CHAPTER 20: Back and Forth Part One!

ASH, MISTY, AND BROCK

"So, Ash! This is where you will be!" Brock points to an opening in the maze wall, where there is a small battle field.

"Here is your healing machine, your chair, and your supplies, like potions and what not." He points at each point of interest, then pats him on the back.

"I'm going to let you guys get settled in." He smiles, gesturing for Misty to follow.

"Whoa..." Ash walks around the field, looking up through the glass roof of the gym.

He releases his pokemon to take a look around.

"Pikachu, Arnarra, and Tia! Come check out our new home!"

Ash caught a female Rhyhorn, named Tia, at Mt. Moon, where a small herd of them had been resting.

All three pokemon come out, walking around and sniffing the ground with interest.

"Now, Tia. You are the only one i can use in battles here, as i can only use rock types. Are you up for the challenge?"

The giant rhino pokemon nods, snuffling happily.

"Great! Then lets get situated!"

"Misty, welcome to your home away from home!" Brock leads her into her area, and it's identical to Ash's, but it has a little pond off to the side.

"Is that for me?" Misty asks, skipping over to the pond, and letting her pokemon out to swim.

Misty had fished herself up a Corsola on Route 24 when her sister said she couldn't take Relicanth, so even though they weren't generally known to occupy that area, she was persistent, and finally came up with one.

"It's not to be use for battles, but i thought that your pokemon might enjoy having their own little pool to swim around in." Brock smiles, and Misty hugs him.

"Thank you so much, Brock. I promise to make you proud." Misty smiles up at the older trainer, who ruffles her hair.

"I know you will! Now, i've gotta go open the doors. Are you ready?" He asks, and Misty puts her backpack in the corner of the room.

"Bring it." She smiles wickedly.

"They're going to do fine!" Brocks little sister is sitting in his chair as he paces around the Gym Leaders platform.

"I know, I know. But they're just kids! IS this to much for them?" He asks.

"Judging by the fact that the Gym had around thirty trainers waiting outside this morning, and only two of them have made it to you in the last two hours since you opened, i would have to assume that they are doing just fine. They know to only use their rock types." She pats his back, then runs off to the living quarters.

Sighing, Brock takes a seat.

He watches the fights going on in the maze via a screen beside him, and realizes that she was right.

"They ARE doing great..." He mumbles.

"Tia, use Smack Down!"

The large rock pokemon summons a boulder out of the ground, and sends it flying at the opponents Metapod, crushing it and knocking it out instantly.

"Yeah! Good job, and please try again!" Ash waves at the crestfallen trainer, who's face brightens as ash hands him some potions.

"Keep on training, and i promise you that soon you will be able to beat me!" Ash shakes the kids hand, then returns to his spot.

"Next!"

"Corsola, use Bubble Beam, then Ancient Power!"

The small pink coral pokemon sends a quick stream of bubbles at the opponents Pidgeotto, then summons a hail storm of large rocks to crush it.

"Dodge, Gary!" The Pidgeotto gets hit straight on with the rocks, though, and misses the bubbles.

"Return!" The trainer returns his injured Pidgeotto.

He goes to hand some money to Misty, but she shakes her head.

"Please, you worked so hard. Keep the money." She smiles at the boy, who sends a crooked grin back.

"I'll be back! You'll see!" He runs off laughing as Misty waves.

"I look forward to it! See you soon!" Misty laughs as she waves.

HILARY, GARDENIA, AND SERENA

"Beatrice, use Bug Bite!"

The little yellow bee pokemon takes off, and sinks it's tiny little teeth into the Pidgey, who squawks, and tries to strike back.

"Keep it up, Bea!" She bites harder, and the Pidgey goes limp.

"Yah! Good job girl!" I hug her as she flies up to me, and she hands me a small jar of honey with her wing.

"Another one? Really?" I laugh as i stack it on the pile of others.

For some reason, after almost EVERY battle, Beatrice shows up with another small jar of honey. Bill says it's because of her Ability, Honey Gather.

Gardenia runs towards us, empty boxes in hand.

"We got some... oh wow, thats a lot." I laugh as she shovels all the honey into the boxes, to store in the house.

Combee honey will literally NEVER expire, so it's not like we have reason to keep it.

Gardenia, Bill, Hilary, and Bill's sisters, who showed up this morning to visit, are making as much goodies as they can with the honey.

Scones, Cheese cakes, and more are being pumped out, and as they come out, Hilary runs them to town with Belle and Bane, to be given to the orphanage, Gym, and anywhere else that could use them.

"Alrighty Bea, lets keep it moving!" She giggles as she spots her next victim, a Rattata.

