Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Closure ❯ Ketching Up ( Chapter 2 )

Title: Closure

Author: Chibi/Warlordess

Pre-Author's Notes: Thanks so much to those who reviewed the first chapter! Really, I'm glad that some of you remembered that I'm the same author of the recent big-fic 'Miss Discovery!' and liked it enough to check out this piece, as most of my past reviewers promised to do. I wanna let all of the readers know now that I don't plan on bringing in any of the other characters. I plan to act like May and Max are both dead, Brock's returned home and met some splendid surprise with long blue hair, fair skin, and a Vulpix, Tracey's caught up with Professor Oak at the lab, Mrs. Ketchum is away on vacation, and Gary is somewhere in the middle of Ilex forest, rediscovering his travels there without a Hoot Hoot, completely and hopelessly lost. I might bring in some Pika-matchmaking but that's only if I'm in the mood for translation services, which REALLY get on my nerves a lot of the time so...

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I don't even think I own this idea. I'm just the first person that I know of whose decided to post anything on FFN/anywhere else about it.

Summary: Ash's stupidity gains him a visit to Misty's Gym after his finish in the Hoenn League and there, things between them get a little hasty. Implied and possibly serious AAMR.

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Chapter Two: Ketching Up (pun intended)

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Ash Ketchum was whistling almost gleefully as he steadily skipped (yes, skipped; don't ask me why) down the main streets of Cerulean on his way to Misty's Gym. He had no particular reason to be happy, considering that he was to be put to labor work and that his next week would be spent with his overly-aggressive, carrot-topped friend with absolutely no supervision and so he was actually asking himself at this time why exactly he felt like laughing all of his personal troubles off.

But then again, there was this feeling in the air. Something other than the musty, stale warning of rain approaching around him that he couldn't identify. But somehow, it made him feel that something good was going to happen. He just wished that he knew what...

He was currently standing still in front of the Seel-trimmed Cerulean City Gym. There was no valley-girl voice rising over the intercom to detail a water ballet being played that day, and the ticket booth that had been permanently erected in front of the main entrance stood tall and lonesome as there was no one behind or in front of it.

Actually, as Ash would soon realize upon entering the Gym, he was Misty's only guest and the only one bothering to visit her that day. She got the rare Trainer, maybe a total amount of ten a week, but today was obviously one of her less popular days. Ash barely had time to wonder whether or not Misty had lost her temper on them all and scared them away when the front doors opened and an automated voice spoke from around him.

"Welcome, Trainer, to Cerulean City Gym. Please select three Pokemon at this time, as we will be sponsoring three-on-three Pokemon battles today, and approach the main desk with you final choices. There you will be offered your available battle time. Thank you!" The chirpy female tone ended with a little ding and Ash stepped through the doors, off-handedly thinking of whether or not he should actually start gathering which three Pokemon he'd like to battle with before coming to the conclusion that he wasn't there for a battle in the first place. He also realized that the computer-trainer-handling system was new as well.

"Finally; I was wondering if you'd lost your way." A familiar voice said from behind him and he turned with a light scowl. Misty may have been his friend but her cracks about his sense of direction (or lack of one) and his other less redeeming qualities just got on his nerves. But as he was readying the common come-back, he took notice that she was wearing a yellow poncho and rain boots. He gazed questioningly at her before she replied to his unasked inquiry, "Well, your not getting here as fast as I thought you would worried me and so I was about to go out there and look for you. It all ready looked like it was beginning to rain so I wore the proper clothes."

And she was right. No sooner had he sat down on a chair with his bag in his hand than a single strike of lightning clapped across the sky followed by a rumble of thunder. Ash winced at the sudden sound then turned so that he could say "hello" properly to Misty but she'd disappeared.

Probably taking off those clothes. He thought reasonably and, sure enough, when she reappeared, she was wearing regular 'inside' attire and an expression of something remotely related to smugness about something that Ash couldn't comprehend at the moment... Not that he was trying very hard.

"So, how are you doing?" He asked her and she smiled almost gratefully, catching that he was honestly curious and caring for her. She sat next to him and stared at the soles of her slippers. It was something he noted about her along with her suddenly less hostile expression.

"I'm doing okay. I've been making a few updates on the Gym so at least it'll pass inspection. I can't make it look the best, obviously; haven't been in the 'business' long enough. But I'm trying my hardest to impress the League Committee so that they don't think that I'm as incapable of Leadership as my sisters. And I've been battling pretty well too. I haven't beaten everyone whose come by but I've managed a positive increase in my average. I'm thinking that, at least by the time my sisters return, I'll have managed to improve our abysmal reputation somewhat. I just wish that they'd stop trying to ruin it in the first place..." Her brow furrowed for a moment at the thought of how much change would, again, be inflicted upon her home once her older siblings had returned from their trip, "But how are you? I'm sorry about... You know... The Hoenn League. I know that you were trying real hard to win that one..."

