Chapter 10: The Man of the Mew
It had been a couple of weeks since the gala. Ash had been working himself to the bone with work at Cafe Mew, school, helping Bridget learn to swim and even hang out with other Mew Mews. At the pool, Bridget's swimming had struggled but she proceeded down the lane. Ash and Taillow waited at the end of the pool as Bridget kicked and stroked her way through. It looked as if she could only go half as fast as Ash could but she swam on, hoping to reach the end. "Almost there…" he whispered as he reached for her. With one more stroke, she clamped her hand on Ash's arm. This made her relent. Ash helped her to the side.
"What's my time?" she gasped. She struggled to catch her breath.
"I wasn't timing you." Ash's confession made Bridget irk. "You've come a long way from not being able to swim." He helped pull her up from the pool and Taillow flew to her hair. "I'm proud of the progress you've made." Bridget became overwhelmed with Ash's words before she hugged her wet arms around him in a hug.
"Thank you, Ash! It's all my tired body can do!" Ash returned the hug and Taillow liked the sight. Ash helped Bridget back to the locker room. After getting changed and showering, Ash and Bridget left the school. "So, what's on your schedule on your day off?"
"I'm gonna go around town and try something different." Taillow cawed about joining. "Sorry, Taillow… you can't enter places to eat here." Taillow felt dejected.
"It's alright, Taillow. I'm sure Elliot will have something at work." Accepting, Taillow flapped to Bridget's shoulder.
"I'll see you at the cafe in a few hours."
"See ya!" In the city, Ash entered a pizzeria which he ordered a few slices and soda. He came back to a table with a few pizza slices containing mushroom and shrimp. As he sat down, Megan and Mimi spotted Ash sitting at a table.
"These seats taken?" asked Megan. Ash blinked before turning to face Megan and Mimi.
"Go ahead," he allowed. The girls joined the trainer at the table,
"I'm surprised that Cafe Mew gave you the day off," Mimi awed. "Then again, you've been busting your butt with everything around like helping Bridget with swimming and making new material for said cafe." This brought a smile to Ash.
"I try to keep things fresh over there," he briefed. "After all, I'm use to helping friends in a pinch."
"You mean the Three Beckies?" pointed Megan.
"I said friends, not 'friends'," Ash retorted while gesturing quotations marks on the repeat. "Besides, after what Zoey and Mark did to those Beckies a week ago, I don't think they'll bother us for sometime." Megan and Mimi laughed to the moment.
"I knew Zoey could pull off something sneaky with her catlike reflexes and her boyfriend is just as good with the surprise," Megan snickered. "I bet you could do better."
"Maybe, but I don't wanna risk it," Ash refused.
"Fair enough," Mimi brushed off. "But that doesn't explain your ability to tame that pregnant tigress. You had to have been insane standing in that wild animal's path, even if it wasn't pregnant. What would your parents have said if they heard what you did?" Ash scoffed to Mimi's concern.
"Considering my mom's lifestyle before I was born, she'd shrug," he believed. "She was adventurous and explored the wild side when she was our age." Megan and Mimi giggled to the comparison.
"Let me get this straight: you inherited your mom's behavior?" guessed Megan. A nervous laugh lisped from Ash.
"That's one way to put it," he shrugged. "As a matter of fact, I actually have a picture of her in my pocket." He pulled a picture out and saw what it was. He nodded. "Here's who she is." Megan and Mimi were handed the picture of an auburn-haired woman wearing a pink blouse and blue skirt in front of a garden of vegetables.
"Whoa…" hushed Megan. "This? She's your mom?"
"I know, right?" laughed Ash.
"If this is who raised you, it's a safe bet a lot of our schoolmates will will they were this lucky to have a mother like this," Mimi praised. "Though, I bet after she had you, she wanted to settle down."
"Well, you know the old saying, 'All good things must come to an end'," Ash quoted. Though, his mind thought to his time leaving Petalburg and pondering about his mother. 'I have to believe Mom's gotten word about the mob in Petalburg City. No question that she's worried sick.' Megan handed the picture back to Ash.
