Chapter 9
Everyone stared while Ash made his way to the living-room. "I told you it wouldn't be that hard," Misty whispered to Brock as he walked right past them.
"What's the matter, dear?" Delia asked him, "Are you feeling alright?"
Ash turned and looked at her, "I'm fine, Mom," he said happily, "In fact, I've never felt better."
Delia put on a relieved smile, "That's good to hear. By the way, I'm making your favorite dish for supper tonight, so don't make any plans for the evening, okay?"
Ash just shook his head, "Thanks, Mom, but I've got to start packing for the trip; I need to decide which of my clothes and gifts I should bring. Besides..." He then put a hand on his stomach and flopped right onto the couch (Persian, who was sleeping there, jumped out of the way before she had a chance to get body slammed by a human being), "...I'm not really hungry this evening."
"WHAT?" The entire group suddenly turned pale; Ash - not hungry?
"Now I know something's wrong!" Brock exclaimed, "The only time you've ever turned down a meal was when you were dead set on going for a Gym Badge first."
"Who are you," Misty laughed (she thought that this was actually a joke), "and what have you done with the real Ash?"
At that moment, George realized something; a slight grin formed on his lips. "Ash," he proceeded to ask, "Who was that beautiful girl we saw walking with you just now?" Delia and the two children immediately looked at George, then at Ash, who became even more spaced-out the minute that question came up.
"Her name is Aurora Clearwater" Ash replied, "I guess she is very pretty; she's also heading to Seafoam Island, only it's to look at some Water Pokémon."
"Aurora, huh?" Brock asked himself.
"I get it," Misty chimed, "this decision to go actually has to do with a girl, right? Well, I'd really like to meet this...uh...what was her name again?"
Ash sat straight up, "Her name's Aurora," he snapped, "and for your information, I had already decided to accept Dad's offer before I met her. She told me that she was going there too; I just invited her to come along with us." Ash then turned to his father, "That is, if it's okay with you, Dad."
George nodded cheerfully, "Of course, I don't mind having another guest during the ferry ride."
Hearing this, Ash immediately flung his arms around George's waist, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he shouted joyfully, "I swear, you won't regret this."
George chuckled, "I'm sure I won't."
"Hold on, Ash," Brock suddenly interrupted, "I didn't see any Pokémon with Aurora. Does she travel alone?"
Ash looked at him, "No, she has a Pokémon, but she only has one."
"Only one Pokémon?" Misty echoed.
Ash frowned at her seemingly stupid question, "I already said that she had one Pokémon, didn't I? Why are you suddenly interested in my new friend?"
"I just want to know more about her, that's all. What's your problem, anyway?"
"Right now," Ash growled, "my problem is that I have certain 'friends' who obviously don't think that I'll ever know what it's like to be around girls!"
Misty looked appalled, "What are you talking about? And what do you think I am, a banana?"
"I'm talking about real girls; not skinny tomboys who put you down and boss you around all the time!"
"Excuse me?"
"Don't play dumb! Ever since you started following me (I won't say why because I don't feel like going there right now), all you've ever done was put me and my Pokémon down, tell me what Pokémon I could or could not catch (sometimes you tried to capture the same ones I was going for), you even called me the worst the day after we started. Well, let me tell you something, Misty; if anyone's ever been the worst - especially now - it's been YOU!"
The whole time, Misty couldn't even defend herself, and that last sentence hit her right where it hurt. For a while, all she could do was stand there, still as a statue. Her heart seemed to stop beating at the same time Ash stopped shouting: slowly, almost mechanically, she put her right hand over it.
"Ash, that's enough," George cut in, holding his son back. He spoke firmly, but at the same time, he tried to maintain his tenderness. "You are far too riled up, so I want you to go upstairs and cool off for a while. I'll bring you up some dinner a little later."
Ash broke away from him angrily, "Fine, I have some packing to do anyway." He proceeded to go upstairs, but before he left the room, everyone heard him mutter, "The sooner I get away from that (they all knew he meant Misty), the better." He stomped up to his bedroom and slammed the door with a loud bang.
