Always On My Mind
By: CrescentLight
Disclaimer: Don't own the whole thing.
Okay, so here's the second chapter! It might seem a bit on the blue side and the characters are a bit OCC. Forgive me! Also, let us just pretend May and Max don't exist, okay? Thanx, r&r!
Chapter 2. Ash's Memories
Clouds drifted lazily in the blue sky while a summer breeze was blowing through the forest. All is relaxed and peaceful, well, until...
"Pikachuu!" A flash of light went throughout the area.
"Go Pikachu!" Another voice rang out, clearly proud of what the Pikachu just did.
"Pikachu! Why did you do that?" Yet another voice sounded out, angry.
It was then we see three people, or rather two teenagers with a Pikachu, standing in an opening.
"Pika pi chu pichu!" The Pikachu waved its tiny fist around, baring his teeth.
"Pikachu's right," A tall guy with tanned skin nodded his head," You've gotten us lost again."
"But..."A boy with a cap protested," That old woman did say this was the right way."
Flashback
"Excuse me, is anybody here?" The boy with the cap from above called out, knocking at a wooden door.
"Yes, Mistress and I live here. What is it that you need, young man?" A rather old man asked, eyeing the Pikachu by his side who was currently busy chattering a Butterfree..
"We were wondering if this was the right way to Fortree City?"
"Yes, of course," An old woman appeared, holding a crane in her hands," From here, you just keep walking. But be careful, there are lots of traps in the forest." She cackled, laughing manically to herself.
"Um...well, thank you. Goodbye." To say the teen was scared was an understatement.
"Well, dearie, I wouldn't say goodbye yet." The old man murmured.
"You can't believe everything they say, Ash!" The taller dude wagged his finger," They said there would be traps in this forest, but I didn't see any-!" Before he could finish his words, the threesome fell into a hole. Just then, three heads popped from above. One was bright pink, one was blue, and the third one was a kitty.
"Team rocket!" Ash shouted," I should have known. Who else would do the lame trap trick again and again?"
"Yeah, we aren't that stupid!" The tanned teen waved his fist around and everyone sweat-dropped.
"Brock, we just fell into their trap." Ash hung his head low, embarrassed..
"We did?" To this comment, everybody fell anime-style.
"Pika." The small yellow rodent sighed, typical Brock.
"Anyway...prepare for trouble!" The woman said.
"Make it double!" The male held up a rose he produced out of thin air.
"Save it for the scene," Ash cut off," Don't you think you ought to be thinking up of a new motto?"
"You twerp!" The woman shouted angrily, but then, a strange cackling noise was heard.
"What was that?" Their sidekick pokemon, Meowth asked.
"James?"
"Jessie?" Then before a word was exchanged, they fell down to the hole too. Pikachu quickly zapped them.
"Good job, Pikachu!" Ash patted his pokemon on the head.
"Chu!" It winked in return.
"So how are we going to get out of there?" Ash asked Brock who was in a meditating position.
"Well, we could do the human ladder thing." And that was exactly what they did...except they were still stuck there.
"You are too heavy, man." Ash rubbed his shoulder, it was starting to hurt a lot.
"Well, you aren't so feathery yourself." The Pewter City Gym leader retorted. His companion fell silent.
"I wish," He started," I wish that Misty was here." The rest was whispered but it was heard by Brock and Pikachu all the same.
"I miss her too."
"Chu pi pika chu pikachu." The ears of Pikachu dropped as it remembered its friend.
"Even though we used to fight a lot, I still miss her." Ash stated quietly.
"Ohhh! The twerp's missing his Princess Twerpiee!" James suddenly jumped up, very excited at the thought.
"Shut up, James," Jessie smacked him on the head," Let's get out of here." Meowth nodded and took out a remote. Then a huge hot-aired balloon came out of nowhere.
"Ta-ta, twerps." Jessie smirked before the three of them climbed into the basket.
