Notes: many thanks for reviews on the first chapter; particularly the ShiShi yahoo group who probably gave the most feedback -sends many hugs- :) Does anyone protest my angry Ash? I hope not. I have fun writing him.
Chapter 2
"I suppose cocoa could be considered deadly, yes,"
Ash nodded, mildly assured that Tracey had not been completely brainwashed just yet. "See, I knew you'd see sense."
"-but I don't see how this has anything to do with Gary." Tracey was regarding him with a kind, almost pitying smile, like maybe he was insane, and needed to be dealt with gently.
He was insane? He wasn't the one falling victim to Gary's strange, pally facade!
Ash blew out an exasperated sigh, turned away and folded his arms. The two of them were in Ash's bedroom. It was late morning, and Ash was having a hard time stomaching the idea of having breakfast with Gary Oak.
"Ash-" Tracey started, apologetic.
"It's just weird, that's all. And why can't you say why he's here? Don't I have a right to know?"
Tracey seemed to hesitate, his eyes searching around the room for a short moment, before he spoke quietly; "really, it's not my place to say anything. If you want to ask anyone, ask your mom. Or Gary himself-"
Ash scoffed. "I don't think so."
"Come on, why do you hate him so much?"
Ash bristled at the remark, and looked at Tracey with surprise. "I don't hate him! Well...I mean, not really. It's just, he's so mean to me! He teases me!"
"Hmm." Tracey looked thoughtful. "He's been fine with me."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Ash asked, wondering whether Tracey had always been such an awful judge of character.
Tracey shrugged, "It's just how it is. He's never been mean to me. But I guess I've not known him so long as you, have I?"
"No," Ash said haltingly, "That's true." and he remembered, through a brief flash in his minds eye, days when he was very young, and playing out till late in the evening sun And Gary was there too. They'd been friends once.
That was the strange thing.
"So you've always been like this, then?" Tracey was grinning.
"Wha...oh." Ash didn't know what to say. "Hated each other, you mean?"
Tracey rolled his eyes, vaguely amused, "Hated. If you like,"
"Um. Yeah."
Ash wasn't sure why he said that, but it seemed the easy option. He didn't want to confuse himself with the strange fact that he and Gary had once been such great friends. And now it seemed so easy to dismiss all of that, and think of it as a nonexistent time in his young, clearly stupid life.
Because there was no way, not now, that he would ever be great friends with Gary Oak.
"Well," Tracey stretched and stood up, "as much as I'd love to hear more about yours and Gary's legendry rivalry, my stomach is telling me it's breakfast time."
"But I don't want to go down there."
"Would you prefer to starve up here?"
"Yes," Ash said firmly. "And then he'll be sorry. Sorry for making me starve to death."
Tracey sighed. "I'm sure that's exactly what he wants, Ash." he extended his arm; "C'mon. Don't be melodramatic."
Ash, feeling vindicated, but also unable to bear a noisy stomach rumble, allowed himself to be hoisted up by Tracey.
They walked down the stairs, followed by a sleepy, yawning Pikachu. When they reached the bottom Ash peered cautiously into the kitchen, and just as he had dreaded, Gary was there, sitting at the table and eating his breakfast with intent.
Delia was washing up, her back turned to all of them.
"Morning Gary, Mrs Ketchum," Tracey beamed, entering the kitchen with a glow.
Ash followed, a dismal contrast; "morning," he mumbled, and took a seat at the table, as far away as he could manage from Gary, which just happened to be a few mere inches. Ash wondered why his mother couldn't get a bigger breakfast table.
"Morning boys." Delia said, "Late risers, today, aren't we?"
"Well. I was tired." Ash ventured a gaze at Gary. Gary hadn't looked up from his breakfast; clearly he was still sulking after last nights confrontation.
"You're going to see Professor Oak today, aren't you?" Delia asked, as she placed a plate of breakfast before both Ash and Tracey.
At this, Gary looked up from his food, his eyes alight with interest. He addressed Tracey; "Great. I've got the coolest thing to show you,"
"Sounds good," Tracey smiled at him, "I've told Ash about all the great stuff there too."
