Chapter features: Laundry, Ponyta, Ponyta, Ponyta. And maybe more Ponyta. Not an obsession, seriously.
Chapter 6
Ash always enjoyed thinking about how much he didn't have anything in common with his rival.
He liked to think that he was the better trainer, that he cared much more about his Pokemon, and that he was going to become a Pokemon Master, and Gary definitely was not.
But when Gary came into the laundry room, he looked tired and absent, and Ash couldn't quite bring himself to think about those sorts of things.
"Just so you know, you punch like a total loser, too."
Well, maybe he could bring himself to think about those sorts of things. And a few more besides.
"I mean, what were you trying to do? Punch me or pet me?"
Ash was doing his best, trying to keep his fists in check, but it was terribly hard.
He took his anger out on the laundry instead, and folded up a shirt in a vicious sort of way.
"I'm just saying, cos it's true," Gary continued, like maybe he thought Ash wanted to know more about how much he sucked at everything.
He definitely did not want to know, and right now he just felt sick and confused, wondering about how on earth he was supposed to cope with his unbearable rival.
The stupid jerk was confusing, because on the one hand, he was a jerk who Misty thought was charming, and then he was also that guy who sat at the bottom of stairs with Tracey and might have been crying.
Ash wasn't sure what to think about that.
"...next time, why don't you try aiming better?"
Ash whirled round in the instant; "would you like a next time right now? And I'm sorry I didn't punch you hard enough. Seriously, I really am,"
In that moment he really meant it.
But Gary didn't take the bait. Instead, bizarrely, he just smiled. It wasn't exactly a nice smile, but Ash had never expected anything like that from him anyway. But still it was a neutral sort of smile, and maybe a bit tired.
Whatever it was, Gary didn't really look like he was up for another fight.
Ash wasn't either. And he remembered Tracey and the stairs.
"Ash? Are you listening to me?"
"Huh?" Ash blinked, and Gary looked impatient. "What is it?"
"Look, behind you," Gary pointed at a pile of dirty laundry, "it's moving,"
Ash turned to see it was; a strange wriggling pile of clothes, and with it a strange muffled noise.
"Does your laundry normally do that?" Gary looked concerned.
"No," Ash bent down and gave it a doubtful look. There was definitely something in there.
"Maybe you should poke it,"
"I'm not poking it. It might be dangerous."
Gary scoffed, but made no attempt to do any poking for himself, Ash noticed.
"Fine, we'll just sit and stare at it like morons," Gary sat near to Ash, cross legged. His mouth raised into a vague sneer; "it's probably all your clothes, trying to escape the fashion police."
"Shut up."
Apparently Gary didn't want to shut up, and he peered at the laundry basket apprehensively. "Maybe it's Mr Mime. He's probably been spying on us,"
"Why would Mr Mime be spying on us?"
Gary shrugged. "Probably sent by your mom, to make sure we don't kill each other. Or because it's evil. I think it's evil."
"I doubt it. Mr Mime wouldn't fit in the laundry basket."
Nobody said anything for a short while, and Ash felt weird and stupid just staring at the occasionally wriggling pile of laundry. He had a feeling Gary was smirking at him.
Then a realisation struck him all at once.
He sprung up and plunged a hand deep into the laundry.
Gary stared at him; "what are you doing?"
"I've just had an idea,"
"Small miracle." Gary rolled his eyes, and continued to stare at Ash as though he might be a little crazy.
Ash didn't care; he was too excited. He felt about the wriggling pile of laundry with eager fingers. Then there was a surprised squeak, and he felt something nip on his hand. He was too pleased to even curse about it, and he pulled his arm back out and revealed the frightened and dangling Pokemon on the end of it.
"Eevee?" Gary cried.
Eevee released a needle-sharp grip on Ash's finger and rushed headfirst into it's trainers chest.
Gary laughed and held the little Pokemon up, and Ash grinned at the sight. It was strange and nice to watch, and Ash only came back to himself when he realised Gary had stopped laughing.
But he was looking at Ash and his mouth had twisted into a weird shape. It took Ash a few seconds to realise he was smiling at him; properly smiling.
"Um. Thanks."
Ash smiled too; "it's not a problem. It happened to Pikachu once."
"Weird."
"Yeah."
The smiling was strange yet not so uncomfortable now. And Ash could recall the same sensation before, for that tiny moment during the card game.
"Hey, Ash, you're bleeding,"
Ash blinked dumbly down at his hand. He hadn't noticed it. "Oh, yeah."
"Are you..." Gary's hand wavered in the gap between them. Then he lowered it onto his lap, and looked awkward. "Um. Well."
Ash wasn't used to seeing his rival like that. It was amusing to watch. He also watched as Gary petted his Eevee.
And then Ash felt guilty.
He supposed he should have known all along; of course Gary cared about his Pokemon. But now he really knew. And he also knew a bit more about Gary. Gary did look very tired, but there was no hint that he might have been crying on the stairs earlier.
"Misty told me you were looking for it all night,"
"Huh?" Gary looked up at Ash.
"The Eevee. She said you were up all night looking for it,"
"Well, I..." Gary shook his head. And then he gave Ash an odd look; "How did your Pikachu get stuck in the laundry, anyway?"
"Er, Mr Mime. His cleaning sprees can be lethal."
"It figures."
"Why's that?" Ash tilted his head.
"Mr Mime really isevil, remember,"
Ash almost grinned; "can't say I agree completely, but it can be annoying,"
"Since when have you ever agreed with me about anything anyway, Ashy?"
