Blue Heaven

By Spruceton Spook

Part 14

Escape

"I can't believe this," Misty grumbled, shaking her head. "I just cannot believe this."

"Tell me about it," Ash replied sullenly. He sat slouched over, gazing out sadly at his strewn, ravished belongings and the monstrous, napping pokémon that had been the cause of it all. "I didn't know ursaring lived in the Pallet area."

Misty face promptly reddened. "That's not what I'm talking about!" she fumed, punching him viciously in the arm. Ash shrieked loudly.

"Misty! Come on, that hurt!"

"Well, you deserve it!" she barked, shooting him daggers with her eyes. "If it weren't for you and your dumb urge to catch every stupid pokémon we ran into, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Brock groaned. His head was in his hands. "Guys, chill out," he said, only to be ignored.

"Would you stop blaming me for this?" Ash begged, still rubbing his arm where Misty had socked him. "It's not my fault!"

Misty gave him a look. "Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot," she snorted sarcastically. "It's Brock's fault, now I remember!"

Ash sighed, "Misty, that's not what I meant..."

"Ash, just shut up, okay?" she said angrily. "Instead of blabbering off your mouth, why don't you think of ways to get us outta here!?"

"Don't you think that's what I'm doing!?" he shot back, balling his fists.

Her fury wasn't helping things at all. After being trapped in the confined, stuffy cave for nearly half-an-hour now, Ash couldn't bear another moment of it. Not only was he devastated over the loss of his Pokédex (he was no longer capable of looking at the remains as it brought immediate tears) and afraid of the hungry, incensed pokémon probing their every move, but he was hurt by Misty's overt annoyance at him. Thinking of feasible ways of escape was nearly impossible at this point—he wasn't in the right mind to do so.

Not that he didn't try. Release was the only thing he wanted, which was also easily said for Misty and Brock. As the evening faded into night, and the first stars were beginning to splash the sky, the panic increased. It wasn't because they were fearful of spending the night in the woods—that they were, of course, accustomed to, but the scary predicament they were in wasn't something routine. All Ash wanted to do was go home. He was shaking over the events of the last hour: the chase, the fear, Pikachu, the upsetting destruction of one of his most prized possessions.

Who cared about all the heartache and trouble his mother had caused the night before? Ash wanted nothing more than to fall into her arms and cry on her shoulder.

"Ash, please," Misty said. She was still evidently disgruntled. "Please tell me you can send one of your pokémon out. Please."

"I would love to say that I could," Ash replied tartly. "I would also love to believe that my completely worn out pokémon can defeat a seven-zillion ton, mad ursaring."

Misty narrowed her eyes at his asinine banter. "Well then, what other ingenious ideas do you have, Mr. Know-It-All? Huh? How are we gonna get out of here!?"

Ash growled petulantly. "Why don't you think of something to get us out of here, if you're so smart?"

"I could," Misty snapped arrogantly, "but this is your mess you got us into, Ash Ketchum, and you're gonna get us out of it!"

As her voice peeked loudly at that, the ursaring suddenly stirred and shot a nasty look into the cave. Ash, Misty, and Brock instinctively withdrew as far back as they could, but it seemed the pokémon had no interest to seek out its current engrossment. It simply yawned, baring its glistening teeth, and found its comfortable position once again.

Ash spun and glared at Misty. "You woke it up," he accused directly.

"You brought it here," Misty retorted, and quite honestly.

"I wanted to catch it! Give me a break already!"

Misty crossed her arms. "I won't give you a break! This is all your fault; we could be home right now!"

Ash grit his teeth. "I know," he said, thinking of how late it had become. It was way past eight now, and as nonchalant as he'd acted towards his mother, he never had any intentions of breaking the curfew and worrying her. He would've given anything to be home right now.

Thinking about this, he tried to work his brain harder. His pokémon, beyond doubt, were unable to battle. They probably could have gone out there and made an effort, but Ash knew it was taking a serious risk. The same went for Misty and Brock's pokémon, save for Togepi, but Ash didn't considerate that any further. Pikachu was no longer unconscious from taking the terrible blow, but he was unquestionably in need of medical attention. He was breathing rather peculiarly, and Ash planned to do nothing more with him until Professor Oak looked him over.

Which, needless to say, Ash was not looking forward to. Just picturing the look on the professor's face upon finding out about the busted Pokédex made Ash shudder with nervousness. If not for Pikachu, he wondered how long he would have avoided telling him, and even worse, requesting for a new one. If he would give him a new one.

"Well?" Misty asked. "What did you think of?"

Ash took a deep breath to quell his increasing vexation. "Nothing yet."

Misty sat up brusquely, almost hitting her head against the slanted wall of the cave. "I'm not spending the night in this cave, Ash! I want to go home, and I want to go home now!"

"Don't you think I want that, too?" Ash returned, his voice wobbling. It was beginning to be too much for him.

"Obviously not, if you haven't gotten any ideas yet!"

"You should be thinking, too!"

"No, I shouldn't!"

"Yeah, you should!"

Brock had quite enough by that time. His hands had traveled up to cover his ears, but it still didn't drown out their bickering. As their fiery outrage shot back and forth, he couldn't take it anymore. He was going to go out of his mind.

"Oh, would you two please shut your mouths for two seconds!?" he bellowed. "For God's sake, just please—please!—go back to kissing and stop fighting!"

This abruptly brought an end to Ash and Misty's quarreling. There was a moment of dead, thick silence as they turned incredulously towards Brock, their jaws dropping to the ground.

For once, Misty's narrowed eyes were directed elsewhere. "What did you say?" she demanded sharply.

Brock drew back, a goofy face replacing his irked one. "Um, nothing," he replied.

"Don't tell me nothing! I know what you said!" Misty roared. "What've you seen, Brock?" Suddenly, her tone became anxious, and matched with Ash's flustered complexion, Brock felt like crawling even deeper into the cave. He couldn't believe he'd just said that, but aware that there was nothing else he could do about it, decided to straighten bravely.

"I've seen you two kiss," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders casually.

"You—? What—? How!?" Misty stammered, flabbergasted. Ash, in the meantime, had paled to the color of his bed sheets.

Brock smiled softly. "Look, don't go crazy. I saw you kiss the other day." The smile grew into a grin. "It was cute!"

"What do you mean, cute?" she shrieked. "What were you doing spying on us, Brock?"

