A/N: Thank you all so very very much! (My apologies that I haven't responded to all reviews/PM's yet, I'll do so soon!) Please look at the Author's Note at the end of the chapter, important information about a possible sequel will be found there ;) Not much more to say here, so enjoy another chapter :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or the picture used as cover.

Leave It To Brocko

Chapter 29

A high-pitched giggle reached my ears, and I had to stop myself from cringing.

"Oh Ash, you're so funny!" Leaf gushed. Unable to control myself, I rubbed my forehead in exasperation, before quickly disguising the gesture as an attempt to wipe the sweat from my forehead.

It had been a harsh few days for me. Not only the heat, which had come sudden and unexpected, but also the teenagers had been difficult. Or, more precisely, Leaf and Gary.

Ash mumbled something incoherently in response to Leaf's flirting – he did that more often than not – but Leaf ignored his obvious dismissal and continued her act. Gary was talking to Misty, but she didn't appear to be very interested.

It almost seemed that the more enthusiasm and determination Gary and Leaf were putting in their flirting attempts, the less interested and responsive Misty and Ash became.

And to be frank, it was a little worrying. Ash's state especially. He was hiding it well, but whenever he thought no one was looking, the smile slipped off his face as if it was never there. And Misty… her responses to Gary's flirting were half-heartedly at best, non-existent at worst.

Not that I could really blame her, with seeing how Leaf was draping herself over Ash at all opportunities.

"Are we going to set up camp, Brock?" Gary asked, and I nodded, still in thought.

Gary was getting desperate, I figured. Leaf was still all over Ash, only ever arguing or ignoring Gary, and Misty wasn't being helpful either.

"Here?" Gary repeated, and I pulled myself out of my thoughts to give a better response.

"Yeah, sure, if we move a bit more to the side…" With a weary sigh, I plopped down on the ground. Usually I would give everyone instructions, but now I settled for "Let's rest for a bit and then set up camp."

It had been exhausting day. It was still hot, though it was late in the afternoon, and we had covered many miles. We had crossed the river that separates the eastern and western parts of Route 103 sometime this morning, and with a bit of luck we would reach the civilization of Oldale Town tomorrow.

I really needed some sort of other company besides these four. And new supplies, that too.

"Hm, Ash, do you wanna go get some firewood with me?" Leaf's voice had dropped to a whisper, and she was leaning close to Ash, one hand resting lightly on his.

I stared. Wait, what?

Gary and Misty were gaping as well. Ash's face turned bright red and all he managed to get out was a long, "Uuuuh…"

"It'll be fun," Leaf promised, a smile I could only describe as seductive on her face.

Ash stood up abruptly, leaving Leaf to almost fall over. His stance was tense, his face still flustered.

"L-look, Leaf," he started, stuttering slightly but his voice strong. "You're a nice girl. I like you, really. But- but," he faltered slightly. "I like another girl… romantically. And I don't like you like that. I'm sorry, but- you understand, r-right?" He sounded unsure, looking guilty and sad and sympathetic all at the same time.

Leaf stared at him, still seated on the ground. Her lips were pressed in a thin line. Then, she noticed us – me, Misty, Gary – watching their exchange and her face colored.

"Ugh!" With a frustrated sound, she sprang up and stomped away, disappearing in the bushes. Ash looked crestfallen and half about to go after her, and Gary, too, had his hand outstretched and his mouth half-open.

"Let me handle this."

The words were out of my mouth before I could give them a second thought, and with determination in my step I followed after the girl.

I could feel the baffled stares of the three teenagers and one Pokémon on my back, but I stepped on.

I was going to set this straight for once and for all.

Leaf hadn't gone far. She was leaning against a tree, arms crossed, cheeks red and furiously blinking at a pair of bushes.

She heard me coming, and her brown eyes were glassy as she shot me a warning glare – leave me alone, or else...

I wasn't very good at listening, though.

