Chapter 13 Teams and Talks
After they were done eating the party food, Ash and his friends all went to Professor Oak's lab so he could put together a team of his strongest Pokemon. It wasn't quite the celebration they'd imagined at their reunion with the combined things of May being poisoned as well as the confession she and Misty had both given to Ash. The two girls watched him as he walked ahead of them. May had recovered from the poison easily thanks to Brock giving her the Pecha berry. He could feel their gaze behind him. But also with them was Officer Jenny who was accompanying them for safety from Team Rocket as well as to keep an eye on him and May. Ash shuddered to think that a kiss could result in being arrested. He'd already been to jail once, thanks to Team Rocket framing him. He certainly didn't want to go through that again.
What was Ash going to do? Both girls had confessed to liking him. But May was legally a few months too young for him to date as a thirteen-year-old. He could get together with Misty, but that would hurt May and Ash didn't want that. He just didn't know what to do. Both girls were special to him… how could he make both happy?
There was a silence among the group as they made their way to the lab. A fence surrounded the place where Pokemon ran. Ash saw his Tauros, around thirty of them, Bayleef, Bulbasaur, and Heracross as well. His Swellow flew about in the air while Noctowl slept in a tree. High above them, Pidgeot also flew. It swept down as they approached the lab and landed on its feet inside the fenced area.
"Hey guys!" Ash called.
His pokemon looked and saw him approaching. They immediately perked up and ran toward the gate.
"Bulba!"
"Taur!"
"Swellow!"
"Bay! Bay!"
"Hera!"
Ash jumped over the fence and was immediately surrounded by the Pokemon in this area of the labs grounds. They nuzzled him, and he did his best to give them all a pat and stroke. The Taurus were careful to stop and not stampeded over him as they had done before when he'd returned from Hoenn and he'd needed to be rescued by Bayleef.
"Good to see all of you guys again!" Ash said. "Bulbasaur, Taurus, Bayleef, Swellow, Heracross!"
"Wow… you sure have a lot of Pokemon Ash!" Dawn exclaimed as she looked at all of them.
"That's probably not even half of them… if you don't count all the Taurus!" Max told her.
May managed a smile as she saw Ash's Bulbasaur who noticed her as well.
"Bulba!" he said as he ran over to her and Ash's friends.
"Bulbasaur hey! Been a long time!" Brock said as he leaned down and pet the bulb pokemon that he'd known since the early days of his and Ash's journey.
"Bulbasaur!" he agreed and looked at everyone else. "Bulba!"
They all smiled and greeted him as well. Then May drew one of her pokeballs.
"I bet I know someone who would like to see you Bulbasaur! Come on out Venasaur!"
The elder of the two coordinators threw her ball and out came the fully evolved Grass Pokemon. She looked a good deal like Bulbasaur, as she had once been one two years ago. But she was much bigger now, with a bulb that had opened and grown into a large flower. She also, being a female, had one heart like markings on her forehead while her male unevolved counterpart retained more pebble shaped markings.
"Venasaur!" she said.
"Bulba!" Bulbasaur exclaimed. "Bulbasaur!"
"Vena! Venasaur! Vena!" she replied.
"Bulbasaur!"
Based on their facial expressions during their exchange, it seemed Ash's Bulbasaur was surprised to see that May's had evolved into an Ivysaur and then Venasaur at some point in the past year since May had had her Bulbasaur transported to Johto to rejoin her. The two Bulbasaur had been sad to be parted but at the same time Ash's had been happy that May's Bulbasaur could rejoin her trainer. He'd often wished for that too, but the lab needed someone to act as a peacekeeper and Bulbasaur was the only one able to fit the job.
"I thought you'd be happy to see Ash's Bulbasaur Venasaur!" May said as she watched them with a blush.
"Vena!" she agreed.
"Bulba," he said so low that only he heard himself as he looked at his fellow bulb pokemon uncertainly.
…
Everyone let out their Pokemon to be able to play with the others while Ash followed Professor Oak to the transport room where pokeballs kept in other areas or caught by Professor Oaks other trainers would be brought.
"So you want to get Charizard back huh?" Professor Oak asked.
