Chapter 2: America & Shopping
After completing the Ballet Frontier, Ash and Pikachu needed some time to rest and relax. Then again, Ash was never like that. He was on his next adventure the moment the last one ended. It was Christmas time and he was invited to party with the Digidestined. He and Pikachu had crossed through the tunnel with Ken, Kari, Yolei and the Digimon into the DigiWorld. For the seasoned trainer, this felt missed. "Remind me when I complete my next region to stop here," Ash scoffed. "I'll keep forgetting the feeling." Pikachu giggled from the notion.
"Well, let's bring Brock next time or maybe Forrest," he suggested...while speaking human? It was like Kari's Butterfree. "But let's keep the Tauros from here. Knowing them, they'd tear the trees from the roots." Okay, no Tauros. Ken, meeting Ash for the first time, wondered what Ash and Pikachu were offering.
"You make it sound like you've got a lot of Pokémon," he pondered. Did Ash?
"Well, it's a good bunch compared to Gary's count," he sighed. Was that jealousy?
"I heard that you were offered to have a place where you could host your own Frontier Brain or Gym Battle in Pallet," Yolei remembered. "I mean, I would've liked you to have one and that way we could visit you more often. Why not?" Ash had a reason, right? He was offered a place where he would host his own battles to earn a badge or symbol. Why would he turn it down?
"There are more Pokémon that I want to capture and train, as well as new Gyms and a new Pokémon League that I was anxious to try out." Just like Delia said...
"If there was something that could keep you from traveling, what would that be?" Gatomon wondered. That was a good question. Ash thought about it. Maybe it never occurred that there may be an end. "Let's not say when you die, alright?"
"Gatomon!" Kari gasped. There's a good bet the word "die" or anything related were items she frowned upon.
"What? He's got a lot to look forward to, right?" Ash thought harder. Could there be something that could stop his career as a trainer?
"That's the hardest question that I could be asked," he confessed. "I guess...love for a girl to the point of marriage." Love? That's kind of simplistic. Pikachu doubted the answer. He believed Ash was loved long before and hadn't stopped him.
"Oh really," he snorted. "What about back on Shamouti Island when Melody kissed you? Or Bianca on Alto Mare?" Ash was a hotshot with the females.
"First off, Pikachu, Melody gave me a 'Welcome Kiss,' and you may say that it was Bianca who got me in the same cheek but let's not go that far." Their argument was so blatant, Hawkmon had to intervene at some point.
"Boy, don't you two need to calm down," it beaked in a sigh. "It was just a question Yolei asked. You don't need to go overboard." Ash and Pikachu ceased their jabbering on each other.
"Hey!" sounded Davis. Hearing, the group spotted Davis, TK and the young boy. They also had Veemon, the armadillo, the winged piglet and some others. There was a pink bird with blue outlines, a white sea lion, a walking weed-like green creature with a flower for hair, a yellow horned creature wearing a wolf pelt, an orange T-Rex and a flying magenta mecha-like bug with green eyes.
"We're back," Kari greeted. That's good.
"Davis, Cody, TK," Ash listed. "What's up?" Davis saw Ash, flood gates reopening.
"We're doing fabulous, Ash," TK answered with a smile. "Merry Christmas, by the way." That was nice to say. All Davis could do was huff at the raven-haired.
"So, I take it you got passed the Battle Frontier?" he pondered. Ash was a touch surprised. News got around fast.
"Okay, who gave you the cliff notes?" Ash huffed. No one, but Davis knew it.
"So, did you come because Ken invited you as well?" Cody wondered. If not, then it was just a visit.
"Yolei and Kari did, but yeah." That's when he and Pikachu took note of the extra company.
"So, anyway," Pikachu spoke up. "Who do we have here?" They had to be other Digimon.
"While you guys were picking Ash up," TK responded. "We rounded up a few of the first generation Digimon." Really? First generation? Then what did that make this group?
"You mean before you guys?" Ash gulped. The bug zipped a little forward, wanting to meet Ash and Pikachu.
"Well, technically," it buzzed. "TK, Kari, Patamon and Gatomon were also members of the first generation Digidestined." Ah, the information began to help Ash. "I'm Tentomon, Izzy's partner." Izzy? Ash remembered Izzy.
"Oh yeah, I know Izzy. He helped me during the first time through. Of course, Sora and Tai helped as well." Sora? Tai? The bird and dinosaur gasped when they heard the names called out.
