"So...think about it. Is a Ghastly really a ghost Pokemon? How does that make sense? I mean, I ghost is the soul of something dead, right? So, are Ghastlies, Haunters, and Gengars just dead Pokemon? I mean, are they born dead or something?"
"I think that they're really just gas Pokemon." Ash responded.
"But that raises even MORE questions! How did the gas become sentient? How is it that gas can evolve and grow? Does it become more gas? I get that physical attacks can't hurt it. I'll buy that. But why do elemental attacks affect it? Never have I heard of anyone or anything setting fog on fire."
"Well, how do you create electricity?"
"I control the air pressure to the point where I can control the weather in a localized area. It's basically like being psychic for the atmosphere. There's also a small amount of control over ambient static electricity in there somewhere. Honestly, I'm not too concerned with how I do what I do. That's what I have you for."
"Gee, thanks."
Pikachu sighed. "Of course I have you for more than that."
"Thanks for admitting that."
"Any time. Who's head would I ride on otherwise?"
"Hahaha. Very funny."
"I thought so."
Ash and Brock were on the road to Pallet Town with Pikachu riding tandem on Ash's head. Ash figured that Misty was still steaming about something or other, so they called and said they were heading to town and to meet up at the Pokemon Center.
Ash had been practicing with his telepathy and had found a way to block out ambient thoughts, though it took a bit of concentration.
"The thing is," he had said earlier "is that I can't block out you." He pointed to Pikachu. "You just have so much thought going on at all times that it would be too much of an effort to try to block you." To this, Pikachu simply said "Pika" and started playing around with Ash's backpack.
To tell the truth, Ash thought, I don't really want to block anything out anyway. We've been best friends for years and I couldn't understand a word he said. I should have been looking for a way to communicate long before now.
"Y'know, all these conversations seem pretty interesting from my end." Brock said, laughing.
"Tell him they're not. And that you're boring." Pikachu paused "You're boring."
"No I'm not! I just can't keep up with your constant commentary! That's all!"
"Yeah, okay. Suuuuuuure you can't. I'm not that sporadic."
"Yes, you are."
"Oh yeah? Well I wanna get down! How about that!?" Pikachu jumped from Ash's head with his hat in hand. He hit the ground, looked at the hat, then threw it. "HA!" He said as he ran down the road. As Ash stooped to pick it up, Pikachu darted back as fast as he could and snatched the hat in his mouth. "HA HA!" he said as he ran off.
"Hey! Get back here with that!" Ash shouted as he took off after the small yellow blur.
"It's my hat now! Now watch as you cause your own downfall! Quick Attack!" Pikachu stopped for a split second, then shot off down the road like a bullet, leaving a small patch of scorched dirt from the electricity he emitted. Ash slowed down and stopped in his tracks, mouth gaping.
"Maybe you trained him a little too well." said Brock as he walked past.
They eventually met up at the Pokemon Center. Pikachu was standing on top of a newspaper kiosk, surrounded by young girls with Ash's hat still in his mouth.
"!"
"Yes, yes...Aren't I so cute? I know! My cheeks are adorable. My wittle scrunchy tail is so cuuute, isn't it?"
"Hey! Pikachu!" Ash called. Pikachu blinked, looked up, then jumped over the shortest girl and ran to Ash.
"Pika Pii!" He said in the cutest way possible. "I don't ever see you loving me like that. Why do you hate me so much!? You should love me like 7 year old girls do!" He said in as un-cute a way as he could muster. He screeched to a halt and spat out the hat. "And what's the deal with this hat? Is it some kind of good luck charm? Did you weave it out of Mew-hair or something?"
"It's my hat. It's....me." He stooped again to pick it up, then paused with his hand hovering above it. He snapped an anticipating glance at Pikachu who looked back innocently.
"What?"
"Nothing." he said. Ash chuckled and put the hat back on his head as they all walked inside.
Ash looked around. Still the same. He thought. Still creepily the same. He walked up to the counter. "Hi, Nurse Joy!"
The Nurse Joy looked up confusedly from her filing and looked around, mildly afraid.
"How...do you know my name?"
"Uhmm.....Because you all...have the same name...?"
"What do you mean by that?" asked Joy. She was gripping the file to her chest like it was a bludgeoning weapon and looked like she was about to pass out from fear.
"Ash!" came a voice from behind. He turned to see another Nurse Joy run in the front door, taking off a coat. "Ash! Thank goodness it's just you. She's new here. She doesn't know how things work yet."
"That's fine, Nurse Joy. Is this another sister we haven't met?"
"No, this is our cousin, Joanne."
"So...I guess her nickname is...."
"Joy. That's right."
"Of course it is." Pikachu thought.
"So....she's new here?" Brock said, turning his head in a sultry fashion.
"Don't do it." Ash warned.
"Don't do what?"
"What you always do."
"I'm just going to talk to her." He started walking over to the counter. Ash turned.
"She's new here! You saw how nervous she was! You're just gonna freak her out more!"
"You're just jealous!" Brock screamed.
"Jea- Of what!?" But it was too late. Brock was already leaning on the counter, slicking back his hair.
