Chapter 7
Bonnie is kicking her heels against the legs of the bench she's sitting on when the automated doors to Prism Tower slide open effortlessly and her brother runs in, arms over his head in a futile attempt to ward off the heavy rain.
"Clemont!" she yells, leaping off the seat and hurrying over. Clemont lowers his arms as she reaches him and offers up a towel. "Here, you're soaked!"
'Soaked' is an understatement. His blonde hair is plastered wetly to his cheeks; even the strand of hair that usually sticks up is flattened to his head, weighed down by the rain. His clothes are in a similar state and there's already a puddle of water forming under his feet. It's a wonder the older blonde can even see out of his glasses, coated as they are in droplets of water. Clemont must be super worried about Ash, to go out without even an umbrella or any of his inventions to keep off the rain. Bonnie bites her lip. She's worried too.
Clemont accepts the towel with a grateful murmur of thanks, trying to dry his hair at least a little bit with it. Although she can already guess the answer given that Ash isn't here next to her brother, Bonnie still asks urgently, "Did you find him?!"
Her brother pauses in his efforts to dry himself off and shakes his head, expression worried. "No… and it seems he hasn't returned on his own, either." He glances around the empty lobby before looking through the glass doors at the pouring rain outside. It's even thicker now than it was before; Clemont can barely make out the shops on the other side of the plaza. The thought of Ash being caught out in this… Clemont takes a deep breath, trying to stifle the rising panic starting to grip his heart. "Lumiose is a big city; he could be anywhere… but searching in this rain is impossible…"
"I hope he's okay…" Bonnie says in a small voice. Her hand seeks out the sleeve of his jumpsuit, drawing Clemont's attention away from the rain. He looks down and sees the tears starting to form in his sister's eyes; the same fear and worry that plagues Clemont in her heart as well. Clemont drops to one knee in front of her, uncaring about the puddle he lands in. It's not like getting a bit more wet at this stage will make any difference.
He squeezes both her shoulders gently in lieu of an actual hug; he's not sure she'd appreciate him getting her wet too. "I'm worried too," he says seriously, and tries to smile reassuringly. "But I'm sure he'll be okay. This is Ash we're talking about, after all."
Surprisingly, Bonnie hurls herself at Clemont to hug him tightly, heedless of the water that's now soaking through her clothes as well. Clemont wraps his arms around her and hugs back just as tightly, trying to comfort his sister despite his own worry. "I'm sure he's taken shelter somewhere and is just waiting for the rain to finish," he says reassuringly as she clings to him. "He'll be alright, Bonnie."
"Y-yeah," she agrees, voice muffled by his clothes. "I'm sure he's okay." They remain like that for a while, Clemont running a comforting hand up and down his sister's back and trying to ignore his own worry sitting like lead in his stomach as the rain roars down outside. Finally, he feels Bonnie's grip on him relax and she pulls back enough that he can see her face.
Clemont smiles. "Come on, I've got you all wet now too. Let's both go and dry off, and when the rain stops, we'll go out and look for him again, okay?" Bonnie nods and takes his hand as Clemont stands up. As they make their way to the elevator – Clemont's shoes squelching against the floor with every step – Clemont casts a worried glance back towards the doors. Please come home safely, Ash!
/\/\/\
Team Rocket's attack never hits.
Instead, from somewhere out of Ash's sight a deep voice calls out, "Flamethrower!"
There's an intense burst of heat against Ash's back and he instantly drops down into the mud to shield Pikachu better with his body. It's just as well he does, for a second later there's an explosion right above them as the three attacks collide.
When the smoke clears, Ash sits up and looks down at Pikachu. "Pikachu, are you alright?" Pikachu nods, but Ash can see that the Pokémon is breathing heavily. He reaches out tentatively to pick Pikachu up, ready to draw back if it seems like Pikachu doesn't want to be picked up. The electric Pokémon doesn't protest, so Ash lets his arms circle around Pikachu, resting the Pokémon on his lap.
With Pikachu now safe with him, the robot glances around the clearing. What just happened?
One of the Pokémon thieves echoes Ash's thoughts aloud. "What just happened…?"
"Look, up there!" Meowth says, pointing a finger towards a tall tree on the edge of the clearing.
Ash squints upwards into the sun – wait, the sun?! – and sees two figures standing on one of the branches of the tree. There's two strange Pokémon standing there; he thinks the one on the right is a Blaziken, but his internal Pokédex just flashes 'Entry not found' when he tries to confirm his guess. It's not until the figure on the left turns towards him and Pikachu and calls, "Are you both alright?" that he realises it's actually just a human dressed in a mask and costume that matches the Pokémon at their side.
"Hey! Just who do you think you are anyway, butting in on our battle like that?!" Meowth demands in annoyance. Neither the two newcomers nor Ash pays him any attention.
"Ah, yeah, we're alright," Ash calls back. After Team Rocket's introduction, he's half expecting this new arrival to break out into a motto or something. Still, they had saved him and Pikachu from Team Rocket's attacks, so that meant the newcomers probably aren't bad guys.
