Chapter 8: Sick
"Three down. One to go." Aaron said as he admired his badges.
"I hate déjà vu." Misty said.
"Get used to it." Ash said. "Because we're going to see it until we get back to Pallet."
"There it is." Andy said pointing to the land. "Hey Ash? Is there an Officer Jenny?"
"I don't know." Ash told him. "Probably."
"Hehe." Andy and Brock said with those looks on their faces.
"Don't even." Misty and Marie warned.
"Hey Aaron." Ash said. "Before we meet up with the Gym Leader, do you want to practice? It will help."
"Well." Aaron said. "What do you think Static?"
"Pi pika chu." (I guess practice couldn't hurt)
"All right." Aaron said.
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On the beach of Kumquat Island,
"EEVEE! YOU USE QUICK ATTACK! BEYLEEF! USE RAZOR LEAF!"
"DODGE THEM UMBREON! HITMONLEE!"
Umbreon managed to dodge but Hitmonlee took a direct hit from Razor Leaf.
Just then, Beyleef and Eevee both started to glow.
"Meganium" (I evolved).
"Eon" (We both did)
"I told you practice would help." Ash smirked.
"It helped YOU!"
"Hey. I'm also preparing you for the battle. Luana specializes in double battles."
"Good way to train two pokemon at once." Aaron observed. "Hitmonlee. Rolling kick."
"Dodge it." Ash said unfazed.
Both Pokemon did what they were told.
"So much for distracting you." Aaron sighed.
"Nice try though. Psychic Espeon!"
"I'm trying to decide if it's more fun watching the battle or listening to them talk WHILE they battle." Misty said.
"Good point." Marie agreed. "Should we stop Brock?"
Brock was hitting on girls in bikinis.
"For once, no. Let him learn the hard way." Misty said.
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A few hours later (the battle went to Ash),
"Excuse me." Aaron said to someone with his back turned at the front desk.
The someone turned around.
"HEY! Long time no see." Travis said.
"Hey Travis." Ash and Aaron said. "Tell us about it."
"How have you two been?"
"Fine. You?"
"Good. Mom was ecstatic to see me again."
"I bet." Ash said remembering the hug Luana gave him thinking he was Travis.
"Well, you know where the gym is." Travis said to Ash. "Go on in."
0000
After telling the story (AGAIN) to Luana, she and Aaron had their battle. Alakazam and Cubone vs. Umbreon and Static.
It was so weird for Ash to not be the one collecting the badges. But after this one, Aaron just needed to battle Drake. Then they could go home and rest up. They had heard of another league in Hoenn, so that was the next stop.
Aaron won the battle and received the Jade Star Badge.
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"I DID IT! PUMMELO ISLAND LOOK OUT!" Aaron said as they landed on another island.
"Please tell me I was nothing like him." Ash whispered to Misty.
"Mmm." Misty thought. "Similar, but not THAT bad."
"Whew." Ash sighed.
"So guys." Andy said. "What island is this?"
Ash and Misty looked around.
"I'm not sure." Misty answered.
"Well, we have plenty of time." Ash said. "Let's stay here and train some more."
"C'mon Bro." Aaron complained. "Let's go now while I'm still hot."
Ash and Misty looked at each other and smirked.
The next thing Aaron knew was that he was drenched from head to foot while all of Ash and Misty's water Pokemon were out. Ash, Misty, Brock, Andy, Marie, Pikachu, and Static were laughing their heads off
"Really cute." Aaron stated. "You two will pay for that."
"Should it be cash, check, or charge." Misty joked.
Within a few seconds, Aaron was joining in on the laughter.
"Okay guys." Brock said with tears in his eyes. "We should probably set up camp. That way we can get up in the morning and head on to Pummelo."
"Okay Brock."
Aaron and Static went to go look for new Pokemon that could disturb the campsite. Brock went looking for water to cook and clean with. Andy went looking for firewood. Marie, Ash, and Misty had found a cabin, so there was no need to set up the tents. Ash would have gone with Aaron, but Misty had other plans once they could think of an excuse to ditch Marie. (A/N: Cough.)
