Disclaimers: I don't own Pokémon, PS2 and etc.

Chapter Seven

Melody's Plan

Misty was out of words. She saw the broken pieces of the statue. So much like my dream, she thought. She couldn't speak.

   "You broke it," she said softly. Her expression was unreadable.

   "Yeah. And now I'm in trouble," Ash said, kneeling down on the grass. He looked at the pieces.

   Misty's mind was blank. She grabbed Ash's collar. "Let's go before anybody sees us!"

   "What?"

   "Look, Melody and I will figure this out. In the meantime, try not to get us in trouble. Let's go!" Misty dragged Ash back inside the school building and inside the classroom where they were holding the meeting.

   "You're back!" Todd said.

   "Y-yeah," Misty said nervously, hoping that nobody saw them at the front lawn. What were you thinking, Misty? Front lawn. Of course someone saw you! It seemed like it was a little voice whispering inside Misty's head.

   "Well? Is there anything the gardener should do?" Melody asked.

   Misty was looking at her sneakers apprehensively. She hoped nobody would prod through the situation. "What?"

   "Is there anything the gardener should do?" Melody repeated her question. She looked at Misty warily. "Is there a problem, Misty?"

   Misty waved her hands dismissively. "Oh, no! No problem at all…hehehe…uh, no. Everything looks fine at the front lawn to us, right Ash?"

   "Yeah, whatever you say," Ash said, trying to figure out what was Misty thinking.

   "Right…" Melody said, sensing that there was something very leery about the whole situation.

   Misty gulped. "Uh, Melody?"
   "Yeah?"

   "Can we move the place of the dance? I was thinking that the back lawn would be better…"

   "Why? The front lawn is almost in front of the school, and the water fountain is there," Melody said perplexedly. She gave Misty her creepy wary look again. She was about to ask what was wrong again, but she decided to leave the subject until the whole meeting was over.

   Todd and Clair presented their ideas for decoration, but each time they tried to explain why they should use it, Suzie would interrupt them with their own idea. Melody, who was trying to be as nice as she could present to Suzie, told Todd and Clair to check if they could consider it. Suzie, on the other hand, was thinking that Melody was giving in to her.

   Suzie presented the list of foods they were going to have at the dance. Melody agreed with every bit Suzie had on her list.

   "What? Why do you have to agree with everything she says?" Clair said.

   "I'm not agreeing with everything she says, Clair. I'm just being diplomatic, that's all. Besides, don't you want pizza on our menu?"

   "This is sick." Clair looked at her watch. It was half past four. "I have to go, I promised my mom that I'll help her out at the store today."
   "Okay, I guess that's all for today. Well, we've accomplished a lot! Maybe by tomorrow we can start putting up the lights and stuff. Okay? See you guys tomorrow," Melody said, putting her notepad back her backpack. She spotted a frozen Misty by the doorway.

   "Okay, spill."

   "Can we talk about this over pizza? Let's go to my house and order some," Misty said.

   Melody immediately agreed. She and Misty had been friends since 2nd grade, and she knew whenever Misty wanted to talk something over pizza, it was something really serious or really dramatic.

~*~

   "You—you—you—" Melody was out of words too.

   "Yes. Ash Ketchum broke the statue of ex-Principal Robert Lennon I," Misty nodded, taking a bite from her pepperoni pizza.

   Melody screamed.

   "Please, help me figure this out…" Misty begged, offering Melody more soda. "Soda?"

   Melody took the can and took a big breath. "You know how emotional our Porky Lennon is about his father."

   "Melody, you don't have to remind me about that."

   Melody grabbed another slice. "I can't think of anything to get us out of this. You can hope that nobody saw you, but the dance is a big problem." Melody took out a sheet of paper from her pocket. She gave it to Misty. "Read."

   "What's this?"

   "Just read it, you'll see."

Ms. Gates, as head of the Homecoming Dance committee, I would like you to ask your staff about making a Hawaiian grass skirt for my father, ex-Principal Robert Lennon the First's statue. That statue maybe only a half-statue, but my father loved Hawaiian grass skirts. Do you want to know why he loved grass skirts?

            Long ago…

(long, boring story)

            Now Melody, you see how fond he was of grass skirts. In fact, I'm thinking on doing a Hawaiian-themed dance some time this year…

   Misty gave the paper back to Melody. The sheet of paper turned out to be a long letter about Hawaiian grass skirts, more about Lennon's father and about the statue. But his whole point was to be able to decorate the statue with a Hawaiian grass skirt during the Homecoming dance.

   "Great. Lennon wants a grass skirt," Misty said.

   "The statue does not have legs, but it's a half-statue placed in a holder, right? So it works. But now, it doesn't. Because the statue is broken."

   "It wasn't my fault!" Misty said.

   "You know that you're the right-hand of this dance. And even Ketchum broke the statue; Lennon will still punish you for your 'vandalizing' and for being 'careless'."

   "Why? It was Ash's fault," Misty said.

   "Well, seeing that he's very sentimental when it came to a very important memorabilia of his father and for being not extra-careful. Of course, Ash will get more punishment."