"He's been before," Gary said coldly. And he went back to studying his breakfast, like it might be some interesting new species of Pokemon.
"Yeah, but I want to go again. Professor Oak is my friend." Ash said smoothly, proud that he was keeping his temper. He stabbed a fork into a piece of bacon and munched on it ferociously.
Delia, who had just finished washing up a few pots, turned to the table with a beaming flourish; "Well boys, I'll be back in a minute. Just realised I left Mimey with the boiler. He gets a bit intimidated by it, poor thing."
Then she dashed off.
There was a tiny silence, then;
"Well I'm sure that's what gramps would want you to think," Gary said lazily, but kept his gaze on his breakfast. He wasn't really eating it, just twirling a fork redundantly around a piece of waffle.
"He'd make me think what?" Ash asked, wondering whether there was a slim chance Gary might suffer death by waffle.
"Think that you and he are friends, of course," Gary finally locked eyes with Ash, and his mouth quivered into a smirk. He stabbed the fork into a piece of bacon and popped it in his mouth.
Ash was silently fuming. And wondered it there was any chance Gary might suffer death by bacon, as well as waffle. Either were good; Ash wasn't particularly fussy about it.
"Guys," Tracey said meekly. "Can't you get along for breakfast time? It's my favourite time. You wouldn't want to ruin that for me, would you? Not my favourite time?"
Both Gary and Ash turned to Tracey. Ash felt a little guilty; not wanting to put Tracey in such an awkward position.
"I'm sorry, Tracey," Gary said, and Ash looked back at him, mouth slightly ajar.
Gary seemed to catch his gaping, so he flashed him a glare; "what's wrong, Ashy? Did someone break your jaw?"
Ash clamped his mouth shut, feeling stupid. He glowered at Gary. Then said, without averting narrowed eyes from his rival;
"I'm sorry too, Tracey."
"Well. Glad that's all cleared up then." Tracey said in a weak voice.
There was an uneasy silence, in which all that could be heard was the occasional squeaking of Tracey's plate, as he munched self consciously on breakfast. Ash had found himself in a pointless staring contest with Gary, and be damned if he was going to look away first.
Finally, Gary blinked away.
Ash felt elated, privately congratulating himself on his superior staring skills. Yes, he was the King of staring. He allowed himself a smug smile.
Gary stood up. "I'm going out now," he announced, and took his plate to the sink.
"Where to?" Tracey enquired around a mouthful of toast. "Aren't you coming with us to the lab?"
"Maybe in a bit." Gary put a pot of tea on the table, "It's still hot, if you want some," his eyes flickered over to Ash, "If of course you can handle drinking it."
Ash tensed, but felt Tracey's hand rest on his shoulder.
"I'm sure I'll be fine. As long as I know you didn't make it." he said instead, quite calmly.
Gary shrugged; "well then, I guess you can't drink it." then he stalked out of the kitchen, his face unreadable.
Ash swallowed down his toast, until sure Gary had left the house. "Did he make the tea?" he asked suspiciously.
"Yes," Tracey sighed. "And no, he hasn't poisoned it. I saw your mom drinking some earlier."
"I wasn't thinking that." Ash said sulkily, stabbing his fork into a waffle. "I mean, does he do everything round here or something?"
"Well, he made breakfast."
"He-he did?"
"Yeah. He likes to cook. And you're mom likes to be cooked for. He says he's doing it just to pay your mom for the lodgings, but I think he actually likes cooking."
"Perfect." Ash rested his head heavily on his hand. "My mom has replaced me. With my rival."
"That's not the case at all," and Tracey sounded so sure of himself that Ash stared at him.
"How can you know? He sounds like the perfect son to me." he said sourly.
"Well it's not true." Tracey frowned. "Your mom is not Gary's mother,"
"Thank god." Ash grimaced, imagining the trauma he might suffer if he found he might be related to Gary.
