Blue Heaven

By Spruceton Spook

Part 18

Far From Ruined

Ash froze. He heard his dad's order, but the fierce flutter of butterflies in his stomach was his only present reaction. Jay wasn't going to tolerate any delay, though. His face tightened furiously as he stormed over to him, making Ash instinctively back away.

"Dad, I—"

"Get in the house," Jay repeated firmly, seizing his shoulder and giving him a shove in the direction of Professor Oak's house. "We need to have a talk."

Ash stumbled forward, and obediently complied. He withdrew his head as he began to make his way across the lawn, throwing one more sheepish glance at the disturbance the two pokémon—and he—had carelessly caused. The looks he was still receiving made him turn away embarrassingly. He worked his legs hurriedly, wanting to get away from the scene as fast as possible. The fact that his very angry father was behind him undoubtedly added to his hustle as well. Unfortunately, though, there was no escaping the latter.

Chills were running up his neck as he could feel Jay's intimidating presence. Aw man, how am I gonna get myself out of this? he thought. How could he somehow convince Jay that this wasn't entirely his fault, and especially not his intention? How could Jay even think that? Ash wasn't sure, but he knew it wasn't going to be an easy task; his dad was not one to put up with phony excuses.

Gulping, Ash looked over his shoulder slightly. Might as well start explaining now... "Uh, Dad, look, I know—"

"Don't talk," interrupted Jay sternly, pointing. "In the house."

Ash winced. This wasn't good—his father wasn't even going to let him speak? He had no idea how this was going to unfold, and he didn't quite want to find out, either. He hoped he could at least attempt to voice his valid explanation—it might be useless, but it was his only chance at redeeming himself.

The number of people was dwindling as they approached the house, making Ash a bit comforted. He knew Jay was going to yell. He didn't feel like having dozens of people hear that...though he wondered if the distance between the house and the reception area made a difference, anyway.

Why did I do this? Ash wondered as he opened the back door. He took a deep breath, preparing to justify his actions. Why didn't I listen to Misty...?

As soon as he was in the house, his nerves prompted the explanation to come quickly to his lips. "Dad, I know this is bad, and I'm really sorry it happened, but—oww!"

The harsh swat to his backside elicited the yelp of pain and surprise that checked his words abruptly. Like an electric shock, it caused Ash to retreat at once, barely escaping Jay's hand as it reached out to snatch him. He spun around to face his enraged father.

"Wait, please hold on a second!" he cried, holding out his hands in defense.

"No hold on!" Jay growled, charging at him. "Get over here!"

Ash's heart skipped a beat as his dad grabbed his wrist tightly and tried to whirl him around. Frantically, Ash squirmed and writhed, managing to twist himself out of striking range and break free of his hold in the process. In an instant he fled to the opposite side of the room, panic flashing in his widened eyes.

"Please, Dad, please, stop! Hold on!" he pled desperately, Jay approaching ominously once again. "Please, please, I'm sorry, just let me explain! Please hold on! Please!" He backed up as much as he possibly could into the wall, his arms still outstretched in a feeble attempt to fend off Jay.

"WHY SHOULD I!?" his father roared. Ash cringed as it made his ears ring terribly. "After what you did, why should I!?"

He came closer, and Ash drew in his breath. "I'm sorry! Just let me explain, please!" he begged, his voice shaking.

Ash wouldn't have been surprised if his dad completely ignored his plea, but to his utter relief, Jay stopped, his aggressive stance easing but not his menacing look. He gave his son a hard glare that dared him to say something to displease him further.

Ash gulped, trying to formulate the words in his mind before speaking them. "I—I'm really, really sorry," he decided to start with.

"Yeah, I know," Jay scowled. "I've been hearing that a lot from you lately, Ash. What's your reason this time?"

Oh man... Ash couldn't believe how tough Jay was going to make this for him. "I am, though," he said. "I'm sorry, I never, ever thought this would happen. I—I just thought that—"

"You just thought you could battle with Gary without thinking once that maybe this WASN'T THE BEST TIME TO DO IT!" Jay filled in, his voice growing louder with each word. He looked charged to come at him again, and Ash pressed himself even deeper into the wall, praying that he could pass through it. He gritted his teeth, but Jay thankfully stayed put.

"I—I..." he stuttered, not knowing what to say next. He had to be careful. One wrong word and Jay would surely refresh the sting on his rear that was slowly numbing away. "I know, it was really stupid," he admitted quietly.

"You're damn right it was stupid!" Jay bellowed. "What was going on in your head? How could you think of doing something like that, having a pokémon battle in the middle of the reception!? Are you crazy!?"

That wasn't hard to answer. "It was Gary!" Ash blubbered. "I-it wasn't my idea to battle, it was Gary's! He challenged me! Daddy, he challenged me, I couldn't—!"

Jay threw his fists down. "I don't want to hear that! Why were you even with him to begin with? Huh!? Answer me that!"

"He...he came to me," Ash began, tears creeping into the corners of his eyes, "and—and I told him to go away, but he wouldn't! He challenged me to a battle, and I had to accept it!"

"No, that's where you're wrong!" Jay fumed. Ash cowered at the pointed finger he thrust at him as he berated. "You didn't have to accept the challenge! That's no excuse!"

"But what was I supposed to do?" Ash whimpered.

"You were supposed to say no!" his dad answered sharply. "I don't care whether he challenged you or not, you should have said no! What's wrong with you, Ash? Didn't it occur to you at all that what you were doing was wrong?"

"But I didn't mean for any of this to happen! It was the pokémon! It was Pikachu and Raichu; for some reason they started—"

"I don't care what the pokémon did!" Jay blared. "I care about what you did, about what you caused out there! I know you have this—this thing with Gary, but battling at the reception—Ash, this has got to be one of the dumbest things you've—you don't even have a license! What do you think this is!? Not only was what you did wrong, it was illegal, too!"

Ash's heart beat intensely. "I...I forgot..."

"You forgot!" Jay echoed, absurdity in his tone. "You're lucky you just have me to deal with, Ashton! I can't believe this, how you don't think! What's the matter with you? You don't know right from wrong? Or do I have to remind you?"

