Hey Everybody! Before I say anything else, I want to begin this chapter with a formal apology. I told all of my reviewers in my replies to their comments that I was going to have this chapter out by last Sunday. Unfortunately, over the last three weeks SO MUCH has happened. I originally was going to go into detail about my life, but then I realized I'm not that interesting, so instead I'm just going to give a quick list of the crazy stuff that's distracted me from the story recently: four day college orientation, rekindled an old flame, got a Texas driver's license, got a new pick-up truck, quit the old flame (again), stared at my handsomeness in the mirror for hours at a time, found a new congregation, placed out of twenty-five hours of college credit, saw "Despicable Me" with my sister, and killed a man with my bare hands. Okay, I admit one of those was a lie, but everything else happened. So yeah. In addition, right now I'm in a Best Western in Florida with my dad. We're going to the beach and Disney World this week before heading back to Texas. However, believe me when I say that chapter 33 will be published on time two weeks from now despite the short vacation.
Anyway, please enjoy this new installment and REVIEW after you finish reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, or any of its affiliated companies including, but not limited to, 4Kids, The Pokemon Company, Game Freaks, or Cartoon Network. The characters written within this fic are soley based upon the fictional characters created by these companies, and the story is not meant to, nor will it, receive any monetary funding.
Characters' Ages:
Ash: 17
Brock: 22
Misty: 18
Delia: 41
Oak: 56
The alarm clock hit the floor, immediately startling the two awake.
"Ugh. There has to be an easier way."
"Pika-pika."
Ever so slowly, the trainer mustered the strength to get out of his bed and head to the bathroom. Brushing his teeth, he wondered if he really needed to be getting up this early.
After all, I could just get up at nine. Even as he considered it, though, he knew it was impossible. He had plenty of things to get done today, and sleeping in would only hinder his chances of finishing on time.
Getting dressed quickly, he left the Pokémon Center which, like the surrounding buildings of Fortree, rested high in the air connected to one of the many towering trees. He slowly climbed down with Pikachu on his shoulder.
"Pikachu-pika."
"I'm being careful, Pikachu. Don't worry."
Reaching the bottom, Pikachu jumped off the champion's shoulder, and the two began their "five in the morning ritual", which had become fairly routine over the last few weeks.
"Let's see what Pokémon I don't have from here yet." Opening the Pokédex, Ash chose his location, and then clicked the "Pokémon Available" button. A small pokéball began to spin in the middle of the screen for a moment as the miniature computer searched its memory for the data before a list popped up. Almost all of the Pokémon names on the list were highlighted blue, meaning he'd already captured them, but there was one left which had, up to this point, eluded him; a Tropius.
Clicking on the name of the Pokémon, a small picture appeared, along with a mechanical voice, informing the trainer that the flying and grass type was fairly rare in the wild, but had been known to nest along the outskirts of Fortree.
"It looks like this is the last one, Pikachu." He flipped the Pokédex closed and placed it back in his pocket. "This shouldn't take too long. Then we can get ready for Misty's birthday present."
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"You look beautiful tonight, Misty, my dear," Ash complimented as he held his hand out to pull her from the limousine. "The moon seems to reflect its majesty in your perfectly mixed aqua-green eyes."
"Thank you, Ash." She was blushing at the compliment…though she couldn't help but admit he was right. She did look beautiful. Giving him a once-over, she was impressed to find that he too appeared impressive, wearing a tuxedo and the faintest hint of aftershave.
"I was thinking that after our dinner, you might enjoy a carriage ride through the park? A night as beautiful as this one shouldn't be wasted indoors. At least, not with a girl who's beauty rivals that of all nature."
"I think that would be absolutely-"
"And it looks like it's gonna be another beautiful April morning here in Fortree. The Taillow and Beedrill are singing, and the temperature's just perfect for a picnic! So get out there and start your morning-"
Misty's hand slapped against the alarm clock as she carefully raised her head from the pillow. At some point in the evening, she'd managed to roll onto her stomach, causing her neck to stiffen in its current uncomfortable position upon the pillow.
"It's seven already?" she asked to no one in particular. Looking at the clock, hoping she'd simply hallucinated the radio's alarm, she was disappointed to find that it was, indeed, time to wake up. She groggily stood up and stretched, feeling a satisfying "crack" as her back realigned itself from the awkward way it had been shaped during the night.
I shouldn't even be doing this for him. He hasn't done what I wanted yet. She gave Ash Ketchum several mental insults while dragging herself to the mirror to see how she looked as an eighteen year old. Unsurprisingly, little had changed from when she'd fallen asleep, besides her hair's desperate need of a brush. Sighing, she headed into the bathroom, cursing Ash again as she realized he was probably already gone.
I bet he didn't even stay to say happy birthday! Why's he been so crazy lately?
Ash had always been insanely obsessive about Pokémon since she'd first met him, of course, but over the last couple of weeks that obsession seemed to have multiplied. He'd be gone at the crack of dawn to look for new creatures, and he wouldn't come back until evening, completely exhausted. While she often admired how hard he was working, it was beginning to annoy her that he'd become such a workaholic. He'd been so busy that they'd still not gone on their date, which he'd promised weeks earlier.
Well, kinda promised, anyway.
And today, her birthday of all days, she was positive he'd already run off again.
He probably didn't even remember my birthday at all! she realized angrily. Her face began to blush in rage as she combed down her shoulder-length fiery locks.
"Ow!"
I shouldn't brush when angry.
Putting away the comb, she reached for a toothbrush.
It would serve him right if I just stayed in bed all day!
Despite her thoughts, though, she knew that wouldn't happen. She didn't know why, but he seemed to have a hold on her. She yelled, and even hit, but she couldn't really hurt the young champion. This was his dream, and she wanted to help him reach it.
But why can't I have my dream too? Is a simple date too much to ask for!
She went back into her room and hurriedly dressed into the clothes she'd prepared the night before.
