Hiyo! Don't mind me just saying that I have listened to a review and made this one longer. See, reviewing does help so be my guest and do so(pleeeeeeeeeeeze). And the more reviews the quicker chap. 4'll come out. One word will do and it will be done in a matter of a day or so otherwise I'll work on my other fics before this one. Anyway I can assure you it's longer that the first too but don't get your hopes up, I'm a weird writer. Oh yeah and I realize I may have many typos and gramaticel errors (se ther's one)
Ash sat there on the couch staring out the window. He was at Brock's house having dinner. It was the first time in weeks that he had a real dinner. He usually just ordered a very large pizza and eat that the entire day and cold pizza the next day then pizza crust and sauce for breakfast in the morning and then he'd order out - chinese usually - every once in a while. This was the first time he broke that two month cycle with a real homecooked meal. Since Misty left...
"So Ash" Rose started "What have you been up to lately"
As if she dosn't have the slightest clue of what I'm up to. I bet she's doing this to be annoying.
"Nothing much." She sat down after serving the meal for the afternoon. Mashed potatoes, steak, a couple of carrots and other vegatables at the side. For dessert, she had a large blue plate holding some jello in the shape of bell. Ash admired the large layout before him with a wide gap where his mouth used to be. The meal may have seemed small but to Ash it was a banquet. He sat at the table and dug in. Brock and Rose watched in awe at how quickly he wolfed down the entire meal. In between gulps and sips of weak sake, he gratefully said thanks for the meal many, many times. When he was done he realized that Brock and Rose hadn't even touched theirs. He looked questioningly at them completly unaware of how odd he seemed.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Oh nothing. Maybe it's just that no one has ever liked my cooking so much. Not even Brockie here." she said proudly making Brock blush a little.
"Well it sure beats pizza...Are you going to eat that?"
In the end he had three servings of mashed potatoes and steak and about four pieces of jello to Brock's astonishment. He couldn't eat that much even when Rose forced him to especially when she had the desire to cook something. Ash stayed for a little while longer after dinner just talking about the weather, pokemon and life in general. He tried to keep his mind straight on one thing. When he finally left it was getting dark. He walked back in and half-conciously petted Pikachu. He then resumed his usual position on the couch in front of the TV. Pikachu was starting to worry about Ash. He wasn't his usual energetic self though even a Slowpoke could see why. Pikachu figured he was only getting in the way. It was a shame Pokemon couldn't write though. Ash would just have to figure out that Pikachu wanted to stay of at Tracy's. Maybe some trips to the lab would make Ash happier a little happier-that is until he realized what he must do. Yes, visits to the lab could cheer his trainer up. Then the weird thought occured to Pikachu - for once in his lifetime, he was taking care of Ash instead of the other way around. He almost laughed if the situation weren't so serious. It's was then that Pikachu took his warm blanket, given to him by Misty, and left.
It was then that Ash glanced up. Pik sure is leaving often. And with Misty's gift too. Hmm. The place sure is peaceful without her. Right now she would be nagging 'How can you be so messy Ash Ketcham?' or 'Don't tell me you're going to leave that there' I can still hear her now. Then she'd be complaining how Rose could cook carrots and saying how Rose could make green jello that looked like a bellpeppers. She could have been myut is her? It makes no sense. He shifted positions on the couch. I wonder what Rose meant when she said 'How do you think she felt about me?.' Scientist. They always complicate things. How on earth does Brock understand a word that she says. She's...Great off the subject again. Why do I keep avoiding this question...why can't I... He glanced at the clock cutting off his thoughts once again. It was only seven o two. He felt like he had been sitting there for ever and only five minutes had passed by. I guess this is what happens once you've accomplished all of your goals - you become bored to the end of time. Funny though that through all of Misty's rantings where I only half listened to her, I was never this bored. Even when we just sat at the table away from each other, totally silent, I still was never bored like this. I'll just hit the sack. Maybe something will come to me overnight.
