Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Divided & Confused ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The two teens walked down the main street of Viridian, strolling among the market stalls.

"So, you're a trainer too?"

"Yeah, but I haven't competed in any major competitions. I have nine badges from the Indigo League Gyms, but I have decided to wait a little while and train up my Pokemon so that I'm as prepared as possible."

"Good idea. I wish I had thought about that before competing in the League. Maybe I'd been placed a little higher than in the Top 16."

"That's a great position for someone of your age. You were only eleven at the time."

"Maybe, but I wish I'd trained a bit more before it. My friends and I just always seemed to get side-tracked."

"How long have you know ... what are they called?"

"Misty and Brock. I've known them since I was ten. They were my coaches at the Indigo League competition. Brock used to be the leader of the Pewter City gym. He was the first leader I battled. He joined me after."

"Did you beat him?"

"Ah, well kinda. Misty and I have a pretty strange pass. I've known her a little longer than Brock. She saved mine and Pikachu's life when we accidentally got tangled in her fishing line. Then I stole and blew up her bike. Four years later, I still haven't paid her back."

"Unusual meeting."

"Yeah, but we are good friends, although we don't always seem to be." They certainly did have a strange friendship. One moment they would be great friends, helping each other through thick or thin. The next they would be yelling all the insults of the day at each other; him commenting on her tomboy ways and she about his naivity and overconfidence. Hmm. She is a strange girl, but I like that about her.

"Ash?" She waved her hand in front of his face. "Are you okay?"

"What?" he asked, coming out of his thoughts.

"You drifted off there for a moment."

"Oh, sorry I was just thinking."

"What about?"

"Nothing important."

"Oh, okay." His momentary blackout left her curious. When she first met him at the centre, the girl, Misty, seemed to be a little jealous at Ash's interest in her, and when the two left, the redhead had seemed a little depressed. Then he was spaced out when he had finished talking about her. Maybe, she wondered, there was something between the two of them. But then again if they did have feelings for each other, why weren't they together? And why had he asked her out? She put the whole situation behind her, and just concentrated upon the rest of the day.

"Have you heard about the party at the Pokemon centre tomorrow night?" he inquired.

"Yeah. It sounds like a great night."

"How about..we... ah...go together, if you'd like to, that is."

"Of course. So...are we...going out then," she asked nervously.

"Ah...I guess so," Ash said cautiously, hoping that was what she wanted to hear. Even after years of living with his mum, and travelling with Misty, he still had come no closer to understanding girls. But then, he guessed, few guys every do understand them.

"Great. I can't believe it. I'm dating thee Ash Ketchum. I can't wait to tell my friends. They'll be so jealous."

Ash chuckled. "I'm not exactly famous."

"You may not be as famous as the Elite Four, but your name is held in high regard."

"Thanks. I don't get compliments much."

"So, how did it go?" Brock asked his younger friend.

Ash smiled as he entered the small common room. "It went great. Absolutely perfect. We went to a little cafe for lunch, talked for a little while. Then took a short stroll around the city, which actually turned into quite a long stroll. We walked for about four hours endlessly talking about each other."

"So what's she like?"

Misty heard the two guys talking when she was in the bedroom, still sorting out some of her clothes. She walked over to the door, holding some of her clothes, and pushed it a little ajar so she could hear what they were saying a bit better.

"She's brilliant," Misty heard Ash reply to a question of Brock's that she hadn't quite heard. But she could guess the subject of the inquiry, neither-the-less.

"She's smart, beautiful, and great fun to be with. I can't believe how great we got on. And I'm amazed at how interested she is in me."

"That's great to hear. So, she is going with you to the dance tomorrow night, then?"

"Yep, and I can't wait to see her again."

"Are you not seeing her before the party?"

"No. I asked but she has something planned."

"Oh, well."

"Yeah."

This wasn't the type of thing Misty wanted to here. It wasn't like she wanted the girl to dump Ash or anything, but Misty didn't like to see him with anyone else. She wanted him for herself, even though she knew that wasn't possible. It still hurt, though, to hear him singing the praises of another girl. She had always had a crush on him and some feelings that for years now she had been trying to suppress, but, knowing that he was now seeing her, out of the blue, it brought it all back to her how they could never be together. She brought one of her pieces of clothing up to her eye and wiped away a small tear. At that point, she felt something touching her leg.

She looked down to see a little ball of yellow fur look back up at her with a concerned look on it's small face. "I didn't realise you were in here, Pikachu."

"Pika pika?"

"Am I okay? Yeah, I'm fine." She bent down and picked up the small Pokémon.

"Pikachu?"

"Your right, I'm not."

"Pika pi, pikachu?"

"Yeah, it's him."

"Pikachu pika pi."

"Yeah, I have feelings for him, but don't you breathe a word. I don't want anyone to know."

"Pika?"

"Why not? Because we're too close as friends for anything to happen. And he doesn't like me the way I like him."

"Pika pikachu pika."

"You'd like us to get together. Mmm, so would I, but it'll never happen." She put the electric rodent onto the bottom bunk bed where the rest of her clothes were and began to sort them again. Pikachu just watched, wishing that his two closest friends would tell each other how they felt.

"Hi, Misty."

It was Ash. She hadn't heard him open the door to the bedroom and was shocked to suddenly hear his voice. She turned to see him coming into the room, walking towards her. He sat down on the floor next to her and picked up Pikachu. He softly stroked the rodents head, making him purr.

"Hi," she finally replied. "Your back then," she commented, trying to make it seem that she didn't really care.

"Yeah."

"How did you get on?"

"Pretty great. I think she really likes me and were going to that party tomorrow night, so-"

"That's brilliant."

Then she hesitated, realising that she should apologise for earlier. She understood why he hadn't dated. If he found someone he really liked he may have to decide between his lifelong dream and that relationship, and either choice would severely hurt him. "I'm sorry, Ash, about this afternoon. I just got angry and as usual took it out on you. I didn't mean what I said. I can understand your apprehension."

"Ah, don't worry about it. Anyway, if you hadn't of said those things I'd never plucked up the courage to ask Stasi out. And I guess you were right. Relationships are part of life and I can't neglect them just to stop from getting hurt. I should really start thinking about those types of things and taking a few more risks. I don't want to end up alone. I'd like to eventually fall in love, get married, and who knows, even have a couple of kids."

"I didn't exactly see you as the settling-down type," Misty giggled.

"Ah, who knows what the future holds. All I know for sure is that I don't want to be alone."

"You'LL never be alone. You've got me , Brock, Pikachu, your mum and a lot of other people who'll always be there for you."

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Saying that."

"No problem."

With that, he went back into the living room, leaving Misty alone with her thoughts again. She was happy, and a little shocked, that everything had went so well, but her joy for her friend was overshadowed by her envy. She wanted him for herself.