Part 5

"He saw you this morning take off with Misty," Tracey replied.

"She just asked me to take her to Cerulean Gym, that's all," I said.

"Are you sure? Ash kept pegging me with questions all morning, like if she was with you, or if she was cheating, and a lot of other ridiculous questions."

"What happened?"

"Well, he's really angry, so I don't know if you should go into the house. His mother is trying to calm him down. Look, if you really want her that badly, you didn't have to cheat. "

"I didn't! I swear! Look, she told me that she wanted to go back to Cerulean Gym to scare Ash, don't tell anyone I told you! I promised Misty I wouldn't tell anyone that! I was just awake this morning. And she told me her sister, Lily, was going to pick her up. But then, she never came, so she asked me to take her. That's it. "

"I don't think you would take nine hours to take her home. Cerulean City isn't very far from here."

"Well, I stayed at Cerulean Gym a little bit."

"Why? "

"I don't know, I just did. I was tired," I said, lying through my teeth.

"Well, I believe you, but I don't know if Ash is going to believe you. Ash's mother is all right with everything, and she thinks Ash's is overreacting, but I think you should spend the night somewhere else or Ash might end throwing some little fit. His mother got your things for your luggage for you, but Ash found something."

"What!"

"This," Tracey said, as he pulled a piece of tattered paper out of his pocket. It was the charcoal drawing of Misty.

"Oh, crap," I thought, eyeing it.

"I already knew you took it from me, but I didn't mind, it's just Ash is mad."

Miss Ketchum came out of the house.

"Please excuse me, Gary, but Ash is angered and worried by Misty's disappearance. I need to calm him for the time being. So I suggest the two of you spend the night somewhere else. Here Tracey, I grabbed your bags." Miss Ketchum said, handing his bags back to him. "You guys can come back tomorrow morning," she said with a smile.

"Wha— but I thought I was staying," Tracey replied, surprised.

"Never mind," I said, handing him my car keys. "Here, go in the car. I want to talk to Miss Ketchum."

Tracey took the keys and went into the car. As soon as he slammed the door, I said,

"Miss Ketchum, thank you for all your pleasantness, but I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Ash."

"Well sure, but I'd like to get back inside soon."

"Well, this being Ash mad, well, some of it has to do with me."

"With you? Well, all I know is Ash is angered because Misty is gone, but I don't know why."

"Okay, I have a lot to explain to you, but please do not repeat to anyone."

" Gary, I'm a grown woman. Like I would chat to my friends about teenage babble. All right."

"Well, did you know yesterday that Misty and Ash were angry at each other?"

"No, I didn't."

"Well, because of that Misty decided to leave for a short while to Cerulean Gym. So she asked her sister to pick her up, but she never came. Since I have a car, she woke me up asked me to take her. I think Ash saw me this morning and mistook it as a misunderstanding. I drove her to Cerulean Gym, and left. I just went around town looking at stuff, but nothing serious happened. Ash just mistook what he saw and got angry over nothing," I said, getting nervous over my overstretched truth.

"Oh, I see, well you have to tell him. I can't tell him myself because he won't believe me."

"What? I don't want to go in there!"

"Please, he'll feel a lot better and you guys won't have to go anywhere."

"Well, okay" I said. I knew I had no other choice.

I walked with Miss Ketchum back into the house. Tracey was staring like I was insane, but it was something I had to do.

"Ash, don't be angered, but Gary is here."

Ash didn't say anything as I slowly walked in and sat on the couch.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Ash said to me very meanly.

"Look, if you mistook that I took Misty to Cerulean Gym, don't be. She just wanted to go back home for a short time very spontaneously. She called her sister, Lily, to take her home, but she never came, and since I was here and with a car, she asked me to take her home. That's all."

"Oh, I see?"

"It's the truth, go ask her. She's not mad at you anymore. You should go to her."

"I will. I'm going to go right now."

Ash ran through the door. But then, came back again.

"Forgot Pikachu, heh," he said, and left again.

"You just let him leave?" I asked Miss Ketchum.

"Well, its better than him being angry," she replied.