The red-haired thief scowls. "Hey, don't ignore us!" she says peevishly. "Pumpkaboo!"
However, before the pumpkin-shaped Pokémon can muster up another attack, the masked person turns to the Blaziken beside them and says something. The Blaziken nods and leaps high into the sky. Ash cranes his head back, trying to keep track with the Pokémon's movements. Whoa! That's some incredible jumping power! Blaziken drops back down, kicking out at the Ghost-type Pokémon with a leg wreathed in flame. Pumpkaboo is knocked backwards into its Trainer, fainting from the damage dealt.
"Ah! Jessie!" the other thief says, sounding worried. The Blaziken leaps back up onto the branch beside its Trainer.
That was Blaze Kick! Ash blinks in surprise. Maybe that Pokémon really is just a Blaziken… but it still looks nothing like what a normal Blaziken should look like!
The Pokémon's odd appearance isn't the only strange thing going on right now. No longer distracted by the new arrivals, Ash is suddenly aware that it's not raining anymore – not only that, but it's sunny. The sudden weather change wouldn't be that strange if it weren't for that fact that Ash can quite clearly see it still raining heavily on the outskirts of the garden clearing. Sunshine streams down through a small, circular gap in the clouds directly overhead. Ash doesn't know much about weather, but even he can guess that normal rainclouds don't behave like this.
He eyes the tall Pokémon. Blaziken is a Fire-type Pokémon… A stroke of sudden understanding hits him. Could this be Sunny Day? It would certainly help explain the power behind the Pokémon's attacks – Sunny Day boosts Fire-type moves, after all.
"Tch! Come on, we got some Pokémon, so let's forget Pikachu and get outta here!" Meowth exclaims, jumping down from its perch on the rim of the fountain and hurrying towards the jeep.
"Ah! The cage with the Pokémon!" Ash calls out to the Blaziken duo, staggering to his feet.
The masked person nods in understanding and sweeps their hand out towards the jeep and cage, commanding, "Mega Blaziken, destroy that cage!"
The Blaziken – did he say 'Mega Blaziken'? What's that? – leaps into action once more, striking the cage with a powerful kick. Even with Sunny Day, that Blaziken sure is powerful! Ash thinks in awe as the steel bars of the large cage crumple like paper, leaving a large hole for the Pokémon inside to escape through. The garden Pokémon waste no time in doing just that, streaming out of the cage and hurrying further into the flower garden to hide safely. "Yeah! Alright!" Ash cheers, echoed by Pikachu.
"Arghhh, how dare you! We worked hard to steal all those Pokémon!" the red-haired woman says angrily. "James! Do something!"
"Uh – Inkay, use Psybeam!" her partner says.
"Oh, no you don't!" Ash replies immediately. "Pikachu, you up for it?"
Pikachu jumps out of Ash's arms, landing on all fours with cheeks sparking. "Pika!" it replies determinedly.
"That's the spirit! Thunderbolt!" Ash orders. The Thunderbolt strikes the squid-like Pokémon directly and it faints. The purple haired thief – James? – recalls it immediately and leaps after his other two partners who are already running for their getaway vehicle.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
"Pikapi!" Pikachu says urgently. The robot has no trouble understanding what Pikachu is trying to say because he feels exactly the same way.
"Like we'd let you run away that easily!" Ash echoes. He points towards Team Rocket as they scramble into the jeep. "Pikachu! Thunderbolt, one more time!" Pikachu leaps into the air, taking advantage of the lack of rain to let loose all his frustration and anger. It's a truly impressive Thunderbolt that strikes the jeep and Team Rocket, creating an explosion that sends the trio of Pokémon thieves flying off into the sky.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again…!" Ash hears faintly as they disappear from view.
He lets out a long breath, sagging in relief. "Good riddance to them, huh, Pikachu?" he says to the Pokémon at his feet. Pikachu sticks his tongue out in the direction Team Rocket had disappeared off into, making Ash laugh. "You did a great job!" he says with a big grin, reaching down to pat Pikachu on the head. "You and that Blaziken both… Ah, that reminds me!"
He turns towards the tree, intending to thank Blaziken and the masked Trainer for helping them and saving the other Pokémon, but the duo have disappeared. "Aw…" Ash says, disappointed that he's apparently lost the chance to check out a new Pokémon he's never seen before up close. Still, on the off-chance the two are still hanging around somewhere, Ash cups his hands around his mouth and yells with all his might, "Thanks to both of you for saving us!"
There's no reply, but that doesn't stop Ash from feeling that somehow the masked Trainer and Pokémon had heard his grateful thanks. He nods to himself with a smile before his attention is caught by some bushes rustling nearby. A second later, an Oddish pokes its head out and looks cautiously around.