   Misty put down her can. "He was right, though. That statue looked absolutely absurd there. I guess partly he was just trying to help, but he wasn't thinking."

   "Weren't you the one who said that he didn't have a brain?" Melody inquired surprisingly.

   Misty looked at her friend's facial expression. "Well, I guess everybody is blessed with a brain."

   "Oh." Melody said, itching to tease.

   Misty could see that if Melody found out about the little episode with Mrs. Carlton and Todd, she would tease her a lot. So Misty decided to switch the topic. "Okay, so what do we do about the statue?"

   "I don't know…" Melody said thoughtfully, squeezing the can with her right hand. "This is so not right, but it's the only idea that I can up with on this situation. I think you should keep this a secret."

   "Are you sure?"

   "Not really," Melody said. "But I think we should see what happens first. The best thing to do is, of course, come clean."

   "Maybe after Principal Lennon finds out," Misty said, feeling guilty.

~*~

   "Way to go!" Richie said. "I mean, it was vandalizing, but come on, that statue is just so…so…strange," Richie said, putting his video-game controller down to gulp some of his soda.

   Richie and Ash were at Ash's house, playing video games. Ash was on the beanbag chair, cheering Pikachu on. Yes, that's right. Pikachu was better than Ash when it came to playing Richie's favorite video game.

   "Pika-chu!" Pikachu squealed.

   "Great move, Pikachu. Make sure you don't lose life points in this level, I bet Richie's gonna need you." Ash said.

   "Pika-pika-pika-chu pi-pika-chu," Pikachu said, nodding delightfully. {I'm better than you in this game, so I'll do fine, Ash.}

   Ash just leaned back on his beanbag chair and watched the game. He looked at Richie. "Well, Misty was so frantic about it, I didn't even get the chance to say that it was my fault and I'll take the blame for breaking the statue."

   "It wasn't anything heroic and there's no reason to be actually celebrating because it was wrong and everything, but that statue looked hideous there," Richie said swiftly, pushing the buttons of the controller rapidly. "Pikachu! Move him to the left!"

   "Pika!"

   Ash took off his cap and got up to grab the remote control of his air-conditioner. He turned it on and flopped on his cushy bed. "I don't know why it's so hot. I mean, isn't it supposed to be winter these days?"

   "Yeah. But you know these weather changes. This heat wave is telling us to be prepared for the cold weather," Richie said. His game character finally ran out of weapons and stood up. "Pikachu, you know how to save it to the Memory Card, right?" He dropped his controller on the floor.

   "Pika!" Pikachu responded, hunting inside the PS2 box for the Memory Card. Pikachu finally found the Memory Card and saved the game. The little yellow pokémon cleverly plugged out the plugs and closed the big glass cabinet's door, where Ash's DVD player, PS2 and stereo are kept.

   Richie sat on Ash's beanbag chair. "So what are you planning to do about it?"

   "I don't know. But that bossy girl will think of something," Ash said.

   Pikachu went out of the room to do something else rather than listen to Ash and Richie's conversation.

   "You're a lucky guy, Ash," Richie said. (This may not be the exact line Rudy used in an episode called, "Misty Meets Her Match", but close enough.)

   "Huh?"

   Richie just shook his head. There was a ringing noise coming from Richie's pocket. He pulled out a tiny cell phone and answered it. "Yes. We had?" Richie sweatdropped and began nodding nervously, earning him a weird look from Ash. "Yes. Sure I remember. Honest. I did. Okay. Bye." Richie exhaled.

   "What was that about?"

   "Duplica," Richie said, standing up. "I forgot that I promised to come with her the next time she goes shopping."

   "You did?" Ash said.

   "Yeah. She wants me to help her to pick out a new dress for the dance." Richie groaned. "Gotta go and meet her at the mall. See ya."

~*~

   On Tuesday morning everybody was talking about the broken statue. Most of the kids found it funny that the statue was broken. Everybody was chattering and talking about it.

   "Will all the students please report the to auditorium? Attendance is necessary," an angry tone wafted through the loud speaker. Principal Lennon found out the very next morning about the broken statue.

   The students filed inside the auditorium, mostly aware that they were called to the auditorium because of the broken statue. Brock and Tracey were also surprised to find that Ash was the one who broke the statue. It was partly an accident, since he meant to move the statue, but he didn't realize that the statue-holder is cemented on the ground.

   "You're in so much trouble," Tracey said, taking a seat.

   Ash and Brock sat on either side of Tracey.

   Principal Lennon went up to the stage. He was carrying a big brown sack, possibly containing the broken pieces of the statue. He had a thick folder under his right arm and a grass skirt on his left. He stood there, looking at the crowd.

   "Most of you probably know why your presence is vital." Principal Lennon said, pacing the stage. He was holding the microphone tightly on his left hand. "You all saw the broken statue, right?"

   The students did not respond.

   "VANDALISM!" He said barked, and everyone jumped.

   "You all know how much that statue meant to me," he said in a thick, emotional tone. Is he going to cry? Ash thought.

