Summary—Ash and Miriam have a talk about their families.
Chapter 6:
Letters To, Stories Of
Ash chewed on the cap of the pen in deep thought, Pikachu looking over his shoulder—actually not, she had crawled under his arm—at the words he had written. She couldn't read what the letter actually said, but Pikachu could hear Ash quietly dictating the letter to himself. Those ears did come in handy at times.
He seemed stumped, for he had been chewing on the plastic for a long time now, and Pikachu settled herself onto a blanket, making a small nest. Once she deemed it satisfactory at present, the mouse looked around the tiny room, a closet actually. The smell made her nose tingle. The room wasn't cramped, lucky, so Pikapi, Shamin, Miriam, and her could sleep comfortably. Above her on the shelves containers were stacked (some a bit dangerously, for one had fallen on Pikapi's head when he had slumped to the floor), and each was labeled.
Pikachu sighed and evaluated her present predicament. Right now, Pikapi and her were now traveling with the two girls/women (Pikachu was unsure on that point), Shamin and Miriam. She dearly would have loved to shock Miriam every time the woman called her "Rodent," but Pikachu knew her Pikapi wouldn't approve. (Of course, the mouse mused, he didn't like it when she shocked him . . .) But, other than that, Pikachu had no great reason to dislike the two traveling companions. Pikapi also enjoyed their company.
She looked up fondly at her Trainer, who was still seriously considering what he was going to write. Even now, after so many months, Pikachu couldn't decide if she liked his new hair color. It was lighter than her own yellow fur, and, although it didn't look that bad on him, Pikachu still wasn't sure if it worked for him.
Pikachu was quite content with their current life-style. They were together, and Pikapi seemed, for the most part, happy. For Pikachu, as long as they were together, she would remain content. Of course, that didn't mean she didn't want to return to Ziganka or Pallet. She did, but she wouldn't leave Pikapi's side like that. He needed her, and she needed him.
He moved his head slightly at a rustling, saw that it was nothing, and looked down at her. He smiled warmly down at her, and she smiled back. "Chu, pikachu?"
"Almost," he sighed, scratching her ears. "Almost." He shifted himself against his bag, leaning back even more. It was hard to write a letter that said absolutely nothing about where he was, what he was doing, or who he was with, to just write a letter of reasonable length that said he was all right.
He didn't dare bring into mention about Team Rocket or Giovanni, although he knew he should. But that was a threat to his secrecy, something he could not afford to do, unless as a last resort. His conscience bit him though, for he knew he should.
Pikachu's ears pricked at the sound of footsteps, and, after a moment of reflection, relaxed and gave Ash no warning. There was a smile on her features as she leaped up to a shelf.
The door was thrown open, and Ash, without a thought, quickly tried to hide under the covers. He peeked out when he heard laughter. "That was seriously not funny, Miriam!" he scolded, letting the blanket fall to his shoulders.
She shut the door carefully and looked down. "Ya weren't the one who was watchin', right, Rodent?" Miriam smiled as Pikachu slid down. "Hungry?"
"You bet!" Ash laughed, leaping forward. Miriam teasingly moved the bag out of his grasp, and when he stood up to grab it, she raised the bags higher still. God, she loved being tall. "Miriam!"
"Don't be a baby, Blondie," she said making a mocking face, still holding the bag up over her head. "What's the magic word?"
Ash gritted his teeth, hating it when she played these games. "Abra kadabra!" he said nastily.
"Those are Pokémon," she said wisely, poking his nose. "What's the real magic word?"
"Please!"
"Good boy," Miriam purred, sounding like she was congratulating a Growlithe. She even patted his head, taking great pleasure in wounding his pride.
"Come on, Miriam," he pouted, crossing his arms and stomping his foot.
"Are ya gonna hold yar breath, too?"
"Would it work?"
She grinned as she brought the bag down. "Nope. Here, got ya a sub. And that actually got paid for." He looked at her skeptically as he took the sandwich.
"Uh huh?"
"Yep. I made sure to put the order on the guy in front of me! Just had to grab and dash!"
Ash rolled his eyes as he settled back down. "Where's Shamin?"
Miriam waved her hand as she too settled down again. "Around. Don't ya know?" He shook his head as he took a big bite, the lettuce spilling out.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu complained, also wanting something to dine on. Miriam made a face at her.
"Ya can forage, Rodent."
Pikachu narrowed her eyes. "Pika—" she started warningly.
"Oh, shut up," Miriam sighed impatiently, reaching into the bag. "Have some fries. And ketchup."