"No," Ash assured hastily, shaking his head. The tears were coming strongly now, but he wasn't attempting to hold them back. Although he didn't want to appear weak in front of his dad, he wondered if it would influence Jay to go easier on him.

"Then tell me why I shouldn't." Jay crossed his arms. The pressure heated up; Ash could only pray he had the magic words to pass his dad's test.

"I... Dad, you gotta believe me, I didn't want this to happen," Ash explained, his voice tottering. His back never left the wall; he was still too afraid of his father's unpredictability. "I didn't think the pokémon would stop listening to us, and—and go crazy at the party! I...just wanted to beat Gary."

"And what gave you the idea that it was okay to battle with Gary?" Jay inquired, arching a rigid eye at him.

"Because...w-well...uh," Ash stammered.

"Well WHAT?!"

Ash started, finding no choice but to declare his reason. "B-because I don't want him here!"

Jay shook his head fiercely. "No! Don't you dare give me that, Ash! I don't want to hear it."

"But Dad, I don't!" Ash cried again, balling his fists. "Why did he have to come? Why did you invite him!?"

"Why did we invite him!?" his dad repeated incredulously, and Ash shuddered—he wasn't doing well. "Ash, I mean it! Don't give me this crap! Why did we invite him! For God's sake, his mother is one of your mother's best friends! What the hell were we supposed to write on the invitation, huh? 'Dear Pete, Roseann, and May, we hope you can join us for the celebration, but please don't bring Gary because Ash CAN'T STAND HIM?!"

Ash recoiled as Jay's voice peaked at its highest. He had to admit, it did sound ridiculous. He understood completely, which, unfortunately, left him at a loss for words. His nervousness skyrocketed. Jay was mad as ever, and it was obvious now that he didn't have any decent defense for his actions.

I'm dead meat, he though despairingly. I should've just listened to Misty! She was so right about...all of this... Why didn't I just keep walking away...? I'd be out there having fun right now...instead of this.

"That's no excuse for what you did," Jay went on gruffly, his face beet red in fury. "Gary was invited to this party because he and his family are our friends, and if you can't be mature and put your stubborn differences aside for one day, Ash, then there's something really wrong here."

Mature...oh God, I screwed up. Ash could do nothing at that point but nod. "I know. I'm sorry. I—I should've just ignored him."

"Yeah, well, it's a little too late for that, now, isn't it?"

With glassy eyes, Ash looked into his father's face. "Please, Dad...I'm really sorry. I wasn't thinking. H-he challenged me to a battle, and—and you're a pokémon trainer! You know how hard it is to turn down a challenge!"

"Yes, but I would've never thought to battle at a wedding reception!" Jay responded hotly. He pointed towards the party area. "You see what you did out there? Huh, do you!? You're lucky that only happened to one table!" Ash hung his head, the image of the chaos returning swiftly to his mind. "I swear, I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

Ash gulped. This would be his last attempt. He figured he was in enough trouble that one more shot wasn't going to hurt. "Dad," he spoke softly, not lifting his head, "please...don't...don't do anything. I'm really, really sorry." With an imploring, regretful face, he looked up.

"I made a mistake. I thought I could beat Gary and it'd be over. He'd leave and...nothing bad would happen. I—I promise it won't happen again, Dad. I really do. I'm sorry." He shut his eyes, dreading what Jay would say or do next.

Surprisingly, his father was silent. For a moment, he just glared at him, contemplating what to do, heaving from all the yelling. The sounds of the party continued on, amplified by the awkward stillness that settled. Jay threw a glimpse out the window, but Ash didn't mimic. He kept an attentive eye on his dad, the pause intensifying his anxiety.

Finally, Jay sighed and rubbed his temples exasperatedly. "All right, Ash," he said, making his son perk nervously. His tone was still firm, paired with his likewise glower. "This is the deal. I won't do anything this time, okay? I won't do anything, but I mean it. You are on thin ice right now, you got that? Paper-thin ice. If I so much as catch you anywhere near Gary, or if you do anything else to piss me off, you'll be spending the rest of the party at home. You understand?"

Ash, overwhelmed with unforeseen relief, couldn't agree to that fast enough. "Yes," he nodded.

"I'm serious," Jay warned one last time, pointing at him stringently. "I really mean it, Ash. I'll send you right home, and I won't even listen to any kind of excuse you have. You behave yourself, or else. Got it?"

"Yes, I got it," Ash replied. He cracked a timid smile. "Thanks, Dad."

"Uh-huh," Jay replied crossly. His face did not lighten, making Ash's smile drop. Jay had nothing more to say to his son at that point. He turned and stormed off, the sound of the screen door slamming behind him making Ash flinch.

For a second, he lingered motionlessly, recovering in the aftereffect of the rebuke. He threw his head back against the wall, finally able to catch his breath, images of all that had happened in the last ten minutes replaying in his mind. It was over...to an extent. He survived his father's wrath, but there was still more to dread. The thought of it got his heart racing again.

Hesitantly, Ash finally managed to pry himself away from the wall. He started for the door, but stopped, the music repelling him rather than luring him this time. He didn't know how he could possibly show his face at the party again. Picturing the looks he'd have to endure and the explanations he'd have to repeat made his stomach sink. But that wasn't the worst of it. He still had Misty to face.

Suddenly, all the warnings she had strictly given him before and during his encounter with Gary reprised in his head. She was so incensed then; how was she going to act now?

She's not even going to talk to me, I bet, he thought despondently. Added to his dad, that now made two people against him. The tears that originated from Jay's severe reprimand came more freely now. How am I gonna fix this?

Ash had to force his legs to move, his uneasiness holding him back drastically. With a deep breath, he let himself outside, the warm sunshine greeting him tauntingly. It didn't make him feel any better, and neither did the sight of the party ahead that had previously made him glow with delight. Looking randomly off to the side, Ash caught sight of Jay trudging to the food table, and he promptly shivered. He had to be careful—not just of Gary anymore, but of upsetting his father for the remainder of the day. Escaping Jay's rage was a fortunate feat, but doing it for a second time in one day was unheard of.

Mustering courage again, Ash shambled towards the party, keeping his head down but a keen eye on his surroundings. He felt dozens of eyes on him: criticizing, snooping eyes all wondering what had gone on inside the house. They wouldn't know, but they'd assume. Humiliation overturned his stomach, but Ash tried not to think about it. How was he going to survive the rest of the party?

