Thundering Fear by WyldClaw
Plot: animeverse one shot I came up. I own Storm, her pups and Derek. Takes place when he is almost 2 years old. Some spoilers for A Blast From Dad's Past() is translated Pokéspeech and italics are thoughts. Some words Derek says are misspelled since he is just a baby. I echo a part and line from the Snow Way Out episode. hope you like it
Last edited : June 16, 2023
XxX. XxX
Black haired nearly two year old Derek Waterflower-Ketchum looked over at the side windows as heavy rain pounded the window panes outside. He was on the small couch in his family's living room. He wore a striped green and white onesie outfit.. His mother was in the other room working on paperwork for his dad, who was helping out at the local Pokémon Center.
He sighed. "Wainy." He said to the three young Pichu littermates sitting by his side on the couch. A soft long pastel checkered blanket with long fringes hung over the side of the blanket him-Aki, Taran and Zapp. The Electric type Pokemon were near the toddler's Winnie the Ursa Pokedoll- a small chubby stuffed Teddiursa Pokedoll with a red shirt on it.
One of the baby Pokemon appeared to be a regular looking Pichu while his brother had a tuft of head fur sticking up .Aki- the only girl of the trio looked smaller than her two brothers were by his side on the couch ..The regular looking Pichu- Taran-nodded. (Yeah it is. Its perfect weather for Water types like ' Duckletts, Poliwags an' Psyducks not humans) he commented.
"No Duckie Tawa." The boy shook his head, referring to his mother's not intelligent at all - -unless his headaches became extremely immense Psyduck. Being Ash Ketchum-Waterflower's son he already could already understand the Pichus.
Zapp-the mouse Pokemon with the head fur sticking up- nodded. (No. Definitely not him.) He knew how utterly stupid Misty's Psyduck was. (He'd probably think he was getting beaten up by .. what does he call it again?... sky water')
The four of them laughed. " "Whys Duckie call wain 'kye wahtah?" Derek asked.
( No idea. He's not that smart up here.) Aki, the smallest of the three baby Pokemon and the only girl of the trio , tapped her right front paw to her head.
" whys?"
She shrugged her shoulders . (I don't know. Papa said he's always been really dumb ever since he's known him.)
"Oh.."
The four of them watched the rain splatter thickly against the windows for a few minutes then looked away . "Weawy wainy." Derek said.
Zapp nodded. (You're right. It is really rainy and yucky out. It's the kind of weather that you don't wanna be out in)
"Dada out 'n wain Zap." Derek stated to the Pichu as he bit his lip- a nervous habit he unintentionally picked up from his father.
(He's with dad an' my sisters at the Center. He'll be okay. ) Zapp reassured him.
"Mama Woe-eed."
(She's just worried cause it's nasty out.) Aki nudged an easy to read baby board book on the couch to the little boy. (Here . This may .)
He nodded and tried to read the cover- his parents and grandma encouraged him to learn to read. "W-w-woly -p-." .He pointed a finger to a word under the cover illustration of a chubby growlithe puppy rolling down a hill . "Whaf that?"
The baby Pokémon looked at the word. Zapp studied it. (I think it's rolly- poly.)
"huh?"
(It means Chubby) Taran explained. (Tubby and fat)
"Wike Snowy?" Derek referred to his dad's Snorlax and the four of them giggled.
(Well not as fat as him. ) Aki added. (Just do your best to sound it out Derek) she suggested.
He nodded. "W-w-wol-wy- P-pol-wy.. gw-" he tried to sound out the next word. "Gw-Gw-" Something rumbled over overhead. " wh- whaf that?"
( what's what?) Taran asked.
KABOOOOOOM! CRRRRACK!
A huge flash of light streaked across the sky and outlined itself against the rain-splattered window making them jump.
KABOOOOOOM! CRRRRACK!
The sounds repeated shaking the house and causing the black haired boy's heart to beat . another quick flash of light streaked across the window panes. CRRRRACK! He looked up as his breathing became intense and sweat stuck to his striped onesie. His green eyes went wide with fright as they darted about the room and the color drained from his face. The three Pichu siblings' ears perked up at the noise too. (What's wrong?) Aki asked as her brothers looked at him.
(You look like you've seen a Ghost type ) Zapp said.
