Chapter 2: Meet the Ketchum Brothers
(DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE MARIO FRANCHISE/SERIES OR POKÉMON. MARIO (FRANCHISE/SERIES) BELONGS TO NINTENDO/GAMEFREAK. POKÉMON BELONGS TO GAMEFREAK/NINTENDO).
Please Read and Review.
(Meanwhile, somewhere far away, a commercial for a Plumbing Company is playing. Two people appear, one of them is a Man named Ash Ketchum, and his Younger Brother, Ritchie Ketchum. As they appear in the Plumbing Company Commercial a Theme Song Plays).
Commercial Singer: Uh, we're the Ketchum Brothers, and plumbing's our game. We're not like the others who get all the fame. When your sink is in trouble, you can call us on the double. We're faster than the others, you'll be hooked on the brothers, huh!
(The Commercial shows them wearing Sunglasses while riding around in a yellow van with the Company Name being, "Super Ketchum Bros. Plumbing". Then the Commercial Shows the brothers fixing a Sink's Plumbing Problems, with Ash fixing the sink from below while Ritchie plunges it to keep the flooding under control, while both send Death Glares to the Camera as the two brothers begin introducing themselves to their audience).
Ash: It's-a-me, a-Ash!
Ritchie: And-a Ritchie!
Ash: Are you tired of-a paying too much for plumbing?
Ash and Ritchie: Mamma mia!
Ash: That's-a why the Super Ketchum Brothers are here. (Then Ash and Ritchie pretend flying over their home city with Capes flowing behind them, while truly perching themselves on Stools). To-a save Castelia City. (Then the Commercial shows a map of Castelia City, before Ash flicks a model van across the map, from an area with a nearby location labeled "Mushroom Planet", but it goes too far, leading Ritchie to quickly catch and places it in the Nacrene City area with labelled locations on the map include, "1889th Street", "Link Street", and a pair of streets with the name of "Hanafuda Ave" and, "Luck Cards St.").
Ritchie: And-a Nacrene City...
Ash: And- you are a wallet. (Then the Commercial shows a Woman who was having Problems with her Plumbing before Ash and Ritchie fixed it).
Commercial Actor: Thank you, Super Ketchum Bros.! (As the Commercial Actress keeps reading her prompted lines, she begins squinting at them while reading them in a stilted manner). It seems like the only thing you have not drained is my bank account... (She then shrugs her shoulders incredulously with a confused expression, no doubt finding them cheesy. Then the Commercial continues).
Ash: Forget-the expensive plumbing companies where you're-a just a face. With the Super Ketchum Brothers, you are family!
Commercial Singer: Hooked on the brothers! (Fading echoes).
(Then the commercial ends as the real Ash and Ritchie celebrate in a Pizza Restaurant called, "Punch-Out Pizzeria". Ash is a skinny, slender Young Adult with a dark shade of cyan hair, slightly tan skin, and brown eyes with two distinctive lightning bolt-like markings for cheeks underneath each eye. Under his red and white hat with a green stylized "L", Ash has a cowlick and a narrow, triangular, and edgy tuft of hair in the middle of his forehead that comes to a point on the right side. Along with a blue short-sleeved jacket with gold trim, white collar and sleeves, a dark teal T-shirt, blue jeans with light blue cuffs, black and white sneakers with red dots, green fingerless gloves with light green borders. Celebrating with him was his younger brother, Ritchie Ketchum. Ritchie has brown hair and blue eyes. He wears a teal short-sleeve shirt with light yellow trim and a silver zipper, a dark teal vest with a light green collar, a black belt with a silver buckle, teal pants with light yellow pockets, dark blue and indigo sneakers with red dots, dark blue fingerless gloves with aqua borders, and a purple cap with a light yellow band and red buttons. Ritchie was taller than Ash in terms of height, despite being Ash's Younger sibling. Both Ash and Ritchie were in their Early 20's and they were a Sibling Team through and through, no matter what. Between the two of them, Ash was the tougher and more headstrong one, while Ritchie is more timid and more emotional. Ritchie begins laughing happily for their successful commercial just now).