"Yeah. So I want to call Liza in the Charizicific Valley. Also maybe the Officer Jenny that runs the Squirtle Squad. Its been a long time since I've seen Squirtle," Ash said.
"Ah my cousin!" Virdian Jenny said. "I heard you met her thinking she was me!"
"Yeah, she was the second or third Jenny I met! After that I think I lost track!" Ash said.
"But I never lost track Jenny!" Brock said taking her hands. "I remember every Jenny and their differences!"
Brock was silenced as Crogunk hit him with its poison jab and together with Max dragged him off.
"Maybe I should arrest him for all the times he's flirted with my cousins!" Jenny said with a small chuckle.
"Okay. Here we go," Ash said as he dialed the number.
An image of a woman with a green ponytail appeared, behind were two Charizard (one with a pink ribbon), along with three little Charmander in front of them.
"Well! Ash!" Liza said.
"Rarrr!" the Charizard without the bow ran up to the phone with thundering steps and shoved Liza aside. "Reow!"
"Hey Liza! Whoa! Hi Charizard!" Ash waved through the videophone as he watched. "I hope you're doing well!"
"Rarr!" Charizard greeted his trainer before the Charizard with the bow, Liza's Charizard whom she called Charla grabbed him and pulled him back.
"Uh… we're doing as good as can be!" Liza said. "Charizard and Charla had some eggs!"
"Whoa!" Ash exclaimed as he caught another look at the three little Charmanders.
His old friend had started a family!
"Good for you Charizard!" Ash congratulated his first fire pokemon who nodded and gave a thumbs up.
"So what's up Ash?" Liza asked.
"Well… I was wondering if Charizard could come here to Kanto for a little while. I have a… situation I need help with," Ash said.
"Must be big if you need Charizard. Well… he's been missing you I know. He's been with us for a long time. I think it might be time for him to return to his trainer."
Liza was sad, it was clear in her eyes. Looking behind her, Ash saw Charla looking at his Charizard with sad eyes. They nuzzled and then Charizard turned to the three Charmander that were his children. They were all waving their little orange arms at him. He growled at them, not a vicious growl, but one that sounded as if he were encouraging them. After a few words of growls he smiled. The Charmander seemed sad but bowed their heads and accepted his decision.
Liza put Ash's Charizard back in its Pokeball and put it on the transporter there.
"Thank you for letting Charizard stay with us Ash," Liza said through some teary eyes. "I'll send the family over for visits every now and then!"
"Okay. I'll let Professor Oak do the same! I hate to break up that family!" Ash said as he looked at Charla and the Charmander.
"They'll be okay!" Liza assured him. "Here it comes."
Sure enough, light sparked from the transport and Charizard's pokeball appeared. Ash grasped it and smiled.
"Good to have you back Charizard," he said.
"Well what pokemon from here will you take home? You'll need your strongest in case Team Rocket attacks," Professor Oak said.
"Yeah. Well, I have Pikachu and Charizard," Ash said.
"Pika!" the yellow mouse voiced from Ash's shoulder.
"Then I guess I'll take Sceptile, Snorlax, Tauros, and Donphan."
"Mm… tough Pokemon," Oak nodded in agreement.
They went back outside and called the Pokemon Ash had selected as a sort of Security team at home.
…
Once they were done at the lab and Ash said hello to all his Pokemon, he and his friends headed back to his house. Caroline was helping Delia in the kitchen as it was nearly sunset and time for dinner. Ash made his way up to his room as he still needed to unpack his things from Sinnoh. He got out his badge case, his framed Participants certificate marking his high spot in the Sinnoh League, and then.. the gift he'd gotten from May. The statue of the Teddiursa she'd given him during their reunion at the Wallace Cup. Ash smiled at May's thoughtfulness and put it on top of his dresser. Though he did leave certain things in his backpack like potions and antidotes, but also things like Misty's lure and the ribbon half he shared with May. Both trinkets he kept to remember the two girls.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Ash called.
The door opened and Norman appeared. He looked at Ash.
"Hey Ash," he said.
The raven haired teen looked at the Gym Leader. "Hey Norman."
"I need to talk with you," Norman said. "May I come in?"