Looking back in the mirror, she scowled, trying to practice for when she saw Ash again. He was going to be in so much trouble.
I'd better get going. Though she knew it was a long-shot, she decided to knock on the trainer's door before leaving the Center.
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"It's been three hours Pikachu! How have we not seen a single Tropius in three hours?"
"Pikachu." The small rodent shrugged, giving his master and friend a look of bewilderment.
"I mean, I know they're rare, but they're not extinct!" the champion continued, pushing past another thick bush as they made their way through the extensive forest. "We should've run into one by now!"
"Pikachu!" The yellow mouse pointed in the air excitedly in response.
"Yeah, Pikachu, they fly. I already know that, but I haven't seen any on the land or in the air yet, so-"
"Pika-pikachu!" The rodent shook his head and pointed at the sky once again. Noticing the peculiarity of his movement, Ash followed his pointing finger's direction in the sky.
Through the thick foliage overhead, he could make out the shape of a large flying Pokémon.
"I wonder…" he muttered, reaching for the Pokédex. Pointing it at the sky, in the general direction of the shadowed Pokémon which slowly soared above them, he flipped it open. After a second of inaction the small device gave a "ping" and came to life.
"Tropius, the Fruit Pokémon," the mechanized voice informed. "The fruit that grows around its neck is sweet and popular with children. It flies by flapping the large leaves on its body."
Closing the device, Ash grinned. "Let's go!" he ordered giving chase as the shadow continued forward.
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"What a good for nothing little punk moron…" Misty muttered as she stomped around the forest. She continued to curse under her breath as she looked for a Tropius which, according to Ash's list, was the last Pokémon they needed to find before they'd, no doubt, get back in the car and drive to some other city to look for other creatures. "What a great birthday I get to have. Walking around in the forest talking to myself and looking for a giant, living banana tree."
"Psyduck," the water type replied, escaping from his capsule and instantly grabbing his head.
"What? No Psyduck, I'm really not in the mood to talk with you right now. Can you get back in your pokéball?"
The duck Pokémon simply turned his head and stared at the young woman in confusion. "Psy?"
"When do you evolve and become useful, again?" At this point, she had serious doubts about her headache-ridden friend ever making it to his more useful stage.
"Duck."
"I'm sorry." She bowed her head, ashamed that she'd be mean to something so oblivious as her Pokémon. It wasn't his fault that he was even more dense than Ash. "I shouldn't be taking my anger out on you like that."
"Psyduck-duck." He seemed to agree with her, though she couldn't really tell.
She sat on a nearby boulder which, conveniently, was tall enough to double as a small chair. Looking over at the yellow Pokémon, she sighed and gave a shrug. This is the closest I'll get to a couple's therapist, I guess.
"I just don't know what's been up with Ash lately. I mean, we say we're gonna be boyfriend and girlfriend, but then nothing happens. He seems preoccupied all the time, and we haven't kissed or even talked about the date we were supposed to go on!"
"Psyduck," the Pokémon replied ambiguously. He turned his head to the other side.
That's something, at least.
"I know this is important to him, but if he's not going to take our relationship as seriously as he does his training and catching, then how can we stay like this? I don't want to always be second to going out and capturing new Pokémon, you know?"
"Duck."
"See? You understand! Even on my birthday he doesn't wait to say good morning to me. It's like now that we've admitted we like each other, he wants to spend even less time together than before! Do you think…do you think it was a mistake to start this whole thing in the first place?"
"Psy-psyduck."
Shrugging, she reached for his pokéball. "Thanks, but I'm not sure what I'm gonna do yet. Come back into your pokéball for now." As the creature returned in a beam of red light, she began to ponder her own question. Were she and Ash really supposed to be together?
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"No, wait!" Ash cried before running into yet another tree. The Tropius he and Pikachu had stumbled upon was apparently quite mischievous. After discovering that she was being tracked by the two, she'd begun to fly closer to the ground, zigzagging between the trees and shrubbery with excellent precision while consistently dodging each of the electric type's attacks.
"That's going to hurt tomorrow," he moaned, getting up and rubbing his forehead. However, he was determined to make this Pokémon his own. He began sprinting through the forest again, Pikachu leading him as they winded through the natural maze. He was barely able to keep the flying Pokémon within his line of vision.
"We've gotta slow it down, Pikachu," he panted. "Try another Thunderbolt!"
"Pika-chuuu!" Another zap went flying by as the Pokémon lifted itself higher and dodged the assault.
"Dang it!" The mobility of the large creature was surprising, to say the least. "We've gotta try something else."
"Pika-pika," the electric Pokémon agreed, quickly running out of breath like his friend. They'd been sprinting for over ten minutes, and the strain was beginning to take its toll.
I can't have Pikachu use Agility because of all the trees, but I can't keep running like this. I need some way to slow her down.
Suddenly, an idea struck the young champion as his right arm grazed over his pokéballs.
Of course!
Reaching for a small capsule, he enlarged it and gave it a toss. "Go Scizor!"
The red bug and steel type emerged and immediately began running alongside her master, giving him a questioning glance. "Sciz?"
"We're trying to catch that Tropius!" he explained, jumping around another tree and momentarily losing sight of his prey. "I need you to use Agility and start cutting down all the trees! Get in front of her and block her path so we can catch up!"
Giving a nod, Scizor burst forward in a flash of light, downing several trees instantaneously as they crossed her path.
Tropius will just try to fly above them, Ash realized, dropping the small grin he'd acquired from admiration of his own intelligence. If the land route was blocked, and the Pokémon simply flew away, there was no way he and Pikachu could continue to give chase. He wracked his brain as he watched Scizor take the lead and begin to cut down several trees in front of the flying and grass type.
"Hoot!" cried a small owl Pokémon from above. Ash's eyes grew wide in response.
"I know what to do!" he informed Pikachu, who wheezed happily in response. "Come on out, Swablu!"