"Not so fast, Pikachu." The electric-type pokemon nodded and sent out a thunderbolt at the balloon, sending it exploding into million pieces.
"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" Then screamed before they disappeared into the sky.
"Now how can we get out?"
"Ash, did you brought your Chikorita? Or Bulbasaur?"
"No, I left them at Nurse Joy's." Then they fell silent, waiting for somebody to rescue them.
Pikachu watched as its human friends sat there in hopelessness, then it had an idea. Before the Butterfree said there are a lot of hot springs under these parts, so it started to dig around the bottom.
"Pikachu, what are you doin-?" Ash was cut off in mid-sentence when a sudden rush of water appeared and sent them flying in the air.
"Ahh!" Brock screamed. After what seemed like eternity, they finally landed.
"Ow...where are we now?" Brock was the first to get up and to regain conscious. He was also the first one to be startled by Ash's laughters.
"What the-?" Then seeing the sign by the road, he began to chuckle too. Pikachu stood in front of the sign, confused. On it read: Welcome to Fortree City!
After a healthy supper, Brock stayed in the Center 'for business' as he had quoted. Pikachu was teaching Vulpix a new trick so that just left Ash without anything to do. Grabbing his jacket, he went outside.
'The summer night sky really is beautiful.' He thought to himself and found himself at the local bookstore.
"A Midsummer's Night Dream." He read aloud the title of the book.
Flashback
"So Ash, have you ever heard of A Midsummer's Night Dream?" Misty asked, one night in summer.
"No, I haven't"
"You should read it, it's really good!"
"Right, but I still like my Pokemon guide better." Ash replied, teasing her. She snorted in reply.
End of Flashback
Ash sighed, looking at the book in his hands again, 'And I thought fall was for memories.' He thought as he paid for the book.
"We hope to see you again!" The girl at the door bowed politely. He nodded in reply.
On his way home, he bought more pokemon food, as he reached for a bag of pokemon food for Togepi, Ash suddenly remembered Misty's not with them anymore. Chuckling at his own forgetfulness, he went back to the Center.
"Pikachu!" He called out, but nobody answered. After a painstaking search, he finally found his best pokemon friend buried under a pile of cards with Vulpix. Next to them was Brock, drooling in his dreams.
"Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny..." He muttered.
Gently, Ash put down his things and walked to the bathroom, feeling hollow.
Flashback
It was near midnight when Ash finally came back to the Pokemon Center from his jog around the town. He expected no one there, for it was quite late, but...
"Ash Ketchum! Where do you think you have been to?" And there sat Misty with her hair down, dressed in a sky blue PJ that had bubbles on it. On one hand she held a watch while the other was adored in a blue corset, matching her nightwear. As for her expression, it was one that Ash will never forget: a mix of anxiety, concern, and angriness with a touch of tiredness.
"I just asked you a question!" She exploded, breaking the trance he was in.
"I've been out, jogging."
"Why are you doing that?" She asked, following him upstairs," Pikachu and the rest are already in bed."
"No reason, I just felt like it," He shrugged, then turned to her," So why aren't you in bed?"
"Because I was waiting for you?" She rolled her eyes.
"Would you wait for me if I return on the following morning?"
"Well," She thought for a moment," Yes, I will, even if it means forever." At that particular moment, Ash had the urge to kiss her, but instead he said," Would you stop following me now? I'm going to the bathroom."
"Oh, right," She smiled embarrassed," Well, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night." Then she went to her room. Ash smiled at her silhouette, it was good to know you're cared about.
End of Flashback
"Why am I missing Misty so much today?" Ash asked his reflection.
"Because you've bottled up for too long." He replied. He shook his head and went out, closing the light.
Wow, long chapter. I know everyone's really OCC in the chapter and thanks to those who have reviewed! I'm really grateful for their comments!
Note: I don't know if Pikachu's a he or a she, so I just called Pikachu 'it'.