Sorry it's taken me even longer to publish this time, but I had my birthday, then I went on holiday, I had this Chapter written out too, but ran out of time to type it up, so my fingers are aching as I was typing this up for most of yesterday. Once again, a new character is introduced, but this time he is definitely alive, and will be making an entrance quite soon…
Disclaimer: I still don't own Pokémon, or Austin Powers, but I do own this story and any characters and character backgrounds I make up.
But for now I can proudly present, Chapter 12, Enjoy!
Chapter 12 – Bad Press
Misty looked at him apologetically,
"Oh Ash, I'm so sorry, I didn't realise, when you didn't tell us about him, I assumed you never knew him or something." She risked glancing into his eyes, a pleading look on her face, "Will you tell me now?" He just shrugged. "Oh come on Ash, it was so long ago now and if you bottle up you'll only end up mucking up your battle with Jasmine."
"Fine," he muttered bitterly, before forcing his tone to brighten to begin the story. "My Dad, he was an explorer, always going away on trips to remote places. When I was seven, he was offered a chance to go search for the Ruins of Anatonia he didn't want to go a first, but they managed to convince him to give in and soon…
The father bent down to ruffle his son's hair,
"Don't worry mate, I'll be back before ya know it."
"Buuut Daaaaad," the boy whined. "Six months is a really long time."
"Ash, I've already told you, it'll probably take less than six months." He closed down the boot of the 4x4 and walked back to his wife standing in the doorway. He pulled her into a hug.
"I'll miss you Gary," she mumbled. He tried to look down into her saddened eyes but she was avoiding his,
"I'll miss you too." They both leaned in for a kiss, but stopped at the sound of their son making puking noises,
"Eeew, quit the lovey-dovey stuff will ya?" His parents laughed and made do with a quick peck on the lips. Gary walked back to the Land Rover and climbed in the driver's seat,
"Bye Dad!"
"Bye Ash, bye Delia."
"Bye honey," She waved sadly as her husband reversed slowly out the drive, while her son was eagerly bouncing about, waving both arms above his head. She hated him leaving, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. She forced her smile to grow wider and her wave to become stronger, as Gary waved crazily through the window, sticking his tongue out at Ash before speeding off into the distance…
… last time I ever saw him. After that, we waited seven months until five of the seven archaeologists came out, telling stories about how they got separated but mainly about the horrors of the jungle. But he had his Poliwrath with him, so maybe that's why they thought he still had a chance…"
"Ash I really am sorry, I didn't know." He seemed to just shrug it off,
"Don't worry, I'm probably over-reacting making everyone worry about me," he rolled his eyes at Misty's patronising look. "Really, I'm fine."
She sighed, then glanced at the clock, "We probably should get going to Jasmine's I told the others I'd meet them there in a bit."
"Well let's go then." Gathering their overnight things, Ash and Misty wandered out the Pokémon Centre and up the main road towards the Champion Mansion as the sun began it's slow descent from the sky.
***
Jasmine glanced through the window again and sighed,
"It's taking Nika an awful long time to get those Juice2O's."
"Don't worry Jasmine, maybe the off-licence was closed and she had to go somewhere else."
"Hmm, but these streets are so dangerous at night."
"Jasmine, this is Nika we're talking about, you know the girl who managed to fend off six Galactic grunts with a broom."
"I know that Lance, but she still has her injuries from the Team Rocket incident."
"And they didn't stop her from attacking the base and engaging in combat with you." Ash snorted, causing Jasmine to shoot him a dangerous glare, he tried to innocently protest with a,
"What? It was funny." Before Jasmine could pursue it further, the front door was slammed closed, it obviously ricocheted open again since it was slammed closed a second time with noticeably less force, after some fierce cursing. Jasmine gave the room a warning glance
"She's in a mood." Ash was about to question the statement, when the door to the lounge was flung open, so hard, it bounced off the sofa. Nika stormed across the room to Jasmine and threw a magazine at her before seizing hold of her bag and storming out again, muttering venomously the whole time.
Jasmine lifted the magazine to her face as her eyes scanned the cover and she gasped, then her face darkened and she slammed the magazine on the coffee table, and then followed her sister's example by storming out of the room. Ash looked around the stunned room his eyes pleading for someone to offer an explanation.
Lance followed suit, and picked up the magazine, "She didn't even read it, but it set her on the warpath." His eyes rested on a particular point and widened in horror. Raising his eyes to the group he gave them a warning, "Stay here, I need to stop them." He turned on his heel but instead of stomping, he sprinted out the room after the two furious young women about to wreck havoc, wherever they were bound.
