Poke-genetics: bad morning
Brock, Pikachu and Genno were very surprised when they saw that Ash and Misty weren't in the room.
The surprise went up a notch when they saw them sleeping in each other's arms on the balcony.
Gently, Brock and Pikachu woke them up.
Misty seemed really confused.
«What time is it? Oh, have I fallen asleep on the balcony? »
«Nobody moved you here. » replied Brock. «I'm pretty sure Ashchu is not strong enough to do that. »
She blushed slightly at the mention of the pokemon. Oh Mew, did she really confessed her feeling for Ash to his pikachu? What was she thinking?
Genno and Pikachu looked at Ash with mocking grins. He slept in the arm of a girl he liked. Pikachu winked at him, saying «Good job. ».
They didn't understand. It was the worst thing that could have happened. He just muttered a «Shut up. » under his breath and they both looked at him in shock. He left the room without saying anything else.
Moments later, they were eating in the hotel's dining room. Ash was eating slowly, chewing carefully and was the second to finish, Brock already being on his way to the pokemon center. Pikachu was worried. What could have happened to put him in this mood? Genno saw his two friends leave their seats and was about to follow them when Misty grabbed his arm.
«Would you mind… staying? »
Genno had a bad feeling about it.
Ash had climbed a tree. He was lying on a branch, surrounded by leaves. He was alone. He was thinking. What should he do? How would he ever tell his friends that he was in this pikachu's body? There was no way Misty would ever forgive him. What should he do?
«Ashhhhhh! Are you in there? » (I can't believe he climbed that tree fast enough for me to lose sight of him.)
Ash wondered if he should tell his pokemon. He was his best pal… and he was not proud of himself for this morning.
«Yeah… you can climb if you want. »
Pikachu didn't waste time and, in seconds, he was next to his friend and master.
«Ash. What has gotten into you? »
Ash looked down.
«I'm fed up with this. I can't stand being a Pikachu anymore. »
«Ash, you said that many times before. Why are you feeling like that now? »
«I… Misty… confessed her love for my human self to me yesterday night. »
Pikachu couldn't find anything to say. He put his paw on his best friend's shoulder.
Ash gasped and jumped. He turned to Pikachu in panic.
«Misty! Where is she? »
«She's … alone with Genno! »
They jumped down the tree and ran with all their might toward the hotel. That day was bad enough as it was, but it would truly be hell if the girl he loves confessed to his friend!
Genno was not feeling well. The girl next to him was staring at him over her breakfast. He was trying not to think about Ash. What could have made him that mad? Was it them… or her? Instinctively, he was trying to find an excuse to escape. He felt that if he stayed much longer, something bad was about to happened.
«Misty… look, it's been... marvelous to have this breakfast together, but… I really should go look for Pikachu and Ashchu. Ashchu… was not looking well this morning. »
Misty felt the guilt form a knot in her throat. She sobbed. Her weakness had caused this. She…
She had to tell him. Now!
«Ash. Please, stay here. »
«I…»
«Listen to me, Ash! »
Genno started breathing heavily. Was she about to say what he thought she was? «Please, don't tell me that. Don't give Ash a reason to kill me! » he thought.
«Ash, I've realized how I feel when we met again yesterday… Ash, I… I… I lo…»
«PIKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! »
Ash and Pikachu erupted in the dining room. They jumped on their table and Ash was looking aggressively at Genno. Pikachu was next to him, unsure of his master's attitude.
Misty looked at the pokemon with round eyes.
«Ash, what's wrong with them? Ashchu looks so… angry. »
«I think I know. »
He turned toward Pikachu and gave him an order.
«Pikachuuuu…» he began with the tone of someone giving a warning.
Said pokemon suddenly straighten, Ash was still tensed.
«PIKACHU! »
Both his pokemon calmed down. Ash even looked ashamed.
«I'm sorry, Misty. But it looks like Ashchu doesn't thrust me completely! »
The girl was shocked by the anger in his voice. She stared at them as the boys got out of the hotel.
«I can't believe you'd threaten me like that! »
«I… »
«Do you have so little trust in me? »
«I…»
«What would you have done if I hadn't told you she DIDN'T confess? Attack me? »
«I DIDN'T INTEND TO! » shouted Ash.
