Look at me, I'm so fast! (zoom, zoom, zoom!) Okay, here's the next chapter! (cookies for all reviewers, veggies for all non-reviewers...)
I don't own Pokemon... (sobs) I can't even watch it anymore... How am I supposed to write new, fresh angst Pokemon stories if I can't even watch it? Tell me that!
Okay, just read now...
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"So, Ash… It turned out to really be for you…," May stated when Ash came back into the kitchen. "I can tell, since you took so long."
"Oh, yeah, it was for me alright," Ash replied, grabbing his glass of water and finishing it off in one gulp.
"Who was it?" Brock asked.
"Professor Oak," Ash responded nonchalantly.
"And…? What'd he say? Does he know what to do?" Misty inquired.
"Well, after I told him most of my very long story… He had a…suggestion…"
"Well?" Misty and May said in unison.
"He said the only way he could think of was to somehow get catch Pikachu—without a pokéball—and make him go down memory lane… He suggested that I make him faint first, so I don't get hurt," Ash finally said.
"Easy," said Drew coolly. "Just make all of your pokémon attack Pikachu, make him faint, get rid of those Team Rocket junkie guys… And voila! Easy Pikachu."
"Yeah, but if I know Ash, he won't want to attack Pikachu," May pointed out. "Right, Ash?"
"Yeah…… But I guess I have to……"
"Once we get out of here, we can do that," Misty stated. "And we'll have Pikachu back in no time."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa… Where'd all this 'we' stuff come from?" Ash demanded. "You guys should know by now that I don't want yah coming with me. It's too dangerous…"
Misty shot out of her chair and came around the table to stare Ash in the face. "And I think you should know by now that I don't want you to give us that shit! We're going to get out of here, and we're going to get Pikachu back together."
Ash clenched his fists at his sides angrily. He didn't even bother trying to explain it to them again. He didn't want to do this but…… He was probably going to have to run from them again. Ash sighed inwardly. He really wished they would understand, and he bet they wished the same exact thing.
Misty placed her hands on her hips. "Good. It's settled then. When Norman and Caroline let us leave, we'll all go and find Team Rocket."
A thought struck Ash right then and there. I do need help finding Team Rocket…… Maybe if we just find out where they are… I can take it from there…
"…Um… Not to rain on anyone's parade but… I've got a contest to go to, you know," Drew said. "It's the day after tomorrow, and I'd really like to win my fifth ribbon."
Misty sighed. What more did she expect from Drew? He didn't know Ash, nor did he like him. "Fine. I'll call the helicopter again and get you back to Mossdeep tomorrow. Anyone else care to go?"
Indecisiveness chewed away at May's insides. She wanted to find Pikachu… But she wanted to go with Drew as well… If he were to get too far away, who'd know when she'd see him next? She had been thinking about him so much over the past few days… She'd never forget how he was there for her when Beautifly almost died… "I'm going too," May finally said.
"But, May!" Max protested. "Don't you wanna help Ash too?"
May instantly began to feel guilty for speaking up at all.
"No, let her go. She's got a contest to go to. Let her follow her dream. Don't get caught up in my problems," Ash said flatly.
"Thanks, Ash." May looked to Drew. "Then it's you and me."
Drew smiled slightly and nodded a little. "Right."
Max was dumbfounded. How could May even think about contests now? Unless… Was Brock right? Does May really like Drew? Ewwww…
"We'll call you a day or two after our contest," Drew said. "So we can meet back up."
May nodded in agreement and found herself wondering what it would be like traveling just with Drew…
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"See yah later, May," Ash said. "And good luck with your contest."
"Get back Pikachu, okay, Ash? Call me when you do," May replied, getting on the helicopter. She waved goodbye to her parents and brother, and Misty and Brock as well.
Minutes later, the group was back inside the house.
Ash waited a few minutes before looking at Caroline and Norman and saying, "So…… Since it's been awhile…"
Caroline sighed. "You're wondering if you can go off again. After only five days here. Ash, you got injured by not one, but two grenades. What do you think I'm going to say?"
"But…… You don't understand, I feel much better now!"
"Uh-huh. You don't look too much better. And you wounds don't look too much better either."