"You know Tai and Sora?" the dinosaur repeated. "Biyomon and I were their partners!" The bird acknowledged the information, meaning that it's Biyomon. Ash was starting.
"Yeah, back then. I was searching for my mother and neighbors when they disappeared from my home in Pallet. And yes, Izzy aided me as well." The dinosaur seemed pleased with what had occurred before. "Of course, Yolei and Kari became my partners after Yolei put me to sleep in that choke hold." Davis was showing a little steam. It was as if Ash got off lucky.
"That's not fair!" he scorned. "I was body slammed by that brunette friend of yours after you left for the Mirage Kingdom with the two." Proof found. Ash did get off easy.
"May did claim that you had bad mouthed me and she took it in her defense to pile drive you. Just be lucky she's in Johto." Davis sighed, defeated by the hotshot trainer. "By the way, what about the rest?" Who else was amongst the first generation?
"Well, I'm Agumon," the dinosaur claimed before turning to the creature with the pelt. "That's Gabumon, Matt's partner." Next was the sea lion. "That's Gomamon, Joe's partner who you'll be seeing soon." Lastly was the weed creature. "And that's Palmon, Mimi's partner who's in New York." New York? That's a new place.
"You see, we're gonna present the Digimon with the partners back on Earth," the piglet squeaked. How sweet, a Digidestined/Digimon reunion.
"Awesome, Patamon," Ash praised. That's when he thought to Palmon. Mimi was in New York. "But how can you get Palmon to Mimi? Agumon said that she's in New York and I have no clue where New York is." It may be because Ash hadn't spent enough time on this Earth to wonder about where a place like New York could be. Even Davis had sympathy for him.
"I don't blame you," he smiled. "You're probably too occupied with your journeys and Pokémon training to know where a few places on Earth could be." Ash wasn't about to argue. Davis was right. He was busy with the Battle Frontier to begin with. A short while later, there was a sac, a TV monitor and Palmon in a sack. The monitor had a land where it was labeled "USA" in the middle of the land. There was a marker along the northeast portion of the land.
"I'm locked onto Mimi's computer," Yolei announced. "We should be able to transport Palmon easily." Ash had seen how they went through the monitor. Palmon had something else before she was sent to meet Mimi.
"Well, Ash," she spoke out. "I do wish you had a chance to see Mimi." Ash wasn't really worried about it.
"I still might," Ash huffed a good possibility. Palmon hoped so. Yolei presented a small white device with a red rubber handle. Was that their key?
"Okay, here we go!" Yolei announced as stuck her device at the monitor. "Digiport Open!" A flash illuminated the area for a few seconds. Once it dimmed, Palmon was gone. After a wait, a new map appeared on the screen. It was shaped like the "j" on some sort of text. "Is everyone ready?" All were geared up and ready to move out. "Okay! Digiport open!" One more flash and everyone was gone...only to reemerge in a room full of computers...and in a pile of twisted bodies. Guess it didn't help when you have multiple additions to the party. Getting untangled, the kids seemed to be alright once on their feet. So now that there were more Digimon than kids, how were they going to take them to the rightful owners?
"Well, Matt's setting up for his gig tonight," TK coughed. "I could take Gabumon to see him." TK had his plans set on seeing this Matt.
"Yeah, that Teenage Wolves Holiday Rock special in downtown," Davis remembered. "Jun had been going on and on about seeing him perform that she gave me a massive headache, only rivaled by May's suplex." Teenage Wolves? Sounded like a teen pop group. "Hey, better you than me, BK." Davis, that's not his name.
"You're still bitter about being teamed with TK, aren't you?" Ash teased. "You still have Ken and Cody to keep you calm, right?" Davis could argue that Ash had sided with TK...but did sigh that there were others to ease Davis' frustration.
"Yeah, and let's not forget Veemon as well." Veemon bobbed a nod, supporting the Afro brunette. Cody had peered outside. A scattered blanket of white snow had covered the roofs of building sought. Snow hills and coated sidewalks told the youngest that it was cold.
"It's not Ice Bowl material," he murmured. "But it'll be safe when we bundle up." Good point. Who would want to go out into the cold in minimal wear?
"Ash, you didn't bring a coat with you, right?" Kari noticed. Ash was exposed. Scratching the back of his head, he had to wonder how he botched that moment up.
