Growing up in Poverty... Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon!! Ages: Ash: 15 Misty: 15 Brock: 19 Ash yawned and sat up. He turned to the clock. It was 7 a.m. and for some reason he was awake. He looked around and saw Brock and Misty in their sleeping bags. Pikachu was snoring beside Togepi. Ash smiled and lay back down. The sky was beginning to light up as the sun rose of the forest trees. Ash heard rusting beside him. Misty was beginning to awaken. She rubbed her eye's and sat up, it took awhile for her to focus, but she soon noticed Ash was awake. "Wow...your up early", Misty yawned. Ash smiled. "yeah... I don't know why though". Misty lay back down. "I hardly slept", she sighed. Ash laughed. "By the snoring, it sounded like you slept just fine..." "That was Brock", Misty said, Another girly snore came from Brock direction. "I could of sworn that was you...", said Ash a little freaked out. Misty smiled and sat up again. She got up and walked over to her back pack. She's pulled out a small blue book with a picture of Orange haired woman, holding a little orange haired girl by the ocean. Ash tried to get a closer look, but Misty quickly closed the book. "hey!! This is my diary!", she snarled, hitting Ash on the head with it. "OW! Well how was I supposed to know!", growled Ash. "Don't be so nosey!". "NOT NOW!", shouted A voice from behind. Brock had awaken from the argument., "Don't even consider arguing!". "No way ... we couldn't of woken you up!", said Ash. Brock stood up and stretched. "Well guess what, you did!". Misty went over the picnic table, opened her diary, and began to write. Ash sat beside her and tried to peak over. "NO!", she screamed, moving to the other side of the table. "Fine", sighed Ash, "I'll juts sit here...bored". Pikachu jumped up onto the table. "Pika pi, Pika(translation: Leave her alone!)", said Pikachu. Ash grinned. "Why...". "Pi cu chu pika kachu(translation: Because you'll start an argument)". "That's the point!", laughed Ash, Pikachu sighed. Misty looked up form her diary. "What...are you guys talking about?", she asked. Ash narrowed his eyes at her. "None of your business". Misty growled and went back to her diary. "Brock, How do you spell...ANNOYING LITTLE GEEK", Misty said Grinning at Ash. Brock put three white bowls on the table. "Hey! Are you writing about me!! Let me see now!", shouted Ash leaning over and knocked milk all over Brock and Misty. "Ash! Watch it dude!", said Brock. Ash cleaned the mess fast. "Yeah gees!", growled Misty, whipping the milk off her diary. Ash snarled at her. After breakfast Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu began to decide their next destination. "We have 2weeks of free time to kill", said Brock, studying the map. "Ok. so where haven't we been in a long time?", said Misty. "How about.... Cerulean City?", smiled Ash. Brock's face lit up with happiness. "Ok, it's decided, we'll go see Misty's sisters!", said Brock, gay fully. he packed up his stuff and hurried everyone up. Misty put Togepi in her backpack. "I don't feel like going home...", said Misty as they were on their way. Ash rolled his eye's. "Why?" "Because... I just don't", sighed Misty. Brock laughed. "Who wouldn't want to hang with them fine girls...", said Brock, skipping happily down the trail. Misty and Ash sighed. It too them around 4 hours to get to Cerulean. As they approached the gym, they could smell fresh paint. Misty's eye's widened. "Did...they paint the gym?', she said with joy, running through the glass doors. Ash and Brock followed. Misty's sisters were in the swim room, painting the last wall. Misty squealed. "Oh My Gosh... your guys are paint the gym?", she shouted, happily. Daisy turned around. "Ah, like hi Misty!", she shouted. Lilly and Violet also turned around. "hey little sis, yeah, we got a grant from the mayor!", grinned Lilly. Ash turned to Misty. "What's the big deal?", he asked. Misty starred at him, then laughed a little. "I guess you wouldn't understand", she smiled. Brock shrugged. "try us". "No, I'm not gonna go into it, it's not important", she smiled, running up to her sisters. Ash and Brock were puzzled. "what's not important?", said Ash. "What wouldn't we understand?", said Brock. Misty was