Tracy seemed to take Ash's words with a trace of disdain. "Gary is only here for a little while, anyway. He'll be setting off pretty soon, I think"
Good riddance was all Ash could think, but he thought better of voicing it. For some reason Tracey seemed to have gone cold with him. He finished up his breakfast quietly, and then he and Tracey stepped outside into the late morning sun.
The grass smelt fresh with the remains of rain, and Ash took in a deep breath, reminded of how glad he was to be back home. In the vast ranch, close to Professor Oaks lab, a small group of Ponyta were cantering about, whinnying hyperactively.
"Professor Oak's place is getting bigger," Tracey explained, as the two of them walked, "He'll have to extend it soon, and I'll be helping out with catching some of the wilder Pokemon."
"Do you think we can help?" Ash asked, excited at the prospect.
"I don't see why not. The professor says he needs all the help he can get."
The two turned into the professors lab entrance, and Ash was hit with a wave of nostalgia; reminded of younger days when he'd first set out from Pallet town. And when he'd first gotten his Pikachu.
Pikachu seemed to remember too, as it almost danced about the lab, cheeks fizzling electricity.
"My, Ash, you've certainly grown!"
Ash looked ahead to see Professor Oak beaming at him; a little older in the face, but still the same old professor.
Ash grinned broadly; "professor!" he ran forward to meet him. "I got back last night! I'm taking a vacation-"
"Yes, Gary told me all about it," Oak was still grinning, but Ash felt his own dissolve.
"Oh, he did?" he asked waspishly.
"Yes, and I've heard plenty from your mother, too. About how far you've progressed in the leagues."
Ash felt bashful. "I've not done that well." he insisted.
Tracey gave him a sharp poke in the shoulder; "Don't listen, professor. He's got a permanent inferiority complex. He's really pretty amazing at this whole Pokemon Master thing."
"I don't think so," Ash grimaced in the vague direction of the professor. "I've lost more battles than I've won,"
"Ah, but that's all part of the process." Oak said sombrely. "Losing is just as important as the winning."
Ash smiled dully; Professor Oak had always been excellent at putting the harshest reality's into the nicest of words; such as the idea that he might be a perfectly terrible Pokemon trainer.
"Aw Gramps. You just say that to make him feel better about being such a loser."
Ash was dismayed to see Gary peering into the room; looking quite smug. And Gary was supremely excellent at just telling it like it was, no matter how brutal and soul destroying it might be for the poor listener, who always just happened to be Ash.
"Gary," Professor Oak's voice was only faintly stern. "Be nice."
"I am." Gary insisted, then gave Tracey a wave; apparently deciding that Ash might be invisible. "I mean, I'm trying to be. But it's hard when this things attacking me all the time!"
Professor Oak chuckled as he turned back to his grandson. "It just really likes you."
As Ash neared the desk, he peered round it to see his Muk had attached itself lovingly about Gary's legs. Gary looked like maybe this was a regular occurrence.
"I think it has security issues," he frowned.
"I thought you weren't coming to the lab," Ash said, unable to keep in a snigger.
"I said I might," Gary glowered, trying to pry the Muk off of him. "Why do you have this Pokemon, anyway, gramps?"
"It's mine." Ash corrected.
Muk, having apparently realised Ash was there, slowly uncoiled itself from Gary and trailed over to him.
"Well that explains a lot." Gary watched on with vague amusement.
"Ugh, no, not today!" Ash backed off, almost staggering into Tracey. "Things really haven't changed round here, have they?" he mumbled, as Professor Oak coaxed the Muk back with some food.
"Well, things have been very busy, recently. Your mother probably mentioned the fete, amongst other things."
"Yeah, I was thinking about entering Pikachu." Ash said.
Gary snorted. "Good luck with that."
"What? I don't see you entering."
"I never said I wasn't." Gary said, and then he turned to Tracey, hopeful; "do you want to see something really cool?"
"Sure!"
Ash watched blankly as both Tracey and Gary disappeared into the back of the room. He felt a little left out. He wanted to see something really cool, too.
