CHAPTER THREE: You Will Always Be Inside My Heart, Itsumo
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Holy crap, chapter three already-gapes like a codfish- Well, damn. I'm so sorry for the wait!
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WARNINGS: I am a slash writer. This means boy-on-boy action. This story is not romantic slash, but some moments involve closeness that I deem fluff but that some may deem slashy. I quite frankly don't care if you like it or not, so if you have an issue, take it up with my Yami. I'm sure she'd be happy to obliterate you. -bows- Thank you.
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REVIEWS:
Uber Burger: Angela-glomps- So good to see you! Or rather, read you. Thanks for the compliments!
Nytingale: Yeah, I was planning on bring Pyro-san and Hydra-chan in sometime in this story, but it may take awhile. And I did really mean it about the charas, it would really help me out, as long as people don't want them as the main focus of the story. This fic is about Ashura-chan, and it will stay that way. Thank you for your comment!
Golden Warrior 12: Hello again, and my dear, the maniacal penguins will come in a short time, probably next chapter. So please be patient. Anyway, about the slash, it may not happen in this story because A) They are eleven and twelve, and B) I don't do Gohan pairings. But trust me, what romance could there be without some boy-on-boy? I'm sure you'll be pleased with this chapter!
MarshmellowDragon: Yep, keychain. -crickets- Yeah. -smirks maniacally- I have certain plans for Goku…
TheShadowPanther: What are you doing, asking me something like that! How scandalous! But anyway, you'll find out what Haruka-chan wished for later in the story, okay? Nyaaa…… Megatokyo is so cool. -makes happy sounds-
Honestly, I hope you like Sasu-chan, I love him a lot and always will. It makes me sad when my charcters aren't liked. I don't want everyone to think they have to love them, but I like to try to give them a little depth. And faults. Faults definetly help.
See? You get your contests! I'm sorry it took me so long to update. -sheepish smile-
Starjacker: Yo! I'm glad that you're enjoying this, and no, the golden pokeballs don't hold the legendaries, they're all still free. -happy chirp- The deal with the balls is a secret!
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"I can't believe I'm doing this. I really and truly cannot believe that I am doing this." Haruka was muttering to herself a week later. They had passed through Oldale Town with no problems, save for a choice encounter with the elusive Brendan, Professor Birch's ten-year-old son. The boy was certainly nice enough, with white hair and a friendly smile, but that didn't make Haruka feel any better about facing him in a battle. However, she actually won, by a scrape, but she won nevertheless, her training with Torchic paying off in the end.
So at the moment, the group of three, pokemon not included, were about ten minutes away from Petalburg City, and the youngest was currently being patted on the head by Sasuke.
"Would you relax?" The shinobi inquired, trying without success to peel her off of him. "Lord, girl."
"Haruka-san, relax." Gohan commanded. "I know you don't want to go speak with your father, but it's something you need to do. I know that it's hard to tell someone you love that you don't want what they do, but you need to. Okay, Haruka-san?" And as if by magic, Sasuke was released, and Gohan found himself being clung to. Haruka now had very large, very sparkly eyes that glittered with shiawase hearts, and she was wearing a very cliché shoujo girly-manga expression.
"Oh, you're. So. CUTE!" she shouted, and promptly glomped onto her self-proclaimed sensei, who squirmed uncomfortably where he stood.
"Um, thanks?" He asked uncertainly, and Haruka pouted.
"Now, don't you try that coy act with me, mister. You're far too old for me!"
"Huh?"
Sasuke snickered and smacked a hand to his forehead. That total dork. That complete and utter dork.
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Petalburg gym was a nice looking place, a silvery building with a red roof, with a house attached to the back. Haruka gulped and clenched her hands, and silent, Gohan handed a cheeping Hikaru to her.
:Why is Haruka-neechan so scared: The Charmander asked plaintively :Hikaru doesn't understand.:
:Hush.: Kira shushed her :You're gonna ruin the moment, kid.:
Absurdly quiet, the girl raised a hand and shoved open the doors, which didn't make a sound as they slammed open.
