Thanks For Being There
Part 4

     Ash worked in his mother's garden as his mother asked him to, Gary came walking by. When Ash was on his journey along the way he remembered him and Gary grew to have a more mature relationship and understanding of each other the moment Ash had beaten Gary one time, Misty and Brock were there to whiteness it. But Ash had forgotten that this was now a different time. Everything had changed so fast. And he wasn't liking it so far.
     "Hey, Gary," he said as if it were no big deal. Gary looked at him surprised, he was back to being the gloating Gary who still thought he could beat Ash with his hands tied behind his back.
     "Are you saying 'hi' to me, loser?" Asked Gary. It had just now dawned on Ash that this was a different time, no Brock and Misty, no Pokemon journey, no battling Gary and winning, no Gary rethinking his steps and becoming a more mature and adjusted trainer.
     "Um..."
     "Don't tell me you're trying to be nice to me now... Hmm...? Finally wising up and deciding to come to your senses and realize I'm better than you!"
     "No way, I beat you once before," said Ash.
     "Yeah, in your dreams maybe," laughed Gary as he walked on. But was this a dream or was before a dream? Ash was so confused and the fact that Giselle decided to stop by did not make the situation any easier.
     "Hey, Ash, I just came to visit you all the way from PokeTech, I heard you were staying here with your mother. I think that is soooo cute," she pinched his cheeks like he was a little baby and then let go. "You should visit me sometime."
     "Uh..." Even in an alternate reality Ash was still clueless.
     "Is that Pikachu still at your house? Argh! What's the point! Just get rid of the little rat and get something better like a Cubone."
     "I'll never get rid of Pikachu, he's my friend," protested Ash angrily.
     "A friend? You guys don't even spend time together, you're too busy out with me or at PokeTech. You don't even have time for him," Giselle pointed out. "Look, I was always able to make you see things my way that's what beauty can do to a guy. I even made you throw out your little nonsense opinion about how beauty was only skin deep--yeah whatever!" She wrapped her arms around his neck.
     "Surely you will do as I say when I tell you to get rid of the rat," she grinned, leaning forward to lure him with a kiss. Ash backed his head away, surprised at what he did, she let go of him.
     "Are you crazy! Do you know what you just did? I'm Giselle, no one can resist me. You're lucky I thought you were cute and decided to lower my standards and be your girlfriend," she said in a snobbish tone poking her finger in his chest, pushing him back a little.
     "Well, don't do me any favors," Ash threw back at her.
     "You've obviously lost your mind, call me when you find it," she huffed and in a flip of the hair she was gone. Ash sighed; boy, was she annoying. Delilah walked outside to Ash.
     "What happened?" She asked worried, "Did you and Giselle break up."
     "Hopefully, I don't want her Mom and if I ever seem like I do, hit me over the head with a mallet," Ash demanded.
     "Hit you over the head with a mallet? Who would do something as silly as that?" Asked Delilah in a small giggle. Ash sighed, he knew one red head who would. And he had to see her.
     On his way to Cerulean City he stopped in the Pewter City gym where Brock was just in the middle of a battle. Ash watched and saw all Brock's small brothers and sisters cheer Brock on. Ash remembered how he helped Brock and his father reunite, if they had never met before, chances are Brock was still taking care of his siblings alone. The battle was over, Brock had won.
     "Who else dares to come against me," bellowed Brock pounding his chest, as the challenger left, "What about you?" He asked pointing to Ash.
     "You got it!" Ash said excitedly reaching for his pokeball, then reality dawned on him again and he frowned and said softly, "No, that's all right."
     "What? Afraid?" Grinned Brock sitting up from his chair and walking over to Ash.
     "No, I just don't have my Pokemon with me," answered Ash softly.
     "Hmm... You can always go to Oak's place and apply for some, of course you'd have to ask the Big Guy and pay up in full, but I'm sure you already know that," said Brock.
     "No. And who's the big guy?" Asked Ash.
     "You must be new, The Big Guy is Giovanni, the head of Team Rocket, he's who let us have our Pokemon, we're only allowed to have Pokemon if we pay him and promise to bring him a rare Pokemon if we decide to set out on a journey, took me a while to get a Pokemon though," explained Brock.
     "What? How can he have so much power over so many people?" Asked Ash.
     "The Team Rocket Empire is just so strong, they went stealing people's Pokemon and threaten to keep on unless we abide," Explained Brock.
     "I can't believe it, this is all wrong..."
     "It's too late now... Who was there to stop them? Who could have, Team Rocket is so strong," said Brock.
     "No, their not, they just pretend to be, we could have stopped them, all of us have, you, me and Misty!"
     "Who's Misty?" Asked Brock in a clueless stare.
     "She's our friend..." Said Ash in a desperate tone.
     "Sorry, pal, look the Insane Home is a few blocks from here and-"
     "No! Look, I'm not crazy, there was a time when you, me and Misty were friends, and you guys were always there for me and we'd always beat Team Rocket from stealing Pikachu and knew them for the losers they really were. But things began to change and I took you for granted and-"
     "Um... I don't think I know you and I think you need help so... I'm just gonna go now," he said giving Ash a freaked out look when just about to walk away.
     "No! Don't go... I can prove to you I know who you are, you live at home alone and take care of your little sisters and brothers, your mother died and your good-for-nothing father left you alone to take care of them. You're a great cook and have dreams of being a Pokemon Breeder," said Ash. "Only you have to put your dreams on hold for your family." Brock looked at him startled, amazed at what he said and the fact that it was all true.
     "How'd you know so much about me?" He asked.
     "Now do you believe me?" Asked Ash curiously.
     "I don't know what to believe..."
     "Why don't you just come with me to Cerulean City and see what I mean, lets go see how Misty's doing and see if she can believe me," offered Ash.
     "Who's Misty?!"


To Be Continued...