"Guess I got so excited about seeing you guys again, I..." he fumbled for an answer. That's when Yolei placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Knowing him, he could keep Pikachu warm inside his sweat-tee," she figured. Not enough to warrant that Ash was okay with what he wore. Davis was a bit steamed with how Ash was being "pampered" by the girls.
"Maybe discovering the Pokémon World was the worst idea to make," he growled. "You've got Kari and Yolei swarming all over you! What's your secret?!" Secret? Ash had a secret to his achievement of getting women?
"Davis, Kari and Yolei gave me sympathy and hope when Pallet Town was emptied out," he backtracked. "Is it my fault that Kari kissed me when I was unconscious from Yolei's sleeper?" It sounded like Ash had no involvement in arousing women. "Besides, if you want to look for ways to impress women, go to Pewter City and seek Brock." That's got to be his secret. This Brock... "Of course, that's giving him more credit than he deserves." Or not.
"Anyway, I think I saw a coat in the 'Lost and Found' box we can borrow," Yolei suggested. "Let's go and deliver the Digimon." Going by that idea, the group with the Digimon headed outside. Ash had a black heavy coat on while Pikachu rested inside, his head sticking out between the zipper. TK, Patamon and Gabumon had broken away to look for Matt. Ash, Davis, Kari and Cody, with Pikachu and the Digimon arrived at a park, waiting for the others. Kari had another device which she was checking. This device was a bit bigger than the one which got the group here which looked like a silver hand-held gaming system. Kari was in a pink coat which lengthened to her knees and wearing a white beret. Everyone else wore different colored heavy coats.
"They should be here soon," she studied from her device. They, meaning the Digidestined?
"Hey!" an older male shouted. The group turned to the noise...viewing another group of teenagers. A wild brunette male in a heavy blue coat, a short-haired redhead female in a red coat, a spiky redhead male in a green sweater and a blue-haired male in glasses wearing a white trench coat showed up. The meeting was a good thing. The redhead female recognized Ash and Pikachu, knowing that this was about to get exciting.
"Ash, you're a real surprise," she awed. "What, your town's been abandoned again?" If only...
"No, everyone in Pallet Town's there, Sora," Ash corrected. "It's for a different reason, something more relaxed than finding missing townspeople." To say the least.
"What's so relaxing about last minute Christmas shopping?" the brunette questioned. Boy, he didn't know the half of it.
"He did say it's easier to handle than when Pallet Town had been evacuated all that time before," Cody referred to back those months ago. Kari sighed, almost humiliated by the slow thinking of the brunette.
"Tai, you haven't changed gears since we invited Ash to stay the night," she mumbled. "By the way, we managed to grab a few presents for you each." On cue, Ash unraveled the bag. Once opened, the Digimon leaped out, embracing the teens. Agumon held onto Tai, Biyomon onto Sora, Tentomon onto the other redhead meaning he was Izzy and Gomamon onto the blue-haired to signify Joe.
"Agumon!" You could tell how exuberant Tai was to hold Agumon. Heck, the same could be said about Joe, Izzy and Sora.
"How did you know what I wanted?" Sora cheered.
"Oh, you know," Davis slyly shuttered. "A little Biyomon told me." Ash and Kari knew that he lied about that notion. The fact that presenting the partners back together was a real treat to see.
"If you're gonna try to lie, Davis," Ash scoffed. "Try something from my world like a Pidgey or a Taillow that gave you the idea. At least be original." Like Davis knew Pokémon like you did? Kari laughed while Davis grumbled from the mocking.
"Believe me, he doesn't need a kiss to prompt that," Kari teased. After a moment to straighten out, Izzy had to ask the $64 million question to Ash.
"So, I take it you're going to Ken's little get together?" he asked. He knew it. Ash remembered Izzy to be smart so this was no exception.
"That's right," he replied. "But first, I gotta do some shopping for my mom, Prof. Oak, Tracy..." Getting the idea, Izzy wove his hand, saying that's enough. No more, he's already got a lot in his head. Cody turned to Ash, seeing if he needed help...or wanting to shop for a few people himself.
"Is it alright if I accompany you?" he wished. "I wanted to do some shopping for grandpa and my mother as well. Besides, I think I know what to get your mother." That was a really nice offer. Ash saw nothing wrong with having someone with him while shopping.