Then the sounds and the flash of light repeated . KABOOOOOOM! CRRRRACK! KABOOOOOOM! CRRRRACK!
It was terrible enough on it's own . But it also reminded Derek too much of that strange horrible creature he saw with his parents a few months ago-the one that looked like a Huge scary red and blue dragon Pokémon mixed with other Pokémon. .His parents had told him it wasn't real- but it had looked real enough to him and had terrified him. But this noise coming from the sky - and the strange flashes of light were even worse. He couldn't speak for a few minutes . "S-scarwy. Whaf that boomy?" He asked.
(Boomy? Oh you mean the loud noise and the light?) Zapp asked.
"Uh huh."
( the light is called lightning an' the loud noise id called thunder.) Zapp explained.
(You know how dad and mom an' 'lectric Types can ' lectricity f?) The human nodded at Taran. (Well this is kinda like that 'but it's wilder. ) he explained.
(They happen on rainy days sometimes) Aki added.
Another flash struck the sky and illuminated the window. CRRRRACK! The toddler trembled." no wyke. "
The three Pichus looked at each other. (You're scared of it.) Taran stated.
The little boy nodded. "Uh – huh." He repeated.
(I think I know why. It reminds you of -) Zapp began but another lightning strike illuminated the windows and an earth quaking KABOOOOOOM and CRRRRACK! interrupted him.
"Yikes!"
Another loud flash of white light lit up the windows followed by two huge KABOOOOOOMS and CRRRRACKs!
He jumped up to his feet, intent on hiding somewhere until it was gone but tripped over his book, and crashed into the Pichus. Then his feet got tangled up in the ring edges of the blanket lying on the couch. It fell over around four of them and sent them tumbling to the floor. . Tears ran down his face as he squirmed around in the blanket and cried out "M-M-MAMMMMA! MAMMMA!"
.
Less a minute later his orange-redheaded mother came rushing in from the other room, wearing a blue tee shirt with white clouds and white shorts. Storm-Aki, Taran and Zapp's petite mother was at her heels. She saw the squirming blanket on the and they rushed over. "Derek!" She knelt down next to it and lifted the blanket off the foursome. she helped him to his feet. "What happened baby? did you hurt yourself?"
(Aki, Taran, Zapp.. are you okay?) the small Pikachu asked her pups, sniffing them to make sure they weren't hurt. The Pichus nodded and she breathed with relief.
"f-fahl-wed." Tears fell down Derek's face.
Storm wiped away the tears on his face with her paw. (Are you okay?) He nodded. (He doesn't look hurt Misty.)
(He got scared from the lightning an' thunder Mom. he tripped over his book , crashed into us. we got tangled up in the blanket an' fell off the couch) Zapp spoke up.
"I see …" Misty hugged her the little boy . "Oh sweetheart.. Did the big scary thunder and lightning frighten you?"
He looked up at her with his beautiful green eyes and nodded. "uh-huh. b-Boomy a-an' wight Scarewie ."
Yet Another thunderclap and lightning strike crashed from outside. Taran, Aki and Zapp all jumped and ran to their mother's side. (Yipe!) They cried in unison.
Taran buried his nose into her fur. (I don't like it)
(M-me neither) Aki added.
(im scared too) Zapp spoke up.
Storm totally understood. Even though they'd seen their parents use electric attacks and knew how to use Thunderbolt and Thundershock seeing a thunder attack from a Pokémon was much different that seeing it from a uncontrollable heavy thunderstorm. Plus as baby Pokémon themselves it was understandable they would be frightened of a thunderstorm. Derek buried himself in his mom's shirt and cried as the thunderstorm went on. "No wike."
Misty looked down at him as she stroked his untamable raven dark hair with one hand and held him tight with the other saying soothing words. "Sh… it's okay Derek. It's okay. It's just a loud noise. nothing more." She repeated. No wonder he's frightened - It probably reminds him of that horrendous hybrid from a few months ago.
She looked over at the three whimpering Pichus huddling around their mother. The three of them appeared to be pale yellow bundles of Storm's own yellow pelt. (It's all right my little darlings. It's not going to hurt you ) she repeated calmly as she stroked each of her children's fur with her paws and licked them. The two mothers looked at one another and Storm sensed her trainer's worriedness. They both knew why the boy was terrified. "I know it's scary … especially for you four. But it's not gonna hurt you since you're inside where it's safe." Misty reassured them.
