Poketech High no. 11, Settling Down
Hah! This series SETTLING DOWN? A helping-out afternoon at Ash's ends with disastrous results!
It is Friday, the day after the hurricane, and the town is recovering and rebuilding. The kids have the option of helping out at school or at home, because of course, school is canceled.
"OK Ash, I'll be at your place by three," Kishi said brightly through the telephone "I've almost finished out at home and mum and dad are out, so it is better than being home alone. Do you want me to bring anything?"
"No, oh yeah...bring a board game, Cluedo or something, and maybe a pack of corn chips. I'm home alone too, Mum's gone into Celadon to get a new TV, we ours got shorted out,"
"Sheesh, is this a help-poor-little-Ash-cleanup-his-mother's-house get-together or a party? And by the way, how is your leg?"
Ash glanced down at the bandage on his knee "All I did was jar it. I don't even need crutches,"
"That's great news! I mean, being caught out in a hurricane is bad, but copping a fall like that and only jarring your knee is amazing,"
"The doctor said I must have put all my weight on the leg before I fell," Ash explained.
"How's Misty?" Kishi asked cautiously, afraid that she might upset Ash.
"I don't know," Ash responded "I called Daisy and asked to her invite Misty over for me, but I don't know how that will turn out,"
"I don't believe that she would turn bad like that," Kishi said "I guess it is her recovering from attempted suicide, you know, she must have a lot on her mind,"
"Good explanation, how 'bout you read her mind and see if you're right?"
"And see if she really does love you at the same time? Get real, I don't pry," Upon saying this, she blushed, remembering the time she had invaded Ash's thoughts when she had liked him. Thankfully James, the lying bastard, had got her over Ash within a few minutes.
"Have you invited Gabby?" Kishi asked.
"Yep. You were the last person I called." Ash answered, an edge cutting into his voice.
"Why the guilty voice?" Kishi asked with underlying trepidation.
Ash gulped. He should have known he couldn't keep his feelings away from a psychic, even over the phone. "Well, she, uh, asked to bring James, the two are, um, really good friends now..."
"My ass! I can't believe she would have the nerve to get involved with that loser after what he did to me...and her!"
"You're still coming right?" Ash asked.
"Hell yes! I'm not going to sacrifice a good time because of my backstabbing cousin and my so-called-ex. By the way, I'm going to bring some people"
And with that Kishi slammed down the phone. She had the rare urge to be bitchy, and she would show her cousin and James that she could get heaps of guys, and she didn't need them.
She grinned slightly, scanning down the columns in the phone book until she found Snap's last name.
She punched in his number and waited.
"Hello, this is Todd speaking," he said, almost immediately.
"Snap? Hi, this is Kishi...I was wondering if you wanted to come over to Ash's this afternoon, it'll be heaps of fun,"
Snap paused and cleared his throat "Uh, I'm expecting another call...hang on a sec, can I bring someone?"
**WHAT?** Kishi thought in utter shock **Snap, the lonely outsider of Poketech High has a girlfriend?**
**Relax** she told herself mentally **It's probably just his cousin, he can't have got a girl overnight**
"Great, we might be a little late, because I have to go and see her beforehand. Do you want us to bring anything?" Snap gushed excitedly.
"No, that's OK," Kishi said angrily "I'll see you there."
And then she hung up. But luckily she had a back-up plan, so she dialed in Brock's number.
"Hello? Flint household, Simon speaking," there were a lot of loud giggles, and then the eleven year old continued his speech "How may I be of service to you?"
"Uh, hi, this is Kishi. I was wondering if Brock was home."
"Yep, I'll just get him...BROCK! IT'S KISSY ON THE PHONE!" he screeched as loud as he could, before returning to his normal tone "He'll be here in a second."
"Thank you," Kishi said dryly, his scratchy voice still grinding in her ears.
A few seconds later there was the sound of a phone being picked up. "Hello? Shut up Timmy!"
"Uh, Brock, this is Kishi, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to Ash's this afternoon, it's gonna be great fun,"
"Um...well...can I bring someone?"