It's no use, he shook his head inwardly. Everything's ruined...Dad's mad at me, Misty's mad at me, I made such a mess...I ruined the whole party.

Ash found Misty quicker than he thought he would. Entering the reception area, he seemed to be drawn to her like a magnet. She sat at their table alone, a bored look painted on her face. Ash knew she was far from being bored, though. Not with the line-up of things she would yell at him being devised in her brain.

Slipping his hands into his pockets, he slowly made his way over to her, fearing what she would do upon meeting him. Was she going to explode on him? Ignore him? Ash realized that Misty was just as unpredictable as his father was. It was amazing how two very different people could be so alike...

Ash's heart lurched the moment Misty laid her eyes on him. He had barely come within ten feet of her, and yet she sensed his presence just as easily as he had sensed hers, it seemed. He paused in mid-stride as their eyes locked, but resumed a second later, shuffling over to her sluggishly.

There was a brief period of silence that followed. Ash refused to look into her face, disgraced, feeling as though he could bolt at any moment from the tension. He knew she was watching him, though, waiting for him to return the attention or say something. He chose the latter.

"Where's Brock and Tracey?" he asked silently. He strained to look at her, just succeeding.

She stared back at him, emotionless. For a second, Ash didn't even know if she'd respond before she replied dryly, "They went looking for Pikachu."

Ash sat down, a good few inches from Misty. He draped his arms over his lap and hung his head slightly, studying the grass between his knees. "They aren't going to find him," he said. "At least not for a while."

Misty didn't respond that time, making Ash hold his breath. The situation couldn't possibly be any more uncomfortable. If she did have any plans on screaming her head off, she sure felt it necessary to put him through painful suspense. Finally, when the quiet wracked him just enough, he groaned.

"Go on," he told her. "Say it."

Misty gave him an odd look. "What do you mean? Say what?"

"You know what I mean. I know you want to say it. So go ahead."

"No, Ash," Misty shook her head, "I don't know what you mean."

"You do to," he insisted, somewhat fed up with her charade. She said nothing, and he moaned in aggravation. "That I'm an idiot, maybe? That everything you told me not to do I stupidly did and made a huge mess because of it!? 'I told you so?'"

Misty looked away. "Well...why do I have to say it when you already know?"

Ash shut his eyes tightly and shook his head. "Because you should say it to me. You were right, Misty," he said. "You were right about everything. I shouldn't've battled him."

She huffed slightly, rolling her eyes, expecting this. "I know."

"I should've just ignored him."

"Yeah."

"I should've just listened to you...and—a-and I didn't..." His voice floundered. "I ruined everything."

Though she could have tartly agreed once more, Misty held back her remark. As disappointed as she was, Ash's insecure emotions stirred her sympathy. He never meant any harm, regardless of how much he may have caused. And this time, as much as he deserved the consequences, was no exception.

"Ash," she sighed wearily, "when is this going to stop?"

"When I never have to see him again," he determined.

"Well, that's not going to happen for a long time," Misty said. "As long as you two are competing in the same league, or living on the same street, it's not going to happen. And you know it, Ash. You're going to have to do something different about it. And that doesn't mean picking a fight every time you meet up with him." The reality behind her words made Ash wince. "It has to stop, and you're the one who has to do it."

"But I can't," Ash wailed miserably. "I—I want to, but I can't! You saw the way I was today! I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I did it anyway. I just can't help it, I can't control myself around him..."

"Yes, you can, Ash. You're a strong person. I know you can do it. You...you just have to learn to think before you do something."

No kidding, Ash thought. "I know," he said. "I don't think, and that's my problem. I just...I screwed up everything today! I screwed up..." At that, his voice broke, but he didn't cry. He just buried his face in his hands, leaving Misty to place a compassionate hand on his back.

"I'm sorry, Misty," said Ash, his voice muffled. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

Misty smiled weakly. "It's okay. It's over now, you don't have to be upset anymore."

"Yes, I do," he disputed.

"No, you don't," she said, deeply concerned. Because I hate when you're upset...

"Yes, I do," he repeated resolutely. "Misty, I made such a mess of everything! I—I destroyed that table, Pikachu's run away somewhere, my dad...he's so mad at me, it's scary... I—I just ruined the whole party."

"Don't say that," Misty said softly, squeezing his arm reassuringly. "You didn't ruin the party."

"Yes, I did."

"No, you didn't!" she grinned, finding his problem ridiculously exaggerated. "Ash, I was watching what was going on at that table after you left. Most of those people were laughing, you just didn't see it! No one got hurt, if that's what you're worried about. In fact, I'm sure they've already forgotten about it—it's no big deal!"

Ash sighed, wishing it were that easy. At that point, who cared about the people at the table? "There's one person who hasn't forgotten about it," he corrected glumly.

Misty's smile faded. "Your dad?" she guessed sheepishly.

Ash nodded.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

"Sorta. He...he yelled a lot." He cringed, still astonished that he narrowly escaped that tight predicament. "But...but it was still really bad."

"I can imagine," Misty said understandably. "What did he say?"

"A lot of not nice things," Ash frowned.

Though vague, Misty deciphered enough through his tone. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Her empathy made Ash shut his eyes disconsolately. "Don't be. This whole day is ruined—I ruined it. I ruined my dad's day—his wedding day! And he's pissed. He—he was so happy, and we were getting along so well, having fun, and now he probably won't even look at me for the rest of the day. It just sucks! I don't want that! I...I hate it when he's mad at me."

Misty's heart wrenched at his grief. "So then...why don't you go talk to him?" she advised, pity flowing from her sweet voice.

Ash suddenly flashed her a ludicrous look. "Are you crazy?" he exclaimed. "I can't do that!"

Despite his shock, Misty shrugged. "Why not?"

"Because he'll kill me! There's no way I can go talk to him now!"

Misty gave him a silly smile. "Oh, stop it! He's not going to kill you."

"You don't know my dad, Misty! He will!" Ash shrieked frantically.

Slouching, Misty groaned. "Maybe I don't know him, but if he was going to kill you, he would've done it already."