"It's okay, you can come out now! Those guys are gone!" Ash tells the Grass Pokémon. It jerks back into the bush at the sound of his voice. Ash sighs. I guess all the Pokémon are gonna be nervous after getting captured like that…
However, a few seconds later the Oddish reappears, this time trailed by a group of the garden's other Pokémon. The wild Pokémon cluster around Ash and Pikachu, chattering happily to the electric Pokémon at Ash's feet. Ash crouches down to their level. "Is everyone okay?" he asks the group of Pokémon in concern, but the response is a chorus of positive replies. Ash sighs in relief, glad to see that they do all look mostly unharmed, if a bit bedraggled.
"Pikapi…"
Ash looks over just in time to see Pikachu collapse. "Ah! Pikachu!" He reaches out in a panic and catches the electric Pokémon before it can hit the ground. The other Pokémon cluster around him in concern as he cradles Pikachu in his arms.
Even without using any of his advanced scanning sensors, his surface 'human' senses can tell him that Pikachu is in very bad shape. The small Pokémon's breathing is laboured as it curls in on itself within the circle of his arms. Close up, Ash sees all the scrapes and bruises that Pikachu must have taken in the battle. "Pikachu…" he whispers, that awful feeling back in his chest.
Raindrops start to fall again as the effects of Sunny Day wear off now that Blaziken is no longer around to sustain the effect. Overhead, clouds dark with rain roll in to cover the sunshine as Ash bows his head, water running down his cheeks. I'm so sorry, Pikachu, I should have protected you better…!
In the end, the only thing that stops him from breaking down completely is the fact that Pikachu needs medical treatment, and fast. "We need to get to a Pokémon Center!" the robot cries. Ash glances around wildly, trying to remember the previous time he had come here with Clemont and Bonnie. I think we're nearest Jaune Plaza at the moment, he decides, biting his lip as he calculates distances in his head. But that means we're ages away from any of the Pokémon Centers around the city! Pikachu… might not be able to make it that far… Ash looks down at the injured Pokémon in his arms; Pikachu is still labouring for breath. "Ahhhh, what should I do, what should I do?!" he wails above the cries of concern from the watching wild Pokémon. "If only Clemont were here…" Clemont would know what to do and he probably wouldn't be panicking as much as Ash is now.
Clemont… Oh!
"Wait, I know! I can go there!" he exclaims, an idea blooming in the back of his mind at the thought of the inventor. Ash furiously recalculates distances. It just might work… it's worth a shot, anyway! He looks down at the Pokémon clustered at his feet, all of them looking up at Pikachu and Ash in worry. "I'll make sure Pikachu is taken care of, I promise!" Ash tells them. "All of you, please take care. Don't let Team Rocket get their dirty hands on you again!"
With a chorus of agreement ringing behind him, Ash dashes out of the flower garden. "Please hang on, Pikachu!" he begs the electric Pokémon in his arms as he runs. "Just a little bit more!" Now that he's outside the garden completely and thus the remnants of Blaziken's Sunny Day, the rain is falling just as hard as it was when he was running to Pikachu's aid. Ash's shoulder twinges and his arm goes numb again for a moment before returning to normal. Ash ignores it – Pikachu needs help.
Come on, come on, where is it? I know there was meant to be one around here somewhere… Ash frowns to himself, switching back to the monochromatic vision he'd used earlier to search through the falling rain. He spots the familiar cylindrical booth shape further up the street and puts on an extra spurt of speed until he's standing before it.
Sure enough, it's a Clemontic Shower. After Clemont and Bonnie had shown him one on his first trip outside, Ash had been interested enough to want to learn more about them and Clemont had been more than happy to show him how they worked and where they were located around the city. Clemont has pride in all of his inventions, but it is clear to see that the Showers hold a special place in the young inventor's heart.
Remembering how Pikachu's electric attacks had shone like a star in his thermal vision, Ash switches back to normal human vision before stepping up to the Shower. "I know you're low on energy at the moment," he tells Pikachu, unsure if the injured Pokémon can hear him. "You gotta absorb some of this electricity to help you until we can get to a Pokémon Center." He tries to lay Pikachu down inside the booth but the Pokémon clings to him with surprising strength. "Don't be scared, Pikachu," Ash implores gently. "Please?"
"Chuuuu," Pikachu says weakly, burrowing further into his chest. Ash sighs. It seems that there's nothing else for it.
"Look, I'll get in with you," he volunteers. True to his word, Ash climbs inside the Clemontic Shower and settles down cross-legged with Pikachu laying on his lap. At least in here it's dry. His clothes are dripping water all over the floor inside; Ash winces and sends Clemont a mental apology for messing up one of his inventions.
Getting inside a Clemontic Shower like this would be extremely dangerous for a human to do, so it's just as well that Ash is no mere human. Watching the play of lightning from the inside of the Shower as it starts to activate is a fascinating experience, but Ash doesn't have the luxury of sitting back to watch it today. All of his attention is focused on the Pikachu in his lap, as waves of electricity wash over the Pokémon's fur. The electrical waves crawl over Ash's body as well and he can feel it as a small tingle against his skin, but it seems that his electrical-proofing is holding up just as well as his water-proofing had been.