"How many places did you go to?" Ash asked once he swallowed.
"Excuse me, but I ain't eatin' Shamin's Roadkill Café, yar Vegetarian Delight, or Rodent here's Who-Cares-What-It-Is-So-Long-As-It's-Got-Ketchup-With-It."
Ash looked under the bread. "I've got ham on this, so it's not vegetarian," he countered. "What'd you get then?"
"Somethin' with lots of grease on and in it," she smiled, revealing a burger. "These I stole, just so ya know. Yar's was the only one that got paid for. Does that make ya happy?"
He didn't respond to her baiting. Miriam sighed sadly and leaned against the wall, petting Pikachu off-handedly. With her keen eyes, it didn't take her long to spy the paper Ash had been writing on. It now lay forgotten against a shelf. "What's this?" she asked, grabbing it before Ash could protest.
"Give it back, Miriam!" he ordered making an ill-fated grab for it.
Using her legs as a blockade, Miriam peered at the writing. "'Dear . . .Mom'?" She looked at him dumbfounded, and allowed him to grab the letter back. "Writin' home?"
"Trying," he spat. "Doesn't personal and private mean anything to you?"
Miriam rocked back and forth. "Nope." Her green eyes went over Ash, studying him critically. The bruises were almost gone after these few weeks. They'd had to travel less that what any would have liked because of his discomfort (not that he'd admit it) and the fact that Team Rocket was looking for them, a strange thing in truth. She had never been actually chased by people that had money enough to hire detectives, point a gun on you, made news stations say you were crazy and placed a reward for your live capture, or had really well-trained Pokémon for it. Miriam was impressed that Blondie could avoid all these tactics, stating he had had practice, although, he admitted, not nearly as difficult. He still limped a bit even now, that would vanish soon enough as well, and they could travel faster. "Call me crazy, Shan, I but figured ya were just another runaway."
Ash didn't meet her gaze, feigning that he was studying his letter. Pikachu paused to look at him, wondering how he'd answer. Ash's conscious bit him because of her statement and the use of his alias. He really should tell them his name wasn't actually Shan, but neither Miriam nor Shamin called him it enough for him to ever feel the need to bring it up. "Really?"
She nodded. "Ya never talk about them."
"Neither do you," he countered.
"Hmm." She was quiet. "What are they like, yar folks?"
Ash shrugged, tears striking his eyes, and he turned slightly so she wouldn't see them. "They're all right. Just parents, like most people's, I guess."
"Most people's," Miriam repeated quietly, then waited for him to continue. He was quiet. "Well, how were they?"
Again he shrugged. "My mom was, well, a mom. Always worried about me. Told me to change my 'you-know-what's' right in front of my friends. Could cook really good. I lived with her most of my life, up until a little over a year. Then I went with my dad. I didn't have problems with my mom or anything," he said quickly, seriously struggling to keep his voice perfectly neutral. "Dad was okay. Liked to joke and do family things. Except with his ideas about grades, he would have been great." Ash made a small smile and wished Miriam would look away so he could wipe his eyes.
Miriam nodded. "Sounds like a good family, if ya ask me."
He nodded, and they were quiet for a few minutes. Then Ash decided turnabout was fair play. "What about yours?"
This time Miriam shrugged. "Probably dead or in prison by now," she said with false lightness.
"What? Why?"
Miriam smiled crookedly at him. "Not everyone comes from happy-dappy families, Blondie. Not everyone gets their own room, or own clothes, or whatever. And not everyone gets the privilege of makin' sure their own parents don't choke on their own vomit. Guess which one of them lucky privileges I had."
Ash didn't answer, looking at her with soft eyes.
Again she shrugged and smiled. "Ya know, I can tell most liquors just by their . . . fragrance. An acquired gift, I assure ya. I can tell ya, or at least could, I don't know now, who the best suppliers were in town. Ya end up livin' in a run-down apartment where bums usually crash, and ya don't matter to yar folks after a while. Or ya matter, but not 24-7. Ya don't dare head off to school in case some damn teacher spies an unworthy trait that would require a conference, and ya can't not go to school. Ya're torn between protectin' them and yarself. Ya think they'll clean up soon enough, that they won't do whatever they did again. Course, they don't. And ya can only take so much before ya get out a there for good, for yar own protection." She shook her head, resting her chin on her knees. Her voice never wavered or cracked, like she was just reciting a TV show.
"When did you leave?" Ash asked slowly. He didn't want to hear any details that Miriam probably lived through.