"SERENA!" I hear a little voice behind me, and turn to see April, one of Bill's little sister running up behind me.

"Hey sweetheart!" I catch her into a hug, laughing.

"Break time!" She smiles.

"Already?" I joke, and she pushes me back.

"Go, its my turn to train Beatrice!" She laughs, as she loads my arms up with the leftover honey, and sends me on my way.

The entire house smells phenomenal, like Christmas but better, but all i can hear are moans as i walk in carrying honey.

Laughing, i place them with all the others, on the main table.

"Maybe we should stop training Beatrice?" Bill suggests, carrying a hot tray of buns past me.

I snatch one, and laugh as he sneers at me.

"As soon as she evolves, her Ability will change!" I shout after him, still giggling.

"Hilary, need a break?" I walk over to her, but she shakes her head.

"I'm having so much fun, Ser!" She laughs as she grabs a cheese cake out of the fridge.

"Alrighty!" I walk over to Bill's other sister, Meghan.

"Meg? Need a break?" She shakes her head.

"I dont want break, i can taste!" Meghan is only three, so shes having the time of her life. They set her job as 'taste tester' and gave her a couple little honey buns.

"Okay!" I kiss her forehead as i leave, and Gardenia struts back in.

"Alrighty guys, hows it going in here?"

"About the same as the last hundred times you've asked that SAME question!" Bill laughs as he comes around us, empty tray's in his hands.

"These are REALLY good!" I finally take a bite of my bun, and it is so soft, it practically melts in my mouth.

"Mom's recipe." Bill laughs as he walks by again, kissing Meghan on the forehead.

"Gar! Need a break?" I ask, and she shakes her head.

"A break? This is the most fun I've had in MONTHS!" She laughs, grabbing another box of buns and other baked goods, and heading outside.

I grab the second box, and follow her out.

"Then i'm helping you for now!" I say, carefully mounting Bane, as her and Belle take off.

"I wont stop you!" She calls over the wind.

It doesn't take long, and soon we land in front of the orphanage.

"Want to come in?" Gardenia asks, and i nod, following her in.

"Garden's back!" I hear a soft voice, and then i hear many pairs of little footsteps.

We walk into the dining area, and Gardenia starts organizing the treats and baked goods on the table, and one by one, each kid comes up and takes two items. Not one, not three, but two items, and each kid sticks to this rule.

One kid grabs three plates, and loads them right up, after all the other kids have left.

"How are Melody and Jakob?" Gardenia asks, helping the kid carry the plates upstairs, as i follow behind.

"Oh, still hungry! But they want to thank you guys! Oh, i've got to run this to Meredith, i'll be right back!" He takes off down a hallway.

"Who are those people?" I ask, and Gardenia explains.

"Well, from what i've gathered, Melody and Jakob are twins, but they are both really sick right now., so they cant get out of bed. And Meredith is the house-keeper, she cleans up after all the kids. A nice elderly woman, reminds me of Nana." Nana is Gar's grandma, back in Sinnoh.

Before i can reply, the kid is back, and we keep on, until we reach a large blue door.

"Try not to stare." The kid whispers, then open's the door.

In the room, there are two beds, side by side, and each bed contains a child, a boy and a girl. The kids are identical, both with platinum blonde hair and piercing green eyes, they both sit up as we enter.

Both kids are hooked up with breathing machines, and look bone tired.

"More? Oh my gosh!" The girl sighs, almost in relief, and the boy smiles tiredly.

"Here we go guys! Fresh from the oven, just for you!" Gardenia smiles wildly, presenting each kid with a plate of goodies.

"Thank you so much! This is amazing." The girl leans forward, hugging Gardenia, and the boy grabs her hand and squeezes it lightly.

"Your welcome sweetheart, but don't thank me! It's her Combee making all this honey for us!" She grabs my hand and pulls me forward.

"Oh! Um... hi!" I smile, and get pulled into a hug as well.

"Sorry about my brother, he cant speak, so i talk enough for the both of us." She smiles, shoving a bun into her mouth.

The boy lightly smacks her arm, but starts laughing, a quiet breathy noise.

"Whats the matter?" I ask, but Gardenia squeezes my arm.

"No, it's okay." The girl smiles at Gardenia.

"We got into an accident on our dad's Pidgeot, and we ended up crashing from the sky. Dad and Mom didn't make it, but me and Jakob did. That's why he can talk, and i cant use my legs." She smiles at me, and i look down, ashamed to have asked.

"Well, anyways! We have some more coming soon! How does Honey Bread Pudding sound?" Gardinea laughs at the awed expression of the two kids.

The boy uses some quick hand gestures, that i understand instantly.

Sign language!

I wave, and quickly sign a sentence.

You know SL?