Just then another white jolt of thunder boomed outside, lighting up the windows and the walls. Derek buried himself into his mother's shirt and cried. "scarewy . Make 'top. "
She kissed his forehead. "I'm sorry sweetheart. I wish I could. Only Dragonairs' and Castforms have the power to change the weather but Mommy has neither."
"Whoa-wah."
She chuckled and gazed down over at her young Dratini's pokeball. . "I know I have Aurora pumpkin,, but she's just a baby Dratini. She can't change the weather until she's a dragonair ."
"Dee-goo-air?"
She smiled. " Close Derek. Drag-on-air. " she enunciated slowly . " Thats' what she'll evolve into. For now w e just have to wait it out."
(Just try to think of things that make you happy to distract yourself from the noise. The scary thunder will pass soon.) Storm added.
(Like Papa play fighting with us?) Aki asked and her mother smiled.
(That's right sweetie.) She said.
(What about Glalie freezing Ash?) Zapp added and they all laughed. One would think he would grow up and stop would stop doing that after all these years but he didn't.
" Glah-lie feeze Dada?" Derek asked.
Misty nodded. "When he first caught him as an energetic Snorunt he couldn't control his Ice move so Daddy got frozen a lot. But after he evolved and gained control over his attacks still freezes him ."
(Here's another good one: David in those silly costumes for the Halloween modeling shoot for the hospital.)
"That is a good one Storm."
Her brother in law was a good model but some of the costumes for the shoot he had to wear were Totally ridiculous. Daisy had sent them plenty of pictures.
(What about Tidal doing all those funny moves in the pool?) Taran added.
"He is pretty silly," Misty commented. Her Azumarill was such a goofball when he wasn't in a serious battle. He and Totodile had 'goof offs ' a lot.
Derek lifted his head from her shirt and looked at her Pokéball belt. "Poli's silly ." He commented.
She gazed down at him. "He sure is. What about-"
Just then a flash of red energy light came from a pokeball on her belt. It materialized into her not very intelligent Psyduck, who took a step back and tripped over Derek's picture books landing on his butt, ((Huh? What did I do? ) The duck looked confused himself.
She shook her head and groaned. "Psyduck! How many times have I told you not to pop out of your ball?"
(Uh. Twenty two ?) He asked. She groaned. He's such a dumb duck.
"Duckie!" Derek's face split into one of confusion as he saw his mom's dense Water Type Pokémon and then turned back to her. "Why Duckie outs?"
(What did I do?) He asked.
"I don't know sweetie. He's not that smart. He pops out all the-"
A thunderous valley of kabooms, cracks and light flashes shook the house for about ten minutes . Derek grabbed his mother's shirt in fear while the Pichus whimpered in fear,.
(It's gonna get me!) Psyduck jumped up and ran about the room - bonking his head on the couch, the walls and table a lot as ignoring Misty's repeated groans and cries of "stop it ! " " stand still!" and and "you're gonna hit that table." And "stay calm. "
After the thunder and lightning stopped she saw that multiple red bruises had appeared on his forehead . he fell on his back on the carpet yammering in pain.(Ow. Ow .Ow…)
Derek crawled out of his mother's lap and over to the yellow Pokémon. "Duckie?"
(ugh. Head hurts . Has heartbeat) he replied.
The toddler pointed to the injury. "Mama Duckie Owie."
Misty got a small tube of clear non-scented Pokémon healing cream out of her left pocket. Aki was always getting beat up from her sisters Electra and Thora so she always had some healing cream nearby. Good thing I bought a bunch from Laurie's shop the other day. "Psyduck, roll over to your side to get up and come over here. You too pumpkin." She told them.
They did just that and she applied the sweet smell cream to the duck's cuts and massaged it for a few minutes. "There. Does that feel better?" she asked a few min later.
the duck nodded. (heartbeat gone from head .) .
An extremely volley of thunderous booms made him jump and run about the room again. Misty groaned and pointed his P okeball at him.. "Psyduck! I'm not in the mood to do this. You're just going to keep hurting yourself. Get back inside ."
but he dodged the red beam each time.. He stgopped shook his head. (No.)