Ash shut his mouth. She had a point there. Still, it granted him no confidence. He couldn't imagine going anywhere near Jay for the rest of the day. It pained him to think that he couldn't share any more fun with him, but he knew when to keep his distance. Misty had to be crazy.

"Misty," he said seriously, "I can't talk to him. It's way too soon."

"Ash, give me a break!" Misty rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he's cooling down by now. If you go talk to him, you can make everything right again! Trust me."

Ash bit his lip warily. "I don't think so..."

"If you avoid him, that's just showing him you don't care."

"No, it shows that I'm smart and don't feel like getting my butt whupped!"

Misty slouched, sighing. He just turned away, fiddling with his tie with trembling hands. She could see the sadness in his eyes, depression where there was previously bliss, and it tortured her. He was worrying needlessly; the simple solution to his problem was not as hard as he thought it would be. True, she didn't know Jay that well, but she couldn't stand to see him hopelessly accepting his dilemma. He had to take a chance.

"Ash, I hate to see you like this," she told him gently. "You were so happy before. You were looking forward to this party so much, and it kills me to think that you won't try to make it better. If all you have to do is talk to your dad and try to make up with him, don't you think it's worth a shot?"

Ash thought quietly for a moment. "But what if he won't listen to me?"

"Well, at least you tried then. But I know your dad a little bit, and I can promise you that he'll listen to you. Maybe it won't work, but there's a chance it will. Won't it be great if that made everything better?"

Ash shrugged. "Of course it will. But...who am I kidding? He's probably still fuming. He won't want to talk to me."

A resounding of laughter suddenly seized Misty's attention. She looked up in the direction of the bar, perking as she concurrently caught sight of Jay. He was anything but fuming; she couldn't help but smile as she watched him guffaw along with four other men, all happily clutching bottles of beer.

"Hey," she said, jabbing him with her elbow. She nodded in the direction of the bar, smirking. "Look, there he is. Now does he look mad to you?"

"Huh?" Ash rapidly turned towards the bar. A chill ran through him as he saw his father, but the hearty fit of chuckling that had taken Jay over eased him into confusion. He couldn't believe that the man who was having so much fun at the moment was the same one who had blasted him minutes ago.

"W-well," he stuttered, "it's because I'm not there. That's why he's happy."

"Oh my God," Misty smacked her forehead. She then motioned wildly at Jay. "Ash, if he doesn't kill you, I will! Look at him! He's laughing, he's smiling! If he's as pissed off as you say he is, he wouldn't be in the mood to have fun! Go talk to him."

Ash was still watching Jay affably converse with those of whom he immediately assumed were his dad's work buddies. It was odd, actually—Ash would have never expected to see Jay that happy again for the rest of the afternoon. It was almost as if their confrontation had never occurred.

"I...I don't know, Misty," he said hesitantly. "I'm scared..."

"Don't be scared," she persuaded him. She gave him a brusque push, prompting him to his feet. "Didn't I have good advice before...even though you didn't listen to it?"

"Um...y-yeah..."

She smiled brazenly. "Then my advice should be good now, too, right?"

Ash threw another timorous glance at his now good-humored father. "I guess," he exhaled. For a moment, he just stared, not moving.

"Well, then go, silly!" Misty said with another shove. Ash stumbled a bit, paused, then finally proceeded to make his way over to the bar. "Good luck!" he heard her call.

Yeah, good luck, he gulped. I'm gonna need it...

It was a short distance to the bar, making Ash's apprehension rise steeply. He wished it was a little longer so that he could gain some much-needed bravery. His walk was practically glacial, as he was observing his father's actions cautiously. As brief as the trip was, there was always time to turn around and run for it. Ash couldn't count the number of times he felt like doing just that, but he had to fight it. Misty was right: this was the only way he could make things better, to salvage the event. And he really wanted that.

The guys were still engaged in a fit of laughter as Ash drew closer. He couldn't resist the small smile that etched his lips as a result of the cheerful ruckus. When people laughed, it made him happy, regardless of how he felt. Being utterly terrified, as he was now, made no difference. But as the range between them dwindled, questions and doubts invaded Ash's brain. Did these guys happen to witness the scene he made? What would they say? It was one thing to talk about his situation with others, but in front of his dad? Ash's heart pounded. Was this really the best thing to do, or was he setting himself up for more embarrassment?

No! No, Misty knows what she's doing. And...and this has to go right. It has to—Daddy, please don't be mad at me, please...

Jay's back was to him slightly. Ash experienced a rather uncomfortable chill, wondering one last time if what he was doing was right. Taking a deep breath, he took the chance. Hesitantly, he reached out and gently tapped his dad's shoulder, unconsciously putting on the most innocent look his face could produce.

"Dad?" he asked, whispering.

Startled, Jay whipped around. "Ash?" he gasped in surprise.

Ash gave him a bashful, crooked smile, his head sinking in his shoulders. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Jay blinked, unable to register the shock at beholding his son. Before he could utter a word, though, an energetic voice rang out.

"Jay! Is this your kid?" the man asked excitedly. Ash looked up to see the four work pals grinning broadly at him.

Jay regained himself quickly. "Uh, y-yeah," he smiled. "Yeah, this is Ash."

"Hey, Ash!" chimed the man with slicked blond hair, looking to be the youngest of the group. Switching his beer from his right to his left, he extended his hand for Ash to shake. "I'm Matt. What's going on?"

Ash could only shrug, but his smile came genuinely. He was still nervous, but the warm attention was making him gradually relax.

"Oh man, Jay, he looks just like you!" another man marveled, shaking his head. "Spitting image!"

"Ugh, just what this world needs—another Jay Ketchum," groaned Matt sarcastically. "Ain't that right, Ash?"

Ash shrugged again, giggling softly. "I dunno."

"So how old are you there, little Jay?" another asked, this one probably older than his father. His voice was just as spirited—it was no doubt in Ash's mind that these guys were having a grand time.

"Eleven," he answered in a small, childish voice that came naturally.

"Eleven!? God, the last time I saw you, you were just a little tyke!" proclaimed the last, who Ash hardly recognized at all. "I remember you when you were this high!" He leveled his hand off around his mid-thigh area.

No wonder I don't remember him, Ash almost laughed. "Really?"

"So what have you been up to, Ash? What grade are you in now?"

