Ash's POV
"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle on the Samurai's Butterfree!" Pikachu begins running at top speed, a tail of bright yellow electricity enveloping him completely. "Pika, pika, pika!" He screamed over and over again until he hit his target. It's just a bunch of nonsense words, if you're really wondering.
"Butterfree! No!" The Samurai screamed in defeat. "Return, Butterfree. I must say, you have become an exceptional trainer since last I saw you. Incredible, Ash, you beat me fair and square."
Well, you might ask why it ended so quickly, and, to put it quite frankly, you just missed most of it. "Yeah, your Butterfree put up a great fight though. You should be proud to call yourself its trainer."
"Thanks, Ash. However, you still have much to learn."
"But so do you, considering you're only about my age."
"True; so, how is that Butterfree of yours doing since last we met? Well, I assume?"
"I'm sure you're right, but I wouldn't know. He mated with a beautiful pink Butterfree not long after I met you. I released him, and haven't seen him since."
"I'm sorry to hear that, but you did the right thing; that is for certain."
"Yeah, but I'd best get going, or else I'll run out of time. See you later, Samurai!"
"Goodbye, Ash. Have a safe trip!"
"Thanks; will do!" I wave to him as I pedal as fast as humanly possible, and soon arrive at Pewter City, just as the moon starts creeping out. "Look, Pikachu, Brock's house is just ahead!"
"Pika!" Yay! I get off the bike and quietly go to the door. I knock a few times, and one of Brock's nine brothers and sisters answers the door.
"Brock! Ash is here!" The little girl screams.
"You're Suzie, right?"
"Yup! I'm the seventh oldest!"
"And you always rip your—"
"Dang it! Ripped my dress again! Brock! Would you fix it?"
"In a little bit, Suzie." He walks up to the door and welcomes me in. "Ash, it's been too long!"
"Where's Flint and Lola?"
"Oh, they went on vacation as soon as I got home. Guess they needed a quick break. They won't be home for another week or so."
"Oh, so I guess that means you won't be able to come with me to Cerulean City…"
"What's there that you wanted me to come see with you so badly?"
"I wanted you to come with me to visit Misty, but I guess it's okay."
"I wish I could, but I'm so busy here. You understand, right?" I nod.
"Yeah, it was just a thought. Would you mind if I stayed the night? I have nowhere else to—"
"Sure! Come on in! Just park your bike by the door, and sit your backpack inside on the table. You guys, we have a visitor tonight! Say hello to Ash everybody!"
"Hey!" Everyone screams, surrounding Pikachu and me. I can already tell this is going to be a long night.
"Did you bring Pikachu?" Cindy, the sixth oldest, asks.
"He did, Cind! Let's get him!" Billy, the second youngest, screams.
"Hold on; wait a sec! Everybody'll get a turn to hold Pikachu! Starting with Tilly," Brock says, handing poor Pikachu to the youngest of the bunch. "Now when she's done, it'll go to Billy, then Timmy, then Suzie, and then so on and so forth. Youngest to oldest. Got it?"
"We got it, Brock," Yolanda says. She's the fourth oldest, I think.
"We'll take care of him, Ash; don't worry," Salvadore, the third oldest, tells me. "Alright, I trust you; but don't let me down!"
"We won't; I'll make sure of it," Forrest, the oldest of the nine brothers and sisters, speaks up.
"Thanks, Forrest. I'll be in the kitchen with Brock if something goes wrong, okay?"
"I'll keep it in mind," he replies. Somehow, his mischievous look makes me think otherwise, but oh well, it's their own fault if Pikachu gives them a little warning shock. We walk into the kitchen, and immediately Brock starts on the dishes. I help him rinse and dry, and pretty soon they're squeaky clean.
"So, Brock, how've things been?"
"They've been good, actually. I finished my first year of med school, and met this wonderful girl there named Cecilia. She has these big chocolate-colored eyes, a real rosy complexion, and the pinkest hair you've ever seen! You really need to meet her, Ash! I'm telling you, she's the one!"
"That's great, Brock, and I'd love to meet her someday, but I'm on a pretty tight schedule as it is. I have to be home by Monday, or I can't start my new journey."
"Why'd you go to all this trouble then? If you knew how tight it was, why—"
"To see Misty. And you too, of course."
"Ahhh, I see, you still like Misty. Be that as it may, you'd still only have a day to see her, unless you—"
"Unless I ask her to go on my journey with me. I see that, so that was kinda my plan."
"She might not go, though. Unless you—"
"Unless I reveal my true feelings. Yes, I've thought of all this," I say, wiping the HUGE dinner table down for Brock.
"But did you ever consider that she might have a boyfriend?" Crap. I knew I'd forgotten something.
"Uh…no. That actually never crossed my mind. If she does, I won't bother her. It'll mean she's moved on, and I won't take that from her."
"Man, she better not, though. Knowing her, she's too tomboyish for lots of guys, so she probably doesn't."
"True, but that is one of the best things about her, and many other guys probably feel the same way. Like the guy who invited her to stay with him in the Orange Islands."
"But he probably didn't consider that to be one of her best qualities, unlike you."
"Yeah, but if they knew her as well as I do, they wouldn't care, and would most likely feel the same way."
"You're definitely right there."
"I know I am," I say, making my way to check on Pikachu. Tommy, the fifth oldest, has him now, so I feel a little more reassured. At least an older sibling has him now. I come back to the kitchen, and notice Brock has finished up cleaning. He looks at me, and I begin to follow him to the bedroom.
Just one more day, Misty. One more day.
