Winter Wonderland, a pokémon fanfic

Winter Wonderland

I woke in a cold sweat, my chest heaving heavily as the imagined images ran around behind my eyelids every time I blinked. Aware that Brock still asleep and not wanting to wake the protective breeder I slowly lay back down "Thank goodness it was just a nightmare" I murmured lying so that I was on my side facing the breeder to try and give me some comfort that he was alive.

Attempting to go back to sleep I close my eyes again but they fly back open as I see another awful image. Swallowing hard I sit up and stare at Brock, watching his chest rise and fall steadily as he sleeps. 'Well he's defiantly alive' once I'm sure that he is very much alive I let out a light sigh, turning to look at the door to our room. Eventually making up my mind I stand up and slip out of the creaky door as quietly as possible and sneak down the stairs. Slipping my shoes on I grab a key from the side that the landlord allowed us to use and exit the small cottage making sure to lock the door behind me. Turning around my mouth falls open at the site before me. Everything was covered in a sparkling white sheet; the tall trees surrounding the small village had turned from being dead and drab with no leaves into beautiful ice sculptures with icicles almost reaching the ground from the top most branches. Even the buildings had been transformed from a boring brick red into something magnificent. Taking a step out into this amazing winter world I set off in search for a spot that would be able to calm me down. I would have to be careful though, since I didn't want to wake my Pokémon up not even Pikachu was with me. Walking towards the icy trees that were like a fortress to this village I stared up at them, wanting to see the top braches while still walking made me feel unbalanced and quite unexpectedly I felt the snow melting into my trousers as I was suddenly sitting in the freezing water. Gasping I stood up patting myself in hopes to dry myself off and warm myself up. Looking at the tree again I glared at its sharp and slippery new spikes as if they were to blame. Huffing I kept going in the same direction, away from the village. The trees started to clear and I was met with another remarkable site the small round pond in the middle of the clearing was frozen solid making the surface shine in the moonlight due to the slightly melted ice on the surface. The area was definitely surrounded by the trees. There was no where eye level you could look without being met by trees in the near distance circling you. Looking up I saw the full moon directly in the middle of the tree tops making a picture frame of sorts. 'This is certainly more beautiful than the village' letting out a breath I watched as the white mist came from my mouth and danced around in the air in front of me before disappearing. I chuckled slightly as I continued down to the pond remembering when I was younger how I was so amazed by it and blew out as much as possible refusing to breathe in. "I practically scared my mother to death when my face turned blue" I am still whispering to myself, which is stupid really since I'm the only one here. I reach the edge of the pond and crouch down; extending a finger out towards the treacherously slippery ice I wipe it across the surface. I feel my lips turn up at the edges as I feel the smooth surface, I watch as my finger makes nonsense patterns with a mind of its own.

"Having fun there Ketchum"? The sudden break of silence makes me jump and fall backwards so that I am once again sitting in the snow and freezing my ass off. Letting out a startled yelp I tilt my head all the way back to see a figure close behind me. The jeans, brown jacket and purple top are a dead give away to who startled me. "What are you doing here Gary"? He chuckled slightly and bringing my head back up so that I was in an upright position I stood up and turned around once again attempting to pat myself dry. Finally getting a good look at him I saw that during my musings I hadn't realised it had started snowing again and the snowflakes had started to settle onto his hair. 'If the sight wasn't perfect before it is now' sighing slightly, I blink slowly as the last thought registers in my mind. "WHAT"! I unconsciously yell out at my very unexpected and uncalled for thought. Seeing Gary jump in surprise at the outburst embarrassment floods my system as I feel my cheeks heat up. Placing my hand over my face I groan inwardly, 'why the hell did I think that?' "Care to explain what the hell is wrong with you Ketchum"? Gary had apparently regained his composure and he approached me "I mean are you bi-polar or something, what the hell was with the outburst"? I peeked out through the gap in my fingers seeing Gary standing right in front of me with his arms folded in front of his chest. 'How do I explain that I basically just thought that Gary is sexy' I give off yet another sigh and mumble something even I don't understand under my breath. Looking up a Gary to see if that was enough explanation which it evidently was not if the raised eyebrow and slight frown on his face were anything to go by.