Ritchie: (Laughs).
Ash: Wow! You were great. (Neither Ash, nor Ritchie noticed how hanging among the Walls of the Restaurant was a framed picture of a duck as they were too busy praising each other's performance).
Ritchie: Oh, I was great? Are you kidding me? YOU were great! (Ritchie said happily as he Affectionately Jabs Ash in the Stomach, while he may have always been Ash's sidekick, they treated each other as equals).
Ash: Well, I am so glad we spent our life savings on this commercial.
Ritchie: That is not a commercial. That is cinema. (Both Ash and Ritchie were sure that this decision of theirs was going to pay off big time for them to become the Working-Class Heroes they aspired to be someday, detractors be Darned. The two of them were feeling immensely proud of their Commercial despite being full of hilarious homemade errors: Such as them both clearly green screened in at Multiple points, that the gleam on the fixed sink is so bright that it nearly washes out the shot, while boasting that they are going to "save Castelia City", they forgot to edit out the bar stools they are lying on to pretend they are flying over Castelia City's skyline, along with Ash flicking the toy van across a map from Castelia City to Nacrene City to illustrate their range of business it ended up clearly weighted on the left too much as it starts to veer in the wrong direction and Ritchie had to grab it and place it at Nacrene City himself, and finally the actor playing a customer visibly has issues with her lines. But Then Ash felt the need to question the Castelia City accent they did in the Commercial).
Ash: Eh, what about the accents? Is it... Is it too much? (Ritchie was about to tell Ash that he should not worry about it, when a little kid about 8 or 9 Years old in a Green Shirt named Max, turns to them).
Max: Too much? It's-a perfect! (Max then hops in the air before landing on the floor again) Wahoo! (Seeing that Max was a Nice Kid who is supportive of Ash and Ritchie's plumbing business and went out of his way to tell them how greatly he loves the gimmick they use for it, Ash decided to thank him).
Ash: Okay, I am gonna trust you. (Max returns to playing a Jumpman arcade game. Then they hear an all too familiar voice).
Voice: Well, well, well. (Ash and Ritchie looked over to see that the voice belongs to a large, shaved bearded man wearing Sunglasses. He was very muscular man with a very muscular body. He has burgundy hair and wears a tight white tank top, white gloves, gray shredded work pants, boots, brown cape and carried a shovel). If it is not Castelia City's favorite failures, the Stupid Ketchum Brothers. (Ash and Ritchie were not pleased to see this man or hear his derisive nickname for them as his way to belittle them, as they knew just who he was and they walked indignantly over to him, with the two brothers recognizing him at once).
Ritchie: Oh great... Byron's here. (Then Byron goes ahead and slurps down a whole pizza slice without chewing it, showing that he has quite the Jabba Table Manners. As Ash annoyedly greets him as he puts his glass of water down after drinking it).
Ash: Hey, Byron.
Byron: Yes, (In a comically high-pitched voice). It's-a me! (Cackles). Ooh yes… Tell me: Have you even gotten one call since you left me to start your dumb company? (Ash and Ritchie did not have the best history with Byron but saying "Best" would be putting it lightly. As Byron wrote a negative review on their website out of spite, not because of the service but because Ash and Ritchie "deserted" his business, then they knew that even though Byron was not evil, he was still quite Petty. Especially when he wrote a Nasty One Star Review on their website saying, "There is no loyalty w/ Ash and Ritchie! The SUBPAR Ketchum Bros used to work for me until they decided to break off and start their own business... they will learn their lesson someday...". What made it worse was that Byron had the personality of a schoolyard bully despite being a full-grown man with a Foreman job. The two brothers Quit working for Byron when they got so tired of his "Byron" behavior. And that Angered him so much that he gave them a negative review on their website saying nothing about their plumbing business all so he can berate them, all out of Pure Spite. In response to Byron's Question, Ritchie Smiles as he holds his hand up to Byron saying).
