where does that creep get off, anyways?
"Besides." he finished. "It looks like you have other matters to attend to."
"Huh?" Ash muttered, kind of dumbfounded. "Other matters?"
Ash looked behind him, and saw three girls giggling, motioning him over back to Oak's lab. Ash simply shrugged and walked over, with Pikachu trailing after him.
"Congratulations on your victory, Ash…" Dawn said, stressing the 'Ash'. At least she beat the other two to it.
"That was amazing, Ash!" Misty followed up, hugging Ash, a little to tight, by the way.
"I wish I was that good!" May finished. "You sure showed Paul who's boss."
"Thanks, girls." Ash said, walking back into the lab with Pikachu on his shoulder.
"The hell was that, Misty!" May whisper-yelled after Ash left.
"All is fair in love and war…" Misty said, chin help up high. "And that my friend, was love~."
"Yeah, right." Dawn said. "It was clear he was turned off by that hug, Misty."
"Was not!" Misty retaliated.
"Was to."
"Was not!"
"Was to!"
"Guys!" May said. "Look, it's obvious he feels the same way about all three of us, right?"
"I guess…" Dawn said, head hanging.
"Yeah, sure…" Misty mumbled.
"Then maybe we should do something…" May trailed off. "We could get him gifts, and see which one he likes…" May kept talking, trailing off to her own little world. Oddly enough, Misty and Dawn didn't react. This must have been normal. On the other hand, Misty's face lit up, and she started to grin.
"I have a better idea, May." she said.
"What is it?" Dawn questioned.
"You girls up for a… bet?"
Walking into the lab, Ash looked back as the girls started talking. Meh, probably just girl stuff. He staggered into the living room, greeted by the Prof., Tracy, Brock, and his Mom, Delia.
"Hi, Ashy!" his mom said, hugging him. "How was Sinnoh?"
"It was pretty awesome, actually." Ash replied. "Hope you don't mind, but I brought some friends back with me, Ma."
"How many?" Oak asked.
"About four, but only three are going to need to stay in Pallette." Ash answered. "Paul said something about camping, I dunno."
"Is he going to be okay, then?" Delia asked, slightly worried. "Camping by himself is gonna be awful hard, Ash."
"Paul's gonna be fine." Ash said. "He has a team of 6, and he's a really, really good trainer, ya know."
"How good?" Tracy asked him.
"He was better than me for a while, back in Sinnoh." Ash answered, again. "I'm positive he's gonna be fine, and besides, he traveled by himself in Sinnoh, and probably through Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn."
"Okay, hun." Delia said. "Who's going to be staying where?"
"Don't we have a guest room in our house, Ma?"
"It only has one bed, sweetie."
"I have two guest rooms, Ash." Oak spoke up. "Two of your friends can stay in the lab here. Of course, I'll be home, so they'll need to know their way around."
"Misty already knows her way around this place, Professor." Ash said.
"Maybe we can let them choose, instead of making their minds up for them?" Tracy said.
"Wait, Ash." Delia said. "How long are they going to stay?"
"Probably a month or so, atleast until we can get things ready for that new region opening up." Ash said. "What was it called, Issin? Issop?"
"It's Isshu, Ash." Oak said.
"Anyways" Tracy said. "Why don't you go outside with the girls, Ash? Ask them where they wanna stay."
"Sure." Ash said, trotting out of the room.
Opening the front door, Ash walks out on the patio, but… noone's there?