"I wasn't spying on you!" he defended himself, still in a mellow fashion. "I just happened to walk up and see you kissing. I didn't know you were doing that!"

"Where?" Misty asked frantically, still unwilling to accept it. "Where could you have possibly seen us kiss?"

"The other day, when you two were out front. You know, before the barbecue?" To say the least, Brock felt relieved to finally let this go. He knew he wouldn't have been able to hold the secret much longer, especially since he no longer looked at his two friends the same way.

Ash, however, felt like fainting. "What!?" he gasped, turning to Misty with a frenzied look in his eyes. "See! I told you we shouldn't've done it there! I told you someone was going to see us!"

Misty's glare burned back at Ash. "Yeah, well how was I supposed to know Brock would be spying on us like a jerk?"

"Hey, wait a sec," Brock started, unsuccessfully trying to butt in.

"I told you I didn't want to do it there!" Ash replied strongly, his mortified voice easily outmatching Brock's. "I knew someone was going to see us, I knew it!"

Misty's shock quickly returned to resentfulness. "Well, you know what? I don't care if he saw us! He was going to find out soon anyway!"

"But—but!" Ash sputtered, "I didn't want him to find out now! Oh man, that's so embarrassing!"

Misty's face reddened irritably. "Oh, so kissing me is embarrassing?"

Ash slapped his forehead, instantly regretting what he said. "I didn't mean it that way, Misty," he cringed. "I meant—"

"Look, I don't care what you meant!" Misty sneered. She was seconds away from getting up and marching out of the cave, ursaring or no ursaring, she was so fed up. "I'm just—I'm not even talking to you anymore. I've had it!"

"Well—well, fine then!" Ash retorted stubbornly. "I'm not talking to you anymore, either!"

"Fine!" Misty huffed, and the two promptly turned their heads away from the other.

Brock looked sheepishly at the two, slightly amused at what he had caused. It hadn't ended the ongoing clash, but at least they had shut up for the moment. Unfortunately, of course, there was a slight downside to them being immersed in their own bitterness—it had suddenly grown a bit boring, and thus happened to be the grand opportunity for fun Brock couldn't resist.

"So..." he grinned. "Can you kiss now?"

Ash and Misty shot him glares that no other person would dare mess with. "No!" they both answered quite firmly, tossing their heads again.

"Oh, c'mon!" Brock persuaded, getting jumpy with excitement. "Please? Just a little one?"

"NO!" the two bellowed, enough this time to send their enlivened friend into a state of wise caution.

"Fine...okay," he gave in, holding his hands up in peaceful surrender. "Geez, you two are touchy."

"I'm not touchy," Misty said disdainfully. "There's no way I'm kissing him. Not until he gets us out of this mess!"

"I told you, I'm thinking!" Ash grumbled.

"Well, think faster!"

"I will!"

Brock perked. "So you mean you'll kiss as soon as we get out of here?" Misty's eyes lowered to threatening slits as she gave him the most ominous look of death. He shrunk back, cringing neurotically. "Okay, maybe not."

Suddenly, Misty growled loudly. "Oh my God, get me outta here! I can't take it anymore!"

Ash and Brock reeled back. Togepi, who had been sitting on his trembling trainer's lap enduring the ear-splitting revolt going on to the best of his weak ability, leapt off and retreated behind the disheveled, resting Pikachu with a squeal of alarm.

"Misty, chill out already!" Brock exclaimed, startled at her impatience. "You're scaring Togepi!"

His tone forcefully sedated Misty's vehemence, but not her restless breathing. "I'm sorry, but..." She shook her head exasperatedly. "But I just wanna get out of here! How...how long is that—that thing going to be outside?"

"I don't know," Brock replied. "But it can't be out there for long." He took a deep breath as he glanced out towards the creature, attaining a contemplative look as he desperately tried to invoke ideas of what to do.

"He's right," Ash said. "Sooner or later, it'll figure out that we aren't going to come out."

"Either that or it'll be out there long enough for our pokémon to get their energy back," Brock said matter-of-factly.

The hopefulness of such a statement enticed Misty's interested gaze. "How long do you think that'll be, Brock?"

Brock ground his teeth noticeably. "I don't know. An hour...maybe an hour and a half. It depends, really. I'm sure one of our pokémon will have some sort of strength to at least scare it away."

Her lip quivering, Misty stole a glimpse at the ursaring. Togepi stared attentively at her, detecting her anxiety. Through all the commotion, he was rendered silent, struck with indescribable fear. The harsh change in actions was too much for him to handle: one minute they were out romping and having fun; the next, relaxing in what the small pokémon deemed bliss; the next, running as danger loomed just a stride behind them.

But nothing bothered Togepi more than the distress illuminating from Misty's pale face. Looking at her now, his body constricted with immense dread. Something wasn't right; Misty never looked this hopeless.

"I mean," Brock went on, "I'm sure Onix can do something. I don't think it worked that hard."

"Yeah, but Totodile defeated it in the mock battle we had, remember?" Ash pointed out despondently. "It might still be shaken up by that."

"Yeah, you might be right," Brock admitted.

"I guess I can send out Chikorita...though...she did look very tired," Ash said, his voice lowering. "Maybe Noct—no..."

"I don't even know what's strong against ursaring," Brock said.

"And we can't even find out, either," Ash added, grief washing over him as he thought of his Pokédex again.

"Oh, this is awful," Misty lamented. "Why did we have to work all of our pokémon today?"

At the sound of her deplorable voice, Togepi edged forward, reaching out to touch Misty. Hearing her this way troubled him too much.

"Because none of them've gotten any exercise in weeks," Brock replied, though they all knew the answer. "We had to..."

"All we gotta do is give it time," Ash whispered, swallowing hard. He turned towards Misty, his shimmering eyes locking into hers. "Just give it time."

She inhaled, those four words adversely resurfacing again. She had heard them too much in the past twenty-four hours, full of hope but not of promise. Misty cast a yearning look out the cave, her fierce desire for freedom calling out with her glazed eyes and hanging frown.

"I don't want to give it time," she whimpered.

"I know," Brock said quietly. "But I don't think we have a choice."

Misty felt the inevitable urge to cry coming on, and allowed it. Togepi's regard never left her, and as the salty tears made their grim presence in the corners of his forlorn trainer's eyes, he chirped softly, his faint, little voice easily overlooked.

"But...we have to..." Misty started, her hand resting ignorantly atop Togepi's head. "We have to...I mean, I wish...I just wish..."