**OH NO!** Kishi cried mentally, about to faint **Don't tell me that it is possible for the biggest loser AND the biggest sleaze to have girls? And Gabby has James...**
"Yeah, whoever you like," Kishi snapped with abandon. She didn't feel well, she wanted a cold glass of water and a lie-down. It was all too much for her. The entirety of Cerulean City was pairing up...except her.
A car is driving along the road to Cerulean City, and the family of five inside is having a major dispute, well four of them are, the baby is asleep, though God knows how.
"And that is why we are moving to Cerulean City," the boy's father snapped "And that is final,"
"But it is a hole..." his son whined.
"Its not...it is rebuilding from a hurricane, and as I said before, the construction of our new attraction will be a great cash-grabber for the town,"
"But I'm leaving all my friends behind..." he said drearily.
His younger sister Regina turned to him from her seat "You never had any friends to begin with."
"Oh yeah, what about Estelle and Justin and Candy and Monique and Christo and-"
"NON-imaginary friends," Regina added, cutting him off.
"Akira and Kaybee and-"
"Be quiet son," his mother said. "You'll wake the baby,"
"You'll wake the baby," he mimicked "Is that all you care about, the Goddamn baby?"
"Yes, now shut up," Regina giggled.
"Regina!" their mother snapped "That was uncalled for. I want the rest of this trip to be in silence!"
The boy turned and looked out the window dejectedly, watching the scenery scrolling by, taking him further from his home in the Orange Archipelago.
He sighed, he was going to hate the town, and hate the notorious Pokemon Technical Private School, famed for having the most unstable kids and the most druggos within a twenty-meter radius, even more.
Ash hummed quietly to himself as he nailed the door back on properly.
Luckily before the storm his mother had taken all the electrical appliances plugs out, disconnected all the circuits, and put the radios, computer, etc. on a pile of raised crates in the basements. It was thanks to that he had his CD player blaring out 'I Hate Stupid People' by Insurge.
"I hate stupid people," he sang
"The way the close their eyes
The way unto the unknown they can never seek
And then they wonder why they can never find,"
"And I hate stupid people," added another voice as she sidled up the driveway.
"The way they close their minds
The way they limit life's exploration
They just work, eat, sleep and multiply...yeah,"
"Oh hiya Kishi, you're about twenty minutes early, but sheesh, you sure did give me a fright,"
Kishi shrugged and stepped over the stereo wire. She dumped a bag of CC's and the Cluedo box at his feet.
"Can I ask you something?"
Ash turned to face her, and he noticed with a small shock that instead of her usual blue attire, she was wearing a black V-neck and black flares. Her usually pigtailed hair was cascading around her shoulders.
Ash wasn't sure if he liked the look or not. Her black make-up was definitely a shock to his system. It was gonna take some getting used to.
"I was wondering if you'd seen Lance around. I rang directory, but she said there were no Park's in Cerulean City,"
"Um, he's usually in the park with Hitmonchan," Ash mumbled, concentrating more on trying not to shatter the stained glass than his speech.
"OK, thanks. I'm gonna invite him, and," Kishi added bitterly as she made her way away "Snap and Brock are inviting their girlfriends over."
Ash almost stumbled backwards. "THEY have GIRLFRIENDS?"
Kishi wiped a single tear out of her eye as she walked away. "It certainly seems that way."
Twenty-five minutes later Kishi, Lance and Hitmonchan arrived on the Ketchums' doorstep.
Gary answered the door "Sure, come right in." he then snarled at Lance and hurried away.
"He's terrified of you," Kishi giggled as she led Lance into the lounge-room where Ash, Gabby and James were engaged in a round of Monopoly.
"You can't put a house on a property that you only own one colour of," Ash yelled "You gotta have the whole set,"
"I can do whatever I want," Gabby argued, snatching a Community Chest Card.
"Hey! You landed on the Water Works! You gotta pay me! Not draw a freakin' card!" protested Gary, settling himself down on the big, black beanbag.
"'Advance to Go, collect $200'" Gabby read "Alright!"
"Gabby is notorious as a cheater," Kishi explained to a very skeptical looking Hitmonchan.
"*Lance, I wanna play poker, I miss playing poker*" Hitmonchan whined.
