Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon, much less much more, so please, please, PLEASE, don’t go and do a Justice Department on Bill Gates type thing on my ass! I want to live! I WANT TO LIVE!!
Trials and Tribulations: Chapter 5
A return to simpler times (Hallelujah!)! Last chapter, more insight on Jessie and James’s history. After seeing how the rest of Team Rocket treats Jessie and James, and how far James would go to protect Jessie’s honor and reputation. Also, Brock’s Nurse Joy breaks up with him (aw…). There is also the small matter of Jessie and James joining Ash and company. Who knows how this is going to change things, especially since they are headed to Pallet. And Ash’s mother doesn’t know about him and Misty…
“Hey is anybody in the river?” Ash asked. It was early in the morning in the woods. The group (Ash, Misty, Brock, Jessie, James, Meowth, Pikachu and Togepi) had made camp there last night and was busy getting ready for the day.
“Uh, I don’t think so,” Brock answered, as he started breakfast up. Ash nodded and got out his towel, toothbrush, and a bar of soap, making sure not to wake up Misty, who was asleep nearby. Whistling a tune, he walked through the bushes to the fresh water river.
Making sure no one was near, he stripped down to his undies and waded into the river. There, he took of his underwear, and started to bathe.
Meanwhile, back at camp, James had finally awoken. Much to his dismay, Jessie was not near him as she usually was. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he looked around. Spotting Brock breaking some eggs into a bowl, he asked, “Hey where’s Jessie?”
“Hmmm… I’m not too sure… She woke up earlier and said she was going to the river…” Brock started, but stopped himself. #Uh-oh# he thought fear at his mistake rising up and amusement at what might happen.
Back at the river, Ash was busy brushing his teeth and started looking around. He spun around in a complete circle taking in the sights.
#The mountains in the far distance, # Ash thought looking at them. #A goldeen jumping out of the water a few feet away, the lush green forest, a sleeping Jessie doing a back float, naked, a marril swimming downstream…# He stopped himself cold. He turned around, a sweat drop starting to form. Floating lazily with the river was Jessie, naked as the day she was born.
Jessie woke up, seeing a naked Ash near her, blue in the face, his toothbrush still hanging out of his mouth.
“Well the least you could do is turn around, twerp,” she said matter of factly.
Ash stood frozen to the spot. Then his eyes rolled back into his head and he fainted. As soon as he hit the water, he instantly revived, and screamed, “MWAAAAAAAAAA!” Then he sped off, leaving a column of water in his wake.
Jessie shook her head and got up, suppressing a chuckle. #Somebody should have taught the brat the birds and the bees ages ago. #
She got up to put on her clothes that were near the riverbed. Ash in the meantime had lost all sense and was running around like a madman, screaming like a banshee, his legs a round blur, his arms flung up. He kept on running, until he slammed into a tree, and was knocked out, his eyes gone swirly.
Jessie, now dressed in khaki shorts and a sleeveless shirt, bent over Ash and slapped him awake. Ash sputtered awake.
“Hey, Ash, are you happy to see me?” Jessie asked.
“Uh, why do you ask that Jessie?” Ash replied, not aware he was still naked.
“’Cause you don’t have anything in your pockets, and your friend sure seems to be,” Jessie replied, pointing towards his lower body.
Ash looked down to where she was pointing to, and quickly got up, red in the face, to where his towel was.
Jessie laughed and went back to camp. By then Brock had finished making breakfast and handed her a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.
“Hey, what was that commotion going on down there?” Brock asked.
“Oh, nothing. Ash just finally saw perfection,” Jessie answered, a smile on her face.
“Whatever,” Brock answered, shrugging. “I figured he just saw you naked or something.”
Jessie’s eyes narrowed, and a vein popped up on her forehead. “What did you say, Brock?” she asked, her voice seething with rage.
“Uh, nothing…” Brock said, remembering her prowess with a paper fan. He raised his arms in mock surrender, turned face and ran.
Ash meanwhile had put on his clothes, his face still red. As he trudged back up to camp, a feeling of guilt and shame swept over him.
#Now how in the world am I going to explain this to Misty? To Jessie? To James? Now it looks like I’m some sort of pervert! Great going Ketchum! # he thought, kicking himself mentally.
He wondered how in the world he was going to go back to camp without anyone seeing him, when he heard, “Hey, Ash!”