Ritchie: As a matter of fact, Byron, we have.
Ash: Wow, really?
Ritchie: Uh, yes. Our mom called, and she said, "Oh, boys, that's the best commercial I've ever seen". And I said, "Thank you very much, mother. We are enormously proud of it". So, BOOM! (Then to punctuate his proud little "Take that!" on Byron, Ritchie accidentally Smashes/drops his phone to the ground for Dramatic Effect as Ash looks embarrassed, seeing that was Ritchie was Comically Missing the Point, with how Byron sarcastically asked if they have even gotten a single call since releasing their commercial, and Ritchie proudly said they did; and dropped his phone afterwards as if he had made an amazing comeback. Then Ritchie begins to awkwardly realize that was his phone he just dropped/smashed on the ground. All the while Ash's embarrassed face to Ritchie's bragging says it all at how he feels about Ritchie's trying to perform an Epic Mic Drop that fell quite flat with how Ritchie close to every non-familial social encounter he finds himself in. Especially, with the Sickening "Crunch!" sound that came with it. Then Byron begins laughing at his two former employees again).
Byron: (Laughs). Good luck running a business with this idiot. (Throws a napkin at Ritchie, which Ash catches, feeling angry at how Byron just insulted his brother, instantly defending him against Byron with his Big Brother Instinct. Even if Ritchie were occasionally embarrassing him, like he just did with the Mic Drop, Ash would never let anyone hurt his brother, whether physically or verbally, as he tells that to Byron point blankly.
Ash: Say that again about my brother, and you are gonna regret it. (Tosses the napkin back at Byron, hitting him in the face, causing Byron to Get up and grabs Ash by the chest, revealing just how much taller he was in comparison to Ash and Ritchie).
Byron: Oh, yes? Get this through your tiny brain, Ash! You are a joke — and you always will be. (Then Byron Drops Ash to the floor and Leaves while Chuckling to himself in all his boorish image while still remembering to pay as he leaves the restaurant, tossing a dollar bill onto the table he was sitting at even though his pizza was only a quarter-way eaten. Byron walks past a ton of photos of fighters on the restaurant's walls with their names in the Photo's Frames, the names included, "Glass Joe", "Bear Hugger", and "Mr. Sandman", along with and a newspaper article mentioning someone named, "Little Mac". If Ash and Ritchie knew anything about Byron it was that he was a Downright Massive petty Jerk, and they doubted that could be anyone alive in the world, much less Universe (and beyond) who was even worse than him. As soon as Byron was gone, Ash stood up and adjusted his Cap, as Ritchie asked his brother, worried about his actions just now).
Ritchie: Are you insane? He is three times your size! (Ash defends his Actions towards Byron to Ritchie telling him).
Ash: Ritchie, c'mon... y'know, you cannot be scared all the time. (But Ritchie then Replies to Ash in a confident manner telling him).
Ritchie: Mmm, you would be surprised... (Then they hear Ritchie's phone ringing. Ritchie picks it up off the floor, seeing that his Phone Screen now had a crack going through it, but otherwise was still working great. On the Phone Screen was a Customizable Avatar icon, then Ritchie answers the Phone, thankful that his Phone ended up made from Nintendium).
Ritchie: Hello, Super Ketchum Brothers. Uh-huh? A drip in your faucet? That is great! (Then he sees Ash gesturing to him that he should not have said that, and Ritchie corrects himself saying) I mean, that's... That is great you called us because we can be there, and we can fix it right away. Okay. (Then Ritchie Hangs up the Phone, before turning to Ash with a look of excitement on his face). Ash, we got one! (Ash and Ritchie hug and jump around as they celebrate this momentous event in their lives).
Ash: (Laughs).
Ritchie: The Super Ketchum Brothers are in business!
Ash: Woo-hoo! (Then Ash and Ritchie run out of the Restaurant).
