Hi! Anyway, just the usual disclaimers, I don't own Pokemon, it belongs to Nintendo, game freak and etc. I really can't be bothered to count them off my fingers. Even if I did own Pokemon, there would be no XY series and Serena. Just Ash and Misty with maybe Brock. Ah nostalgia. That trio was amazing. Wait, nostalgia? Ok, sorry, nostalgia means it's from five months ago.

Chapter Twenty Two: Decisions

Ash stood at the entrance, nerves wrecking him from the inside. He strode through the door into home room, where he flopped down into his chair. The classroom was empty, of course, he was twenty minutes early. He peered at the space beside him, and almost as if he was hallucinating, he could see a faint outline of Misty, laughing, smiling, the happiest she had been.

He turned away stiffly, and opened his maths textbook to the page he needed.

"Pika pika?"

"No. She's probably going to sit on another desk to spite me."

"Pikapi pika pi."

"Yeah. I'm going to try apologise. But it's not gonna be easy though."

"Pi pikachu!"

"I know what she's like when she's angry."

"Pi pika?" Pikachu smirked at him.

"Fine. I admit it. She looks cute when she's all fired up." Ash surrendered and started scribbling down math sums.

()()()()()

Five minutes into home room, the gang was incomplete. Misty still hadn't arrived. Then the door flung open and Misty took her seat, muttering an excuse to Professor Ivy on the way. Her eyes were red, but she hid them. Her hair was limp, but unnoticeable. Ash didn't know how she could be so perfect at a time like this.

She glanced around, sat in her seat and pointedly started talking to Dawn. Great. So much for 'Operation Apologise and Get Back Together'.

()()()()()

Ash sat sullenly at his desk. It was pretty much the worst day ever. He was in the middle of a Techniques lesson and all Gary was doing was flirting. Not that he wanted to learn anything today, that is. He wanted time alone. To think.

At least after the lesson was lunch. But the rest of the gang were acting differently towards him. The girls were glaring at him and ignoring him. The boys were sympathetic towards him but slightly confused. So in a way, he was left alone.

Ash sighed and muttered something about going to the loo. But he wasn't, of course. He headed to his favourite spot, the broom closet, to think. It was his and Misty's hidey hole, to keep away from the fans. Of course, Misty wasn't there with him, so suddenly he realised that the closet was actually quite big. And dark. And scary.

He decided to go to the loo and think. But he bumped into one of the last people he wanted to see. Gary Oak. Ash gritted his teeth.

"Well, Ash, aren't you going to say hi to your favourite teacher?" He smirked.

"Gary. Leave me alone."

"Tut tut. You're not supposed to call me Gary."

"I'm going to lunch."

"A break up?"

"…"

"Rumours. You really shouldn't have invited Barry and Iris to your table."

"Well, they're gone now."

"So do I have permission to get Misty now?"

"Don't you dare lay a finger on her."

"She is single, you know…"

"You set your filthy hands on her and I'll-"

"She's gone from scrawny to beautiful."

"Shut up."

"She's quite curvy."

"Ugh, you're disgusting."

"You know, I'm sick of pretending to be mean to you."

"What?"

"You heard me. I was just jealous back when we were ten or so."

"Wait, the great Gary Oak is apologising?"

"Ha ha. I guess I held a grudge against you when you came here."

"Uh…"

"Go get Misty."

"Um, ok."

"And Ash?"

"Yeah?"

"Friends?"

"Friends."

"Ok bye."

"Wait, Gary!"

"Yes?"

"I have three words for you."

"… Ash you're not gay are you?"

"No."

"Whew. Ok say the three magic words."

"You're a pervert."

Ash grinned as he almost skipped down the corridor. Gary rolled his eyes. Still the childish Ash he had known back when they were little.

()()()()()

"M?!"

"Misty! Dawn! May!"

The blue haired coordinator bounded into the lunch hall, hugging the three girls in turn. The lunch hall went silent as slowly people recognised the new pupil to be Marina, one of the top models of Hoenn and runner up top coordinator.

"Jimmy!" She shouted, rather fiercely when she saw the boy trying to leave the table.

"Uh hi, M." He attempted to scurry off.

"How dare you leave me at the airport with no flying Pokemon! I was stuck there for five hours before I could get a ride! How is that being a 'caring and compassionate boyfriend'?"

Everyone started whispering. Iris and her newspaper crew started filming and scribbling notes. Duplica strutted up in front of them, not too close that they would see her, and started rattling on about love.

It was quite a while before Marina and Jimmy stopped arguing. By then, the lunch bell rang and everyone headed to their lockers.

They headed to home room, and realised that Marina had no where to go, until they pushed the spare desk next to Jimmy in the front. Jimmy and Marina started talking, and so did the rest of the pupils in the room. Except Ash.

()()()()()

The school day was ending, and Ash flung open his locker, stuffing his books in quickly. He wanted to get home. It was the weekend, after all. The first week of school had started off well and ended badly. He officially hated school.

"Ash!"

Ash turned around, expecting either a newspaper reporter or a fan girl. To his surprise, it was Casey, decked out in her usual Electabuzz theme colours.

"Hi Casey. Haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah. So you're a senior?"

"Yep. How's your Meganium?"

"Ha ha. She's good. Trust Ash Ketchum to be talking about Pokemon."

"Heh. What's with the flag?"

"Haven't you heard? The Electabuzz are playing tonight."

"Uh, well good luck to them."

"They don't need luck! They'll win easily!"

"Yeah. Sure."

Casey rolled her eyes and started marching down the corridor, singing the theme tune. Ash walked swiftly. He couldn't remember what exactly, but he remembered he had to get home slightly early.

Pallet town was usually quiet, but since there was a school, the pavements were full of giggling students, blocking Ash's way. Plus, everyone wanted to know if the rumours were true.

After ten minutes of struggling to his house, he noticed Gary leaning against the picket fence.

"Wimp."

"Gary, why're you here." Ash ignored his 'friend'.

"Do you somehow remember that you're supposed to get the present to give to gramps?"

"Aw. Damn, I forgot."

"Your mommy said that you'd probably forget. Go on Ashy Boy, get the prezzie."

Ash scowled and headed inside. Then he and Gary sprinted to the school, Ash slightly ahead.

"Ash honey! You're here!"

Gary grinned at the mortified Ash.

"Mom! Don't call me that!"

"Go on 'Ash honey' give the present to gramps."

Ash glared at Gary.

"Do you always tease your 'friends' like this?" Ash pouted.

"Uh no. But for you I will."

()()()()()

A/N: loved this chapter! Especially loved writing Ash and Gary's conversation. I actually like Iris and Barry, so don't think I made them bad. Three more chapters left! I loved writing this story, but I can't wait to write the second of the trilogy.

With my new upload dates, this story will post one chapter a week. Though I will try to give out extra chapters.

Anyway, review, follow and favourite!

Catsaysmaw xx