chattering with her sisters about *paint* for the next half an hour. Finally they stopped, and walked over to Brock and Ash. "like Hi Guys", smiled Violet. Brock squealed. "Hi beautiful woman!". "Are you guys all like staying for a few days?", asked Lily, as they all walked into the living room. "I dunno... are we Ash?", asked Misty. Ash shrugged. "it's up to you", he said, looking around. everything looked new and different. they all sat on the couched and talked for a few hours. Misty's sisters finally went to finish paint, Brock willing went to help. Ash and Misty stayed in the living room and watched tv. Ash soon fell asleep. .......................... He woke up slowly. He could feel Pikachu next to him, also fast asleep. Brock was asleep on the arm chair out in the hall. Ash was about to sit up to check the time when he heard talking. "This is so not good!", cried what seemed to be Lilly's voice. Ash could hear paper being crinkled. "I thought you guys were doing great now...", said what Ash recognized as Misty's voice. She sounded as if she was crying. "We were... or at least we thought we were", sighed Daisy's voice. "The just have been having trouble paying the bills lately", said Violet. Ash heard Misty's cry get louder. "It's going to be like old times! I know it!", she cried. "No Misty, it'll be ok...somehow we'll get back on track, we always do", said Daisy. "This gym is everything to us...we won't lose it Mist", said Lilly. Ash gasped. "Lose the gym...", he whispered standing up. Misty's sobbing grew heavier. "Mist, don't worry... we are trying our best", said Daisy, her voice sounding as if she were crying. Ash her a loud thud, then Misty came running out. He quickly grabbed her. "Mist...what's going on?", he asked. Misty didn't respond, she just cried. Ash hugged her close and sat her down. Brock was woken by all this and walked in. "What happen...", he whispered. Misty shook his head and pointed the Misty's sisters who were crying in the kitchen. Brock quickly ran in there. "Mist...talk to me...what happened?", questioned Ash. Misty just sobbed. Ash pulled her tightly to him and rested his head on hers. "I...I....it's all over.... again....on...da... streets!", said Misty, Ash could only understand every few words. "What's all over...who's on the streets?" He asked, Misty's sobbing wasn't seeming to calm down., "Ok, Mist, explain this to me slowly and carefully...". "NO!", she yelled, pushing Ash away. He felt as if it were his fault. Misty ran down the hall and slammed her bedroom door. Brock came running into Ash. "Did Misty explain?", Brock exclaimed. Ash shook his head he sighed. Brock smiled lightly. "Why are you smiling? You think Misty crying is funny?", growled Ash. Brock knew whenever Misty was unhappy, so was Ash, and vise-versa. it was obviously to everyone... everyone except them! "Dude, chill...it's not funny!". Ash glared at Brock then walked to the room Misty had shut herself in. He rested his forehead against the door and sighed. "Mist...Please explain. Don't be mad", Ash said in a sighful voice. He could hear her sobbing inside. he had to get in. Misty's door lock was broken and when Ash turned the knob, the door swung open. Misty was laying on her bed. Ash hesitated for a second, but soon sat beside her. "Talk to me about this... why are your sister's losing the gym?", whispered Ash. With those words, Misty's cry began heavier. Ash didn't know what to do. he hadn't dealt with her while she was this way before. he didn't know what he was doing, he just did whatever his mind told him to do. He stroked her head gently, at first he felt stupid, but as Misty's sobbing calmed down, he realized it was helping. She sat up next to him, and cried into his shoulder. Ash lifted her face up and held his hand under her chin. "Misty....explained what happened, and maybe I can help", said Ash, smiling. Misty was beginning to feel better. She sniffed a few times then look at him. Ash could see a slight smile on her face. Maybe things aren't so bad, he thought. Misty wiped and sniffed a few more times. "my sister's got behind on the bills...the gym is being taken away. they'll be on the streets", said Misty, beginning to cry again. "Everything will work out...won't it...", asked