Ami looked around in awe. "Wow... so this is how a human city looks from within... amazing!"
Ash got a little embarrassed as all the people stared at Ami, while she looked at everything like a child that had never been out of her parent's home before.
"First time in a city, huh?" one elderly man asked while grinning. "She's a country girl, is she?"
"Um, yeah!" Ash grinned nervously. "She had never been in a big city before, so I thought I'd show her."
After the old man left, Ami turned around to face Ash. "Everything is so exciting! Where to next?"
"Well, we could go to the Pokémon Center to call home..." Suddenly, his tummy made gurgling noises.
He chuckled. "Or we could get something to eat first."
----
They found a place where they could eat and spend the night pretty fast: The 'Big Riddle Inn'! It's owner was a nice man called Blaine who, for some reason, was dressed like a hippie all the time.
"I once was the Gym Leader of the island," he sighed as he put down Ash's and Ami's meals in front of them. "Those were good times, I tell you kids... But I decided to retire and leave my gym to younger generations."
"So, who's the new Gym Leader?" Ash asked interested.
Blaine grinned. "Oh, he's a martial artist specialized in Fighting Pokémon. Not only are his Pokémon strong, he also is a powerful fighter himself. He once was able to defend himself against a wild Onix - I saw it with my own eyes!"
"Wow, now that's impressive!"
Ami looked at her fork and knife uncertainly. "Um, Ash?" she whispered. "What am I supposed to do with those?"
Ash sighed. "Here, I'll show you..."
----
"...and that's why I've been travelling all over Kanto, defeating Gym Leaders and collecting their badges."
"Interesting," Ami murmured. They were outside again and sat on a bench at the harbor. "And this 'Pokémon League'... You fight there to prove your skills as a trainer?"
"Yup, that's right," Ash nodded. "Only the best of the best can enter the contests on the Indigo Plateau... and for that, I have to win at least eight badges!"
"So, do you want to go to this gym right now?"
Ash shook his head. "Nah, I think I'll call Professor Oak first so he and Mom know I'm fine. Perhaps he knows where Brock and Misty are right now."
Together, they went to the Pokémon Center. The smiling face of Nurse Joy greeted them. "Welcome! Do you have any hurt Pokémon I can take care of?"
Ash shook his head. "No, I haven't, thanks Nurse Joy! Ummm... Actually, I only wanted to make a call..."
"Oh, sure!" she said. "There's the phone, help yourself!"
"Thank you!"
After showing Ami how a telephone works, he dialed the number of Professor Oak's Pokémon lab in his home town of Pallet.
After some time, the Professor's face appeared on the screen. "Hello? Who's... ASH??"
Ash grinned. "Hi, Professor Oak! How's it going?"
"Ash, where in the world have you been during all those days? After Misty and Brock called me and your mother, we were afraid you'd have drown."
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Ash assured him. "And about where I was... Well, that's a long story."
"Okay, you can tell me later, then. But promise me not to worry us all like that again, you hear me?"
Ash chuckled. "Okay, I'll promise..."
Suddenly, another person rushed onto the screen. "ASH! Oh, I was so worried, where have you been, are you all right? Did you eat enough and should I send you some new underwear?"
Ash sweat-dropped while smiling. "Hello, Mom..."
His mother smiled at him, glad to see her son was all right. Then she frowned. "Ash Ketchum, as soon as you come home, you'll be in big trouble, young man! Scaring us all like this... Do you have any idea what I've been through?"
Ash lowered his head. "Sorry, Mom..."
She let out a sigh of relief. "Well, you're okay, and that's what counts." She then saw the young girl looking over her son's shoulder. "Oh, is that a new friend of yours?"
"Oh, yeah," Ash replied. "Mom, this is Ami. She helped me much when the storm washed me up at Seafoam Islands."
Ami waved shyly. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Ketchum!"
Delia nodded. "Nice to meet you. So, you helped my Ash? Thank you so much! I hope he wasn't a bother to you."
Ami shook her head. "Oh, no, no! On the contrary!" She smiled lovingly at him. "I must say... Spending time with him was most... pleasant!"
Delia noticed the looks her son and this girl were exchanging and, being in love before herself, she instantly realized what was up. She winked at her son. "Ash, Ash, Ash... Is that the reason why you vanished? Shame on you, really..."
Ash groaned while the two females giggled. "Moooom..."
Afterwards, Delia let the Professor talk with Ash again.
"Professor, do you know where Brock and Misty are right now? I want to call them and tell them I'm all right. Are they back in Pewter and Cerulean?"
Oak smiled and shook his head. "Oh no, they're still on Cinnabar Island."
"What?"
"Yes, they have been searching for you all the time, I think. Misty just didn't want to believe you have drown and convinced Brock to continue searching for you... I think they're staying with the new gym leader of the island."
"Well... then I guess I should pay them a visit, huh?"
"You do that, Ash! And please, call me or your mother if you need something. Oh, by the way: Pikachu and your other Pokémon should still be with Brock and Misty."
"All right, thanks!"
"Muuuuk..." Suddenly, a big purple shape came crawling over the Professor's shoulders.
Ash grinned. "I take it Muk is still affectionate as ever, huh?"
Oak groaned. "That he is... Muk, I appreciate your affection, but... you're crushing me here!"
"Muuuuk!"
Ash chuckled. "Okay, talk to you later, Professor!" He hung up.
Ami hugged him as he stood up. "It was nice seeing your mother... I hope I'll see her in person some time."
"That you will," Ash said. "As soon as I'll have won two more badges, I think I will return to Pallet Town... But for now, I'd like you to meet my friends again... and my best Pokémon buddy, Pikachu!"
----
Outside again, they addressed a man on the street: "Excuse me, but which is the way to the Cinnabar Pokémon Gym?"
The man pointed at the end of the street. "Go down there, turn right and you'll see the big building in front of you. You're a trainer, eh? You're gonna challenge the gym leader?"
Ash chuckled. While he planned to do that, he mainly wanted to go there to see his friends. Besides, he didn't have his Pokémon with him right now...
Nevertheless, he responded: "Um, yeah! That's true!"
The man grinned. "Well, good luck then, kid! I hope you'll manage to beat..."
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Shritistrang
(Posted Fri, 22 Sep 2006 11:00)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.