" Come on Psyduck.. get in your Pokeball. You'll be safer."
"Duckie no go ins ," Derek said. "scare-wed. ..."
Psyduck nodded. Another thunderclap flashed in the sky and Misty could see the terrified look in the duck's normally vacant facial expression. He pointed to her other P okeballs. (Don't wanna to be alone.)
"He scare- wed." Derek repeated. "Wan fwends . Yikkkkes" .he yelped and bit his lip as another thunderclap split the air with a huge KABOOOOOM and Psyduck yelped too. "Pease Mama?"
She stared at him lovingly for a minute -seeing her husband in his expression. Storm saw her trainer's expression and felt her Aura spike up with love and pride. (He's so a mini Ash.)
"I know right?" She looked at her yellow duck. She lowered his P okeball, minimized it and put it back."Okay, Psyduck.. you win. I suppose just this once won't hurt."
The duck looked her oddly. (Huh? You mean-)
"Yeah. You can stay out as long as you behave yourself." He ran over to her side. "I suppose you're right sweetheart." she told her son. "We don't want him to be scared. I guess we'll all be scared together. "
He squealed in delight. " yays. Dosy too?"
She chuckled at his nickname for her Gyarados as she unclipped Aurora, Corsola, Tidal and Politoed's Pokéballs. ."Well, maybe not him. He's way too big for this room. As much as I'd like to bring him out there's just not enough space. Come on out guys. " She said as she maximized the Pokballs , released them and put her pokeballs near her side.
After they materialized she told them why she called them out. Storm moved her pups closer to Misty and all of them huddled together: Psyduck and Corsola sat down by her feet while Tidal, her young Dratini Aurora and Politoed huddled on either side. They all jumped when the thunder and lightning crackled across the sky. (I'm scared) Aki muttered after a particularly loud thunderclap.
" Me toos ." Derek admitted.
(Us too) Taran and Zapp said. The two mothers looked at one another and had an idea of how to distract their kids and kill time. Storm began whistling under her breath.
(Why are you whistling mom) Tara asked.
(It's what I do when I'm scared or afraid) She explained
"She got the idea from a song in a play called 'The King and I' about it. It's set Way back hundreds and hundreds of years ago when a Kantonian schoolteacher and her young son have to travel all the way to Kalos to teach the king's eleven children about modern day history. The boat they're on gets caught in this nasty weather and her son gets scared so she sings this song " Misty explained them. She'd shown Storm a recording of the play on a rainy afternoon when Ash had been away at a festival and she'd had a high fever and Gary had been busy - this was before her pups had hatched. "let's try it."
the group tried to whistle but it didn't go so well. Aurora sounded she was doing a really lame baby attempt at a Gust attack and Psyduck's bill wasn't meant for whistling. Derek and the Pichus managed it a little. , Politoed and Corsola ended up letting out not whistles but a tiny stream of a few bubbles that splashed over the Pichus and Psyduck.
(Ooops Sorry about that,) Corsola apologized.
(Sorry we got you soaked) Politoed added.
(it's okay.) Aki told her as she and her brothers shook the water off their fur.
(How come I'm all wet ?) Psyduck asked and Corsola, Misty, Storm, the Pichus, Tidal , Aurora, and Storm sighed.
(now we don't have to take a bath later.) Taran added and his mother smiled,
(hey at least it wasn't a full on Bubblebeam attack.) Politoed replied.
"Not scare-wed a boomy, mama. "' Derek said but then shivered as a thunder clap struck the air.
"It's okay if you are, sweetheart. There is nothing wrong with being scared of something"" Misty reassured him as she brushed a lock of his dark hair out of his face and tucked it behind his ear.
"Wealwy?"
She nodded. (It's normal to be scared. Dad says that everyone got fears but you have to master them. Right mom?) Taran asked.
( that's right ) Storm said. (All you have to go whistle and think if something else or think of something that makes you happy)
Misty picked up Derek's Teddiursa pokedoll from the floor and handed it to the young boy who took it in one hand. "Here's Winnie sweetheart. what would he say about the booms?"
"' bot-far. 'tuff n' fuff."
she nodded. "yup. he'd say 'Bother and stuff and fluff."