"Hey, you bet." Cody smiled, though it appeared halfhearted. Was there a lot on his mind. The group split into their individual groups. At a shopping district, Ash and Cody were viewing some kitchen appliances. One appeared to catch Ash's eyes. A white juicer. "There we go!"
("That's perfect for mom,") Pikachu agreed. Ash lifted the lightweight box, feeling the size of the contents.
"Knowing mom, she may come up with a few berry juice concoctions. I wonder what kind of mix may come with a sitrus and pinkan berry?" He had a visualization of Delia using what looked like a lime green pear and a pink cherry, peeling off the skin and tossing it into the juicer. A pink liquid came out of the faucet and into a glass where she sampled it. That's when Delia was in heaven...and pink from the juice she tasted. Seriously, she was pink on her skin. PUFF! Visualization ceased...and Ash freaked out from that scene in his head "I've heard of hot moms, not hot pink moms." That's creepy. Cody had to peer at Ash, not sure how to take that response.
"Do I want to know what you're thinking about?" he murmured. Ash shook his head to stave from the clouds.
"I was wondering what my mom would use to mix into a juicer with the berries that she could be growing." That intrigued Cody.
"Oh really? That doesn't sound so bad. Maybe she could create a juice to stave off aging." That's a possibility. That's when Pikachu looked over to a side. He spotted Sora and Biyomon. In her hand...tickets!
("Is Sora scared?") it squeaked. The two and the armadillo turned to Pikachu, then to the other two. Sora had the look of sheer nervousness. Something was bugging her and it wasn't Tentomon. The boys walked over to check Sora's welfare.
"Sora?" Ash called. Sora heard Ash, snapping out of her delusions. Biyomon turned to see the boys as well. "What's up?" Sora became hesitant. Was it the tickets? They seem to be for some event. Finally, Biyomon was there to speak.
"You see, Sora purchased tickets to Matt's concert tonight and wanted to ask Tai if he would be able to join," it beaked. Sora was expose but everything was covered.
"Biyomon!" she snapped. You could tell from her reaction that she had a fear. Cat out of the bag, not Gatomon, Sora surrendered and came forward. "I know that I've been supporting Matt's musical career. I want to bring Tai but...I don't know if inviting him is a good idea." What repercussions was she willing to dodge? Finally, Ash placed a hand on her shoulder, advising her that it's alright.
"I doubt that this is the time to be afraid," he explained. "Go ahead and ask. What's there to lose?" Not a wise thing to point out. Sora bit her icing lip. Could there be another reason?
"Well, what if Tai's already invited Jun? Izzy, Joe...they're not interested in Matt's type of music." She's already fearing that Tai already had a date to see Matt.
"What did I just say? He's coming this way." This wasn't a joke as Ash pointed to Tai and Agumon approaching them. Seeing the group, Tai waived to them.
"What's up, you guys?" he greeted. Other than Sora's nerving fears...
"Well, I found something for my mom. All I need is something for the rest." ...And that...
"Um, Tai?" Sora hiccuped. Tai turned to Sora. This was her big moment. Now or never.
"Sora?" he hushed. That's when he spotted the tickets. Sora was not getting the words out. "Are those for tonight's concert?" Sora still kept the quiet...for so long. Ash hoped she would just spill it.
"Is, uh...Jun invited you to it?" Tai seemed stunned. Was he expecting Jun? That's when he finally got the message.
"You're wanting to ask me out to tonight's gig. Of course I'll go." Sorry, Jun. Way to go, Sora. Consider it a date.
"Thanks a lot, Tai." She beamed a smile where Tai would breathed a sigh of relief. Ash fist pumped in triumph. That's when Sora eyed Pikachu. What's this? "Say, Ash. Is it alright if Pikachu could join us?" Ash was a bit shocked. Pikachu was a bit awed that he was invited.
"What do you say, buddy?" Ash offered. "Go and see what Matt plays?" He could go with Ash to Ken's party and see if he could catch Gatomon under the mistletoe or go with Tai and Sora. He chose. He leaped into Sora's arms. Concert bound! Sora smiled greatly at the Pokémon joining her and Tai. "Okay, Pikachu. You behave."
("10-4, good buddy,") he promised. With that, Ash and Cody resumed their shopping while Tai, Sora, Pikachu and the Digimon headed off to Matt's musical. So now with the holidays, peace would be maintained...or would it?
TO BE CONTINUED...