"Good point," Ash felt Gary's gaze on his, uncertain and smiling a bit. He also saw the black eye with a new sense of clarity, and then he realised what that twinge in his stomach had been all about.
"You should get some sleep." he said.
"What?"
"Um." Ash wished he hadn't spoken, and maybe wished for a new brain. "I mean, um...you look tired."
"I'm not tired at all." as if to prove the point, Gary stood up. He didn't seem to catch Ash's embarrassment, and he looked past him to the laundry pile. "Look at this,"
Ash spun round, and felt his stomach sink when Gary held up the Snorlax boxers.
"They're very fetching,"
"Shut up," Ash could feel the heat rising on his cheeks.
"No," Gary put the boxers experimentally round his waist. He pulled a face and then gave Ash an incredulous look. "You need to go shopping for clothes. Very soon. There has to be crimes against this sort of thing."
Ash wasn't sure whether to be furious or not.
"Blame my mom, she gets all my stuff,"
"I find it hard to believe that. Your mom always struck me as the nice, sensible type. Nothing on earth would possess her to waste money of these things,"
"Well you're very wrong then, aren't you?"
Gary shook his head; "I'm never very wrong. Ash, blaming your poor mother on your terrible fashion mistakes. Even I'm disappointed in you."
Ash dug a hand into the pile of dirty laundry, and chucked a t-shirt at Gary's head. "Didn't I tell you to shut up,"
Gary glared at him from under the shirt, then rolled his eyes to look at it properly; "what's this? Psyducks? Cute, Ash. Really cute. Like the Pikachu pyjamas-"
"Shut up!" Ash threw something else at him, someone's skirt. And then was struck with a moment of inspiration; "hey, who was the one wearing an Hawaiian shirt? Really fashionable."
"It takes a real man to pull off pink," Gary said, and Ash thought he managed to sound vaguely dignified, even from under a skirt and Psyduck t-shirt. Ash wanted to see if he was still grinning.
He reached forward and pulled the skirt off his head, and Gary's hair looked fluffy and static.
"You can laugh,"
Ash bit his lip, "Sorry,"
"I'm not," and then Gary lunged his arms into the pile of laundry behind him and dumped it all spectactularly on Ash's head.
Ash struggled to free himself, cursing and half-drowning in dirty clothes, before his eyes finally found Gary's laughing face. He tugged something from the pile and chucked it back at him.
"You can laugh too,"
Ash didn't really feel that angry about it all, even though he had dirty clothes all over him. He didn't really want to shout at Gary.
"Hey, you found something else too," Gary crawled forwards, until he was close enough for Ash to see the sharp indents of his neckline hovering near to him. It was almost uncomfortable, but much more interesting.
"What? What else have I found?" he attempted to bat something off his head in his temporary blindness, but was cut short by a hand on his wrist, and a poorly contained snigger;
"Keep still, stupid,"
Ash felt Gary's hand on his wrist for a few seconds more, although the warm sensation around it seemed to linger a little longer. He stared up at Gary, who was grinning victoriously at a set of blue pyjamas with a giant Snorlax stitched on the front.
"Are they yours?" he forgot his own embarrassment all at once.
Gary scowled; "Yes. What of it? You with the Pikachu ones," he appraised the Snorlax pyjamas. "I think they're clean."
"That's a good thing?" Ash was enjoying the fact that he had something to tease Gary about. It was a rare thing, after all.
Gary kept scowling. He was pretty good at it; he almost looked menacing. But the fluffed up hair really spoiled the overall effect.
"Of course it's a good thing. Haven't you seen me and Tracey's clothes? We don't get on very well."
Ash remembered Gary in Tracey's pyjamas in a flash. They had been far too big, and maybe they had looked a little ridiculous on him, although Ash had been too busy getting angry about the mere existence of his rival to even bother to laugh at him at the time.
That had been an opportunity missed, he reflected morosely.
Well, he could make up for it now.
"I guess these pyjamas will make you look cuter," he smirked.
For a second Gary's eyes widened, and his cheeks reddened. Then he snatched up some laundry and tossed it at Ash.
Ash caught some violet underwear full in the face; and he had a feeling it was his mothers.
"Very nice, Ash. You should wear them more often."
Ash gathered another clump of laundry and flung it back at the smug prat.
"Ash. You're asking for it,"
"Come on then," and he threw some more clothes.
It was funny, he was enjoying himself.
Gary's indignant protests were short lived, and soon they dissolved into laughter, and Ash found himself flooded in clothes and laughing too. The room was raining dirty laundry, and he and his rival were laughing, and it was all bizarre and hilarious at the same time.
"Boys? What's going on here?"
Delia's incredulous voice eventually stopped it all, and Ash turned round, clothes dangling all over him, feeling foolish.
"Uh. Hey mom. We were just..."
"What were you-" Delia's eyes scoured the room, "what were you doing?"
"Doing?" Ash stared blankly. "Er. We were doing..."
"Laundry," Gary supplied helpfully.
"Is that what you call it?"
"Yes. I'll admit we're not very good at it."
"I can definitely see that," Delia's frown was turning into a smile. "I'm just glad you two haven't been trying to kill each other. I was sure that was what all the commotion was about,"
Gary shook his head. "I think death by laundry is a grim way to go. And look," he pulled away a heap of clothes to reveal Eevee. It was wagging it's tail excitedly, and didn't appear too distressed by it's ordeal. "A survivor!"