Ash, cupping her chin. "No, probably not...this is why my parents left. Because of all the bills They couldn't handle it and neither can we, I don't want to live in that little dump we used to live in up in PikaView Park". Ash couldn't believe it. He had always thought Misty had a great childhood. Loving parents, a nice big house, everything like that. At one time he would even class Misty as a rather rich child. But his look upon her was changing. "You...lived in a trailor? That's not bad at all... there's nothing wrong with that...", smiled Ash. Unlike he'd expected, Misty shook her head. "No Ash...no.... I lived...I lived on...NO", Misty screamed knocking him out the way and running out again. Ash was stunned. "She isn't telling me something", Ash whispered to himself, as he lay on Misty's bed and sighed. Meanwhile Misty's sisters were talking this through with Brock. "I can't believe this is happening again!", sighed Daisy. Lily shook her head. " We like totally promised her we wouldn't get into debt again!". "Yeah, I don't want to be living on the..", before Violet could finish her sentence Misty interrupted her. "NO, Violet don't even say that! Please!", cried Misty. Daisy smiled sincerely. "After 5 years of friendship....they don't even know?". Misty shook her head. Ash was beginning to drift to sleep again....... The entire room was dark, night had fallen on Cerulean Ash could tell. He could see the outline of Brock and Misty in their sleeping bags on the floor beside Misty's bed, when Ash lay. He slowly got up and walked out the room, trying not to make a sound. The hallway clock showed it to be 12:15 a.m. Obviously everyone was asleep. Ash crept into the kitchen and got himself a drink. There, on the counter, lay some documents. Ash didn't exactly understand the way of bills but he knew that when a check bounces it meant it was worthless, and that repossessed meant being taken. Which was exactly what was happening to the gym. Ash began to feel as if someone where watching him. he turned around to see Misty standing in the doorway. "OH god! You scared me!", said Ash, totally startled. Misty giggled. "That's nice to know!", she noticed the papers in his hand, "I can't believe it's really going, I was hoping to inherit this gym when my sisters were all married, but no..." Ash could see a tear running down Misty's face. "Isn't there anyway way you can stop this...", asked Ash. "You mean like how my parents tried to stop the house from being repossessed, that worked out well", growled Misty. Ash was confused. "What...do you mean...". "Ash...I lived on the streets as a child", said Misty, bursting into tears. "...What....but I always imagined you as quite rich and very well brought up". Misty laughed within her cry. "Are you joking! I wish I was rich, your like a millionaire compared to how I used to live... the only things I was taught by my parents was how to pick- pocket, to be totally afraid of my feelings, and to defend myself, after that they left". Ash listened carefully, trying to take it all in...but no...it was impossible...Misty...his Misty. The one he'd always looked up to and thought could teach him many things was... a street child. "Why...didn't you tell me sooner?", Ash whispered. Misty looked at him and shook her head. "I didn't want you to think I were scum", cried Misty. A gasp came from the doorway. It was Brock. "Most people who grow up on the streets are scum!", said Brock. "BROCK, that's not true!", shouted Ash. Misty starred at Brock, hoping something nice would follow what he had just said. "I wasn't finished yet", snarled Brock, "Most people who grow up on the streets are scum...but only if they make themselves that way, they don't have to be like that. misty and her sisters are perfect examples that children and people on streets aren't always sum". Ash narrowed his eye's at Brock. "Your lucky you followed that up with something good...", snarled Ash. To be Continued.... How was it? I thought this was a cool idea. Just so you all know, anyone who reads this who did grow up on the streets, I do not believe your scum. An I apologize in advance for Brocks comments in following chapters. Please read my other fics, I have written many different kinds! REVIEW!!