"Just wished what, Misty?" Ash asked, his eyes never leaving the ursaring.

Misty shook her head. "Nothing," she said. "I just...wished we had a pokémon to help us. That's all."

Ash and Brock said nothing. Hopes and wishes weren't going to do them any good in the plight of reality they were entrapped in now. Solutions were what they needed, but didn't have. They all knew it, and unwillingly resigned to it.

All but one, however.

Togepi didn't need to understand any of the foreign language transpired to know there was no solution to the grisly situation they were currently in. There was no glimmer of hope in any of the humans' eyes—just the dull look of anguish. It was dark, but they weren't in the beds they were normally in every night—they were stuffed severely between two hot, moist slabs of rock, sweating, dirty, tousled, and unhappy. There was a large beast blocking the entrance, that of which Togepi knew without a doubt to be of the unfriendly type. It was because of this brute they were here, bringing Misty such sorrow, inducing her tears.

The tiny pokémon didn't need any other influence to know what had to be done. Aside from all the confusion, he wanted to go home more than anything; that, and have Misty be happy again. It frightened him so to see her in such a state, and without another moment of delay, began to evoke his power. Togepi needed more than just carefree arranging this time—he wanted that monster away from them, far, far away; far from where it would hurt them, bring them panic, make Misty sad.

His recurring chant went on for a few seconds before any one of the kids picked up on what was happening. They were quiet, trying to come up with some inkling of a plan to get them home. Misty still had her hand planted softly on her pokémon's head, unobservant to the slight but consistent movement he was making. Togepi didn't care for anyone to know what he was doing, inadvertently mysterious. His concentration was set on the ursaring, the source of their misfortune, soon to be eradicated from their presence and sent somewhere it could bother them no more.

Brock was the first to notice. Simply lowering his eyes and setting them incidentally on the chirruping Togepi, his brow furrowed.

"Hey! What's wrong with Togepi?"

"Huh?" Ash and Misty uttered, averting their attentions to the pokémon. By then, Togepi was fully engaged in his summoning, and his power was swiftly augmenting. The two younger kids' eyes widened with disbelief.

"Togepi?" Misty asked delicately, picking him up and holding him before her. He did not intermit; he kept his bantam arms swaying, his focus firm.

"What's he doing?" Ash wondered.

"I think..." Brock cocked his head.

"Togepi, what...?" Misty squeaked worriedly.

"Prii!" With that, a brilliant flash of light illuminated the cave, and the three kids gasped. They gaped quizzically at Togepi, who opened his eyes and trilled with excitement.

"Togepi, what were you doing?" Misty was finally able to ask, her astonishment hardly fading.

"Um...guys? You're not gonna believe this," Ash said skeptically. Misty and Brock spun around, and their jaws promptly dropped.

The space in which the ursaring had been resting just seconds ago was now vacant. The very last remnants of daylight revealed an unoccupied clearing and Ash's dispersed belongings, but no ursaring, no sign of any living thing.

"Wh-wh-where did it go?" Misty stuttered.

"It's just...gone!" Brock exclaimed.

Ash poked his head out of the cave and cautiously surveyed the area. Expecting to see that the ursaring had simply rose and meandered off, he was shocked to see it was gone—vanished. Almost like it had disappeared without a trace...

"What just happened?" he asked, his eyes filled with wonder as he turned back to Misty and Brock.

They glanced back at him, but slowly, their eyes descended to Togepi. The little Pokémon was smiling as usual, his innocent, sprightly nature invariable. Misty was dumbfounded.

"I...I think..." she began with amazement.

"I think Togepi just got rid of that ursaring," finished Brock, his words leaden with dubiousness.

Misty couldn't believe what she was hearing. She gazed questioningly into Togepi's face. "Togepi...did you...did you really?"

"Tokiprii!" he replied ecstatically.

Ash, Misty, and Brock were speechless. For a moment, the fact that the ursaring was gone was hardly of their concern. They stopped breathing, stunned with fabulous disbelief.

"So you're saying," Ash said mystically, "Togepi just used an attack?"

"I would say so," Brock answered emphatically.

"Togepi, I can't believe it...!" Misty whispered with awe, gawking at her delighted pokémon. She would have continued to do so if Ash hadn't suddenly grabbed her by the arm, abruptly bringing her back down to earth.

"Come on," he cried. "We can figure that out later. The coast is clear! We have to get out of here!"

The words Misty had been dying to hear were nearly insignificant now. While Ash grabbed Pikachu and stumbled out of the cave, she paused, too overwhelmed with shock. A tender push from Brock was what she ultimately needed to get her to finally pry her eyes off Togepi and out towards the wonderful feeling of release.

And what a wonderful feeling it really was. Finally able to take a breath of fresh air, and not having Brock's knee jammed into the small of her back, Misty smiled, though it was shaky with anxiety. She would enjoy this freedom, but not until they were well on their way home. She couldn't stand another moment in this accursed forest.

Ash, in the meantime, rushed over to inspect the damage done to his poor possessions. For a minute, he just stared helplessly at them, biting back his dismayed tears and embracing Pikachu in his arms. It wasn't fair. He couldn't count the number of pieces left to his Pokédex, but slowly, he got on his knees and, with one hand, began to gather them.

"Ash, no," Brock said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Ash stopped, letting the pieces he'd assembled drop to the ground. "Just leave it. Get your other things. We have to go home now."

Dismally, Ash nodded, and got up to fetch his undamaged items. He would have given anything for the ursaring to have butchered these instead of what was so important to him, but what was done was done. All he could think of now was going home, and as it grew darker with each minute, he hastened. They were late enough as it was, and Ash's stomach sank as he imagined his mother's worry.

"All right, guys," he said, hoisting Pikachu and his things in his arms. "Where did we come from?"

"That way," Brock replied, pointing. They all inhaled tensely as they were directed towards a dark patch of woods, deep and foreboding.

Ash, however, arched his shoulders and put on a brave face. "Come on. We gotta get home."

With the remaining daylight they had left gravely dimming, they ventured into the woods, quick on their toes, eagerness pumping their blood.


The clock chimed nine o'clock, its slow, melodious bongs like the stab of a knife in Delia's stomach. The house was now dim, and the dinner was long-cooked, currently deserted and getting cold on the stove. She stood like a posed statue in front of the patio doors, her flickering eyes cast out, frenetically awaiting the return of the children. She'd been like this for over half-an-hour, her arms hugging herself insecurely, her mind restless.

