Unknown

By: Chibi-Suiko

A/N: I am so HAPPY! I may have only gotten a few reviews for the last chapter but they were full of wonderful criticism and from some great people! Special thanks to 'Rae8' who is another one of my commonly chosen idol's along side Satokasu Suki, BellaWaterFlower, and ________*. I luv you all, really, just not as much as them. Anyway, I've always received reviews asking me why I post fics in bold or italic or bold and italic. In any case, you all should know that I only do this to make it seem more... Uh... Decent.

I really don't know why I'm bothering to continue this. I like the idea, and obviously some other people do as well, but this was only meant to be an abrupt one-shot. So will someone (Preferably anybody who’s not an invisible voice in my head) please explain to me why I'm even bothering..? Anyway, I guess I'm forced to make this longer, pointless still, but I will keep working on it since it's one of my most evolved thoughts. Though... How 'bout this..? For those who bother to read these things, tell me in your review if you really, really, really think this idea is worth finishing... Or, well, if it's worth going on with anyway. The way I'm going, it might never be finished.

To Rae8 (If you're still choosing to read this): In case you didn't read above, you are one of my idols! You and BellaWaterFlower and such are so cool! I can't believe you reviewed two of my fics! Not one, but two! That makes a total of two idolizations that chose to acknowledge me without my having to ask them in a review/email! I feel so special! And wanted! I feel the love!

PS to Rae8: I pity your having to watch the Lizzie McGuire movie with your ten-year-old relatives and their friends.

PPS to Rae8: Really, I do. But I'm happy you at least 'liked' it.

Summary: A conversation between Melody and Misty is unknowingly overheard by Ash. Now knots are tying and bonds are breaking, and nobody is willing to fix them...

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Just so everyone's clear on my grammar work:

Italics-Story

"Italics"-spoken word

Bold-Italics-Thoughts (Though we know that most of the time they're incapable of thinking anyway.)

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Chapter Three: Conflict with Nonentity

 

Their ferry docked on the port of Salmon-Clay Isle (For lack of a better title) and its' passengers ran off of it, some of the less fortunate ones heading towards a public restroom. Ash, Misty, Tracey, Pikachu, and Togepi were among some of the last to clamber off, which was a disappointment in Ash's opinion, since he couldn't dodge around the crowds and rid himself of that eerie feeling that Misty's eyes were following him everywhere he turned.

He swore the tension between them couldn't grow anymore than what it was. It was really annoying because ever since he'd left her on the starboard side of their ride, she'd been using any excuse to see him and examine what was keeping him so busy. She'd used those such as the rational 'I needed a nap' (Which she didn't take, finding it more interesting to try and catch onto whatever he was doing) down to the most absurd like 'I forgot my make-up', which, of course, she didn't wear.

Things started to get stressful, however, when they ran to the Centre to book a couple of rooms and found that they had only one space empty on the sign-in sheet. And that meant that there was only one room left.

Now, Ash had nothing against a room with Tracey because, well, they were guys. Plain and simple. And not Misty. But being placed in a room (That could be locked) with Misty (Who could be strange) was just a little much for him. It was almost as bad as putting her into the kitchen and expecting to come out alive.

And now nothing was stopping her from reasoning her way around him as long as she knew that they were forced to share a room. He shuddered, just the thought of sleeping next to a girl was more than disturbing to him. And then there was the minimal space she'd been putting between them lately. Just think about it from his point of view: Ash + Misty + Staying in the same room = Close proximity. He flinched again, all ready feeling goose bumps prickle upon his arms as he turned to his two friends who were waiting for him to hand over the keys to their rooms.

"Um... Hey..! How do you guys feel about sleeping camp-out style again tonight?" He asked with a hand laying nervously behind his head. Misty's neutral face immediately changed into one of opposition after she heard him and Tracey backed away upon feeling her waves of... Uh... Rage.

"Are you telling me that they don't have any bookings available, Ash..?" She said in a tone of sweet honey. But it sounded more to her friends like bitter salt.

Ash laughed anxiously again and tried to calm her down with anything he could think of, "Uh, no--I mean--You see, it's--I think, uh..." Finally he stopped himself, figuring his stuttering wasn't getting him anything of a consolation, "... There's only one room left..." He muttered with his head down. When he heard nothing from his friends, he looked up just in time to see them holding out their pokeballs (And Togepi) to Nurse Joy and completely ignoring his uneasy position.