"Dad? Tou-san, where are you?" she called out, and suddenly, a man with close-cut black hair, a stocky physique, and piercing brown eyes came out of a previously closed door, and gaped when he saw his daughter.
"Haruka? Haruka!" he shouted, running up and embracing her tightly. "Haruka, how have you been? Which pokemon did you get? Where did you go? Did you see a lot?" he trailed off, catching sight of Gohan and Sasuke, "And who are they?" Haruka grinned.
"Okay, introduction time! This is Takahara Sasuke, I call him Sasu-san, and this is Kagurazaka Ashura, and I call him Zaka-san! They've been teaching me all about pokemon since I started out, so I guess that they're my senseis. They both know a lot about pokemon!"
"That's good," Norman commented. "I'm glad that you found good people to travel with. So-" He cut off suddenly, seeing Gohan jab his daughter in the ribs. Haruka smiled nervously.
"Um, dad? There's something I need to tell you. It's not easy for me to say, but I think you should hear it from me, as opposed to Sasu-san over there."
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"Let me get this straight. You went ten years of me telling you that I wanted you to take over when it was time and you never told me that you didn't want to do it?"
Nod.
"Haruka, why not? Did you think I would be angry?"
The girl winced.
"Maybe a little," she said softly, "But you always seemed so into it, and I always thought that it was just something I was going to do." She shrugged sheepishly.
"And how long did you think you were going keep it up? How long would you have gone not telling me?" Norman demanded. They were all currently in the living room of Haruka's home, sitting comfortably on the couch. Haruka had just told her father what she had to say, with much physical prodding from both boys, but now looked more relieved than should be legal.
:She's a good kid: Kira admitted :She should be good to have around, if she would just say what she thinks more often.: That comment was directed at Aoi, who nodded quietly, watching her trainer gaze upon the scene that was taking place.
:I agree. Perhaps it might help master get a few things across to his own father as well.: The Aoinu stopped, however, when Gohan spoke.
"Excuse me, Norman-san? I was wondering, could I challenge you to a battle? I know I only just got here, and I've already battled against you before, but maybe if it wasn't too much trouble-" The saiyan trailed off. Norman blinked.
"Yes, I thought that you looked familiar, I remember you now. Well, I certainly feel better about my daughter traveling around who knows where, if she's with someone like you." The man commented, "You gave me quite a good challenge, I'll admit." Gohan blushed brightly and rubbed the back of his head, his way of expressing embarrassment, and shook his head.
"I may have won, but it was by no means easy to do." He said quietly. "But didn't you say that you had a son?" Haruka scowled.
"Oh, Max?" She shook her head. "He's at school, but he should be walking in any min-"
"Dad, I'm home!" A voice echoed throughout the house, and Norman stood.
"Max, could you please come in here?" He called, and a young boy of about eight stuck his head in, grey eyes blinking upon seeing the visitors. And his sister.
"What are you doing back so soon?" he asked, directing the question at Haruka, who promptly growled at him.
"Shut up Max. I think I'm entitled to a visit home once in a while, no need to sound so depressed about it." She snapped, before gesturing to her friends. "This Kagurazaka Ashura-san, and this is Takahara Sasuke-san. I'm traveling with 'em, so you'd better be nice!"
"It's nice to meet you, Max-kun."
"'Sup, kid."
At the responses of both of them, Max leaned forward and blinked from behind his rather large glasses, before giving a shout.
"Hey, I know who you guys are! You're the Indigo, Johto, and Hoenn League champ, and you're that guy who's always on the news because of your pokemon training techniques! I can't believe I'm actually meeting you, you're so awesome! Haruka, you didn't tell me you were going to be hanging around with such cool people, you're terrible!" The little boy shouted in a mixture of awe and indignation, while Gohan blushed again and Sasuke grinned.
"That's us, kid. And we're not that famous." Sasuke commented cheerfully, shooting Gohan a look that said quite plainly, 'I'm enjoying this.'
"But you are, here at least! Can I have you guys' autographs? Please?" Max pleaded, and Kira snickered.
