A/N- So…Pokemon Y got really dark all of a sudden….also please tell me I'm not the only one convinced that Lysandre is Jack Spicer

The Yoko Factor

Ash's heart is still in his throat when he turns to Brock—Brock of all people—and asks him...something. He's not paying too much attention to what he's saying, after hearing Misty is all right, Ash is more focused on getting his breathing back under control. Eyes on Brock, he throws an arm over Misty's shoulder and really, sincerely, tries to focus on Brock's response to whatever it is that he himself has asked. Only…

Misty's shoulders feel wrong. There's something covering them. Ash has only a few times in the six years he's known her, seen Misty wear something over her shoulder. And usually it's for special occasions. Besides this cloth feels so familiar.

"Are you wearing my jacket?" The words are out of his mouth before he's even thought about them. And it's rude of him, Ash knows, he's cut Brock off mid sentence and his mother would have yelled at him had she been here. But she's not. And Misty is wearing his jacket. Not that Ash actually minds, they've borrowed each other's things plenty over the years but they've always asked one another first.

"Yes?" Misty replies, voice rising like it always does when she's not quite sure what Ash is getting at. "I was cold."

"You have your own jacket." Ash replies, confused.

"Yeah, but it was in my bag. Yours was on the floor and Brock was knocking. I had to answer the door." She gestures at Brock who has stepped back from the two of them with a disbelieving grin on his face.

"Guys, do you two really want to start a fight right now? I mean…I haven't seen you in three months…don't you want to hear about what's going on in Kanto?" Brock asks. Twin glares wipe the grin from his face and he settles back. Pikachu leaps from Ash's shoulder to join him and together they watch the fight.

"Point is, you're messier than muk and I needed a jacket." Misty continues, turning in Ash's arm to glare at him. She's leaning heavily against the wall and Ash for support, despite the angry expression.

Ash sighs. "You could have asked."

Misty scoffs, "you were asleep, what was I supposed to do? Wake you up?"

Ash turns to glare at her, shifting so that he's supporting her with the other arm. For a moment he's nearly hugging her until he shifts so that the arm that had been around her shoulder is braced against the door frame. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees Brock flush and wonders why until he looks back at Misty. And...yes...she's much closer than he's thought...he can practically count her eyelashes. Not that he wants to. Ash's full attention is on Misty's face, he barely notices Brock look down at Pikachu and shrug. Brock may as well not be there.

Misty breathes in slowly and Ash can feel her exhale though neither has said anything. This could be a bad fight, but somehow Pikachu hasn't sparked up. Pikachu always ends their fights before they get too bad, so maybe this isn't terrible.

Maybe Ash can still work his way out of this without screaming.

"Yes!" Ash replies through gritted teeth.

Misty's face grows dark.

Maybe this will be bad.

"Why?" She asks.

Ash shakes, there's nothing he can say to fix this. But he can't keep quiet. He takes a deep breath before finally exploding, "It's my clothing."

"Fine then, I'll take it off."

In near unison Brock and Ash both shout "No." loudly enough that Ash is certain they'll wake up whoever else happens to be in the center. Ash looks at Brock confusedly, he knows why he doesn't want her to take it off—it's cold and he can feel Misty shivering beneath his hands—but has no idea why Brock shares his opinion.

"Arceus, Brock. I'm wearing clothes underneath." Misty spits.

Ash is still confused, he tilts one head to the side in a movement that mirrors Pikachu when he's confused. "Why wouldn't you be wearing clothes underneath?"

"Brock thinks we were sleeping together." Misty says, voice dripping in sarcasm. Brock swallows loudly.

"We were?" Ash questions. Brock coughs loudly.

Misty flushes, "In the literal sense. Yes. We were sharing a bed."

"Right. So we were sleeping together. Why would that mean you weren't wearing clothes underneath?"

Brock and Misty share a look before Brock laughs. "I'll tell you when you're older, man"

Ash blinks a few times before a look of realization crosses his face. "Arceus damn it, Brock, how many times do I have to tell you it's not like that between us?"

"Weren't you two in the middle of a fight?" Brock asks, hands up to ward off the coming attack. Misty turns to Ash immediately with a glare and Ash shakes his head, mouthing traitor at the older boy.

