Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or anything else, except for the character introduced in this chapter.
Okay, here's another chapter, even though you ingrates don't deserve it! Just kidding! I kid because I love! (Spoken by Krusty the Clown in The Simpsons) Anyway, I'm currently chock-full of caffeine and decided to type more while I'm still hyper.
Oh, one more thing: This chapter contains a birth. I hope that doesn't offend anyone. I don't believe it should; after all, it's the most natural thing in the world, and the way we all arrive on this Earth. I have had the opportunity to witness the births of all 4 of my younger siblings, and I think it's amazing, but if you don't like reading about childbirth (though it's not graphic in my story) you should skip this chapter.
Chapter 6: A New Arrival
Ash wasn't the only one who was upset about the move.
"My room? Why does Ash have to stay in my room?" Gary asked his grandfather. "Why can't he stay in Daisy's room?" Gary was already irritable to begin with, having awoken that morning with the worst headache he'd ever had, thanks to the champagne the day before.
"For one thing, Daisy is a girl. For another, she's much older than Ash. And anyway, it's only temporary, while Brock and Misty are staying with us."
"I've got a better idea. Misty can stay in my room!" Gary said eagerly.
Professor Oak frowned. "You're already on thin ice, Gary, so don't push it."
Gary sighed. So he was still mad about the champagne thing. Some people just didn't know when to let something go!
Professor Oak continued. "Misty will stay in Daisy's room, and Brock will use the guest room. Besides," he added, "it will be a good opportunity for you and Ash to bond. You are related now, you know."
"Don't remind me."
"C'mon, Ash! Race you to the house!" Misty yelled as she ran across the fields.
"Oh yeah?" Ash sprinted past her to beat her by a second. They both collapsed by the house, laughing. Pikachu lay on the ground nearby, panting.
"This place is so nice, and so much fun!" Misty cried when she had caught her breath. They had been living at Professor Oak's house for about three weeks, and Misty just couldn't get enough of everything. "Did you see all the water Pokemon Professor Oak has? They're so great! I think maybe I'll stay here forever!"
"You'd better not!" Gary said as he looked up from the book he was reading. "Then Brock will stay too, and I'll never get Ash out of my room!" He was joking and they all knew it. Misty laughed.
"Hey, guys." Brock came outside and sat down with them. "Guess what happened!"
"You finally got a life?" Misty said.
Brock pretended not to hear her. "Daisy said she'd go out with me!"
"My sister Daisy?" Gary asked, shocked.
"You're a dirty rotten liar," said Misty. "No girl would ever go out with you."
Again, Brock ignored her. "We're going to a movie tonight."
Ash was surprised. Daisy was older than Brock, and she didn't seem like his type. But Brock was happy, and that was all that mattered.
"Kids! Dinner!" Ash's mom called from in the house. They all jumped up and ran inside.
Brock and Daisy left after dinner. Ash, Misty and Gary moped around the house because they couldn't go, and complained until Ash's mom threatened to give them all chores to do. They shut up after that, and watched TV for a little while. Then Ash's mom put on a video of Ash when he was really little. It showed him on a potty chair and in the bathtub.
"Mom!!" Ash screamed. He was so embarrassed, he ran out of the room, but he could still hear Misty and Gary laughing at him.
Ash sat on his bed and vowed never to leave his and Gary's room. He could never face the others again.
Suddenly Misty burst into the room. "Come quick, Ash! Your mom's water broke!"
Ash jumped up and ran out of the room. His mom was lying on the floor, breathing heavily. Gary was kneeling beside her. When Ash came over to his mother, she grabbed his hand. "Ash, honey, hold my hand." She turned to Gary. "Gary, run and get your grandfather."
Gary got up and ran to the lab, where Professor Oak was working. Within minutes they were back. Professor Oak rushed to his wife's side. "Delia, we need to get you to the hospital."
She shook her head, fighting the pain of a contraction. "There's no time! My water already broke, and the contractions are getting very close together. This baby is going to be born here, tonight!"
Professor Oak nodded. He stood up and quickly started giving orders. "Misty, we need clean towels. You know where they are, right?"
"The linen closet?"
"That's right. Gary, boil some water, and bring warm water here too. And Ash, go to the lab and get the pokeball on the fourth shelf on the left side of the room. It's the third ball to the right."
All three kids rushed to do what he wanted. Misty returned quickly with an armload of towels. She stayed with Delia while Professor Oak left to wash up and get some gloves.
Gary came back next with water, scissors and some other stuff they might need. "I held the scissors over a flame for a minute. I hope that sterilized them enough."
Misty shrugged. "I wouldn't know, so I'll take your word for it."
"I'm back," Ash said, coming into the room suddenly. "Sorry I took so long."
Professor Oak came back to the living room. Ash handed him the pokeball. Professor Oak opened it.
"Chansey!" the Pokemon said. That's a good idea, Ash thought. Chansey are great nurses!