"What do you mean? I always try hard to win!" Ash stated fiercely, feeling that sting that always hit him hard when his training abilities were reprimanded, "The other competitions were no different than this one! I'm getting really tired of your continually trying to bring me down just because I can't win every battle and--" He broke off when he saw that she was looking angry and upset again and re-thought his words, "--Uhm, I mean, sorry... Yea, I was working real hard and everything; guess people learn lessons everyday. I'm obviously still in need of practice..."

"Well, Ash, you could always come to me. I can help you train pretty well; I am a Gym Leader after all!" She said this proudly, smiling at her title of importance, "And I'm your friend, so you know that you can never go wrong with me." And now she was back to her soft, sweet self, staring, once more, at the soles of her fuzzy slippers.

"Yeah," Ash said with an equally pleased grin, "I know."

"Good. Now that we're done with all of that, you should call your mom and tell her that you're here; at least leave her a message..." She jumped to her feet and left through the side door and then came back a moment later, this time carrying a mop, broom, dustpan, and bucket full of soapy water, "And then you can start on your Room-and-Board-chores!" She was talking in a very chipper tone and Ash sweatdropped and moaned.

It was now clear why she'd been looking so smug before.

"Wah... C'mon Myst!" He said, looking injured, "I just got here and you're all ready handing me a list of things to do? Can't I get a few minutes peace? I mean, I did just come from a week long travel from Hoenn Stadium..!" He complained, watching as her brow rose and then, as though as an after-thought, she interrupted him.

"Hey Ash! You never told me where you sent Pikachu, or is he still with you? Or..." She broke off with a smirk, knowing that her next inquiry would hit him hard, "...Did you leave him on the boat, just like your sleeping bag?" She said and when his face went stiff with shock and worry, she thought for a single moment that she'd been right, before he jumped into his backpack and started mulling his things around.

"I forgot to even tell him that we were staying with you! He was asleep for the last two hours of the sail and through our arrival at the Pokemon Center and I didn't wanna wake him up since he'd had such a hard time at the Hoenn League and hardly any time to recuperate afterward! I let him sleep in here because I thought it'd be more comfy than on the boat deck, the way it was rocking so much..." He took a moment to remember before resuming his action of searching for his little buddy, and then, "Poor guy... He's still out cold..." He began to utter soft awakenings, "C'mon, Pikachu buddy... Wake up... Guess who we're staying with for the rest of the week?"

There was a small "Pika..?" from inside the pack and then some shuffling and two long ears perked over the top, followed by a sleepy looking Pikachu, yawning with his mouth wide open and a few electric pulsations emitting from the red patches on his cheeks.

He rubbed his eyes and, after regaining the will to move, caught sight of Misty and smiled, "Pikachupi!" He chanted and jumped from the backpack and hurriedly into Misty's arms.

"Awe, it's good to see you too, Pikachu! How would you like come ketchup? I'm positive that I have a bottle in the refrigerator and I think that it's safe to say that it's all ready got your name on it." She continued to rub him behind his ears, which he sighed contentedly from, and then walked away and into the kitchen with him in her secure hold, Ash following afterward with a small grin on his face.

He had evaded being properly given the implements for which he'd need to complete his chores and, until she was done paying attention to Pikachu, Misty wouldn't be getting back on his case. Until then he could play stupid (which really wasn't that hard for him) and avoid the subject, "Heh. And now I can get a bit to eat."

"And Ash; you can get started on the mopping. The battle arena's in need of a good cleaning up since I haven't had a chance to do it, myself, since last week." Misty called out to him from the front. Ash stood stark still again.

"Mwah!"

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Post-Author's Notes: Thanks for reading this chapter, my precious fans! Er... At least I hope that you're fans... Anyway, ignoring my low self-esteem, I hope that you liked this chapter because I kinda rushed it's creation. Nevertheless, I tried sticking to the storyline, the character personalities, and the whatever-else-I-was-going-to-put-here. Yea, I was just seduced by a Donut cappuccino commercial on my radio and I've completely forgotten what I was going to say... Erm... I guess I only need to say one more thing to make my motives clear...

REVIEW PLEASE!

--Chibi/Warlordess signing off!