"That's because you always won, and at this time I would like to announce that you CHEATED!"
"*Did not*"
"Did to,"
"Uh, I hate to interrupt your little lovers' quarrel," Gary said, with a tinge of fear creeping into his voice. "But someone is at the door."
"I'll get it," Ash said, getting up "Make sure Gabby doesn't touch my money...infact,"
Ash grabbed the bundle of money and carried it away with him.
At the door stood Brock...and...
"Oh my God, Jenny what are you doing here?"
Jenny wanted to die right then. Whilst she was with Brock, she still had all those unresolved feelings for Ash. It was mainly because of him that she had managed to convince her father to return home.
She was sure that the thugs had followed them, but her dad had finally given in, and he wasn't going to testify against the drug-lord, which was great news as far as she and her mother were concerned.
"Uh, I went on holidays...and, uh, I'm back now,"
"And you're with Brock?" Ash inquired, in a less-than-polite tone.
"Um yeah,"
"Don't talk her down," the eternally possessive Brock defended "You and her ended."
Jenny couldn't believe how out-right rude Brock was being.
"Come in and join the party," Ash said coldly.
Kishi jumped down on the couch "GABBY!"
"What? Ash didn't say I couldn't help myself to his property. And now I have Park Lane and Mayfair, I'm gonna put hotels on them."
"Don't you have to get four houses first?" asked James "And don't you have to pay?"
"Hey! You've got a point, the bank should pay ME for beautifying their city." Gabby exclaimed, withdrawing a small bundle of $500 notes.
Lance shuffled uncertainly around on his feet, but Hitmonchan had already settled himself up as the banker, and he had a few tricks up his sleeve.
"*If you want to take up a loan*" Hitmonchan said "*There is a small $3000 down-payment*"
"What did he say...hey! He can't take my money!"
"You can't take his, so shut up and play properly," Gary snapped.
"Guys, Brock and Jenny are here," Ash introduced with venom in his voice.
"Jenny?!" Kishi exclaimed "I thought you'd gone...gone...er, somewhere?"
"Well I did," she answered shyly "But I'm here now,"
Brock took her hand and signaled for Kishi to make room on the sofa.
"*THAT'S IT!*" Hitmonchan exploded "*I CAN'T PLAY THIS EFFED UP GAME WITH GABBY! SHE CHEATS MORE THAN BREATHES!*"
Although it was only Kishi and Lance that understood him, he made his message quite clear by kicking the game board clear across he room. As an afterthought he slammed the bank down next to it.
"What is with your Pokemon?" Gary asked Lance edgily, wanting to provoke him, but quite to the point where he'd fight back.
"Got quite a temper, don't he?" Lance said calmly, finding a comfortable position on the recliner.
"I'm thirsty," whined Gabby "Where d'you keep the Milo?"
Ash led her into the kitchen.
Moments later there was an exclamation in Ash's voice. "Two scoops? That is kid stuff, Milo is only good when you get a 5cm layer of chocolate goop on top of the milk that you can spoon out and eat. Belissimo."
There was then an almighty clatter, and the whispery sound of powder being stepped on.
"I'm not cleaning it up." Gary said straight away.
"There is the door again," observed James, making no move to get up.
"I'll get it," Kishi offered before Jenny could. "Because some lazy cheating, scheming, self-absorbed villain won't."
And with a meaningful look at James, she ran to the door.
Snap and Cassidy stood there, an arm around eachother.
"Oh," Kishi said in utter shock, this wouldn't go down well with Gary "Come in,"
As she led the happy couple to the lounge she just couldn't believe the school nerd was with the baddest-of-the-bad girls, Cassidy.
"What's this?" hissed Gary "Cassidy's found herself a sympathy boyfriend. What are you trying to do, insult me?"
"No," Cassidy said in a steely voice.
"Come on, is this to show me up? Is this some I-can-do-better-than-you crap? Or is this to make me jealous, huh?"
"It's none of the above," Cassidy said bitterly "I love him."
Gary rose to his feet and stood very close to Snap. "You wanna fight for her, freak-boy? Cos you ain't good enough for her."