"Another thing that's come up is that you and the rich girl are in a relationship," she spoke up. "Is it true?" Ash snorted to the question.
"Funny thing that you asked," he said. "We're actually going out on a date tomorrow and I wanted to ask about some pointers." Megan and Mimi sighed, thinking they lost their chance to score a date with him.
"Those rumors are true," Mimi cried.
"So, you want some ideas on this date you're going on?" believed Megan. "It's tough with any girl but rich is real picky. Still, I think it's best to pay attention to what Bucksworth has to say. In all honesty, I'm jealous that she picked you when there could be a boy as rich as her, but I digress." Mimi reached Ash, palming his shoulder and giving the picture of his mother back.
"Listen, you've done a lot to keep people happy, including the tigress," she reminded. "Corina will not be an exception. I promise." Ash nodded and finished his pizza. He returned to Cafe Mew which the Mews were having some downtime after the after-school rush.
"It's a good day to have off, Ash," Zoey sighed. "It's slow… Maybe it could've been you that attracted all the customers, but I won't make that statement so soon." Pikachu shrugged to Zoey's thoughts.
"You know, I've been wondering about something," Elliot started as he lifted Pikachu from the table. "You've known about us and we've known about you over the few weeks."
"Right?" chimed Wesley. "We've all wondered about what Pokémon we would all have if we were in your world." Ash and Pikachu looked to each other, also wondering.
"Well… Some of you, I can see…" pondered Ash. "Zoey would be great with a Skitty or Delcatty." Recalling the image, Zoey awed the choice of Pokémon. "And Kikki… I see with Aipom." Kikki blinked to the Pokémon choice.
"Ai… pom?" she repeated. Ash brought out his Dex and showed Kikki a small purple monkey with a puffed up as the tail.
"AIPOM, THE LONG TAIL POKÉMON," it registered. "AIPOM LIVE AMONG TALL TREES AND THE TAIL CAN SUPPORT ITS WEIGHT." Kikki gasped, eager to find one.
"Get me an Aipom and we can swing away!" she cheered. Ash turned to Bridget.
"I see Bridget's Pokémon being Vaporeon," he determined. Bridget became curious.
"Ooh, a Vaporeon?" she repeated. Using the Dex, Ash found a blue scaled fox-like creature with a mermaid-like tail.
"VAPOREON, THE BUBBLE JET POKÉMON," it registered. "VAPOREON IS AN EVOLVED FORM OF EEVEE. ITS BODY STRUCTURE ALLOWS VAPOREON TO CAMOUFLAGE ITSELF IN WATER" Bridget's eyes nearly pushed her glasses off at what Vaporeon appeared as.
"So cute…" she repeated. "One that doesn't mind breathing air…" Renee and Corina wondered about what their Pokémon would be.
"That leaves me, Corina, Wesley and Elliot," Renee reminded.
"Well, Wesley and Elliot are the toughest to choose," Ash muttered. "But I see it as Wesley having a Chansey since he's been caring to a fault, and Elliot having a Machoke. It's the best I can think of at this time." He reached for Dex but Elliot palmed it.
"We'll look at it later," he eased.
"Okay…" waived Ash. "Renee, I don't recall any Pokémon that are wolves, but I do see you with a Vulpix." Renee became interested.
"Can I see?" she asked. Ash agreed before showing a brown fox pup with a red mane and six red tails.
"VULPIX, THE FOX POKÉMON," it computed. "VULPIX'S SIX TAILS BECOME MORE BEAUTIFUL AS IT GROWS." Renee seemed interested to Vulpix.
"Can't say a wolf and a fox can't get along," she smiled. Ash turned to Corina with a problem.
"Seeing your ballet, I seem to recall seeing a Pokémon that was like that," he remembered. "Let me scan through…" Ash went on a cascade of seeing different Pokémon. Suddenly, one popped up, a humanoid white Pokémon with green legs and green hair covering all but its eyes and red horns from that hair. The bottom seemed to be similar to a tutu. "Here it is!" Corina came to Ash's side and viewed the Pokémon. She gasped.