"Leave me alone," she growled, turning her head away from me when I continued to approach her. Her voice wavered slightly, something different than anger seeping in.

"No," I said, an definite edge in my voice, and I plowed on, "Do you like Ash? As in, romantically?"

Her head snapped up at my bluntness, and she momentarily looked shocked. Her expression morphed in anger.

"Well, I have been flirting with him all this time, haven't I?" she snarked. Man, she would fit with Gary well.

"You have," I agreed. "Still, that isn't an answer to my question."

"Look," she bit out, suddenly coming closer and very much resembling Misty in her fury, "If you've only come here to rub in that Ash has rejected me, then great, I get it, now f-"

"I'm not, I'm not, honestly," I quickly assured her. "Really."

She eyed me suspiciously. "What?" she snapped after a moment.

"What- what?" I stuttered out, confused as to what she was asking.

Leaf rolled her eyes. "What are you here for, then?"

"Uh." Suddenly I was at a loss how to explain it. I knew what I was here for, but how could I tell Leaf of this whole matchmaking scheme?

She waited.

"I… have confidential information…" I started hesitantly. Her fury had mostly dissipated, only a light frown left on her face. "It could either help this situation or make it a lot worse."

"Situation?"

"…that… thing… with you, and Ash, and Misty and Gary."

"You mean that Ash likes Misty, but Misty and Gary are all over each other." She sounded resentful as she said the last part.

I didn't confirm her explanation, but instead pressed, "Do you like Ash, romantically?"

"What does it matter? He rejected me." She sounded bitter.

"You don't need to like someone romantically to be rejected," I said, and memories of the many women I had attempted to woo overwhelmed me. Beautiful, flawless faces blurring together in the vague recollection of the nameless Kanto airport girl. I shook myself free of my thoughts. "I know that better than anyone."

Leaf rubbed her head, suddenly looking more defeated than angry or sad or bitter. "Ash is incredibly kind, he has a good sense of humor, he loves Pokémon, is determined, loyal to a fault, maybe a bit dense, but not stupid- but… but I, I-" She let herself slump against a tree. "I really should like him, but…"

"You don't," I finished for her. Immense relief flooded me.

"Yes," she confirmed, "I don't."

"And Gary?" I prodded. At my mention of the brown-haired boy, Leaf flared back to life – as if I had pressed that dangerous red button I really shouldn't have come close to.

"Gary-!" she fumed. "He's infuriating! He's always so, so-"

"Wittingly intelligent?"

"Yes! No, I mean, no!" She glared at me. "He's arrogant, and stubborn, and his humor is so wrong and lewd, and, and-"

"He cares for his Pokémon," I offered when she seemed to run out of insults.

"No! I mean, yes, he does, but that's not the point! I know he has good qualities, he's really intelligent and has a good heart under all those layers of Tauros dung, but, but-"

This time, I let her splutter, until Leaf finally found the right words.

"But how he treats women! Girls! That's- that's so-! Ugh! He's such a-"

"His flirting with Misty is fake, you know," I casually mentioned. Leaf halted mid-rant.

"Wh- what?"

"Misty likes Ash. She asked for Gary's help in making Ash jealous, and Gary agreed. Their flirting is just an act."

Internally, I was praying to Arceus that I was not making a huge mistake by telling her this. Outwardly, I kept my calm, casual appearance.

"Are- are you serious? Gary didn't put you up to this?"

I looked at her, affronted. "You really think I would lie about something like this?" Yes, I had done so before, but now I really wasn't. "No, Gary didn't put me up to this, and yes, I'm serious."

I really really hoped this wouldn't backfire. I was pretty much betraying Gary's trust by telling Leaf these things.

The girl still hadn't responded.

"Leaf?"

"I… I need to think," she said.

"Right." I nodded. Then, as a last attempt, "Give him a chance. He's new at this thing, you know."

I got a half-smile in response, and satisfied, I turned and walked back to the rest of my companions.