Before Cassidy or anyone else could stop him, Gary took a swipe at Snap, catching him in the ribs.
Snap jumped back, but Gary leapt at him, pushing him to the ground.
Snap gasped in pain as Gary forced his shoulders into the floor.
"Get off him!" Lance yelled, coming in and throwing, literally throwing, Gary out of the way.
"Oof, it is the freak police,"
"Back off Gary, you're way outta line," Lance sneered "You can stuff your stupid jealousy thing up your ass, cos no-one cares,"
Gary got up, hatred plainly plastered across his face. "Lance, we don't need you to intervene. Snap can defend himself."
Snap, who was sitting with his arm around Cassidy on the couch where Brock and Jenny had left a spot for them.
Kishi had left, and was standing by Lance's side. She was making sure that neither boy made a move to attack.
"Look, Gary, I know that you feel a lot for Cassidy, and if you do, you have to understand that she has finally found happiness with Snap. If you try and break them up you'd just be hurting her." Kishi soothed.
She turned to Lance. "I know you had to stop Gary, but it is over now, can't you two just settle your differences?"
"Fat chance," muttered Gary "He is too different for me,"
Kishi sent Gary a murderous glance, and then the front doorbell rang.
Trrring Trrring
Kishi threw the two feuding guys a warning glance and ran to get the door.
Standing before her was Misty, in a dark blue mini-skirt and a red satin bikini-top. A very un-Misty-like out-fit, and her make-up made her look like a cheap slut.
"Misty! You're back?"
"What's the matter with it?" Misty snapped "Oh yeah, how could I forget, you just stabbed it."
"What to do you mean?" Kishi gasped, amazed at the venom in her usually calm and serene best friend's voice.
"You know what I mean...remember James?"
Kishi suddenly remembered how much Misty had felt for James.
"Look, James and I were a big, twisted mistake," Kishi apologized.
"I don't wanna hear it," Misty said, shoving Kishi aside.
Kishi stared out at the road. Her life just couldn't slip any further away from her control, could it? First James, then the lottery, then her love-life and her traitorous cousin...and Sabrina wouldn't allow her back into the Gym.
Nothing was turning out like she had planned.
And, as a very appropriate gesture, a radio inside the house was switched on, and 'These days' by Powderfinger filled the air.
'These days turned out nothing like I had planned' the mournful tune played. Tears struggled into Kishi's eyes and she slammed the door.
Lance crept up behind her.
"Kishi? Are you OK?"
"Do I look it?" she snapped, turning to him.
"Kishi, don't cry. You were the first person to speak to me at this f***ed up school, and whether you like it or not, you're my friend, and I don't wanna see you upset."
"Thanks for the thought, Lance, but I don't see a reason not to cry. My life is totally screwed."
"Hey, don't say that," Lance said, looking into her eyes "You've got me."
She hiccuped and laughed "Yeah, that's great,"
"See, that's better," Lance smiled "We'd better go and stop Misty tearing Ash to shreds," he added grimly as insults began to scream through the atmosphere.
"Ash, you are a stupid prick! You deserve to die! I wish you had died!"
Ash's eyes flooded with tears. "You can't mean that."
"Why not? I want you to be dead. Why can't you be dead?"
Misty's voice began to waver, and she stepped up to him. "Asshole." She whispered, before slapping him heavily across the face.
Ash collapsed to his feet, hot tears burning his stinging cheek.
"Misty stop!" Kishi cried in a futile attempt to curb her friend. "Ash was drunk...and you shouldn't have taken it so hard."
"Oh well looky here. It seems my back-stabbing best friend has decided not to stand by me to protect her darling Ashy-boy, well you can have him. I don't need him or any of you. From now on I hate you all, and if you ever cross my path, I won't hesitate to kill you."
And with that she waltzed calmly out of the room, leaving a group of very stunned people in her wake.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Is there a budding romance between Lance and Kishi? What's going to happen to Jessibelle and Butch, are they really over? Does Jenny really even like Brock? Can Gary control himself? What's the story with Jessi? Who's the new boy? And is there feelings between James and Gabby?
Find out next time!