Finally Misty turned around with her hands on her hips, "Okay, fine... How about this..?" She smiled in a sly way as Tracey came confusedly up to her side, obviously as blank about her idea as Ash was, "I am all for a bed tonight. I will not be sleeping on the ground, especially when we have the ability to use a bed. So either you, Mr. Pokemon Master, use your battle winnings for a very expensive, very extravagant hotel, or we spend a considerably smaller amount of cash on the Centre and take the last room before anyone else..." Her grin increased, "It's up to you."

Ash growled at her, something that neither of his friends chose to hear. He'd have been all for the Starmie Far-Sea Lodge next door if it wasn't for the one hundred-fifty dollars per room he had to spend. Which would make a huge decrease in, not only his account, but his culinary intake. And Ash was definitely not one willing to lower his provision ingestion.

"Heck no, Misty! We are not going to use all of the money I earned in gym battles just so you can enjoy yourself for one night at a stupid hotel! It's not even worth it. And if I say we're sleeping outside then we will sleep outside." He stopped to catch his breath and looked up at Misty to see that her eyes had turned a dangerous fire-red and he backed away, knowing that mallet whacks were soon to come if he didn't say something in her favor, "... B-But, you know, if you want to Myst, we could spend one night in relaxation. I-I mean, we do deserve it after what we've been through..." Her expression lingered for a moment longer to see if he was pulling her leg but then it softened into a victorious smile.

"No thanks, Ash." They turned around and noticed another trainer picking up a pen to mark down the room. Misty instantaneously rushed forward and rammed the kid aside (Ash and Tracey couldn't help but sweatdrop at this), taking up the pen which had fallen out of his hand, and putting their names down (Under Ash's tab, of course) and looking back at them. She stepped up to Ash, who found himself unable to move in uncertainty of what she was going to do, "But thanks anyway for the offer." She then tugged at his cheek like a grandparent would and walked off towards the door, heading in the direction of a local diner.

"... Huh--?!" Ash said, baffled at Misty's behavior.

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Did she ever consider, even once, letting him off the hook? Really, the way she toyed with him so often... It just got more and more on his nerves and he could do nothing to rid himself of her tantalizing humor. So he reduced himself to eating his problems away. Literally. At the small, eighty's diner across the street from the Centre, he let himself chew his troubles about her away with his plate of a Southern Ham-burger and potato crisps. Yum. No, really, he enjoyed it. And it rid him of everything there was to be doubted. Eating was a great stress reliever. He should refer it to other people. Like Misty. It'd probably help her a lot.

Baaahhh--! Why was he still bothering himself with her?! This was just getting annoying! He couldn't even enjoy his wonderful fries and milkshake anymore! God, she was more trouble than she was worth. Or maybe it was her domination of his thoughts. Oh, God--! Was she taking control of his mind?! The next thing he knew, he'd be reading romance novels and asking for French crepes! This was just getting creepy.

Ash sat himself more calmly at his seat and tried to touch base with things he found more important than her. Gyms... Yes, gyms. Orange League. I need to win more badges. Two more badges. That's right. How can I possibly win the League and become a true Master if I can't even come up with strategies for a couple of badges..? Right, so... Most likely at least one water type. Pikachu. Right, my buddy would never let me down. Bulbasuar is a strong addition as well. Grass has a strength when it comes to water Pokemon. Yes, easy preparation. I can get past this little thing. She's not that much of a mind stressor. I've just gotta relieve myself of her by thinking of things that mean more to me than Misty--! Ahhh--! There I go again..!

All right, Mom. I've gotta call Mom and Professor Oak too! Yes, what to tell them... What do they not know..? Uh... Right. I'm alive. They got that. Um, new found interest in girls..? NO--! I don't find any particular interest in girls! Let's think... Misty! She's gonna be a guy from now on! Yeah, she--I mean he's a guy! Can't like her--I mean him--if she's--I mean he's--not the right gender. Okay, now I can get past this. But... Ewwww. Misty, a guy with a crush on me..? Okay, scratch the sex switch. Maybe I can refer to her as another Pokemon..? She loves water types... Tentacruel! No, too powerful to call her that. Tentacool! That's more along the lines of what she deserves! So she's now gonna be a Tentacool! Okay, that works for now. Eh heh, heh, heh...

With these new and more-than-strange thoughts in mind, Ash leapt from his seat, pulled out ten bucks for the meal, grabbed about fifteen packets of ketchup for his little buddy, and walked towards the door. There was nothing that would stop him now! Since he was over that little thing that he had chosen to dub 'Tentacool', he didn't have to worry about her-er, it--taking over his thoughts again. Didn't have to listen to her-its! He meant its!--Flattery over water Pokemon. Didn't have to talk about France or romance. Ohhh, nice rhyme. I like that one. Gonna have to try and remember it.