"Bluuuu!" sang the blue and white feathered creature happily, giving a somersault as he was freed from the spherical device.
"Swablu, I need you to fly ahead of that Pokémon and keep it from escaping." As Ash gave the order, he pointed ahead at the Tropius, who had almost nowhere left to go because of the fallen trees which completely blocked her path.
"Swablu!" With a few flaps of his small appendages, the cotton bird Pokémon rose high into the air and soared ahead of Pikachu and Ash. As they neared the large clearing which Scizor had created, Ash watched on as Tropius did exactly as he'd expected. With no where left to go near the land, the large Pokémon began to lift her large body into the air using leaf-like wings.
"Swablu, use Mist!" Ash ordered, finally able to stop and catch his breath as he stood directly beneath the two flying types. He reached for his pokéball and returned Scizor, who'd depleted all of her energy trying to cut down the surrounding trees.
"Swab!" Opening her small beak, she released a large amount of crystallized vapor into the air. Using her small wings, she directed the vapor in the direction of the fleeing Tropius.
"Tropius!" the Pokémon cried, unable to see through the moisture. From his vantage spot, Ash could tell that the Pokémon was uncertain about which direction to go.
Motioning to the confused grass and flying type, he continued with his plan. "Now use Sing!"
"Swablu-blu, swab-swab…" the Pokémon chirruped from the sky. Despite his distance from the two fighting creatures, Ash still couldn't help but yawn at the sound of the melody. Unfortunately, the Tropius was more determined than he'd first anticipated. In the middle of his song, Swablu was cut off by a large beam of green light which shot out of the cloud in a flash.
"Blu!" he cried, his wing severely injured, as he began to spin slowly towards the earth.
"Oh no," Ash muttered. Returning his tired flying Pokémon, he gave it a quick thanks before ordering Pikachu to follow up with a Thunderbolt.
With a small roar, Piakchu unleashed another bolt of electricity, but this time made contact with the flying type. As the electricity surged through her body, the Tropius was forced to lose some altitude and gave a small cry of pain. Looking down, she gave a strong flap of her four wings, creating a strong gust of air which struck Pikachu into the ground.
"Chuuu," the Pokémon cried, taken by surprise. Getting back up, he locked back onto his opponent before giving another shot.
"Tropius," the Pokémon cried, seemingly laughing at the failed attempt as she rolled out of the way. Her wings grew bright and in an instant she shot another Solarbeam from her jaw.
"Watch out!"
"Pikachu!" With all the strength he could muster after so much running, the small electric Pokémon used Agility to get out of the way of the incoming attack. The assault hit the dirt hard, and caused a plume of soil and leaves to rise up in its wake.
Coughing, Ash ordered Pikachu to keep its eye on Tropius.
"Pika-chuuuuu!"
I wonder if he hit, Ash thought as he covered his eyes and tried to make his way through the seemingly endless cloud of dirt.
Another Solarbeam attack which barely missed the young champion answered his question.
"Hang on, Pikachu! I'm almost there!" He began to run as the cloud grew thin. Above, he could see the Tropius getting higher and further away.
"Ivysaur, grab 'er with your vines!"
In another flash of light, the grass and poison type emerged and gave a low growl as his vines shot out. Eyeing the area carefully, he quickly found his target and willed his extended members in the direction of Ash's target. Though Tropius was at least a hundred feet in the air, Ivysaur's vines were twice as long as they'd been in his pre-evolved state, and he easily grabbed a hold of the flying type's back legs. However, the flying type continued to move forward with all the strength she could muster, causing Ivysaur to dig deeply into the ground with his paws. He tried to backpedal, but it was clear that he was on the losing side of the two's small tug-of-war.
"Hang in there Ivysaur!" Ash commanded, running behind the Pokémon and pulling backward on the stem of his flower to help his friend resist the pull of the Tropius. Despite their combined strength, though, both continued to move forward as their feet scraped against the dirt below.
"Pika-pikachu!" The small mouse ran up behind Ash and used all of his strength to pull on the teenager's jeans' leg.
Suddenly, Tropius lurched forward, and Ash heard the Pokémon give a cry as Ivysaur's short legs were lifted off the ground.
"Uh, oh."
Not a second later, he felt his own legs begin to dangle from the forest floor.
"Hold on tight, Pikachu!" The small mouse gave up on pulling the two back, and instead clung tightly to his friend's pants leg.
As they slowly ascended, Ash noticed they were dangerously nearing some treetops.
"Ivysaur, pull us up closer with your vines!"
"Saur!" grunted the Pokémon, using all of his strength to pull all three of them closer to Ash's prey. The trainer's leg barely brushed against a couple of the tall Oak Trees before his grass and poison type managed to lift them higher. Looking up, he saw they'd halved the distance between themselves and the Tropius.
"Awesome job, Ivysaur! Now try to hit her with a Razor Leaf!"
Giving another grunt, the Ivysaur shot dozens of sharp-edged leaves at his opponent, grabbing the Tropius' attention once again. Turning her long neck back to face the pests, she quickly shot off another Solarbeam. The attack barely missed, and as it blazed by, Ash covered his eyes to protect himself from the brightness.
"We need to get closer so she can't do that."
"Ivysaur." His trusted friend and Pokémon gave a nod before pulling Ash to within five feet of the flying creature. Though Ivysaur was panting hard from the effort, he seemed determined to hold on, and Ash's heart swelled with pride at the strength of his comrade.
"You're almost done, buddy." He gave the grass type a small pat on the head before looking down to Pikachu, who was watching the distant ground apprehensively. "Get up on my shoulder, Pikachu!"
"Pika," replied the Pokémon, quickly scurrying up his friend's back.
"Get ready to jump!" His voice was hoarse as he tried to yell above the boom of another Solarbeam which flared overhead. "When we get on top, you'll need to give 'er one good Thunderbolt!"