Love,
Mew2
Hah! This series SETTLING DOWN? A helping-out afternoon at Ash's ends with disastrous results!
It is Friday, the day after the hurricane, and the town is recovering and rebuilding. The kids have the option of helping out at school or at home, because of course, school is canceled.
"OK Ash, I'll be at your place by three," Kishi said brightly through the telephone "I've almost finished out at home and mum and dad are out, so it is better than being home alone. Do you want me to bring anything?"
"No, oh yeah...bring a board game, Cluedo or something, and maybe a pack of corn chips. I'm home alone too, Mum's gone into Celadon to get a new TV, we ours got shorted out,"
"Sheesh, is this a help-poor-little-Ash-cleanup-his-mother's-house get-together or a party? And by the way, how is your leg?"
Ash glanced down at the bandage on his knee "All I did was jar it. I don't even need crutches,"
"That's great news! I mean, being caught out in a hurricane is bad, but copping a fall like that and only jarring your knee is amazing,"
"The doctor said I must have put all my weight on the leg before I fell," Ash explained.
"How's Misty?" Kishi asked cautiously, afraid that she might upset Ash.
"I don't know," Ash responded "I called Daisy and asked to her invite Misty over for me, but I don't know how that will turn out,"
"I don't believe that she would turn bad like that," Kishi said "I guess it is her recovering from attempted suicide, you know, she must have a lot on her mind,"
"Good explanation, how 'bout you read her mind and see if you're right?"
"And see if she really does love you at the same time? Get real, I don't pry," Upon saying this, she blushed, remembering the time she had invaded Ash's thoughts when she had liked him. Thankfully James, the lying bastard, had got her over Ash within a few minutes.
"Have you invited Gabby?" Kishi asked.
"Yep. You were the last person I called." Ash answered, an edge cutting into his voice.
"Why the guilty voice?" Kishi asked with underlying trepidation.
Ash gulped. He should have known he couldn't keep his feelings away from a psychic, even over the phone. "Well, she, uh, asked to bring James, the two are, um, really good friends now..."
"My ass! I can't believe she would have the nerve to get involved with that loser after what he did to me...and her!"
"You're still coming right?" Ash asked.
"Hell yes! I'm not going to sacrifice a good time because of my backstabbing cousin and my so-called-ex. By the way, I'm going to bring some people"
And with that Kishi slammed down the phone. She had the rare urge to be bitchy, and she would show her cousin and James that she could get heaps of guys, and she didn't need them.
She grinned slightly, scanning down the columns in the phone book until she found Snap's last name.
She punched in his number and waited.
"Hello, this is Todd speaking," he said, almost immediately.
"Snap? Hi, this is Kishi...I was wondering if you wanted to come over to Ash's this afternoon, it'll be heaps of fun,"
Snap paused and cleared his throat "Uh, I'm expecting another call...hang on a sec, can I bring someone?"
**WHAT?** Kishi thought in utter shock **Snap, the lonely outsider of Poketech High has a girlfriend?**
**Relax** she told herself mentally **It's probably just his cousin, he can't have got a girl overnight**
"Great, we might be a little late, because I have to go and see her beforehand. Do you want us to bring anything?" Snap gushed excitedly.
"No, that's OK," Kishi said angrily "I'll see you there."
And then she hung up. But luckily she had a back-up plan, so she dialed in Brock's number.
"Hello? Flint household, Simon speaking," there were a lot of loud giggles, and then the eleven year old continued his speech "How may I be of service to you?"
"Uh, hi, this is Kishi. I was wondering if Brock was home."
"Yep, I'll just get him...BROCK! IT'S KISSY ON THE PHONE!" he screeched as loud as he could, before returning to his normal tone "He'll be here in a second."
"Thank you," Kishi said dryly, his scratchy voice still grinding in her ears.
A few seconds later there was the sound of a phone being picked up. "Hello? Shut up Timmy!"
"Uh, Brock, this is Kishi, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to Ash's this afternoon, it's gonna be great fun,"
"Um...well...can I bring someone?"