Ash turned around to see Brock standing there, a grin on his face. #Aw, crap! HE must have heard about it! # Ash fumed.
“So how was your bath?” Brock asked, a goofy smile on his face.
“Shut up! It was an accident!” Ash said, blushing again.
“So did you like what you saw?”
“Shut up!”
“Aw, c’mon buddy! I’m just playing.” Brock said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Ash just shrugged it off, and turned around. Brock frowned, worried he might have hurt his friend somehow.
“Hey, Ash, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make fun,” he said softly.
“No, it isn’t you. It’s what you asked.”
Brock cocked an eyebrow, a smile again appearing on his face. “Oh, you mean the second question,” he said, the grin getting larger.
Ash turned around again, an ashamed expression on his face. “Yeah. The funny thing is I did.”
“Well Jessie isn’t ugly and fat! She is kinda hot…” Brock said thoughtfully.
“Well, it’d sure make me feel better if she was ugly and fat!”
“Dude. Trust me. It would not make things easier.”
Ash smiled at that. “It’s just that… I’ve had this bit of a crush on her. You know that.” With that he sighed and sat on the ground.
Brock sat down next to his friend, still smiling, remembering when Ash was 13, his voice starting to crack. It was funny at first, Ash telling him about how mixed up inside he felt about Misty. Then it was full out hilarious when Ash said he had a crush on Jessie. That took the cake.
Ash looked out at the water, staring of into space. He too, remembered those two years of his hormones raging like wild bulls.
“I mean, don’t get me wrong! I still love Misty, and I find her attractive and everything. But I mean I also find Jessie attractive. Is that wrong?” Ash asked.
Brock responded, “Look at me! I find everyone attractive! There’s no shame int that! But the big question is: did you stand there gawking?”
Ash scratched his head. “Uh, no.”
Brock smacked him upside his head, looking a bit peeved. “Dumbass!”
“Ow! What was that for?” Ash whined, rubbing his head.
“You should have enjoyed the view!”
“I say we go left! It’s a lot faster to the next town that way!” James said, holding a map.
“No way! If we go to the left, we’d be neck deep in swamp!” Brock replied, looking over his shoulder.
“And Meowth says we turn around! We took a wrong turn a couple of miles back!” Meowth piped up, leaping on top of James’s head.
“Hey, ya damn cat, I can’t see!” James whined.
They were following a dusty old path near the ocean, providing a breathtaking view of the sea below. They were still near the forest, as the trees loomed close to them. The path though was wide enough for them to keep an appreciable from the edge of the road, for there were no guardrails.
The group had left camp hours ago and was traveling under the hot, sweltering midday sun. James, Meowth, and Brock were in the front, while Jessie talked to Misty and played with Togepi in the middle, while Ash and Pikachu brought up the rear.
Ash was keeping his distance from the rest of the group, still embarrassed from that morning. He barely said a word to Misty, or anybody for that matter and was the last one to leave the camp. Pikachu had fallen asleep on Ash’s shoulder ages ago, so Ash had no one to talk to. Even if it were other wise, Pikachu still wouldn’t have been able to help in his situation.
As Brock, James and Meowth were arguing, they spotted five people ahead of them.
“Aha! Locals! They’ll tell us!” James said triumphantly, as he threw Meowth off of his head.
“Alright!” Brock said in agreement. “And those girls look pretty hot…” he stammered out as he saw the strangers in closer detail.
There were three girls and two guys, just hanging around at the side of the road, talking. James rushed ahead to greet them and warn them about Brock.
“Uh, hello there. Do you people live near here?” James asked, flashing a dazzling grin.
One of the girls stepped forward. She was around 5’6, 20 and had a slim figure. She had short, green hair and brown eyes. She was dressed in a pair of short shorts, and a white t-shirt.
“Uh, yeah we live around here. What can we do for you?” she asked.
“Well, my friends and I,” James said waving his arm, “Are passing through and we just wanted to know the quickest route to the next town.”
The girl stuck her hands into her pockets. “Well, you could go left, quickest way there…” she started.
“See….” James said smugly turning to give a look at Brock.
“But you’ll end up in the swamps.”
“See…” Brock replied, folding his arms and a smug grin on his face.
The girl just rolled her eyes at the exchange. “Anyway, me and my friends could take you there. We don’t have much to do anyway.”