"Go with them if you like," Professor Oak seemed to know what he was thinking. "I'll make us all some tea and then you can tell me about your Pokemon adventures. I trust Brock and Misty will be along soon?"
"They should be here tomorrow." and how glad Ash was of that. At last; a couple of people who wouldn't get sucked into Gary's weird nice-guy act.
He entered the back of the lab; which was essentially a library of big, thick books, piled up to precariously great heights. Amongst the mountains of hardbacks sat both Tracey and Gary. Gary was pointing at some picture in an old yellowed book, and Tracey was looking at it with brilliant enthusiasm.
Ash stalked forwards, annoyed.
"So what's this really cool thing?" he asked moodily.
Both Gary and Tracey looked up, wearing completely contrasting expressions.
"Oh its brilliant-"
"It's nothing," Gary interrupted, and he went to close the book. Tracey stopped him with a firm hand on his arm.
"No, let Ash see."
Grudgingly, Gary sat back, and Ash knelt down by the book and looked at the picture.
"See, it's an Areodactyl," Tracey explained. "Of course it's supposed to be extinct, but if we find a DNA sample you might technically be able to clone it."
"That doesn't sound very likely." Ash said, but did secretly concede that the Areodactyl was very cool.
"Of course it's not very likely," Ash could tell, without even looking up, that Gary was sneering, "but that doesn't mean it's impossible. You could find a DNA sample if you looked hard enough. I'm going to."
Ash turned away from the book, "You could be digging forever and never find anything."
Gary rolled his eyes; "Well isn't that the loser attitude? Of course it'll be hard to find," he added, ignoring Ash's glare, "But when I do, Professor Oak will be able to clone it, and then I'll have my own Areodactyl. I'd like to see you and your little Pikachu beat me then."
Pikachu, who had been peering at the Areodactyl picture with curiosity, gave an insulted squeak, it's cheeks fizzling haphazardly.
"By the time you get that prehistoric Pokemon I'll have won the league." Ash said fiercely.
Gary scoffed. "Whatever." he crawled forwards and closed the book before Tracey could stop him this time, then hugged it against his chest, smirking at Ash as he did.
Tracey sighed; "can't you two have one nice little conversation?"
"I don't think they can,"
Everyone turned to see Professor Oak, holding a tray before them.
"Oh, thank you." Tracey looked relieved. "It's nice to have an adult round here. A wizened, clever, mature adult."
"I am all those things and more," Gary said with great insistence. He took a cup from the tray and then leant back on the floor and opened the old book again, away from anyone else's line of vision.
Ash scowled as he took his own cup, knowing that Gary was only reading the book to spite him.
"When you're mature, never mind wizened, the world will probably implode." he said grouchily.
Gary blinked at him over his book. "Touchy, touchy." he was grinning nastily. "And I suppose you know everything there is to know about maturity?"
"I know a thing or two," Tracey snapped an agitated interruption. "And this is the thing- you two are definitely not it."
"What's the "or two"?" Gary asked, innocently curious.
"The what?"
"You said a thing or two." Gary shrugged. "I just wanted to know what that one was."
Tracey grimaced, "You are not funny. In fact you're just unbearable."
Ash nodded his furious agreement, but was dismayed to see Tracey was smirking at Gary, and Gary didn't look insulted at all. He disappeared behind his stupid old book.
"Well, I do try," he said aloofly.
Ash peered round the lab room, not wanting to have to look at the annoying boy sat so near to him. He cast around for something to say; it shouldn't have been hard, he'd not seen the Professor for so long, yet now he couldn't think of a single subject of interest.
Tracey was now wandering about the lab, and putting various books under his arm. It seemed like it might be something he did regularly.
Ash wished Tracey could be a bit less like book-dork Gary, and help him out of an awkward silence.
Eventually, he blurted; "Professor, I don't think it's possible to clone an Areodactyl."
Gary's book twitched in his hands, but he didn't say anything.
Professor Oak looked taken off-guard for a short second, "well, it would be extremely difficult, I can grant you that."