The infant and three Pichus nodded at this. Misty could tell they were still a little nervous. she saw Derek's picture books under the coffe table and got an idea. . "I know a way to get our minds of the nasty weather who wants to hear some stories?"
" mes!" Derek said.
( us too ) said the Pichus.
Her Pokémon nodded in agreement. ( is it gonna hurt?) Psyduck asked and she sighed.
(Oh brother.. its just words . words cant hurt you) Aurora told the duck Pokemon.
(..oh) he replied .
,,,,
Misty began reading a few of Derek's picture books that were under the coffee table like The Very Hungry Caterpie, Winnie The Pooh and Bunnellby Too and Make Way For Duckletts. After about an hour an a half everyone but her and Derek had fallen asleep. She gazed around at her son and the sleeping Pokémon and her heart swelled up with great pride in turn: . Her carefree Politoed-always ready to cheer someone up with a dance- lay on one side of her. Kindhearted Aurora- her newest pokemon – who Ash had surprised her with for their first anniversary- lay curled up next to him. Her good natured Corsola lay near the small pile of picture books while Tidal-her brave, respectful Azumarill, always ready to lend a helping paw or two, lay on one other side of her. She sighed as she glanced over at her snoozing Psyduck who was…. Psyduck. As much as he gave her a headache even after all these years there was something special about her dim-witted duck.
She turned her gaze to sweet Storm and her pups And smiled. The Pikachu had wrapped her tail protectively around her childreb . Aki moved her front paws as if she were chasing after something in her dream. She grinned . I wonder what's she's chasing . Zapp and Taran were the opposite of their older sisters- they made sure to include Aki in their games and didn't care that she was smaller than them. Her eyes then shifted down to Derek, who was trying not to nod off. Her little boy looked more and more similar his father as he grew. asides from his beautiful green eyes. "My sweet little angel ." She whispered. She gazed around the room again, feeling a strong motherly love towards the Pokémon and her precious little boy. This is my family and I'll do anything to protect them. Like a Kangaskhan or a female Pyroar she' would become fiercely protective if they-or her husband- were in danger, She would do anything to protect them and vice versa. She remembered how furious she'd been when she saw the unconscious injured Derek underneath the claws of Cassidy's Raticate and shivered once.
She realized something else: the lightning and thunder had stopped. Now all she heard was the gentle sound of the rain against the roof and windows. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. With one hand she got it out while she held Derek who held his pokedoll tightly, with the other. She turned it looked at the text she received and smiled. It was from her husband. She smiled as she read it to herself : 'all's well. Just a few more things and I'll be heading home Love you '.
She quickly replied back with 'Okay. I love you' and two heart Emoji and put the phone away. She nudged Derek. "Derek, listen."
" H-huh?" he sleepily asked as he looked up at her.
"What do you hear, sweetie?"
"No-fing. No boomy."
" That's right. The boomy I mean the thunder and the lightning are gone ." She told her son as he yawned. " It's just raining now. Daddy's coming back,"
His green eyes lit up. "Whens?"
"Soon sweetheart ." She replied. At least I hope he'll be back soon.
She'd begged him to stay home and not to go to Pallet City's Pokémon Center. Naturally he refused- they needed help with the backup generator since there had been a lot of thunderstorms recently and the last one had totally fried it. She recalled parting his words before leaving: "Don't worry Mist. . I'll be back soon- a little nasty weather won't stop me. Besides it will be good experience for Electra and Thora now that they've evolved." She supposed this new concern came with being a first time mother and what happened months ago. Stupid hero complex of his.
"Wanna wait f-fo d-dada." Derek yawned again.
She saw him rubbing his eyes with his free hand. "Go to sleep pumpkin. You looked wiped- you didn't have your nap yet. He'll be here when you wake up."
"Kay." He closed his eyes, put his thumb in his mouth and fell fast asleep.
Misty listened to the gentle rain falling outside. She yawned and and feltsleepy herself . "I'll just rest my eyes for a few minutes .." she said to herself as she closed her eyes and fell asleep listening to the rain.
.
Some time passed when she felt a familiar warm but wet presence kiss her and lift her up. "Hey sleeping beauty." an all too familiar voice said.