She went back with her friends, and after a heated discussion, they followed her back to James.
“My names Kim. How do you do?” she said, sticking her hand out to James.
“And my names Brock, how do you do miss?” Brock replied, taking Kim’s hand, in full girl mode.
Kim grabbed back her hand. “Uh, hello, Brock.”
Her friends came nearby.
“Uh, this is Katrina,” she said pointing at a girl about two inches shorter than she was, dressed something like Misty, with her hair put up like Misty’s when her hair was shorter, and she was dressed like Misty, the short shorts, yellow sleeveless shirt that exposed her stomach, and red suspenders.
“Hiya,” she said in greeting.
“This is Jason,” Kim continued, pointing at a solidly built youth. He was tall, almost 7 feet, with a bulky, muscular build. He had black, spiky hair and dull brown eyes. He was dressed in a red t-shirt and blue jeans, and stood barefoot. He nodded.
“Over here is Billy,” she introduced. Billy was of average height, kind of thin and geeky looking; a pair of large glasses on his face that almost hiding his inquisitive eyes. His brown hair was slicked back, wet. He wore a blue top and jean cut-offs, sandals completing the ensemble.
“And lastly, Ashley,” Kim finished. Ashley had a plain face, but a very voluptuous figure, which she did nothing to hide in her yellow tube top, and black short skirt. Her long black hair was combed behind her, held in place by a yellow burette.
The rest of the group had arrived to, and they made their pleasantries, except Ash, who was still behind. Misty and Katrina were exchanging the evil eye, the other accusing the other with their eyes of being copycats. Nothing was said, though.
Misty tore her eyes from the little battle she was having with Katrina, and looked behind her for Ash.
“Ash, c’mon! We don’t have all day!” she yelled to him, breaking him from his little trance. Ash looked up and started to run towards them.
Katrina eyes widened a little. “Did you just say Ash? As in ASH KETCHUM?”
“Uh, yeah… is something the matter?” Misty asked a bit bewildered.
Katrina and Ashley looked at each other, their eyes widening, huge grins forming on their faces, their cheeks growing red. Then they busted out:
“OH MY GOD! ITS REALLY HIM ITS REALLY HIM!”
All those in Ash’s group took a step back, a sweat drop beginning to form.
“Hey everybody! What’s up?” Ash said as he got up to the group.
Katrina and Ashley looked at him, and then looked at each other. Timidly, Katrina took a step towards Ash.
“Are you, Ash Ketchum?” she asked, the excitement and awe in her voice apparent.
“Uh, yes. I am Ash Ketchum, from the Town of Pallet, Pokemon Master!” Ash replied proudly.
Katrina leapt at him and started kissing him madly. Ashley ran up, trying to pull her off. Pikachu was thrown off of Ash in the process. The two ladies started to fight over a stunned Ash. Pikachu put a stop to it by letting loose a thunderbolt.
“PIIIIKKKKKKAAAAAACCCCCCHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!” he screamed in annoyance and anger. Those standing nearby were promptly fried.
Thankfully for Ash, Katrina and Ashley were knocked silly by the blast, while he was relatively unaffected. Years and years of Pikachu doing that to him had made him a bit less susceptible to an attack like that.
“Uh… could someone please tell me what’s going on?” Ash asked, bewildered as usual.
“Oh… so you’re the great Ash Ketchum, huh?” Jason asked taking a step towards him.
“Uh, if I answer yes, do you promise not to kiss me?” Ash asked backing up.
“The only thing of mine that’s going to kiss you is my fist!”
“Oh, THANK YOU!” Ash said relieved.
Then Jason swung a big, meaty fist.
Ash barely sidestepped it.
“Hey, whats you’re problem?” Ash asked trying to calm him down.
“You! Ya…. Ya…..” he stammered.
“Twerp? Brat? Pick one!” Jessie called out.
In the mean time, the two groups went to hold back their respective members.
After a minute or two of separation, they tried to talk things out.
“Ok… so let me get this straight,” Jessie began. “You two are in love with Ash, right?” she asked, pointing to Katrina and Ashley.
“Right,” they acknowledged, still making goo-goo eyes at Ash. Ash was busy trying to ignore them.
“And you hate Ash… right?” she asked, pointing at Jason.
“Yeah, and I can’t wait to kick his ass!” Jason shouted at Ash. The pokemon master just ignored him to.