"Actually, Ash just got back from his pokémon journey a couple months ago," Jay suddenly said, wrenching Ash's head up. He was shocked that his dad joined the genial conversation—and with such liveliness in his voice. He gaped.

"Get out! Is that so!" That was Matt again. Ash liked him a lot. He was so happy and animated—and probably half-way drunk, too, but Ash didn't care. A grin stretched from ear to ear at the mention of his travels.

"Yeah, I'm trying out for the Johto League right now," he said, the shyness readily leaving his voice.

Guess they didn't see me ruin the party, after all...

"The Johto League, huh?"

"You got badges yet, Ash?"

"Sure do," Ash replied, proudly holding up two fingers. "Got two so far."

"Two? Oh, that's awesome!" exclaimed Matt. "In fact—Jay! You tried out for Johto, too, didn't you?"

Jay huffed humorously. "Centuries ago, yeah." Giving Ash an admirable smirk, he reached out to tousle his hair. Ash tensed as his dad's hand neared him, but the loving gesture quickly eased his nerves. "Ash is already miles ahead of me, though. I didn't accomplish half the things he has at his age."

"Wow," the older guy shook his head. "Sounds like you're doing very well there, Ash. You must be so proud of him, Jay."

Ash watched as a humble smile pried at his father's lips. "I am," he said with unmistakable sincerity. He gazed at Ash, who couldn't hold back his coquettish grin. "I really am." With his attention now on him, Jay lifted his eyebrows inquisitively.

"What is it you wanted, son?"

Despite the gentleness of his tone, Ash's smile faded as his original purpose sent an abrupt, fidgety wave through him. "Can I talk to you—alone?" he requested, wringing his hands.

Jay faltered for a second, then managed a smile. "Sure. Sure." He patted his shoulder and turned to his friends. "Guys, I'll be back in minute, all right?"

"You got it," Matt raised his beer. He winked at Ash. "See ya later, little Jay."

"Bye," Ash waved. As the farewell was reciprocated, he turned and began ambling towards the house. Jay followed right behind, cocking a baffled eye.

"What is it?" he asked, wondering what could possibly be so important as to compel Ash to bravely face him so soon. So soon—it was barely ten minutes! He figured he wouldn't see his son for a good hour or so, or for the rest of the day even, as Ash was always inclined to stay far away from him after such an incident. Whether it be out of fear or resentment, Ash presumably made himself scarce.

"No, not here," Ash replied. "In the house." He almost laughed at the irony—here he was, leading his dad to the site of their recent conflict. The same thought arose in Jay's mind, increasing his curiosity. Taking a slug of his beer, he said not a word, keeping the same bizarre eye on his boy.

Ash took a deep lung-full of air as they entered house, which, again, was empty and quiet. He was very nervous, but the possibility of his dad yelling at him or punishing him were not among his current fears. After shooting the breeze with Jay's friends and the fond praise his father had openly given him, Ash was certain his temper had quelled—but not yet his displeasure. He wanted that gone, too, but for now, it was merely a hope.

He didn't acknowledge Jay right away, as he was lost in concentration. Jay wasn't willing to wait much longer, though, his ignorance of Ash's intention making him more confused by the second.

"Now, what is it?" he finally inquired, more out of concern than impatience.

Ash, feeling his emotions creep back threateningly, hesitated before subjecting him to a beseeching face. "Are you gonna be mad at me all day?" His voice was a squeak, his eyes flooded with tears. As soon as the words left his mouth, he braced himself, still unable to predict his dad's response. He barely breathed, the suspense was so fierce.

Jay gawked at him, overcome all at once with Ash's fragile emotions. "Uh, w-well, Ash, I—"

"Please don't be," Ash whimpered. "I hate when you're mad at me, I h-hate it." His lower lip quivered, trying to fight back tears as best he could. At that, Jay's face fell, his heart helplessly going out to him. His teetering feelings on the so-called "disaster" his son initiated finally swayed to the other side.

"Oh, Ash," he smiled sympathetically. He hastily set his beer down on the coffee table and went over to him, embracing his head tenderly. "Come here. It's all right, I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad at you."

There was no fear, no resentment coming from Ash this time. Squinting back his tears, he returned the hug, clutching his arms around his dad's waist fervently. "I'm sorry," he whined inaudibly, burying his face in Jay's chest.

"It's okay," Jay shushed, stroking his hair. He felt Ash grab taut fistfuls of his shirt, relishing in the comfort of his forgiveness. "Don't cry. It's okay. Don't worry, I'm not mad at you anymore." Carefully, he pried Ash away, and knelt down.

"Hey, I'm not mad at ya," he reassured lightly. "I'm disappointed in what you did, yes, but I'm not mad—not anymore. I was, but that...that's because I was upset, and you know how easily I get upset. I should've calmed down, but...you know, kid, you can't keep doing stuff like this."

"I know," Ash lowered his head, swiping at his eyes. "I'm such an idiot."

"No," Jay disagreed, grasping his arms in a firm but affection hold, "you're not an idiot. Don't say that. You made a mistake, that's all."

"Yeah, but I make a lot of mistakes," Ash mumbled, feeling more disgusted with himself through his self-degrading. As much as he craved pardon, there was still a little part of him that felt he wasn't fully entitled to it. He didn't even want to look into Jay's face, but his dad's alleviating voice seduced his frail spirit.

"No, you don't, Ash," Jay replied. "You just have to learn to think about things before you do them. That's an easy way you could have prevented this whole thing today, you know. I mean, think about all the recent times you've encountered Gary." Ash didn't even want to think about the last one, but he continued to listen to the mild speech he wished Jay had given before instead of...well, he didn't want to think about that, either. "Think about the sleepover, how that turned out. You knew that was going to be bad. And you probably thought this would turn out bad, too, didn't you?"

His brow furrowing, Ash shrugged. "Actually, I thought this would be the end of it," he admitted. "I—I thought this would finally prove that I'm a better trainer than he is. If—if I didn't accept the challenge, then—"

"Then you would've looked weak," his father filled in knowingly. Ash nodded. "I know what you mean. Look, despite what I said before, you—you're right...I could never turn down a challenge, either. It's a tough thing to do, especially when, like you said, you want to really prove yourself. And with the way you and Gary've been—Ash, I hear ya, kiddo. I know it was hard, but tell me this." He looked straight into his eyes, Ash shakily but intently doing the same. "Was it worth what happened out there?"

