Chapter 10
[A/N:
Sorry this is so late but I have two reasons: I've been ill all week so I haven't been to college so I actually thought yesterday was Tuesday until my Mum told me it was Thursday and I realised I'd missed my deadline. I would've done it last night but I was up till 1 finishing off writing a story for English Lit -.-' Sorry... It will not happen again! *Salutes* If it's really bad I blame my illness -.-' and if it is bad, what do you think I should change for the next chapter? Any ideas? I'm always open to hear them ^_^]
The ground beneath Ritchie was hard as he got to his feet. The cave was darker than above the surface but the moonlight seeping in through the cracks in the ceiling. A grumpy moan sounded in the back of his throat as he grabbed his hat and placed it back on his head. Looking around he could not see anyone.
"Guys? Hello? Everyone okay?" Ritchie's voice creaked in the emptiness of the air; he looked around and saw the two boys lied down breathing heavily, both blinking at the ceiling in shock. The standing brunette placed pressure on his left leg to alleviate the pain soaring through his right, a pant of pain accidentally escaping his throat.
In the background a faint voice could be heard but the two boys were too busy lying on the floor devoured in self pity. Ash's brown eyes looked over to Gary who let out an aggravated cry, finally deciding it was time to move. Ash followed Gary's movements and got to his feet, scouring his surroundings whilst grabbing his own trusty hat to place it back where it belonged. Ritchie limped over to the other boys, a damaged ankle stopping him from being able to fully walk.
"What happened?" Ash rubbed at his forehead and felt the thick fluid on his hand once again, the same cut he had attained from earlier now reopened. He huffed annoyance and looked to the boy that commonly had he answers to everything, or at least seemed to.
"I guess the floor just collapsed..." The usual matter of fact demeanour of Gary Oak diminished as he cradled one arm in the other, most likely broken. A grunt from the back of the cave caught the three boy's attention, the minute they looked to the far corner of the cave they could see the body of their female companion sprawled across the floor- barely moving. Each one of the trio ran to her side, Ash beginning to uncontrollably shake the girl.
"Misty? Misty? You need to wake up! Come on Misty, you've been through so much more than this!" The soothing yet panicked tone of the boy consoled the girl back to reality.
"Ash?" The sweet melody of her voice brought a smile to Ash's lips as he laid her head delicately in his lap, avoiding scraping his fingers over the large scuff mark down the left side of her face from where she'd fallen. Her wondrous cerulean eyes opened to the sight of the smiling teen. She too began to smile and her eyes shut again.
"Ash?" The boy answered to his rival as he looked in his direction to see a worried expression. He watched Gary's eyes carry him to the large pool of blood seeping through the girl's new shorts. Mouth agape he looked back at the researcher questioning him what to do. The boy stood up and paced, rubbing his chin in thought. Helplessly Ash kneeled stroking the redhead's long hair.
"You guys down there?" The once annoying voice of Dawn aired from above the four. All eyes darted upwards to see the bluenette, hand positioned over her eyes in a searching action.
"Dawn! Dawn I need you to get me my bag and throw it down! Hurry." Without question the girl nodded and hurried off back to the campsite. She did not speak a word when she got there instead she grabbed Gary's bag and ran back to where her friends were trapped. On her way she tripped in all her hurry and fell down the hole, joining her friends. Luckily she only severely hurt her elbow and bottom from her fairly smooth entrance. Ritchie helped to her feet by placing his arm around her waist and hauling her to her feet. The girl gave herself a minute to steady her vision before handing the bag she'd been clutching on her way down over to Gary.
"You okay Dawn?" Dawn's eyes lit with a flame and smiled at the kneeling boy that had just questioned her. "He does care!" She inwardly smiled and placed her hand on the rough surface of the wall to keep herself from falling from the dream turned reality. And then she saw the redhead lied in his lap and her new found reality collapsed although she couldn't help but smile at the girl's state. A pang of guilt struck her at the sickening smile on her face but she subtly brushed it off and watched as Gary got to work.