What I found was a half-finished camping place, a fire burning in the center while Gary was rummaging through my backpack for the supplies. He straightened up when I appeared again, but deflated when he noticed that Leaf wasn't with me.

"Ash is gathering some more firewood," Misty answered my unasked question, while poking at the fire with a thick stick.

"Ah, okay," I replied.

"Where's Leaf?" Gary asked after a moment of silence.

"She's still-"

"I'm here," Leaf's voice came from behind me. Wow, she was a fast thinker.

"Leaf." He immediately jumped up, then walked over to her and gave her an intent look. "I need to talk to you."

She studied him for a moment, arms crossed and an unreadable look in her eyes. "Then talk, Oak."

Gary faltered, not having expected that she would give in so easily. "Uh, maybe we could-"

"Go somewhere more private?" Leaf offered, and Gary looked relieved, before the girl deadpanned with a "No."

"Oh."

She was making it hard on him. I moved a bit further away, closer to Misty, whose face was blank as she followed the exchange between the two brunettes.

"Right." Gary straightened, the doubt and confusion banned from his face. "Leaf." He breathed in deeply. "I'm sorry for how I treated you. I'm… genuinely romantically interested in you, only you-" He really said it, it was finally out in the open. "-but my behavior was inexcusable. So… I'm sorry."

Wow, he was really lowering himself for her.

Silence. Leaf didn't respond for a while, and Gary kept his mouth shut as well.

"That's it?" she finally asked, a bit haughtily, but there was a glimmer of confusion in her eyes. "You're not going to give me an explanation?"

Gary looked torn. He glanced at Misty, before letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Leaf. I… can't."

Leaf's gaze hardened-

"Yes, he can!" Misty burst out next to me.

Leaf and Gary turned around to look at her.

"He can?" Leaf questioned, as Gary mouthed something to Misty. The redhead made a dismissive gesture.

"Just tell her, Gary." Misty's voice was casual, but I could hear the sad undertone, that was more pronounced with her next sentence, "It doesn't matter anymore." She glanced at the bushes with a wistful look in her eyes.

Leaf looked at Gary expectantly. He opened his mouth-

Ash appeared from the bushes, arms full with dead wood and Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

Everyone stared.

Ash stared back, confusion plain on his face. Then he noticed Leaf, and he quickly looked away.

Leaf turned her attention back to Gary, expectantly waiting on his answer, but he was still looking at Ash with a somewhat sad frown on his face – I couldn't read him well. Then he glanced to Misty, and back to Ash, before-

"Never mind." Gary's response was hurried, and he turned on his heel and walked without further explanation into the forest.

Leaf's face fell. Misty let out a strange sound and dropped her head in her hands. I slammed my hand against forehead.

"Uh…" Ash looked at me, apologetic and confused. The branches were still in his arms. "Wrong timing?"

Yes, Brocko, yes, wrong timing indeed.

A/N: Thanks for reading! And so sorry for the cliffhangers and generally all the torture I'm putting the characters through! I'm horrible :P And honestly, it's just getting more and more, since we're actually slowly but surely inching closer to the ending of this story. Yeah, yeah, I know, I can't believe it either XD But like I said, slowly but surely, I think it's at least going to be another five chapters with an epilogue or so. I think. And don't worry about the ContestShipping, it'll be there, promise ;)

But since we're speaking about ending this story (even though it's probably still ages away) I'm curious: would you guys be interested in a sequel or not? I do have an idea, it will probably be about six to eight chapters long, and it'll just tie up some loose ends and all. Anyway, I've set up a poll on my profile, so please have a look and vote! For those who don't have an account, you can leave your answer in an anonymous review. As soon as we're on the last chapter, the votes and reviews will be counted, and I'll give you guys some more information :)

Well, I think that's all. Thank you very much! And remember, reviews are a writer's fuel!

Thank you!

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Recommendations are welcome!