Pokemon DayCare (my fanfic and fanart for Redditās e-zine)
DA: https://www.deviantart.com/bruedance/art/Pokemon-DayCare-FanFic-pokeshipping-1306272142 (fanart included)
FanFictionNet: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14551905/
"Save my Pikachu!" The front door bumped into the wall, and a young trainer rushed inside. "He... l didn't want to..." Cheeks with lightning-like freckles were pale, and the eyes were full of tears.
But an old lady sitting at the reception desk answered calmly and rigorously, "If you 'didn't want to', you must be more careful. You are his trainer, and it's your responsibility." Still, she didn't waste a single moment and said the last phrase, already holding a medicine box in her hands. "Place him here," she quickly applied antitoxin to all the Pikachu's wounds, and the PokƩmon's face became a bit more at ease. "Go out, Clawitzer, and use Heal wave." Water PokƩmon appeared, and after his move, the Pikachu finally opened his eyes. The danger had passed. Physical danger...
"Pika-chu-pi..." the electric mouse smiled guiltily after seeing the old lady, and lowered his ears.
The expression of his trainer quickly changed from happiness to pain as well, "Is it... it?"
"Yes, you guessed right," the woman answered slowly, "Now, you both will get that long, boring lecture about secure traveling. And the very first rule when you go on a journey..."
"...to destroy someone's bike!" The door bumped into the wall again, and the red-haired trainer walked in, holding a damaged handlebar of a bicycle and seeming not care at all that the biggest part of the speech wasn't presented to the culprit.
"I'll keep you accountable for it! What did your parents even teach you?!"
"I will explain!" Pikachu's trainer, startled, sorrowfully exclaimed, with a face which clearly showed, unfortunately, that the owner had completely forgotten about the circumstance.
"Exactly... what... she did!" a male voice, accompanied by loud laughter, interrupted the dialogue.
Everyone's eyes turned to the old gentleman and his Raichu, who, unnoticed due to all the fuss, had been standing at the corner near the back door for some time already
"But actually it was grandparents who taught her that..." he added, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.
The silence of surprise was broken, and everyone started to speak at the same moment.
"Don't make me a part of it! I was a victim, by the way!" his wife opposed.
"Grandpa!" Pikachu's trainer greeted him happily. "You should understand! We didn't plan to break the bike!"
"Master Ketchum?! Is it you?" the red-haired boy said, shocked. "I'm your big fan! But what are you doing here?"
"...playing with PokƩmon all day long, of course, and forgetting (again!) to fill the documents though he promised, am I right?"
"I just believe that my lovely Misty is more capable at such important things, so l just do not stand in the way."
"Then why not play with my lovely Gyarados next time?"
"But it is a DayCare!" the trainer protested. "And you're a PokƩmon Master, World Champion, the best in PokƩmon battles, spend days here... Why?"
"Because it is what it means to be a PokƩmon Master for me," Ash spread out his hands. "It may be enough just to know PokƩmon abilities to win battles, but to be a PokƩmon Master is to know PokƩmon themselves, understand them, be their friend and help them grow, not only physically but also in their hearts."
"Granny, I would suggest writing it down for the next advertisement."
"Hah, yes!" Misty smiled. At such moments, she couldn't turn her gaze away from her husband, forgiving him for all those small issues, like not doing paperwork again.
"Yeah... I understand," the red-haired boy slowly answered. "But then... is she really your granddaughter?!" he pointed to the Pikachu's trainer. "She isn't a caring person at all!"
"I am caring! I just don't care about some random boys, who don't even give me a moment to explain the situation!"
"Does your explanation include when you will give me a new bike?"
"Emmm.. It's a serious question... Granny, I know, my birthday is in 8 months, but what about gifting me a bike... a bit beforehand?"
"Taking into account that you're not behaving well... New bike is only after... Dear, what would you say?"
"Hay, it's not about her behavior, it was my bike! And you say it will be more than a year! I would have it here and now, if not her," the boy argued.
"Then compensation for you!" Misty smiled brightly and pulled out a Togepi egg from somewhere under the table. "We have no idea where it came from... But it doesn't belong to any trainer yet."
"What? You promised this one to me!" the girl could not hide her chagrin.
"But you owe him a bike and cannot pay for it."
"I know!" Ash snapped his fingers. "You two could make an agreement that the PokƩmon will be able to switch their trainer in the future, if they decide that our cutie is a better one."
"Hm... So, you promise me a new bike in exactly 5 seasons and the egg... If you add a battle with Master Ketchum, I'm in. It's a rare PokƩmon, and, well, she... being a better trainer... if it ever happens, I will gladly let the Togepi leave!"
When everyone nodded, he took the egg and went to the door.
"I'll come back in 15 months."
"Ah... resolved," the girl sighed with relief when the trainer had left. "Thank you, granny, grandpa... It's sad, but better than this crazy boy going after me everywhere, demanding his bike back. And I'll become a great trainer for sure! So I'll definitely bring back the Togepi!"
"Sweetie, I think you forgot one more thing," Misty said. "The Togepi needs to see you to know that you're a better trainer."
"What? Wait! But they are going away! Pikachu! We need to hurry up!"
"Raichu placed potions and antidotes into your bag! Do not forget to use them!" Ash reminded.
When the front door closed after the girl, his facial expression became more serious, and he asked his wife, "Do you think this boy will take good care of a baby PokƩmon?"
"He has a kind heart and a clear mind. I hope he will take good care of the two babies."
"Two? Ah! Stop it! You sound like Iris! If I were to go on a new journey, I would be as excited as our granddaughter; it doesn't mean to be childish. It's just... overexcitement! And things happen, you know... But it's such a wonderful feeling: new places and new experiences..." he wistfully closed his eyes.
"Do you wanna travel like them again?.." After a short pause, with an accepting tone but still with a little touch of sadness, Misty quietly asked.
"Huh?!" Ash sounded surprised and then giggled, "Am I not traveling right now?"
He opened the back door to appear next to a curious Meganium that was watching them through the nearest window. Widely smiling, the PokƩmon Master hugged her by the long neck and posed as if he were being photographed.
Several steps outside the house... He carefully caught a Sprigatito and put her on his head as he used to do with his Pikachu.
"Now I'm in Paldea, wohoo!"
But the Sprigatito wasn't Pikachu, so she just decided that Ash was a good ladder and, delighted by the opportunity, jumped to the roof: cats love high places! Ash continued his "journey", and Misty hurried after him.
"Alola, Alola!" he cheerfully claimed before giving a high five to a Gumshoos. "So... Where to go next?.. Oh! Whoosh, whoosh!" he imitated throwing shurikens to a Greninja nearby just to use all the agility left in his old body to escape getting all wet by the counterattack, "Kalos. And finally..."
Ash suddenly turned back to Misty, grabbing her by her waist.
"I'm at home, in Kanto again!"
Misty smiled warmly but playfully frowned the next moment, "So, 4 regions and not a single letter! You'd better prepare yourself, Mr. Ketchum!"
"Did you miss me so much, honey?" he winked.
"I always did, you, idiot." At last, she hugged him back, tightly, and muttered, "So it's forbidden for you to leave me again!"
"I remember the time when you were irritated to have me around."
"That's good," Ash mischievously smiled, "as you won't be able to get rid of me until the very end of time."
They laughed, and hearing it from a distance, old Raichu, settling down on his blanket to relax under the warm sun, had a lazy thought that this life, for him and his trainer, turned out to be a really happy one.
gracieabrams
andulkaphoto
prguitarman
sugurugetos
gummygunk
areudirty
yousharknotpass
tangentwithtanner
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