"Nine, ten, eleven. Somewhere around there, I guess. Can't remember." Ash could tell that she was lying, but he didn't bring it up. She probably left earlier.
"Chuka?" Pikachu asked tentatively. Miriam had been given that name, like Ash had "Pikapi". Shamin was addressed as "Chupi". Miriam smiled down at the mouse, petting her ears.
"Ya kinda wonder about them, but after a while they all drift away into Oblivion." Ash knew he was lying. He could never, ever forget about his parents, and he doubted if Miriam could either. But again he did not contradict her.
They were quiet, each eating their respective meals. Miriam looked at the tip of her boots.
"So yar folks just let ya take off to do this trainin'?"
"Once you're ten," Ash said quietly, not actually answering the question.
"I didn't think they did stuff like that over here," she said shrewdly.
Ash shrugged. "I started training when I was with my mom, and started to pick it back up again."
She nodded. "Where'd ya get Rodent? Catch her?"
"No, a Pokémon professor gives you your first Pokémon, one of three. It depends on where you live on which different group of Pokémon you get. Professor Oak gave away a Squirtle, a Charmander, or a Bulbasaur, but over in Johto they give new trainers a Totodile, a Cyndaquil, or a Chikorita. Each is either a Water, Fire, or Grass type respectively."
Miriam looked at him blankly. "Oh." Then she looked at Pikachu. "Well, Rodent here isn't Fire or Grass or Water. Is she?"
Ash made a sheepish grin. "I kinda slept in the day I was supposed to get a Pokémon, and the professor already gave away the other three by the time I arrived. He let me get a Pikachu though."
She studied him. "Why does that scenario not surprise me, Blondie?" He shrugged. "So they give ya these things for free?"
He nodded. "There's a whole bunch of rules that deal with winning and losing, and where you can capture Pokémon, and stuff, but most of the Leagues don't charge fees when you battle."
"I was born on the wrong side of the world," Miriam said sadly, rolling her eyes.
Ash smiled at her, crumbling up his wrapper into a small ball and placing it in the bag. "Which one would you have taken?"
"Same one as Shamin, probably."
That interested him. "And that would be?"
"The cutest one." Miriam grinned deviously as he shook his head sadly. "And speaking of which, where is she?"
"Around."
They locked eyes and grinned. Miriam yawned. "Well, I've got to get some shut-eye, or I'm gonna be a grouch."
"When aren't you?" Ash teased, curling under his sleeping bag.
"Don't blame me if ya wake up with gum in yar hair or somethin'," she responded, closing her eyes.
"Uh-huh."
"I mean it."
"Good night, Miriam. Night, Pikachu."
"Chu, Pikapi, Chuka."
Miriam sighed, then obediently completed the ring. "Night, Blondie, Rodent."
****
Ash gasped at someone kicked him none-too-gently in the side. "Get up!" the voice hissed.
"Ahh! What'd you do that for?" he demanded, clutching his side.
"SHH!" three voices said simultaneously.
"Dammit, ya sleep like a rock!"
"Log, Miriam," Shamin corrected.
"Ya can use either. Now get up, Blondie. We got to get out!"
Ash pushed himself up in the dark, trying to see his friends. "What's going on?" he hissed, shoving his bag into his pack sloppily.
"We're getting surrounded, that's what's wrong," Miriam said darkly. "Bloody cops and the dog things."
"Growlithe?"
"Who cares?" Shamin snapped. "We can take the sky-light. It's how we got in."
"Like they won't expect that," Ash muttered, but was silenced when Shamin kicked him.
"Give me a boost!"
He gritted his teeth and hoisted her up. She stepped on his shoulders and head to get higher up, and he tried not to complain as his shoulder blades were dislocated. It was easier just to fall in, or to take the door like Miriam had after getting their supper. Shamin fumbled with the lock, and Ash was relieved when her weight was off him with a slight push-off from his head. "Come on, Miriam. Take my pack and Pikachu."
"Yes, Sir," she muttered. "It's not like I'm not holdin' anythin' already." Even with all her complaining, she gripped his pack with her teeth and allowed Pikachu to stand on her hair. Ash made another cup with his hands and hefted her up. Thankfully Miriam did not have to use his head as a stool. She worn high-heeled boots, something Ash was not willing to have shoved into his brain. Despite the differences in height and age, Miriam and Shamin weighed about the same.
"Got you, Pikachu," Shamin whispered.
"Chupi!"
Miriam muttered something savagely through the fabric.
"Right, Miriam. Ready, UP!"
Ash looked up at the two faces looking down at him. "Design flaw in this plan," he muttered, seeing that there was no one left to hive him a boost.
