Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own them. Wish I did! ^_^ I just (kinda) own the characters for Lupusa and Casey. Yep. That's all. Bye-bye!
Author's Notes: I haven't done ages for a while, have I? Okay…these are scary.
Ash: 18
Richie: 18
Misty: 19
Lupusa: 20
Brock: 21
Casey: 22
Nurse Joy: 22
Officer Jenny: 22
Jesse: 22
James: 22
Friends to the End
By Ark9
Chapter Ten
Mandy the Magnificent
"Hey! Richie's here, too!" Ash exclaimed.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu said, its happy mood continuing.
"What?" Ash suddenly shouted in surprise. "Brock and Misty are going to compete, too?"
"Pika!"
"But Brock's pokémon don't stand a chance in the water! …and Misty's pokémon would do well in the water field and probably the ice on too. They would even have an advantage against a rock pokémon! But grass-types mow down water-types," Ash wondered, with a completely befuddled look on his face.
"Chu!" Yeah!
"…they know that, too. I wonder why they are competing, then," Ash continued to stare at the computer screen. He started to feel guilty for running away from Misty without letting her explain why she let her sisters do that.
"Pi, kapika!" Hm, I wonder! Pikachu said, sarcastically.
"Do you know?"
"Pi?! Pikachu." Me?! Not a clue. it said, resisting the temptation to laugh at its trainers stupidity and the look on his face.
"Hm," Ash thought, not knowing whether to believe him or not. He didn't know what Pikachu was hinting at. It probably had something to do with Misty. He was getting frustrated with himself and then finally thought of something to change the subject that Pikachu would like. "Hey, Pikachu!" he called. "Let's go see if we can go find Richie!" he asked, tipping his head towards the door.
"Pika!" it said, calming down.
They both went outside to go and look for Richie, but first they decided to get something to eat.
They decided to try Jesse and James's restaurant because it was right across the street, they had helped (very little) to find Misty, and frankly, they couldn't think of anyway else to go, anyway. They went in and soon were wolfing down platefuls of food. By the time they were done, it was almost three thirty.
"Oh, no!" Ash said, realizing what time it was. "Come on, Pikachu! We've got to get to the water field!"
"Pika!" Yeah!
They took off running towards the stadium. As soon as they got into the locker room, they listened for the announcer's voice to call Ash into the field to start his first-round match.
"Oooh, that Gary," Ash growled angrily.
"Good luck, Ash!" Gary said, heading out of the stadium. "You sure are gonna need it to stay in! I hope you do, 'cause I want to be the one to beat you!"
Ash stared off at Gary's form, exiting the stadium. He thought about what Gary had said, getting more angry ever minute, but thankfully the announcer called out the next two trainers before he did anything.
"Pikachu!" Let's go!
"Alright."
Soon they were both in their trainer's boxes and ready to begin. Once again, Mandy led off with Exeggutor.
"Eeexeeehh!"
"I choose you, Blastoise!"
"Blast!"
"Exeggutor, razor leaf!"
"Blastoise, ice beam!"
"Wow! Both attacks hit home and both trainers will have to change pokémon!" the announcer boomed.
"Kingdra, go!"
"Huh? What's that?" Ash wondered, and took out his pokédex.
"Kingdra, the water and dragon pokémon," dexter said. "This is the fully evolved form of Horsea."
"Oh."
"Hurry up and choose your pokémon!" Mandy shouted from across the arena.
"Ready Pikachu?" Ash asked.
"Pikachu pi!" I was born ready! Pikachu said and then jumped off onto on of the floating blocks in the water.
"Pikachu, quick attack!"
"Kingdra, agility!"
"Both pokémon are showing off their speed, but Kingdra seems to be faster!" the announcer continued.
"Ha, ha. Your Pikachu is too slow for Kingdra while it is using its agility!" Mandy said triumphantly.
"We'll see," Ash retorted. "Pikachu! Use your thunderbolt!"
"Pika!" Yeah! it said and then started building its energy. "Pi…ka…CHU!"
"Kingdra, no!" Mandy shouted.
"Kingdra can no longer battle. Kingdra is out of the match," the referee said.
"Yeah! Just one more, Pikachu!" Ash yelled happily.
"Pika!" Yeah!
"You haven't won yet," Mandy shouted. "Crobat, go!"
*But Crobat is a flying-type,* Ash thought. *Too bad he chose the wrong pokémon to start.* He smiled.
"…Wing attack!"
"Crrraaaah!" it yelled, diving down towards Pikachu.
"Pikachu! Fry it with a thunder attack!"
"Pika!" Okay! "CHA!" it cried as it was hit by Crobat's wing.
"Pika!" it yelled angrily and then gave it a thunder attack. "Piii…kaaaaa…CHU!"
Crobat fell on its back onto one of the ice blocks.
"Crobat is unable to battle. Victory goes to Ash and his Pikachu!"
"Yea! Great job, Pikachu!" Ash yelled while picking it up and hugging it.
"Pikachu!" it answered happily.
"But I'm Mandy the Magnificent. How can I loose?" Mandy moaned and then slowly sneaked away.
"Come on, Pikachu!" Ash said. "Let's see if we can find Richie. Can you sniff out Sparky?"
"Pika!" Sure!
"Then let's go!"
Pikachu ran around on all fours with its nose on the ground with Ash following close behind. They followed the scent of everywhere Sparky had been until Pikachu finally stopped in the pokémon center.
"Pikachu?" it asked.
"Oh, hi, Pikachu!" Nurse Joy answered. "Yes, Sparky's being treated right now."