"Pikachu!" answered the electric Pokémon with a thumbs-up.
Ash slowly edged himself around Ivysaur's flower, from the back to the front, and grabbed a hold of the plant as he leaned forward, preparing to make the small jump. Despite the short distance, the altitude at which he was leaping still caused his heart to beat rapidly as the wind beat against his eardrums.
It's now or never.
"Let's do it!" he cried, releasing his strong grip on Ivysaur and jumping onto Tropius' back.
"Tropius!" cried the Pokémon, apparently surprised by the newfound weight on her back. She began to buck about mid-air in an attempt to rid herself of the trainer and his Pokémon. However, Ash quickly scrambled up her back and wrapped his arms around the Pokémon's long neck. Closing his eyes, he held on tight.
"Oh no you don't!" he cried as his body bounced up and down against the grass and flying type's back.
"Chu!" squealed his friend, holding on tightly to his master's collar as he bounced around.
"We've got her, Pikachu!" Ash cried happily as the bucking died off. It was as if the Tropius had given up on ridding herself of the extra weight. "Return, Ivysaur!"
As they continued sailing through the air, Ash looked over at his loyal Pokémon and flashed a grin. "Alright, buddy!"
"Pika-pika!"
With a small cry, the electric mouse jumped atop the grass Pokémon's head and unleashed a Thunderbolt which, unfortunately, coursed through both his opponent's and friend's bodies due to their contact.
"Ahhhhh!" Ash cried, in unison with Tropius, as the three began to lose altitude immediately. Though Pikachu had managed to stop the attack the second he realized his opponent was not the only victim of the electrical assault, Ash had still been fairly surprised by the attack, and he almost appeared unconscious as Tropius began a nosedive toward a clearing in the forest below.
"Pikachu!" the small mouse cried, clinging tightly onto the flying Pokémon's head as the ground grew nearer.
"Huh? Ah!" Ash's response was almost instantaneous as he awoke from the semi-comatose state. Acting on impulse, he reached for Swablu's pokéball. "Save us!"
As the blue Pokémon emerged, Ash tightened his grip on the Tropius. "Grab my collar!" he ordered, indicating the top of his shirt.
Though tired, the cotton bird Pokémon didn't hesitate as he clipped Ash's shirt with his small claws and began flapping rapidly. As they came within about twenty feet of the forest floor, Ash began to notice a small sag in the rate of their fall as he continued to scream alongside Pikachu and Tropius.
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"It's almost been an hour! Where could a Tropius be?" Misty peered around a small bush, unsure of where the elusive Pokémon could be found. "Knowing Ash, there are probably Tropius in Sinnoh and he just read the map wrong." Snorting at her own joke, she continued on before halting in her tracks.
"Ahhhhh!"
"What was that?" She instinctively reached for Starmie's pokéball. "W-Who's there?"
Silence.
Misty continued to hold onto the capsule as she carefully took several steps forward. There appeared to be a clearing in the distance, and it sounded as if a person had just been seriously injured, but she was weary to find who it was.
Did Team Rocket follow us out here?
Continuing forward with apprehension, she listened attentively, but could only hear a couple of moans from beyond the shrubbery veiling the open space.
Reaching the brush, she peered carefully through, looking to find the source of the commotion. Scanning the area, her eyes grew wide in recognition.
"Ash? What're you doing?" She stepped forward, bewilderment apparent in her expression as she examined the young champion. His clothes were completely torn up, his body appeared covered in dirt, and it looked as if Pikachu had given him a good shock or two. To his right, Pikachu and a Tropius laid on their backs, breathing hard and appearing quite battered, and to his left, his new Swablu was quietly murmuring its name while holding his left wing delicately. Around the entire group were several broken tree limbs and newly-fallen leaves.
Opening his eyes, he appeared dazed as a low moan escaped his lips. She bent over and gave him a quick slap before repeating the question.
"Gee, thanks for the help," he muttered, rubbing his sore cheek. Leaning on his elbow and looking around, he jumped at the sight of the Tropius. "I've been trying to catch her all morning! Stand back Misty!" Staggering to his feet, his eyes wide with lunacy and desperation, he reached behind his back for a new pokéball. After a moment, though, his face fell.
"What's the matter? Catch her!"
"Um, well, I can't." Despite the soil covering his face, Misty could still see his face grow red.
Misty furrowed her brow. "Why not? She's obviously injured!"
"I know that! It's just that I…forgot to bring a pokéball."
For a moment Misty simply stared. "You mean you got up early and went through all of this trouble, just to find out that you forgot to bring a pokéball with you after you beat the Pokémon?"
"Kinda," he answered sheepishly.
Groaning, Misty rolled her eyes. Digging into her khaki shorts pocket, she retrieved a small pokéball and dropped upon the still-fainted Tropius. "There you go," she remarked as the center button almost instantly faded to white.
"Thanks, Mist. It sure was lucky that you were out here!"
"Yeah, lucky," she responded, unable to stop the sarcasm. "Without me, you'd have had to lug that huge Pokémon on your back to the Center!"
"I guess," he mumbled, dusting himself off before thanking and returning Swablu. He gently bent down and picked Pikachu up as well. "I need to drop these guys off at the Pokémon Center before I go…um, do some errands."
"Errands? What do you have to do?"
"Just have to get some stuff," he replied vaguely. Looking himself over, he gave her a weak smile. "Of course, I might need to wash up first. Do you know which way the Pokémon Center is from here?"
"Of course I know. Unlike you, I have a great sense of direction."
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Two hours later, the teens finally stumbled through the entrance of the Pokémon Center.
"Great sense of direction, huh?"
"Shut up." He'd been making fun of her for the entire trip, and she was getting close to slapping him again.
"I'm just saying that when I know where something is, it usually takes a little less time," he explained as he placed the three pokéballs and Pikachu on Nurse Joy's counter. He turned and gave a smug look at his redheaded counterpart. "You shouldn't act like a know-it-all unless you actually know something."