"Hmmm?" She opened her eyes and saw a pair of familiar-if soaking wet -sneakers and tan pants. She brought her gaze up past the wet white short-sleeved collared tee shirt with the Battle Park insignia to those beautiful chocolate brown eyes. Her handsome black haired husband of two and a half years rested her head on his soaking white work shirt. He sat where Politoed had been. " Hi Ashy."
"Hey sweetheart. Hope you don't mind that I returned Aurora and Politoed to their Pokéballs so i could get warm next to were next to you and I didn't want to trip over Psyduck so I moved him a few feet away."
She kissed him. "That's fine with me . I didn't even hear you come in."
He ran a hand though her hair and kissed her again. "You were pretty sound asleep when we came in. " he motioned to where Storm was and to her two Pikachu daughters Electra and Thora were sleeping curled up at her side, Her mate-his first Pokemon- was asleep next to them . "You looked so peaceful and I didn't want to wake you up. I almost thought of taking a picture on my phone but I thought you would probably have Aurora or Corsola soak me even more if I did…. so I thought better of it."
She chuckled "Smart move. So how was the Center?"
"Pretty busy with the storm."
"How did Electra and Thora do?" She asked.
He ran a hand through his mesy wet black hair. "You know how those two are, competing about the littlest things. We – "he jerked his head to his sleeping partner Pokémon. " along with Nurse Joy only had to tell them to knock it off and be serious a few times. Those three worked their tails off until the thunder and lightning stopped and the power came back on. . They really need a bigger backup generator room or a bigger Center in general. Not to mention it was packed with a lot of trainers -either delayed in getting to Seafoam Islands or the Orange Islands due to the rains wanting to ask me tons of questions. I'll have to bring that up to Mayor Thomasan. It's not exactly a small city anymore..."
"Thanks to you and Gary. " She added.
"Well. Yeah. "
She took in his soaking appearance. "I'm guessing taking Swellow there wasn't the best idea."
He shook his head. "Nope. Greninja protected us a little from the rain on the way back but not much so i ended up recalling him . The poor guy was wiped out from the battles this morning. How did you and Derek manage during the thunderstorm, water blossom?" He asked.
"Pretty okay but … I discovered Derek's got a fear of thunder and/or lightning."
"He's only a baby. It's natural for him to be scared of a loud noise."
"I don't think it was the noise that scared him," she admitted and chose her next words carefully. "I think . I think... the sound of it reminded him of that hybrid from a few months ago. You should have seen the terrified look on his face- he was whiter than a Castform."
He frowned at the memory. My poor baby boy. I wanted to give him a normal life away from threats and him. Not even two and he's already had to deal with a horrendous manmade hybrid and being kidnapped by Butch and Cassidy. I don't blame him for being terrified. I wish I could tell him those attacks weren't anything to do with him at all. It's not his fault those two evil grunts targeted him. He just has the unfortunate fate of being my son and sharing my blood. … I so hate them for hurting him like that.. To kidnap and hurt an innocent little baby not even two years old is just beyond cruel. I loathe them almost as much as-
."…. Ashy? …Ashy ?" she asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.
"Huh?" He looked down at his wife.
"You kind of spaced out for a few minutes. I said your name a bunch ." she sensed his thoughts through the Aura bond.
"Sorry. Just thinking about how i hate Butch and Cassidy .. and him and what they almost did to him . ."
They both stared down at their sleeping boy. "I know honey." she said quietly.
He lowered his voice. "I wish he could be a regular normal kid without having our problems loaded onto him. "
"I wish so too."
He changed the subject, looking at her Pokémon snoozing near them. "Why are they out?"
A smile crept upon her face. "That's a funny story. They only way Storm and I got him to calm down were to think of silly things to distract him."
"Please tell me you didn't tell him about the times when i dressed up as a Mr. Mime or when I was in that Pokémon Contest…."
She chuckled. "Those thoughts did occur to me but i never got to use it. Psyduck popped out- yet again. A volley of thunderclaps scared him and I tried to recall him but he refused to go back."
Ash understood. "He wanted to stay out and didn't want to be alone so you brought his friends out." she nodded. " It's just like when Pikachu and I got lost on that snowy mountain all those years ago and we had to spend the night in that cave during that snowstorm. He didn't want us to be alone so I called out the rest of my team."