Gary unpacked bandages and other supplies that Ash was acquainted with. Then he reached to the button of Misty's shorts but Ash slapped his hand away.
"Ash, I need to actually see the wound!" Although unsure Ash allowed Gary to slip off the girls shorts, blushing madly and looking in any other direction that he could. Blood poured from the cut gash on the girl's leg; he found the pressure point and tied a rag around the leg, pressing down on the pressure point, to stop the bleeding. Next he bandaged up the cut but not before cleaning it up and then after that he slipped her shorts back on and packed away. Ash eyes the boy suspiciously before going back to stroking the girl's cherry hair.
An awkward silence descended upon the group until Dawn decided to pipe up.
"So we just wait?" Ritchie, the only one listening, nodded his head. "The rest of the gang went to sleep, so we're going to be stuck out here all night!" The girl began to sulk and Ritchie rolled his eyes and let out a deep breath of irritation causing Gary to laugh.
The spiky haired male rooted through his bag and pulled out a few of the spare things that he'd brought; two jumpers, a hoodie and a jacket. He handed the clothing out equally and gave Misty his sleeping bag. One by one the five teens slipped into unconsciousness, leaving only Gary and Ash awake.
"Do you like Misty?" Ash's question shocked Gary, he had never expected such a direct question from about such a topic, especially when it came from the usually naive boy.
"Of course I do, she's my friend!" Ash stared the boy down before asking his next question.
"I mean do you love her?" Gary fully understood the extent of Ash's question and answered in all honesty.
"Yeah-" Ash visibly deflated at the answer- "like a sister." The boy's hung head shot up as he looked in the eyes of his ex-rival to detect any traces of a lie. "Look, Ash, I know you like her." At the mention of his feelings his cheeks brightened red and he prepared himself to launch into a fully fledged defence. "Don't even try to deny it. You should go for it..." Yet again the hat wearing boy's head bowed as he stared at the floor expectantly. "Besides she likes you to." Ash perked up and smiled at the researcher and then looked over to the sleeping girl.
"Thanks Gary. I have one more question."
"Shoot."
"What did Misty mean by 'it's not like you haven't seen what's in there already!' when she called you, the first day she was here in Sinnoh?" Gary speculated the question trying to formulate the memory in his head. A sly smile appeared on his mouth as he remembered the conversation.
"Me and Misty use to date-" Ash jumped up and pointed at the boy.
"You told me you had no feelings for her!" Gary looked around to see everyone still sleeping, Ash's shouting masked over Ritchie's overbearing snoring.
"Calm down Ashy-Boy-"
"Don't call me that!"
"Ash, you're going to wake everyone up! Shut up!" Ash did as told and even returned to his originally sitting position only this time much more distanced from the brunette. "We only went out for about six months-"
"Six months?! Gary for you that is like a lifetime!"
"Will you let me finish just one of my mew-damned sentences?" Ash quietened down and looked back over to the researcher. "Thanks. Like I was saying, we only dated for about six months and it just wasn't working out so we came to a mutual agreement to just be friends. And now she's practically my little sister." The Pokémon trainer stayed silent and only relied with a relieved:
"Oh..." Gary rolled his eyes at the boy's attitude and leaned against the wall.
"I'm going to sleep. Night."
"Night, Gary." The brunette turned to look at the trainer and stated evenly,
"You hurt her, I will kill you." Ash smiled and looked at the boy.
"Wouldn't think about it." Gary smiled and the two drifted off into sleep. The five were found the next morning and the journey continued with a much less uptight Ash.
[A/N:
Me: Awww do we have a little bromance growing here?
Ash: Between me and Gary?
Gary: Ashy-Boy wishes!
Ash: I do not! You stay away from me!
Gary: So immature *Sweatdrops*
Brock: Guess what?
Max: MasteringaMuggleLife owns Pokémon!
Me: I do?
May: No! *Laughs*
Me: Well that was mean...
Drew: *Laughing* She- does- not- own Pokémon.
Ash and Gary: Review?
Me: Awww see?]