(Moments later, Ash and Ritchie get into their van, the same one from their commercial, only it was looking pretty beat up. Ash, being their designated driver puts the keys into the ignition, starting the Cars engines. Once both Ash and Ritchie have their seatbelts on, Ash hits gas pedal. But the car only goes a couple of Feet, not even going past the Pizza Restaurant they were just in and anywhere near a nearby Travel Agency Building called, "Surf Shine Travel Agency" with a Pair of Dolphins. Ash keeps trying to get the engine going, but it proves to be in vain. Seeing their Van not starting due to the engine breaking down, Ritchie panics shouting).
Ritchie: Oh, no. We are gonna be late. (Knowing that continuing to try and get the Van's Engine going due to it Stalling was a waste of time Ash tells him, determined to not blow this chance for a job here as he gives Ritchie their bag of Plumbing Tools).
Ash: No, we are not. Come on, let us go. (Ash gets out of their van, deciding to get to their Plumbing Job on foot, running in the direction of their Plumbing Job with Ritchie doing his best to catch up with his older brother shouting to him as the Song, "No Sleep till Brooklyn" begins to play).
Ritchie: Hey, wait up! (Ash turns around a Corner and jumps over a Trash Can, while shouting to Ritchie who was running behind him).
Ash: This way. (Due to not looking where he was going, Ritchie hits the trash can, getting the attention of an alley Glameow, which leaps out at Ritchie, shrieking while attacking him with Fury Swipes, making him scream in pain).
Glameow: (Shrieks).
Ritchie: Ah!
Ash: Come on, Ritchie. Step on it. (Ash deftly jumps through an open cab window and around grocery store customers, while Ritchie struggles with tumbling and bumping into them due to the Glameow still sticking to him. Ritchie then bumps into a woman holding a bag full of Groceries, knocking them all to the ground. Ritchie scrambles to pick up all the groceries he knocked to the ground a moment ago).
Woman: Excuse you! (Then Ritchie Hands the Bag to a Grocery Store Clerk coming out of the nearby Grocery Story).
Ritchie: Here you go. (Ritchie puts the Glameow into a paper bag and hands it to a grocery clerk before running off again to catch up with Ash as the Glameow Meows as it pops its head out of the Bag).
Glameow: (Meows).
(Then Ash and Ritchie come to a road closed for construction as Ritchie catches up and leans over to catch his breath. Before Ash goes on ahead, bravely running toward the construction zone).
Ritchie: Oh, Ash, what are you doing? (Ash and Ritchie enter the construction zone, with Ash climbing the gate and jumping into the Construction Zone while making sure to create an open path for Ritchie to navigate while following him, as he opens a gate for him to enter the Construction Zone. Then Ash jumps onto a Man's head to give him the boost to jump onto a Stack of Construction tools while the Construction worker yells at them).
Construction Worker: Hey! Get offa there! (While Ritchie tries to take the same path, Ash did to catch up with him. The Brothers pass by multiple caution and hazard signs that have pictorial Video Game character sprites on them. Then Ash throws down a wooden Plank for Ritchie to cross a small gap while another Construction Worker yells at them).
Construction Worker: You cannot be in- (Ritchie accidentally bumps into him, knocking him down into a pit while Ash climbs and runs on top of a Metal Platform). Whoa! (Ritchie yells an apology to the man he just accidentally bumped into).
Ritchie: My bad! (Then Ash jumps onto a Red Metal Girder while Ritchie follows along below).
Construction Worker: Move it up! (Ritchie struggles to keep up with Ash due to all the Construction Workers he was trying to navigate around).
Ritchie: Ah! Oh, I am so sorry.
Construction Worker: Hey, we are workin' here! (Ash swings along a Metal Chain, landing on the ground).
Ritchie: So sorry. (Then Ash running up a set of stairs. Before jumping out an opening in the Staircase and grabbing on and sliding down the sign pole outside a castle-shaped restaurant titled "CASTLE BURGER". Now having made it out of the construction zone and concluded his little parkour performance across the construction site, Ash goes and opens the gate for Ritchie shouting to him).
