Ash sprung up, out of his bed.
"Ah! What time is it?"
He reached for his alarm clock, grabbing it briskly and throwing it back down on the dresser.
"Nine o'clock? I was supposed to meet Professor Oak at 8:30! Not this again!" He cried.
Quickly changing into his clothes, he smacked the hat hard on his head before bolting out his bedroom door.
"Mom! See you later! Have a goo- OOF!"
His mother caught him by the shirt collar just before sprinting out the front door.
"And just where do you think you're going, mister?" She rose an eyebrow at Ash.
Out of breath, the boy responded, "I... I have to meet Professor-"
"That's tomorrow, silly." She pulled him back inside and closed the front door. "Now remember, you're still grounded for overworking Pikachu..."
"Mom, I'm sixteen, almost seventeen. That was six and-a-half years ago..."
She wagged a finger. "I don't want to hear it. You didn't get busted for it then, so you're paying for it now. Now, up the stairs with ya!" She playfully pretended to kick him up the stairs and laughed.
"Ha-ha. Love you too, Mom." Ash added, sarcastically.
She's got to stop worrying about me... He thought, climbing back up the staircase.
"Honey? Go ahead and sleep in until about 10:30, and I'll have a nice big brunch waiting for you." His mother called up the stairs.
"Really?" Ash immediately perked up. "Thanks, Mom! You're the best!"
He closed the door to his bedroom and slipped his jacket and hat off. Ash sat at his desk, watching the Spearows and Pidgeys have playful fights in nearby trees.
It's such a nice day, I just wish I could go outside...
He got out a pen and notepad and began brainstorming things to do.
Well, I'm definitely not going back to sleep, after that weird dream...
Ash had no idea who the strange creature in his dream was, but it had such a familiar voice, especially in the way and order each word fell in. The weird thing about it was the voice was pitched down to be lower than the original, rendering it unrecognizable. Ash seemed to forget most of what the conversation between he and the figure consisted of, except how he said he felt "safe".
If you have no idea what I'm talking about right now, please read the Prologue. It's short, I swear. XD
Alright, so there's no sleeping in today I guess. I can't really go outside, obvious reasons.
Well, maybe if I can't go outside, at least I can enjoy the outside...
Flipping a page in his notepad, Ash drew a quick sketch of the Pidgey and Spearow that had been fighting, and with the tree branch they were perched on. It wasn't like Van Gogh, but had its own original charm, like a pinch pot made by a child would.
"Hmm..."
There was a bit of a crash on the other side of the room, and with that, a tiny, yellow electric mouse hopped up onto Ash's bed.
"Hm?" He looked up as if disturbed from his thought process. "Oh, hey Pikachu! I can't believe I didn't take you out before, I must have forgotten!"
Pikachu gave him a look, and Ash flopped on the bed and held him up in the air.
They both laughed for a second or two, until Pikachu let out an electric shock.
"It never gets old... Does it?" Ash weakly laughed.
Pikachu's ear twitched, and he looked out the window.
"Huh? What is it, Pikachu?"
The electric mouse hopped a couple times and pointed out the window. "Pika-pi!"
Ash looked out the window, and caught a glimpse of someone with somewhat spiky hair, wearing a purple shirt.
"Is that Gary?" Ash whispered.
Pikachu motioned for the raven-haired boy to listen.
The purple-shirted boy stood leaning against the building, muttering something, too far to be understood, but not far enough to be completely unheard, and fidgeting with something in his hand...
What is he holding?
When he finally made out the item to be a flower, Ash noticed that he was speaking in time with each petal he plucked off of the flower.
Ash gasped. "No way!" He said. "Gary has a crush?"
Except, one thing...
Ash said the sentence a little too loud.
The brunette abruptly stopped speaking or moving at all. His face became highlighted with pink and anger. He needed to yell something bitter, but he didn't dare turn around.
"Gary! Whatcha doin' all the way down there!" Ash cried, waving.
The brunette, quite flustered, sprang around. "What's it to ya?" He shouted back.
Ash wasn't expecting such a cold response... But then again, what else would he expect?
"I... I just overheard y-"
"None of your business!" Gary snarled, and before Ash could respond, was out of sight.
"I... Hm." Said the ravenette boy, hopping down from his seat on top of his desk and stretching out in the middle of the room.
A familiar female voice rang throughout the house. "Ash, your brunch is ready!~"
The boy and his yellow friend slid down the banister and took a seat right at the head of the table, which was decorated with pancakes, French toast, orange juice, and a bottle of ketchup for Pikachu.
The lady giggled. "My little champion!"
Ash rolled his eyes. "Ugh, Mom!"
YOU ARE READING
Sometimes in Winter... {A Palletshipping Fanfic}
FanfictionAsh and Gary have been brought up as vicious rivals since they were kids, and that would never change, even when they must go on a research trip together. Or would it?