Hang in there, Pikachu , he wills the small Pokémon. Show me that fighting spirit of yours! He watches with baited breath as Pikachu's breathing patterns become easier – the Pokémon is still breathing heavily from the pain of its injuries, but at least it is no longer struggling to breathe. The electricity slowly fades away.
"Does that feel better, buddy?" Ash asks softly. He runs a gentle hand over the Pokémon's fur, trying to brush away the excess water. Ash breathes a sigh of relief when Pikachu stirs and opens its eyes again, blinking up at him. "Come on, we need to get you to a Pokémon Center really soon though!"
Pikachu shakes its head, curling up even tighter in his arms. " Chuuuu."
"But, Pikachu –"
"Chuuuu." The instant reply is more emphatic this time and the small Pokémon manages an impressive glare up at Ash despite still looking weak. Ash feels torn – on one hand, Pikachu really does need proper medical aid and the Pokémon Center will ensure that Pikachu gets the best possible care. On the other hand... Pikachu has trusted Ash this far and Ash doesn't want to betray that trust by taking Pikachu to the Pokémon Center against the Pokémon's wishes. He doesn't know why Pikachu won't go to a Pokémon Center – maybe it has to do with the scar on his tail? – but if that's what Pikachu wants...
Ash sighs, shoulders slumping in surrender. "Alright, alright, no Pokémon Centers, I get it." Pikachu eyes him suspiciously for a few moments. Apparently, the electric Pokémon decides to believe that Ash is telling the truth, because he closes his eyes again and snuggles into Ash's arms more comfortably. Ash smiles faintly at the action and holds the Pokémon close as he leans back against the wall and stares up at the roof of the booth, chewing on his lip thoughtfully as he tries to figure out what to do next.
Back at the Tower, whenever one of the Pokémon had been hurt – whether a Gym match or a practice match or just in play – they'd been taken to the Pokémon Center to recover properly if the injury was serious; otherwise, Clemont is fairly adept at patching his Pokémon up himself if it's only a minor injury. He'd started to teach Ash the basics recently, but Ash was pretty sure Pikachu's injuries were beyond his level of knowledge to heal. Not to mention that because he hadn't taken any of Clemont's Pokémon with him when he left the Tower, he hadn't brought along any recovery items either. What should I do?
He realises he's staring at the electrical nodes that line the inside wall of the Clemont Shower and looks away, biting his lip. There's one place he could go, but now he's not so sure of his welcome there anymore. Still, Ash thinks pensively, stroking Pikachu's ears idly to comfort the Pokémon as it shifts in his arms. Clemont might be mad at me for quitting like that and leaving, but there is no way either he or Bonnie would ever leave a Pokémon to suffer if it was in pain.
"Well, I guess it's back to Prism Tower then," Ash says in resignation to Pikachu. The Pokémon's ears twitch, but Pikachu is too deep in sleep to give a response. The amount of trust that Pikachu is placing in him while in such a vulnerable state is what finally propels Ash to his feet. He eyes the rain and strips off his jacket to wrap it around Pikachu. It's not much protection, and Pikachu is already soaked, but at least this will stop the electric Pokémon from getting even more wet. It's not like Ash needs to worry about the rain – if it hasn't shorted his circuits out yet then it's unlikely to do so. As always, despite Clemont's worries, the inventor has done a wonderfully thorough job.
I should thank him , Ash thinks, making sure Pikachu is well covered before stepping out of the booth and straight into the rain. His hair immediately flattens and sticks to his skin and he pulls a face. Well, the robot amends mentally, after I apologise for what I said. I like being a Gym Leader… but while I really do want to become a Pokémon Master, I don't want to hurt Clemont and Bonnie in the process either. Having his friends – his family – mad at him is a miserable thought.
Ash looks up at the tall, shadowy form of Prism Tower almost hidden in the gloomy rain. Prism Tower was so far away... would Pikachu make it in time?
"Ash...? Ash!"
At the sound of someone calling his name, Ash jolts and looks around wildly for the speaker. He blinks in surprise when he sees Clemont's father, wrapped up well in a thick raincoat and hood, seated on his motor scooter on the edge of the road.
"Meyer!" Ash calls in surprise. He ducks his head as he runs over. Of all the people he thought he might come across in the rain – which was literally no-one, because apparently only thieves and masked vigilantes and Ash run around in the rain – Clemont's dad was definitely not one of them. Ahhhh I hope he didn't notice where I was standing! Ash thinks guiltily, remembering that Meyer still doesn't know that Ash isn't human. I should have checked that there was no-one around before I stepped out of there… although what were the chances of anyone being around? Why is Clemont's dad even out here in the rain?!
"Ash! Are you alright?" Meyer yells over the sound of the rain. "Why in the world are you walking around in this kind of weather?"
"I'm fine, but Pikachu's not!" Ash replies at a similar volume. "He got hurt bad, he needs help!"
Meyer looks gravely down at the yellow Pokémon bundled in Ash's arms, badly scratched up and shivering in the cold. Ash is doing the best he can to shield Pikachu from the rain with his own body. "What happened?"