Ash, Misty, Brock and Dawn just glared at the magazine like it was cursed and touching it would turn them into the human form of a rampaging Gyrados. In fact no-one moved until the sound of footsteps on the path snapped them out of their trance and at the sound of the door, Dawn sprang to her feet with an unusual energy and ran out the room with a cry of, "I'll get it!"
She pulled the door open with the same joyous energy and greeted the young man with an ecstatic cry,
"Ritchie!" The young man forced a smile, though he was confused as to this strange girl was to be greeting him with such velocity, even though he had no idea who he was.
"Err, hi …" he paused, hoping the girl would offer her name.
"Dawn," she had managed to tone her voice down slightly, but she still had that unnerving grin that spread from ear to ear.
"Jasmine invited me," he stated, gesturing to come in, Dawn obliged, moving in slightly so he could pass. She followed him into the lounge, where he collapsed dramatically on the sofa , blowing out through his mouth like a horse. He looked from Ash, to Brock, to Misty, who were all still eyeing the magazine with caution.
"What's going on here?" Ash was the first to acknowledge Ritchie's presence.
"We have no idea, Nika and Jasmine just stormed out, then Lance followed."
"But his something to do with that magazine," Misty put in, pointing feebly at it, almost as if she expected it to jump up and bite her finger off. Ritchie sighed and leant forward to pick it up off the table. His eyes too, widened at the cover, but he began to calmly read it out loud,
"'Sinnoh Champ: the Secret Lovers she kept concealed.' Mmm… I wonder what story they came up with this time." He muttered the last part, like he half knew who the article would feature anyway. "Oh… 'Her sister finds love too'? Well that would definitely tick Jasmine off, she hates it when her and Lance are referred to as a couple." Misty gave him a confused look,
"How d'ya know that?"
"Lance, and therefore Jasmine, are my friends."
"Oh, then do you know Nika then too."
"Not as well as her sister, but then she hasn't left Sinnoh very much before." Ritchie noticed people were now eyeing the magazine in his hands expectantly,
"Would you like me to read the article?" After a series of nods, her found the correct page, and cleared his throat, when Brock chipped in,
"Actually Ritchie, would you mind if I read it?"
"Not at all." He leaned forward with the magazine, Brock took it and sat back, checking he had his listeners' attention by clearing his thoat.
"'Her recent exploits with friends in Kanto seem to have brought, not only adventure, but romance for Nika Rowan. Si-'"
"Nika's surname's Rowan?" Ritchie rolled his eyes; he should've seen this one coming.
"Yes Ash, and, before you ask she is related to Professor Rowan, and if I'm right, which I'm pretty sure I am, he's her grandad's cousin." Brock let out an irritated sigh,
"Can I carry on?" Since nobody responded, he took no objections as a sign to start again. "Since she became the Sinnoh Champion four years ago, Nika, 18, has created speculation over her interesting friendship with Alexander Saturn, who many believe to be her boyfriend? But recent reports say that her recent travels with Indigo League hopeful, Ash Ketchum, 17, have brought the young Champion increasingly close to his friend BROCK HARRISON?!" Brock sat there, holding his magazine at arm's length, like it was poisonous or reeking, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Misty's eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth as she tried to suppress a laugh.
"Where did they get that idea from? All you two do is argue!"
"It says here we 'get along well'," he answered flatly. Misty let out a snort, causing Brock to glare at her, he obviously wasn't getting the same enjoyment out of this as Misty.
Before the current situation turned nasty, Dawn pointedly changed the subject,
"Ritchie, what did you mean before by 'I wonder what story they came up with time'?" The young man looked at her, confused,
"Do you mean when I was reading the title out?"
"Yes."
"I was referring to Nika and Saturn, journalists have been making up all sorts of stories about those two, every since Nika came to fame. Same as Jasmine and Lance really."
"Are they actually, you know, a couple?"
"As far as I know, they're not." Dawn gave Brock a playful nudge,
"Hear that Brocko? She's still free for ya." He scowled in return,
"Shut up!" Ritchie gave Brock a look of surprised concern.
"You like Nika, Brock?"
"No!" He protested defiantly. Ritchie raised his eyebrows and ignored Brock's comment.
"You see, Saturn may be her friend, but he's awfully over-protective when it comes to Nika, if he finds out you like her, he will make you go through all kinds of suffering to see if you are good for her, so watch your back."
"Ritchie, have you met this Saturn guy?"
"Twice. The first time, he thought I was Nika's boyfriend, and that's how I know about his brotherly concern for Nika." Dawn was starting to become intrigued by Ritchie's description,
"Can you tell us any more about him?"
"A little, like I know he raised Nika like a sister, he treats her better than he treats Riley, his brother, he-"
"Riley? Nika's travelling partner?"
"Yeah, you know him?"
"No, she told me about travelling with him."
"Oh. So anyway, Nika's also the only person he's truly nice to and he's the heir to the Canalave Lucario Reserve and its fortune."
