(A/N: I'm going on vacation to my cousins' house today & for the next two weeks (I'm pretty sure anyway). They do have internet access though, so it means I may or may not be able to get a chapter posted every day…On second thought, I'll probably just post a chapter every other day, because I don't think I'll have much time to actually write anything. Tat's all for now!)
Chapter 28
"At The Acorn Tree"
I visited the Oak residence later that day. Mayo had asked for help with training, and I didn't feel like sitting around all day. It seemed like the perfect thing to do.
"…What do you guys think Mayo's gonna evolve Eevee into?" I asked on the way.
"Pikapikachu?"
'I don't know. Why?'
"Just wondering…"
"Perrrsiiiannn…Pe-errrr…"
'Probably an Espeon…if she ever figures out how…'
I laughed. "Do you think she'll figure it out?"
"Perrrr…Pe-errr…siiaann…"
'Not likely……In which case she'll probably evolve it into a Jolteon…'
"Pikachu…" Pikachu nodded.
'Seems like she likes electric types…'
"Yeah……I wonder why…"
"Perssian!? Perrr!"
'You mean you don't know!? It's a little obvious, Ash!'
I stopped walking.
"…It is?"
When Persian realized I had stopped, it sat down in front of me. It seemed to be debating whether or not to tell me something.
"Perrrsss……Per…siiann……"
'Ash…..she……admires you……'
"Huh!?"
"Persian…" Persian said quickly, "Persiaaann……"
'Wait, let me finish…She wants to be just like you……'
"……Are you serious?"
"Persian?"
'Are you?'
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Persiaann…"
'I thought it was obvious…'
…That's crazy……That's just a crazy idea……
I continued walking past Persian. It watched me for a second, then trotted after me.
"Persiiiannn…" it said in wonderment.
'You really didn't notice…'
……Okay, so maybe I noticed a little……
"Perrr! Persiannn…"
'Aha! Maybe you're not all that dense…'
"…Don't even go there."
Persian purred to itself, and I realized it was a strange kind of laughter…
It didn't take much longer to get to their house. I knocked on the door and waited for someone to open the door. It creaked open and a spikey-haired boy with brown hair and a purple shirt stood on the other side.
Both of us faulted. I don't think either of us knew quite what to say……
Gary backed up a few steps.
"……May! You're…friend's here…" he muttered the last sentence.
"Gary, wait," I said before he could run off again, "…Um…I'm going to help Mayo…I mean, May…train her Eevee…and her Rattata too……Maybe you'd like to help?"
I don't think he thought I was serious. He looked away.
"I'm terribly sorry Ashy-boy, but I've got more important things to do…"
"Like what?…What's more important than…helping your sister…?"
He stared at me for a moment. Then looked past me…
"She may be my sister…but that doesn't make us friends…"
He started to walk out the door and go somewhere else.
"Gary…"
He stopped again.
"Ash, just tell me what you want right now and let's get this over with."
"……Well……I………I, um……"
He crossed his arms and gave me his most impatient look.
What do I want? Why is this so important all of a sudden…?
"………Gary, I want to know why you hate me," I blurted out finally.
That wasn't what he was expecting. He couldn't come up with an answer…
What did I just do!?
I turned away and started to let myself into his house.
"……I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking…You can go now if you want…I'm sorry I kept you…"
I stepped inside then moved to close the door behind me…but Persian was still out there…
"Persian! Come……Huh?"
Persian had a sly grin on its face. Not too far away, Gary was looking at me with a stunned look…He still hadn't moved.
"…Gary?"
He sort of shook himself, as if he had just woken up or something.
"…Are you okay?" I asked.
"Uhh……I'm okay…" he replied, then frowned, "…Are you?"
"Me? I'm okay…uh…Right, Pikachu?"
"Pikachu…"
'I think you are…'
"Uhh…You need your Pikachu to tell you that you're okay?" Gary asked.
"Ummm…"
I glanced down. Persian was walking past me into the house.
Gary turned around and waved casually. "I'll smell ya later, Ashy-boy…"
"Uh…"
He started to walk away.
…I guess I shouldn't try to make him stay……
I closed the door and turned around. Pikachu jumped off of my shoulder and smiled up at me.
"…Eevee!"
"Uh-! No! Eevee!!"
Eevee jumped in between my Pokémon and smiled at all of us.
I laughed. "Mayo, where are you?"
Mayo stepped out from a close by doorway looking embarrassed. I gave her a serious look.
"Were you spying on us?" I asked.
She shook her head vigorously. I didn't change my look, and she eventually nodded regretfully. I laughed evilly.
"You know what happens to spies?" I asked, giving her my scariest smile.
She shook her head. A scared Eevee jumped into her arms, mirroring its trainer's expression.
"Well…" I continued, "Little girls get maimed by ferocious wild Persians!"
Persian picked up its cue and growled at the two of them.
"And nosy little Eevees get eaten by vicious electric mice!"
"Piika!!"
"Now go and exterminate those villians!"
"Peerrrr!"
"Pika chu!"
The two of them leapt, and after a brief struggle, Mayo and Eevee were tackled to the ground and mauled fiercely by my Pokémon. I stepped forward to watch more closely and laughed as Mayo and Eevee cried out fearfully. I snapped my fingers and my two Pokémon backed off. Mayo and Eevee stared up at me with wide eyes.
"Now it's my turn…You now face the ultimate punishment…"
"No! Anything but that!!" Mayo cried.
I lunged at her.
"The tickle treatment!"
"Ahhh!!!"
"Eeeee!!!"
"Hey, come on you two!" I called to Pikachu and Persian. It didn't take long for them to join in.
When I decided that the two crooks had had enough, I let them up and therefore ended my torture session.
Mayo had tears in her eyes from laughter.
"You're so…cruel…Asha!" she said between laughs.
"Eee…veee!"
'Yeah…You are!'
I guess they were still feeling the effects…I grinned.
"Oh yeah? That was nothing! I came here to help you guys train, you know."
Mayo was still laughing.
"Oh…yeah…I heard……"
I raised an eyebrow. "The criminal is confessing…!"
She broke up into real laughter.
"And the great Pokémon Master is going to punish her by making her endure hours of rigorous training…!" she laughed sadly.
I stood up. "That's right! No pain, no gain!"
I helped her up.
"So what did I gain from all of that?" she asked.
"Um…Nothing…"
She laughed. "That's so typical of you…"
I shrugged. "Let's go outside. It's hard to train in a house.
"Yeah, I figured…"