"Pika!" Found it!
"Great," Ash said sarcastically. "It would have been better if we had just come here in the first place instead of wondering around all over the place. I should probably get you and Blastoise checked, too."
"Pika!" it said and jumped up on the counter. Ash put Blastoise's pokéball beside Pikachu.
"Where are you battling next, Ash?" Nurse Joy asked.
"The rock field," Ash answered. "It always is the toughest because Pikachu is my best pokémon and it can't battle very well there."
"Hm," Nurse Joy thought and then smiled. "Looks like Blastoise will be useful for you there, too."
"Yep!" Ash said happily.
"Pikachu!" it waved as Chansey rolled a cart with it and Blastoise away.
That reminded Ash that he didn't know what he was going to do while he wanted. He went and sat down on the couch.
"Nurse Joy?" he called.
"What is it, Ash?" she asked, worry starting to sneak up into her voice. "Is something wrong?"
"I'm not sure," he said soberly. "Have you seen Misty? I mean, since I was here last time?"
"Yes," she answered, and then thought about the last time she saw Misty come to the center. "She seemed frustrated with something. She just left her pokémon on the counter and left.
"Oh," Ash sighed, feeling guilty.
"Why do you ask?" she asked with more concern.
"I just…it's nothing. I wanted to make sure she wasn't forgetting about her pokémon, that's all. Nothing to be worried about," he said and forced a smile.
"If you say so…" she responded and returned to the counter. "It's almost curfew. You should be getting back to where you are staying, Ash."
"Yeah," Ash mumbled and left the pokémon center.
Nurse Joy cocked her head to the side in confusion. Then she wrinkled her eyebrows and shook her head. "I hope he gets this straightened out," she thought out loud before turning around and getting ready for bed herself.
Ash hurried to the hotel. He went in his room and found the door to Misty's room locked.
"Misty?" he called quietly and knocked. He got no answer besides silence. "Please answer the door. I want to talk to you. Please?" he cried, but still received no answer from the other side.
Beaten, Ash had no choice at that point, other than to give up. He walked over to his backpack feeling very lonely. He put on his green pajamas that his mom had packed for him, but he never seemed to wear.
He whimpered and squeezed his eyes closed, and snuggled into his bed, wishing that he had at least Pikachu to comfort him. Then he remembered that Pikachu was still a little upset at him for leaving Misty, so it probably wouldn't be much help anyway. Soon he drifted into an uneasy sleep.
*************
Misty sat on a riverbank somewhere beyond Ash's clearing, huddled into a little ball. She watched the water flowing by and thought that she could feel it stirring the emotions inside her head.
She remembered the sinking feeling inside her heart when Ash had coldly yelled at her and then left. Then the burning anger when she got registered with the badges that she had collected to become a gym leader.
Somehow she had managed to be jealous of Casey for having Brock! *How low am I to feel jealous of someone with Brock?* she wondered.
She could feel the adrenaline pumping her through the first field. Then the satisfaction of proving to herself that she was still a winner and the world hadn't turned its back on her, yet.
She knew that Ash was still out there. Probably, her didn't even care that she was gone. She gave Nurse Joy her pokémon to be treated and then wondered out here with her memories of that day flooding back.
She fretted about the bank for not bringing her backpack or her sleeping bag. Eventually, she gathered some leaves together on the grass and stretched out on top of them to try and fall asleep.
"If only you knew…" she whispered to the wind, letting a single tear escape before resting her head in her crossed arms and waiting for sleep to come.
*************
Ash woke up and glanced at the clock on the wall of his room.
"Whoa! It's nine o'clock! We better get to the stadium quick, Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed and then remembered that he wasn't dressed and Pikachu was still at the pokémon center. He fell over at his own stupidity.
Then he sprinted around his room getting ready faster than Pikachu when it was using its agility. Next, he scurried to the Pokémon Center and grabbed Pikachu and Blastoise's pokéball from a very surprised Nurse Joy.
"Pika!" it cried and pried itself out of Ash's grip. It ran and attached itself onto his head. It squinted its eyes to try and see where Ash was going through the wind from his wild dash.
They arrived at the stadium just in time to hear the announcer's voice, "…and a congratulations to Brock and his Onix!"
Ash walked out of the locker room and greeted his friend.
"Hey, Brocko!" he said, now running. He didn't slow down until he completely stopped in front of Brock.
"Hey, Ash!" Brock grinned. "Casey tells me that you've seen Misty here already."
"Yeah," he lowered his head.
Casey giggled. "Looks like lover-boy Ash brought his friend Pikachu here, too!" she laughed.
Ash shook himself to try to clear what she just said from his mind.
"He, he…" Brock laughed nervously. "She has some pretty weird ideas sometimes," he said, looking at her strangely.
Ash sighed with relief when he heard his name being called over the speakers to enter the arena for his battle.
Brock and Casey seated themselves in the stands behind Ash to watch his battle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Umm…answering a question first.
'Is this going to AAMR completely?'
--Yes. Eventually (I know I'm slow) I will get to that, but I am trying to develop the characters first.
As for Casey…She did that comment about the beginning without reading what I did with her character? Ahhh! Everyone better run for cover!
I think that I'm only going to type the last battle completely after this, so don't be alarmed if I have a major time lapse.
I'm not going to do the so-many-reviews thing this time because it is summer and everyone's probably outside running around anyway. (I probably will be too.) I don't know how long it will be to the next chapter, but I will be more inclined to write if you review! ^_^