"So quite an interesting guy then?"
"He is… different, but you'd have to meet him to get the full picture."
**~**
The desk shook with an almighty force as her hand slammed down on it, the young woman behind it was quivering, unsure of what to do. Her voice rang out through the small office, drawing eyes, even from the farthest parts.
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT US NOT HAVING AN APPOINTMENT AND I DON'T CARE WHETHER YOU CALL SERCURITY OR NOT. I WANT TO SEE THE EDITOR, AND I WANT TO SEE HER NOW!" Nika's hand came down on her sister's shoulder,
"Calm down Jasmine, these people aren't worth it." She flashed a dangerous glare at the assistant, who gulped, before lowering herself until she was looking directly into her eye. She began to speak, her voice low and malicious, dripping with contempt,
"Now see here, we want to go into the editor's office, without an appointment to sort our lawsuit out and I don't want any of your feeble excuses. Understand?" The assistant nodded nervously. "I asked a question."
"Y-yes ma'am," she stammered, then she scurried away, into the editor's office. Nika watched her go with a satisfied expression on her face, Jasmine gaped at her sister and Lance gave Nika a knowing smirk,
"I believe one would learn to speak to people like that by observing a certain Mr. Saturn?"
"Where else would I learn the art of being evil from?" Nika and Lance exchanged bemused looks and simultaneously lifted their little fingers to their mouths and pretended to stroke 'Mr. Tiddlesworth' while laughing manically. Jasmine hit them both across the back of the head (well at least tried, she couldn't reach Lance's).
"Will you two quit the Dr. Evil impressions? How are we going to be taken seriously with you acting like goons?"
"Sorry Jasmine," they mumbled in unison while looking at their feet like disgraced toddlers, exchanging glances and sniggering occasionally. Jasmine sighed and rolled her eyes,
"Such maturity."
**~**
Ash groaned for the fifty-seventh time that evening, since they had exhausted the topics of Nika, Jasmine, Lance and Saturn, the group had tried other conversational genres but had given up completely. Dawn had become so bored, she had begun counting everyone's sighs and groans. That was Misty's forty-third. Ritchie gave up and delved into his bag, which had been carelessly flung by the sofa when he had entered the room an hour earlier.
"A-ha, found it!" he cried out, startling Brock from his sleep.
"Who? What? Where?" he murmured sleepily, then feeling the people's eyes bearing into him, he opened his eyes properly and bolted up in his seat, "I wasn't asleep."
"Suuurre," Misty muttered sarcastically.
"Well guys I found something we could do," Ritchie brought something out from behind his back theatrically, a tube of,
"Jelly beans?!"
"Yes Misty, jelly beans," then seeing the groups blank expressions, he added.
"For jelly bean roulette." Ash raised an eyebrow, Ritchie sighed exasperatedly, "Like Revels Roulette, but with jelly beans." He looked around desperately, but no-one knew what he was talking about. "Oh, come on guys, you've never heard of Revels Roulette?"
"What are Revels?" Misty rolled her eyes,
"They're sweets Ash, chocolate actually, there are five types, coffee, plain, orange, malteser and raisin, right Ritchie."
"Uh-huh, Revels roulette is basically, you take turns to eat Revels blind-folded and as soon as you eat a Revel you don't like, you're out."
"Why play it with jelly beans then?"
"They don't melt in my bag, or go off as quickly."
"Do we have to play this roulette thingy-majig?"
"Do you wanna sit here bored?"
"No, bu-"
"Good, rules are now three hits and you're out, last one standing wins, any questions? No, good. Who's gonna go first?"
"Oooh, me, me, me ,me!" Misty gave her friend a withering look,
"Ash, you always want to go first, let someone else go." She looked at Brock and Dawn expectantly, but neither volunteered, "I'll go then."
"All righty then." Ritchie got his black blindfold and put it on Misty. He hold the tube in front of her, "Choose your Jelly Bean." Misty put her hand in the tube and brought out a red bean with yellow dots, Ritchie grimaced he knew that flavour, Misty began to chew.
**~**
A/N: There was Chapter 12, I have most of Chapter 13 written out, but it still needs typing up, that should be published within a week. I hope you liked it, please review. I would like to give my special thanks to Texas Longhorn who has recommended my story several times in his fic, A New Journey, I suggest you give it a read, it's very good. Anyone slight confused by jelly bean roulette, I was eating jelly beans when I first wrote this, but I think it's quite a good idea all the same. I apologise to any foreigners, if you don't know what some things are that I refer to now or later in the story, if you don't understand what any English things mentioned are, I will gladly explain them. I don't know if you have Revels in your countries, but if you don't you're missing out, they're great.
PrincesS_Tiger