His wife kissed his cheek. "yup."
"Lemme guess ..Derek was the one who insisted on it."
She nodded. "Would you expect anything less of him? He's so a mini you. "
"That's our boy." he bent down and kissed his son lightly on his forehead.
She rested her head on his wet shirt- not caring about the wetness. "Honey?" she whispered a few minutes later.
"yeah?"
"I think Derek's a bit lonely. Sure he has our Pokémon and his cousins but I ..."
"You don't want him to be an only child like me."
She nodded. "I think. It would be nice for him to have a sibling close in age. I mean look at your goddaughter- she doesn't get lonely because of her brother."
"Sami and Ryan are twins."
"True…" She smirked. "And speaking of the Oak twins... when are you exactly planning on introducing Derek to them? You keep on putting it off for various . they're gonna have to meet sometime and I'd rather them meet sooner than later. I mean.. they're only six months apart. "
"Uh… next week." she raised an eyebrow. "Okay. when he's a little over two years old..." he paused for a few minutes as he stoked his wife's hair. "But …don't you think it's too early to start thinking about having more kids ? I mean he's not even two years old and we haven't been married three years yet. "
"I know we should wait a few years but ...I do want more kids. and i want them close in age Hopefully they'll be as easy going as he is. " They gazed down at the boy in her lap. Violet said the first two years were always the toughest. It had been hard at first- but once Derek started sleeping through the night it became much better. He really was an easygoing baby.
"Yeah… He's going make an amazing big brother when the time comes …" the Frontier Brain kissed his wife's cheek. "We did good, Mist . We did good."
.
The little boy stirred and sleepily opened his eyes at his dad's voice. "...D-dada?"
"Hey champ."
Derek looked at his dad's soaking hair and clothes. "You Wet."
Ash looked down as if just realizing it. "oh..I guess I am. The Center was packed and I didn't want to risk Swellow's feathers getting fried. He wouldn't have been too happy with me." he paused for a minute. "Mommy just told me about how the lightning and thunder frightened you."
He nodded. "'Scare-wed me. Noise maded me-"
"Recall the scary mixed up thing from a few months ago." His parents finished and he nodded.
"That thing was pretty scary." Misty told him. "But you just have to tell yourself that it w-was just a scary illusion. It- it wasn't real. N-nothing more."
"Wh-Whaf 'bout meanies?"
She tensed at this. I can't believe Butch and Cassidy stopped that low as to kidnap my baby and use him as bait. "Th-they're just people Daddy and I beat years ago who are still that: big jerky meanies. They must have seemed super scary to you pumpkin."
The nearly two year old nodded. " Beeg bad migh-yeena."
"You mean they seemed as scary as the big bad mightyena from little red riding hood?"
The boy nodded at his dad's question. "Uh-huh."
" I don't blame you for being scared of them, Derek. They can be pretty scary and they really hurt mommy and me a few times." Ash admitted then gulped as he recalled the incidents with them on Mandarin Island South, the issue with Silver the Lugia and a few other situations with the slightly more dangerous Rocket duo. . I can't believe they kidnapped and tried to harm a defenseless little infant. I wouldn't put it past HIM to have them do that as a backup plan since that hybrid failed to take care of Jessie, Meowth and James.. though it nearly did . Arceus .. I can't believe it's hard not to think of those three as my mortal foes anymore.. I wonder
"Dada?" Derek tugged at his dad's wet shirt breaking his train of thought. "Whaf wong?"
"It's N-nothing. Just... thinking about how I don't like those… mean people." He paused.
"No wike."
He kissed his son's forehead " I'm with you there. Mommy and I don't like them either. "
"Boomy scare-wiers." The infant stated.
"They certainly are. It's natural to be scared of lightning and thunder. Thunderstorms are pretty scary too. They scare me a bit."
Derek looked at his dad in awe. "Bwave. Not scare-wed of nofing."
"I was that day they hurt you. I thought I might lose you. ."
"Weally?" His dad nodded. " meanies scare-wed more."
Ash ruffled his son's hair. "That's cause no one messes with your dad or mommy. Everyone's scared of something."