She didn't know what to do. While she wanted to be convinced that they were just running a little late, she couldn't. Every minute that passed intensified her concern. The kids had gone out on day trips similar to this in the past, but each time they returned punctually, earlier even. This was not like them...at all.

Jay emerged from the kitchen just as Delia released another frail sigh, and he tilted his head. "Del?"

She shut her eyes tightly. "Where are they?"

He shuffled over to the patio door, and stared out at the peaceful evening settling over Pallet. The sky had now turned a deep, royal purple, and it was almost impossible to pinpoint any objects in the distance. Two-hundred yards across the street appeared as an endless realm of black.

"They're just a little late," he answered.

"No," Delia shook her head. "It—it's getting way too dark. They were supposed to be home before dark."

Jay put on a tender smile. "Don't worry about it. They're coming; you don't have to stand here waiting for them. Just sit down, eat some dinner. It's sitting there getting cold."

"I don't want to eat," she waved it away. "Not until they come home. I'd rather watch for them."

Jay yawned tiredly and ambled over to the couch. "A watched pot never boils."

Delia's eyes widened incredulously as she spun swiftly to face him. "Jay, these are the kids I'm waiting for! Our little boy and his friends! It's getting dark and they aren't home yet. I'm getting worried!"

"Oh, stop. Why are you worried?" said Jay lightly. "You're acting like they've never been out in the woods before. They'll get home; they're probably on their way now. Come on, sit down. Relax with me."

His calm tone did exactly the opposite of what Jay intended. "I'm concerned about where they are," she responded fretfully. "I know they can take care of themselves in the woods, but they promised they'd be home by eight. And it's nine."

"So?" Jay picked up the television schedule.

"So? Something has to be wrong! They just wouldn't stay out like this!" Just the thought of their absence and the possible, dreadful reasons behind it sent shivers racing through Delia's body.

"They wouldn't?" Jay wondered, his eyebrow arching.

"No, they wouldn't."

He paused briefly. "How do you know that?"

"How do I know that?" echoed Delia.

"Yeah," Jay shrugged, despite her aghast expression. "Come on, I stayed out later than I should've all the time. So did you, if I remember clearly." He gave her a knowing wink.

Delia groaned. "Yes, I did, Jay, but I wasn't out in the woods!"

Jay simply shrugged again as he began to leaf through the schedule. Delia bit her lip furiously. She knew Jay was trying to lessen her fret rather than cause her more, but she was unable to believe how casual he could act about this. She pivoted back to the window, looked out at the world being swallowed by night.

Jay snatched a glimpse of her and slouched. "Delia, look," he sighed, his voice flowing softly and compassionately. "I know you're worried about them, but trust me on this, honey. They're okay. All right?"

"I won't know that until they come home."

"They'll come home," Jay repeated confidently. "They're fine."

"But..." she turned to him with glimmering eyes, "what if they don't? Jay, what if something happened? What if they're not all right? Just think about it for a second! They—they could be out there right now...lost, or—or one of them could be hurt! Ash could be hurt right now and we don't even know it!"

The emotion of such a statement induced her voice to break. She reached up to run her hand through her hair, messing it into wild tangles.

"I'm sure they're not lost, and I'm sure Ash isn't hurt," Jay said, trying to stress his soothing voice. The thought chilled him, too, but he quickly put it out of his mind. "I can guarantee you right now this is what happened: they were out battling and having loads of fun, lost track of time, and are now rushing home like the devil. Simple as that."

Delia didn't completely doubt the likely explanation. After all, she'd seen the kids encounter various tough situations before, worse than the notion of them lost in the forest. Her maternal instincts were against her, though, waging an unrelenting battle. She wasn't receiving any dire vibes that the kids were in peril, but all the same she wasn't comforted. It brought suspicion most of all; it wasn't like them to do something such as this. She knew them too well to know they would never intentionally break their curfew, to merely think coming home an hour later than promised was no big deal.

Delia kept convincing herself of this. She realized at the same time she was heightening her dread by thinking this way. No deliberate curfew-breaking meant trouble otherwise. They were out there in the dark, their distinct whereabouts unknown to her. They could be anywhere, stuck in any kind of unspeakable situation, subject to any kind of hazard. Sure, it was better to believe they were disobedient rather than in jeopardy, but Delia couldn't—not with the pessimism instilled in her through motherhood.

Stealing a glance at the clock, she read that ten minutes had passed. Her stomach somersaulted. This was serious now.

"Jay, please go out and find them."

Her husband gave her a face. "What?"

"Go out there. Please," she begged. "You have to go out there and find them. I can't take it anymore."

"Delia," Jay moaned, "you're being ridiculous now."

"Why am I being ridiculous?" Delia retorted crossly.

"Look at it out!" Jay cried, gesturing madly at the patio doors. "There's no way I could find them now! I don't even know where they went!"

"I don't care," she pouted, grinding her teeth. "Please, Jay, please go and look for them! I'll come with you. We can find them, we have to!"

Jay rolled his eyes outrageously. "Delia, look outside!" She flinched at his voice. "You think it's that easy for us to go and there and search for them in the middle of the woods in the pitch black!? Are you crazy? This isn't like the last time Ash ran away, when I knew where he was. They could be anywhere! It's impossible, don't you understand that?"

Delia frowned. "It's not impossible. Please, it'll make me feel better!"

"I know it'll make you feel better, but what do you think this is?" Jay asked doubtfully. "What am I supposed to do, huh? Go out there with a lantern and search the whole goddamn Viridian Forest? Huh!? That's crazy!"

Her heart leaping at each piqued word, Delia tore her eyes from him. She couldn't take any more, slowly and distraughtly aware that she was moments away from going insane. Back and forth she paced under the harrowing eyes of her peeved husband, whose look quickly lightened to one of repent.

"Oh, dammit... Sweetheart, I'm sorry," he said, getting up and approaching her. She shut her eyes against incessant tears as he brought her in for a solacing embrace. "I didn't mean to yell, it's just that—it's just that we can't do anything right now. I'm worried, too, but you're worrying too much. Babe, you gotta calm down a little. Please, you've been so nervous lately. I—I don't know what's wrong with you, but you're killing yourself here! You know they can get themselves out of jams—you've seen them do it before! It's going to be okay. You'll see you're fretting over nothing."

"Then how come they aren't home?" she sniffled, tugging at his shirt. "Jay, I can't stop thinking that something terrible happened to them. I just can't help it."