“And yet, you guys have never met?” Jessie continued.
“Uh, yeah…” Jason spoke up.
Jessie produced a sweat drop. She went back over to the group.
“Ok, what we have here is a case of fanitis… you see, when Ash became pokemon master, he got a bit of a fan following. As fan followings go, those three people are showing extreme cases of it. Katrina and Ashley are suffering from the whole celebrity crush thing that many teenage girls seem to suffer from when it came to celebrities. And probably, Jason is exhibiting the whole ‘Im going to kill you cause the girl I like is in love with you’ thing,” Jessie informed the gang.
“Ohhh….” They said collectively.
“So, what am I supposed to do?” Ash piped up.
“For the girls, run like hell. Oh and one other thing: do not, I repeat, DO NOT, tell them that you and Misty are together, or else they will plot her demise. Just say you’re not interested and keep running. Pikachu could take care of the rest.”
“What about the guy?”
“Tell him that you two have never met and you have no interest in the apple of hi eye. That’s all.”
“Gee, thanks Jessie!” Ash said gratefully.
“No prob, brat. Personally though, I would have some fun with those three…” Jessie said wistfully.
“But, Jessie, we can’t do that! Were the good guys!” James whined.
“Well, still…” she pouted.
Ash stepped forward, and turned his cap backwards. “I’m going to have to make sure they know the deal. I can’t have my friends being set back for some crush on me. I’ll talk to them.”
Jessie sat down. “I wouldn’t recommend it…”
“Tough.” He replied as he went over to the other side of the road and started up with them.
The rest of Ash’s group sat down next to Jessie, and watched Ash talk to them. They couldn’t make out a word they were saying, but the body language was expressive enough.
As Ash walked over, the two smitten girls almost jumped on him, but were barely held back by the members of their group. Ash warily walked closer. He exchanged some words, his hands raised up in mock surrender. As he continued, the girls calmed down a bit. Then as Ash continued, he made a sweeping gesture with his hand and pointed at the group.
“What do you think he’s saying?” James whispered to Brock.
“I don’t know, but I betcha’ he’s going to make a fool of himself.”
Suddenly, Katrina and Ashley glared daggers at the two girls in Ash’s group.
“Oh, geez! He told them something!” Jessie whispered furiously at Misty.
“You mean…”
“Yup… I betcha he said ‘It’s not you it’s me and my heart belongs to someone else’ and a whole bunch of other trash… crap! Now they think it’s one of us!”
As Ash continued, he seemingly did not notice the poison stares the girls were giving to them. Then Jason’s eyes narrowed, and a vein appeared on his head. He started shouting something at Ash and started shaking his fist at Ash. Ash cowled back a bit, then seemingly regained his confidence. He shouted back at him and reached for a pokeball. Jason reached for one to, and they started a battle.
“So, how long do you think it’s going to take for Ash to kick that guy’s ass?” Meowth whispered to James.
“Five bucks says that it’s going to turn into a long fought battle and Pikachu delivers the final blow!”
“You’re on! I say that Ash takes him out with just one pokemon!”
In the meantime, Ash and Jason were at it.
“Three on three battle. No callbacks. No items. No time limit, and no outside interference,” Jason called out, already selecting a pokemon from his belt.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Ash shot back.
“Machamp, go!”
“Bulbasaur, I choose you!”
The two trainers threw out their pokeballs at the same time. They landed in the middle of the road and spilled out their contents in a flash of red light.
Bulbasaur and Machamp sized each other up, before their trainers called out their attacks.
“Machamp! Low kick, now!” Jason shouted.
“Bulbasaur, evade and leech seed!” Ash cried out.
Machamp kicked at the plant type, but it leapt away. A seed erupted from it’s back and landed on the Machamp.
“Machamp, seismic toss! Before it sucks away at you’re energy!”
“Use you’re vine whip to keep him away, and start leeching!”
“Bulba! (Gotcha, Ash!)” Bulbasaur said as he started to furiously whip Machamp with his vines. Machamp though was trying to block them with his four forearms, and was pressing through. Then the seed took root and covered him in bush. Then they started to sap away his energy. Machamp was instantly weakened, and fell to it’s knees.
“Machamp, return!” Jason cried out angrily, as he used the pokeball to get Machamp out of the thick vegetation that was gulping away at his energy.