Chansey got to work helping. Ash's mom was being quieter than Ash had expected. In all the movies and shows he'd seen, women having babies always screamed and stuff, but Delia just gasped a lot.
Misty covered Ash's mother with a blanket and got her a pillow. Then there wasn't much to do except wait. But Professor Oak had said it wouldn't be long now.
He was right. It wasn't very long before the baby was ready to be born. Professor Oak made the kids stay back, and Delia started pushing. Now she did scream. Just like the movies, Ash thought. Then he caught a glimpse of the baby's head, and he immediately passed out.
When Ash came to, he saw his mom holding the baby in her arms. She beckoned to him.
"Ash, come meet your new sister."
Ash walked over to his mom. He looked at the baby. She was all red and wrinkly, and her eyes were tightly closed. Also, she was screaming…very loudly. Professor Oak took the baby back and finished checking her over, and then Chansey cleaned the baby off and wrapped her in a blanket. The wailing newborn was then returned to her mother.
"What will you call her?" Gary asked.
"I was thinking of 'Lily', for your grandmother, Gary," Delia said.
"But her name wasn't Lily."
"Lilies were her favorite flowers. That's what I meant. What do you think, Samuel?"
"I think it's a beautiful name," Professor Oak said. "And this little one is the prettiest Lily I've ever seen." The baby opened her eyes and gurgled, as if to say she liked her name.
"Lily it is," Ash's mom declared.
"I think it's funny," Misty said. "I have a sister named Lily and a sister named Daisy, and now Ash has a sister named Lily and a step-niece named Daisy."
"Niece!" Gary exclaimed. "Then what does that make me?"
"That's easy," Misty said. "You're Ash's step-nephew."
"What?! But he's younger than me!"
"Lily's much younger than you, but she's your aunt," Misty pointed out.
"She can't be."
"She is!"
"Well, whatever," Gary said. "She is cute, though. But I'm not changing diapers!"
"We're back," Daisy said as she and Brock came in the front door. "Did anything interesting happen while we were gone?"
"I'd say so, Daisy," Professor Oak said. "You have a new aunt."
"Oh, the baby was born?" Daisy squealed and ran to see Lily. "She's wonderful! When was she born?"
"Just a little while ago."
"Oh, I can't believe I missed it!" she exclaimed.
Mrs. Ketchum—oh, I mean Oak—I can help with the baby," Brock said. "I'm good with babies. I even change diapers."
"Good," said Gary. "Let him do it. He wants to, anyway."
"That's very kind of you, Brock," Delia said. "We'd welcome any help."
"We need to get you to a bed, Delia," Professor Oak said. "Can you stand?"
He helped her into their bedroom and into bed; then laid Lily next to her. The baby started wailing. Delia opened her shirt.
"Mom! What are you doing?" Ash cried. He and the others had followed them into the bedroom.
"I'm feeding the baby, Ash."
"That's how you feed a baby?"
"Of course. What did you expect?"
"I thought you used a bottle," Ash said.
"Sometimes, but this is the natural way."
"Do you have diapers and clothes and stuff?" Misty asked.
"Of course we do," Delia said.
"We bought all the supplies we'd need a long time ago," Professor Oak added. "We also fixed up the nursery a long time ago. Come and see."
The kids followed him to the room next door. They hadn't looked inside before. Now Professor Oak opened the door and they all stepped inside. It was all ready for the baby, with a crib and a rocking chair and a changing table. The walls were painted soft pastel colors, yellow and peach.
"We wanted colors that would be good for a boy or a girl baby," Professor Oak explained.
Everything was nice and neat. There was even a baby monitor, so they could hear Lily if she cried in the night.
Professor Oak let Misty pick out something for Lily to wear. Misty held up a tiny purple sleeper. "She'll look adorable in this!"
They got diapers, too, and took the stuff back to Delia, who dressed the baby.
"Ash, sweetie, would you like to hold your sister?" she asked once Lily was dressed.
Ash sat on the bed and his mom handed Lily to him.
"Make sure you support her head." She guided Ash's arms until he was holding the baby correctly.
"She's so small," Ash marveled. "And so soft."
"May I hold Lily?" Daisy asked after a minute. Ash handed his sister over.
"This is so amazing. I haven't held a newborn in a long time." Daisy smiled at the baby. "I remember when Gary was born. I was only six, but when I held him, I felt like a mother myself. I always wanted to help take care of him, even changing his diapers."
"Um, could we please talk about something else?" Gary asked.
Wow! I just finished this when I saw that I got another review. Yay! Thanks, Scarred Dragonia! I was getting worried I'd been abandoned because of my rating change, but I guess not! Um, one question: At the risk of sounding like a complete moron, what exactly is AAML? I think I know, but I'm not positive. Is it AshMisty? Because if it is, let's just say certain 'complications' will arise, but of course they are meant for each other! It's so obvious! Well, if I'm mistaken by what you meant, let me know, and as always, keep reading and reviewing! Please!