"Very difficult." Ash nodded, pleased with the answer.
"Were you interested in finding a sample?" professor Oak asked with apparent interest.
"No, he's not," Gary suddenly spoke up, looking fierce. He had slammed his book face up on his lap, "But I am! And I'll find a sample!"
Professor Oak seemed to spare Gary a short look of surprise, "Ah, so that's what you've been locking yourself in this room for," he eyed the book. "Gary, you never said you were interested,"
"Are you kidding?" Tracey piped up, from the other side of the room, "he doesn't shut up about it. Any fossils, for that matter."
Ash thought he saw Gary blush, but he was quick to duck back behind his book.
"So? They're interesting." Gary sounded surly. Ash wondered why he had to get so upset about such a stupid thing.
"Well I'm glad you think that," Professor Oak took a sip of his tea. "My, this tastes quite pleasant."
Gary peeked from behind his book, staring up at Professor Oak through wide eyes. Ash thought he looked terribly juvenile. "You are?"
"Of course!" Professor Oak laughed. "Fossil study is very important work. It really helps in advancing our knowledge of Pokemon."
In his mind, Ash pulled a face. But he supposed Professor Oak had to be nice and agreeable with Gary. He was his grandson, after all.
Satisfied by the tragic logic in this fact, Ash spoke: "yes, but it is still really hard to find any samples, isn't?"
"Well. You certainly need to have a lot of patience and endurance."
Ash silently laughed. Gary certainly didn't strike him as the sort to possess either of these qualities.
Professor Oak, tragically, didn't seem to agree; "if you head up to Mount Moon, I hear there's been some fossil sightings up there."
Gary looked excited, and slammed his book shut suddenly. "Is that right? That's not even very far away!"
"I heard Mount Moon is an endangered Pokemon area." Tracey said. "I thought you weren't supposed to go digging up there, Professor?"
"Not inside the mountain," Oak explained. "But just on the outskirts, on the actual Mountain itself, there is supposedly fossil fragments. As long as you're careful not to disturb the Pokemon which dwell inside, I'm sure it'll be quite safe."
"Well, I know there's only a few Zubat and Paras in there, anyway." Gary said dismissively.
"There's more than that!" Ash said with great insistence, and was grateful when both Tracey and Professor Oak backed him up.
"I hear there's Clefairy up there," Tracey said.
The Professor nodded. "Indeed there is. You don't want to go destroying their habitat, Gary. There's plenty of rare Pokemon down there."
"Ok." Gary looked vaguely apologetic, and that sort of surprised Ash. He watched, weary, as his rival stood up. "I'll probably head towards Mount Moon then. See if I can find anything round there."
Ash was slightly confused when Gary whistled.
And then, a heap of previously very unalive books seemed to shuffle into motion. Ash startled, then saw the little head of an Eevee pushing it's way out of the hardbacks. It wriggled free and than rushed to Gary's side. He bent down slightly and it hopped onto his shoulder.
Ash had not seen Gary's Eevee, nor any of his other probable Pokemon since they'd returned. It also occurred to him that the two of them had not had a Pokemon fight yet. By his side, Pikachu was gazing at the Eevee, interested. Ash wondered whether to offer up a battle.
"Your not going to Mount Moon now, are you?" Tracey enquired, apparently not thrilled by the idea.
"No," Gary half-grinned, "don't you know I'm on vacation?"
"You could've fooled me," Tracey bit back, but was smiling, "I hardly ever see you without a book in front of your face."
"Knowledge is power," Gary announced to no-one in particular. But then he looked at Ash, "I guess you've got a few million books to read, Ashy. Fill all that empty grey matter."
"Hey-" Ash stood up, riled.
"Now, now." Professor Oak raised his arms, signalling calm.
Ash didn't think he could comply, however. "I think you should go to Mount Moon! You said you'd be leaving in a few days anyway."
"Did I?" Gary was still smirking, but for some reason it looked much less assured to Ash.
Then for some reason Tracey looked nervous. "Hey, I-"
"I don't believe I said anything of the sort." Gary scowled.