Ash: Come on, Ritchie! Pump those legs. (Even though Ash knew that he was more athletic than his brother, he was making sure to help give him a way through, without even commenting on how he was more athletically skilled then him. Then Ash kept moving on towards their destination. While Ritchie having struggled a ton during their escapade through the Construction Zone was panting and trying to get his breath back while replying to Ash).
Ritchie: (Pants). Oh, I am so sorry, I am trying. But I got bad knees. (Ritchie was not as much of an Acrofatic individual like Ash, since was not as nimble as Ash was here, especially with how he was carrying their heavy toolkit. With him having to methodically sneak through while Ash jumped around with near ease).
(Finally, the song "No Sleep till Brooklyn" stops playing as Ash and Ritchie arrive at a towering, tall white townhouse building. They were both relieved that they were able to arrive at their job site even though their van stubbornly refused to start. Though Ash made a mental note to fix the Van later with a water bottle, and hope that would fix the problem with it. But now, they had their first Plumbing job ahead of them as Ash gives a Wolf whistle at their building before them as he and Ritchie were feeling excited about this first job of theirs).
Ash: (Whistles).
Ritchie: Oh, wow. We have hit the big time. (Ash Chuckles happily in agreement with Ritchie. Before they give each other a fist bump as they head inside, excited for their first Ever Plumbing Job).
[A/N #1: If you were not aware of it, Charles Martinet who was the longtime voice of Mario and Luigi in the games played the Guy Giuseppe. At the beginning of the movie, after watching their Commercial, Mario asks Luigi if their choice to put on thick, -esque Italian accents for their plumbing commercial is "too much", Giuseppe, an Italian man played by Charles Martinet, himself, overhears them, and gives them his approval saying, "Too much? It's-a Perfect! Wahoo!" But Charles Martinet had no part at all in voicing Mario and Luigi in the movie at all, so Mario and Luigi's Italian accents in the Plumbing Commercial were Chris Pratt (Who played Mario) and Charlie Day's (Who played Luigi) accomplishments that they did all by themselves. So, in a way, Charles' memorable scene as Giuseppe praising Mario and Luigi's Italian accents in their commercial takes a whole new meaning as well, showing how he was enormously proud of the accent and the voice he created and gave to Mario and Luigi to the very end is Heartwarming in Hindsight].
[A/N #2: If anyone is wondering why I chose Max (May's little Brother) to Play Giuseppe it was because, just like how Giuseppe is voiced by Mario and Luigi's Previous Voice actor, Charles Martinet, with how Ash is playing Mario, I wanted to choose a Character who one of Ash's multiple voice Actors (All of Whom are Woman believe it or not) has also voiced. In this Case one of Ash's voice Actresses, named Kazie Rodgers (But used the pseudonym of Jamie Peacock) did in fact do the voice for May's little brother Max for the Anime episodes in the Advance Generations Season, Starting with, "Fear Factor Phony" and ending with the episode, "Home is Where the Start Is!", and also voiced Max in the Movie, "The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon". So, put simply, just like how Mario and Giuseppe were both Voiced by Charles Martinet (Just not at the same time in the Same Movie), Ash and Max were both voiced by Kazie Rodgers (Who used the pseudonym of Jamie Peacock)].
Replies to my reviewers:
Ashpoke55: Sorry, the first Chapter was kinda short. But I hope this Chapter was exciting, as well as hoping this story was worth waiting all that time for. And I have tons of Amazing Stuff planned for the rest of this Story, that will blow your mind like a Bob-omb from Multiple Mario Games. :) Like Always, feel free to ask any questions, you may have for me or for this story. I always enjoy your questions, so feel free to fire away with them, like Bowser's Fire Breath. :) But do not worry, I got myself an Ice Flower to help manage Bowser's Fiery Breath. :)
Please Review
-To Be Continued-
Next time on ... THE SUPER KETCHUM BROS.:
First Plumbing Job