Ash shook his head. "No."

Jay smiled. "At a time like that, you have to think. Battling Gary at the reception when you don't have a license?"

"I forgot about that, Dad, I didn't even think about it—"

Jay laughed, holding his hand up to pacify him. "I know, I know, chill out. But what about the other stuff, huh?"

Ash didn't want to smile, but he couldn't help it. "I'm know, I'm so stupid..."

"Ash, hey! What did I say? You're not stupid. All you did was make a mistake—a dumb one, but an understandable one. This whole rivalry you have going on, it's just—I don't know, I've never experienced anything like this, but I can imagine how you couldn't think straight, what with that stubborn determination of yours and the pressure and stuff..." He sighed. "What you should've done was just ignore him. You shoulda just said, 'Sorry, Gary, I rather feel like dancing,' or—or, hell, Ash, you just shoulda told him to get lost! Your mom and I couldn't have said that in the invitation, but you coulda."

"I know," Ash laughed quietly, but feeling repentant at the same time. "That's exactly what Misty said. I—I should've listened to her."

"That Misty," Jay remarked laudably. "She really knows how to look after you, don't she?"

"She does," Ash agreed emphatically. He shook his head, however. "But I didn't listen her. I just went and battled Gary, and made a huge mess..."

Jay couldn't stand to hear Ash take another stab at himself. Although he wasn't pleased with his son's diversion, he regretted his own behavior earlier. Recurrently he'd sworn to allow himself time to cool off before dealing with Ash, but his temper prevailed far too often. He wasn't sure how to truly show Ash just how much he valued and was amazed at his boldness to amend things, but he would try. He started by drawing him into another hug.

"Ash, listen to me, pal," he said, squeezing him with every serious and loving muscle he had. "It's okay. This is a learning experience. Even if you screwed up this time, it's not a complete loss. You learned something from all of it. You have to realize that there's a time and a place for things. Okay? Maybe if this was the middle of a boring week, a battle with Gary would've been okay. But not here, bud. It wasn't good here. In fact...I'd really prefer it if you didn't see Gary anymore for any reason, but, heh, I can assume you don't want that, either, huh?"

He finally allowed Ash to lift his head off his shoulder. "I don't want to see him ever again," he avowed. "I didn't want to see him today, either, but he just came up to me..."

"I know. And son, that's where you come in. If you don't want to see him, or battle with him, or whatever, then you don't have to." He poked Ash's chest softly with his finger and made his ticklish boy fidget. "That's the best way to deal with him. Look where it's gotten you lately—where it's gotten you with me!" He smirked, arching an eye at him. "You know Daddy didn't like it when you were around Gary before today."

"No kidding!" Ash chuckled through a wince.

"Yeah. But hey, look, everything's okay," continued Jay gingerly. "It's not the end of the world what you did today...and—and I'm sorry if I made you think that with the way I went off at you."

Ash's smile suddenly fell. "You don't have to say you're sorry. I ruined the party," he lamented, hanging his head shamefully once again.

"Ruined the party!" his father snorted, rolling his eyes at the nonsense of such a statement. "You did not ruin the party, Ash. What's the worst you did, knock over some glasses and squish a few mini hotdogs? Big whoop! That doesn't constitute ruining the party." Jay didn't know why he was laughing. It was because of him that Ash probably felt this way, but a grin of solace reversed his son's frown.

"Like I said, it's okay. If anyone's an idiot, it's me. I get too mad too fast, and this always happens, doesn't it? I always wind up apologizing just as much as you do, don't I?"

"I guess," Ash responded, but he was aware of how true that really was.

Jay reached up and kneaded Ash's shoulder. "You made a poor decision today, kid. That's all it was. Everyone makes them. Trust me, you know the extent of the mistakes I've made," he added, his voice lowering solemnly. "Mine were a lot worse than upsetting a dinner table."

"But I love you, anyway," Ash breathed, hitting the point dead-on.

"Exactly," Jay beamed, the word coming out in an ardent puff of air. "You're a good kid. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, especially me. Got it?"

Ash nodded eagerly, his brown eyes glistening with indescribable delight. When Jay told him he was good, it melted his heart in a way that made him feel lighter than air, happier than "a shellder in mud," as his mom would say.

"So are we good now?" Jay asked hopefully. "Everything straightened out?"

"Yup," Ash gleamed.

"You're okay, right? I didn't hurt you, did I?" Jay cringed worriedly.

Ash scrunched his nose, grinning softly. "Nah."

"Oh. Damn. I'm gonna have to do it again, then," Jay scoffed with a serious, stern face.

Ash narrowed his eyes in challenge, and the two burst into laughter. Jay grasped his son in his arms, rocking him back and forth in a hug with enough brisk strength to almost topple Ash over if not for his mighty hold.

"I'm just joking," Jay pledged. "I wouldn't dare. You're too old for that, anyway, aren't ya?"

"Do you expect me to say no?" Ash shrugged innocently, to which his dad chuckled.

"So." Jay rose to his full height. "How you liking the party so far? You know, aside from...ehhh." He grunted the last part, throwing it away with a sneer that made Ash laugh.

"It's really cool," he replied. "The DJ's real good, and the food is great!"

"Yeah, well, that's your mother for you," Jay glorified. "That woman's a goddess with food. I swear, I don't know how I survived three years without her cooking. I really don't."

"Same here. Brock's good, but give me a break!" He and his father laughed again.

"So what are you going to do now for the rest of the party?" Jay asked. The DJ's trumpeting voice suddenly rang out above the pulse of the music, but from inside the house his cry was indecipherable. "Gotta make sure you don't have any other plans of mischief."

"Dad," Ash groaned, and Jay smirked devilishly. His voice lowered, impishly insulted. "Shut up, I don't have any plans of mischief."

Jay crossed his arms. "Oh, yeah?" he demanded playfully. "Let's hear 'em, then."

"Well," Ash said whimsically, looking at the ceiling, "I was planning on finding my friends..."

"Nope," Jay shook his head. "Too mischievous. Sorry."

Ash snickered. "I can't find my friends?" he asked with a pout.

