I've taken longer to update then usual, I'm sorry. I've been sick with mono so I was extremely tired and didn't feel up to writing. There's so much work I have to catch up on from missing school. Luckily I'm feeling a lot better (some people get this for over a month- yikes!) but I'm still really tired a lot so I won't be updating fast like I used to.

Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! Please review if you have the time! :D

And thanks for the support everyone! You guys make me smile every day :)

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"Pikaaa…" Pikachu sat at one of the tables that ran the long of the Ketchum's back yard. Surrounded by bowls filled with assorted snacks like chips and pretzels and plates with slices of cake, Pikachu was hardly noticeable. The contents of the bowls were slowly dwindling as the guests munched away happily throughout the night. Pikachu was no exception to that. It moaned from the top of the table, rubbing its stomach. Its eyes were glazed over and its ears drooped.

"Hey Ash, what's the matter with Pikachu?" Gary asked, eying Pikachu worriedly as he took a sip from his red plastic cup.

Ash stopped mid-chew and turned towards the table where Gary was sitting with Tiffany, Morrison and Barry. His eyes traveled to where Gary was pointing.

"Chaaa…" Pikachu moaned, looking at Ash.

Ash walked over to Pikachu, picked it up and examined it. "What the matter, buddy?"

"I think it had too much cake," Tiffany observed. It did look plausible; Pikachu was rubbing its unusually large stomach and had a strange green tinge to its usually vibrant yellow cheeks.

"I think you've had enough to eat," Ash noted as he carried Pikachu into the house. "We need to keep you away from those chips." He found his mother sitting on the couch in the living room talking to Professor Oak.

"Hi, Professor Oak. Hey, mom?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Would you look after Pikachu for a bit? I think it had too much to eat."

"Of course, anything for my darling sweetheart Pikachu!" Delia smiled lovingly at Pikachu and took it from her son's arms. Ash smiled at her and Professor Oak and then walked back out into the yard, grabbing another handful of popcorn out the door.

"Be careful how much you eat sweetie, or else you'll end up like Pikachu!" Delia teased from the adjoining room.
Ash grinned and shut the patio door behind him.

He stared out at the party, contemplating on who to mingle with next. The sun was starting to set in the western sky, shooting the sky with streaks of gold. Ash wanted to get in as much more enjoyment as he could with everyone before the party was over, which would only be in under a few hours.

He was just about to go watch the blazing battle that was going on between Ritchie and Tracey, but he changed his mind when he spotted Paul taking to Misty, a suspiciously condescending and satisfying look on his face. Ash knew that whatever gave Paul that look couldn't be good.
He walked over to them slowly, his straining to hear what Paul was saying.

"…a real disappointment," Paul was saying, his arms crossed. "I had heard that the Cerulean gym was a good tough challenge, but I evidently those who told me were puny and even weaker than you are."

Ash suddenly balled his hands into fists. Of course, Ash thought angrily. He was insulting her. What did he expect from Paul?

Shock flitted across Misty's face for a split second, but she regained her composure with an icy look. She remained silent.

Paul carried on. "It was almost a waste of my time, that gym battle. I could have won that Cascadebage in my sleep."

Misty couldn't help herself. She was starting to look really ticked. "Yeah, so you won. You don't have to go bragging about it for ten million years," she retorted as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm not bragging. I'm giving you advice. All I'm saying is you need to start acting like a real gym leader," Paul spat. "No leader is that weak. You're pathetic."

That's it, thought Ash. He's crossing the line.
Ash marched over to where the pair were standing and went up in Paul's face. "What's your problem?" he demanded.

Paul didn't flinch. "I don't have one. I'm informing your little girlfriend here that she has a problem."

"She does not! You shut up about her, okay Paul?" Ash snapped, livid.

"You can't make me do anything," Paul retorted maliciously.

"Just watch me," Ash growled, his voice low.

Misty put her hand on his chest as he started forward towards Paul. "Stay out of this, Ash," she warned, her eyes flashing.