Ash sighed. "That's different. Although I may not look it, I really am feeling better. Better than a few days ago… My cuts are beginning to heal, and my burns are beginning to disappear… I can't even feel them anymore!"
"Ash—"
"Caroline," Norman interjected, "let the kid go. He's on a mission, and I very much doubt that he cares about what kind of physical condition he's in. I just know that Team Rocket's trail is getting cold, and if you keep him here much longer, he'll lose the scent completely."
Caroline slumped in defeat. "Fine… Just stay overnight, okay? Leave tomorrow… But call me the second you get Pikachu back, okay?" And she left.
Ash nodded a thanks to Norman, for he was truly grateful. He then went into the living room, where Brock, Misty and Max were waiting.
"We're leaving tomorrow, you guys," Ash announced, practically throwing himself on the couch next to Misty. He then looked to Max warily. "Um… No offense, Max… But…"
Max glared. "Don't try to leave me out of this because I'm too young. I'm not!"
Ash sighed. "Fine." It doesn't really matter, since I'm ditching you guys anyway…………… Wait, that didn't come out right… "So do you guys have any idea where Team Rocket might be?"
"Yeah. Mauville City," Misty said bluntly.
"Um… You really think so?"
"I know so. I heard on the news that people in Mauville spotted a suspicious-looking hot air balloon floating toward them." Misty shrugged. "I guess now that the 'Petalburg Disaster' is old news, the news people will go after anything."
"It'll take us at least two days to get there though," Brock pointed out. "Do you think they'll still be there by then?"
"Maybe…," Ash said softly. "But it'd take us two days to get there if we were traveling our usual twelve hour walking, right?"
Brock nodded.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm not just walking half the day. I will walk all day and all night. I'm not going to stop until I get there," Ash stated forcefully. He looked to the others again. "You do know that, right?"
Misty rolled her eyes. "We guessed as much."
Ash nodded, got up, and began to pace back and forth. "And we've got to get those other peoples' pokémon back. Like Norman's Slaking." He rubbed his shoulder with one hand, still not used to having nothing there.
Misty noticed this, and knew why. She watched Ash pace back and forth, rubbing that spot where Pikachu was supposed to be. She knew he must be feeling stressed. Who wouldn't? There's a bright side though, Misty mused. At least we're getting Pikachu back soon. Then this will all be over. And I'll have to— Misty cut her thoughts off. I'll…I'll have to go back to Cerulean? She looked back to Ash and instantly felt sadness sweep over her. I don't want to go back…
"Yes. We'll leave right and early. Tomorrow. At nine. Right after breakfast," Ash said firmly, leaving no room for the others to argue. And before anyone could respond to his statement, he left the room.
"Wow, I guess he's sure pumped," Max commented. "Giving out orders like that…"
"I guess since he didn't want us to come in the first place, he decided he has to have as much control over the situation as possible," Misty said thoughtfully, leaning forward and resting her chin in her hands and propping her elbows on her knees.
"Yeah… But as much as I want to help get Pikachu back, I'm not looking forward to walking all day long." Max yawned loudly. "Just thinking about it makes me tired. Walking all night? It was bad enough we had to walk all day!"
"Hey, I'm not looking forward to it either," Brock said. "But we don't have a choice right now. Unless you want Ash to go to Mauville alone?"
"No……"
"Good. Because after all the stuff that happened to him, I'm not gonna leave him alone," Misty exclaimed, her eyebrows creasing. "And I'm not going to let him run away from us again."
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"Please wake up? Come on…" Ash shook Misty lightly.
Misty groaned loudly and looked at the clock. "It's only eight thirty! I thought you said we were leaving at nine!"
"I just thought I'd wake you up now because I thought you'd want to take a shower before we leave. But fine, if you don't, I'll just wake you up later." He left the room and went downstairs. Brock and Max were already up, and Brock was making scrambled eggs and bacon for everyone for breakfast. Caroline was helping Brock a little, and Max was waiting patiently at the table.
Ash sat down himself and instantly fell into his own deep thoughts. He had spent most of the night pacing mentally, thinking over how he could try and get Pikachu. He didn't find himself sleepy at all, and found it almost impossible to sleep.
"Ash? Earth to Ash? Come in…" Brock waved his hand in front of Ash's face, trying to get his attention.