It was a night of nothing but tossing and turning, every hour, every minute. It was near one o clock Ash realized when he looked over at his clock. He lied back and stared at the roof. That clock. Every morning when it didn't wake me up Misty would walk in here and roll me off the bed. Then there was breakfast where she always had to cook. And there was that one time when I tried to and she took one look at it and ran to the bathroom to throw up. Then she forced me to throw it out before she got sick again. I wonder if there ever was a time when she was nice to me. Hmmm...I...wonder...if that's what Rose was talking about. That she hated me? Could that be why she left. Well if that's the case, good riddens. I'm glad she's gone. She was noisy and bossy no matter what I did for her......what did I do for her? All through my years as a pokemon trainer she was there, thick and thin, no matter what the situation. She didn't even leave my side when we went to Cerulean, even though she had to confront her sisters again. Plus she never once left even when I was a little thick-headed. Who am I kidding. I was very thick-headed. He was sitting up straight now, staring into the darkness. Maybe...no maybes I still am. Maybe even worse than ever since I'm older than I was before. I never changed and maybe that's why Misty left. Rose was actually right. Then again, when was she wrong? And what did I do for her? Give her a home but then again she could have stayed with anyone. She had her own place in Cerulean. Keep her company? No, she had plenty of friends. The same ones I have. Maybe she stayed because...because she...
He groaned and dropped back into bed and covered his head with a pillow. The sun was coming up. He should get dressed and maybe go outside for once but he did not feel like moving until he figured out why Misty left. He heard a knock at the door and heard the squeak of it opening too. I can't beleive that I was too lazy to lock my door. Instead of rising to see if he was getting robbed or someone was coming to kill him he just raised his bare arms and crossed it over the pillow on his head. Right now, he didn't really care. If they killed him it would have to be quick and short so he couldn't think anymore than he had been lately. Intensive care would be horrible-he could only think then. All of this would just give him a huge headache sooner or later. Maybe even the headache didn't come so that he could think more. Stupid brain. He heard someone knock at his bedroom door but he didn't answer. Probably one of his friends and he was in no mood to talk to anyone now.
He heard a someone whisper "I hope he didn't..." and apparently someone else was there who said "Oh don't think such bad thoughts Rose"
He groaned again. Violet and Rose. He could recognize Violet and Rose's voices anywhere. Why must I constantly be tortured like this. I'd rather stay here in my room until I nearly starve and become an old hermit who can't figure out one simple question.
"Ash?" one of them asked.
He didn't even look up and didn't flinch like he normally did. This was the third time they came to 'cheer him up' but the worst thing was: It never helped to his misfortune. He suddenly had a slight hatred for both Gary and Brock. But...it wasn't because they brought Rose and Violet to Pallet where they would constantly bug him but something else...and once again he created another impossible headache-that-will-never-come for himself. How would he live out the rest of his life like this? He was only 22 now.
"Hey Vi, could you scoot for a little while and..." Ash saw Rose whisper something in Violet's ear and saw her nod and leave the room. "And as for you Mister" Rose turned to face his direction from what little he could see from under his pillow. "We need to talk." she said and sat down.
"Just have a seat" Ash said sarcastically "Be my guest. Come into my house and send Violet off on some errand like your in command." His voice was partly muffled by the pillow.
"I will just keep in mind that you are cranky right now - even though you're being pretty rude - so that I don't do anything drastic. Look, I'm here to help you out and apoligize that I lost my temper like that, although it was your fault but Brockie'll never forgive me if I didn't say that. Sometimes I wonder...oh yeah, your problem, now I know what's bugging you - Pikachu filling me in on the details - and I'm here to help. This has gone on long enough and someone has to put a stop to it."
Upon hearing 'I know what's bugging you' Ash pulled the pillow down from his face, sat up, and at looked Rose in the eye from his bed.
"That certainly got your attention. Now if my guess is correct you've been thinking about Misty this entire time but you haven't the slightest clue why. Correct so far?"
She watched Ash nod yes but never taking his eyes from Rose.
"So what have you come to on your own so far? No I'm not a psychic and can read all of your thoughts so you have to tell me somethings."
Ash almost smiled but not quite. He couldn't imagine himself smiling for a very long while. The funny thing was that when she said he first sentence he was thinking exactly what she said afterwords. What scared him was that she put emphasis on the all. But he couldn't take time now to find out what made Rose tick or all of these weird women he knew, that was something to be left for a higher intelligence...if intelligence got that high...which somehow he currently doubted. He snapped back from his previous thoughts to answer Rose's question. His eyes never left her but his mind did, constantly.