**OH NO!** Kishi cried mentally, about to faint **Don't tell me that it is possible for the biggest loser AND the biggest sleaze to have girls? And Gabby has James...**
"Yeah, whoever you like," Kishi snapped with abandon. She didn't feel well, she wanted a cold glass of water and a lie-down. It was all too much for her. The entirety of Cerulean City was pairing up...except her.
A car is driving along the road to Cerulean City, and the family of five inside is having a major dispute, well four of them are, the baby is asleep, though God knows how.
"And that is why we are moving to Cerulean City," the boy's father snapped "And that is final,"
"But it is a hole..." his son whined.
"Its not...it is rebuilding from a hurricane, and as I said before, the construction of our new attraction will be a great cash-grabber for the town,"
"But I'm leaving all my friends behind..." he said drearily.
His younger sister Regina turned to him from her seat "You never had any friends to begin with."
"Oh yeah, what about Estelle and Justin and Candy and Monique and Christo and-"
"NON-imaginary friends," Regina added, cutting him off.
"Akira and Kaybee and-"
"Be quiet son," his mother said. "You'll wake the baby,"
"You'll wake the baby," he mimicked "Is that all you care about, the Goddamn baby?"
"Yes, now shut up," Regina giggled.
"Regina!" their mother snapped "That was uncalled for. I want the rest of this trip to be in silence!"
The boy turned and looked out the window dejectedly, watching the scenery scrolling by, taking him further from his home in the Orange Archipelago.
He sighed, he was going to hate the town, and hate the notorious Pokemon Technical Private School, famed for having the most unstable kids and the most druggos within a twenty-meter radius, even more.
Ash hummed quietly to himself as he nailed the door back on properly.
Luckily before the storm his mother had taken all the electrical appliances plugs out, disconnected all the circuits, and put the radios, computer, etc. on a pile of raised crates in the basements. It was thanks to that he had his CD player blaring out 'I Hate Stupid People' by Insurge.
"I hate stupid people," he sang
"The way the close their eyes
The way unto the unknown they can never seek
And then they wonder why they can never find,"
"And I hate stupid people," added another voice as she sidled up the driveway.
"The way they close their minds
The way they limit life's exploration
They just work, eat, sleep and multiply...yeah,"
"Oh hiya Kishi, you're about twenty minutes early, but sheesh, you sure did give me a fright,"
Kishi shrugged and stepped over the stereo wire. She dumped a bag of CC's and the Cluedo box at his feet.
"Can I ask you something?"
Ash turned to face her, and he noticed with a small shock that instead of her usual blue attire, she was wearing a black V-neck and black flares. Her usually pigtailed hair was cascading around her shoulders.
Ash wasn't sure if he liked the look or not. Her black make-up was definitely a shock to his system. It was gonna take some getting used to.
"I was wondering if you'd seen Lance around. I rang directory, but she said there were no Park's in Cerulean City,"
"Um, he's usually in the park with Hitmonchan," Ash mumbled, concentrating more on trying not to shatter the stained glass than his speech.
"OK, thanks. I'm gonna invite him, and," Kishi added bitterly as she made her way away "Snap and Brock are inviting their girlfriends over."
Ash almost stumbled backwards. "THEY have GIRLFRIENDS?"
Kishi wiped a single tear out of her eye as she walked away. "It certainly seems that way."
Twenty-five minutes later Kishi, Lance and Hitmonchan arrived on the Ketchums' doorstep.
Gary answered the door "Sure, come right in." he then snarled at Lance and hurried away.
"He's terrified of you," Kishi giggled as she led Lance into the lounge-room where Ash, Gabby and James were engaged in a round of Monopoly.
"You can't put a house on a property that you only own one colour of," Ash yelled "You gotta have the whole set,"
"I can do whatever I want," Gabby argued, snatching a Community Chest Card.
"Hey! You landed on the Water Works! You gotta pay me! Not draw a freakin' card!" protested Gary, settling himself down on the big, black beanbag.
"'Advance to Go, collect $200'" Gabby read "Alright!"
"Gabby is notorious as a cheater," Kishi explained to a very skeptical looking Hitmonchan.
"*Lance, I wanna play poker, I miss playing poker*" Hitmonchan whined.