"Why don't you all go take a trip to Mount Moon?" Professor Oak suggested, clearly keen to diffuse the atmosphere. "In a day or so, when Misty and Brock come back. If the weathers nice it'll be a great trip. And Ash, you might catch some new Pokemon, and Gary, you could try digging for that fossil?"
Neither Ash or Gary said anything.
"I think that's a brilliant plan." Tracey said, casting the Professor a grateful smile. "We could have a picnic. And I can sketch. Maybe I'll get lucky and get to draw a Clefairy."
Gary looked at Tracey with a tight smile. "Yeah. That sounds good. Can I keep another picture if you draw more than one?"
"Sure."
Ash looked between Gary and Tracey, once more aghast at their awful fledgling and clearly twisted friendship.
"Can't I have a picture too?" he asked plaintively.
"Of course." Tracey was flattered.
Ash felt nicely pleased with himself, and as they exited Professor Oaks lab, he was eager to keep Tracey interested in a conversation about his earlier experience up on Mount Moon, and how he'd actually seen the proper Moon Stone and gotten to witness a Clefairy dance. Tracey was soon "oohing" and "aahing" with great intrigue.
And Ash thought he sounded much more impressed than he had done when Gary had shown him the Areodactyl picture.
Over his shoulder, Gary didn't seem to have noticed anyway. He was talking with Professor Oak, a determined look on his face.
Ash thought Gary could at least have the common decency to be jealous.
But Gary left the lab at a leisurely pace, and even stopped to play about with Eevee, who was skipping around his feet like a little dog, running in wild little circles and tripping over itself.
"We didn't hear much from Professor Oak." Ash said aloud, suddenly realising how brief their visit to the lab had been, and now he felt a little bad for not taking the time to ask how the professor had been doing.
"I wouldn't worry about that," Tracey was hopping about the wet grass, looking almost like Gary's riotous Eevee. "He's pretty busy right now. Plus I think he knew it'd be difficult talking to you when Gary was there," he said in a vaguely quieter voice.
"Huh? Why's that?"
"Well, he, unlike your mom, knows that you and Gary can't stand each other."
"When did he know that?" Ash felt genuinely surprised.
"Well, I suppose it helps that he has a grandson named Gary who can't stand you." Tracey said slowly, as though he might be talking to a very stupid person.
Ash clipped him about the ear, "Ok, ok. I get it." then he hesitated; "So. Gary's actually told Professor Oak that he can't stand me?"
Tracey shrugged, seeming more interested in seeing how many times he could spin round on one leg. "I guess he has."
"Oh." oddly, Ash felt a bit hollow.
He glanced back at Gary; who was still a fair way behind them, out of ear shot, at least. He was bent down and patting his Eevee on the head. Ash caught unintelligible words silently rolling from his mouth, before the Eevee sprang up into his arms, and Gary placed it on his shoulder.
He stood up and met Ash's gaze.
Ash turned away quickly, hurrying to catch up with a ridiculously twirling Tracey.
"Well I can't stand him, either." he said loudly, yet knew Tracey wasn't listening.
"D'ya think I'll see a Clefairy?" Tracey replied instead. And he halted in his twirling, staggering a little on his feet.
"Mm. Maybe."
"I hope so. I've never drawn one, yet,"
Ash watched Tracey twirl about a little more with disinterest. "I can't wait for Brock and Misty to come."
"Oh, me neither. I've not seen them for ages." Tracey fell on the grass ungracefully. "How are they, Ash?"
"Good," Ash smiled, and joined him on the grass. Even though it was very damp, he wasn't much bothered. Pikachu snuggled playfully onto his lap and he stroked it absently. "We've all got better with our Pokemon recently."
"I still need to see all your new Pokemon, Ash." Tracey reminded. "What about your Charizard. How is it getting on?"
"Better." Ash lied badly. The small silence which followed pushed his conscience into telling the truth; "Actually, not so good. It still doesn't listen to me."
Tracey was sympathetic. "Hey, don't worry. It'll come around soon."