"Oh, you found it!"
"It was in the laundry basket. Your evil Mr Mime was being evil, and snatched it away. Cos it's evil."
"Mr Mime isn't evil," Delia said, but was smiling anyway. "I'm glad it's all ok, Gary,"
"Me too,"
And Ash knew he really meant it. Why else would he be happy, and laughing, and getting into stupid laundry fights, and even smiling at Ash, if he didn't?
It was almost like he could have forgotten the other fight.
"Mrs Ketchum?" Gary looked at Delia with eager eyes.
"Yes?"
"Since Mr Mime managed to get my poor defenceless Eevee stuck in the laundry, don't you think he should finish off the laundry? As a sort of punishment?"
Ash smirked, glad that Gary was a sly, despicable creature.
"Mr Mime won't think of laundry as a punishment. He likes it, you know."
"But look," Gary gestured around the room a little desperately. "We really, really suck at laundry. But especially Ash,"
"Hey," Ash chucked a sock at him.
In that moment he was also glad that his mother had a soft spot for Gary.
"Well, ok then. So long as you two don't get into anymore fights. Laundry, or otherwise."
"Promise, mom,"
And for a little time after, Ash felt like he could have kept that promise so easily.
8
"You've got blood on you,"
He was almost too distracted in his thoughts to notice Misty standing in front of him, at the bottom of the stairs. He followed her concerned gaze to his finger. He already knew about that. Gary had told him.
"Uh, yeah. I know."
"Did you two get into another fight?" Misty looked alarmed.
"No," Ash sat down, and absently stroked Pikachu. "I found Eevee. It was in the laundry."
"Great. Didn't I say everything would work out?"
"I don't remember,"
"Well I did." Misty shook her head. Then she peered out the window. "Oh, I think Tracey's burnt himself again,"
"What?"
"We're trying to train the Ponyta. It's not going very well." as if to demonstrate the point Misty lifted her knee and showed Ash a nasty graze. "That's just from their tails. It burnt me while it was running away."
Ash almost wished he was back upstairs, doing more laundry.
"Would you like more soup? You still look sick."
"Er-"
"I think you need more soup," Misty decided. She tugged him into the kitchen, and then spoke shadily as she began heating up the cooker. "So, what happened? Are you and Gary friends again?"
Ash pulled a face; "Again? That's like assuming we ever were friends in the first place,"
Misty rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I mean have you made up? Apologised and stuff?"
Then Ash realised Gary had definitely not apologised at all. And then he remembered his nose still sort of stung, and yesterdays fight came to life in his mind. Gary had looked so angry, and he'd been unfair and nasty and horrible.
Gary had also cried on the stairs, and Misty didn't know about that.
"We kinda made up," he said. "I think we have,"
Misty sat opposite him, "well that's good, but your mom isn't that keen on you going to Mount Moon anymore. After the fight and everything."
"But I did laundry," Ash protested. "With Gary,"
"That doesn't prove anything." Misty pulled an unmarked envelope from her pocket, "that reminds me, where is the pain, anyway? I need to give him this,"
"What is it?"
"A letter. Professor Oak wanted me to give it to him. So, would you like soup?"
"Oh. Um. Ok."
"Hey, guys." Tracey entered the room, and looked red and dishevelled. He was nursing a streak of red on his arm. "Those Ponyta are a fire hazard," he grimaced as he ran it under the tap.
Misty shook her head. "That's what you get, sacrificing your arm for a sketchbook."
"It had to be done. But the main thing is my drawings survived."
"I hope you know you're crazy,"
Ash turned round, and Gary was leant in the doorway, arms folded and lazy smirk on his face. He might have looked cool if not for the underwear sat atop his head.
"Me crazy?" Tracey blinked at him; "says the person with the, um, interesting fashion accessory."
"Interesting? That's my underwear!" Misty looked aghast.
Gary looked at her; "What are you talking about?"
"My underwear. It is on your head." Misty pronounced dangerously. Ash noticed her fists clenched into little balls.
"Oh. Uh. I'm very sorry. They fell there. Ash made them fall. I think you should talk to Ash about it." he pulled the underwear away and took a moment to examine it. "Don't worry, I think it's clean-"
"Don't look!"
"I think you're overreacting." Gary peered at soup she was stirring. "Oh, is this for poor, sick, frail Ash? The boy whose cold never ended?"
"I'm over it," Ash insisted, and straightened a bit more on the table when Gary looked at him. "it was Misty's idea-"
"-and a good idea, if you even think you'll be well enough for Mount Moon. And actually I don't even think you'll be going anyway," she glared obviously at Gary.
"I did laundry." he said with indignation. "With Ash."
Misty rolled her eyes.
"Can I assume Eevee is all well and present then?" Tracey smiled from behind them.
Gary nodded, then noticed Tracey's arm; "what happened to you? I leave you alone for like a few minutes and you're bleeding everywhere."
"Tracey is very attached to his drawings," Misty sniffed. "And anyway, doesn't somebody owe somebody else an apology?"
"I don't know what you mean," Gary said innocently.
"Yes you do. I think you should apologise right now," Misty wagged her spoon at him.
Ash felt himself swallow deeply. He wondered what an apology would sound like coming from Gary.
Gary seemed to consider Misty for a moment, and then he looked at the Togepi sat on the table near to Pikachu. He didn't even glance at Ash.
