Chapter 2: And Brock Makes Five
Just as Misty had predicted, at the Pewter City Gym where he lived with his ten brothers and sisters and worked as a Gym Leader, Brock was pacing the floor wondering what on Earth had become of Ash, Misty and Tracey who were running about five minutes late already.
"Why are they late? What could have happened to them? Ash and Misty must not have a good concept of time."
Just then the telephone rang and Brock ran to answer it. He was hoping that it was Ash.
"Hello. Pewter Gym, this is Brock. May I help you?" He answered trying not to sound too excited.
"Hey, Brock. It's Misty. Are you ready?" Misty asked.
"I've been ready for an hour. Where are you guys? The plane leaves in 2 ½ hours. If you guys don't hurry we won't make the flight."
"Sorry. We're about 10 minutes from the Gym. We're late because Tracey got delayed and then Ash needed to talk to Professor Oak." Misty explained as calmly as possible.
"Okay. Just so long as you are on your way and nothing has happened to you, I'm cool with it. One more thing before I get off of here, Misty."
"What's that, Brock?" She wondered what else he wanted to know that he didn't already.
"You sound upset. A little distracted, even. Is something wrong?" Brock sounded a little concerned.
"It's nothing major. I'll tell you later. I promise."
"Okay. Sure. Bye, Misty." Brock said as he hung up the phone.
"Bye."
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"So, was Brock worried?" Ash asked distantly.
"Yeah, a little but he calmed down when I told him we were close. Are you okay, Ash?" Misty said quietly.
"She's right, Ash." Tracey suddenly decided to cut in. "Back when we were traveling together you were always the one who was jabbering on and on whenever we began a new adventure. Now you're strangely quiet. You haven't said much of anything since we left the lab. Wait a second. Ash, does the arrangement that Professor Oak set up to get us through this still bother you. He answered all your questions so you shouldn't be so worried. I'm not even as nervous anymore and that's saying something."
"I don't know, Trace. I should have been calmed down by now but it just seems, I don't know." Ash turned to look out the window. "I can't put my finger on it, but I get a strange feeling that something isn't quite right and I think it goes much deeper than we're going to."
At first, Misty thought that Ash might have been on to the fact that she was nervous but realized that she was probably wrong. At least, she hoped that she was. Ash was her boyfriend and they were living together and she loved him more than anything, but she couldn't let him figure out what was bothering her. Not just yet. She needed to get an unbiased opinion on it first before she brought it up to Ash. As she pulled the car into Pewter City Gym, Misty decided that she would find a chance to discuss it with Brock, preferably sooner rather than later.
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Back at the Gym, Brock was giving the oldest of his young brothers some last minute instructions for taking on challengers in his absence.
"Remember what I told you. It is your responsibility to take on any challengers with all that you have. Don't forget what I taught you. You are in charge of the Gym and the Boulder Badge while I'm gone."
"But Brock, I don't have any Pokemon. How am I supposed to represent the Gym?" his brother asked, puzzled.
"Easy. I am also leaving you responsible for Onix and Geodude. They both have agreed to help you and will obey you just like they do me." Just then, Brock heard a car pulling up outside and someone knocked on the door. "That's everyone now. I have given you the number to reach me in an emergency and Dad is not far away so you can call him if you have any questions other than that. You guys have fun and remember to do your best." Brock patted his brother on the shoulder before going to the door.
"Yo, Brocko! How's it shakin?" Ash said as soon as Brock opened the door for them.
"I'm great, Ash. You look pretty good yourself buddy." Brock replied, clapping Ash on the back before going to shake hands with Tracey and give Misty and Pikachu a hug.
"Pika pi chi kachu Pikapichu!" (Looking good, Brock!)
"Hey, guys. It's great that we are all so glad to see each other but we should remember that you have a flight to catch. We really should get going." Tracey reminded them.
"Yeah. Tracey's right. Just let me grab my stuff and I'm ready. I left Onix and Geodude with my siblings and my brother is going to battle any trainers that come for badges while I'm gone." Brock said as he grabbed his bags and headed for the door. The others quickly followed and were soon on their way to the airport.
Once they got on the road, everything broke loose at once it seemed. Tracey started going on about all of the different sketches he was going to be able to do and Ash, who was beginning to feel better about the plane situation after talking with Tracey, was chattering about bonding time with Pikachu and how he was looking forward to trying to get new Pokemon while Pikachu sat on his lap, licking at a bottle of ketchup that Brock had brought for him. At this point, Brock decided to try to draw Misty out because she seemed very distant and this wasn't normal for her.
"Hey, Misty. I was just thinking that you never answered my question earlier. You just said you'll tell me later."
Misty immediately tensed up and glanced at Ash who was luckily too engrossed in conversation with Tracey to pay any attention to what Brock had just said. She then brought one hand off of the steering wheel and placed it next to her face, blocking it from Ash's view. "I'll tell you once we get on the plane. You'll soon see why." Misty mouthed, hoping feverently that Brock would catch on and drop the subject.
"Okay, Misty. Whatever you say. But just remember that when you want to talk about whatever is bugging you, I'm here." Brock said quietly.
"Thanks, Brock."
Minutes later, they pulled into Vermilion City Airport and got their luggage unloaded and checked. As they headed into the terminal with their carry-on luggage Brock spoke up.
"S.S. Anne, here we come. Man, am I ever looking forward to a great vacation. This will be a great chance to relax."
"You have no idea how great." Ash thought, unconsciously patting the tube in his vest pocket as he followed the others into the airport.