"Uhm...Ahh....Uhh....C-Can I help you sir?" stammerd Joanne. She was still clutching the file folder so hard it was starting to tear.
"Yes ma'am...My name's Brock. What's yours?"
"J-Joanne. But everyone j-just calls me Joy around here." She looked around and whispered "But I don't know why."
"I'll call you whatever you want, beautiful. I'm one of the top trainers around here, you know."
"No you're not!" Ash shouted. "You're a Breeder!"
"Oh! My mistake, gorgeous." He continued, without a hint of faltering. "That's right...I'm a breeder."
"That's not what I meant! He's a Pokemon Breeder!" Ash shouted. Brock spun around like a top.
"I'll bet I would be a better trainer if it weren't for you!"
"What...What does that even mean!?"
"It means stop blocking me out!"
"What? I'm not...Ahh!" Ash exasperatedly hung his head. He pointed to the left. "I'm gonna go sit down until you're done." He walked over to a bench and dropped onto it like a sack of bricks.
"Hey, Ash!" Pikachu said, walking over to him. "You need to stop blocking him out, man."
Ash groaned and put his head in his hands.
"He's not a trainer! He's a breeder, man! A breeder! Can't you understand?"
Ash glanced up at the door as he heard it slide open. Misty calmly but confidently strode in with a pair of handcuffs. She looked at Ash. He nodded at her and she returned the gesture. She unhooked the cuffs and walked briskly to Brock, who still had his back turned.
"Have you ever ridden on an Onyx in the moonlight, baby?" He asked in a voice that he thought was purr.
"What's an Onyx?"
Brock paused. "You're....You're not a very good nurse, are you?" As soon as the words left his lips, Misty slammed his head down on the counter and cuffed him. She dragged him to the corner of the room and hooked the free cuff to a railing.
"I'm so sorry." She politely said to Joanne. "My friend here is suffering from....stupid."
"That's....quite alright." said Joanne. Ash walked sheepishly to the counter.
"Could you please heal my Pokemon?"
"I'd be happy to!" said Joanne, showing the first smile of her whole day. Ash took off his belt of Pokeballs and set them on the counter.
"Aaaaash! My nose hurts! My tail itches! Could you scratch my left ear!? And then the right one!? And then the left one again!?"
Ash sighed, picked up Pikachu by his ears and set him down on the counter.
"And also heal this thing." he said, pointing. Pikachu giggled and sat still. Ash then slumped, back to the bench next to Misty and plopped down, exhausted.
"Long day?" she asked.
"You have no idea." He responded while pulling his hat over his eyes.
"PIIIKKAAAA!"
Ash sat up just in time to see Pikachu bat a Pokeball out of Nurse Joanne's hand with his tail. She backed up, petrified.
"Wha-Wha- I-I don't understand! What-!?" At that instant, Nurse Joy ran around the corner.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry about this! I completely forgot!" She turned to her cousin. "Ash's Pikachu has special needs. Next time, tell me whenever he comes in.
"Ye-Yes, Nurse Joy."
"I'm so sorry about this, Ash. We didn't know you'd be coming back home so soon. We weren't prepared."
"That's okay. I'm sorry we caused so much chaos." He turned to Pikachu who was panting.
"What?" he asked. "You know about my hangup with these kinds of things. You're lucky I can even stand going to the doctor."
"Yeah, alright." Ash whispered. "By the way, you're going to have to explain that hangup to me later."
"Can do." Pikachu said as he jumped off the table and followed Nurse Joy down the hall.
"Are you okay?" Misty asked. "You seem exhausted."
"I'll be fine." Ash said. "Today's just a weird day." He walked over to the phone kiosk and dialed a number. After three rings, a voice answered.
"Hello? Oak's Lab."
"Hey, Tracey? It's Ash." The video screen flashed and an image of Tracey's face appeared onscreen.
"Hey, Ash! Long time, no see!"
"Yeah! Hey, can I talk to Professor Oak?"
"He's out right now, but he'll be back in a little while. Wanna leave him a message?"
"That's alright. We're just outside town. Just tell him that we're coming over, will you?"
"Sure thing. See ya!"
"Bye!" Ash hung up and turned to Misty.
"Are you alright? You were pretty mad back there in the forest." He asked.
"Well, I'm okay now, but I was mad that you were thickheaded enough to go up against a wild Kadabra like that. What happened was bad, sure, but you can't say you didn't see it coming from a mile away."
"Oh yeah, like you could?"
"Hey, Ash. I may not have been able to predict that Kadabra attacking you directly, but you don't need to be a psychic to see that something bad was going to happen. Don't forget. I used to be the leader of a Gym. You keep forgetting that I'm just as good a trainer as you.
"Yeah...I guess you're right..." He sheepishly scratched the top of his head. "Hey, speaking of psychics, there's something I've got to tell you."
"What is it?"
"You remember how that Kadabra used Psychic on me? It had some side-effects."
"Like what?"
"Well...I can hear thoughts now."
"Very funny, Ash. Fine, I'm sorry I got mad at you."
"No, really. I can read minds. Think of a number between one and a thousand."