"Oh, of course. I'm sorry, Misty."
"...What?" Misty blinked at him.
"I'm sorry for accusing your Togepi of stealing my Eevee. Obviously it was innocent, and it was all Mr Mime's fault. I realise that now. I'm very sorry."
"Oh, um, well. Ok. But-"
Gary turned to Ash, and for the second time Ash swallowed. Gary seemed to look at him with a critical face, as though undecided about whether or not he was worth his time. Then he turned back to Misty with a smirk;
"Did you know Ash needs to go shopping for clothes pretty urgently? You're a girl. You can take him. Then he'll look better,"
Misty frowned, and turned back to the soup. "I think he looks just fine as he is,"
It sort of reminded Ash of last night, when she'd been standing there in his room. All abashed and definitely not Misty.
"Yes, he has interesting clothes," Gary carried on. "Did you know he hasSnorlax boxers. And um, Jigglypuff socks."
Misty raised an eyebrow, and Ash almost choked on his indignation.
"I do not have Jigglypuff socks!"
Gary shrugged; "I don't really remember. It was all a blur, to be honest. There was stuff coming at me from all sides,"
"What are you talking about?" Misty was confused.
"Ash tried to drown me in all his laundry. It was pretty scary. He was throwing all sorts of stuff at me. Mostly underwear. Definitely some of yours- "
Misty grabbed him by the elbow; "Would you like me to black your other eye so you have a matching set?" her voice was deceptively pleasant.
Gary grinned. "You're not very nice,"
"Shut up and stir." she shoved the soup spoon in his hand. "And make sure it's not too hot."
"But I hate soup," Gary said inconsequentially, and stirred anyway.
Misty wove round him to fetch a bowl, then Eevee came in, skipping and squeaking, before jumping on the table beside Pikachu.
Ash watched them play, and for a moment was terribly envious of Pokemon. They didn't seem to have any trouble getting on with each other, no matter how different they might be.
"You think Mr Mime is evil?" Tracey was asking Gary. He was standing next to him, and was winding a tissue round his burnt arm. "How do you figure that?"
"Mr Mime was the one who stole Eevee. It makes sense."
"Ah, I guess it does,"
They smiled between each other, and they had that best friend vibe going on which simultaneously annoyed and intrigued Ash now. Mostly it annoyed him, but then he saw Tracey place a doting hand on Gary's shoulder, and it reminded him of the staircase.
Gary held a spoon up to Tracey. "Would you try this? You're brave and don't mind getting burnt." he indicated Tracey's arm.
"Misty is braver,"
Misty scoffed as she wedged between them both. She tried the soup for herself. "It's not that hot. And you should know I'm not that brave when it comes to Ponyta. Any fire Pokemon, come to think of it. You saw that yesterday. They're a bit too...too..."
"Fiery?" Gary suggested.
"Exactly."
Ash thought they were unnecessarily close, even though Tracey was there too.
"Fire types can be hard to train, but they're really powerful,"
"Yeah, I guess that's true," Misty nodded. "But give me Water over Fire Pokemon any day." she smiled at Gary very brightly.
"Well of course. You are the Cerulean City Gym Leader,"
"Used to be,"
Gary looked at her curiously. "You really don't like your sisters very much, do you?"
"I never said that," Misty placed the bowl of soup on the table with a frown. "And I'm not sure I want to attempt to train Ponyta anymore. I'm fed up with all the burns."
"Aw come on. I'll help you," Gary pulled her away from the table. "And we can laugh at Tracey while we're at it,"
"Not funny," Tracey caught him by the sleeve and mussed his hair. "And I thought I was brave, anyway?"
"Not compared to Misty, you're not,"
The three of the them left the kitchen in a messy line, but Misty did turn round once to remind Ash to drink all his soup up. Gary sniggered somewhere in front of her.
And Ash was left to the soup he didn't really want. He rushed it down, not caring that it burnt a little, and hurried after them.
8
Outside where it was a little cold, demented Ponyta seemed to rule, and their fiery manes and tails spilled all over the place.
"I still think this is far too dangerous." Tracey said, clutching his sketchpad protectively. It was already singed round the edges.
"Why don't you leave your drawings inside?" Gary asked.
"Are you kidding? I want to be drawing the action. I want to capture the heart of the of it all; Ponyta's running around, trampling people, attacking with fearsome fire moves. That's what it's all about."
"Trampling? Fearsome fire?" Ash glanced around, and for the second time in his entire life wished he was doing laundry.
"Tracey speaks crazy sometimes," Gary said in explanation.
"So you think you're so good, huh?" Misty eyed him skeptically.
Gary seemed to wink at her. "Of course. I have a way with fiery types."
"Wiseguy," Misty muttered. But she followed Gary into the small enclosure anyway, and Ash felt compelled to follow.
There were four Ponyta there altogether, and each one had been fitted with reins. The trick to it seemed to be actually getting a hold of them. Only Brock had succeeded so far.
"He's making us all look bad," Misty murmured into Ash's ear. "He's already got the Ponyta eating out his hand."
"We'll soon change that,"
Ash had almost forgotten that Misty thought Gary might be charming, and that maybe he liked her too. But when Gary tugged her forward, toward the Ponyta, he remembered it all at once, and he bit his lip.
"If I get trampled, or burned, I'll never forgive you," Misty informed.
Gary strode on with confidence, and grabbed a tight hold of one of the Ponyta. It kicked up in protest for a few short seconds, but Gary seemed to have it under control, and he beckoned Misty forward.