"That's because you always won, and at this time I would like to announce that you CHEATED!"
"*Did not*"
"Did to,"
"Uh, I hate to interrupt your little lovers' quarrel," Gary said, with a tinge of fear creeping into his voice. "But someone is at the door."
"I'll get it," Ash said, getting up "Make sure Gabby doesn't touch my money...infact,"
Ash grabbed the bundle of money and carried it away with him.
At the door stood Brock...and...
"Oh my God, Jenny what are you doing here?"
Jenny wanted to die right then. Whilst she was with Brock, she still had all those unresolved feelings for Ash. It was mainly because of him that she had managed to convince her father to return home.
She was sure that the thugs had followed them, but her dad had finally given in, and he wasn't going to testify against the drug-lord, which was great news as far as she and her mother were concerned.
"Uh, I went on holidays...and, uh, I'm back now,"
"And you're with Brock?" Ash inquired, in a less-than-polite tone.
"Um yeah,"
"Don't talk her down," the eternally possessive Brock defended "You and her ended."
Jenny couldn't believe how out-right rude Brock was being.
"Come in and join the party," Ash said coldly.
Kishi jumped down on the couch "GABBY!"
"What? Ash didn't say I couldn't help myself to his property. And now I have Park Lane and Mayfair, I'm gonna put hotels on them."
"Don't you have to get four houses first?" asked James "And don't you have to pay?"
"Hey! You've got a point, the bank should pay ME for beautifying their city." Gabby exclaimed, withdrawing a small bundle of $500 notes.
Lance shuffled uncertainly around on his feet, but Hitmonchan had already settled himself up as the banker, and he had a few tricks up his sleeve.
"*If you want to take up a loan*" Hitmonchan said "*There is a small $3000 down-payment*"
"What did he say...hey! He can't take my money!"
"You can't take his, so shut up and play properly," Gary snapped.
"Guys, Brock and Jenny are here," Ash introduced with venom in his voice.
"Jenny?!" Kishi exclaimed "I thought you'd gone...gone...er, somewhere?"
"Well I did," she answered shyly "But I'm here now,"
Brock took her hand and signaled for Kishi to make room on the sofa.
"*THAT'S IT!*" Hitmonchan exploded "*I CAN'T PLAY THIS EFFED UP GAME WITH GABBY! SHE CHEATS MORE THAN BREATHES!*"
Although it was only Kishi and Lance that understood him, he made his message quite clear by kicking the game board clear across he room. As an afterthought he slammed the bank down next to it.
"What is with your Pokemon?" Gary asked Lance edgily, wanting to provoke him, but quite to the point where he'd fight back.
"Got quite a temper, don't he?" Lance said calmly, finding a comfortable position on the recliner.
"I'm thirsty," whined Gabby "Where d'you keep the Milo?"
Ash led her into the kitchen.
Moments later there was an exclamation in Ash's voice. "Two scoops? That is kid stuff, Milo is only good when you get a 5cm layer of chocolate goop on top of the milk that you can spoon out and eat. Belissimo."
There was then an almighty clatter, and the whispery sound of powder being stepped on.
"I'm not cleaning it up." Gary said straight away.
"There is the door again," observed James, making no move to get up.
"I'll get it," Kishi offered before Jenny could. "Because some lazy cheating, scheming, self-absorbed villain won't."
And with a meaningful look at James, she ran to the door.
Snap and Cassidy stood there, an arm around eachother.
"Oh," Kishi said in utter shock, this wouldn't go down well with Gary "Come in,"
As she led the happy couple to the lounge she just couldn't believe the school nerd was with the baddest-of-the-bad girls, Cassidy.
"What's this?" hissed Gary "Cassidy's found herself a sympathy boyfriend. What are you trying to do, insult me?"
"No," Cassidy said in a steely voice.
"Come on, is this to show me up? Is this some I-can-do-better-than-you crap? Or is this to make me jealous, huh?"
"It's none of the above," Cassidy said bitterly "I love him."
Gary rose to his feet and stood very close to Snap. "You wanna fight for her, freak-boy? Cos you ain't good enough for her."
