Day 1: Afternoon "There..." Misty sighed as she emptied out the last bucket of water from the kitchen. "That's the last of it..." "About time..." Ash sighed, scooping Ami in his arms. "Now, we only leave the sink on until we are done with it, okay?" Ami just stared blankly at Ash, as if he had said something in a foriegn language. "Translation: Please look at me like I've lost my mind." Brock joked. Misty giggled, only wondering at what their seemingly innocent charge could be plotting... --------- "Rock a bye, and good night..." Brock sang--or rather--tried to sing over Ami's constant squalling. "Does anyone know a good way to calm down a crying Azurill?" "Just try singing to her." Misty called from the living room. "And hurry, because 'Pokeguardians' is about to start!" "It is? I've been wondering if the Guardians rescue Reina in this episode!" Brock replied back, all the while trying to comfort the crying Ami. "Well, hurry up and sing so you can find out!" Misty yelled, exasperated. "Okay..." With that, Brock took a DEEP breath and sang: "Rockabyebabyinthetreetopswhenthewindblowsthecradle willrockwhentheboughbreaksthecradlewillfallanddown willcomebabycradleandall." "Sweet dreams!" Brock called after the now sleeping Ami as he raced down into the living room and jumped onto the couch next to Ash. "That was quick..." Misty commented. "Not to mention the world's fastest rendition of 'Rock-a-bye Baby' I've ever heard." Ash agreed. "And I did it all in one breath, too!" Brock laughed as the TV began to sing the "Pokeguardians" theme song... ---------- "Karinai! Protect Reina!" the TV blared as the Pokeguardians prepared to battle the Dark Sisters for the fate of a child--Reina. "All right! This is it!" Brock rubbed his palms excitedly as the two sides stared each other down. Finally, Raisheal drew his sword, and icy storms, fireblasts, thunderbolts, Hyper Beams, and darkness blasts criss-crossed the screen. At that second... "WAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" squawked the Pokemonitor sitting on the coffee table. Brock sighed. "She picks the big battle to wake up...." He grumbled as he got up from the couch and trudged down the hall to the back room, where Ami was squalling profusely. "Now what?" he asked. He grabbed a book from the shelf. "Want a story?" Ami just continued to cry. "Ooh!" Misty hurried up the stairs and set a tape deck next to Brock. "Do the Torchic Dance! She'll like that!" "Do the WHAT???" Ash grabbed his popcorn, came up the stars and into the back room, just in time to see Brock flash his hands in front of Ami, flap his arms like a Torchic, shimmy down to the floor, come back up, and clap four times. He tried not to laugh as Brock continued the strange dance. "The things I have to do to entertain this little girl..." Brock sighed, listening to Ami's delighted squeals as he "danced". Ash turned and smiled at Misty. "I don't know which is better: "Pokeguardians" or Brock acting completely stupid for a baby..." "Don't rub it in, Ash...he's embarrassed enough." Misty giggled, noting that Brock's face was Charizard red... ---------- "Okay, Miss Ami...it's food time!" Ash sang as he set Ami down on the counter. "See?" he cooed as he showed Ami some fruits. "Yum yum...these are...good...for...you..." he started, only noticing a trail of cookie crumbs leading from the counter, on the floor, out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and into the back room. "Follow those crumbs!" Misty called, leading the way into the back room, where Ami sat in her crib, scarfing down a stash of cookies. "A-HEM!" Brock started, startling Ami. "Rill?" Ami asked, offering Brock a cookie. "Oh no..." Brock explained as he took the cookies from Ami. "If you eat too many of those, you'll get sick." No sooner had he said that, a splat came from the crib, followed by a cry of "EWWW!!!!" "Too late..." Ash sighed as he stripped the soiled sheets from the crib... Day 1: Evening "Okay..." Misty sighed as she tucked Ami in for bedtime. "Who wants to read Ami a story before bed? "I will!" Brock volunteered. "Excuse me while I prepare...but which story does she want to hear?" "Hmm..." Misty thumbed through the storybook for a moment, then pointed out a story. "Read her this one here..." "Okay..." and Brock disappeared from the room... Ash was puzzled. "Just how long does it take to get ready to tell a story?" "I think it's fixing to turn into a stage show..." Misty giggled as Brock hauled in parts of costumes, a few sets, and Misty's tape deck. "Ready for your story, Ami?" Brock cooed. "Rill Ri!" Ami smiled. "Okay...and Brock turned the lights off. When a spotlight reappeared on him, he was now in an elaborate vest and pants. "Today I present to you a story that takes place in a far away land..." he began, as a set of a forest and castle appeared behind him. "Now, this kingdom was being plundered by a great and terrifying dragon..." he continued, making a Dragonite shadow with his hands to illustrate his point. "The people were so afraid of the dragon, the king decreed..." and Brock paused to throw on a purple cape and a costume crown, so he looked something like a king. "Whoever defeats the dragon will have my daughter's hand in marriage." he continued in a "king-making-a-decree" voice...much to Ami's delight. Ash snickered as the "show" unfolded, complete with Brock dressing up like Link, to "slay" the Dragonite shadow. "He sure knows how to put on a show..." "...and they all lived happily ever after...the end." Brock concluded. Ash and Misty applauded as Brock took a bow. Misty paused to give Ami a kiss. "Sweet dreams..." "Azu..." Ami sighed as she went to sleep. Currently listening to: On Broadway (jazz version) Chain Breaker on duty--searching for the truth about e-mail forwards!