"Yes. Yes, we were." Her attention is back on Ash and Brock breathes a sigh of relief. Pikachu has still not sparked up.

Ash slumps visibly, still supporting Misty with one arm. "Keep the jacket, Mist. It's cold. And you should have woken me up. It's not safe to answer the door alone."

"I'm a big girl, Ash. I can answer the door on my own." Her voice has gotten softer but is still firm.

"It could have been Team Rocket."

"Please, in a pokémon center? Besides, I looked through the peep hole. I would have woken you up if it was them."

Ash looks down and away from Misty. "They're really good at disguises though."

"Ok, but tell me this, Ketchum. Who was it that figured them out the last three times? Oh right, me."

"You want to play that game. Mist? Which one of us can balance on their own feet?" Ash asks, moving his arm from Misty. She teeters and Ash catches her immediately, face falling. "Sorry, Mist."

"It's ok, Ash." She takes a deep breath. "I'll wake you up next time, ok?" Ash nods and hugs Misty briefly, looking at Brock as he does. The other boys' mouth is open and he's turning, almost comically, between Pikachu and Ash and Misty.

Ash sighs. How have they surprised him now? The fight ended. They're both still standing. Pikachu hasn't shocked them. Why is Brock upset?

Misty rolls her eyes but leans in, wobbling on her ankle. Ash catches her and, sparing one more look towards a still surprised Brock, scoops her up and carries her through the still open door of their room. It's so sudden she doesn't make a noise beyond a surprised eep until she lands on the bed with a thud.

Settling her on the bed, Ash picks up a sleepy Togepi and leaves the baby pokémon in Misty's lap. Togepi trills happily and Misty smiles down at her before nodding at Ash, mouth set in a grim line.

Ash leans over Misty and begins to gently push the hair from her face to check the stitches he'd put in the night before. Her hair falls back into place before he can see her cheek and he sighs, beginning a frustrating battle with her hair. He pushes it out of the way and it stubbornly falls back. He can't keep it off her face long enough to check his work. Groaning he looks up and is surprised not to see Brock.

"Hey, Brock?" Ash calls through the door, poking Misty in the shoulder. "You can come in, you know?"

Misty hands Ash a hair elastic and he stares at the object for a moment before finally sighing and taking it. He doesn't see why Misty can't just put her own hair up, she's just going to re-do it after he finishes. Gently, Ash makes his way around Misty on the bed until he's kneeling beside her and watching the door as Brock steps in and stops. Suddenly. Brock's eyes widen as much as Ash has ever seen them, and he goes pale.

Ash is scraping Misty's hair together when Brock takes a deep breath and opens and closes his mouth several times before just staring, eyes roving the room.

It's weird, what Brock is doing, and Ash glances looks through the small room trying to figure what it is that has stopped Brock.

The room is no messier then their rooms have ever been in their travels and in the time the three of them have traveled together, Brock has certainly seen some messes. But this is...not that bad. Sure, Ash's clothes are thrown about the room but Misty's are in a neat pile by the bathroom door. Ash hadn't seen the need to make them neat. The clothes were so muddy and torn and bloody that there was no way they could be saved. He'd been too tired last night to clean them.

But Brock has seen that before.

Their map is out, spread on the rooms one small table with Misty's bag on top of it to keep it in place but that's not unusual either. Nor is the fact that Ash's own bag is open on the floor below the table.

Maybe it's the beds? Only one of them is slept in.

But Brock had known that already.

He shouldn't have commented on it. It's not that strange. Ash and Misty have shared beds and tents and rooms since they were kids. Mew, Ash's own mother had let them sleep in the same room the last time they'd been in Pallet. And Brock has never had a problem with it. The few times the three of them had scraped up for a room in a pokémon center in Kanto (and been allowed to rent one), Ash and Misty had shared one of the beds while Brock slept in the other. Even camping, Ash and Misty tended to share a tent. And it was only a size thing, at sixteen and twenty, it wasn't exactly easy for Ash and Brock to fit in those spaces together.

So Brock shouldn't have commented. But looking around, Misty humming quietly to a cooing Togepi, Ash thinks that it's not the sleeping situation that has Brock gulping air and going pale. It's only as Ash finishes putting Misty's hair up that he follows Brocks gaze and finds it centered on the trashcan in the rooms corner. The trash can with the curved needle they'd used the night before.