"Well...I do realize that I haven't been that nice to Misty over the years. She's been with me through everything but I've done nothing for her." he said a bit painfully. He was talking to Rose here.
She smiled brightly and started to rise from her seat. "Good then. I won't have to explain much to you. I'll just leave you with this thought. Why do you think she stayed then and here's some advice too:follow your gut feeling no matter how ridiculous it seems at first and you'll pull out of this little depression in no time. Although I may have said to much already. But you know it's quite interesting how your psychological prowess seems to..."
Violet popped up behind Rose cutting her off with a tap on the shoulder. What a relief Ash thought she could have gone on for hours. Violet walked up to Ash's bed and laid a plate of food done for him and decisevly whispering into his ear.
"Some food for your thoughts and don't mind Rose, she means well but she does analyze for a living and that's all to be expected. Good luck Ash. I know you'll pull out of this well." she smiled and walked off and closed the door behind her. Ash stared at the wall and ignored the plate in front of him even if he hadn't had anything for the entire day. Back to the drawing board. he thought with a deep sigh.
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It's been at least an hour and I'm still stuck with this. Three months, twenty seven days, nine hours, twelve minutes, fifty seven seconds, fifty eight...fifty nine...Maybe this will keep my mind at rest for awhile. Three months, twenty seven days, nine hours, thirteen minutes, twenty seven seconds...twenty eight...twenty nine...thirty...I wonder if Misty is this bored...great. Looks like I'll have to solve this before I can finally get on with my life. *mental sigh* Mom made the life of an adult look so easy while I slaved away at algebra problems thinking that was as tough as it got. Boy was I wrong. Misty...the next time I see her we will really have to talk about all this torture I'm being pu through. I should stick with the 'she hates me' theory and call it a life. But that's impossible. It makes no logical sense, it dosn't sound right either and nothing in my life nowadays is simple. Anyway...it dosn't feel right. Not like the Misty I know. Heh. As if I really know her when I can't even see how she felt about me. He started chuckling to himself in the empty room (empty except for clothes and stuff everywhere) It sounds so serious when I say 'felt about me' as if she...no, whatever it is I am not denying it. Not anymore. She did. I know it. Misty loved me. And that's why she left? *mental sigh* Well no duh einstein since you never gave the girl a second glance. She was tired of waiting, she had to be. So patient. I could never put up with me for so long and get nothing out of it. But something still remains here. Something is still not right........Rose's other question...How do I feel about her? Ash was perfectly still for those next five minutes. He didn't move, barely breathed. He wasn't even sure if he blink in those five minutes. But those five minutes seemed to be endless, endless and empty. He thought of nothing and said nothing - something he couldn't even imagine himself doing looking back on the last three months, twenty seven days, nine hours, twenty six minutes and...two seconds. He snapped out of his trance his mind completely cleared - the first time for a long while and then a quick image of Misty at Maiden's Peak.
"Well now that's much easier" Ash said out loud for no one in particular. "I love her and I always have, I just ignored it through my pokemon."
"Well now that you've been enlightened on your feelings, what are you going to dod about it Ash?" Rose said from the doorway of his bedroom; her arms crossed and leaning against the door frame.
Ash didn't bother to wonder or ask how she got there but instead he smiled and answered "I'm going to go after her no matter how long it takes and I'm going to tell her whether she still loves me or not but first I'm going to warm up this delicous meal and make my travel arrangements. By the way, did you already plan a small going away party for me already?"
"Yes" she said with complete honesty " though it was supposed to be a supprise going away party. At this rate-o-realization you'll discover how to perform cold fusion before yours truly."
"Oh that's easy. You just take an ice cube, put a string on it and put salt on both of them and there you go." he said with his mouth full of food.
"Never mind. Good luck Ash." Rose turned away and walked downstairs where everyone was waiting, all concerned about Ash, and she nodded, everyone apparently knowing what it meant. Maybe it isn't too late after all. she thought over the loud cheers of joy which Ash clearly would hear.
YAY I FINALLY FINISHED!!! Sorry but I'm a really slow writer, even when it's doing something I really like not to mention the fact that I'm a slow typist but don't worry, chapter 4 is coming soon...er although that's not very reasuring. *sigh* Where's Washu-chan when you need her.