"Who'll come around? And don't you know that sitting on wet grass will give you piles?"
Ash glared up at Gary. "Nice of you to join us."
"My pleasure." Gary sneered, arms crossed. "But as much as it'll break your heart, I really can't stop."
"I think it's broken." Ash lamented.
Tracey laughed; "so, are you up for Mount Moon, Gary?"
"Yeah," Gary seemed to become enthused. "I'm gonna go pack some equipment up now. Gramps was giving me a list of all the stuff I'll need. And there's a lot."
"I thought as much." Tracey nodded. "I think Brock and Misty will be joining us too."
Gary narrowed his eyes, and bit his lip, as though trying to imagine something. "Oh...do you mean the old gym leaders? Pewter City and..."
"Cerulean City. That's Misty."
Gary pulled a face. "Her?"
"Yes, her." Ash said, defensive. "Do you have a problem with that?"
Gary's lip curled into nasty amusement. "No. Not at all." then he looked at Tracey, his face arranged much more pleasantly. "I'll see you later. It looks like it might rain soon." then he turned on his heel and headed back to Ash's house.
Ash wanted to yell something nasty after him.
Instead he looked up at the sky and said very petulantly; "it's not going to rain."
88
It did rain, about ten minutes later. Ash decided that the weather had also conspired against him, and had been lured into Gary's deceptive acts of friendliness along with everyone else in the world.
He tried not to be too bitter about it as he stared out the window, watching the rain stream against the pane. He couldn't have been doing a good job of it, though;
"Ash, dear. You know your face might stay like that if you stare at the window long enough."
Ash turned begrudgingly away from the window, offering his mother a faint and very forced smile.
"Sorry. I just wanted to be outside today." he said glumly.
"It's nice weather for water Pokemon." Tracey said distantly. He was far too busy engaging in a stupid childish game of cards with Gary to apparently pay Ash any attention at all.
Not that Tracey hadn't asked him to play...
But Ash really didn't like cards. And also he was quite sure Gary was cheating.
"Damn it!" Tracey cursed, slamming his cards down. "You beat me again!"
Gary grinned broadly, his winning cards laid out tidily before him. He was also, much to Ash's frustration, flicking through the pages of that old book he'd been showing Tracey at the lab.
Because of course wonderful Gary could thrash Tracey in a card game and study challenging Pokemon history at the same time.
Ash wished this nightmare would end.
"I swear he cheats." Tracey directed to Delia, who was smiling her amusement from the settee, reading some romance novel.
"Can I help that I'm so amazingly talented?" Gary asked. And then, peering at the book; "ooh. Did you know that Kabutops fossils are meant to be at Mount Moon?"
"Really?" Delia seemed interested. "Oh I'd love to go to Mount Moon. It seems like it would be so romantic at night time."
"I'm going, Mrs Ketchum." Gary said brightly. "I'm digging for fossils."
"Really?" Delia was impressed.
Ash grinded his teeth. "I've already been, and I saw Clefairy's. Don't you remember me telling you, mom?"
"Oh yes. I remember now,"
Ash felt deflated and rather let down. He wondered whether his mom was thinking of getting rid of him, and replacing him with her newfound angel Gary.
"I don't see why you'd waste time looking for stupid Clefairy's," Gary said. He was looking at Ash, amused. "When there's so many undiscovered fossils out there."
Ash opened his mouth to speak, but Delia beat him to it;
"Oh, I don't know about that." she said pleasantly. "I think the idea of seeing all the Clefairy's is wonderful."
Ash silently high-fived. Yes; mom was officially super again.
"I'd like to see them too," Tracey was pondering. "I'd love to draw them."
Ash high-fived again. Super Tracey! And super mom! Things couldn't get much better!
"Well I don't think they're very special at all." Gary said, clearly unimpressed. He had gone back to reading his book.
"Have you seen one?" Ash asked, challenging.
Gary tilted his head back up to meet Ash's expression. "Yes. I've seen them in books."
"I don't mean like that." Ash shook his head.