Ash blinked a few times. "Huh? What is it, Brock?"
"I asked if you knew if Misty was up or not."
"Oh…… I don't know. I tried waking her up, but she just yelled at me."
"I'm guessing she does that a lot?" Max asked.
"Oh, sure. What else is there to do? Yelling at me or arguing with me is her hobby," Ash answered. "She…" His sentence trailed off. She's great. Even though we argue all the time… She's still great… Suddenly, Ash felt himself get whacked upside the head, and he whirled around to see Misty. "What was that for!"
She glared at him. "That was for taking up all the hot water!"
"But—but I took my shower hours ago! If anyone took up all the hot water, it would be Brock, because he just took his shower an hour ago!" Ash protested, rubbing the back of his head.
"Yeah, it was me," Brock said.
All Misty said was, "Okay."
Ash was bewildered. "What! When you think I took up all the water, you whack me, and when you find out Brock used up all the hot water, you just say 'okay'! 'Okay'! Why can't he get a whack too?"
"Because I already whacked you. I'm all out for right now," Misty replied calmly, her expression amused.
Ash shook his head angrily, still rubbing his head. Great. And I thought my headache was bad already. It's going to be ringing all day…
Brock looked at him sympathetically and shrugged, as if saying, 'that's Misty alright.'
Ash sighed and looked at Caroline. "You've been great… We're going to leave right after this, okay?"
Caroline smiled wryly. "Okay. Just be really careful. I wouldn't want you to get hurt by them again. And, Max"—she turned her stare to her son—"you behave yourself! Stay by the others and don't get lost… Don't go near those Team Rocket people. Stay by Brock, okay?"
Max groaned in exasperation. "I get the point, Mom, and don't worry. Me and the others will be okay."
"I know…… I'm still worried though."
"I'll take care of them, Caroline," Brock reassured. "I'm not going to let your son or anyone else get hurt."
Ash shoveled the last bit of his breakfast in his mouth and stood up. "Well, I'm ready to go." He looked around the table to see that the others apparently weren't done with breakfast. He gave an inward shrug. "I'll wait outside then…" And with that, he left the house.
Max looked at his mother. "And, Mom, if May calls, be sure to tell her where we are. She'll probably want to know."
Caroline nodded slowly and looked to them worriedly. "And just make sure Ash doesn't push himself too hard, okay? I just get the feeling…"
"And your feeling is right on," Misty said. "I know Ash will be too hard on himself……"
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"Don't fall too far behind, guys," Ash advised, keeping a brisk pace in the direction of Mauville City. It was eight in the evening, and Ash was sure they'd be there by tomorrow if they just kept walking. He had even let his pokémon out earlier. He filled them in on what was happening. He just thought they should know…
"But, Ash…," Max moaned. "I'm tired."
Ash stopped and turned around to his three friends, who were twenty feet behind him. "I warned you."
Max only yawned in response, his eyelids drooping.
"Come on, Max, hop on," Brock said, picking up Max and carrying him piggyback style.
Misty yawned as well. "What were you thinking, Ash? Waking us up early this morning and expecting us to walk all day? You should have let us sleep more."
"Sleep more? I slept for three hours last night, and you don't see me complaining, now do you?"
Misty rolled her eyes. "That's because you're…like in a completely different zone from the rest of us."
Ash turned back around. "Well, if you guys want to rest, go ahead. I'm just going to keep walking until I get to Mauville. It won't be my problem if you fall behind. Just don't get into any trouble…" He began to walk once again.
Brock, carrying the now asleep Max, looked at Misty and shrugged.
Misty gestured forward, as if asking, 'should we keep going?'
Brock nodded and started forward, trying his best to catch up with Ash. He wouldn't let his friend get too far ahead. If he got to Mauville before the rest of them did… If he confronted Team Rocket alone… Brock knew there was a chance that Ash would probably get hurt. "Wait up, Ash!" he called out.
Ash cast a small glance over his shoulder, spotting his friends. Misty's right. I shouldn't be pushing them so hard, he thought. But I can't let Team Rocket get away from me again. I can't fail again.
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Evil voice from a distance - Thank you for reading, my friends. The next chapter is doom, DOOM!
Me - Um, not really... It's just important, so don't miss it!