   Principal Lennon put the sack down and took out the objects inside it. Sure enough, it was the broken pieces of the statue. He held the four pieces that make up the head and placed them on the table the janitor placed in front. "These are the exact pieces. The exact pieces of the symbol that immortalizes my father's reign in this school!" He said, holding up the piece that what looked like the nose. Some of the students in front giggled.

   "You think it was funny?" Principal Lennon roared, but his voice was syrupy and gushy.

  

   "Yuck! Is he going to cry?" Ash said.

   "Looks that way," someone said, flopping on the empty seat beside Ash. It was Gary Oak.

   "Gary!" Ash said.

   "That's my name."

   "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to sit with your friends?" Ash said.

   "Correction, Ash. Gary does not have any friends," Richie commented from behind them.

   "Shut up, Richie. Or I'll tell Duplica." Gary snickered.

   " 'Shut up, Richie. Or I'll tell Duplica,' " Ash said, mimicking Gary's taunting tone. Gary scowled. "Shut up, Gary. Or I'll tell King Snuggles."

   Richie, Rudy and Todd laughed from behind.

   "Who's King Snuggles?" Todd asked, suppressing his laughter.

   "King Snuggles? King Snuggles is Gary's stuffed panda." Ash explained, and the boys from the back erupted with laughter.

   Gary blushed. "You jerk! You'll pay for that," he said threateningly, clenching his teeth. But his face was all red and couldn't exactly show a convincing expression that he'll make Ash pay.

   "Maybe he's going to ask King Snuggles' army to help him," Richie joked, laughing.

   That did it. Even Brock and Tracey began laughing so hard. The people around also joined the laughing.

   Gary balled his fists and left. He felt so embarrassed; he didn't even have the courage to give Ash a punch.

   "Look! He's actually going to do it! He's going to call King Snuggles' army!" Rudy said, pointing at Gary's back. He settled down to seat seven rows away from them.

   "Wait till Whitney hears this," Richie said.

   And the scores are: Ash Ketchum receives a ten! Gary Oak: a big fat ZERO! Let's give Ash a big hooray!

   Ash grinned, not caring anymore what was the principal saying about the statue.

~*~

   "The first time the principal cancelled the dance was due to lack of preparation. This time, it's because someone broke the statue!" Janine Ethel said, waving her fork.

   Suzie found herself a new circle of friends. Friends who just matched her attitude and are 'within her league'.

   "However, it was kinda cool though. I mean, that statue is so lame anyway, don't you think so, Suzie?" Bridget Ferris said, looking at Suzie. She groaned. "Don't sweat it, Suzie! Melody is no competition. Tracey is a smart guy. He'll pick you over that…that…walking fashion disaster." Bridget was clearly referring to Melody's new platform shoes. "Those shoes CLASH with her outfit."

   "Huh? What?" Suzie said, snapping back to reality.

   "She said that you have much better chance than Melody," Cassidy Jones put in. "She's so like, annoying, you know?"

   "She's more popular though, I have to say." Suzie sighed.

   "What? Don't let your Suzie-ishi-ness down, Suzie! Melody may be popular, but I have a plan…" Cassidy said is a malevolent tone, huddling the girls together.

~*~

   "Don't panic," Clair said. "We'll figure out a way…"

   Karen forked a piece of lettuce. She saw two strands of hair stuck on the leaf. "Gross!" Karen said, wrinkling her nose.

   "What's up?" Melody asked.

   "My salad's got hair strands all over it." She looked at her soup. "Even my macaroni soup!"

   "Those kids need to stop sticking their heads under the sneeze guard." Clair pushed away her own salad.

   Melody looked at Misty. "Look, you can talk to Ash about it and decide. I'll go with you."

   "Oh, please. Ash Ketchum?" Misty said, shaking her head.

   "Well, you can't avoid this fact. YOU were with him. HE partly broke the statue. So unless you want everybody to hang around and wait for the dance until the end of the year, I suggest you talk."

   "I can't talk to that guy. He's such a jerk. He's insensitive—"

   Melody nearly ripped her hair in irritation. "Misty Waterflower!" Melody said, vexed. "You're being ridiculous. How hard is it to say: 'Ash, what are we going to do about the statue?'" She looked at Misty. "Huh? Just how hard is it? It's not like you're going to marry him after that!"

   Misty looked down. She took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's meet him after school."

~*~

Wacky Witch: Chapter finished!!! Some words to describe it: Lame. Bad. Stupid.

Reviewers:

LavenderEspeon: Thanks for the nice reviews!!! I'm still waiting for Driving Me Crazy!

Violet Emeralds, once again, you've done a great job on your own FIC!!! And thanks for the encouragement and telling me not quit Fanfiction.net. Thanks for reviewing my fic and anticipating for the next chapter.

M*Y*S*T-L*A*D*Y! I've read your review on Violet Emeralds' Anything But Ordinary, and I see you're also a CCS fan!!! And thanks for the review and all that. ^_^

Shadow-I LUV Ash Ketchum, thanks for your nice comments and reviews.

And to all the other reviewers:

Thanks for the great reviews and encouragements for me to continue. Please say you will still hang on and keep reading this fic.

THANKS SO MUCH!!!

As for the errors, completed this while watching a movie in Lifetime called Someone to Love Me: Moment Of…