Ash looks at him in anguish. "There were these Pokémon thieves and I tried to stop them and Pikachu jumped in to protect me even though he was hurt and he got even more hurt..." The boy's shoulders are shaking now. "Please, I've got to help him!"
Meyer was Clemont's dad, and Clemont is the smartest person that Ash knows . Surely he'd know what to do… ? Ash really hopes so, in any case. The robot is so distracted with worry that he doesn't immediately understand what Meyer means when he gestures to the seat behind him where Ampharos usually sits on his motor scooter.
"Hop on," Meyer clarifies kindly at Ash's confusion. "I'll drive you both to the Pokémon Center!"
Ash shakes his head, although he's immensely grateful for the offer of help. "Thank you, but Pikachu won't go!"
"What?!"
Ash shakes his head apologetically again, looking down at the coat-wrapped Pikachu nestling in his arms. "Pikachu refuses to go near a Pokémon Center!" he explains, shouting over a rumble of thunder. "I don't know why! I was going to try and make it back to Prism Tower but…" The robot glances helplessly towards the rising form of Prism Tower in the distance.
Meyer 'hrms', his face serious as he thinks. "If a Pokémon Center is no good, then my house is closer than Prism Tower," he offers. "I can help with some of Pikachu's injuries."
Ash brightens. If Clemont's level of skill is any indication of his father's, then Pikachu will be in good hands. "Can you?!" he asks desperately. "Please, help Pikachu!"
This time, Ash clambers on quickly when Meyer nods to the seat behind him and cradles Pikachu to his chest. The second Ash is seated securely, Meyer speeds off with a "Hold on tight!" thrown over his shoulder. Riding pillion like this is awkward, but Ash holds equally tightly to Clemont's father and Pikachu both.
Still, there's something he really wants to know. It's still unbelievably small odds that Meyer would be driving on the same street as Ash, after all. "How did you find me?" he calls over the sound of the rain and the scooter itself.
"What?" Meyer calls back. Ash repeats the question. "Oh! I was driving back from a delivery when I saw you!" Clemont's father explains. "This kind of weather is fairly unusual for Lumiose City – it's dangerous to be out in it!"
"Thank you very much for helping us!" Ash calls sincerely.
"Well, you should always help a Pokémon in need!" Meyer tells him. "Besides," he laughs. "Clemont and Bonnie would be mad at me if I left one of their friends out in the rain!"
/\/\/\
"I live above the shop," Meyer explains as he and Ash spill through the entrance to Meyer's electrical appliance shop. "Just through there – ah, Ampharos, could you get the first aid kit please?" he asks as the big yellow Pokémon hurries into the storefront worriedly.
"Ryuu!" Ampharos disappears back up the stairs.
Although this is the first time Ash has seen the store that Clemont's father owns, the robot has neither the time nor the inclination to look around as he follows Meyer quickly up the stairs. He barely remembers to take his shoes off at the door at the top of the stairs; he hurriedly shoves them off as Meyer disappears into one of the rooms further down the hallway.
Ampharos reappears from another room, carrying a white kit with a red cross on it. "Ryuuu," the Pokémon says, beckoning to Ash, who is still standing at the doorway. He pads down the hallway in bare feet after Ampharos, Pikachu still wrapped up securely in his arms. A photo they pass by distracts Ash for a moment: it's a younger Clemont and Bonnie standing with their father. That's right, he thinks, catching up with Ampharos again. Clemont and Bonnie would have lived here before they moved to the Gym in Prism Tower…
He forgets the photo entirely a few moments later when Ampharos turns into one of the rooms. "Thank you, Ampharos," Meyer says as they walk inside, taking the first-aid kit from the electric Pokémon. Clemont's father indicates a few blankets and towels laid out across a couch. "Ash, could you lay Pikachu down here please?"
Ash nods, kneeling beside the couch to carefully unwrap Pikachu from his water-laden coat and gently lay the Pokémon on top of the towels, doing his best not to jostle Pikachu too much. He backs up and moves out of Meyer's way as the other man takes Ash's spot beside the couch, peering intently at the injured Pokémon. "Ampharos, more light, please?" Meyer asks absently without taking his gaze off of Pikachu.
Ampharos trills and the light on the end of its tail starts to glow brightly. It holds it over Pikachu and Meyer murmurs his thanks. Wow, I guess that's why they call it the Light Pokémon… Ash thinks in awe, having to look away from the bright light. He notices the room around him for the first time; there's the big couch Pikachu is laying on and a desk wedged into the corner and boxes are piled everywhere. Ash can't work out if it's meant to be a bedroom or a storage room; it reminds him of Clemont's workshop back at the Tower.
He pokes a box cautiously – Ash has learnt to be careful after he poked a box in said workshop and it exploded in his face, much to Clemont's dismay – but when it proves to be both solid and non-explosive, he takes a seat and watches Meyer heal Pikachu.
Hang in there, buddy! I know you're strong; you can get through this!