:Looks like Gohan's having some issues.:
:I agree.: Aoi commented :Master certainly isn't handling the attention well at all, his face looks like it's going to explode.:
Despite that the saiyan couldn't seem to get away from attention, he nevertheless signed the sheet of paper that Max held out, unable to hold the pleading gaze the younger boy sported. Sasuke, on the other hand, seemed all too pleased with the hero-worship and had he been a swan would have been preening his head off while he signed the slip of paper. Haruka sighed, as if collapsing under the weight the deities forced her to bear and scowled.
"Hey, would you stop it?" Sasu-san's head is going to get even bigger if you keep that up." She commented, "And Sasu-san? Please stop encouraging my brother." The elder boy flapped a hand at her.
"Would you chill? Sasani's the same age as Max-kun, I know what I'm doing." In that second, Haruka got a flaming red frustration mark on her forehead.
"Do you now? Well, you don't know MY-"
As the two began to bicker back and forth, Gohan sighed, before turning to Norman.
"Now, about that battle.." He prompted, and the man laughed, a deep, ringing sound that resonated throughout the room.
"Of course, of course. Always eager to challenge, are you?" He asked, and the saiyan blushed once again, only this time remaining a light pink. At this, Kira opened her mouth and chirped, her version of a laugh.
:Poor Gohan, still no people skills.:
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"Well, I concede to you once again." Norman said with a laugh forty-five minutes later as both he and his younger opponent stepped down from their platforms, Gohan recalling a panting Chibi and Norman a fainted Slaking. From the bleachers, Sasuke was cheering good-naturedly for his friend whilst Haruka yelling loudly in response to her sensei's win, and Max gaped in wide-eyed disbelief at his father's loss.
"But Dad, how could you lose?" He inquired, "His type match-ups were all wrong, you should have been able to win! Why didn't you?" Quiet, Norman smiled and ruffled his son's hair.
"Because his pokemon are at higher levels than mine, and because he was in it for the challenge to himself, not to win." The gym leader commented cheerfully. "By the way, Ashura-kun, that was quite a good battle, I would like to do it again sometime."
"Okay!" Gohan exclaimed, before Kira jumped him, paws plunking straight on his shoulders, pushing him down. "Eeks!" The Delcatty sat on him, nuzzling his hair, tail flailing wildly.
:Yes: She whooped:Let's have another go:
"Kira-chan, no!" The boy exclaimed, aghast. "Are you kidding?" He yelped, and Kira snickered at him, nipping at a lock of his hair.
:Actually, yes. Consider yourself lucky.: The Delcatty commented mildly, before getting off of her trainer, watching in amusement as he scrambled to his feet amidst Sasuke's laughter.
"Well, you know," Norman began, addressing his daughter, "There are always pokemon contests. You always seemed to enjoy those, you should try it." Haruka blinked, before she threw her arms around her father, hugging him tightly.
"Okay." She muttered, letting go and picking up her bag. Sasuke stood and went to stand beside the Chosen Child.
"We should probably go," The blonde murmured, "It's a long walk to Rustboro." Norman smiled at him and nodded, hugging Haruka again.
"I suppose it is. I'm only sorry that you all can't stay longer."
And then they were gone.
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"Ew, how can he play in here? He's going to get sick." Haruka complained late that night. The trio was currently in Petalburg Woods, and had set out their things to camp for the night. It was estimated to take about a week to get through the woods, and while neither Gohan nor Sasuke took any heed to it, Haruka wasn't happy with the whole arrangement. At the moment, they all had their sleeping bags spread out under a large tree that shielded them from the downpour of rain; Sasuke leaned up against the trunk of it, Haruka sat upright on her bag, and Gohan was somewhere off on his own.
"Oh, you know 'Shura." Sasuke assured her, "He's probably up in some moldy old tree talking to pokemon and answering the random question of how Surskits make nests or something. He's just like that; he'll come back when we're all asleep and/or furious with him for being out so late then he'll grin and tell us all about what he found after an apology. Sometimes I don't think he has a sense of self-preservation at all, what with all the messing around he does."
"Really?" Haruka inquired, "I thought he always seemed so mature and calm. As opposed to you." She added. Sasuke scowled at her.
"Hush. But really, he is pretty calm, but he gets wrapped up in things easily, and doesn't seem to know why people worry about him. He's rather frustrating, I must admit."