"Never mind, anyway you didn't answer my question" I point out as he starts walking past me to sit on his jacket which he placed on the snow. Still standing I watched the muscles on his back twitch and move as he placed his arms behind him so that he was leaning back slightly. Turning his head he mumbled something about "late night research for gramps" sighing he rubbed the back of his head slightly before carrying on "apparently there's a rare Pokémon around here that only comes out at night, but there have only been rumours" Blinking slightly I finally remember that Gary started working with Professor Oak in Pokémon research about a year ago. I hum quietly before finding something to say in my unusually blank head, making my way to Gary's side I resume my crouching "so, you don't know anything else about it"? I ask slightly interested in there being a new Pokémon for me to find "I mean do you know what it looks like or what type it is"? I ask pressing for information "Well according to some research we have it's kind of invisible" he must have seen the look on my face since he carried on "fine not exactly invisible but it can merge with its surroundings so it goes transparent, as for its type we can only assume its ice since the rumours are only in this village which is always snowed over". Nodding my head slightly I feel a smile tug at my lips, a new ice Pokémon that's usually transparent, brilliant. In the corner of my eye I see Gary shift slightly which brings my attention back "are you going to stay crouched like that all night"? He is now looking at me (again) with a raised eyebrow (again). My cheeks heat up again but if they are red then I blame it on them being cold. "hurry up and sit down you idiot before your legs freeze like that" now it is my turn to look at him as if he is the idiot 'I have sat in the snow enough tonight no way am I sitting in it for however long we're going to be out here'. Then I look down at Gary's jacket ready to glare at it for letting him sit down as my legs start to cramp slightly but that is when I see that when he shifted earlier he had moved over on his seat leaving enough space for me to sit. 'Goddamn my cheeks' I shift so that I am sitting next to my ex-rival on his jacket, now my left arm and leg is leaning against his right side.

"So I've said why I'm here so what're you doing here"? Well I guess it only makes sense to tell him why I've been freezing my ass off outside when I could be indoors safe and warm. I make a sound in the back of my throat, should I tell him everything about why I'm here? No, he'll just think I'm an idiot "well I just couldn't sleep really, bad dreams and stuff" I can feel his eyes on me, most likely analyzing me so I just keep staring straight ahead across the frozen pond at the trees on the other side. "What were they about, your dreams I mean" now I turn to look at him, does he really want to know what's up with me? Well it's not like we hate each other anymore, and it would be easier to talk to him about it than to Brock or Misty. Sighing (again) I place my head in my hands as my knees come up to my chest "It's just that I've been seriously confused lately, about what's going to happen next and how I'm going to deal with stuff and what I'm going to do when everyone ones gone and-" Gary stops me by grabbing my shoulder and turning me to face him I'm surprised to see that he looks concerned "Ash what do you mean when everyone's gone"? His concern for me also showing through his voice "Well Misty is nineteen and she's saying that when she turns twenty she is going to permanently take over the Cerulean Gym from her sisters, and Brock says that he going to move back to Pewter city to be close to his family and is going to set up a business in making Pokémon food to sell and is going to be a breeder since he says he is finally ready" I let go of a breath that sounds a lot like a sigh after finally getting that of off my chest. I can see Gary eyes close as his forehead wrinkles due to him frowning, finally he opens his eyes and partially glares at me, still frowning, I start to feel uneasy.

"What your saying is that Misty and Brock are going to go off and do other things and leaving you and you don't know what you should do when they are gone right"? I just nod my head in response "First off, you are an idiot, I mean their your friends, it's not like they purposely abandoning you and you can always visit them" I hadn't even thought of it like that, as I am about to thank him I get cut off "I'm not done, as for what you should do after well I thought you wanted to be the best Pokémon trainer and new Pokémon are popping up all the time but if you're bored of that then go ask your dad if he can teach you to be a gym leader for when he retires, it's not like you have no options Ash you've just got to think" As he says this he taps my head with his knuckles " but really you are an idiot" I glare at him half heartedly "gee thanks" I use my most sarcastic voice but being serious I repeat it "Cheers Gary heh I guess I really needed that" and finally I do something I don't think I have ever done to Gary I smile at him and to my relief he smiles back at me. It has got very dark during the time that we have been here but it's still light enough for me to detect a pale pink running across Gary's cheek and nose "Yeah anytime Ash, and just to let you know that even if Brock and Misty aren't with you, ahh well you know I, Well I'll always be there for ya" After Gary got through his embarrassed speech I feel my own cheeks warming up (again) but before I can thank him I feel soft lips against my own and my eyes close by instinct. Gary pulls away while murmuring a sorry and before I can say anything he jumps up with a gasp and runs around me calling out about seeing the rare Pokémon. I watch him leave running off into the trees and a smile tugs my lips as I get up and put his jacket around my shoulders, heading off towards the trees I turn back to look at the picturesque sight 'This is defiantly my winter wonderland' and I head back towards the cottage.

I wanna be the very best
like no one ever was
To catch them is my real test
To train them is my cause

I will travel across the land
searching far and wide
Each Pokémon to understand
the power that's inside

Pokémon! [gotta catch em' all] it's you and me
I know it's my destiny,
Pokémon! Oh you're my best friend
in a world we must defend
Pokémon! [gotta catch em' all] a heart so true
Our courage will pull us through

You teach me and I'll teach you,
Pokémon! gotto catch 'em all

Every challenge along the way
with courage I will face.
I will battle every day
to claim my rightful place.
Come with me,
the time is right,
there's no better team.
Arm in arm we'll win the fight!
It's always been our dream!

Gotta catch em' all(3x) yeah!!!!!!!!!!

Pokémon! [gotta catch em' all] it's you and me
I know it's my destiny,
Pokémon! Oh you're my best friend
In a world we must defend
Pokémon![gotta catch em' all]a heart so true
Our courage will pull us through
You teach me and I'll teach you,
Pokémon! gotta catch 'em all

Gotta catch 'em all
POK'EMON!