After what seems like forever, Meyer finally sits back with a sigh and accepts a glass of water from Ampharos with grateful thanks. "Is Pikachu going to be okay?" Ash asks, immediately on his feet in worry. He jumps slightly when Ampharos taps his shoulder; when he looks at the Pokémon questioningly, Ampharos offers him a towel. "Ah, thanks, Ampharos," Ash says, taking it. "Sorry about dripping water all over your floor," he adds sheepishly.
"Ryuu ryu!" Ampharos trills, waving an arm at him in a clear 'don't worry about it' manner.
Meyer looks towards them. "You should change into something dry soon as well Ash, or you'll catch a cold," he adds, sounding concerned. Ash couldn't care less about his own health at the moment – not to mention that it's literally impossible for him to catch a cold, not that Meyer knew that.
"Ah, I'll do that for sure, but first please tell me about Pikachu!" Ash begs. "Will he be alright?"
Clemont's dad sighs, glancing back towards Pikachu as he rubs a hand over the back of his neck. "Pikachu was very badly injured, but this little guy is a tough one. I think he'll be okay."
Desperation, fear and worry all dispel into an overwhelming rush of relief that has Ash sighing so hard he practically melts to the floor. "Thank goodness!" Ash whispers emphatically. He never would have forgiven himself if Pikachu had gotten so injured while defending him that there was no chance of recovery. "Thank you so much, Mr Meyer! You saved him."
Ash picks himself up off the floor, suddenly feeling exhausted all of a sudden – which is odd, because his energy levels are still fairly high. He crouches down beside the couch to watch Pikachu sleep. Even with the bandages, the electric Pokémon looks like he's doing better: Pikachu's colour has improved and his breathing is less laboured now than it was before. Ash smiles, remembering how fiercely Pikachu had battled to save his friends. "You did an incredible job back there against those thieves," he tells Pikachu, his voice quiet so as not to wake the sleeping Pokémon. "All the other Pokémon are safe, because of you. I'm so proud of you, Pikachu." Ash rests a hand gently on Pikachu's body, feeling reassured by the steady in-out of the Pokémon's breathing under his hand. "You take a nice long rest now, you hear?" Pikachu's ears twitch, but doesn't wake up. Ash withdraws his hand and settles himself on the floor next to the couch, fully intending to sit by Pikachu's side until the Pokémon wakes up again. His arm twinges again but Ash ignores it, propping his chin up on his knees.
Meyer takes his time packing up the first aid kit, giving his son's friend a moment of privacy with the injured Pokémon the boy has been trying so hard to save. When everything is put away, however, he sits down next to Ash. "How did Pikachu end up like this?"
There's no accusation in the older man's voice or any indication at all that he thinks Ash would mistreat a Pokémon, just concerned curiosity. Even so, Ash looks down at the floor, a downcast expression on his face. "He was trying to protect me and his other Pokémon friends," he says dispiritedly and proceeds to tell Meyer the whole story about the garden and the trio of thieves, their battle and the appearance of the mysterious masked person and equally mysterious Pokémon that saved all of them.
Meyer listens to the entire story, occasionally voicing a reaction but otherwise not interrupting the flow of words. When Ash's voice trails off at the end of the explanation, Meyer remains silent for a few moments before breathing out heavily and then, surprisingly, reaching over to ruffle Ash's hair. The gesture of comfort has Ash jolting in surprise and he turns to look wide-eyed at Clemont's dad. "Meyer…?"
"You and Pikachu both did your very best," Meyer says with a warm smile. "And you defeated a team of thieves. That's nothing to sneeze at!"
Ash looks away. "I didn't do much, it's mostly thanks to Pikachu and that other Pokémon." He directs a fond smile towards the small Pokémon curled up on the couch. "Pikachu was amazing!"
"Pikachu is a wild Pokémon, right?" Meyer asks. Ash nods in reply without looking up. Meyer continues, "And yet he still teamed up with you. Clearly Pikachu sees something in you worth his trust."
Ash's head jerks up and he gives Meyer a startled glance before blinking and looking back at Pikachu with a considering look on his face. "I guess…"
They sit in silence for a while, listening to the sound of the rain pouring down outside as Ash watches Pikachu breathe steadily in and out. Ampharos comes in again; the Pokémon and Meyer carry on a quick and quiet discussion, but Ash doesn't pay much attention to it. He thinks about Clemont and Bonnie, still back at Prism Tower, and hopes that the two of them are okay. Especially Bonnie, she hates thunder. He hopes he hasn't caused them too much trouble by leaving without a word.
Ampharos bustles out again, snapping Ash out of his thoughts. "Um, Meyer…" he asks hesitantly. "Could you ring Clemont and let him know I'm alright?"
Meyer blinks in surprise. "Sure, but don't you want to ring him yourself?"
Ash hunches his shoulders, looking down at the floor forlornly. "Ah, no, I… I don't think he'd wanna to talk to me right now." He hesitates. "Clemont and I had a fight, you see…"
"A fight?" Meyer repeats, taken aback. "That doesn't sound like Clemont."