"C'mon. I promise it won't hurt you,"
It didn't, and Ash only felt strange discontent when he watched Misty take a hold of the reins. Her face was bright and cheerful, and she was laughing with Gary.
"Didn't I promise?" he said.
"I guess you did,"
Ash spent some time trying not to get burnt and fatally wounded by a Ponyta he was fairly sure was the most vicious and bad tempered of the bunch. It wasn't fair; everyone else had fairly normal Pokemon, and they had time to talk and laugh and get along, whilst he was left to get tangled in reins and singed round the hair.
"No, you're doing it wrong. Unless you want a kick in the face,"
He felt himself being tugged sharply backwards, and then almost falling into Gary's chest. A moment later the Ponyta was stamping in front of him.
"Ash, you need to start growing a brain at some point. You can't expect to survive as a total moron your whole life," Gary looked more annoyed than spiteful, and anyway, he'd more or less just saved Ash from a vicious kicking. He guessed he owed some thanks for that.
"Um. I've survived so far, haven't I?" not quite thanks, but Gary seemed to smile at him. And he looked kind and pleasant and different.
Then the Ponyta jumped forwards again, jerking the rein, and for a moment Ash thought he was going to die quite undramatically.
A hand clasped his wrist and tugged him out of the way again. "Ash," Gary frowned at him and shook his head. "You're doing it all wrong." then he gave him a very critical look. "Are you still sick and hallucinating, or something?"
"No," Ash tried to glare at Gary, who was mean and unfair and seemed to enjoy showing him up in front of everyone else.
"Just wondering," Gary shrugged. "I thought you should have some kind of excuse for your total stupidity, that's all,"
"Hey-"
"You guys," Tracey was perched on the enclosure fence, seeming to enjoy the human barbecue that was unfolding before him; "I can't sketch when you're arguing. It destroys my creative flow."
"Creative flow?" Gary peered at Tracey's sketch. "What are you talking about? It looks as good as anything else you've ever drawn."
Tracey seemed to try to hide a blush, then spoke in a short voice, "well, if you two maybe stopped arguing for a few seconds, maybe I'd create a real masterpiece."
"I doubt it." Misty said bleakly.
"You doubt my masterpiece?"
"No, I doubt those two will ever stop arguing."
"I wasn't," Ash pointed out, "he was just picking on me like usual."
"I can't help that you're an idiot most of the time," Gary dismissed, and took the reins of Ash's temperamental Ponyta. "Here, follow me,"
Ash wasn't really given the chance to decide, since in one single movement he found his hands being snatched into Gary's. They were warm and secure, a little bigger than Ash's, and his fingers curled into his own very easily.
"Right, are you holding the rein?" Gary asked.
"Er, yeah." Ash fumbled a bit with his grip, and the Ponyta whinnied and pulled against him, trying to bolt.
"No, hold on," Gary's hand tightened around his.
Ash was almost skewed by the touch; and didn't think to dodge when the Ponyta reared up again.
"What are you doing?" Gary scowled, and tugged the rein down, pulling the Ponyta back with it. His hand on Ash's was even tighter, and it felt firm and disorientating.
"Sorry," Ash mumbled, and tried to follow Gary's lead with the rein.
"Never mind, just don't let it drop like that,"
Gary kept hold of the rein, and Ash was much too aware of the hand enclosed round his own. It was almost painful, he was holding it so tight, but Ash knew he was only trying to keep the Ponyta under control. He also knew, dimly at the back of his head, that Gary was trying to teach him something.
It was so hard to concentrate, though.
"Ok, have you got it?" Gary's voice was close to Ash's ear, and his hand came away from Ash's slowly, leaving behind a warmth.
Ash felt himself nod, although he wasn't sure at all. "I think so. Yeah."
He began leading the Ponyta around the enclosure, and he noticed Gary's pleased face.
Behind them both, Ash heard some cheers, and then he remembered other people were there too.
"Very impressive," it was Professor Oak, and Delia was at his side. "That particular Ponyta is quite the handful,"
"You should know that I helped." Gary told him.
Next to the professor, Ash thought Gary looked meek and harmless. Small and insignificant against the vast backdrop of the ranch. Ash took a moment to wonder why he managed to get so wound up by one single human being.
It was stupid and unnecessary really. And Gary was just a person, who wasn't really anything bad.
He looked down at the reins of his Ponyta, and recalled the hands on his own. They had been warm and strange, but not uncomfortable.
The Ponyta's shrieking bray hit his ears, and then Misty had pulled him out of the way before a hoof hit his face.
"Ash! What's wrong with you!"
"He's fine. He just needs to act like an idiot at least once an hour. It's his thing." Gary said.
Misty glared, "And I know your 'thing' happens to be that you need to act like a jerk at least once an hour, but can you please try to cut down just a little bit today?"
"I can't promise that sort of thing. It's who I am,"
"Well, at least you have the guts to admit it," Misty looked impressed.
"Yep. I have plenty of guts," Gary assured. He seemed to brighten when he looked at her; "hey, can I show you something really good?"
And it was the last thing he said before he pulled Misty by the arm, and began leading her back to the lab. Ash stood and stared after them, reins held loose in his grip, and began thinking about all the things that Gary could show Misty which might be good.
Then he felt the reins tear away from his hand in one vicious movement, and the Ponyta had cantered to the other side of the enclosure, wild and loose again.