“1-0!” Ash said happily, a confident smirk settling on his face.
“Not for long, Pidgeot, go!”
The bird pokemon flew out of it’s confines and flew straight in to the air, gaining altitude.
“Pidgeot!” it screamed.
“Pidgeot, Wing attack!” Jason yelled.
“Bulbasaur, start to power up for solar beam!” Ash yelled.
Back on the side lines, Jessie was taking notes on the battle.
“Er, Jessie, what are you doing?” Misty whispered at her.
“I’m walking to the bloody store to get a candy pop! What the hell do you think I’m doing?” Jessie snapped angrily at Misty, furious her train of thought was interrupted.
“Well, if you’re going to the store, the least you could do is offer to buy something for the rest of us,” Misty huffed.
Jessie sweatdropped, and to her credit, kept her mouth shut.
Back at the battle, Bulbasaur and the Pidgeot ended up in a double knockout, Pidgeot managing to land a few successful Wing Attacks, before Bulbasaur fired off his Solar Beam.
“Alright, now things are looking interesting,” Ash said to himself, his adrenaline pumping.
“Alright, Primeape! Go!” Jason called out, an evil grin forming on his lips.
Ash took a step back as his group made an audible gasp themselves. Everyone there remembered Ash’s Primeape, and it’s awful temper. In fact, just the mention of that name to them brought back the memory of bruises and pain.
Jason folded his arms. “What, didn’t think I knew about that little escapade with that Primeape?”
“How did you…” Ash stammered out.
“That’s the thing about all those interviews you did. You find out about their fears and dreams. I picked up on one of you’re fears. Now pick the pokemon that’s going to be beat to a bloody pulp.”
Ash gritted his teeth, and resisted the urge to beat him into a bloody pulp. As it was he looked at Pikachu.
“You feel like thunder-shocking those words down that guy’s throat?” ash asked him.
“Piika! … (Yup!)” Pikachu replied, electricity already sparking from his cheeks.
“Then… Pikachu! I choose you!” Ash cried out. Pikachu jumped off of his trainer’s shoulders and went into the middle of the road, facing the Primeape.
“Hah! I always wanted to battle the famous rat! Primeape! Fury swipes!” Jason yelled out.
“Hey! That’s my attack!” Meowth screamed indignantly from the side lines.
His cries were ignored as the battle started.
“Pikachu, use agility! Keep ahead of that Primeape!”
“PRRRIIIIIMMMMEEEEAAAPPPPE!” the Primeape shouted and started to swipe at Pikachu. Pikachu barely evaded, and jumped high into the air. He came back down and started to run at lightning speed around the Primeape.
“That’s it Pikachu! Now, let’s try that new attack we’ve been working on!”
“Pika!(Alright!)” Pikachu panted out. The Primeape tried to kick at Pikachu, but Pikachu was going to fast.
“Primeape! Use Focus Energy and Rage!” Jason yelled to his struggling pokemon.
“PPPRRRIIIMMMEE!” it screamed, and then went silent and closed its eyes. A flash of light erupted as it started to focus. Then it opened its eyes again. Now they were blood red.
Meanwhile, electricity was sparing up from the electric mouse, in effect, creating a circle of energy. The Primeape tried to attack, but was instead, shocked. It yelled in pain, but staggered back. Pikachu started to run in a tighter circle, making the electricity get closer to the trapped pokemon within. The electricity was making it’s whitish fur stand on end, as it got closer and closer.
“Do you give up, Jason?” Ash asked, hoping that he said yes.
“No, never!” Jason cried out, his eyes locked on the battle.
Ash sighed. He hoped it wouldn’t come to this. “Pikachu, end game!”
Pikachu span around, faster than before, getting closer and closer, until the Primeape had no more room to move. The column of electricity was at least ten feet tall now. Then Pikachu jumped up and released a massive thunder shock. The column collapsed inwards, shocking horribly whoever was inside. The Primeape’s screams were horrible as ten thouand volts of electricity crashed on him.
“Primeape…” Jason whispered, as he started towards the steaming crater where the attack had taken place. Ash ran towards it too, as Pikachu collapsed on the spot.
“Well, you owe me five bucks,” James said to Meowth, matter of factly.
Ash burst into a full sprint and picked up Pikachu. Pikachu stirred and looked up at him.