Just as Misty had predicted, at the Pewter City Gym where he lived with his ten brothers and sisters and worked as a Gym Leader, Brock was pacing the floor wondering what on Earth had become of Ash, Misty and Tracey who were running about five minutes late already.
"Why are they late? What could have happened to them? Ash and Misty must not have a good concept of time."
Just then the telephone rang and Brock ran to answer it. He was hoping that it was Ash.
"Hello. Pewter Gym, this is Brock. May I help you?" He answered trying not to sound too excited.
"Hey, Brock. It's Misty. Are you ready?" Misty asked.
"I've been ready for an hour. Where are you guys? The plane leaves in 2 ½ hours. If you guys don't hurry we won't make the flight."
"Sorry. We're about 10 minutes from the Gym. We're late because Tracey got delayed and then Ash needed to talk to Professor Oak." Misty explained as calmly as possible.
"Okay. Just so long as you are on your way and nothing has happened to you, I'm cool with it. One more thing before I get off of here, Misty."
"What's that, Brock?" She wondered what else he wanted to know that he didn't already.
"You sound upset. A little distracted, even. Is something wrong?" Brock sounded a little concerned.
"It's nothing major. I'll tell you later. I promise."
"Okay. Sure. Bye, Misty." Brock said as he hung up the phone.
"Bye."
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"So, was Brock worried?" Ash asked distantly.
"Yeah, a little but he calmed down when I told him we were close. Are you okay, Ash?" Misty said quietly.
"She's right, Ash." Tracey suddenly decided to cut in. "Back when we were traveling together you were always the one who was jabbering on and on whenever we began a new adventure. Now you're strangely quiet. You haven't said much of anything since we left the lab. Wait a second. Ash, does the arrangement that Professor Oak set up to get us through this still bother you. He answered all your questions so you shouldn't be so worried. I'm not even as nervous anymore and that's saying something."
"I don't know, Trace. I should have been calmed down by now but it just seems, I don't know." Ash turned to look out the window. "I can't put my finger on it, but I get a strange feeling that something isn't quite right and I think it goes much deeper than we're going to."
At first, Misty thought that Ash might have been on to the fact that she was nervous but realized that she was probably wrong. At least, she hoped that she was. Ash was her boyfriend and they were living together and she loved him more than anything, but she couldn't let him figure out what was bothering her. Not just yet. She needed to get an unbiased opinion on it first before she brought it up to Ash. As she pulled the car into Pewter City Gym, Misty decided that she would find a chance to discuss it with Brock, preferably sooner rather than later.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Back at the Gym, Brock was giving the oldest of his young brothers some last minute instructions for taking on challengers in his absence.
"Remember what I told you. It is your responsibility to take on any challengers with all that you have. Don't forget what I taught you. You are in charge of the Gym and the Boulder Badge while I'm gone."
"But Brock, I don't have any Pokemon. How am I supposed to represent the Gym?" his brother asked, puzzled.
"Easy. I am also leaving you responsible for Onix and Geodude. They both have agreed to help you and will obey you just like they do me." Just then, Brock heard a car pulling up outside and someone knocked on the door. "That's everyone now. I have given you the number to reach me in an emergency and Dad is not far away so you can call him if you have any questions other than that. You guys have fun and remember to do your best." Brock patted his brother on the shoulder before going to the door.
"Yo, Brocko! How's it shakin?" Ash said as soon as Brock opened the door for them.
"I'm great, Ash. You look pretty good yourself buddy." Brock replied, clapping Ash on the back before going to shake hands with Tracey and give Misty and Pikachu a hug.
"Pika pi chi kachu Pikapichu!" (Looking good, Brock!)
"Hey, guys. It's great that we are all so glad to see each other but we should remember that you have a flight to catch. We really should get going." Tracey reminded them.
"Yeah. Tracey's right. Just let me grab my stuff and I'm ready. I left Onix and Geodude with my siblings and my brother is going to battle any trainers that come for badges while I'm gone." Brock said as he grabbed his bags and headed for the door. The others quickly followed and were soon on their way to the airport.
Once they got on the road, everything broke loose at once it seemed. Tracey started going on about all of the different sketches he was going to be able to do and Ash, who was beginning to feel better about the plane situation after talking with Tracey, was chattering about bonding time with Pikachu and how he was looking forward to trying to get new Pokemon while Pikachu sat on his lap, licking at a bottle of ketchup that Brock had brought for him. At this point, Brock decided to try to draw Misty out because she seemed very distant and this wasn't normal for her.
"Hey, Misty. I was just thinking that you never answered my question earlier. You just said you'll tell me later."
Misty immediately tensed up and glanced at Ash who was luckily too engrossed in conversation with Tracey to pay any attention to what Brock had just said. She then brought one hand off of the steering wheel and placed it next to her face, blocking it from Ash's view. "I'll tell you once we get on the plane. You'll soon see why." Misty mouthed, hoping feverently that Brock would catch on and drop the subject.
"Okay, Misty. Whatever you say. But just remember that when you want to talk about whatever is bugging you, I'm here." Brock said quietly.
"Thanks, Brock."
Minutes later, they pulled into Vermilion City Airport and got their luggage unloaded and checked. As they headed into the terminal with their carry-on luggage Brock spoke up.
"S.S. Anne, here we come. Man, am I ever looking forward to a great vacation. This will be a great chance to relax."
"You have no idea how great." Ash thought, unconsciously patting the tube in his vest pocket as he followed the others into the airport.