Always Looking Out for Each Other, a pokémon fanfic

Always Looking Out for Each Other

By Fox McCloude.

Kanto region, Pallet Town…

Since the day he got his Pokémon trainer license, Ash Ketchum became a permanent globetrotter, someone who loved to travel everywhere and have unbound adventures. Even when he spent a season in Pallet Town, he preferred to spend his time outdoors, with his Pokémon, whether it was training, playing, or anything else to use up all that stored energy he'd always have inside him.

It goes without saying than having to spend the day in bed, locked up in his room and with a cast on his leg wasn't funny at all. For a boy who'd traveled all over the world, had encounters with Legendary Pokémon and criminal organizations, and came out unscathed of most, if not all of them, it was rather ironic that he'd get a training accident at home. What were the odds?

Right now he'd probably be boring to death if it wasn't because, luckily for him, his mother ensured he'd have the best company he needed to spend his time. Playing a videogame in the SmartRotom didn't seem the kind of activity someone like Ash would enjoy, but at least he didn't have to play it alone.

"Haha, I win again!" Misty cheered.

"Drat, why do I always lose in this game? This never happens in real life!"

"Pikapikachu." His trusty electric mouse glanced at him with squinted eyes, as if trying to tell him something.

"What? Alright, it happened a couple times when I was a rookie, but…"

The game in question was a capture and battle simulator, with the option to local and online multiplayer. Very useful for those who couldn't afford to travel for any reason to recreate a trainer's adventures, or in this case, for trainers with broken legs who couldn't go out to open field. It was… entertaining, though Ash wasn't a fan of turn-based battles based on limited commands. He preferred them in real time, if only because at least he had a chance to win.

Misty always dominated him here; no matter what he tried, stopping to think wasn't his thing, being more of a man of action.

"Wanna go another round?" Misty suggested, but Ash left the phone aside.

"Nah, we better do something else, maybe we could…"

Right then, his door creaked open, and Ash's mother entered the room with a mini breakfast table fully loaded: pancakes, sandwiches, a large cereal bowl and a long glass of juice.

"Excuse me," the woman said as he placed it in front of her son. "Dig in, Ash!"

"Thanks, Mom! This'll surely help me recover faster." He grabbed a few pancakes to devoir them. "Want some, Misty?"

"If you insist." The girl grabbed one of the sandwiches. "Hmm, your cooking's as great as ever, Ms. Ketchum."

Delia smiled. "Thanks, honey. By the way, Professor Oak just called me from the lab. Says he forgot a package back at Viridian, but he's too busy right now to pick it up, and since Tracey isn't around he wondered if you could go get it. I had to tell him you're a bit… indisposed right now."

"Aw, dang." Ash pouted. A real shame; he would have liked to go, if only to get some air.

Misty giggled. The lab had been temporarily watched by Gary while Professor Oak was out of town. As for Tracey, he was taking a few days off himself (Daisy dragged him to the premiere of her latest movie, and he couldn't skip it).

"I can go get it, if you want," the redhead offered. She saw Ash stopping his meal and frowning slightly. "What, why are you giving me that look?"

"Didn't you come here to keep me company?"

"Aw, come on, you're not gonna be alone, your mom's here," she pointed.

"Yeah, but…" Ash averted her gaze slightly, scratching his slightly blushing cheek. She giggled again: he didn't have to say anything for her to get the message. He clearly enjoyed her company.

"Hey, I won't take long," she assured him. "Even if I take the scenery route, I can go to Viridian and back before dinner. It'll be just for today; you can survive one day without me."

"Well, you better," he replied. "Mom's doing her special stew for dinner today, and you don't wanna miss it."

"Ash, that was a surprise!" Delia protested.

The three humans and Pikachu laughed out loud. After finishing his breakfast and sharing some with Misty, Ash was left alone with Pikachu when his mother returned to the kitchen and Misty prepared to go out and pick up Oak's package.

He saw her walk away through the window, and then he thought about something.

"Hmm… hey Pikachu, can you do me a little favor?" he asked, prompting him to come over.

"Pika?" The rodent hopped onto the bed, landing on Ash's lap.

"I know Misty can take care of herself just fine, but can you follow her? Just in case you-know-who might show up to annoy her."