I nodded and thanked Miss Ketchum for letting me stay at her house as a guest instead of staying at my grandfather's house. I felt even worse since I promised Misty I wouldn't say anything but now these were half-lies they believed.

I went to the car and went inside, but didn't start the car.

"Where did Ash go?"

"To Cerulean Gym, to see Misty."

"What happened?"

"I didn't tell Miss Ketchum or Ash the whole truth."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I'm only telling you because you're the only other one around here. And you know I can't tell Ash. And I don't want to tell my grandfather because he'll probably tell Ash's mother."

"Well, sorry for being so insignificant."

"I didn't mean in that way, its just, I'm confused. I grew up in arrogance and I'm going to end that way. I haven't had feelings like this for someone, and at the same time, I feel like puking because of how I am now, liking some girl and being so stupid. I wouldn't feel so pointless if I had liked someone who was like me. Arrogant and the want to win endlessly. Misty is not that one. But I don't know why I like her."

"Well, its okay. What happened in the house, anyway?"

"I told his mother first, but I didn't reveal that Misty wanted to leave, because I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone that. I lied and said Misty spontaneously wanted to go home. I feel real bad. I should feel happy that I made Ash look stupid, making him run off to Cerulean Gym, but I don't. I feel so crappy because I've changed too much for me to hate myself."

"Why?"

"I don't like being in love. I like being the great one. I don't like having to bow down to someone who is my rival. I like beating everyone and overcoming obstacles proving that I am great in training. And I don't like how I am now."

"I can't interfere with your personal decisions, but as long as its not something dumb, well, I'll support you…"

"You don't now how crappy you just sounded."

"Hey, I'm trying to be nice, you know. I don't even like you that much as a friend. You're so ruthless and insensitive to everyone, and you ALWAYS need to win that it's become annoying. Sorry, but I wanted to say that. And you sound stupid too, talking about your feelings. If I had a voice recorder, I'd laugh endlessly."

"You shut up. Well, you can stay at Ash's house if you want to, since he's not there."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know, looking for somewhere to drive around."

"Are you going to check up on Misty?"

"You know I can't do that."

"Yeah, but you'll get there a heck of a lot faster than Ash traveling by foot."

"What are you implying? Misty still likes Ash. Misty didn't even bother to associate with me when I took her home."

"Did she do anything?"

"Well, I'm really tired, but since I decided to drive her home, she kept saying I looked tired and she should drive, and before I left Cerulean Gym, she thanked me and gave me a stupid hug for some reason."

"Well, she does care for you, idiot."

"What are you talking about?"

"Why would she give you a hug or even bother to ask you to take her home if she hated you so much? And I don't think she'd want to tell you that she wanted to leave Ash for the time being if she hated you."

"So… your point?"

"My point is that she cares for you, I don't know if she cares for you in that way, but she does."

"Oh."

"By the way, why did Ash run to Cerulean City?"

"I feel guilty of that too. I lied and said Misty isn't mad at him, so he felt overjoyed and left. But, I don't think Misty even wants to see him right now."

"Why did you tell him this?"

"What? Do you expect me to go in there and say, 'Oh, hello, Ash, I took Misty to Cerulean Gym and she doesn't want to see you right now. Tell me, do you want to be with Misty still?'"

"Oh. I see…"

"I really don't know what to do…" I said, and hit my head on the wheel.

"I hate myself. I feel like I'm not myself. I'm not like this."

"Time will heal, Gary,"

"Stop trying to sound like some stupid monk."

"Hey, I'm trying to help."

"Well, I'm not in the mood for your pathetic sympathy."

"Fine. What do you want to do? Sulk for the rest of your life?"

"Yeah, that's a better alternative."

"I don't think you'd want to spend the rest of your life hiding in the corner."

"It's better than the way I am now."

"Look, the only way out of this is to say something to them."

"I can't."

"Yes you can. Go to Cerulean Gym."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Well, it's your choice."

"Okay, and my choice is you shut up while I drive to Cerulean Gym."

"That's fine with me."

We concluded our long talk and drove to Cerulean Gym.