He sighed his frustration.
"Need a little patience," Tracey offered a sympathetic smile.
8
It wasn't that he didn't want to help with the Ponyta. He really did. He was just too busy thinking about what Gary and Misty might be doing, at the lab. It was unbearable, and in the end Ash had left Brock and Tracey to themselves, and tailed after the objects of his worrying.
He found Misty and Gary talking in the lab. Gary was curled on a chair, stroking a purring Eevee, and he looked tired but interested in whatever Misty was talking about. Misty was knelt on the floor, next to a large tank.
Inside of the tank was a Pokemon Ash had never seen before. It was a silver-blue eel-like creature, and it swam about playfully, allowing Misty to tickle it's pale belly.
"My sisters barely even mention me anymore, when it comes to Gym Battles. I suppose it's more or less their gym now," Misty was saying.
"Is that what you really think?"
"Mm. Well. I don't know. Don't get me wrong. I do love them. I just don't really...like them. Does that make any sense?"
"I think so,"
Ash wasn't one for eavesdropping, although it seemed to have been happening increasingly often just recently. He cleared his throat.
"What is that?" he eyed the tank.
"Isn't it gorgeous?" Misty blinked up at him, not at all surprised by his appearance. "It's a Dratini. They're really, really rare."
Ash looked at Gary, who was rubbing his eye with his sleeve. He did look very tired. "Is that your Dratini?"
Gary spared him an interested glance; "I thought you were trying to tame that Pontya. Given up already?"
"No," Ash said with more venom than he'd intended. He tried to amend for it; "um, I mean. No. I still feel a bit sick, you know, with the cold." he peered closer at the Dratini. "Is it yours, then?"
"No, grampa caught it a while ago."
Misty grinned at him. "Isn't it cute?"
"I guess," Ash said, and he watched as Gary closed his eyes.
"Look, it's tame." Misty dipped her hand into the water, and the Dratini coiled round her arm, and made a happy gurgling noise. "See?"
Ash nodded, and saw the silvery sheen of it's scales almost reflect against the light of the lab.
"Grampa found it on a trip to Vermillion City." Gary yawned. He stretched out, and his legs were very long and thin. He wasn't wearing socks, and his toes wriggled. Ash also noticed the bandaged cut, from the other day. "He just went fishing there and caught it by chance,"
"I would love to have a water Pokemon like this," Misty gushed. She was stroking the Dratini gently, and when she glanced up at Gary her face was fond. "Thanks for showing me it,"
"I thought you'd like it. Can't win a girl over with an Arcanine, try a Dratini,"
"Or just try being nice. That's always a winner, you know."
"I'll think about it," then Gary looked at Ash, and his smirk was half-hearted. "No luck at all with the Ponyta, then?"
"Not really."
"I'm not surprised,"
"What happened to being nice?" Misty glowered at him.
"I told you. I'd think about it."
"What was Professor Oak in Vermillion City for?" Ash sat on a chair and tucked his knees up to his chin, mildly interested by the Dratini. It was impressive, but there was other stuff he wanted to know about.
"Grampa and Lieutenant Surge are old friends," Gary told him. "he used to scare me when I was little,"
"He is very large," Misty conceded. "Oh, that reminds me," she pulled the envelope from her pocket, and held it out to Gary; "here, Professor Oak told me to give you this,"
Gary took the letter with a wary hand. He looked much more alert than before. "Did he tell you who it was from?"
"No,"
"Oh. Well," Gary was dubious as his fingers tapered along the envelopes edges, as though feeling it might tell him what was written inside. But he opened it, and the letter much have been short, since he had folded it back up within seconds. Ash saw the flash of anxiety in his eyes.
"Is everything ok?"
It was Misty who had asked him. It wasn't that Ash wasn't curious, or even that he didn't care. He just didn't think he could ask his rival that sort of question. Gary probably still didn't like him, and that was fine.
"Fine." Gary said. "Everything's fine, thanks." he tucked the letter in his pocket.
"That's good,"
Even though it wasn't good. Ash could tell much too easily; Gary's smile didn't quite reach his eyes, and Ash knew when he was properlysmiling now.
"Do you want to hold it?" Misty held the Dratini out to him.
Gary shook his head. "Nah,"
Misty gave the Dratini to Ash instead, and he felt obliged to act awed and amazed by it, even though he was far too aware of Gary, who was pale and quiet on the couch.
He remained pale and quiet, even when Tracey and Brock eventually bustled inside, and even when Tracey unloaded some heavy hardbacks on his lap.
"They're all about fossils. I thought you'd like em. Oh, cool, it's the Dratini!"
"Thanks," Gary flicked through the books in a distracted sort of way.
It was strange.
Ash never thought he'd want it, but he wished that Jerk Gary would hurry up and come back. He wasn't sure he could handle a Depressed Gary.
He only really spoke when Brock sat down and began comparing Ponyta to girls.
"If only I was as successful in my love life as I seem to be with them," Brock sighed.
"Well I think you're great," Gary told him.
"You're just saying that because you want Onix for the trip to Mount Moon,"
Gary looked sheepish. "Maybe that's a tiny bit true. But look- you're really good with the Pokemon,"
"I guess you have to be patient with them,"
" I bet you've had lots of practise, with all your brothers and sisters, right?" Gary looked at Brock properly. "do you miss them much? I mean, when you're away on journeys and stuff?"