"You shouldn't open your mouth again unless you want me to shut it for you," she threatened darkly, glaring at the teenage boy.
Giving a small gulp, Ash smiled at her nervously. Knowing Misty, that was no idle threat. "I-I'm just kidding with you, Mist. Y'know, like we always do?"
Her expression softened a bit. "Yeah, I know. I'm just not in much of a joking mood right now."
"Oh…alright," he answered with a shrug. "I'm gonna go take a shower and then go do my errands." He began to walk to his room.
"Hey Ash."
"Yeah?" He turned around. "What is it, Mist?"
"I was just wondering if you knew what today was?"
For a moment his mouth opened, and she could have sworn that he was going to give the correct answer. However, a mysterious expression set over his features a second later and he locked his jaw closed. "Hmmmm, I dunno, Misty," he relented after a quiet second. "It's Tuesday, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it's Tuesday." She gave a small sigh. "See you in a little while, Ash."
"See ya." He went inside his room and congratulated himself on his great acting abilities.
Misty, on the other hand, stormed off to her room in a huff and slammed the door. Falling backward upon the twin-size bed in the room's corner, she stared at the ceiling and began to wonder why she'd done this. Why had she made Ash Ketchum her boyfriend? The one guy in the world who'd give up air to see a Ho-oh?
She remembered what he'd told Dawn almost a month earlier:
"She's always there cheering me on and trying to make me a better trainer and person. She's been like that since I first met her, and she's kind of a big reason for why I've made it so far as a trainer."
Was that it? Was she only an inspiration to him, like a good luck charm? And what about her? Just because she thought he looked really handsome and she'd had a huge crush on him years ago, did that qualify as a proper foundation for a relationship? It was true that what really attracted her to the champion was his boyish charm. Even in the worst predicament, he could still smile, and he'd almost always find a way out of the trouble he'd gotten into.
That boyish charm might be the problem, though, she realized. He's still like a little kid. He doesn't wanna go on dates or talk about the future. He's just interested in Pokémon!
In fact, the only true semblance of a relationship that she and Ash possessed between themselves was the fact that they occasionally kissed. Though being romantic seemed to fly over his head constantly, it was quite obvious that he'd taken a strong liking to any physical interaction with the young woman.
In fairness, I'm don't exactly hate it. She blushed lightly as her lips tingled at the memory of his. Despite the heat rising in her face though, she shook her head and determined to stay focused. The kissing might not be bad, but everything else about their relationship at the moment was.
We're gonna have to have another talk about this. She huffed angrily again as the thought crossed her mind. They'd already talked about this weeks ago, and she'd thought they'd cleared everything up. How many times would she have to remind Ash that she was his girlfriend and he needed to treat her with romantic interest; not just childish back-and-forth?
Is it really worth it to try and be the girlfriend of a guy who doesn't have a single romantic bone in his body?
She gave another small sigh at the question. She hated herself for even wondering such a thing, especially after al she did to get him in the first place, but she couldn't help but consider that perhaps this was a "the grass is always greener" scenario. Since she was twelve, she'd imagined how romantic it would be to have a boyfriend like Ash. Someone who was famous, loved Pokémon, and had even saved the world. Now that she had him, though, she was beginning to see the pitfalls of such a romance.
A knock on the door scared her out of her thoughts.
"Um, Ms. Waterflower?" Nurse Joy's voice called through the door. "I'm sorry to bother you, but someone's on the phone. Can you come and talk?"
"Uh, yeah, sure," she replied, getting out of bed. Who could that be? She hadn't had time to tell anyone where she and Ash were in the last couple of weeks, and it was hard to believe that her sisters were so determined to wish her a happy birthday they'd called every Pokémon Center in Hoenn.
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"Thanks, Ma," Ash said as Nurse Joy went to get Misty. "I think she's starting to get a little suspicious about my errands, so I just need you to talk to her for a while and keep her busy until I can leave the Center. After that, you can say you've got a flower shop emergency or something."
"No problem, dear." Delia gave her son a smile. "I'm so proud of you for doing all of this for her birthday! This is such a cute idea!" She gave a small squeal as Ash rolled his eyes.
"It's not cute-" He cut himself off as he saw Misty come out of her room. "I gotta go, Ma. I'll talk to you in a little while."
"Okay hon. I love you!"
"Love you too, Mom." He quickly stood and faced Misty. "I was just saying hi to her. She called to wish you a happy birthday and talk about something."
"Alright," Misty answered, a little curious. What could Ms. Ketchum want to discuss with her?
"I'll see ya later, Mist!" He ran out the door in the blink of an eye, leaving the teenage girl and his mother alone in the lobby. Misty stared awkwardly at the screen for a moment before snapping from her reverie and giving Delia a big grin.
"Hey Mrs. Ketchum!" She took a seat in front of the small videophone. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, dear," she answered with a smile. "Happy birthday!"
"Thank you so much! That was really sweet of you to call! Not even my sisters know where I am, so I was surprised to hear that anyone wanted to talk on the phone."
"Well, Ash's locator is still on his Pokédex, so it's easy for me to catch him when I need to." Delia gave a sly grin and wink. "Don't tell him I still haven't deactivated it yet, though. When he turned fourteen he got all mad, so I told him I'd quit spying."
Misty laughed. How could Ash think his mother, one of the most protective women in the world, would allow him to wander the globe with no idea of where he was at fourteen? "Of course I won't tell! I think that's smart."
"So do I," Delia agreed with another wink.
"So, Ash told me you wanted to talk about something?"
"He did?" Delia appeared momentarily thrown by the new topic, but quickly regained her composure. "I mean, of course he did! I was actually wanting to talk with you for a couple of minutes about how things are going in Hoenn. You know how Ash is. He could be in the middle of a tornado and still tell me that everything's fine."