“Pii…(Ow…)” he said simply before he passed out again.
Cradling Pikachu in his arms, Ash went down into the center of the crater. The smell of ozone and burnt hair and flesh pervaded the area. The Primeape was unconscious, but still breathing, it’s white fur gone, leaving it looking like a hairless chicken. A weird mutant hairless chicken.
Jason was there already, and picking it up. Ash took off his bag and took out a hyper potion.
“Here, this might help,” Ash offered. Jason knocked it out of his hand and took out one of his own. He treated it and returned it to it’s pokeball. Then he looked up at Ash, hate filling his gaze.
“Well, that was a good match,” Ash said sticking out his hand, unmindful of the rage filled stare.
Jason stood up his full height, a few inches taller than Ash. “You, get out of my sight before I beat you to a pulp,” he said in a low voice, filled with anger.
Ash stepped back, anger welling up at him. Ash wasn’t one to fight, but he would if he needed to.
“Now, wait a minute! What’s you’re problem? We never met before, and you already had a giant chip on you’re shoulder against me. And now I beat you in a fair pokemon battle, you get angry over a defeat?” Ash hissed, barely keeping his voice to a decent level.
“I said, get out of my sight, you no good, pathetic pokemon trainer. You’re lucky my Primeape didn’t kill that rat of yours,” Jason said and he shoved Ash.
Hard.
He fell down on his back, still holding Pikachu. He warily got back up to his feet. He climbed up a bit and put Pikachu to rest on the edge of the crater, which was almost five feet deep. Ash placed his backpack and his red jacket there to. Then he leapt back in and tackled Jason.
Meanwhile, back topside, both groups had seen Ash put his stuff up there, and ran to the crater. Jason and Ash were at it, punching and kicking each other.
“Should we leave them there to duke it out?” Jessie asked, her notepad and pencil tucked away.
Already Brock, Misty, Ashley, Katrina, Billy and Kim leapt inside the hole and started to break the fight up. Both were looking the worse for wear. Ash sported a slit lip and a bloody nose, while Jason was nursing a sore jaw, a black eye, and bruises on both sides of his face.
Brock, and Misty separated a kicking wild Ash from Ash, as Kim held back Jason. Katrina and Ashley pretended to hold Ash back, but were busy trying to touch him.
“I made you bleed, boy!” Jason yelled at him!
“If you gave me another minute, I would have made you bleed!” Ash shot back. “ Then I would make you cry! But then again, you did that, when my Pikachu kicked you’re Primeape’s ass!”
Low blow.
Jason tore free of Kim and Billy, seething in blind rage. Ash, also managed to break free and met him in his rush.
Jason threw a vicious haymaker, but Ash blocked it with his forearm, and threw a stiff uppercut at his jaw. Jason stumbled back and Ash followed up with a hard knee to his kidney. As Jason doubled over, he kneed him in the face, Jason’s nose pulping under the impact.
“See, what’d I tell ya!” Ash grinned, gleefully.
Jason fell on his knees, but threw a hard left jab at Ash’s gut, knocking the wind out of him. Then he grabbed him by his spiky hair and threw his face in the dirt. Ash managed to get his head back up, but the other boy kicked him savagely in the ribs, actually making Ash fly a few feet.
The others again went and held Jason and Ash back, this time Brock went over to help Kim and Billy restrain with Jason.
“What’d I tell you? Made you bleed, next I’ll make you apologize for being such a bad trainer!” Ash screamed at him, almost breaking free from the three girls holding him back.
“Shut the hell up! The both of you!” Brock yelled.
Jessie, James and Meowth were busy watching the fight, eating a large bag of popcorn, their legs dangling over the crater’s edge.
“Now you owe me another five bucks,” James said to Meowth, his mouth full of popcorn.
“Hold you’re breath for it,” Meowth sneered, taking the bag from Jessie.
“If you don’t pay him the money, you’ll be meeting the business end of my paper fan,” Jessie said sweetly.
“Damn lovebirds,” Meowth grumbled, forking over the money.
“Ow, that stings!” Ash whined as Misty dabbed a cut on his face with iodine.
“Serves you right, Ash Ketchum!” Misty retorted, as she wiped at the cut harder. Ash hissed in pain and shot her a venomous glare. Misty returned it, but they said nothing. Misty continued to use the iodine on his other cuts on his face.