Ash gulped. He recalled Norman had seemed a bit lit less friendly at first when they had reunited. He'd always seemed fond of Ash before. Ash had always thought of Norman as a great Gym leader and Max and May had looked up to him, that was especially true for Max who thought his father was the best trainer ever.
"Uh… sure," Ash said.
Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and onto the bed. Norman stepped inside. He closed the door all the way to prevent anyone in the house from hearing them. Though Officer Jenny was likely still using her machines that had eavesdropped on Misty and May's mutual confession.
"What's up Norman?" Ash asked. "You're not mad at me are you?"
Norman shook his head. "What? No! Not at all Ash! I feel I must apologize to you though. I wasn't on my best behavior back in Vermillion City. When I saw the way May was looking at you, I realized she'd developed feelings for you. I've always been a bit… uneasy about the idea of her dating. I was afraid the guy would prove untrustworthy and hurt her… that happened already with Drew."
"What?" Ash exclaimed.
"She didn't tell you? He cheated on her," Norman informed him, a spark of anger flickering in his eyes, not directed at Ash though.
"What? That son of a bitch!" Ash clenched both fists angrily. "If I ever see again I'll have Charizard give him a flamethrower before I give him a talking to!"
"Careful Ash!" Norman said. "Though I would appreciate that. I'd probably do the same with one of my pokemon. Anyway, I realized I was being overprotective of May. Seeing you save her from Team Rocket in Digletts cave made me see that. And you did that again today, as well as about a hundred other times when you traveled with her. If there is one young man I feel I can trust to keep my daughter safe and happy than it would be you. But… I can't let you date her… at least not until she becomes fourteen with it being illegal for a fifteen or sixteen year old boy like yourself to date a thirteen year old girl. Otherwise I'd be risking you both being sent to jail and I certainly don't want that. But if you would have her after her birthday in a few months. I'd have no objections."
"Pika," Pikachu muttered, turning its head to the side.
Ash blushed. "Well… thanks Norman. But I'm not really sure what to do right now. I just had both Misty and May confess to liking me. Also with Team Rocket target me-
"I know. You don't have to answer right away," Norman put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "I do hope you choose May. But… you do what you feel is best."
Ash nodded. Norman smiled at him and shook his hand then exited the room.
Ash sat on his bed with Pikachu. "What do we do buddy?"
"Pika."
The electric Pokemon shrugged. Neither of them were experts on romance.
Author's Notes: Well this will be a long set of AN. I'd like as many opinions as possible.
First: I got some bad news, there won't be a new chapter next week as I'm going on a weekend getaway to Modesto California to visit and old friend and meet my new girlfriend. So the next date for a new chapter should probably be on the 21st by 10 pm at the latest (in California). Anyway hope you like the chapter and please review saying what you like (or dislike). As long as you are not too harsh I'll take your input into consideration.
Second: While I appreciate the recent guest reviews in regards to characters possibly being out of their ordinary personality in regards to Norman and Misty, they did say they hadn't read the beginning which kind of makes me uneasy about taking them seriously. With Norman maybe it is being ooc for him to be overprotective toward May, though I've read several fanfics that have him be that way. We've never seen his attitude toward May dating after all so that could bring out a different side of him. We know Caroline has no problem with it as she was teasing her daughter about Drew at the Hoenn Grand Festival saying "You two on the beach how romantic!"
As for Misty, she and May have never gotten into a fight like both girls have with Ash to the best of my knowledge. Misty even stuck up for May when Max was teasing her in a real Cleffa Hanger. True Misty can be violent or temperamental at times but what do you guys think? Should she have been hostile toward May for a while after the latter interrupted her confession? Please tell me and vote. Should I have the girls be hostile toward each other for a while if that's more true to Misty's character or should she be in good spirit about it and say "May the best girl win May! Ha! May the best girl win!" Let me know and if more of you think Misty should be a bit more violent or something leave suggestions and I will do some rewriting.
Also I might have some Pokemon-Pokemon shippings here. Like Vinewhipshipping (Ash's and May's Bulbasaur/Venasaur) I also thought of Icesparkshipping, Glaceon and Pikachu as I saw a few youtube videos of them. What do you think of that? Please review and let me know all your thoughts. Ah drat, going over this in editing after its been done and I see I never brought back Squirtle like I must have planned to.