She nodded in agreement. "He does seem to look on the bright side a lot. Well, I guess everything is going good here. We've managed to catch all the Pokémon he's needed a lot quicker than he planned, so-"
"Actually, I wasn't really talking about his Pokémon catching," Delia interrupted. "I'm sorry dear, I didn't mean to cut you off, but what I was really curious to hear about was how things are between the two of you? I mean, is my son the perfect little gentleman I always raised him to be?"
"Uh, well, yeah." She was a little surprised to be discussing the topic with Ash's mother of all people. In fact, she'd begun to fear that Mrs. Ketchum would grow to dislike her for "stealing her son" or something along those lines. It certainly would have been in-character for such an attached parent like Delia. However, her concern over Ash's behavior seemed to indicate she harbored no such disdain. "He's been very nice since we decided to be, um, in a relationship, I guess?"
Delia gave the girl a small grin. "It's hard to say still?"
"A little."
"I can imagine. You two spent so long pretending to not care for each other, it'll be a while before it feels natural, I'm sure."
"Yeah, I guess so." She chuckled nervously. For a moment she felt the temptation to tell Delia about Ash's problems as a boyfriend, but quickly stopped herself.
She doesn't want to hear why Ash is a bad boyfriend.
"Are you sure everything's alright Misty?" Delia narrowed her eyes suddenly, still smiling. Despite the fact that she was simply looking at the redhead through the lens of a video camera, Misty could still feel the strong gaze penetrate her shaky smile. "You seem a little upset."
How could she know that?
"No, I'm fine, really."
"Okay, but I really get the feeling that something's bugging you."
Maybe she really is psychic.
"No, it's nothing important."
"But there is a problem, right?" Delia gave a knowing glance, and Misty fought the urge to cover her mouth.
Did I mean to say that? Admittedly, Misty would like to talk to someone besides Psyduck about her romantic problems. But should I really discuss it with his mother?
"If you don't feel comfortable discussing it with me, then you don't have to." Delia frowned and gave Misty a serious look. "But please remember that I'm always here if you'd like some motherly advice."
"Well…" Misty held her breath for a moment, mulling the idea over. "Alright." It would be nice to get some feedback from a truly mature woman like Mrs. Ketchum. Also, though she'd never admitted it, she had always considered Ash's mother to be a type of stepmother to her as well after all the times she'd gone to visit the Ketchum household; even when she was no longer travelling with the trainer.
"Good!" Delia's mood picked up instantly as she smiled cheerily. "Now what's the matter?"
"Well, it kinda has to do with Ash."
"I figured it might."'
"Yeah, it's nothing big or anything, but, um…"
"But you're still bugged by it."
"Right! I mean, it's just that nothing has really changed between us since we decided that we were gonna be boyfriend and girlfriend. We still go around catching Pokémon and getting into stupid fights and everything."
Delia nodded. "You don't want to fight with Ash anymore, right?"
"No, actually, that's not the problem," Misty answered, wracking her brain for words to describe what she was feeling. "Believe it or not, I kinda enjoy the teasing and all that. I don't know why, but I guess because we've always done that, and I know that when we're fighting it's never really serious. It's just us doing what we've always done."
"That makes sense, but it doesn't explain why you're upset."
"Well, I like the little fights and everything, but I mean nothing else has changed. I told him that we were gonna have to do relationship stuff like go on dates, but he hasn't even treated me to a hamburger yet!"
Ash's mother began to smile. "I get it now. You want to do the things that everyone else does, like holding hands and going on picnics, and all that other fun stuff."
"Exactly! But Ash doesn't want to do any of it. Today's my birthday and he left before the sun came up! We spent two hours looking for the Pokémon Center and he didn't wish me a happy birthday or anything. He's just too wrapped up in his training, and I'm starting to wonder…"
"If maybe you shouldn't have become his girlfriend?" Delia's voice was etched in sympathy, and Misty didn't fear her reaction when she nodded.
"I really like him, Mrs. Ketchum," Misty continued, beginning to feel a small lump in her throat, "but I don't want to be second to Pokémon training the whole time we're in a relationship!"
"Well, first, I can't tell you what to do, obviously, but I would say that you need to give it just a little more time before you do or say anything too rash. You really like Ash, don't you?"
"Of course!"
"Then just give him another chance. You're right that he's distracted right now, but I think he might just surprise you yet with his thoughtfulness." Misty staved off the instinctive urge to roll her eyes.
Ash being romantic would be a surprise.
"But if you're having serious doubts," Delia continued, noting the lack of confidence in the gym leader's eyes, "then you need to discuss them with Ash. It's not fair to either of you for you to be miserable and not allow him to know."
Misty agreed. "I should talk to him about it. Maybe when he hears my side he'll stop being so thoughtless."
"Less thoughtless, anyway."
For a moment, Misty gaped at Delia, surprised by the quick-witted jab at her own son.
"What? I'm allowed to make a couple of Ash jokes too, right? I am his mother after all."
Misty broke into a fit of laughter at the statement, and Delia soon joined in.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Ugh, this is taking forever!"
"Mr. Ketchum, don't you want to look good on your date?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"Then you need to be patient." The elderly woman put special emphasis on the last word as she pointed a threatening finger at the champion. "A good suit is like hidden treasure; very hard to find, but completely worth the wait when it's discovered."
"I'm just saying that I really liked that blue suit earlier."
The woman took off her glasses and shook her head. "Young men typically don't understand. That suit looked fine…but not on you."
"I just want to give you guys my money and leave. Can I do that?"
"Not until I get your measurements."
"But you've measured my arms and legs a thousand times already!"
The woman gave the champion a stern glare. "Do not exaggerate. It's not healthy. Also, I have measured your arms and legs, but I haven't checked your waist yet." She pulled out the now-dreaded yellow measuring tape and wrapped it around the young man. Leaning down, she examined the number before giving a low hum. "You're too skinny. You should eat more."
Rolling his eyes, Ash assured the woman that he ate many times a day.