Ash looks back at Brock, sliding around Misty so that he's sitting beside her on the bed. Brocks still staring and Ash knows he should say something but Misty is waiting, eyes shut, for Ash to finish. Sparing one more look towards Brock who is now gulping quietly, Ash turns to check the wound. The skin is red around the only somewhat crooked row of stitches but it's not hot to the touch. Misty's humming doesn't even stop as he prods it. He's gotten good at that.

Satisfied, Ash sits beside Misty, the whole length of his body pressed against hers on the narrow bed, and turns back to a Brock who's gone completely pale.

Now what.

Brock's eyes are trained on the row of stitches on Misty's cheek.

Oh.

Against his arm, Ash can feel Misty's whole body shake with the need to say something, but her mouth stays closed and she turns her head down, focusing on Togepi. Not even Pikachu makes a noise as Brock slowly sits himself on the floor. Only Togepi seems happy, babbling contentedly as she toddles over their laps.

"How?" Brock finally says, voice hoarse with some emotion Ash is sure Misty would be able to pinpoint.

"Victreebel's Razor Leaf." Misty replies, shrugging. Her shoulders move Ash's as well.

Brock's mouth drops open. "I'm surprised at you Misty, standing close enough to a battle to get hit? And Ash, you let her?"

Ash laughs, "I don't let Misty do anything."

"Besides, I was pushing him out of the way. The slowpoke didn't even see the attack," Misty continues, smirking at Ash.

"Think that might have had something to do with the vine whip I took to the eye?" Ash grumbles, pointing at his still swollen eye. He hasn't looked at it since waking up but he can barely see through it. Misty winces.

Brock blinks slowly and takes a deep breath. "You two are supposed to be looking out for each other. Misty, how did you let him stand close enough to a battle to need to be pushed out of the way?"

Misty and Ash glance at each other, unsure how to respond. They fall silent for a beat until finally Misty looks away and answers, staring at the wall. "He was in the battle."

"Where were your pokémon?"

"Pikachu was protecting Togepi from Arbok." Ash answers immediately. He's grabbed his hat from the floor and is worrying the brim with his hands. Without looking Misty places her hand atop his, stopping the motion.

"Staryu was fighting Wobbuffet." Misty adds.

"Wait...Victreebel? Wobbuffet? Arbok? Team Rocket did this?"

Ash and Misty nod and Brock looks as though he's going to laugh until suddenly his face sobers. "So who was fighting Victreebel?"

Ash turns to look at Misty but she won't met his eyes. She's staring straight ahead, back and shoulders ramrod straight. She's ready for a fight and Ash isn't sure who is going to be hit. He gulps and points at himself.

"What do you mean you were fighting Victreebel? What about your other pokémon? "Brock has gone near sheet white. Ash doesn't want to reply. There's not a good answer or even one that he himself would have believed three months ago. Misty's shoulders start shaking against his with the effort of staying upright. Ash leans against her and the shaking stops, neither speaks. Several moments pass with only Togepi cooing.

"What other pokémon?" Misty asks finally, voice frozen and tight.

"Team Rocket called attacks on you?" Ash and Misty nod together. Brock takes several deep breaths and stands up, running to the small bathroom. It's quiet enough, neither of the teens talking, that they hear Brock wretch several times. The faucet runs and Brock steps out, rubbing his mouth with his sleeve.

"We need to get out of here." Brock says, voice rough.

Misty stands and stretches, places Togepi in Ash's lap. "What's the plan?" She asks, moving her bag from the map.

Brock walks over to join her, staring down at the table with a confused look on his face. "Is this the map you've been using?" Misty nods and Brock pulls a paper from his vest pocket, unfolding it to compare. Ash sighs, it's another map. He's never been good at reading those and now there are two?

Pikachu jumps on the bed beside him and absentmindedly, Ash scratches his head. He's tired and though he can hear them talking, Ash can't quite make out what Misty and Brock are saying. It's static against the hum of too many other noises and a heart that's finally slowed. HIs eyes droop.