"Is this really necessary?"
"Just do it."
Misty sighed. "Fine." She closed her eyes. "There. Got it. 450"
"450."
Misty snapped her eyes open wide and her mouth gaped a little. Immediately, she snapped her jaw closed and furrowed her forehead.
"You cheated!"
"No! I didn't! I can really read minds!"
"You're making this up! There's no way this is real!"
"I'm not! Go ahead, think of a word. Any word."
"Fine! Goldeen."
"Come on, think of something better than that."
At this, Misty shot Ash a look of confusion, fear, and annoyance. He might as well have been speaking French.
"O-Okay...Pirates."
"Pirates."
"Wh-There is no way! You have got to...You just have to be....You can really read minds?"
"Yeah."
"So in the forest....when you thanked me...."
"Yeah. I guess I was hearing your thoughts. I-"
Misty suddenly grabbed Ash by the jacket and slammed him up against the wall.
"Don't ever go into my mind again, Ash! Do you understand me!? Ever!"
"Misty! Stop! I'm sorry! It was an accident the first time! I didn't mean to! Let me go!" As Misty released her hand, Ash temporarily broke concentration and accidentally heard a snippet of thought.
"Sorry, Ash, but I had to do it. I take my thoughts very seriously. Never again Not even him. Never again. No compromise. Why do you think I don't use Psyduck that much? Never never never never too close never never never again."
"It's alright. I understand." coughed Ash. "Since when were you so strong?"
"Since you stole my bike." she said with the tiniest hint of a smirk.
"Ash! Your Pokemon are ready!" called Nurse Joy. She wheeled in a cart with all his Pokeballs on it. Pikachu was riding on top, looking refreshed. He jumped off and ran to Ash as he walked forward to get his Pokemon.
"I got done up all special!"
Ash laughed as he put the shrunken Pokeballs back on his belt.
"Hey! Misty! We're ready to go! Get Brock unhooked!"
"Okay! Hang on!" Misty went out the front door and came back a few minutes later with Officer Jenny.
"Misty! This is what you wanted the handcuffs for!?"
"Believe me, Officer Jenny. It was either this or knock him unconscious."
"Well...Alright." She produced a small key from her belt and unhooked Brock from the wall. She then turned to Misty. "You're lucky I know you three or you'd be in big trouble."
"That's another thing that bothers me. Why is it always you three? Every once in a while, a trainer acknowledges my existence in our little entourage, but most of the time I go unnoticed. It's just enough to get under my skin a bit."
"Part of that could be that you're about knee height and out of everyone's field of vision. Honestly, if I didn't have to keep tabs on you all the time, I'd probably forget you were there."
"Well that's reassuring. Thanks."
Brock stood up and rubbed his wrists. He then stole one long, longing glance toward Joanne. You could almost see hearts where his eyes should be.
"I'll never forget you, my dearest love!" He shouted. "No matter who wants to keep us apar-HRRGKKK!" Misty had snatched the handcuffs and had wrapped the chain around his neck. Officer Jenny had to physically pull her off of him.
"Misty! I can't rightfully condone this kind of behavior!"
"I'm sorry, Officer, but the only thing that'll stop Brock from being a womanizer for good is a handfull of roofies and a blackjack. Besides, he's tough! This is nearly a daily thing and he's not dead yet!"
"Alright, but be sure not to do anything like this in front of me, okay? Also, if he goes missing, I'm writing you up as a suspect."
"Fair trade. C'mon, loverboy. Let's go see Professor Oak. Maybe he'll give you a prescription for those heartbreak blues." She grabbed Brock by the hair on the back of his head and pulled him out the door.
"Officer Jenny?" said Ash. "Could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, Ash. What is it?"
"Could you call the Jenny in charge of the Squirtle Squad and have her send my Squirtle over to Oak's lab?"
"Sure thing. What is it for?"
"I just haven't gotten to see him for a while an I figure we need to catch up."
"Okay. I'll do that. Bye, Ash! See you later!"
"Bye, Officer Jenny!"
"You're up to something. I know you are. Whatever it is, I want in as long as we don't have to kill anyone. Sure, I'm solid for roughing up someone in the basement of a train station and robbing banks, but I draw the line at murder. I don't know what kind of sick plan of yours involves Squirtle, but I want no part of it. You can't get me as a witness, either. I'll turn you in if you do something stupid. Take my word on it."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Ash said as they walked out the door to catch up with Brock and Misty, who were undoubtedly fighting.
After they left, Joanne called her cousin in the room.
"Yes?"
"I don't want to be a Pokemon Nurse anymore."
"What?! Why?"
"Well...How often do we have to deal with people like that? They're....They're really weird."
"How so?"
"Well, the younger one was talking to his Pikachu and arguing with it like it was talking to him, but it wasn't even doing the normal 'Pika Pika' thing. I think that Brock guy was going to kidnap me and that Misty girl was probably going to kill him."
"Yeah...They're a bit eccentric."
"Will they....Will they ever come back?
"Don't worry, Joanne." said Joy in a comforting tone. "I'll deal with them next time they come in."