"Of course you can," Jay smiled. "What else?"

"Ummmm...can I dance some more?"

"Sure," Jay nodded permissibly.

"Can I...get some food?"

Jay's face brightened. He pulled up his sleeve to check his watch. "Well, it's almost three o'clock. And you know what that means."

"Dinnertime!" Ash exalted in reply.

Jay roared with laughter. "You got it, kiddo! Anything else?"

"Ummm..." Ash perked. "Can I have a beer?" His face was capricious, but his request was real, and Jay, who burst into laughter again, knew this well.

"Yes," he conceded through his chuckles, "you can have a beer. But only half-a-one, okay? Don't need you getting all tipsy now to boot. You'll give your mom a heart attack."

"No problem," Ash compromised. He then grimaced as he pulled at his shirt collar. "Can I take my jacket off, Dad? It's really hot."

"Sure, of course you can!" Jay said, helping his son out of his heavy sports coat. He threw it over the arm of the couch. "I know, it's way too hot for these outfits. I don't want you dropping dead of heatstroke."

"Can I take my tie off, too?"

"Suuuure." His eyes then widened prankishly. "And your pants, too?" he exclaimed, lunging to give Ash's pants a quick tug.

"Dad!" he shrieked, leaping away in a flash. "No!"

"Fine, fine," Jay chortled. He then took off his own jacket, but only loosened his tie while Ash tossed his over the armrest.

"Oh man, that's so much better," Ash sighed. He clasped his eyes shut in relief, basking in the fresh blast of cool air that was an utter blessing to his sweltering body.

"Yeah, it is," Jay said, resting his hands on his hips comfortably. "Alrighty then...let's just hope nobody steals our clothes here, and we'll go see what's going on at the party. Whaddah ya say?"

"Sounds good to me!" Ash proclaimed. Jay laughed, and putting an arm around his son's shoulder and reclaiming his beer, the two contentedly began their way back to the party.

Ash was a bit more than content, however. The secure feeling of his dad holding him close, the warmth of the sun encompassing him (but not too much now, thanks to his lighter apparel), and the thought of the delectable dinner only minutes away stirred him ecstatically. He couldn't wait to thank Misty, either. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have been happy for the rest of the day. He owed her big time.

"You want that beer now, buddy?" Jay asked as they neared the tables.

In the meantime, Ash's mind had wandered elsewhere. "Uh, in a minute," he replied, breaking away and pointing towards one of the seating areas. "I wanna go find Misty first."

Jay smiled, giving a nod of his head. "You go do that. I'm gonna go find Mommy—see what she's up to."

At the sound of that, Ash's face suddenly darkened. "She doesn't know, does she?"

"I'm not sure. But if she does, don't worry about it, okay? I'll straighten it all out."

A smile lifted Ash's face. "Thanks, Dad!"

"You got it." Jay gave him a thumbs-up, and in an instant, Ash spun on his heels and practically skipped back to where he had left Misty. The result of his talk with Jay was raring to spill from his lips before he even reached her, he was so excited.

Ash was surprised to see that Misty was not the only one waiting to greet him. Brock and Tracey were now sitting at the table, and the three were chatting amongst themselves airily. Misty's head was the first to turn.

"Ash!" she cried, leaping from her seat. Her delighted smile grew wider as she noticed Ash's unquestionable look of happiness and the spring in his step—the sign of good news.

"Hi, guys," Ash greeted. He panted soundly and ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair.

"What happened?" Misty asked softly, optimism flowing in her tone. "Is—is everything okay?"

Ash shut his eyes blissfully. "Everything's great!"

"Yes, yes!" Misty clapped her hands, bounding on her toes to give him a hug. "I'm so glad. See, I told you!"

"I know," replied Ash as they broke away. He gazed into her big blue eyes, sparkling with relief and joy. "You were right, Misty. Thanks for making me do that."

"So everything's better?" she nearly squealed.

"Dad apologized to me," Ash answered, comically smug. "Everything's a whole lot better." He beamed, and finally looked to Brock and Tracey, who both gave him lopsided smiles.

"We, uh, found someone you're probably looking for," Brock informed him, motioning to the ground with a nod of his head.

"Huh?" Ash cocked his eyebrows with interest, but found himself looking only at the slightly sun-scorched grass until Tracey cleared his throat.

"Come on out, Pikachu," he bid, and hesitantly, two long, yellow ears poked out from beneath the table cloth, followed by two very uncertain eyes.

Ash couldn't check the short laugh that escaped him. Despite this, Pikachu cowered and withdrew under the table again. A pang of sympathy flew through Ash, knowing very well how Pikachu felt. Softening his face kindly, he extended his arm down carefully and invitingly to his timid friend.

"Come here, Pikachu," he cooed, "it's okay."

Pikachu wavered, but reluctantly slid out from the table's refuge, the tablecloth momentarily being caught by his jagged tail. He clambered up his trainer's arm with a few sprightly hops and settled on his shoulder, but the tense, shamed look remained sunken into his face.

"Hey, don't worry about it, buddy," Ash said again, his smile curving in forgiveness. He reached up to stroke Pikachu's chin, then grabbed his ear firmly but not painfully. He chuckled in a part-friendly, part-stern manner. "Just please don't pull something like that again, okay?"

"Pikachu," he replied hastily, very resolved on agreement, and Ash released his ear to give his head another vigorous rub.

"Look at you!" he then groaned, his face distorting at the notice of the not-so-tidy state his Pokémon was in. "You got cocktail sauce and...ugh, I don't know what you got on you!" He snickered as he grabbed a napkin and began to wipe the residue of Pikachu's tabletop escapade off his feet and stubby legs, praying that it didn't get on his immaculate shirt.

"Pika pika." Pikachu shut his eyes with a smile, enjoying the momentary cleaning massage.

"Hey Ash, I think they're going to be serving dinner soon," Brock chimed in.

"Yeah, you're right! It's almost three," Ash replied excitedly, getting the last of the condiments out of Pikachu's fur. His stomach rumbled at the mention of it, and he blushed.

"Sounds like you didn't need anyone to remind you of that," Misty teased.

"Well, getting into a pokémon battle turned horribly wrong gets me pretty hungry," Ash laughed, not at all hesitant to joke about his earlier predicament. Reminding himself of the event once again, though, he grit his teeth.