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"Hey Brocko."
"Hey Andy. How's the firewood coming?"
"Fine. And the water?"
Brock held up two pails of water.
"There's plenty."
"C'mon Static. Pick up the pace." Aaron's voice was heard.
Brock and Andy looked up to see the twin jogging with the Pikachu right beside him. However, Aaron did not notice the tree root that was in front of him. He tripped, fell into Brock and Andy, and the three of them fell into the bushes. Static would have laughed if he had not seen the yellow powder where his friends had fallen.
0000
"You two REALLY think I would leave you alone?" Marie asked the other two who were trying to get her to leave.
"We'll leave you and Aaron alone." Misty bribed.
"Besides," Ash added. "It's not like we're going to do anything THAT bad."
"Like trying to bring Ashley into this world sooner?" Marie suggested
"We are NOT going to do THAT!" both trainers in question answered.
"PIKACHU! PIKAPI! PIKACHUPI! PICHUKAPI!" (PIKACHU! ASH! MISTY! MARIE!)
"Static?" the three trainers looked at each other.
They opened the door of the cabin and saw a frantic Pikachu.
"Is something wrong?" Marie asked.
Just then, three stunned trainers who go by the names of Brock, Andy, and Aaron came stumbling into view.
"What happened?" Marie asked.
"We tripped fell into a Vileplume's head." Andy said.
"They breathed in stun spore." Misty realized.
"I know where we are now." Ash said.
"I…can't…move." Aaron said.
"Get them in here." Misty told Marie as she took Brock. Marie grabbed Aaron and Ash grabbed Andy.
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"Anything?" Marie asked after getting Aaron comfortable.
"We're out." Ash said. "All we have are bandaids and Advil."
"What now?" Marie asked looking at her sick boyfriend.
"I have an idea." Misty said. "C'mon Ash. Marie. You stay here and keep the others comfortable. I've done this before."
"Where are you two going?" Marie asked.
Misty opened the door with her boyfriend still in tow.
"We're going to find some salveha weed." Misty told her.
"Pikachu" (We're coming too)
"No." Ash said to the two Pikachus. "You stay here and help Marie."
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"Well, we finally managed to ditch her." Ash said as they went looking for the pool that held salveha weed. "Too bad it was under these circumstances."
"Tell me about it." Misty said. "I was ready to introduce you to the concept of French kissing."
"I know what that is, Misty." Ash told her.
"Have you ever done it?" she asked.
"No. Have you?"
"No. But my sisters have. Here we are."
They had made it to the lake where Misty found Poliwag.
"Well." Ash said as he took off his jacket. "Let's get this over with."
With that, he dove in.
"Not going to take off your t-shirt while you're at it." Misty teased him to herself just before she dove in.
Ash had been waiting for her. When she went under, she pointed to the bottom. They swam down and found the weeds. They started harvesting the plant. When they were finished picking more than enough, they swam back up.
"Whew." Misty said. "We got more than enough."
"Let's keep the rest for emergencies." Ash suggested.
"Good idea." Misty said.
Ash started laughing.
"What?"
"If you had told me four years ago that you would think one of my ideas was good, I would have told you that you were crazy."
"We were pretty hard on each other."
"We were in denial." Ash told her. "C'mon. Let's go heal my brother."
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When they got back, Marie was waiting for them.
"There you two are." Marie said.
"We got it." Misty said referring to her armful of the plant.
"More than enough." Ash added.
"Great." Marie sighed.
With that, they started to boil enough for the three sick trainers.
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"How are you feeling?" Ash asked Aaron a few minutes later.
"Great. Thanks Ash." Aaron answered.
"No problem." Ash said.
"We'll find another time." Misty whispered.
"So." Brock said. "Who's hungry?"
"I am." Ash, Aaron, and Andy answered
TBC