The group was in the pokemon center. It wasn’t very large, but it did the job. In the front was the desk where the Nurse Joy would pick up the sick and injured pokemon. There was a large restroom, where visitors could sit and relax in the couches and the lunch tables. In the far back, rooms were held for trainers resting the night.
The group was in the bedroom. Misty was helping a reluctant Ash, James and Jessie were taking a nap, while Meowth and Brock were playing the pokemon trading card game. All f their pokemon were getting treated by the Nurse Joy and her assistant Chanseys.
Misty put on a few bandages on Ash’s face and sighed. “That wasn’t the smartest thing you did back there, Ash,” she said to him quietly.
Ash lowered his head. “Yeah. I know, but still…. What he said, and when he pushed me, it was just to much.”
“Well, I guess getting you’re butt kicked, did wonders for your head,” Misty grinned devilishly.
Ash looked up, getting defensive. “What do you mean getting my butt kicked? I was doing the butt kicking!” he yelled.
“Sure, tell that to the this!” Misty yelled back, pressing the iodine soaked cloth on a large cut on his cheek.
Ash hissed in pain. “Ow! Hey that stuff stings something fierce! Why’d you do that for?”
“Well, would this make it feel better?” Misty whispered and kissed him on his lips. Ash smiled a bit at that.
“Well…” Ash said thoughtfully, breaking the kiss, “We might need a little bit more treatment. Just to be safe…”
So they resumed it, but then, thoughts of that morning flashed through his head, and he broke away suddenly.
“What is it, Ash?” Misty asked a bit worriedly.
“Err… nothing, it’s just that…. My head is starting to hurt… that’s all…” Ash stammered, lying through his teeth.
“Oh, well you just lie down, and sleep for a bit. We could finish later,” Misty said and leaned in once more.
“Please, don’t! Bad enough it’s Jessie and James but you two? Meowth!” Meowth snickered from across the room, ruining the moment.
“Shut up!” Misty screamed at him. Unbeknownst to her, Ash sighed a bit in relief, blushing furiously.
Giovanni sat in the darkness, by himself, alone with his thoughts. The unrivaled ruler of Team Rocket was in his office, the one in his gym at Viridian. Long since repaired from the damage that rouge pokemon, Mewtwo, had wrought on it, it was still closed to the public.
Giovanni looked at his watch impatiently.
#The little bitch is taking her good sweet time to get here, # Giovanni thought angrily.
A knock came on the solid mahogany door. “Come in,” Giovanni said.
A minor lackey came in and bowed to him. “The guest is here, sir.”
“It’s about time. Bring her in.”
The lackey bowed again, and was out of Giovanni’s sight for a minute. Then he returned, the guest in tow.
“Good afternoon, Giovanni. Sorry, but I like to be fashionably late. It’s only proper for a lady,” the guest said in her characteristic southern accent.
Giovanni, despite his annoyance, smirked.
Jessie woke up with a start. She looked around her, surprised James wasn’t there. She smoothed back her long deep red hair, and straightened up her clothes. As she got off the bed, she noticed a note. She picked it up and read it.
Dear Jessie,
Sorry to leave you here by yourself, but the others and I
decided to go out and check out the town, and I couldn’t bother to wake you.
Did I mention just how damn gorgeous you look asleep? Well you do! We’ll be
gone for a bit, but I’ll bring back something for you.
Love, James
“Well, thank you James. Just leave me here all alone…” Jessie started off, but heard a noise in the next bed. There was Ash, asleep and making incoherent noises.
#Hmmm… should I? Naw… Ok, yeah!# Jessie thought devilishly to herself. She ran to the bathroom and filled up a large cup full of ice-water. Then she ran back and threw it’s contents full force in Ash’s face.
Ash woke up with a start, spluttering and surprised. “What in the hell?” he swore out loud, trying to figure out what just happened. Then he noticed Jessie standing over him, smiling innocently.
“Uh, Jessie? What just happened?” Ash asked, utterly and totally confused. Sometimes, Ash could be so dense.
“Oh, I don’t know… a water cloud appeared over your head and soaked you?” Jessie suggested, still grinning from ear to ear.
“Wow!” Ash said, “Well, why didn’t you take a picture or something? We could get rich and famous for finding something like that!”
Jessie started to laugh at what he said. Then Ash saw the cup behind her, and frowned.
