Note from the Author: Due to some real life obstacles daring to interfere with writing. Instead of the conclusion to Absence Makes… I can only give you this update. Hopefully I will have the rest completed in short order though I do not yet know when.
Absence Makes…
Chapter Two
-10-
Ash looked around to the small judges room. There were five chairs one was occupied by one of the other judges the other four were empty. Each seat had its own television monitor for a close up of the match and instant replay if necessary, as well as a copy of the official rulebook and a pitcher of water or whatever else the judges wanted to drink. Ash sat at one of the chairs and glanced over at the only other person there besides Tracey.
Five judges would make up the panel. Obviously Ash was one and Tracy was the second. The third Judge was Professor Teak often called Professor Moderate because he waited until two judges had made their decision before casting his vote thus insuring he would be on the winning side. The fourth judge was Dr. Malkavbug a pokémon researcher who specialized in legendary pokémon. The fifth judge was the mayor of Viridian City and a former professional pokémon trainer.
One of the two league officials who meet with Ash to plead for his cooperation showed up to thank the judges and assure them that they would have an enjoyable time. Ash rubbed his face with his hands as he waited for the match to begin finally settling them on the pitcher of water and the glass provided for him. He drank as Casey and her opponent took their places in the boxes. Casey was in the Green trainers box her opponent was in the red trainers box.
Casey's opponent Ash recognized as the trainer who had the unbeatable bellsprout. Both trainers had the air of invincibility around them neither one was about to be put off by the action of the other. Both too had defied the odds by just standing in their respective spots and made the bookmakers see red. At the end of this match one of them would become a spectator and the other would continue on.
After the last two judges were seated and introduced, both having grumbled about Professor Teak, the match was set to begin. Casey walked out to thunderous applause as the green trainer her opponent was the boy with the unbeatable bellsprout walked out to equally enthusiastic applause. Both trainers assumed their places in their boxes and the referee walked out, "this will be a six on six pokémon match between green trainer Casey Jones and red trainer Dom Tulugo, time limit one hour begin!" The referee raised both his flags and the match began.
Both Trainers had walked out to equally thunderous applause. It was obvious that the crowd was split pretty evenly between the two. Casey looked up at the judge's box and smiled to herself, this was in the bag. She fingered at the pokéball at her belt that contained her beedrill. Insect pokémon have the advantage over plant types bellsprout boy she thought to herself. Then she shouted, "Go beedrill!"
Casey soon learned that she was at a disadvantage to the red trainer's bellsprout. Casey knew about the bellsprout and had called up her vulpix from Professor Elm. The red trainer surprised her by calling out a squirtle. Casey's vulpix was at a much higher level than the squirtle but squirtle's type advantage made the fight pretty fair. vulpix got in some lucky shots and was within one attack of defeating the squirtle when the red trainer substituted his bellsprout. Vulpix had the type advantage now but it was tired from battling and a couple of good vine whips brought it down. Casey knew she was at a severe disadvantage vulpix was her only pokémon that was strong against the grass types that Dom possessed and aside from meganium her fully evolved starter pokémon; her pikachu electabuzz and elekid would be at a type disadvantage.
The battle continued much the same way as the first match up. Whenever Casey's pokémon would weaken Dom's pokémon Dom would substitute his bellsprout and clobber Casey's pokémon.
Casey grimaced as she recalled elekid she was now down to her last two pokémon, meganium and her beedrill. Meganium was practically spent but beedrill had a full parcel of hit points. Arrayed against Casey's two remaining pokémon were all six of Dom's pokémon. his squirtle, soudowoudo, diglett, and geodude were almost completely spent, his bellsprout was at about three quarters and he had a low level oddish at full hit points.
Dom's bellsprout swayed annoyingly in the breeze seemingly mocking Casey who ordered beedrill out again to face bellsprout knowing it would be strong against the grass type. "Beedrill use twin needle," Casey's beedrill dive-bombed the basic pokémon hoping to put a vicious sting into bellsprout's hit points.
"Bellsprout use wrap!" Dom shouted and the plant pokémon wrapped the beedrill in mid-flight immobilizing it.
"NO!" Casey shouted as her bedrill lost hit points to the wrap attack. "Beedrill you have to get out of it!" The beedrill struggled against the bellsprout's wrap attack before finally escaping the bonds.
"Bellsprout use vine whip." Dom was cool and collected as he gave orders to his pokémon, which obeyed immediately delivering several sharp blows to Casey's beedrill.
Casey was aware that her options were rapidly dwindling, "Beedrill use poison sting."
"Bellsprout use wrap,"
"Beedrill avoid it!" Casey shouted to her pokémon, which miraculously managed to avid the vines, "take its head off!" Casey's beedrill heard its trainer's unorthodox request and interpreted it to get close in and use twin needle. The flying insect pokémon flew up to the bellsprout and slashed at it with its stinger like appendages.
The bellsprout's head turned a crazy angle and it fell to the ground twitching. The referee look at the bellsprout and proclaimed, "Bellsprout is unable to battle the win…"
He did not get to finish his statement when Dom cried out, "Foul!"
The crowd noise was a mixture of cheering and murmuring about what was going on, on the field. The red trainer had demanded that a foul be declared against the green trainer for an illegal move. He had entered the field to argue with the referee. Not to be outdone Casey the green trainer also came down from her trainer's box to argue. The two trainers began to shout at one another and almost started a fight much to the crowd's delight until one of the Nurse Joys stepped in to order the red trainer to recall his pokémon so that they could take care of it. The referee had, had enough of both trainers and ordered them back to their respective boxes. He would let the judges decide who was right. Both Casey and the red trainer turned to walk back to their boxes Casey, however, believed she had a vote in the bag and secretly she smiled.
Ash was not smiling in fact this was the worst thing he figured could have happened. He was now about to judge whether or not something a girl he was involved with was correct or not. How would she react to his decision especially if it were the wrong one. Ash glanced at his fellow judges Tracy had already voted the move down the Viridian City mayor had taken the opposite position saying the move was legal since they split their vote Professor Teak was left to spin his wheels until someone else made up their mind. Those someone elses were Ash and Dr. Malkavbug. Casey's fate would decide on who made their decision first because Teak would jump in with whoever was in the majority.
Ash studied the instant replay screen intently if he was going to have to answer for his decision it wasn't going to be because he didn't do his job. The attack looked to be a standard twin needle attack that cut across where the bellsprout's head connected to its body. The area was vulnerable and despite the best of intentions pokémon were sometimes hurt in battle. On the other hand Casey had told her pokémon to take the other pokémon's head off which it almost did.
Ash looked to the two undecided judges to see if there were any clues to how they would vote. Dr. Falcon seemed to be meticulously going over the tape while Professor Teak sat there looking between Ash and Dr. Falcon hoping one of them would make a decision so that he could too. For Ash it was getting to be too much leaving Casey's fate to Dr. Malkavbug could lead to his downfall if Casey decided to leak that they were spending time together. Ash swallowed and made his decision. The move was legal.
With his decision now made for him Professor Teak voted with Ash and the Viridian City Mayor making the vote 3 to 1 with Dr. Malkavbug still to decide. Dr. Malkavbug soon made her decision she too voted with the majority it was 4 to 1 in Casey's favor. No one could accuse Ash of being the deciding vote in her favor.
-11-
Ash made his way back towards his hotel room. He had managed to avoid the throngs of media about the controversial decision and that was especially right now the way he wanted to keep it. The games were winding down, tomorrow would be the final matches and Casey had managed to stay in.
By now almost a thousand pokémon trainers were nothing more than spectators for the games and this made for much more of a desire to party. Ash's hotel seemed to be one of the places a large number of those parties were taking place. Between the elevator and his room Ash passed several rooms that were decked with partygoers some of whom were way too young to be partaking in the festivities they were.
Ash quickly opened his own door and slipped inside closing it behind him hoping to avoid the friendly advances of two drunk or high female trainers who caught sight of him. Ash breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the door lock as he opened his eyes he was greeted by Casey, out of the frying pan, Ash thought to himself.
"What took you?"
"I was trying to avoid the press."
"If you just tell them what they want to hear it goes a lot easier. They don't suspect you're up to something."
"Casey for the love of god. We should give this some thought. Right now we are both in the media spotlight. The last thing I want is it shinning on both of us at the same time."
"Relax they want a story so give them a story they want and they won't be around for the bigger picture."
"Casey these people aren't stupid if they sense something they are going to go after it this is what makes their careers."
Casey rolled her eyes. "Ash never underestimate the power of laziness. Reporters like to have their articles prewritten. That is why if you give them a press release they will go away. The only thing we need to do is exercise a little discretion." Casey slowly made her way into Ash's lap.
"Is this your idea of discretion?" Ash closed his eyes at Casey's manipulations. A knock on the door redirected their attentions. "You better hide Casey." Ash said quietly. Casey climbed off of him and quickly made her way to the suite's bedroom shutting the door behind her. After Casey got off of him Ash stood up from the couch. He hurriedly checked himself over to make sure Casey had not left any telltale signs that she had been all over him. Satisfied he was clean Ash opened the door and ended up staring directly into the faces of the pokémon league's leadership. His heart in his throat Ash could barely manage to speak, "Can I help you?"
The League Vice President smiled at Ash, "Are you free for dinner tonight Ash?"
That wasn't the question Ash was expecting so he decided to mine for information. "Sure is this business or pleasure?"
"Business. We," he motioned to the two other officials, one male the other female, with him, "want to discuss a Ms. Casey Jones."
A chill went through Ash as if an army column had marched across his grave. He was done, finished, his goose was cooked. "What about her?"
"Just her turning pro." The Vice President turned his head to meet the excited nods of approval from his lieutenants.
The female official spoke next. "Ms. Jones has the potential to be a ratings coup. As you know viewer ship has been down the past couple of years and that is going to affect our revenue sharing with the network. We need something bold and daring to reignite our audience."
The vice president began again. "We think that Casey may be just what we need. Heck, just look at her match today. Rebroadcasts of her match are the top rated sports event, everyone wants to see it."
The female official spoke again, "She would also be an important demographic turn for us. Pokémon training is mostly male dominated especially in the pro ranks if we could get more girls interested in watching it would be an instant ratings bonanza."
The male official now spoke. "And a rating bonanza for us would mean more money for you."
Ash was relieved that he wasn't being called out for anything else asked, "What do you need me for then?"
The vice president turned to Ash and said, "we just want your opinion on how competent a trainer she is. We don't want to get her to the pros then find out she can't hack it. Do you think she has what it takes to turn professional?"
"Well she sure seems to know what she wants and then goes after it." Ash said.
The male official smiled, "That is exactly what we need."
The vice president interrupted, "I take it you will be able to make dinner tonight Mr. Ketchum?"
"Certainly." Ash was becoming more eager to get them out of his suite.
"Excellent a driver will be by to pick up at 6 o'clock tonight." With that the three league officials excused themselves and left.
Ash closed the door after they turned and breathed a sigh of relief this was the second time that he was visited by officials and the second time he dodged a bullet.
Or he thought he did. Casey had her arms around him almost as soon as he had closed the door. "Are they really going to let me turn pro!" She practically shouted, excitement gleaming in her eyes.
"Casey simmer down." Ash tried to disentangle himself from her hug. "We are going to discuss it. It depends on how far you go in the matches and even then there will be some other factors that will be studied."
"But you'll but in a good word for me, won't you?" Casey took to giving Ash the pleading eyes.
"Yes of course I will but, don't get your hopes up too much."
"Me a pro," Casey cooed, "Just think of what I'll be able to do with the money that comes from that."
"Don't count your pidgies before they are hatched Casey," Ash admonished. "You still have to be selected and that process is not easy." Ash walked over to the bar to get a drink before settling on the couch.
"You heard them Ash. They are looking for something new to boost their ratings and bring in a boatload of money so a little money or pressure will be applied to the right people and I'm in." Casey went over to where Ash was sitting on the couch and sat beside him, "And, don't forget, I still have my," Casey paused and struck a seductive pose, "ace in the hole."