George then turned to Misty, who had quietly sat down on the other couch and began staring at the floor.
"Don't worry, Misty," George said, "I'm sure Ash didn't mean..."
Misty shook her head, "No, he's right," she started to say as tears fell down her face, "It's true: I really have been the worst. He was a new trainer in the beginning and I should have been supporting him more. I just never realized how much he was hurting; he never said anything about it during our adventures."
"He was probably anxious to get it all off his chest from the start," Brock observed.
"Brock, hush," Delia warned him.
"It's okay, Mrs. Ketchum," Misty said, "I agree with Brock."
At that moment, a beep-beep was heard in the kitchen. "Oh," Delia exclaimed, "the casserole is ready!"
An hour later, George knocked on Ash's door, holding a tray on his arm. From inside came the words "come in," allowing George to enter.
The only light in the room came from the little candle on Ash's oil diffuser. The entire room was filled with a lavender fragrance. Ash himself was laying on the bed, facing the wall. He didn't even turn around to see who came in.
"It's me, son," George announced, "I brought you some dinner: your mother made tuna-noodle."
"No thanks," Ash replied blankly, "I'm still not hungry."
Rather than head back downstairs, George placed the tray on the bedside table, and sat down on the bed. He then noticed some open suitcases and a trunk on the floor - all were empty.
"You haven't started packing yet?" he asked.
Ash paused, "I guess I got distracted."
"I can understand why," George replied as he soothingly rubbed his hand over Ash's back. For a while, neither said another word, until Ash suddenly broke the silence.
"Dad, what's wrong with me?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I never used to be like this. Usually, when I yelled at my friends, it was only because I was annoyed. But, this time..." Ash couldn't go on, he buried his face in his pillow to hide the oncoming tears.
George leaned over, turned Ash around, sat him up, and gathered him up in his arms.
"It's just hormones, that's all. Every child experiences them after they reach adolescence; sometimes even before: like you and Gary did the day before the party."
Ash suddenly looked into his father's face, "You know about that?"
George nodded, "Your mother and Samuel told me yesterday. In fact, that was one of the reasons why I asked you to come with me for the summer. Sam told me that Gary often gave you some trouble during your travels, and we thought it would be a good chance to put a little more space between you two." He then paused, then continued, "And after what happened an hour ago between you and Misty, I am more convinced than ever that this trip is the best thing for you.'
Ash took his eyes off George, "Is that the only reason you want me to come along?"
"No, no, of course not. I want us to be together for as long as we can." He took Ash's face in his hand, so as to let them look into each others' eyes, "I love you, son, more than anything. If I ever had the chance, I could go back to those happy days we both shared. You believe me, don't you?"
Ash watched his father's face very carefully. He could see the concern in his face, and the hope and sincerity in those eyes. He smiled, and gave George a much tighter hug, "Uh-huh."
Just then, Ash's stomach growled, "Heh heh...I guess I'll have a little something now." George smiled and nodded, handing him the tray.
A little while later, Ash was in the bathtub. George had run a bubble bath for him, and was scrubbing his back at that moment. Both were reminded of the days when Ash was very small, when George gave him such baths every night: it made them both feel so happy.
While George was filling a plastic pitcher with water, Ash suddenly asked, "How's Misty?"
"Err...well," George responded seriously, "you hurt her pretty badly with those words of yours."
Ash hung his head, "Yeah, I know. I'm going to talk to her sometime tomorrow."
George smiled, "Make sure you do it before we leave, okay?"
"Okay," Ash smiled as well, but it turned to laughter when George poured a pitcher-full of bath water over his head.
That night, when Ash was dry and dressed, George once more tucked him in and kissed him good-night.
"By the way," he said as he turned to go, "I can't wait to meet Aurora."
Ash sat up, "Don't worry, you'll see her at the docks. I promised we'd meet her there just before boarding."
George nodded, turned out the light, and closed the door.