"Uh...you—you guys didn't happen to see what happened to Gary, did you?" he asked, expecting the chorus of groans that followed. "Hey, I'm just asking!" he defended himself. "I'm curious, that's all."

Misty smiled, safely knowing that Ash had no intentions of repeating his mistake. "Well, after your dad took you into the house, I saw his mom chewing him out a bit. I haven't seen him since, though."

"Me neither," Tracey said. "He might've gone home."

"Let's hope for that," Brock said. "We don't need to see him anymore today."

"So, uh..." Ash said, tapping his fingertips together, "if he did go home, that means I beat him, right?" More groans rang out.

"What?" Ash exclaimed whimsically.

"Nothing!" Misty narrowed her eyes at him playfully. Ash flashed her a frisky smile at that, and she shook her head, smirking.

"What?"

"You're so funny."

"I'm funny? Why?"

"Because you've gone through a million emotions today!" she answered, throwing her arms in the air. "I mean, let's see, since this morning, you've been happy, excited, emotional, hyper, hungry, crazy, sad, mad, determined, stubborn, moronic, then scared, worried, mopey, whiny, and now you're back to happy again!" As she had recited, her head had bobbed back and forth, making Ash nearly double over with laughter.

"Did I really go through that many?"

"And many, many more," Brock said wearily.

"You forgot thankful," Tracey added.

"That's right," Misty agreed. "And forgiving, too."

Ash smiled, pulling Pikachu's head close to his fondly. "Of course."

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped happily, getting another pat from his trainer.

"I went through that many today, though?" Ash asked, still astonished. "Wow. I'm really colorful, aren't I?"

"Well..." Misty then bit her lip, giving Ash a mysterious eye. "You haven't shown the one yet that I'm waiting for."

Confusion seized Ash. "Huh? Which one's that?"

"Laaaaadies and gentlemen!" the voice of the DJ sharply interrupted their conversation. The speakers were still blasting the remainder of a dance song, though it was beginning to fade into a slower, more favorable song appropriate for dining. "Dinner is now being served at the buffet table. Go annnnn' get it!"

"Well, he doesn't have to tell me twice," Brock smiled.

"Me neither!" Ash chuckled. "I'm starving! Come on, let's go get on line!" He was about to dash off, but Misty snatched hold of his arm.

"Hold on a second, Ash," she said. She then looked over at Brock and Tracey. "Guys, go get on line. I want to talk to Ash. We'll be there in a second to cut in front of you." She gave them a silly wink.

"Don't I feel used," Brock slumped, though facetiously.

"I sympathize with you," Tracey nodded.

"I say we don't let them cut," Brock mused, holding his head high impudently and crossing his arms. "What do you think, Trace?"

"I say I'll get in front of you on that line in a way you're not going to remember fondly," Misty snapped pointedly before Tracey could answer. She narrowed her eyes severely at Brock, who was now grinning nervously.

"Uhh...right, yeah," he backed away slowly, hands outstretched. The look on Misty's face was not one to mess with. "Cutting in line sounds good to me, ehehe."

Misty tossed her head. "Good," she smiled.

With that, Brock and Tracey sauntered off, stifling laughs. Pikachu vaulted from Ash's shoulder and followed them, leaving Ash and Misty to themselves. Ash's stomach twisted hungrily at the sight of them going off to eat, but he didn't have much time to brood over it before he felt Misty tug him forcefully in the opposite direction.

"Uh, Misty? Where are we going?" he asked. "Don't you wanna go eat?"

"In a minute." She turned to give him a wide smile. "Gotta do something first."

Ash cocked his eye, engaged by her ambiguity but still uneasy from it. He followed her as she led him behind the tent and past the packed tables, all the way to the shady cluster of trees that they had passed on the way to his and Gary's battle.

"Misty, what are we doing?" he asked again as she stopped them behind the trees, out of sight from the rest of the party. Their screening should have given him a clue, but it was only until Misty pressed her lips into his that he abruptly discovered the reason.

Despite the suddenness, he melted into the kiss rather easily. He shut his eyes with a relaxing sweep, loosening his fists to rest his hands delicately at her sides. Misty wrapped her hands around his shoulders and pulled him closer in. Their kiss had matured over the weeks, became more passionate, less tense. It was enough to send both of their hearts racing, Ash's especially, who instantly felt the burden of his troubles wash clean away.

Misty parted the kiss, gazing into his eyes with relish. Ash, mesmerized by her look and the effect of her warm, moist lips on his, cracked a shaky smile, a dazed but utterly pleased look brightening his face.

"There it is," Misty gleamed. "That's the emotion I've been waiting for."

Flushing, Ash scratched the back of his head. "So, uh, I guess that means you don't hate me for what I did today?"

"Of course not," she giggled. "I can never hate you, even if you do act like an idiot sometimes."

"You mean all the time."

"No! I don't mean all the time. You're not being an idiot right now."

"No...I'm too hungry!" he admitted with a grin.

"Oh, Ash!" Misty gave his shoulder an affectionate punch, shaking her head. "Well, we better feed your stomach before you get any more crazy ideas."

"Yeah...gotta build up my strength for when I challenge Gary later," Ash said, sticking his tongue out. Misty's eyes widened, and he took off, his girlfriend chasing behind as they sprinted towards the buffet table.

TO BE CONTINED . . .

Well, that turned out longer than expected. I had another scene in here earlier, and I was all for keeping it in, but when this thing started to exceed 30 pages, I realized, whoa, no, that's way too much. (Sorry Dragoness! ) Don't worry, you'll get the scene next chapter, and I realized that despite what I thought before, it begins the next chapter very well. This was long enough anyway! Eek! Did you like long? Was it too long? I'm debating whether or not to officially change the title to "The Story That Never Ends." What do you say? Like that better than "Blue Heaven"? Review and tell me what you think of the new title-nah, I'm just kidding. LOL

Anyway, hope the wait wasn't too incredibly long-this chapter was hard to write. And the next will probably be even harder-this ain't an easy fic to write for some odd reason. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the ones to come. *sniff* It's going to be over before you know it! But thankfully, at the sad rate I'm going at, the end won't come for a while. :P

Thanks for reading!