Chapter 10
"To Be The Best"
"…Ash?"
I shuffled awake. I didn't remember falling asleep or Transforming back, but I guess I must have. Persian was sleeping behind me, and Pikachu was napping next to my head. I looked up.
Mom?
"……You looked like you were having a bad dream…" she said quietly.
Bad is right… I said darkly.
"……What was it about?"
Huh? Oh………Nothing………
"You can tell me, Ash……"
That's okay………Thanks anyway.
"………Ash, are you still mad at me?"
Mad? I asked in surprise.
I hadn't thought of that.
I guess I was mad at her……
………No……Not anymore………I'm sorry I was in the first place…
"No…I can understand why you were………and I'm sorry too."
…………What about………um……………Dad?
"I don't know……" she admitted, "I don't think he'll come back………so………you won't have to worry about that anymore……"
Her voice cracked when she said those last words……
Mom……
She stood up.
"You must be hungry, Ash. Let's go downstairs…I made pancakes."
I wanted to talk more, but it was obvious that she didn't. I nodded.
Let's eat!
* * *
"……What are you gonna do now, Ash?" Misty asked.
……I'm going back to Indigo. I'm gonna challenge the Elite……and then……we'll see…
"Already?"
I clenched my fists.
I'm gonna prove it. I'm gonna show them all that I can and will be a Pokémon Master! They're not gonna try to stop me anymore!!
Misty gave me a funny look.
"……Who's 'they'?"
Uh……Everyone! I answered forcefully, No one believes that I can make it, but I'll prove them all wrong! I will become the world's greatest Pokémon Master! I'm almost there! All that's left is to beat the Elite! I'm not gonna quit now!
Misty smiled. "You're finally starting to sound like yourself again……"
Huh? What's that supposed to mean?
"Oh…Nothing……"
"Don't forget, Ash," Richie said, "The Elite Four aren't going to be easy to beat. No one's ever beaten them before…"
Yeah, I know that…but I'm still gonna do the best I can……No matter what……Right, Pikachu?
"Chaa…" Pikachu yawned.
'Yep…'
Uh…See?
"…When are you leaving?" Richie asked.
Um……As soon as possible! Right, Pikachu?
"Pikachu!"
'Sure, Ash!'
There…Heh. See? Nothing's gonna stop me now.
"Pikachu!"
'Right!'
"…Okay, Ash!" Richie smiled.
* * *
We called Indigo ahead of time to let them know I was coming. While everyone else was packing, Billie pulled me aside.
"Ash, are you sure you're okay?"
What do you mean? Of course I'm okay.
"No. I mean……You seem to have gotten over…that pretty quickly……"
"Huh? Over what?"
"Over that…"
Over……?…Oh……She means over that.
………Billie………I'm not……over it………I'm just not thinking about it right now……That doesn't mean I'm over it……
"Oh……Okay……I was just………You had us all worried, Ash."
……Sorry.
"…It's okay………Just try not to do it again, okay?"
……I'll try, I smiled.
"…All right………Hey, Ash?"
Yeah?
"……How long have you known?"
Uhh……You mean about-?
"Yeah."
……Umm………Less than a month.
She nodded thoughtfully.
"……Alright."
……Billie?
"Uh-huh?"
You're not gonna hold it against me, are you?
"What? That he's your-?"
Yeah.
She laughed. "Of course not! I know you care for him as much as I do."
……How much is that?
"Not at all."
Oh… I gave her a lopsided smiled, I guess you've got a point there.
She was about to leave me alone, when she turned around and grinned mischievously.
"Y'know, Ash……We never did come up with a motto……"
Billie! I laughed.
"Hey! Let's make one up right now!"
Right now?
"Yeah! I'll start off, and we'll just make it up from there."
How come you get to start?
"Cause I'm older. Okay. Here goes."
She cleared her throat.
"Prepare for trouble!"
Do we have to do this right now?
"Ash!"
Okay, okay……um…Make it double!
"To…protect the world from Team Rocket!"
I laughed. To…uh……What rhymes with rocket?
"…Pocket? Locket? Socket?…Docket?"
What's a docket?
"Umm…I think it's some legal thingy…"
Uh……Let's see……To keep the Pokémon out of their pocket!
"Hee….Okay…To denounce the evils of lies and hate!"
That's good…
"Thanks!"
…To……extend our reach and retaliate!
"That's even better!"
Yeah…Even though I don't know what retaliate means…
"Don't worry. It fits perfectly."
What's it mean?
"It means strike back."
…Cool.
"Ahem…Billie!"
Heh…Ash!
"Team………uh……What team are we? It's definitely not Rocket…"
……Pikachu!
"Huh?"
Team Pikachu, shock 'em with electric light!
"Wait a minute…I'm supposed to say the next line!"
Then you can make up my line.
"Umm…Surrender now, or……uh…prepare for flight!"
……Flight? I asked.
"Well, yeah. Isn't that what usually happens to Team Rocket when Pikachu shocks them?"
I grinned. You are absolutely right Billie.
"Well, look out world, 'cause Team Pikachu's here to stay!!" she declared, striking a funny-looking pose…At least, I thought it was funny…
"Is everything all right in here?" Mom asked, entering the room with a worried look on her face.
Yeah Mom. Everything's fine.
"…Oh…I heard yelling…I thought something was going on…"
Nope. Everything's fine.
"That's good……Well, as long as everything's okay……We're ready to leave at any time. Just give us the word."
The word?
"You know what she means!" Billie laughed.
Huh? Oh…Yeah! Heh…I knew that……Um…Sure. I'm ready…How 'bout you, Billie?
"I'll be fine……Let's get going, huh? I can't wait to see you beat the Elite Four…Imagine that. My partner is the best Pokémon Master in the world……"
Uh…I'm not the best yet, Billie, I reminded her.
"Oh, I know that," she replied, "but I also know that you will be…very soon…"
"Yes, that's right," Mom agreed, "We all believe in you, Ash. Just give it your very best shot."
…I'll do that.