Chapter 2: Calling in for Backup
Pallet Town had always been nothing more than a quaint, little settlement. It was made up of quiet homes, dirt roads and a pleasant town square with family-owned shops and businesses. Neighbors wave to each other and call friendly greetings as they tend to their gardens. Children play with cute Pokémon in their yards. The biggest thing of the town was the large hill, on top of which sat an old windmill that was the base for Professor Oak's studies.
It had always been normal for young trainers and Pokémon-enthusiasts to race towards the lab, eager to see the many types of Pokémon from all over the world that were stored there, so no one paid much mind to the three teens and a Pikachu running down the road leading to it.
"Pikachu!" called Ash, "Wait up!" He increased his pace and ran faster, attempting to catch up with the little electric Pokémon.
"Is that Ash I hear?" asked an elderly voice.
Ash turned his head to find the source as he continued to run forward. His eyes rested upon an older woman, dull blue eyes trained on him, leant over her fence just a few paces ahead of him. Easily recognizing the woman from his countless days of running up and down the very road when he was just a little boy, he waved to her. "Hi Mrs. Johnson!" Ash called.
Mrs. Johnson smiled kindly at him. "Why hello, Ash dear," she said cheerfully, "Back home again, I see?"
As he came closer to the woman, Ash had to try his best to speak to her without tripping over his own feet. He gave a warm chuckle, answering, "Yeah, visiting Mom for a bit, catching up with friends, seeing all my Pokémon… That sort of thing."
"So, you are going over to the Professor's today?" He nodded and turned backwards so he could continue looking at her as he began to pass the woman. "That's good. Would you mind giving this to Samuel for me, please?" She held a long cardboard box over the fence. Ash stopped in his tracks to reach for it and was surprised to find it quite heavy. He took a moment to shift it in his hands and study it before glancing up at Mrs. Johnson again.
"Uh, sure, no problem," he said. He cocked his head to the side curiously. "What is it?"
She waved a hand dismissively at his question. "Oh, it's nothing, really," answered Mrs. Johnson, "Just some old documentaries I was borrowing from him. But I think some of that grandson of his got a few of his own films mixed in with them." She narrowed her eyes good-naturedly at the boy. "Just let him know I don't quite appreciate horror movies."
Ash laughed lightly in response and said goodbye to his old neighbor before turning around and trying to catch up to his friends. When he finally reached them, they had already reached the lab.
Misty sighed as he paused to catch his breath. "Ash, what took you so long?" Ash could tell that the question was not originally meant to sound so angry and biting, but Misty had not looked like she was in a very good mood at the moment. She actually seemed a bit more irritable than usual since earlier that afternoon, but Ash couldn't seem to figure out why. Although… Brock had been smiling an awful lot lately. And not just his normal smile. It was weird. Kind of creepy, actually.
Ash looked back up at the redhead with annoyed brown eyes at her remark, despite knowing she hadn't really meant it. "I was being polite," Ash huffed, holding out the box as proof, "I'm doing a favor for my neighbor." He straightened up and tucked the box under his arm before striding towards the door, allowing Pikachu to hop onto his shoulder as he went. Before Misty could retaliate and deny that he had any manners at all, he reached out a fingerless-gloved hand and rang the doorbell.
"Coming!" called a voice from inside. The door swung open and revealed, in all his headband-wearing glory, Tracey Sketchit, Pokémon watcher and assistant to the professor. He smiled upon seeing his friends. "Ash, Misty, Brock!" he exclaimed, "It's so good to see you!"
"Hey Trace!" greeted Ash. Misty and Brock also offered their own greetings before Ash spoke again, "Is Professor Oak around?"
"Hmm? Well, I think he's out in the fields right now. Are you here to see your Pokémon, Ash?" Tracey asked, scratching his head through his dark hair thoughtfully.
"Yup!" beamed Ash, "And I have a package for him from Mrs. Johnson." He handed the box over to Tracey and watched as the lab assistant examined it as well as its contents.
Tracey nodded his head and looked back at the three trainers. "Oh yeah, I remember her asking for this. She had been worried about her grandson starting his journey and wanted to learn more about Pokémon, so she asked for some of Professor Oak's documentaries," he explained. He motioned for the others to follow him inside. "So I'm guessing that you want to go out back and say 'hi' to–?"
"Actually Tracey," Brock interrupted, surprising everyone, "I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute?"
"Um, sure, I guess," answered Tracey, brow furrowed confusedly. Ash and Misty looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders before making their way outside to give the two older teenagers time alone to talk about… whatever it was Brock wanted to talk about. Once they had exited, Brock rushed over to the window, making sure they had definitely gone. "Uh, Brock?" Tracey said, observing his strange and rather frantic behavior, "Are you okay?"
Brock turned away from the window and stared at the lab assistant, a rather mischievous smile spread across his lips. Tracey, unused to Brock and this rarely shown side of him, leaned away cautiously. "I need your help, Tracey."
Tracey blinked. "Um… With what?" he questioned.