"Same difference." Gary turned back to his book.
"No it's not!" Ash felt very adamant all of a sudden. "It's totally different! When you actually meet them, they're more...more-"
"Pink?" Gary asked, vaguely sarcastic.
"No," Ash glared. "No. They're more..mystical."
"But more pink as well, I bet?"
Ash bit his tongue, determined not to be baited; "I guess they would be more pink, yeah."
"I'd imagine they're lovely." Delia seemed to have not caught the rising animosity between the two boys. "Oh, I do hope you get to draw a picture of one, Tracey."
"I can try." Tracey edged round to get a look at Gary's stupid, needlessly big book. "Hey, maybe you two can catch a Clefairy? You are Pokemon trainers, after all."
"If I see one, I'll catch it for you." Gary looked at Delia with a strangely warm smile.
"Well thank you, Gary," she looked charmed.
Ash fumed inwardly. "I can catch you one too, mom. And it'll be better."
"Will it be pinker?" Gary queried, but Ash could see the playing jeer behind his innocent question.
Ash was tempted to respond, but it was getting to be tiresome fighting this losing battle. Clearly both his mom and Tracey had fallen in love with Gary, or something to that disturbing effect. And now, starved of familiar Gary-bashers, Ash decided the only thing he could do to keep his sanity was to count down the hours, minutes, seconds, until Brock and Misty finally arrived.
He never thought he could possibly miss Misty and Brock in a mere couple of days, but now here he was, desperately missing them.
"Ash, didn't I warn you your face might end up staying that way?"
Ash blinked out of his morose trance, "ugh. Yeah, I know, mom"
"Maybe it'd be an improvement," Gary said snidely, but he was standing up and walking toward the stairway before Ash could gather an angry retort. "I'm going to bed. I'm pretty tired."
"Night," both Tracey and Delia chorused in sweet unison, and Ash thought they were mad.
He listened until Gary's padding feet had faded into nothing, and then he stared at his mother expectantly. She was reading her book, oblivious.
"Well?" he said loudly.
"Well what, dear?" Delia did not look up.
"Well- what was all that about?" Ash felt exasperated. "He just insulted me and you didn't say anything! You just said night to him!"
"Oh," Delia put her book down. "I'm sorry dear. This book is quite engrossing, you know."
Ash huffed, feeling that wasn't the case at all. "It was pretty hard not to hear. And I thought you were going to tell me about all this today? About why Gary's actually here? You said you would."
Delia's smile seemed to thin out. "Ash...I don't think...I don't think It's my place to tell you these things..."
"That's what Tracey said!"
"Well it's true." Delia amended. "It's really not our business to tell you. I'm sure Gary will, though," she hesitated, "if he feels he can."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash demanded.
"Exactly what I told you, Ash," and for the first time, Delia's face flashed into severity. Ash was strangely reminded of Tracey's unusual coldness earlier at breakfast time.
Just what was up with everyone, anyway?
Folding his arms, Ash turned away from both his mother and Tracey. "Well, maybe I will ask him, then."
There was a sudden rap on the door, and Delia looked puzzled as she got up to answer it.
"I'm not expecting visitors this late..."
Ash and Tracey listened from the living room, but the voices were low behind the door, and they couldn't tell who they were. A moment later, the door reopened, and Delia looked a little flushed.
"Ash! You might have told me your friends were stopping over tonight!"
And then, peering behind his mother, Ash saw both Brock and Misty standing there. Never before had he been so grateful to see them.
"Brock, Misty!" he gushed, rushing to meet them.
And then troubles concerning Gary Oak didn't seem very big at all.
888
more notes then I shut up-promise!:
I think the Areodactyl/mount moon stuff may be a bit inaccurate. I can't recall what happened in the ep Aerodactyl first appeared in and as a result I've decided to kick it out of the canon of my fic. Yep. I'm that bad a fan. What can I say, it's been a few years since I saw those original Kanto eps. :S and try and keep in mind it's AU, and hopefully it'll work out :) reviews would be nice too!
