Chapter 28
Gary's Penthouse
When Gary got home, he washed the blood from his face. Fortunately, his nose isn't broken. Military Ash packs a hard punch now. However, Gary isn't thinking about Ash. His focus is on Leaf's daughter who might be his? The math makes sense as well as the name and eye color, granted that is if Ash is telling the truth. But Gary knows Ash doesn't lie, especially about something like this. As he hops in the shower, he sighs.
Flashback
"You're not celebrating father's day?" a 9 year old Ash asks his auburn haired friend. Leaf is spending the day with her father, so the two boys are playing basketball at the park.
Gary shrugs. "My dad is dead, and I don't remember him."
"But your grandpa is technically a dad."
"He's working." Gary then raises an eyebrow at his friend. "But don't you usually celebrate today with your mom?"
Now it's Ash's turn to shrug. "We already do Mother's Day with her. She only celebrates today with me because she feels bad and hopes my dad will magically come back on this day."
The other boy quietly chuckles. "I don't know what's worse."
"Huh?"
"Having a dad who I got to spend a few years with leave me or having a dad I never met." Gary leans back on the grass with his arms behind his head as he looks up at the sky. "I never cry when I think about my parents, but Daisy and Gramps do."
Ash leans back next to Gary. "I used to cry, but I've just accepted that he's not coming back. Only my mom cries now." The two lay in silence as the cool summer breeze blows through. The sky is beautifully clear, which makes it a perfect day to celebrate fathers. "When I become a dad, I'm never leaving." Ash says determinedly.
Gary glances over at him and smiles. "Same! Even if I get in a car accident, I will stay alive!" The two friends grin at each other while they high five before getting up and playing another game of basketball.
Flashback Over
Gary chuckles as he lays in bed that night. What difference does it make if he has a daughter? If she was really his, Leaf would've told him, but she didn't. That must mean something right? Besides, he's an Oak, and all Oaks are good at is working. They can't raise children. Gary frowns as he thinks about his lonely childhood as well as his lonely future. He's an Oak. This was always meant to happen to him.
1 Week Later
"With the war getting worse, our troops in Cianwood and Goldenrod City have been sent to the frontlines. For those of you who have loved ones in these divisions, we stand with you. Thank you for your service during these trying times." the news anchor says on the TV.
Normally, Gary doesn't watch the news, but he happened to walk past the break room as it was playing, and he quickly runs inside as the news report is concluding. He sees a few other workers in there and asks, "What did he say?"
"Uh. That we sent more soldiers to the war." a guy responds.
"Soldiers from where?" Gary doesn't know why he's so worried.
He shouldn't be, but the moment the man says, "Cianwood and here." Gary feels his legs go weak. "Is everyone okay, Mr. Oak?" the man as well as a few other workers approach him; however, Gary quickly regains his composure.
"Yeah. Just a little light headed. Thanks." He smiles before leaving for his office. It can't be. Ash can't be at war...can he? Once inside his office, Gary searches the army base on his computer. There's no information on specific people sent to war, but there is a phone number for the base.
One short phone call there tells him what he didn't want to hear: Ash is at war. Gary drops the phone as he sinks into his chair. Why does he care so much? They're not even friends anymore, and the last time they saw each other, it was a fight where Gary almost got his nose broken. But why are tears falling down his cheeks?
"You should've just played basketball, dumbass!" Gary exclaims outloud. Why did that dumbass join the army? He had a full ride to a D1 top college, but he turned it down! All because his friends left him? That's so stupid! Ash ruined his own life, but why does Gary feel a heavy tug at his heart? He quickly wipes away the tears and chokes back the sobs before pulling out his phone and making a call.
Flower Shop
"I'm so sad!" exclaims Elena as she slumps in her seat behind the counter.
Leaf smiles at the older woman who gets sad whenever the littlest thing happens, like a character in her show dies or she couldn't find a matching sock in the morning. "What happened now?"
"We won't be getting any more handsome men in here." the middle-aged woman sighs.
"What do you mean?" Leaf asks as she carries out a vase to the display at the front of the shop.
"The army from here was deployed." The sound of shattering glass makes Elena look over the counter where she sees a pale Leaf standing in a puddle of water with shards of the broken vase around. "Be careful, Leaf! I'll get the broom!"
However, Leaf doesn't hear this as she walks away to the back room. Yeah, there are customers in the shop and someone should be making sure no one gets injured by the puddle or glass, but that's not Leaf's concern right now. Her old friend is at war, and he may never come back.