"Well, it's obvious you need to eat more," she explained, mercifully putting away the tape once again as she looked through a nearby rack of blazers. "Ah! Here we are! This color would be perfect on you!"
"It looks like the brown one from earlier."
She scowled. "That was not a brown blazer you tried on earlier! It was mahogany. This-" she lifted the new jacket in front of his face for emphasis "-is ochre, and I think it would go nicely with your brown eyes."
"They're not brown, they're mahogany." He couldn't help but laugh at his own wit.
"Shush." She gave the champion a slap on the arm, immediately eliciting a howl.
"That hurt!"
"I saw you get smacked with a Zap Cannon on television. I highly doubt a slap is worse than that."
"Still hurt though," he mumbled to himself. Too bad Pikachu wasn't here to comfort him.
He probably would've sided with the old lady anyway, he realized with a touch of bitterness. Pikachu always seemed to side with girls when they argued with Ash.
"Try this on with these slacks and these loafers." The woman shoved all of the clothing into his arms at once, catching him off-guard. "When you're done, come out and show me how it looks and we can check you out if everything fits right."
"Yes ma'am."
He went into the dressing room for what felt like the hundredth time. After he put on the "ochre" blazer and matching slacks along with the black loafers, he walked out of the cramped room and back to the suit section, where the old woman was busily folding new button-up shirts.
"What do you think?"
She eyed him up and down before giving a big smile. "I think it looks absolutely wonderful on you! See? What did I tell you? It's like finding a hidden treasure!"
"Yeah…that's exactly what it's like." As he looked in a full length mirror to his right, though, he couldn't help but admire the new clothing. He wasn't keen on keeping up with fashion, but the suit was pretty good looking.
Misty'll be impressed I bought such a great suit on my own.
"Also, take this white shirt and red tie to go with it." She shoved the other articles into his arms.
Well, almost on my own, anyway.
After thanking the woman and paying, Ash quickly ran out the door and ran across the bridge which connected the tree holding the store to his next destination; the restaurant.
Walking through the glass door of the "Treetop Delight", Ash heard a small bell tingle and he was immediately confronted by a waiter wearing an apron.
"I'm sorry sir, but we're not open right now," explained the young man. In the dim light of the romantic eatery, Ash thought he looked younger than himself. "We are only open for supper, and that's only if you have a reservation."
"Uh, yeah, actually I wanted to make a reservation for me and my, uh, my, um-"
"Girlfriend, sir?"
"Yeah! That!"
He stepped behind a podium which rested directly in front of the door and squinted down at a large book. "And what day would you like to reserve a table for?"
"Tonight?"
Inexplicably, the waiter broke out into a raucous laughter. Some of the other workers inside glanced over at him, curious about the sudden outburst. Speaking between breaths, he explained that the Treetop Delight normally required a reservation two or three weeks ahead of time.
"What? But the guide said this is one of the most romantic places to eat in all of Hoenn! I practically killed myself to get here in time for my girlfriend's birthday!"
"Why didn't you make a reservation on the phone then?"
For a moment, Ash considered the question before he slapped himself on the forehead. "You've gotta be kidding me."
"If it's any help, I could try and squeeze you into a slot for next month," the waiter added helpfully. Though Ash had never been the most astute study of human behavior, he could swear there was a hint of malicious sarcasm in the waiter's tone. "Or you could come back next time your girlfriend has a birthday?"
"I don't think so," Ash replied, turning away.
How could I have been so dumb? I'm the Sinnoh Champion, but I can't even remember to-
He turned around, a smile permeating his features. Striding confidently back up to the waiter, who was busy sorting menus, he gave the man a tap on the shoulder.
"Yes?"
"How long do champions need to wait for a reservation?"
"Pokémon League champions? I dunno. Why do you care?"
"My name's Ash Ketchum, and I'm the Sinnoh League Champion." Ash reached into his pocket and flipped open his Pokédex, verifying his identification. Despite the mood lighting, he could see the waiter's stunned expression as he jumped slightly.
"Uh, M-Mr. Ketchum, um, I'm so sorry for my rudeness. We have a special wing for our more…cultured guests. Would a table at eight be to your liking?"
Though he was momentarily tempted to refuse, Ash's good nature got the better of him.
He's embarrassed enough.
"That'd be great. Thanks!"
"No problem, sir. Let me just pencil you in." He walked back to the large book and scribbled the champion's name onto the page. "There you are. Please enjoy your meal this evening."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Let's hope this works.
Ash took a deep breath and knocked on Misty's door.
"One second!"
The sound of locks being unhinged rang from behind the barrier, and a moment later Misty appeared, a surprised expression donning her expression. "Oh, Ash! Hey! I thought you might be Nurse Joy telling me someone else had called."
"Nope. It's just me." Ash gave a small laugh and shrugged. Misty joined in before falling silent.
"Listen, Misty, I wanted-"
"One second, Ash," she interrupted, holding up her hand. "I have something that I need to get off my chest."
"Um, alright." He wasn't expecting this.
"Do you wanna come in for a minute?" She motioned to several trainers who were gawking at the champion from afar, clearly desiring to speak with him. "It seems like it's getting a little crowded out here."
"Yeah." He walked in and sat next to the redhead on her bed. "So what did you need to tell me?"
She began twiddling her thumbs, but looked him straight in the eye as she began. "Ash, today I realized that maybe you don't need a girlfriend."
Ash's eyes grew wide as he registered what she said.
This is a joke, right?
"Don't get me wrong. I really like you and would absolutely love to be your girlfriend, but I just don't know if that's ever going to happen. It seems like you're just too busy becoming the Master to worry about girls and dates and all the stuff that's important to have in a relationship."
He couldn't close his mouth he was in such shock.
"What do you mean you would love to be my girlfriend? You are my girlfriend."
"But we're not doing any of the stuff that couples do. I talked to your mom earlier today, and-"
"Wait, you talked to my mom?"