He headed across the street to the Centre, the place where he was forced to fear his friend, and walked through the front doors, remaining as calm as possible as his eyes swept around the lobby. Neither of his friends were there so he figured they were probably in the back, in their small, unaccommadated room. He sighed, he couldn't pretend that Misty was a Pokemon forever though it would work for now. He could just imagine himself throwing Poke chow to her and her grabbing at it with her feelers. Oh, enjoyable, mindless comedy act. He liked that one too.

In fact, he liked it so much that he didn't notice he was walking straight into one of the shafts holding up the Centre corridor to the walls and roof. Owwwww--! He tried as hard as possible not to shout out but heard at least two hisses of anger escape him. Lots of good self-control had for him. He was seriously beginning to feel that the world had it in for him. Yes, that was it. Everything was the world's fault. He tried to ignore the feeling of stars blinking in front of his eyes and mocking him for his lack of coordination. He jumped to his feet and tried to act as inconspicuous as possible, heading down the back hallway into the passage that would lead him to their room.

Rubbing the ache that still had to rival that of Misty's mallet, he walked to his door and knocked twice before entering. He just wanted to be sure that either of his friends, if doing something private, had time to finish or reply to him before he walked inside. Misty wasn't there but Ash noticed immediately that Tracey's pack, considerably large (He'd actually always wondered as to how his friend could lug the thing around all day), was open and laying on one of the two single beds. Misty's wasn't there so that meant, wherever she'd gone, she'd taken it with her. Ash also noticed Tracey, himself, sitting in front of the window leading out into the small field behind the Centre. It was a public access addition where the Pokemon brought in could spend time in a safe, stress free environment. Just a place for them to relax. Something Pikachu and friends deserved all too well anymore.

"Trace, where's Misty..? She still gone to get something to eat..?" Ash yawned, now realizing how exhausted he still was and settled on the other, unused bed. It felt good to be comforted by nothing but a mattress and a blanket. He smelt the sweet lavender detergent still bathed into the material. It kinda reminded him of Misty's--TENTACOOL'S--hair after she--No. Never mind. No one could accuse him of thinking of her. It. He wasn't thinking of anything. One. No, thing. Anything, "So, where is she..?"

"Oh, Misty said that she was going to go down to the beach after she healed her Pokemon. She was gonna let them relax and train a bit. She hasn't had time to do that in the midst of everything. So... You know. She wants to keep up straight." Tracey finished as he pulled his binoculars from his bag, along with his sketchbook and pencil, and looked down towards the pool where overwhelming amounts of water Pokemon swam and interacted sociably with one another, "Did you realize that some Pokemon could increase physical ability and prestige just by friendly representation..?" He asked half-excitedly, still keeping steady watch on the creatures below, "There's your proof right down there, Ash. It's probably one of the reasons why your Pikachu is so healthy. Enjoys status with other beings a lot more than your other Pokemon. Also one of the reasons why Togepi has been showing such mature stature so early in her life. She's had a lot to look to for encouragement." Tracey turned back to Ash and watched him as he yawned again.

"Huh... Fascinating, Trace. Still, when did she say she was gonna be back?" He asked, now too tired to remember he'd been trying to rid her of his thoughts. He was too tired to think of anything, really. He just wanted to make conversation until he was finally put to rest. So, until then, he waited for his friend to answer before continuing to let himself fall asleep.

"She didn't. But I wouldn't put it past sundown. She knows when the Centre closes as well. We can probably expect her back by eight. She does like to play it safe most of the time..." Tracey turned back to the pool, still unaware of his friends' position in his stupor and so he was almost considered annoyed when he heard a soft snore coming from behind him. He scoffed and chose to ignore retaliation of his friends’ ignorance and went back to judging the health and battle capacity of the unknowing Pokemon outside, "... Try to tell him something and he ignores you completely. No wonder it took this long, plus sneaky tactics, to find out about her..."

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A/N: Um, I know this chapter was short. And pretty basic fumbling for an idea. But I kinda liked it anyway. I thought it was a cute, funny way to look at things the way Ash was trying to see them. Or maybe not. It's just my opinion on how it was completed. Now it's one-fifteen on Monday morning and my mom is yelling at me to go to bed so... You know the drill. Read, review, and don't forget to tell me whether this fic is worth continuing. Thanks in advance, friends from the digits!

Happy belated Martin Luther King Jr. day!

Ciao, ja ne, whatever folks!