Ash shakes his head. "It's my fault. I just got really mad at him for not seeing my point of view, so I left the Tower for a bit without telling anyone. Then the storm hit and Pikachu needed help." He sighs. "Clemont's probably still mad at me…"
"I doubt it." Clemont's dad smiles kindly when Ash glances up at him, startled. "Clemont's got a kind heart; he never stays mad for long," the man explains. "You're an important friend of his, after all, and fighting with a friend is never a good feeling."
"Tell me about it!" Ash groans, putting his head in his hands.
Meyer chuckles, laying a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Whatever happened, I'm sure that Clemont is probably very worried about you. I'm sure you two will make up."
"Yeah, I know…" the robot sighs glumly. I hope so, in any case. Clemont will forgive me if I apologise… right? I just don't want him to be mad at me anymore.
With a sympathetic pat to Ash's shoulder, Meyer gets to his feet. "I'll go call Clemont now," he says over his shoulder as he heads for the door.
"Thank you!" Ash says gratefully. "And thank you for helping Pikachu too!"
Meyer waves away his thanks. "Ah, it's nothing, I'm glad I could help. You stay here and watch over Pikachu while I call Clemont." Ash nods, turning back to his charge and Meyer closes the door behind him quietly, leaving the dark haired boy to watch over the injured Pikachu. He heads towards the phone immediately, thanking Ampharos again for its help when they cross paths. Meyer knows his son – if Ash really did leave Prism Tower without telling anyone right before this terrible storm hit, then Clemont is certainly worrying about his friend right now.
His thought are confirmed when the phone rings and rings until finally his son picks up. It's fairly common for Clemont to take a while to pick up the phone – his son is busy with important Gym Leader duties, after all, and also has a bad habit of tuning the world out when he's working on his inventions – but Meyer has never seen his son look this anxious before. Although Clemont's clothes are dry, his hair is soaked; droplets of water still dripping from the strands onto a towel around his neck. Maybe his son has just come from a shower, but Meyer has a shrewd idea that Clemont has just come from a very different kind of shower. You really have a kind heart, Clemont. Meyer doesn't know whether to be proud of his son for going to such lengths to search for his friend, or to reprimand him for going out in such dangerous weather. "Clemont!"
"Papa!" Clemont says in surprise. His son tries his best to hide his feelings behind a smile, but Clemont has never been particularly good at lying. "Is everything alright? Are you and Ampharos okay?"
"We're both fine," Meyer reassures him.
Clemont sighs in relief. "Thank goodness! I'm glad you're both okay." His son looks off-screen for a moment before looking back at the video display, biting his lip. "Um, now isn't really a good time –"
He's interrupted by Bonnie, who jumps in between her brother and the screen and stands on tip-toe to see her father better. "Papa! Have you seen Ash anywhere?" she asks urgently, face filling the screen.
"Bonnie!" Clemont scolds, putting his hands on her shoulders and guiding her back until both of them are visible on-screen. "Ah – Ash is – that is, Bonnie meant – we can't find –" Clemont stops and takes a deep breath, visibly trying to calm down. "Ash is missing!" he blurts out. "We're worried that he might be out in the storm somewhere –"
"Ash is here," Meyer interrupts calmly.
"– and the storm is –" Clemont cuts off, eyes going wide as his father's words finally register. "Wait, Ash is there?!" He leans in towards the screen frantically. "Is he okay?! Can I talk to him?!"
"Don't worry, Clemont, he's fine," Meyer reassures him. "A bit wet, but okay. He ran into a bit of trouble, apparently, but he ended up rescuing a hurt Pikachu as well. He's watching over it in your old room."
"But he's okay?" Clemont persists, wanting to make sure.
"Yes," Meyer answers, watching as both his children sigh and share a relieved smile with one another and smiles to himself. Ash, I really don't think you need to be worried about either of them being mad at you , he thinks at the boy in the other room. The three of you seem to have a strong bond; it would take more than a small fight to break it. His eyes water for a moment with intense pride in his children for making such a strong friendship.
"He says he'll wait out the rain here and go back to Prism Tower when it clears up," he adds when Clemont and Bonnie finally return their attention to him. "The rain's a bit heavy to be running around in at the moment."
Clemont laughs sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Y-yes…"
"Can we talk to him?" Bonnie says eagerly, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.
"Well…" Meyer hesitates. It's his turn to scratch the back of his head as he tries to figure out how to word his response. "He thought you two might not want to talk to him…"
"Huh? Why?!" Bonnie exclaims, pouting. "As if we wouldn't want to talk to him!"
"He said you two had a fight?" Meyer answers, half a question.
Clemont looks down in shame and mumbles, "Ah… yes, that's true…" He toes at the ground with a shoe.
Bonnie crosses her arms, turning her back on Clemont. "Geez, Clemont!" she complains. "This is all your fault!"