"Then why do you stay and hang around, if he frustrates you so much? Why don't you go off by yourself and do your own thing? That's what I would have done, if I hadn't met you guys." Haruka said, petting Hikaru, who had been left in her care because Gohan didn't want her getting wet, "It seems so much more sensible."
"I suppose it is. And I have no doubts that either of us could be out by ourselves and be perfectly fine, but 'Shura's my best friend. Ever since I met him on the SS Ann and asked him if I could sit down, actually. He saved my life you know." The shinobi trailed off. "If he hadn't gotten me out of Viridian Gym, both Hinote and I would have died. So I owe him that, plus the fact that he's the first person I've met that accepted me without a thought of who my family was." The blonde rubbed his head sheepishly, "And as much as I yell at him, he's my best friend, and that's the way it will always stay."
"I like how you have so much conviction in that." That girl commented quietly, laying down inside her bag and stretching out, "Friendships are fragile. You sound like you know that more than most."
"I do." Sasuke agreed, then trailed off, just as he was pounced by a very wet, very irritated Pikachu. "Nan desu ka?"
:I'm going to kill him.: She growled :I'm really going to kill him this time.:
"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked, and soon found out when a short creature with hair resembling that of a wet Persian stumbled under the tree, panting and tailed by Delcatty and an annoyed Aoinu. "Jeez, 'Shura. Having issues?"
:Look at him! Just look at him: Pikachu snapped, pouncing her trainer and making the odd gesture, even for her, of brushing the boy's bangs back and pressing a paw to his forehead. Concerned now at the rather dazed expression on Gohan's face, Sasuke came over and put his hand where Pikachu's paw was and blinked at the unexpected warmth.
"What happened?" He asked, worried, and Kira scowled.
:He accidentally startled some Gloom and it got him with a blast of Nightflower.: she told him:It took awhile for it to take effect, but it only just did, and he doesn't know how to neutralize this type ofpoison yet.:
"How much damage can it do?"
:Not much.: The Delcatty replied:But it's going to keep him very sick until it wears off.: She sounded, and with good reason, very worried, and nudged her trainer's best friend. :You've got thumbs, do something:
"Alright, alright." Sasuke said, sounding calmer than he felt. "We should probably get those wet clothes off of him first, they'll do more harm than good at this point." Due to a pointed look at Haruka, the girl blushed and obligingly turned around as Sasuke began peeling the wet clothes from his friend and instructing Kira and Pikachu to get the warmest p.j.s that Gohan had.
Soon there was a pile of wet, squishy fabric just under their sanctuary, and Sasuke had Gohan in a pair of blue flannel pajamas that were covered with little dancing Skitties. Haruka had finally dropped back off to sleep but Sasuke stayed watch over his friend, and making sure that little Hikaru and Hinote got some rest from fanning the flames.
"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly, and with a sigh Gohan opened his eyes, the answer reflected in them. "Ew, not so good, I guess. Poor little punk."
"Really cold." The saiyan muttered, having to struggle to even connect the two words together. Sasuke sighed.
"Hikaru and Hinote have got the fire going up as high as it can without toasting us all, and you've got on warm stuff, I really don't know what else to do.." He trailed off, knowing full well that there was really no sense in trying to explain anything to a miserable, sick Chosen Child, when suddenly Kira snuck up behind him and poked him with a paw.
:You are aware that humans have a higher body temperature than most pokemon, right? Why don't you use that to your advantage:
"Nani? What are you talking about?" The blonde inquired, tilting his head. The Delcatty sighed, as if speaking to a particularly slow child, and had she been human, would have slapped a hand to her forehead.
:Idiot, what I'm trying to say, if you would listen, is that I think he might get warmer if you held him. It's all about body heat.: Kira said, flicking her ears back as Sasuke reeled back, startled. :What? You're his friend, right? He's your friend, right? And right now, you have a very sick, very cold saiyan on your hands, so what exactly do you think you should do: Brown eyes blinked, before, without a word, the shinobi scooped the younger boy up in his arms and got in the sleeping bag, making sure to pull the blankets up tight.