Beaming back at me, he signs as well.

Yes! I learned the basics after...

He seems to be having trouble with the sign, so i give it to him. Accident.

He nods, smiling.

"You can understand him to?" The girl chirps, and i nod.

"I have a deaf cousin, i learned when i was little." I smile, and the girl claps.

"Yay! Someone else to talk to!" She hugs me again, and i laugh.

"Alrighty, we gotta go, but we will be back soon, i promise!" Gardenia pulls me out, but i sign a quick response to the kid.

I'll be back soon.

He signs quickly.

Promise?

Promise.

"What was THAT about?" Gar whispers as we left.

"What?" I ask.

"That kid isnt deaf?" She points out, and i laugh.

"Neither am I! Sign language is a culture mostly forgotten thanks to psychic types, being able to read minds and whatnot." I answer, and she nods.

"Fair enough, now lets go get some more food!"

ASH, MISTY, AND BROCK

"Okay guys! How'd your first day go?" Brock hands both kids a plate, and they start dishing up their dinner.

"Good! Tia is doing so well, we only lost a couple battles!" Ash beams through a mouthful of rice.

"Good for me, too! Corsola is so strong! We lost a lot, but thats part of the learning!" Misty smiles through her chicken.

"I'm really proud of you guys, ya know?" Brock says before eating, and the kids stop.

"You are?" Ash asks.

"Why?" Misty asks as well.

"Well, yeah! You guys are doing amazing! Have you guys ever thought of Gym Leading?" Brock asks.

"Well, technically i AM a gym leader, just not old enough to take on the rightful title yet. Have to be fifteen." Misty sighs.

"I would love to be a Gym Leader, but i don't think that, with all the amazing pokemon in the world, i could chain myself to a single type." Ash explains, and Brock nods.

"Fair enough! It's not an easy job, you know. Having only one type, i mean. If someone picks a Bulbasaur or Squirtle as their starter, i'm practically screwed." He laughs, as the kids finish their first plate.

"Well, I have to go call my mom. I'll be back!" Ash darts off, to the video phone in the room he's staying in.

He dials his mom, and waits.

"Hello?" Delia's face lights up the screen, and she smiles as she sees her son.

"Hey baby! Hows it going?" She leans back, inspecting his face for cuts or bruises, as any mom would.

"Good! Guess what?" He asks, thrumming his feet excitedly.

"What, babe?" She laughs as his excitement builds.

"I'm a gym trainer! Or at least, for a little while!" He spews, and Delia claps in excitement.

"That amazing, Ash! I'm so proud of you! In what city?"

"Pewter! I caught a Rhyhorn, and her name is Tia!" He explains.

"Thats so cool, Ash! Maybe i'll come visit, if i get any time off soon!"

"Oh, please mom! I would love to see you!" He laughs as his moms Mr. Mime walks behind her.

When he sees Ash on the screen, he quickly waddle's over.

"Mime!" He says happily at the screen, waving at Ash.

"Hey Mime! How's it going?" Mr. Mime pretends to shrug and sighs, then laughs it off.

After talking for a while longer, Ash finally hangs up, ready for bed.

He goes to get up, but notices Brock in the doorway.

"Oh! Hey, Brock!" He smiles, and Brock sits on the bed.

"How are you feeling, Ash?" He asks.

"Good! Why?"

"No reason, just checking. Your first day gym training was a huge success, so i wanted to make sure you weren't over exerting yourself. I'll leave you to go to bed." He ruffles Ash's hair, then walks out again.

Ash quickly hops into bed, falling asleep quickly.

HILARY, GARDENIA, AND SERENA

"Well, thats all done for the day!" We put the last batch of Honey buns into the oven, then sit down.

Meghan and April are already in bed.

"I'm ready to sleep right here!" I moan, and they all laugh.

"I'll help you up." Bill grabs my arm gently, and lifts me up.

We shuffle our way to my bedroom, and collapse on the bed.

He goes to get up, but i grab him and pull him back down.

"Can't you sleep in here tonight?" I moan quietly, and he laughs.

"Okay, let me go grab some P.J's." He disappears, and i hear him saying goodnight to Hilary and Gardenia, who are in the middle of a card game, then he reappears in shorts and a tank top.

I scooch over under the covers, and he hops in beside me.

I curl up onto his chest, as he strokes my hair.

"Are we... official?" He asks quietly.

"I mean, im okay with it if you are, but i am leaving soon." I sigh.

Sighing, he kisses my forehead.

"Then for now, we will have to resort to sleeping in the same bed, but not being a couple."

"Oh, how SCANDALOUS!" I laugh quietly, and he giggles to.

I fall asleep in his arms, into the most peaceful sleep i've ever had.