"I know," Jay said sympathetically, "but you gotta think. They've been doing this for years now, Del. They're not amateurs anymore."

"I know. But that still doesn't mean they can't get into danger. Whether they're gone for months or one day, it doesn't matter."

Jay smiled softly. "Hey," he said, lifting her chin in order for their eyes to meet. "I know Ash, Misty, and Brock are okay." He managed a small laugh, which caused no facial change in Delia. "If I can stubbornly survive going on all these journeys, I think they can, too."

Delia reached up to wipe her eyes. Gently, she left Jay's arms and dragged herself over to the patio doors. Jay watched her intently, her strain deeply disturbing him. He was worried about the kids, too, but right now his wife drew his concern the most. Combined with the moody, often dejected disposition she'd been in lately, this was no good for her. He was afraid for her in the first place, never getting a clear answer as to why she was so blue, and he needed her to relax before his worry had reason to grow.

"How 'bout this?" he gave in, noting the time. "If they aren't home in half-an-hour, I'll go and look for them. Okay? I think we can give them that much."

Though his offer made her feel better, even half-an-hour was too long. Reluctantly, however, she accepted it. After all, she did want to give the kids a chance. She was still trying hard to work on the conviction they were purely late. She wasn't too zealous with sending Jay out into the night, either, but at this point, she was willing to do anything. She wanted her son home.

"Thank you," she said. "I just hope they come home before that."

"They will," Jay pledged, smiling reassuringly. "I'm telling ya, they were out there fooling around. I know it."

"Well, if that's true, then they're not going out for a long time," Delia declared. "Not one of them." And I don't want my baby leaving ever again...

"Heh, okay," Jay smirked, sitting back down on the couch again. Delia stood at the door for a few more minutes before she finally opted to join her husband. Time was dwindling down, and each minute that passed increased her heart rate dramatically.

Ten minutes turned into fifteen, then twenty. It wasn't easy for Delia to keep discouraging thoughts out of her head. She watched the television inattentively, repeating in her mind again and again that they were coming home, that they finally realized how careless they were to have stayed out past dusk. To ease her worries, she attempted to fantasize what they were currently doing, creating scenes of them gallivanting all over the forest, their heads dizzy with carefree happiness, or perhaps even aware of how late it had become and making a beeline for home. It aggravated her, but at least they were safe. Every once in a while, an unwelcome image of them in danger seeped into her train of thought, followed by a vicious shake of her head to rid it. It couldn't be that way—no, certainly Jay knew what he was talking about. She trusted him...and she trusted the kids, too. Delia knew they were competent enough to face any sort of situation; she knew that first-hand. Tediously, this faith grew—but only to crumble as the mantelpiece clock rang nine-thirty.

Delia nearly jumped to her feet as the chimes resounded. "Jacey, now," she whimpered.

Jay sighed, but got up. He didn't know how they were possibly going to do this, dreading the daunting task ahead of them. All he could think of were the boundless possibilities of where the kids were. It was so dark outside, and he didn't know where to begin, or how late they would be out looking for them. Knowing Delia, they could be out exploring till all hours of the night, which was not good for him considering he had work the next morning. And even then, who was to know if the kids returned while they were out on their search? Jay didn't like it one bit. He sauntered over to the door, and forcefully jammed his feet into his sneakers.

Ash, I swear, he vowed inwardly as he bent down to agitatedly knot the laces. If I find out you were out there fooling around and causing all this shit back here, you're in a heap-load of trouble.

Delia was practically dancing on her toes as she waited for him to finish tying his shoes. Her head darted from him to the patio door, still hopeful.

"Jay, hurry up," she pleaded impatiently.

"All right, all right, hold on," Jay replied, dashing up the stairs. "I need to get my keys and my pokémon. And a flashlight."

"Okay," Delia bit her lip.

Jay barely reached the landing, however, as the front doorknob began to jiggle, and the distinctive sound of fumbling key meeting lock pricked their ears. He halted, but Delia, wide-eyed, dashing to the door in a second's time.

"Ash? Is that you?" she cried as she tore it open aggressively, yanking the embedded key from her son's hand and practically snapping his wrist in the process. The three startled kids leapt back, each emitting their own gasp of alarm.

"Mom!" Ash yapped, tightening his clutch on Pikachu. A crooked smile etched his lips. "Oh, man, you scared me!"

Delia didn't say a word, struggling to catch her breath as she took in the sight of the kids, unharmed yet disarrayed. For the moment, all she could do was scrutinize their presence before her. Waves of relief washed over her as she studied their dirty, sweaty faces, each radiating of fatigue but utter bliss.

"You're home?" she finally managed to choke, her voice inaudible. "Wh-where were you? Why are you so late?"

"Oh, Mom," Ash whimpered, crashing into her and burying his face into the crook of her arm. She embraced him fervently, thanking God he was safe. Ash slid his arm around her waist and grasped her just as firmly, already feeling ten times better with the simple sensation of being held.

Delia pried Ash away and looked deeply into his eyes. "What happened to you? I was so worried." Her voice was still distraught.

"Yeah," Jay added, his voice a bit stern. He descended to the last step. "Where were you three? You have no idea how sick we were wondering what you were up to!"

Ash winced. "I'm so sorry. You...you won't believe what happened to us tonight."

"I still can't believe it myself," Misty said, her voice wobbly.

"It was awful," Brock groaned.

Delia was getting anxious. "Ash, are you telling me that you got into some sort of trouble?"

"Or were you just out there fooling around and losing track of time?" Jay said, his eyebrows raised. Ash, Misty, and Brock nearly staggered at that one.

"No, it wasn't that!" Ash was quick to deny. "W-we got caught—we got trapped! By a pokémon! We...we ran into a pokémon—a-an ursaring!"

"An ursaring!?" Delia and Jay exclaimed at once.

"Huge," Brock said with heavy emphasis.

"Really huge," Misty quivered.

"It was so big," Ash shook his head. "We met up with it just as we were packing up and ready to go home. I-it was stupid of me, but I didn't know what it was at the time, and I really wanted to catch a pokémon today, so—so I sent Pikachu to attack it."

"Wait a second," Jay interjected, raising a hand. "You're telling me you saw an ursaring, and you didn't even know that's what it was?"

"It was behind the bushes," Ash validated.

"We couldn't see it at first," Brock explained.

"I told Ash to leave it alone, whatever it was," Misty moaned. "But no, he had to go and attack it."