"Umm, how are you gonna get up?" Shamin called.
He looked at her savagely. "I planned to release a Spinarak and climb up using its thread."
"Really? You got on of those? Are they cute?"
Miriam banged her on the back of the head. "Learn sarcasm, Hon!"
"Didn't have to hit me."
"Damn, ya're even denser than Blondie!"
"Am not!"
"Hello!" Ash hissed, looking back at the door fearfully. "A little help here!"
"Pikapi!" Pikachu called, worried, ready to jump down.
"Hold up! You stay up here!" Shamin ordered, grabbing the mouse. "Can't you climb on the shelves?"
"They barely hold the containers that are already on them! Throw down a rope!"
"You throw up one!"
"We don't have one, Blondie!"
"Use a sleeping bag!" Ash said quickly.
The heads disappeared, and soon a wide piece of cloth was thrown down. Ash leaped up, managing to grab the hem, but his fingers couldn't keep a good grip.
"Unzip it so I have more fabric!" he said hurriedly, turning his head and believing he could hear footsteps coming his way.
"Gee, you're bossy!" Shamin snapped, but the sleeping bag went back up. It came down quick enough. "Happy?"
Ash didn't replied, starting up. The bag gave him slack, occasionally going down a few inches, but he quickly made it up.
"Blondie, lose weight!" Miriam snapped as he hoisted himself over the ledge. "Dammit, ya're heavy!"
"You're out of shape!" he countered, shutting the window.
"I'll out of shape ya!" Shamin gripped her friend's arm, and Miriam calmed down. "Look at this shape, huh? This is a good shape, huh?" Her voice was oozing the idea that if Ash dared contradict he'd be back in the room with a powerful kick to the groin.
"Come on, let's get out of here," Ash said, dashing over to the ledge. Then he made a face. "Who chose this building?"
"Why?" Shamin asked.
"Can you swim?"
"Is this a trick question?"
"Well, either we cut through the line of cops, or we swim," Ash stated, looking at the three.
"The water doesn't look that cold," Shamin said.
"Water doesn't ever look cold, Hon," Miriam sighed. "Come on. It's only a few stories down."
"How deep do you suppose the water is?" Ash asked.
"Deep." Miriam jumped, holding her pack in her hands.
"Deep." With a smile, Shamin jumped after her.
Ash and Pikachu watched them hit the water, a tad surprised. They bobbed back up safely, and Ash looked at Pikachu, gripping his pack. "I really hope my flute case is water-proof, Pikachu."
"Pikachu."
"Ready?" They both jumped. The water stung Ash, causing his clothes and hair to stick to him, and he kicked himself up to the surface. "Cold, cold!"
Miriam laughed, backstroking away. "Come on!"
"You know, I'm gonna miss that guitar," Shamin sighed, following her lead.
Miriam laughed, already a distance ahead and heading for the bridge. "Yeah right. 'Bout as much as I'm gonna miss that hunk of junk metal!"
Ash treaded water, looking at his pack sheepishly. Pikachu mouse-paddled her way over, not looking too happy with their present happenings. "Pika."
"I know. You can ride on my head, if you like." She needed no second offer, leaping instantly.
"Come on, Shan!" Shamin yelled, almost to the bridge. Miriam was already wringing out her clothes.
"Should have just slept under the bridge in the first place," he muttered, moving off. It took him a few minutes to get to the bridge, and he emerged shivering. Miriam decided to press her advantage, and shoved him back in. Pikachu managed to leap to safety, and all three of them laughed at his predicament. He brought himself closer again, face red and teeth chattering. Miriam smiled and extended her hand down to him, and he took it warily. She was kind and did nothing to him this time. "N-now wh-what-t?" his teeth chatted.
"It's almost mornin', so might as well head out," Miriam sighed, throwing back her wet hair, which effectively stung his face, and walking off. "Out of shape, huh? What do ya think of my shape now?"
Ash was in no mood as he walked alongside her, trying to get the water out of his clothes and hair as he let him mouth go on insulting automatic. "It looks it needs to be remolded so the large amount of hot air that has built up in the top can escape from the frickin' vacuum on the inside! And maybe glue shut the large hole on what it considers as its face that keeps opening and closing like a bloody Goldeen out of water!"
****
Shamin and Pikachu were doubled over in laugher and left profoundly in the dust while Miriam and Ash ran ahead, each with their own distinct purpose for their action.
One was to simply remain alive for an extra five seconds.
Gee, wonder whose motivation that one was?