"Everyone has fears, pumpkin," Misty told the child. "I'm scared of someone hurting you and Bug types-"
"They 'bug' the heck out of Mommy. in the past Beedris have scared the living l-" he began to say but she lightly elbowed him in the ribs. "Oww. I Guess I deserve that."
she rolled her eyes. "You should be glad Corsola and Aurora are asleep or I'd have them either Horn attack or Bubblebeam your butt."
"Anyways she's right. You know how Sunset trembles at Mega Banettes?"
Derek nodded, recalling how terrified his parents' kind- hearted shiny Charizard got at seeing them- in face they freaked out. "No wike."
"They are creepy looking. She has a fear of them since she had a bad experience with them in the past. "He looked over at Aki who flicked her paws in her sleep. "Another good example: Aki's scared of Pokeball just like her dad and also Fearows."
"F-F-air-wo?" Derek asked, trying to pronounce the word.
"close. .A Fearow is big brown bird Pokémon with a really nasty temper. You don't want to mess with them at all. Before you were born there was one that really hurt her."
"Whys?"
Ash recalled what happened between Skar and the little Pichu. "It … was trying to overthrow Pidgeot- you know that nice big tan bird Pokémon of mine"
The boy nodded. "Piddie."
"Yeah,... Piddie. Skar- that's the meanie Fearow-was trying to take over Piddy's home and knew she wouldn't hurt him if he had an innocent little Pokémon with him. He also wanted revenge on her. " He kept the fact from who sent Skar – the poor infant already had a bad- though fading- memory of Butch and Cassidy.
"Whaf fo?" the young boy innocently asked.
"She stopped him attacking her tribe." Misty added. "Pikachu tried to shock Skar but the bird put Aki in front of him." Derek gasped. He was still young but even he knew how powerful the mouse's electrical attacks were. "He, Storm and us were extremely scared when Skar flew away. But luckily Piddy and Daddy's Noctowl saved her."
"Scarewy…"
his dad nodded. " That's right Derek. Skar scared her so much that She's been scared of them ever since." Luckily the boy didn't press on the subject. " To answer your first question, I don't have a lot of fears but they mainly revolve around something bad happening to you, Mommy, Grams or one of my Pokémon. " he paused for a few minutes to let this sink into his son's mind.
"w-Wike meanies?"
His father nodded. "Y-yeah. Like those meanies. It's okay that you're scared of thunderstorms but you just have to know how to be safe while they are happening. I've been in a bunch of them over the years and it wasn't fun. However getting out of them safely led me to a lot of ...Adventures."
Misty rolled her eyes at him again . "Adventures that nearly got us err you killed like in the case of finding Charizard in that rainstorm? how how another rainstorm ending up at Mount Quena? Or are you recalling that storm that brought us to Shamouti Island ?"
Her husband's face went red. "Uh... well.."
she gave him a kiss. " Or our you recalling that that rainstorm that brought us together?"
He chuckled. "a bit of all three? ."
She sighed. "You're a sweet dingus.." she paused and then kissed him again as his face went back to normal . " But you are my sweet dingus. So which one were you thinking of the most?"
"Um.. " The dark haired man's gaze flickered to where Aki was fast asleep and then over at her father. "The rainstorm when we first met and encountered-"
Luckily Derek interrupted his father at that moment as he looked up at them and asked. "meet du-wing 'torm?"
"Well, before it sweetie." Misty clarified. "i actually saved Pikachu's and daddy's lives. "
Ash groaned. " come on Mist. .. i had it under control."
" uh huh.. sure.. .keep on telling yourself that ... Ashy.."
"whaf happin to Peeky and Daddy?"
"well... it's kind of a funny story.. since he opened his big fat mouth he can tell you the full story."
"But-but- Misty..."
Pikachu twitched his ears as he sleepily looked up. He had woken up and heard the last part of the conversation. (Don't bother arguing with her Ash. You know it's pointless. Besides he's gonna have to hear the story sometime. )
"Guess you're right pal. Okay champ, ready to hear how Mommy and I first met?"
Derek clapped his hands, ''tarwy! 'Tarwy!"
"Okay, here's the story of how I met Mommy. It happened about fifteen years ago on my first day as a trainer. I just turned ten and was going to start myt journey the next day … " He began the story, the little boy hanging onto his every word.
The end