Delia shivered as Ash slumped defeatedly. "I know, I know, it was dumb! It was all my fault!" He gazed back at his mom, who was waiting painstakingly for him to continue. He gestured down to the depleted mouse in his arms. "Pikachu was in no condition to battle, but I made him anyway, and th-the ursaring hit him, and it knocked him out, but then it got real mad and started chasing us!"

"We didn't know where we were going, we just ran," Misty recounted. "Brock—he pointed out this cave, so we all got into it."

"Yeah, but in the meantime, I dropped my bag, and while we were all crammed into this horrible, nasty cave, the ursaring started r-ripping apart my stuff..." At that, Ash's voice wavered, and he shut his eyes against oncoming tears. "It...it j-just totally destroyed my Pokédex—it's broken, it's ruined, and my bag is—m-my bag is ripped to shreds... And that whole time we were in there, and the ursaring knew it because it wouldn't let us out!"

"We were stuck in that cave for almost an hour," Misty practically wailed.

"It just wouldn't let us leave," Brock whispered.

Jay and Delia were inert in stupefaction. The story that was unfolding was so astonishing they couldn't believe what they were hearing. Delia cocked her head slightly, trying to make sense of it all.

"So you're saying your were stuck in a cave this whole time?" she asked quietly. The three kids nodded.

"It was awful, Mom."

"I can't believe that," Jay exclaimed. "How come you didn't just use one of your other pokémon?"

"We tired them all out training," Brock answered.

Huffing, Jay shook his head. "You should never tire out all of your pokémon. You never know when you'll need them."

They looked away, not responding. Ash ground his teeth, casting another regretful look at Pikachu. He felt terrible, but it was incomparable to the extent of the same feeling brewing in his mother's veins.

"Ash, wh-why did you use up all of your pokémon's energy?" she questioned, her tone full of disappointment. "They...they could've helped you! You could've needed them to protect you!"

"I know," Ash replied dolefully.

Jay looked down at Pikachu. "And Ash, how could you make Pikachu battle after a long day of training? I can just tell by looking at him he's all messed up! What did you do to him?"

"I don't know," Ash sniffled in reply. "I guess I wasn't thinking. I—I wanted a pokémon."

Delia stared at his still drooping head, getting rather uneasy. She realized the degree of poor planning in what was otherwise supposed to be a harmless day-excursion. She sent them out there with practically no concern, feeling as Jay did—that they knew everything they needed to know to get through the day uneventfully. It obviously wasn't so this time.

They could've gotten...

"But—but how did you get out then?" she wondered, perplexed more than ever on how they were here with just a few scratches and an appearance that looked like they had been to hell and back.

For the first time, the smallest trace of a smile appeared on all three kids' faces.

"That's the funny part, Mom!" Ash nearly chuckled.

There's nothing funny about this, she thought.

"Togepi got us out!"

Despite Misty and Brock's grins and nods, Delia and Jay were completely confounded. They gaped for some time before Jay, blinking, spoke up.

"Wh-what? Togepi?"

"Yeah, Togepi!" Misty exclaimed in response.

"He used an attack!" Ash said excitedly. "Or some sort of power, or something!"

"All he did was wave his arms around a little, and the ursaring was gone!" Brock said mystically. "Disappeared!"

"Get out of here!" Jay's eyes were wide with amused surprise.

"Honest!" Ash replied.

"That's incredible," his dad expressed, staring at Togepi in awe.

Misty smiled widely. "Guess Togepi can do a lot more stuff then we think he can, huh?" She brought the tired, little pokémon to her face to nuzzle him gently.

"Yeah," Ash nodded, turning to his mom. "And that's when we came home right away. I—I grabbed Pikachu and...what was left of my stuff, and we ran back the whole way. An hour later, but we're home."

He ended with a deep, relieved breath. Despite all that happened, he gazed exhaustedly but amiably at his mother, certain she felt better as well. However, she attempted not to match his expression. Ash's lighthearted face slowly fell as Delia's wrinkled with uncertainty.

"Mom? What's the matter?"

Delia shook her head. "I can't believe it," she said silently.

Her son grinned. "What? About Togepi?"

At that, she scowled, and the grin was wiped clean off Ash's face. "About Togepi?"

Ash flinched befuddledly. "Wh...what are you talking about then?"

"What am I talking about?" she reprised, and the three kids flinched at the anxiety in her breaking voice. "I—I'm talking about you! A-a-about what you got yourself into tonight!"

Ash slumped, but not uneasily. After the situation they had encountered that night, he had expected a rather fidgety reaction from her. He gave her a facile look.

"I know, Mom," he said softly. "But we're home now, we're safe. It's okay."

"No! N-no, it's not okay!" she sputtered, her chestnut eyes wavering. It was positively not that at all. Horrified, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. All her worries had been legitimate!

"Ash, you—you could've gotten hurt tonight! Any one of you could have! How could you think about taking a risk like that?"

"What risk?" asked Ash.

"About battling that...that thing!" Delia cried frantically. "It was late, you know I wanted you home for dinner, and you—and you go and fight a dangerous animal with Pikachu being all worn out like that?"

Ash was shocked at her attitude. He knew she'd be upset a little, but he thought that just the fact that they were home and safe would have been the end of it.

"Mom, it's okay, really!" he replied delicately. "Look, I know it was a mistake, and I'm sorry. I realize I did something stupid! But it's okay now! Everything's fine."

His mollifying voice was not doing what he wished it to. He could see concern radiating from his mom's face, fear and displeasure at the danger he had placed himself in.

"No, it's not fine," Delia said. "It might've been this time, but how am I to know it will be in the future?"

Ash appeared confused. "Mom, what do you—?"

"I thought I could trust you out there, Ash!" she interjected, her voice squeaking. "I thought that by now you would know what to do out there, how to keep yourself out of trouble and—and know what you shouldn't do!"

Ash cautiously advanced forward, ready to reason. "Mom, I know how—"

"No, you don't know!" she exclaimed, and he shut his mouth.

The silence was brief but heavy, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Jay stone still and Delia fighting to calm her thumping heart. She could feel more tears coming on as she perceived the situation more and more. What happened tonight didn't have to happen. The peril they were in could have been avoided. And this was only one night...how was it all the other times?

"You know, Ash, I worry about you so much," she said inaudibly. "Even today, just this simple little thing you were doing worried me."