"KIRLIA, THE EMOTION POKÉMON," the Dex named. "KIRLIA IS THE EVOLVED FORM OF RALTS. IT DANCES PLEASURABLY ON SUNNY MORNINGS." Corina sighed, smiles beaming and her thinking of dancing with a Kirlia.
"That… is my Pokémon," she announced. "Thank you, Ash." She gave Ash a kiss when Renee had a suggestion.
"Say, Zoey, Bridget, wanna help me and Corina?" she requested. The girls agreed.
"Fine, but we'll help Ash," Elliot sneered. Corina had one last item to give.
"Ash, meet me at the park around one o' clock!" she gave.
"One o' clock…" copied Ash. "Got it!" Renee took Corina to a few boutiques to give her hair a new look, clothes to find, shoes to walk in…
"Going all out for a date?" believed Zoey.
"I want to leave an impression on Ash," Corina argued. "If I don't look good, the date will be a dud!"
"Simmer, simmer… I didn't do all of that when Mark and I had our dates."
"But you and Mark had dates! This is my first!" After sometime, Corina emerged from the fitting room to the girls. Zoey, Bridget and Kikki gasped while Renee smiled.
"Winner…" she briefed. Meanwhile, Mark joined Elliot and Wesley fixing Ash with new clothes as well. Mark looked in Ash's Dex at a green mantis with scythes for arms.
"Ash sees me with a Scyther?" he guessed. "Was that from our Kendo class?"
"Hey, it's much cooler than Chansey," Wesley sighed. "Trust me, I feel like he's losing it." After a few minutes, Ash emerged from his fitting room wearing a denim jacket and new jeans.
"Okay, this feels good…" he studied.
"It looks good, too," Elliot judged. "All that awaits is your date tomorrow." Ash nodded. At the park the next day, Ash arrived and looked to a watch.
12:57:34 PM
"Well, I'm here at the park," he muttered to himself. "Guess all I can do now is wait for Corina to arrive. I just wonder if what Megan and Mimi told me will be enough." Just then…
"Yoo-hoo!" called out Corina. "Ash! I made it!" Guided by a maid, Corina arrived in a new midnight blue blouse over a turquoise shirt-dress, black tights and new stiletto shoes. Her hair was wavy and curled after straightened and washed with some blue highlights. Her nails were polished and painted pink. Ash froze, only his eyes seemed to move, scanning the rich girl.
"Uhhhhhhhhh…" All Ash could do was gulp in astonishment. 'If this is what I'm up against in impressions… this may be a huge mountain for me to climb.' Corina wondered about the silent treatment.
"Is… something wrong?" Snapping back to reality, Ash shook his head while Zoey, Mark and Taillow watched. They noticed the boys touring the park eyeing Corina and her new look, becoming upset that Ash was ending up with her instead of any of them.
"No, no! Nothing's wrong! It's just that… well… You look great- No, not great!" Ash needed a breath before answering. "You look gorgeous." This made Corina smile.
"Why, thank you, Ash! And you look even more handsome than ever before." Corina's compliment made Ash blush as other girls eyeing Ash became saddened that Corina was with him.
"Thanks!" Corina came to Ash and wrapped her arm around his.
"So, ready to go?"
"I am… What's on your mind, first?"
"I saw the ice rink is open. We can go ice skating." Ash's eyes widened.
"Ice… skating?"
"Of course! The rink's close by. I'm sure you'll have fun skating."
"Maybe… but I don't really know how to skate." It didn't deter Corina's wish.
"Don't worry… I'll show you how!" She pulled Ash to join her. "Come on! It'll be great!"
"Okay!" With their first destination set, Ash's mind could be heard complaining about it. 'This is going to be a LONG day.' The date of Ash and Corina began and Zoey, Mark and Taillow followed, hoping the date is a success…
TO BE CONTINUED...