Before Cassidy or anyone else could stop him, Gary took a swipe at Snap, catching him in the ribs.
Snap jumped back, but Gary leapt at him, pushing him to the ground.
Snap gasped in pain as Gary forced his shoulders into the floor.
"Get off him!" Lance yelled, coming in and throwing, literally throwing, Gary out of the way.
"Oof, it is the freak police,"
"Back off Gary, you're way outta line," Lance sneered "You can stuff your stupid jealousy thing up your ass, cos no-one cares,"
Gary got up, hatred plainly plastered across his face. "Lance, we don't need you to intervene. Snap can defend himself."
Snap, who was sitting with his arm around Cassidy on the couch where Brock and Jenny had left a spot for them.
Kishi had left, and was standing by Lance's side. She was making sure that neither boy made a move to attack.
"Look, Gary, I know that you feel a lot for Cassidy, and if you do, you have to understand that she has finally found happiness with Snap. If you try and break them up you'd just be hurting her." Kishi soothed.
She turned to Lance. "I know you had to stop Gary, but it is over now, can't you two just settle your differences?"
"Fat chance," muttered Gary "He is too different for me,"
Kishi sent Gary a murderous glance, and then the front doorbell rang.
Trrring Trrring
Kishi threw the two feuding guys a warning glance and ran to get the door.
Standing before her was Misty, in a dark blue mini-skirt and a red satin bikini-top. A very un-Misty-like out-fit, and her make-up made her look like a cheap slut.
"Misty! You're back?"
"What's the matter with it?" Misty snapped "Oh yeah, how could I forget, you just stabbed it."
"What to do you mean?" Kishi gasped, amazed at the venom in her usually calm and serene best friend's voice.
"You know what I mean...remember James?"
Kishi suddenly remembered how much Misty had felt for James.
"Look, James and I were a big, twisted mistake," Kishi apologized.
"I don't wanna hear it," Misty said, shoving Kishi aside.
Kishi stared out at the road. Her life just couldn't slip any further away from her control, could it? First James, then the lottery, then her love-life and her traitorous cousin...and Sabrina wouldn't allow her back into the Gym.
Nothing was turning out like she had planned.
And, as a very appropriate gesture, a radio inside the house was switched on, and 'These days' by Powderfinger filled the air.
'These days turned out nothing like I had planned' the mournful tune played. Tears struggled into Kishi's eyes and she slammed the door.
Lance crept up behind her.
"Kishi? Are you OK?"
"Do I look it?" she snapped, turning to him.
"Kishi, don't cry. You were the first person to speak to me at this f***ed up school, and whether you like it or not, you're my friend, and I don't wanna see you upset."
"Thanks for the thought, Lance, but I don't see a reason not to cry. My life is totally screwed."
"Hey, don't say that," Lance said, looking into her eyes "You've got me."
She hiccuped and laughed "Yeah, that's great,"
"See, that's better," Lance smiled "We'd better go and stop Misty tearing Ash to shreds," he added grimly as insults began to scream through the atmosphere.
"Ash, you are a stupid prick! You deserve to die! I wish you had died!"
Ash's eyes flooded with tears. "You can't mean that."
"Why not? I want you to be dead. Why can't you be dead?"
Misty's voice began to waver, and she stepped up to him. "Asshole." She whispered, before slapping him heavily across the face.
Ash collapsed to his feet, hot tears burning his stinging cheek.
"Misty stop!" Kishi cried in a futile attempt to curb her friend. "Ash was drunk...and you shouldn't have taken it so hard."
"Oh well looky here. It seems my back-stabbing best friend has decided not to stand by me to protect her darling Ashy-boy, well you can have him. I don't need him or any of you. From now on I hate you all, and if you ever cross my path, I won't hesitate to kill you."
And with that she waltzed calmly out of the room, leaving a group of very stunned people in her wake.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Is there a budding romance between Lance and Kishi? What's going to happen to Jessibelle and Butch, are they really over? Does Jenny really even like Brock? Can Gary control himself? What's the story with Jessi? Who's the new boy? And is there feelings between James and Gabby?
Find out next time!
Love,
Mew2