"Mom, come on," Ash sighed, rolling his eyes. "We do this all the time."

"I know you do it all the time, but that doesn't stop me from worrying! Don't you think I constantly think about you, where you are? Hoping that you're safe and out of trouble?"

"But we are safe!" Ash pouted in assertion, drawing Pikachu even closer to his chest. "Mom, we know to take care of ourselves! We did it tonight!"

"No you didn't!" she contradicted. "You needed Togepi to help you! Togepi! Without him...who knows how long you would've been out there?" Ash started to say something, but Delia hardly gave him the chance. "That's not all I'm concerned about, though, Ash. I'm concerned about the decision you made—the bad one!"

"What bad one!?" Ash exclaimed. Misty and Brock cringed at his sharp voice, each too engrossed in the conflict to put in their say.

"About making Pikachu battle! About attacking something you should've just left alone!" his mother answered, her tone weakening with each outburst.

He just groaned in aggravation. "Mom, you don't know anything about that stuff..."

Delia's eyes widened. "I know enough to know that it wasn't a smart thing to do!"

"It wasn't," Jay shook his head in agreement. "You shouldn't overwork your pokémon if you don't have to."

"I didn't mean to overwork Pikachu!" Ash defended himself again, staring at his dad with eyes appealing for his approval. "I thought he could do it! And Pikachu told me he could, too!"

"I don't care," Delia said, and her son's dismayed attention returned to her. Her eyes suddenly pooled with tears. "I want to know that you can make wise decisions. I want to know that you know how to avoid trouble and be safe out there without having me worry like crazy. And doing what you did tonight doesn't show me that!"

Ash smacked his forehead. He was getting annoyed now. Why wasn't she letting up about this? They returned home in one piece—shouldn't that have been all she wanted? Seeing her confronting him, pale from frenzy and imploring for answers he couldn't give without dissatisfying her, he just wanted to escape to his room and let it all blow over. She would relax gradually. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon—he and his friends were basically cornered. And by their wavering silence, he was evidently the one who was going to have to settle this.

"Mom..." he said, trying to think of what to say that would please her, "you don't have to worry about me."

"Obviously, Ash, I do," she said reluctantly. She went on slowly, "How am I to know that you won't do something like this again? We all make mistakes, but you can't afford to make ones like this—especially ones that you know might not end up good."

"I thought it was going to end up good," Ash mumbled. "I was hoping to get a new pokémon."

Her face clenched with anguish. "Ash..." she breathed, biting her lip strongly, "you...you just have no idea how much I was worrying about you tonight."

Disgruntled, Ash stamped his foot lightly. "Mom, why?"

"Why?" she echoed incredulously, her anxiety sharpening. "Why!?" Because you're my only baby and I don't want to lose you...!

She gaped at him for a moment silently. "Because I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm not going to get hurt," he returned precisely.

"I don't want you to put yourself in dangerous situations."

"I don't try to!"

She tensed at that. "I don't...I don't..." Her voice staggered, then lowered to a pitiable whisper. "I don't want to lose you."

"Ugh, Mom, you're not going to lose me!" Ash grumbled, effectively outdoing his mom's last utterance. Misty and Brock exchanged a skittish, worrisome look.

"Yes I can!" she replied, her voice now tottering with looming sobs. "Ash, you don't think anything can happen, but it can! Things can happen! It almost did tonight! And...and I can't stand sending you off all these times and worrying about every little bad thing that can happen to you!"

"But nothing bad is going to happen to me!" he rebutted, trying so hard to put decisiveness into his agitated voice. "Mom, just please, lay off! I'm fine! I'm not going to get hurt!"

"I can't lay off! I love you too much!" Delia repeated. "You know how hard it is to send you off, not knowing what you're going to meet up with?"

"Why?" Ash implored again. "Why, Mom, why can't you!? Why can't you just stop worrying for one second and trust me!?"

"Because you're my baby, that's why!" she said, balling her fists.

Ash growled, completely fed up now. "Don't call me your baby! I'm not a baby anymore!" he huffed. "I'm almost twelve-years-old! I can take care of myself! Let me grow up!"

Not...my baby?

She froze. This wasn't the first time she had heard such a remark from her son, but this time it was different. After days and days of lowering self-assurance and weakening denial, she wondered if ever again she would call someone else her baby. But she could with Ash; nothing would ever take away the blessing that he was her baby.

"You are my baby," she said inaudibly. "I don't care how old you are, you're still my baby. And I can't stand to have you leave all the time. It breaks my heart and it makes me worry sick wondering if you're okay! And I can't stand it anymore!"

At that statement, Ash's nerves snapped. This was all he could take. "Stop it!" he shouted, his annoyance resounding from his blaring voice. "Stop acting this way, Mom! Stop acting like I can't do anything! I can take care of myself out there! And I can do it without you worrying about me all the time, babying me! I don't want to be babied anymore! If...if you want to baby someone so much, why...why don't you just go and have another baby!? Huh!? Just—go and have another baby and leave me alone!"

The outburst stunned the room into silence. Misty and Brock's eyes widened at the flare-up. They never expected Ash to raise his voice like that, say something so extreme. Jay was rendered into a state of shock, as well, but nothing compared to the indefinable look on Delia's face. Her heart taking a stricken leap in her small chest, she went sickly pale, and it appeared as if a shadow of horror and distress clouded over her eyes. Slowly, she began to back up, wincing as the tears finally cascaded down her face.

As her ghastly look intensified, a chill ran up Ash's spine. His hard face instantly softened. "Mom? Wh-what's the matter?" he asked, his voice returning to a delicate pitch.

His mom just shook her head, her hurt-filled eyes brandishing into Ash's uncomprehending ones. She couldn't think of what to say—she couldn't even think of anything except what he had just uttered. It replayed in her head adversely, bringing waves of pain and rejection like electric bolts through her body. She opened her mouth slightly to say something, but at a loss for words, just shook her head again.

All around her, the concerned looks flourished, misconstruing her peculiar reaction. It was certainly a rude comment that Ash had proclaimed, there was no doubt about that in anyone's mind; but the look on her face denoted as though Delia had been delivered her death-sentence rather than just a careless remark from her son.

"Mom?" Ash attempted again. He sounded frightened now, alarmed at her aghast countenance, notably directed his way.

Delia finally narrowed her eyes at him in contempt, a sob escaping her choked-up throat. "You insensitive, little brat," she sneered.

With that, she tore away, and rushed towards the stairs and her startled husband.