«Then what? WHAT? »
«I… didn't want her to confess… »
Genno let himself fall on a bench. He took his head in his hands. He was having a serious headache.
«Ash. Do you believe me when I say that I don't want to become you? »
«Yes… »
«Then, there are two things that we can do. The first is to tell all your friends about your transformation and who I am. »
«We can't. » said Ash with a hint of sadness.
«Why not? »
«Because she already told me she loved me… »
«Holy Miltank! She told… the you right now…? »
«Why do you think I was so angry? »
«In that case, we have to make sure there's no chance for her to confess until you change back.»
«How do we do that? »
«By doing the same thing that both of you did to avoid it before: by going separate ways. »
When they returned to the hotel, she was in their room, looking at the things she had bought yesterday.
«Ash… I'm…»
«No, don't say it, Misty. » interrupted Genno. « I need to tell you something… »
She tried to hide the hope in her voice.
«What is it? »
«I… I have to get going. »
Ash tried not to scream that he was there when he saw Misty close her eyes in pain. She was losing him again.
«I need to do something. I can't ignore it, but… when I come back… I'll… be able to tell you... »
«Yeah… okay… I'll… wait… »
All three boys got out of the room without looking back. Genno and Pikachu pretended not to notice Ash's sorrow.
«Thanks Genno. I owe you one. »
«The only thing left to do in this place is to go check mister Folklow's place to see if he has found anything useful. After that, we'll go somewhere else. You're both okay with this? »
Both pikachus nodded.
When they arrived, they got a very unpleasant surprise. It was impossible to enter the house. Police officers were surrounding it and a yellow ribbon had been used to prevent access to what was now considered a scene of crime.
«What happened? » Genno asked to the first officer he met.
«Mister Stan Folklow disappeared yesterday. Didn't you see the news? »
«No… we didn't look at a television for more than a week…» he answered, clearly troubled.
They all thought about the same thing. They went away from the scene and went to the first electronic shop they saw. In the window, there was a bunch of televisions playing, each of them displaying the news.
«Looks like you were wrong, Pikachu. » declared Ash.
They could clearly see who was holding Stan Folklow hostage, a knife on his throat, while talking to the police:
«Janes… » they whispered together.
They could see the woman talking to Officer Jenny, which was pointing her weapon toward her.
«Oh my, Jenny… you're still being an officer after that? »
«Let that man go! »
«You're not very polite, are you? »
«I repeat: let him go! »
«And what will you do if I don't? Shoot us? »
Her malicious voice was like a poison entering Jenny's mind.
«…»
«It's quite easy, you know? Just shoot under his clavicle and I'll be the only one to die. »
«Shut up! What do you want? »
«Oh, nothing you can give me... willingly that is. I'm taking this man with me. »
«Stop! » she ordered.
«Do it!» Janes replied in a harsh tone. «Shoot us both down! We'll fade away like him. Wouldn't that be nice? You'd have another fond memory… »
Jenny was clearly trembling now. Her assistant and their pokemon didn't know what to do.
«Oops, I made a mistake. I'd said we'd both go down, but he'll be the only one. Can you tell if he is here? I have enough guts to do it again. And you, Jenny? Are you the same as that day? Are you able to shoot again? »
Jenny dropped her weapon and fell to her knees. In tears, she gave her order:
«Let her go… wherever she wants… »
Reluctantly, the officers lowered their weapons.
Janes smiled wickedly.
«Very good, Jenny. You're a better person than I am… even if that's not telling much. »
She threw a pokeball, which revealed an Alakazam.
«Alakazam, you know the deal. »
As her pokemon concentrated, she finally looked at the reporters behind the police. Her eyes directly met the camera and she added in an unbearably cheerful way:
«Thanks for the tip, boys! »
She winked, they blinked and she was gone, along with Stan Folklow.
Ash, Genno and Pikachu exchanged horrified look. She had talked to them. She had THANKED them. They were responsible for Stan's kidnapping.
«Genno… » Ash began.
«I know… We're responsible for this. »
«Well. » Pikachu started. «No use crying over spilled milk. You are used to being desperate, let's try something else. »
«Yeah,» answered Ash. «all we have to do is fix things. We're going to fight Team Blast. »