Clemont flinches visibly at her words. "But that's why I have to talk to him!" he insists, clenching his fists as hurt changes to determination. "I want to apologise."
"I can go and get him now if you want to talk to him?" Meyer offers, gesturing to the door down the hall, but Clemont shakes his head.
"No, I want to apologise face to face," his son replies. "Papa, I'm coming over there right now!"
"In this weather?" Meyer asks, startled. "Clemont, no, you shouldn't be out in this kind of dangerous weather!"
"This is too important to wait," Clemont replies stubbornly. He looks down at Bonnie, voice softening. "Bonnie, you'll be alright by yourself here, won't you?"
Bonnie nods. "Yeah! Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. You go and bring Ash home, got it?"
Clemont nods. "I will, I promise."
Good for you, Clemont! Meyer thinks, watching his children talk. Sort things out with Ash man-to-man. When it looks like the conversation between the two is finishing, he speaks up. "Clemont, take care on your way here. Ash and I will wait for you."
"Thanks, Papa. I'll see you both soon." Beside Clemont, Bonnie waves enthusiastically as her brother hangs up the phone and the screen goes blank. Meyer smiles to himself – both of his children are growing into fine young people – and heads back to the other room to let Ash know that Clemont is on his way.
/\/\/\
Ash is still sitting next to Pikachu on the floor watching the injured Pokémon sleep when he hears frantic knocking at the door some time later. I wonder if that's Clemont? he wonders. Meyer did say he was coming as soon as he could, but it's still pouring out there!
Still, if it is Clemont, Ash should go out there and apologise to him. Even if it means facing a Clemont who is probably still mad at him from this morning. Ash sighs – I don't wanna! – and runs a hand across Pikachu's fur. "If you can be brave, then so can I, buddy," he tells the electric Pokémon, smiling as he makes a contented 'chuuu' in its sleep. He gets to his feet and edges towards the door, feeling more apprehensive with every step closer. Would Clemont yell at him? Was he really mad? Meyer had said he wasn't, but…
Taking a deep breath, Ash peeks around the doorway.
It is Clemont. He's slipping his shoes off his feet at the door as he talks to Meyer. It's only when he focuses properly on Clemont that Ash realises his friend is absolutely drenched to the bone; bedraggled with wet hair plastered to skin and dripping water all over the floor. Clemont seems exhausted as well, leaning on the wall for support even after his shoes are off. Did he run all the way here from Prism Tower in the rain? Ash wonders, guilt welling up inside him. Why? He could have just waited until the storm passed… If Clemont gets sick because he was running out and about in the rain, then that will be Ash's fault too.
Then he notices just how worried Clemont looks – not just his face, but his posture and his movements and the cadence of his voice as well – and feels a second stab of guilt. That's his doing too. Well, time to face the music, I guess… He steps reluctantly out into the hallway.
Meyer spots his appearance almost immediately and points in his direction, saying something quietly to Clemont. His friend spins around so fast it's a miracle he doesn't fall over. "Ash!" Relief flashes across the pale face and then Clemont is rushing towards him, heedless of the water trail he leaves in his wake.
Ash braces himself for the lecture and the yelling that is sure to come next; there's no way that Clemont isn't mad at him for all the trouble he's caused since leaving the Tower by himself. So it throws Ash completely off guard when Clemont doesn't do any of that. Instead, Clemont practically crashes into Ash, arms wrapping around the surprised robot in a crushing hug as Clemont buries his face in the crook of Ash's good shoulder.
"Ah… Clemont…?" Ash asks cautiously, feeling the other boy trembling against him. Water trickles off Clemont's clothes and hair and starts to soak through Ash's own clothes, but Ash doesn't care. Quite frankly, he's more worried about Clemont at the moment. He tries to draw back to get a better look at Clemont's face, but Clemont just clings harder to him and refuses to budge.
"Thank goodness…!" he mumbles against his neck. "I'm so glad you're okay, Ash, I was so worried – and then the storm – but you're okay!" His fingers clench more tightly in Ash's clothes, as though Clemont is worried that Ash will disappear from his sight again if he lets go. "Thank goodness…"
Ash sighs and raises a hand to rest against Clemont's hair. The movement causes a cascade of water droplets to shower across his neck, but Ash is more concerned with the fact that Clemont is cold and wet and liable to catch a cold if he doesn't get dry any time soon. He really did run here all the way here in the rain, Ash thinks fondly, resting his chin on Clemont's shoulder. You idiot.
He's just about to return the hug – Clemont seems like he could use both the warmth and the comfort – when his friend suddenly releases him and steps back. "Clemont, what – "
"I'm sorry!" Clemont bursts out, interrupting Ash's confused question. "It's my fault you left the Tower and got caught out in the storm. I upset you a lot this morning and I'm so sorry for that, I never wanted to hurt your feelings! I just didn't want you to be in danger…" Clemont bows in apology to an astonished Ash.
"Please forgive me and come back home!"
Random trivia: I feel like this was actually one of the first scenes I wrote of this entire story, or at least very close to the start?
Thanks for reading! C: