Two: Of Salt, Bacon, And Bruises
"Well, let's eat!" Delia said cheerfully. Everyone agreed, and food began getting loaded onto plates.
"These eggs look delicious!" Misty said as she got some for herself.
Pikachu picked up a strip of bacon and jumped onto the floor, where it put the bacon on its plate. It came back up onto the table for a handful of eggs and a piece of toast.
"Hey, Mom, will you gimme the toast plate?" Ash asked. While gesturing to his mom, he accidentally whacked Pikachu in the head with his spoon. Pikachu fell off the table, unnoticed by Ash.
"Ash, you just hit Pikachu in the head with your spoon!" Brock said from the across the table.
"What'd you say?" Ash asked.
"Pikachu! Spoon! Un-conscious!" Brock yelled.
Ash looked down. "Oh, gosh, I'm sorry, Pikachu!" he cried. Pikachu wobbled to its feet, then picked up the dropped toast and put on its plate like nothing had happened.
"Hey, Professor Oak! Couldja pass me the salt?" Ash called.
Professor Oak picked up the salt shaker while getting himself some pancakes. "Here Tracey, here's the salt," he said absently, forgetting Ash asked for it.
Tracey looked at the salt. "Here, Gary, here's the salt," he said, handing it to Gary.
"Here, Ash, here's the salt," Gary said, having heard Ash's request.
Ash looked at the salt. He'd forgotten he asked for it. "Here, Mom, here's the salt," he said, pushing the shaker beside her plate.
Delia blinked. "Thank you, honey, but...I didn't ask for the salt!"
"Oh." Ash picked the salt shaker back up and looked at it. Then he turned to Gary. "Here, Gary, here's the salt!"
Mr. Mime swept up Pikachu's handful of spilled eggs. Pikachu jumped up on the table for another one.
"I think I want some bacon," Misty thought aloud. She looked around for the bacon plate.
Delia stood up. "I'm going to go get the orange juice and orange soda! Excuse me!" she said as she hurried back into the cooking area.
"Pika! Pi chu pika!" Pikachu yelled at Ash. Ash looked at the Pokémon. Pikachu pointed to something reddish brown sticking out of his sleeve.
Ash put a finger to his lips. "Shhhhh!" he hissed to Pikachu. "I'll give you some if you don't rat on me."
"Has anyone seen the bacon?" Misty questioned.
"My, it's a beautiful day outside!" Ash said loudly.
Everyone stared at him like a Pikachu tail had sprouted out of his ear.
"What? It is!" Ash insisted, blushing.
"I'm back!" Delia said. She bustled back to the table carrying a pitcher of orange juice and a 3-liter bottle of orange soda. She set them on the table.
Misty tapped Delia on the shoulder. "You made bacon, right?" she said.
"Hey Mom!" Ash interrupted suddenly. "You forgot the, uh...orange...the orange ice cream! You don't wanna forget that!"
"Oh my, I did?" Delia exclaimed. She sprinted back to the kitchen.
The others looked at each other. "Your mom serves ice cream for breakfast?" Gary said incredulously. "Why didn't she start doing that when I used to spend the night?"
"I've never heard of orange-flavored ice cream before," Tracey said. "Orange sherbet, but not plain orange."
Delia came back to the table, her hands empty and her eyes narrowed at Ash. "I didn't make any orange ice cream for breakfast! Why are you trying to tease me in front of guests, Ash?" she asked.
"Um, Ms. Ketchum?" Misty said. When Delia looked at her, she continued. "I know I may sound kind of silly, but--isn't this supposed to be the bacon plate?" she held up an empty plate with not so much as a crumb on it.
"Where'd the bacon go?" Brock asked.
Ash gulped and slumped down a little.
"Hold on," Delia said, finger on her chin, "I could have sworn I made seventy-five strips of bacon!"
Everyone had a thought and turned to Ash, whose stomach was suddenly much bigger than normal.
"Who, me?" Ash said innocently, putting a hand to his chest. "I have no idea where all the bacon is!"
Suddenly a strip slipped out of his sleeve and fell on the floor. Pikachu picked it up and put the bacon on its plate.
Ash sighed and unloaded the bacon back onto its plate.
"Ew!" Misty cried. "I'm not eating that after you hid it in your shirt!"
That's the end of this one! Here's a sneak peek at chapter three...
The last waffle destroys a friendship...
"I said I have dibs on the last waffle!" Ash fumed.
"Too late, Ashie Boy, 'cause I just took a bite out of it!" Gary taunted. "Ha ha!"
Ash lunged at Gary, butterknife in hand. No one would take his waffle!
And Pikachu never gets those eggs...
Pikachu picked up a handful of eggs and headed off the table.
Ash nodded, and accidentally hit Pikachu in the head with his spoon again. Pikachu was knocked off the table. The eggs hit the floor, now uneatable.
Stay tuned for the next chapter, "Wasted Eggs and Murderous Waffles"!