The rodent nodded. They hadn't seen him for years, but that angry bird sometimes came back for another go in case they passed by. Why was he such a grudge holder, and a glutton for punishment?

Just in case he showed up, and he didn't think Misty would reject the assistance.

Route 1, a bit later…

There were many perks to taking the scenery route between Viridian and Pallet. For starters, it was a relaxing and quiet path, where one could get some fresh air during a walk. And for Misty, it was also quite the memory lane.

'This place's changed a lot,' she thought. 'Yet, I could never forget it.'

Many years had passed, more trees had grown and the river's edge was a bit more eroded due to the current's flow. But the memory was as vivid as the day it happened. When she was fishing on that same spot, and caught that stupid little boy and his Pikachu.

That boy who'd grow to become a great trainer. But more importantly, her traveling companion, her best friend, occasionally a rival to compete against… and eventually, something much, much more special.

Having a long-distance relationship wasn't easy; between him traveling constantly and her duties with the gym, it was hard to find room to meet each other. But when she found out about his broken leg, she had to come to make sure he was alright. And more importantly, to save him from boring himself to death.

The redhead was so deep in her memories that she didn't hear the flapping above her. And it wasn't until she heard the squawk that she came to realize it.

"FEAROW!"

"Huh? AACK!"

The Cerulean girl had to duck to avoid the Drill Peck, and the fierce bird flew past her, but quickly turned around and charged again for a second go.

"What the…? Ah, I get it, must be that Fearow again," she said as the realization hit her. "Now you have it in for me too, huh?"

No doubt, it was probably the same Fearow Ash had angered during his first day, back when it was a Spearow. But since Ash wasn't there, and having seen her with him during their second journey, it clearly didn't hold her in high esteem either.

"Well, if it's a fight you're looking for…"

"Pika-CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Right when Misty was about to throw one of her Pokéballs, an unexpected electric attack hit the Fearow as it readied to charge at her again. A few seconds later, a small yellow figure landed in front of her on all fours.

"Pikachu?"

"Pika! Pikachu, Pikachupi, pikapika!" the rodent shouted, addressing the Fearow. Misty wasn't fluent in Pokémon speech, but his tone clearly said 'Get lost or else'.

The Fearow seemed tempted to disregard the warning, but when Pikachu threatened him again sparking out his cheeks, it had second thoughts and left, though not before giving them both an angry glare. Both the mouse and the redhead remained tense until it vanished from sight in the sky, and once he did, Pikachu turned around and jumped at her.

"Pikachupi!"

"Hey, thanks for the save," she said hugging him. "Let me guess, Ash sent you to watch out for me?"

"Pika." The yellow rodent nodded.

"Well, I guess I don't mind some additional cover while I go to Viridian and back," Misty said. "Just in case it comes back later with friends, right?"

Pikachu hopped up to the redhead's shoulder, holding onto her like he normally did his trainer. Misty smiled; that was a privilege very few outside Ash himself could enjoy, and proof of how much Pikachu trusted them.

She made a mental note to give Ash a little gift when she returned. It was her way to say thanks, even though they'd always be looking out for each other, one way or another. And she'd always appreciate that of him, from the bottom of her heart.

FIN

Author's notes:

How's it going, people? Alright, I can't be certain you'll be able to read this when I post it; if the site isn't giving grievances with the reviews, now it's doing it with the chapters. How annoying it is to get an alert email and you can't see the update. Let's see if it applies to newly posted stories, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Anyway, this year's chosen themes for the PokéShipping week didn't give me many ideas, so I decided to take part only in two days, 4 and 7. For the others, well, let my friends cover me, hehehe. Not much to say about this one, just a little idea I had archived in the drawer and felt like I could rescue it now. Decided to go for something simple here, not making the relationship too explicit but still being there. Another facet I like of Ash and Misty's relationship is that, for all their bickering with each other, they're always there when the other needs it. And since Ash can't go himself right now, that's why he sent Pikachu to look out for her. What do you think?

So, I guess that's all I had to say about it. If anybody asks what's the game they're playing, just assume it's an in-universe version of the classic games we all know. Hopefully, we'll be seeing again on Day 7, see ya around!