"Of course. Even when they're being little brats,"
"You showed us all up. But especially Ash. I bet he couldn't get one of those Ponyta tamed in a million years, never mind in time for the fete,"
Tracey jabbed him; "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all,"
"I bet I could," Ash said in a rush. He fixed a glare on Gary; "I could get it trained up well before the fete."
"Really?" Gary leered. "I bet you couldn't."
888
It was getting dark when Ash went back out into the enclosure. The four Ponyta were still there, and Ash wasn't sure why he was there. He held reins in his hands and he intended to catch one in them.
"Does he get to you that much?"
"Huh?" Ash turned round, and Misty was standing behind him.
"You know, you shouldn't take on some stupid bet just because Gary doesn't think you can do it,"
"I'm not taking any bet. I just want to get the Ponyta ready for the fete."
"Right. Cos it means so much to you," Misty rearranged Togepi in her arms, and Ash felt her eyes on him. "anyway, he was just in a mood, I think. Something's got him riled,"
"I wouldn't know." Ash tried not to be bothered.
"Well something's definitely up." Misty sounded concerned, which Ash supposed wasn't much of a surprise, since she had already decided Gary was charming, and Gary liked her too. He'd shown her the Dratini. It made sense.
"Well I don't know what's up. He's always mean to me, anyway,"
"You know it's got something to do with that letter," Misty gave her Togepi a conspirative look. "Didn't you see his face?"
Ash remembered Gary's face, black eyed and tired. He nodded.
Misty sat on the edge of the enclosure.
"He's not half so bad as I thought, though."
"What?"
"I mean, he never said anything about Charizard, did he?"
"What do you mean?"
"He never brought up Charizard, and why it wouldn't obey you. He didn't say anything about it at all. Even when you had that fight,"
"So?"
But Ash knew what So was. And he'd noticed it at the time.
"I don't know. I expected him to be a smart ass about it." Misty shrugged. "Maybe tease you a bit,"
"Well just be glad he didn't." Ash tried to focus back on the Ponyta.
"It was nice of him to show us the Dratini." Misty seemed to enjoy singing Gary's praises. It was damn annoying.
"He showed you the Dratini," he pointed out sourly.
"But you saw it, didn't you."
"He showed you first,"
Ash realised he was being petty, and he sort of enjoyed it. It served Misty right; and he didn't really want her around anyway.
When she finally left him to himself, he found a determined gaze back on the Ponyta a few feet away from him.
He wasn't sure why it mattered. It didn't really. Anyone else would train the Ponyta up before the fete, and would probably do a much better job, too. But Gary had bet he wouldn't, and suddenly it was very important.
"I can do it," he stepped toward the Ponyta. He tried to remember what Gary had shown him earlier, but it seemed he had remembered nothing of particular use. Only that Gary's hands were warm, and his fingers were longer than his own.
The Ponyta's mane was a fizzling fog of colour in front of him, and Ash backed up and tripped into something, or someone.
"Oh," he spun round and met the close proximity of Gary, who was grinning widely. His eyes were bright and flecked with green Ash had never noticed before.
"Hullo, thought I'd find you here,"
It was worrying. There was no reason for Gary to be so happy. Unless he was planning something involving Ponyta hooves and Ash's head.
"Erm. Well, here I am."
Gary nodded, grin still broad. "Yeah. Still at it, I see. You don't give up a challenge, do you?"
"Yeah, well. Thought I might give it another try." Ash felt a bit exposed and useless
as he made an attempt to advance on the Ponyta, reins in hand. It brayed and kicked up, and Ash fell onto his rear as it cantered to the other side of the enclosure. He heard Gary's laugh, which was light but spiteful.
"Well- it was going ok before- before, when you helped." Ash snapped.
Gary's grin vanished into a blank expression, and Ash realised he might have said something that sounded stupid.
"Ok, well why don't you just go away. I can do without you watching and laughing at me, at least." he turned vehemently back to the Ponyta, and just prayed that Gary would let him alone in his humiliation.
"I think you might - you're holding the rein wrong." Gary's voice was tentative.
Ash turned back round and watched, curious and surprised, as Gary hopped into the enclosure too. He seemed to consider Ash, and stretched out a hand. For a second Ash thought he was offering him a hand up, but then he felt the reins being pulled from his grip.
"Look, you need to approach it one step at a time."
Ash did look, with an intent interest.
Gary took light little steps towards the nervous Ponyta, and it's gaze on him was wary and guarded. But it didn't run, and when Gary slipped the rein over it's muzzle, Ash was impressed.
"How did you do that?" he couldn't keep the awe out of his voice. "It always runs away,"
Gary kept his gaze on the Ponyta, and stroked it's back very carefully. "I just watched your friend. You know, that guy called Brock. He's pretty good at this kind of thing, you know."
"Oh. I know." Ash had noticed Brock. He just happened to notice Gary a lot more.
"It also helps that I have a world famous Pokemon Professor for a grampa. Don't you think I pick up a few things?"
Ash guessed that was a good point. He dusted himself down and took cautious steps toward Gary and the Ponyta. He didn't want to startle it.
"That really was impressive-"
"Grampa says we can go to Mount Moon tomorrow," Gary interrupted, and he looked at Ash. "So long as we get along and stuff."
"Oh. Uh. Tomorrow? That's great."
"Yeah, it is." Gary nodded awkwardly and his gaze fell onto the stretch of ranch before them.
"So." Ash wasn't sure what to say. "What are you doing out here?"