There's a loud slam and Ash looks up. At the ceiling? Hadn't he been sitting? There's another slam and beside him, Pikachu stirs, offering a warning Pikaa. And that's never a good sign, someone always get shocked when Pikachu sounds like that. Ash sits up, cracking his back as he does, and scrubs a hand across his face. And whimpers in pain. That was stupid, Ash had forgotten about his eye. Pikachu jumps on his shoulder, worryingly pawing at him. "I'm ok." Ash says, scratching his head apologetically. "How long was I asleep?" Pikachu shrugs. The room is brighter now, light is screeching through the windows bright and harsh. Misty and Brock are standing feet apart, her face is red and his arms are crossed. She takes a deep breath and slams her hand into the table loudly enough that it creaks under her frame. Brock shakes his head back at her and gestures at his map, shaking it under her nose. She yells and Brock yells, but Ash can't pick apart the words. His face hurts and he's sore.

Everywhere.

And hungry.

His stomach growls loudly enough that it wakes Togepi beside him. Brock and Misty stop mid fight and turn to him.

"Are you hungry?" Misty asks. Ash nods sadly and Misty tosses the energy bar that's in her hand. It's their last one, Ash knows, and Misty has eaten some of it. But it's perfect. Ash starts eating the second it's in his hand. These things have been a Mew send, honestly. Neither of them, Ash or Misty, have ever been good cooks and without Brock or Tracey, food was going to be bad. But in the badlands? It was terrible. They were lucky when they could find canned items much less the fresh food Brock and Tracey both had always had.

"What are you fighting about?" Ash asks around a mouthful of energy bar.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Misty says at the same time as Brock answers, "We're not fighting, we're discussing."

"OK." Ash replies, standing up to join them at the table. He hands Misty Togepi when he reaches them. "What are you discussing?"

"How to get to the coast, "Brock responds, glaring at Misty. "And I still say the best way is to go back on this trail." He pokes the map emphatically but Misty just shakes her head.

"And I already told you, you can't back track here. The paths….don't exist."

"That's ridiculous, Misty. I think you both have been here too long."

"She's telling the truth." Ash interjects, "The paths vanish."

"Fine, the paths vanish. Let's go this way then." He traces a path forward that ends on the coast.

"Oh, him you believe?" Misty growls. Ash pats her head and Misty sighs. "There are no pokémon centers on that path, anyway. What are we going to do at night?"

Brock scoffs, "Camp?"

"Camp?" Misty explodes, Togepi cries in her arms. She hands her to Ash and faces Brock with her hands on her hips. "We can't camp. Not here."

Brock sighs and throws his hands up in the air. "So you've said. If we can't camp we have to follow that path." He points again at the path which backtracks. "It's the only one with pokémon centers."

Misty throws her hands into the air and lets loose a sound that, from a pokémon would mean real trouble. Even having seen Misty make the sound, Ash's hair stands on end and all his mind is telling him he has to find cover. Togepi vanishes into her shell.

This fight has to stop.

"Why don't we just leave the same way Brock got here?" Ash asks, handing Misty the last of the energy bar. She jams it in her mouth and glares at Brock, daring him to answer.

"You can't fly out of Strayanthe, Professor Oak thinks there some pokémon here that interferes with fly. "

"Why are we trying to get to the coast then? Why not just walk until we can surf to Hoenn?" Ash asks.

Misty savagely takes another bite of the energy bar. "Ash, we're like….3 months from that."

"So?"

"The Hoenn league starts in 2...if you still want to do that."

"Oh." Ash says. Right. The League. It seems like it's been forever since he even thought about that. About pokémon battles that ended in titles and badges instead of stitches and sprains. "Why the coast?"

"Lance said he would send a boat if we could get to the coast, any coast." Brock says. "And we can get to this one," he points again at the map. "In under a month."

"No we can't rocks for brains," Misty spits. "There are no centers on that path."

"Then we'll take the other one." Brock sighs.

Ash ignores them as their fight restarts for the third or fourth time Ash has heard them, he's still thinking about something else Brock had said. "Lance? As in, the Champion Lance?" Brock looks up from screaming at Misty to nod and Ash feels….nothing. Which is strange. He should be excited. Arceus, Lance. He's….The Champion, a pokémon master like Ash has always wanted to be. Four months ago, Ash would have traded his mother for a chance to meet him. Yet, now...nothing. But...maybe...if they leave...

"Ok." Ash says firmly. Brock and Misty look at him confusedly. "Let's camp." He raises his hand to stop the inevitable protest from Misty. "It can't be as bad with the three of us."