Why did she push him away? Why was she so cold to him every time they met? Why did it have to be him? Tears stream down her face as she buries her face in her hands. Out of everyone, Ash does not deserve to die this young. He never did anything to suffer, but here he is: risking his life at war.
When Flora, the shop owner, comes back from her lunch break, she is surprised to see a weeping Leaf in the backroom. However, through sobs, Leaf manages to ask, "Can I leave early?"
Rudy's House
Since it is the holidays, Misty is off of work, so she's spending time with Rudy at his house in Blackthorn City. The two are hanging out on the couch with another couple who is Rudy's teammate, Jason, and Jason's girlfriend, Chloe. They've been enjoying each other's company over glasses of wine as well as getting to know each other since the women haven't met each other before.
Eventually, Jason says, "This war is getting worse." Of course everyone has heard about the recent war, but people thought it would end soon. It's been almost 6 months now with no end in sight.
"Oh yeah. I heard they deployed more soldiers." Misty chimes in.
Jason nods. "Uh huh. From Cianwood and Goldenrod."
Glass shattering shocks everyone as they look at Misty with her broken wine glass on the ground. There is a small puddle of red wine surrounding the glass, and Rudy quickly gets up. "I'll clean it, Misty! Don't move!" he exclaims while running into the kitchen.
Chloe gives the stunned redhead a concerned look. "Is everything okay, Misty? You look a little pale."
Misty can't even fake a response as tears drip down her face. She quickly wipes them to no avail when Rudy comes back with the broom. Seeing his crying girlfriend, he drops the broom and dustpan to run over to her side. "Misty, what's wrong?"
All she does is cry more now, so Rudy looks at the other couple for information, but they shrug. They decide to leave as the situation is a little awkward now while Rudy holds his sobbing girlfriend close.
Misty can't believe the news. Ash is gone and he may never come back. Her heart aches. She still loves him. She's always loved him, but she wouldn't admit it. And now he may be gone for good! She didn't even get to thank him for healing all of her wounds.
Flashback
"I already walked with you yesterday. Leave me alone." the redhead tells the dense 16 year old boy.
"Yeah, but I thought we were friends?" he asks her.
"I don't have friends. Just acquaintances."
"Okay, Misty. Then let's be acquaintances."
"Acquaintances don't talk to each other this often."
He shrugs with that goofy grin on his face. "But I want to talk to you, Misty. You're the only person I can talk to like a normal person in homeroom."
"Sorry, Ash. I'm not interested in being your friend." Misty Waterflower doesn't do friends. She always gets left behind eventually, so it's not worth the heartache all over again.
"I thought we said we're acquaintances...who talk a lot?"
Just looking at that damn hopeful goofy grin makes her feel her cold heart melt a little. Should she really take a chance on this guy? He's a genuine boy, and he's friends with Leaf, who reminds her of herself. Apparently, they've been childhood friends for over 10 years, so it must be safe to get to know him. Misty smiles at the carefree boy. "Fine, Ash. We can be acquaintances who talk a lot."
His face lights up as he tackles her in a hug. "Yeah! Thanks, Misty!" Misty feels her face heat up, so she avoids his gaze when he releases her. Soon, they walk into their next class before the bell rings.
Flashback Over
Rudy had cleaned up the broken wine glass while Misty calmed down on the sofa. He sits next to the quiet redhead and puts an arm around her. "Is everything okay, Misty?"
Tears fall down her cheeks at this question. Now she knows what Ash was going through that day. "Let's break up."
The man is taken aback by this. "What?"
"I want to break up." She says this louder and with more confidence.
Rudy removes his arm from her and solemnly looks down at his lap. "Can I ask why?"
"I've always loved someone else, Rudy." She sniffles. "I really wanted to love you, believe me, but I couldn't."
He's silent for a long while as he tries not to cry. It's his fault for letting her go in the first place all those years ago. He had her heart and he could have kept it. "Can I ask who?"
This just makes her cry more. It's one thing to think about the man she loves, but it's another to actually say his name. After a couple more sobs, she manages to say, "Ash Ketchum."
Rudy sighs. He will never forget that name since Ash beat them at the championship senior year, and Ash dated Misty. Yeah, it is definitely Rudy's fault he lost Misty's love. If he hadn't cheated on her, she would've never gone to Pallet Town, and she would've never met Ash. Wiping the few tears that managed to escape his eyes, he says, "Go."
Startled by his response since she expected he'd put up more of an argument, Misty kisses his cheek. "I'm sorry, Rudy. Thank you for everything."