"Walkies," Gary nodded to the orange and yellow Pokemon which was Arcanine, bounding about ahead of them. A little closer, Ash noticed, were Pikachu and Eevee. They were playing too.
"They get on really well." he realised aloud. And then felt stupid.
The little silence that followed almost confirmed it, but then Gary answered very suddenly;
"It was a present."
Ash blinked. "What was?" maybe he had missed something.
"Eevee. It was a present." Gary's voice was uneven, probably with impatience. Ash couldn't help that; he wasn't the one bringing up random, unrelated points of conversation.
"Oh," he said unhelpfully.
"My sister got it me," Gary's head tilted away, back to the Ponyta, so Ash couldn't see his face anymore. "that's why I sort of punched you,"
Sort of? Ash exclaimed in his head. His nose was still pretty sore.
"Oh," he said instead. And wondered about how his grasp of vocabulary had gotten so pathetic.
Gary didn't seem to notice it. "Listen. I'm sorry I mangled your face." His gaze, interested and uncertain, hung on Ash long enough to make him feel self-conscious. Then Ash realised he was staring too, and should probably look away.
"Um-"
"Gramps said I should apologise to you," Gary frowned. "So, um. I'm apologising. Right now." he hesitated, and looked nervous. "Ok?"
"Er. Ok."
"Ok."
Ash turned away; fairly sure that this was the strangest apology he'd ever experienced in his life.
"I'm sorry for hitting you too," he said to the floor.
"Doesn't matter. It didn't hurt,"
Ash looked at Gary, and saw his lips had curled into a smirk.
"Seriously, Ash. You fight like a disabled Magikarp. You should think yourself lucky it's the Pokemon that do the battling,"
"I-I don't fight much," Ash said, wanting to sound dignified. As predicted, Gary's smirk just seemed to grow. "No- I mean, I've never had a reason to fight before, So-" he flushed, and wondered why he seemed forever destined to speak like an idiot in front of his rival.
Gary just shook his head. He hesitated, and then handed the reins of the Ponyta back to Ash. "Happy training." he turned out of the enclosure.
Ash wasn't sure why, but he stepped forwards, and put a wild hand on Gary's shoulder.
Gary didn't turn, but he froze in his steps. "What?"
Confusion swarmed about Ash's head; and the shoulder tensed beneath his palm. There were so many things he wanted to ask in that moment. So much stuff he really needed to know about, that had been tormenting his mind these past few days.
"Um," he cleared his throat. "I'm glad we're going to Mount Moon,"
Stupid.
He mentally slapped himself, and then looked at Gary, and saw he was properly smiling.
Maybe not so stupid then.
"Yeah, me too."
"Great," Ash nodded, and then became aware of his hand, still on Gary's shoulder. He took it off in a jerky motion, and looked at the Ponyta, hoping it would disguise his blush. "Erm. I think I'll call it quits and have an early night, if we're going Mount Moon tomorrow."
"Ash, I'm impressed. I never knew you ever planned so far ahead," Gary sounded deeply surprised, but when Ash caught his expression he knew he was just winding him up.
He returned the Ponyta to it's pokeball with a half-hearted scowl in Gary's direction, but he was already climbing over the enclosure and looking ahead. A little way off Arcanine was running about.
They walked near to each other, and it didn't feel strange.
"I still kinda think Togepi might be the spawn of Satan," Gary informed, in a casual manner.
"You think?" Ash felt himself smiling.
"Mm-hm. That and Mr Mime, they're in some sinister kind of allegiance together. First it's kidnapping Eevee's, and then who knows what? Taking over the world, probably."
"I think you think too much,"
"Better than too little." Gary gave Ash a knowing smile, and it was insulting yet serene at the same time.
It didn't really matter, as they reached the outside the house, and the night was black and chilly around them. Gary stood in the doorway, and the artificial yellow light which filtered from the house split onto his face and illuminated it. The black eye seemed to have faded.
"Don't tell Misty I said that, about Togepi. She might kill me,"
Ash doubted it. "I won't tell her."
Gary kept smiling, and it was a little tired. He prodded Ash with a light finger in the chest.
"You should go to bed. You and your delicate cold want to be all better for tomorrow, don't you?"
Ash nodded. "Aren't you coming in?"
"In a bit." Gary rolled his eyes to Arcanine.
"Ok."
Ash hung in the doorway a little longer. He wasn't much bothered about the cold air that whipped around him.
Inside he was greeted by a comforting warmth, and Brock, Misty and Tracey were indulging in hot drinks and arguing about what to watch on the TV.
Delia set a drink in his hand and ordered him to sit down.
"Where's Gary? You've not killed him, have you?"
"No," Ash was surprised at how concerned his mother looked. "He's walking Arcanine."
"Well. You boys. You can just never be sure."
Ash drank the cocoa, and decided it didn't taste as sweet as Gary's.
Notes: So sorry not much action in this chapter. Next time things will be Different and full of Action. Because we're off to Mount Moon, where there will be drama. And Brock's Amazing Onix will do things. Yes, I definitely promise Mount Moon this time!
Also, can I reassure that there is definitely going to be actual shishi in this story! Remember, good things come to those who wait ;) And I hope people do not mind the slow pace too much. Sorry, I get trapped in my wordiness sometimes.
And I love your reviews! I hug them daily and take care of them and everything! -fails at inconspicious begging- please review!
credit:
"I'm sorry I mangled your face," -lolz, Scream reference. My guilty pleasure.