Chapter Fourteen

A petite young eleven year old girl twitched as she sat on a couch in the Pokémon Center. The brunette was wondering whether she should call Mrs Delia and inform her that her son was missing. However she wasn't sure if she should make the kind woman worry.

"Trainer Leaf, your Pokémon are ready at the counter." She stood up as she heard Nurse Joy on the intercom. Walking slowly over she absently grabbed her three Pokémon from the tray.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Leaf shook her head as she looked up at the pink-haired Nurse, who was looking at her in concern.

"It's nothing really," she paused, actually she should ask an adults opinion, "actually, see there's supposed to be another trainer coming from my town. But it's already been a day, and he's not here. I was wondering if I should call his mother and inform her that he's still not here?"

Nurse Joy nodded in understanding, but smiled, "Well if I'm not wrong you and that brown haired boy came here through Route One, yes?"

Leaf nodded.

"You shouldn't worry to much, dear. You and Mr. Oak arrived quicker than most trainers. Most people take at least four days on Route before they make it here. Don't concern yourself over it to much." Leaf gave the nurse a grateful smile. It seemed she was worrying to much, Gary and her had merely arrived earlier then most beginners.

"That would generally be the case however I've received reports of a particularly aggressive flock of Spearows which have made a nest right next to Route One." Leaf jumped at the voice behind her, the words worrying her a bit. Turning she saw a blue haired woman dressed in Police clothes.

She spoke up in worry, "Is that true, Officer Jenny?"

The officer nodded solemnly before she winced a bit. Leaf followed the older woman's eyes and found the ever smiling Nurse Joy scowling at the Officer.

"Officer Jenny, I would like it if you didn't cause trainers to worry." The Nurse turned to her and Leaf gulped when the scowl turned into a comforting smile, "Now Leaf, you don't have to worry, the League will take care of it, besides you and Mr Oak made it here safely didn't you?"

Leaf pondered her words. They made sense after all neither she nor Gary got attacked why would Ash be. Even if he wasn't as good as her and Gary, his mother had done her best to raise him so he couldn't be too bad.

"Yeah, right. That loser probably doesn't even know how to read a map let alone command in battle. I bet he's still walking in circles around a tree!" Leaf sighed at the arrogant voice that sounded as the Center's doors opened.

Officer Jenny huffed. "That's rather rude of you to assume." Nurse Joy joined in on the glare.

Leaf didn't bother much. Sure she didn't like Gary's attitude, and what he said was rude but she didn't actually know Ash. Since she arrived at Pallet Town a little over a year ago, she'd heard all kinds of things about the Ketchum boy.

That he was cruel, that he was a selfish prick, that he was odd and had unnatural eyes. She had never actually looked at his eyes though so she wasn't sure on that rumor. She'd also heard rumors that his father left him and his mother because of how unnatural he was. There were some that he liked to hurt others and often got into fights, which was why he was always injured. While others said he was a depressed and suicidal kid.

When she had heard all of that she had felt bad for Mrs Delia who had to raise such an odd child alone. She even tried to get to know the boy because he had Delia as a mother so he couldn't be to bad. Unfortunately, she found that he rarely ever left his room, and when he did he'd avoid people most of the time and when he didn't and she saw him walking around she would have moments where she felt scared of him and creeped out. This was courtesy of her friends in town telling her some of the darker rumors surrounding the boy that the adults tried to hide from them.

Things about how he'd hypnotized a girl into being his slave during the Professor's Pokémon Camps and how the family of the girl moved away shortly after without a word of why. There were other rumors how he had been blackmailing Gary to be his friend for four years. Of course, no one asked Gary to confirm this everyone knew he'd deny it to save his pride.

Some kids even said that their parents thought the kid killed his father and Delia was merely trying to protect her baby. What stuck most with Leaf though were the rumors that he was cruel towards Pokémon and didn't care if he hurt them, some had even heard about different plans he had for selling them. That was what kept most kids away from him, Pokémon Poachers were hated by universally every kid who wanted a Pokémon.

However despite how much the boy creeped her out, she'd try to take care of him for his kind mother. She'd do her best not to judge the boy to harshly either.

Leaf turned to Gary with a smile as he walked up to her, "You heading out today?"

"Yep, right after I get my team checked up again actually, if you want a ride. You game?" The tall boy turned to the complete business smile of Nurse Joy, not that he nor Leaf knew it as such. "Nurse Joy, if you'd be so kind."

The Nurse kindly took his Pokéballs from his hands and turned to Officer Jenny, "Jenny you should head back to your post I can take care of things here."

"Kay. Good luck kids." Leaf looks at the blue haired cop in confusion, why did the two of them seem disappointed in her?

Leaf smiled sadly, "I'm going to stay here for another day or two. I want to make sure Ash gets here so his mother won't have to worry. Thanks for the offer though maybe I can hitch a ride next time!"

Gary scowled at the name but nodded, "Yeah but you better not stay with that loser for a long time. I don't want my rival to fall behind because she feels bad for a piece of trash."

Selectively ignoring the insults towards a person that she couldn't be bothered to defend, as they also weren't here, she smiled. "Well see y'a later, Gary!" She waved as he received his Pokémon from Nurse Joy and headed towards the door.

Again she paused at the odd look of disappointment on the Nurse's face. Saying a thanks to the Nurse she headed back towards her previous place on the couch positioned near the door.

Author Notes (is put this where it belongs but it's far to long to fit):

Okay so I wasn't originally planning on publishing this chapter but I got writers block on Misty and Ash's side😕.

I'm going back to previous chapters and editing them to had more dialogue and such but the base plot should remain the same except everyone will get to know the characters better and will have more details on the last two years of Ash's life in Pallet Town. So after this chapter it might take a while because I'm doing more research on every character in the story.

I've learned so much about Jessie that I didn't originally pick up on when I watched the tv show. And honestly guys having to rewatch the original series is PAINFUL!!!!! I can't stand Ash's voice I might have to find the sub version so I can actually get through it😭😭😭😭

Other than that while this story won't be focused on any ships there will be underlying tones of various ships throughout the story, my apologies for those who just like gay ships mainly palletshipping my bias may emerge in my writing for those but I'll try to contain it!

IMPORTANT NEWS: I may go back and change it so it's not Misty who finds Ash but our favorite Team Rocket trio. I've decided these three will have a pretty important role in the story after reading up on their history before the series and now I'm just trying to figure out a timeline for everything. Jezz who knew writing was so complicated 😂😅