"No! No one-can-insult-you-like-that," he said stiffly, panting as he struggled against Misty's arm.

Paul continued on, obviously enjoying the situation. "Now I would have expected a weakling of a gym leader if I knew that Misty was friends with you, Ash."

Ash gave up struggling and stood there, glaring daggers at Paul. "Misty isn't a weakling. And neither am I," he retorted defensively.

"Why would she have used a Goldeen against my Grotle? It's obvious she should have used her Gyarados. Then my Grotle's grass type moves wouldn't have been so effective. Even a two year old could spot that," Paul spat at Misty.

Misty cowered slightly under Paul's intense gaze. She stared back haughtily but Ash could tell that she was hurting on the inside.

"I've never battled someone so weak in my entire life," Paul didn't show any signs up letting up his string of insults. "It was absolutely pathetic, the way she battled. She's a puny, little-"

"SHUT UP!!!"

The entire yard went silent.

Ash looked around at the faces staring at him and he blushed slightly. But he couldn't have taken it anymore; his anger was a bomb and Paul powered it up and set it off. Ash couldn't let Paul throw all those malicious things at Misty anymore. He just couldn't. So he had no other choice but to explode on him.

"How pathetic," Paul said brutally, sneering, breaking the tense silence that formed.

"I'll tell you what's pathetic," Ash walked straight up to Paul. "You having to insult every single person you see!" Paul was about to retort but Ash continued on, interrupting him. "It's pathetic that you have to make yourself feel better by insulting everyone around you because you're so INSECURE. You're just pathetic Paul, and I'm sorry. I'm really, so sorry that you're such a low, insecure little DICK!"
Ash finished, shaking in rage and breathing hard. He glared daggers at Paul, daring him to say anything.

The crowd stared at shock at Ash's sudden, out of character outburst. Ash wasn't the type to say mean things to people, even when people were saying mean things to him. He always tried to be the better person, and usually was. But this time was his breaking point. He wasn't going to put up with anyone's crap anymore, especially Paul's.

The tense atmosphere in the yard was still present. No one wanted to break the silence, afraid of getting called on. No one except Casey.

"Alright guys, knock it off," she appeared between the two boys. She glared at Paul. Casey had taken an intense disliking to him from the moment he opened his mouth. "This is a party and you're completely ruining it," she said fiercely.

Dawn bounced over to her side. "Come on Ash, Paul! No need to fight!" She went in front of Paul. "That wasn't nice at all what you were saying Paul. I think you should apologize to Ash!" she demanded.

Paul glared down at her. "I'm not going to apologize to anyone. I didn't do anything wrong," he said, monotone.

"YOU-" Ash started to yell but Dawn cut him off. "Just apologize, and then cheer up! Come on Paul, have fun for once!" Dawn smiled optimistically.

Casey disregarded what Dawn said and continued to glare at Paul. "I think you should leave, Paul, right Ash?"

Ash closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He opened his eyes and looked steely at Paul. "That's a good idea, Casey."

"Fine! It's not like I wanted to be at this stupid party in the first place." Paul spat on the ground at their feet and stormed to the front gate, slamming it shut with a loud bang.

Everyone was silence once again. May came up to Ash and whispered into his ear, "What was that all about?"

Everyone looked at him, waiting for his answer.

He shook his head to clear it. "Okay guys, it was nothing, it was nothing. Let's just… forget that happened."

The guests looked at him doubtfully then started chatting excitedly about what they had just witnessed. Ash sank into a seat and breathed deeply some more.

"Ash, are you alright?" May sat down beside him, concern in her beautiful cerulean eyes. She knew he wasn't acting normal.

"I'm fine," Ash said, not only trying to convince her but to convince himself, as well. But there was only one person he was truly concerned for.
He looked around for this redhead but she was nowhere to be seen.

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Ash's outburst was a little OOC, I know, but keep in mind that he's a 16 year old boy with raging hormones.