It really wasn't so bad, Sasuke mused. Other than the unnerving warmth radiating from Gohan that he knew wasn't natural and the fact that he now had five pokemon piled on top of him, it was just like when Sasani was sick that one time when his parents had left town, before his grandmother had come to live with them. Nearly, save this time the sick one was a boy not more than a year younger than him and not quite human. To tell the truth, it was actually quite worrying. Sasuke didn't know much about saiyan physiology, but either way, he knew full well that no one was supposed to feel that hot to the touch.
"Aoi," He whispered, "You awake?"
:Ne: she answered sleepily :What's wrong:
"I really don't think he's supposed to react this way, are you sure that there's no other way to cool him down but keep him warm at the same time?" Sasuke had only just begun to understand Aoi's speech, but in any case, her answer was clear in any language.
:Hold on a second.: He could feel the water dog get up and rummage around in her trainer's bag for several seconds before picking something out and soaking it in water. :Here, put this on him.: She ordered, handing him an icy cloth. The minute Sasuke's hand touched it he jolted, and shivered.
"What the hell is that?" He hissed.
:It's some nevermeltice that I rubbed with a fire stone. I thought it might help lower his fever because of the odd effects they have when they're brought in contact.: Aoi said, before settling back down. :Wrap it around his head then go back to sleep, talking is redundant.:
Sasuke always knew she had an ego.
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They all woke to the rather unusual sound of someone throwing up that next morning. Sasuke blinked blearily and sat up. One very disgruntled saiyan was on his knees, head in some bushes, and could be heard muttering some nasty maledictions about such things that must be shielded for the poor readers' benefits.
"Wow, you'd think you'd had enough throwing up on the ship." The elder boy commented, not meaning anything mean by the comment, but was nevertheless rewarded with a harsh glare.
"Shut up." Gohan growled, before going an interesting shade of green and sticking his head back in the bushes. Shaking his head, the blonde got up and knelt down beside his friend, pulling the long ebony hair back and resting a hand on Gohan's shoulder.
"I know you don't feel well, but be nice." Sasuke chided him, and in response, the younger boy scowled.
"I would say something witty to that remark, but -cough- I don't think -cough- it would help any." Gohan muttered, sighing and wiping his lips. "Ew. I must have some really bad luck, huh?" The dazed look was back, "First the ship, then this. One of Yumi's brothers probably hates me. Don't know what I ever did."
"Hush." was the only answer from the shinobi. "Here, you need to just get some rest, and you'll be fine." With that, he took the younger boy's arm in his hand, and pulled Gohan to his feet, leading him over to the newly made sleeping bag and gently forcing him to lay down. "Stay here, I'll get you some water, okay? Just don't so anything stupid, like messing with anymore Glooms."
"No problems there." Was the snide comment as Gohan lay back. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so obnoxious, I know that you're trying to help me." He apologized quietly, and leaning down, Sasuke patted his head lightly with a gloved hand.
"Don't worry about it, you're sick, you've got a right to whine. At least that's what my mom told me. Besides, you've saved my butt so many times, it's kinda nice that I can do something for you," a small scowl was back, "Not that this is the way I wanted to do it, but hey."
"Your mom told you that it was okay to whine?" A female voice suddenly interrupted, and they both looked up to see Haruka standing in the clearing, holding Hikaru. "Mine always tells me to suck it up, but then she always goes out and buys me strawberries, just for me. Zaka-san, what's does your mom do?" Gohan cringed.
"She's, er, dead." He said quietly, and Haruka looked down.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Silence. "Well, what did she used to do? I'd like to hear about her." Ebony eyes blinked.
"Really?"
"Yeah!" Haruka exclaimed cheerfully, "It would have to take a strong woman to raise someone like you."
"She was strong," The saiyan mused, then looked up, "Okay, I'll tell you about her. Sit down."
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END CHAPTER
Yeah, I'm really sorry this is so short and this is a dumb endingbut I've been extremely preoccupied with White Roses, my uber-special Valentines fanfic of the Yami no Matsuei variety. I feel terrible, and I'm PMSing. Please don't provoke me..