"Yeah, when she called to tell me happy birthday, she asked if anything was wrong and I told her you'd forgotten it even was my birthday. I told her that we really don't seem to have time for each other, especially since we decided to be in a relationship, and that I'm just a distraction."
"A-a distraction?"
"Yeah, and she told me that I should talk with you about this before doing anything rash, and that maybe you'd surprise me. But I know you really well, and I know that it just wouldn't work between us after being together these last couple of weeks. So I want to spare you the trouble of having to worry about me by telling you that I've decided it's just better for both of us to quit being boyfriend and girlfriend." Her voice wavered at the last part, but she kept her eyes firmly locked on the champion as she finished. "I can stay and help you catch Pokémon if you want, but we just won't be together anymore."
For another moment, Ash just stared back at her blankly. His mind seemed to be going into overdrive as he thought of everything she'd gotten wrong and misinterpreted. It was clear that he was too good of an actor. Finally, as a tear cascaded down her right cheek, he found his voice.
"You're wrong about everything."
"Huh?" She looked up from her lap, wiping her eye. "What're you talking about?"
"That whole speech was just wrong! You couldn't be more wrong if you wanted to!"
Misty simply gave a bewildered expression in return.
"First, you're not a distraction! You're the biggest reason I try so hard, and you always have been. Where would I be if you hadn't pushed me around so much when we were kids? What about our battle before I went to train with the champions? When I'm about to give up, you change my attitude. You're not a distraction, you're the reason I do so well." He was so caught up in his will to keep her from breaking up that he didn't feel the slightest bit of embarrassment during his admission.
"Also, I'm not too busy to have a girlfriend."
"But you've been gone before I've even woken up every morning since we arrived in Hoenn!" Misty interjected.
"Do you know why I've been so busy?"
"Because you wanna hurry up and battle the Master, I guess."
Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. "It's because I wanted to be here in time for your birthday. The Treetop Delight is one of the best restaurants here, and so I thought that it would be a nice surprise if we could go on your birthday."
"M-my birthday? But that's today!"
"I know it is. I didn't forget your birthday, Mist. I just wanted this to be a surprise, so I acted like I didn't remember."
"Oh my gosh," she muttered, hiding her face in her hands. "I can't believe I did that."
"Did what?" Ash asked, confused.
"Just tried to break up with you because you weren't being romantic! I can't believe how stupid I was."
Ash's eyebrows lifted in surprise. It was rare for Misty to ever declare herself "stupid", and the humiliated expression which she bore compelled him to comfort. "I don't think I can blame you, though. You're right that we haven't really done anything fun or romantic since we became a, uh, a couple. I'd be mad if I were you too."
"I wasn't really mad, though," Misty replied, lowering her hands and looking at the trainer again. "I was just sad. I couldn't believe how something that I'd imagined would be so great could turn out so bad."
"I understand." He put a comforting arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to himself and enjoying the feeling of her body leaning on his. This was the most contact they'd had in weeks, and he felt almost lightheaded at its effects. In addition, the slowdown of his pounding heart caused him to sigh contentedly. In just five minutes he'd gone from happy, to devastated, to relieved.
This is scarier than battling Paul.
"I really am sorry, Ash," she apologized, surprising him once more. "I said I know you well, but I guess I really don't. I was just acting like a spoiled child who wasn't getting what she wanted. Even if you were too busy, I should have understood and stayed with you."
Ash gave a small laugh. "It's no problem, Mist. We're new to this relationship stuff. It'll take a while, but I'm sure we'll get it down eventually. No matter what though, remember that I'll always stick with you."
"I'll always stick with you too," she responded, smiling as she enjoyed the feel of his reassuring touch. It was nice to feel as if she weren't alone. "I've learned a lesson."
"Never thought I'd hear you say something like that. Usually you teach people a lesson." He laughed, and despite herself, so did she.
"Sooo," she began after another minute of silence. "What time are our reservations for?"
"Eight," he answered, his eyes closed peacefully as he rested his head atop hers.
"Eight this evening?" she practically screamed, startling the champion from his restful trance. "That's only two hours away!"
"Yeah, so? I told you this early so you wouldn't have to freak out about getting dressed. Two hours is plenty of time."
"Maybe if I hadn't been wandering around the forest all morning," she replied, standing up and quickly rummaging through her suitcase on the floor. "I've got to get showered, do my hair, fix my make-up, shave, iron my dress, and brush my teeth!"
I have to put on my suit… The list seemed to end there for the champion.
"This is really thoughtful and all, but next time, give me a little more warning when you surprise me," Misty explained as she lifted Ash from the bed and pushed him towards the door. "I need you to get out now so I can get ready!"
As the door slammed behind him, Ash tried to comprehend what had just happened.
Two minutes ago she was crying, and now she's getting dressed for our date.
He shook his head and walked back to his room.
"I'll never understand women."
Author's Notes: I'm actually pretty happy with this chapter. The last two before it were basically transitional chapters to move the story arc from Johto to Hoenn, but this was really the first authentic installment to take place in the new setting. Also, frankly, I was pretty much on fire when I finally got around to writing it. Sometimes I struggle to write chapters, but this one came pretty easily to me, and I think it reads pretty well.
However, whether you liked it or not, please leave me a REVIEW telling me. I respond to all reviews (eventually, haha), and I need your input so I can improve my writing abilities and make this story more enjoyable for all my readers.
Before I let y'all go, I want to remind everyone here of my community (which you can find by going to my profile page and clicking "communities" at the bottom), called the Texas Longhorn Pokéshipping Community. It's got a ton of great AAML fics, and I've added yet another great staff member (Pokémon-Princess.8) and she's bringing even more awesome stories to the TLPC. So please, drop by and read some great fics, and if you like it enough, subscribe to it as well. The more people subscribe, the better-known the community becomes.
See y'all in a couple of weeks! Adios!