"Ash and Misty," Brock started slowly, "I, am going to get them together."
Tracey's onyx eyes widened as he stared at Brock. "Those two?" he asked incredulously, "How are you gonna pull that off? I traveled all around the Orange Islands with them and nearly everyone we met saw that they had something for each other, except them. They're just too stubborn!"
Brock nodded his head solemnly. "Yeah, it was the same when I traveled with them," Brock sighed. He turned back towards the window and watched as the two kids walked up a hill outside as Pikachu ran off to play with Ash's Bulbasaur. He turned back to Tracey. "That's why I need your help. There's no way I'll be able to manage this by myself. Are you in?"
The Pokémon watcher took a moment to think it over. He nodded affirmatively at Brock and smiled. "Yes, I think I am," he said, "It would be really nice to see them together after all this time. And I think they'll be really happy."
Brock smiled at Tracey happily. "Alright! I'm so glad you're on my side, Trace!" he beamed. He walked toward the sofa in the middle of the room and sat down. "Can I borrow some paper?" Tracey handed Brock a piece of paper he carefully tore from one of his many sketchbooks, and watched as the older teen spread it out on the coffee table beside the box Ash had delievered. Brock told him thoughtfully, "We're going to need a plan."
"Yeah… but, just in case, should we make sure that they do definitely like each other like that, first?" asked Tracey, "I mean, I know they probably won't admit it directly but…"
"Oh, Misty is definitely there," Brock told him, "Earlier I caught her going off and talking about her and Ash when we were watching a show on TV. She started out well, but a few of her details were just a bit off." He chuckled at the memory.
"And what about Ash?"
Brock leaned back in his seat thoughtfully, an index finger placed on his chin. "Well…" he spoke his thoughts out loud, "I think he likes her, but, well, he is Ash and I don't think he's completely aware of it yet." He turned in his seat to look at Tracey, who was leaning over the back of the couch. "What do you think?"
"If my experience in with those two in the Orange Islands is any proof, I think you have it exactly right," answered Tracey with a firm nod, "But maybe, just to be sure, you could check?" he suggested, quirking an eyebrow as he did so.
"Sure, I guess I could do that." Brock nodded.
"Yeah, okay. Then, why don't you do that and then come back here and plan based on his answers?" Tracey asked.
Brock nodded. "Hmm, yeah, that's probably a good idea. I think I will." He stood up and held out his hand to Tracey. "So, you ready for this?"
Tracey took his hand and shook it, smiling confidently at Brock. "Definitely."
"…so then when I had Gyarados use Flamethrower on his Bulbasaur, it just fainted right there and the kid decided to throw a giant tantrum."
Ash glanced over at Misty with an incredulous look plastered on his face. "What?" he laughed as the two of them continued to walk side-by-side up the grassy slope behind Professor Oak's research lab, "Seriously?"
"Seriously," confirmed Misty with an amused smile, "Then he said that he was going to sue me for 'falsely advertising' Cerulean as 'one of the easiest gyms in the whole region' and for 'completely going against the laws of physics' by teaching one of my water-types a fire-type move," she said, adding a mocking tone to her voice every time she mocked the rookie who had challenged her. She gave a roll her eyes. "Sorry for trying to defend myself over type advantages."
"So, did he?" Ash asked, "Sue you, I mean?"
Misty shook her head and gave a short laugh. "No, he didn't. He actually hadn't even won at Pewter, yet," she paused and turned to look back at Ash with a smirk, "When he went, he'd been afraid of Brock's old Steelix."
Ash chuckled at the thought of this insane newbie trainer that had terrorized Misty's gym. He seemed like a really sore loser. "Wow, Mist. That kid sounds like– wha! Whoa!" The black-haired trainer found himself cut off from his sentence as he was shoved into the ground by a large green Pokémon that had proceeded to nuzzle his face contentedly. "Uh, hi, Bayleef! It's great to see you too!"
"Bay bay!" she cooed happily, the leaf atop her head flapping this way and that as she rubbed her face against his.
Ash looked up at Misty helplessly. His flustered appearance was quite humorous-looking, in fact. The impact had caused his hat to fall off his head and his messy hat-hair was set loose, pieces of grass somehow finding their way into the dark strands. That, along with the zealous Bayleef on his chest, caused the redhead to collapse into peals of laughter. Ash liked her laugh. It was light and mirthful, and her teal eyes twinkled; it was nice when she laughed. It sounded kind of pretty, really. And so, as he listened to her giggling so joyously at his expense, he could not help but to laugh along with her.
A/N: Look! I made a random neighbor lady! She's not coming back. Of course, she was of some importance. Don't know when that'll come up, though.
This chapter would have been out so much earlier, but pre-season for tennis started and I've been tired, achey and sunburnt. Then we fixed up my room, and I'm way behind on summer reading and just ugh. I'm tired. Mentally. Luckily, I also get very easily distracted so Chapter 3 is already about three quarters of the way done! Yipee! So hopefully, that'll be out soon, as long as I don't mess up. I'm happy. :D
By the way, you are all very awesome. :)