“That wasn’t very funny!” Ash said, trying to cover up his embarrassment.
“Yes it was!” Jessie exploded, into a fit of hysterical laughter.
Ash pouted and got out of bed, to find a towel. He took his towel out of his backpack and dried his face and hair.
“Well, what are you doing here anyway? Did you stay just to throw water in my face?” Ash asked her finally.
“Yup!” Jessie almost said proudly.
Ash shook his head and sat back down on his bed. “Well, you could do whatever you want. I’m going to try to get some sleep.”
“Oh, c’mon, twerp! Live a little! We could do something!” Jessie whined, not really wanting to be by herself.
“Like what?” Ash asked backing slightly up, the incident that morning running through his head. Then he remembered how relaxed Jessie had been… could it be she wanted to…
“Oh, don’t get the wrong idea, twerp, nothing like that,” Jessie said, smirking and folding her arms.
#Well, I don’t have to worry about that…# Ash thought in relief. “Alright, what do you want to do?” Ash asked.
“Well, we could play the TCG, or we could listen to some CD’s I have.” She said.
“Uh, well…” Ash started, trying to decide.
“Or we could have wild, raucous sex.”
“MWWAAAA!” Ash shouted in surprise, backing up.
Jessie started to laugh at Ash’s expression. “Man, you are to easy!”
“Not funny! Man, that’s not funny!” Ahs stammered out, blushing even fiercer than before.
Jessie sat down next to him, and wiped away a tear. Ash still backed up hesitantly.
“Alright, Ash, since you put me in such a great mood, tell me what’s wrong. I promise not to make fun of you.”
Ash looked at her, and could actually hear something like sincerity in her voice. His instincts told him to trust her, maybe this one time.
Ash took in a deep breath. “Alright, but this stays between you and me, ok?”
“You got it.”
“Ok, so like since I was thirteen, I had this bit of a crush on you. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love Misty with all my heart and soul, but you know, I’m just kind of attracted to you. And I thought I no longer felt that crush on you anymore, but this morning, and what happened, I feel kind of ashamed, and all, and I don’t know what to do,” Ash blurted out rapidly.
“Whoa,” Jessie said a bit taken aback. Then she took a look at Ash. The poor guy was really broken up about it, sincerity and sadness oozing out of him. Then she took another look at him, not as her enemy, not as her friend, but as a guy. And as far as guys went, Ash wasn’t too bad.
But her heart belonged to James, and that was that. No question in her mind. But she knew how to help him.
“Alright, Ash. I’m going to do something, ok, but you are just going to have to trust me,” Jessie said, looking into his eyes.
Ash nodded his head, his golden brown eyes, meeting her clear blue ones.
Jessie leaned in and kissed him full on the lips.
Ash was taken aback, but timidly returned it. Then he broke away.
“Well, how was it?” Jessie asked him anxiously.
Ash’s mind was reeling. It was a good kiss, a really good kiss, but something wasn’t right, like it just wasn’t right.
“It was a good kiss, but….”
“But…” Jessie urged him on.
“It wasn’t Misty! I like Misty’s kisses a whole lot better!”
Jessie sat back up. “Anyway, twerp, it’s okay to be attracted to other folks. Frankly, I’m not surprised you would be attracted to me, seeing as to how I’m perfection, and Misty’s just a runt,” Jessie said cowly, winking at Ash. This time her joke didn’t get over Ash’s head and he laughed a little.
“But anyway, you love her, and not me. That’s plain and simple. So could you please choose something for us to do, before my good mood is ruined?”
“We play the TCG game. And you’re wrong on one thing. I do love you Jessie, but as my friend.” Ash said sincerely, looking her in the eyes.
“Shut up and get the cards,” Jessie said, flashing Ash a teary-grin.
Well, folks that’s the end of chapter 5. Special thanks to JuliaTeamRocket! Next: They arrive in Pallet town, but alls not well at home! Ash has to tell his mom about Misty, but Mom has something to tell Ash to! To all the present Spiderman fanatics, think Dr. Octopus’s origin and his relationship with his mother! * Snicker!* Now I’ve given away a large part of the plot! Anyhoo, all comments, suggestions, and plans to take over the world to be sent to Shagti2@aol.com and all flames and overall destruction of my over-inflated and fragile ego to shoveitupyour@ss.com! G’night everybody!