"Delia! Hold on a second!" Jay tried to restrain her, but she just pushed him aside forcefully, an oncoming of violent crying overpowering her.

Ash's eyes didn't even follow her up the stairs. They darted about where his mother once stood, glazed over in disbelief. He stopped breathing as her last words struck him with unbelievable force.

"Ash?" Misty said precariously as she and Brock hastened to his side. Carefully, she placing a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to them slowly, meeting them with tear-filled eyes.

"Wha-what did I say?" Ash asked, his voice cracking.

When neither could answer him, he spun around to Jay, who looked just as disconcerted as he did.

"Dad? Wha-what...?"

Detecting his disorientation, Jay shook his head. "I—I don't know." He ran a hand through his black hair insecurely, trying to figure out what had just transpired. "You—you shouldn't have said anything, Ash. You just shoulda—"

"But what did I say?" Ash wailed. He had never been called such a thing by his mother before, making his body clench with dejection and confusion. He swiftly succumbed to his sudden tears. "I didn't mean it! Whatever I said, I didn't mean—!"

"Ash, shhh, quiet," Misty ordered softly, grabbing his arm. "It's okay!"

Ash didn't listen. "Dad, what did I say!? I didn't mean it, honestly!"

Hearing the earnest panic in his boy's voice, Jay didn't know how to answer him. His regard was flying back and forth between Ash and Delia, the whole situation sending him into a fit of nervous jostling as he wondered whom to attend to first. The last expression he saw on his wife's face gave him the creeps, but now as he witnessed the tears forming in Ash's repentant eyes, he was overwhelmed. Just what the hell had happened?

"Dad!"

"Ash, just be quiet! It's okay!" his father hastily assured him, but Ash didn't look satisfied. His lip quivering, he lifted Pikachu up and buried his face into his fur, too blown away to do anything else.

Misty bit her lip. "Ash, c'mon, it's okay!"

"It's no big deal," Brock said. "It'll be fine."

"No! What did I do!?" he demanded to know, his voice peaking with sobs.

Jay shuddered at Ash's bemoaning. He had to know what was going on now. Rapidly, he spun around and started up the stairs, gazing down the fractious scene below. "Ash, just sit on the couch, okay?" he advised. "Misty, Brock—stay with him. I'm going to see what's the matter with Mom."

"Okay," Misty and Brock answered at once, and promptly led Ash to the couch without resistance. Ash collapsed into the cushions and grit his teeth, wallowing in the aftereffect of Delia's severe words. Misty and Brock sat on either side of him, encompassing him with a laden air of sympathy, and said not a word as they allowed their friend to submit to all the emotions that had incremented throughout the eventful day.

Meanwhile, Jay briskly made his way to his room, a clash of commingled thoughts flying about his head. This whole night had been one big mess, and he was adamant to find out what the meaning to it all was. The kids' strange adventure could be dealt with later, but now all he was focused on was Delia. Not that this focus was in any ways new—for the past week and a half, he was baffled by her bizarre behavior; tonight was simply the clincher. Never had she acted so paranoid over the kids' travels and Ash's safety; never had he seen her respond to something Ash—or anyone—had said to her in such an uncalled-for manner. She was not herself, and hadn't been for too long now. Jay was sincerely distressed.

The door was closed but not locked, and he barged into the room in an almost reckless fashion. It was enough to jar Delia's head from her hands, and her reddened eyes flashed a look of alarm. She was sitting on the bed, stooped over and looking as frail as he had ever seen her. Jay stopped dead-short in the doorway and observed her intently, but she paid no mind to it, depositing her wet face into her hands again and continued to wail soundly.

Seeing her this way sent waves of terror through him, and Jay immediately rushed over and dropped to his knees before her.

"Delia! Come on, what's the matter? Why are you crying?" he entreated, trying to pry her hands away from her face. She fought against him firmly, and it took much effort for him to finally reveal her grisly look. He clasped her hands tightly in his own, but she continued to cry, shaking her head and avoiding eye-contact with him.

"Delia! Please! What's the matter with you? What!? What happened down there? Please tell me!"

"No...no!" was all she replied gruffly, doubling over with sobs. Jay reached up with one hand to brush her hair away from her sticky, raw eyes.

His heart was pounding now. This was what he'd been getting all week, only this time it was much more intensified. She was hiding something—hiding something major—and his concern for her had never been this fierce.

"Delia...honey, please!" he pleaded, his own voice cracking. "Please tell me what's wrong! I know something's the matter with you! I can't stand you acting this way, being so miserable! Please, I'm here for you! You can tell me anything, you know that! Just please tell me what's the matter! Please!"

Delia appeared to stop resisting, but she still showed no signs of talking. She struggled to catch her breath, making Jay impatient with fright.

"Why...why did what Ash say bother you? What did he say that made you call him that?" he demanded, his eyes blazing. "Why? Why!?"

"Because!" Delia finally shouted, and stopped there. Stunned, Jay dropped her hands and they went immediately to cover her face again, but not entirely. Her eyes remained exposed, pink and contemplative.

Jay paused for a second. "Because why?" he asked silently.

Delia allowed their eyes to meet for the first time. Taking in his handsome face, strained of worry and devotion to find out what was troubling her, she realized she couldn't keep her secret any longer. She didn't want to bear thinking of how much it was going to hurt him, but he wanted to know—he was so vehement. For so much affection, for so much love, he didn't deserve to be kept in such cruel confusion.

"Oh, Jay," she spoke haggardly. What had befallen her so shortly ago all came sweeping back to her, overwhelming her with that most detestable feeling of remorse and depression.

Jay perked, his face lightening in compassionate encouragement for her to go on, taking her hands and squeezing them again. She swallowed hard and sniffled, looking to the ceiling as she tried to compose in her head the words that would disclose the source of all her affliction. At last, her eyes locked back into his, squinting against the assault of unending tears.

"It happened again."

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

You know, I looked back at one of my old chapters of Stars Fell the other day, and noticed that it was five pages long.

Five! This chapter was twenty-three. ^^;;; What the heck happened!? LOL Either I'm really getting into this or I'm just writing too damn much. :P

Hope you enjoyed this very long, very tense chapter! I'm pretty sure chapter 15 will be out next week on schedule, but it's not in stone. What is in stone is that it's much shorter than this one was. ^_^; Let's just hope school doesn't get evil with me in the next few days…

Thank you for reading! ^_^