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Pokemon: the Next Generation
Chapter 22
Flint, Ollie, Shari and Pikachu were all walking along quite happily, but for some reason, Jackie looked down, and Ollie noticed it.
"What's wrong, Jack?" he asked.
Jackie looked up. "Huh? Um...nothing, I'm fine."
"Really? You don't look fine."
Jackie sounded irritated. "I'm alright, ok? Just leave me alone about it!"
"About what?" Flint asked. "I thought it was nothing."
Jackie looked up at the sky, with tears starting to come down her cheeks.
Shari was signaling at Flint to stop saying stuff. Then Jackie started bawling and ran ahead.
"Pi pi pikachu? asked Pikachu. (What's going on?)
"Didn't you see those signals I was flashing at you to stop, Flint?" asked Shari.
"Those were signals? I thought you just had something in your eye," Flint replied.
"So what's wrong with her?" asked Ollie, concerned.
"Well, here it goes. Today is Jackie's mom's birthday."
"What's so bad about that?" Flint asked.
"Her mom passed away three years ago. Cancer."
Flint and Ollie's eyes widened. "What?!" asked Ollie. "Why didn't she tell me?"
"Well she doesn't like to talk about it."
"So how come she told you and not me? I mean, I'm her boyfriend."
"Well, me and Jackie have become really close these last few months. We're like, best friends now."
"Still though..."
"Maybe you should go talk to her."
Ollie sighed. "Doesn't she wanna be left alone though?"
"Well, maybe you should just try to comfort her. She could use a friend right now."
"Hey, Jackie," Ollie said when he got to her.
Jackie wiped off her tears and looked over at Ollie. "She told you, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I guess you had to figure it out sooner or later. Sorry I didn't tell you."
"Nah, that's okay. Shari's your best friend. But, are you okay?"
"No. But, can you just hold me right now?"
"Okay."
They embraced and held each other for what seemed like forever. At least it seemed like that to Flint.
"Wake me up when they're done," he said to Pikachu and Shari as he layed on a boulder.
"Pika. Pi pi chu," Pikachu said. (Not me. I'm going takin a nap too.)
Shari sat and looked at Ollie and Jackie dreamily. "That's so romantic," she said to herself.
After a while, they continued on and made their way to Scarlet Town. They were on their way to a restaurant, but suddenly, Jackie stopped. She peered in the window of a floral shop and saw roses.
"What's wrong, Jac?" asked Ollie as he stood by her.
"My mom...loved roses. Everytime I see roses, it reminds me of her."
Flint and Shari came back too.
"What's going on?" asked Flint.
Jackie continued. "I remember, she had a rose garden. I would always say that she loved her roses more than me. Then she would hold me in her arms and tell me that I was the most precious rose in the world to her and that her other roses couldn't compare."
"Oh, that's so touching!" Flint said as he sniffed. "Okay, group hug!"
They all put their arms around each other and just stared at the roses for a while. They were all thinking about their parents.
Suddenly they saw a flash and turned around to see a man with a camera. He took a picture of them.
"Oh, that's beautiful!" he said.
"Did you just take a picture of us?" asked Ollie.
"Yes. Normally, though I only take pictures of Pokemon, but this one I couldn't back down to," the man looked at Pikachu. "Speaking of Pokemon, that's a good lookin Pikachu you got there."
Pikachu blushed. "Pi pika ka?" (You think so?)
"Hey, thanks, mister. He's mine," Flint said.
The man looked at the picture he just took. "Ah! It's coming in!"
They all looked at it.
"Hey, can we buy that from you?" Ollie asked as he took out his wallet. "Because I'm amusing you're a professional photographer."
"Oh no. Here take it. I am a professional photographer, but you can have this photo for free," the man said as he handed Ollie the picture.
"Thanks!"
"No prob. By the way, my name's Todd."
"Nice to meet you," Ollie said as he shook Todd's hand.
Flint, Jackie, Shari and Pikachu did likewise.
Suddenly, Flint thought of something, and he asked Todd, "You wouldn't happen to have travelled on a Pokemon journey when you were young with Ash Ketchum would you?"
Todd looked at Flint. "Why, yes. How did you know that?"
"Well, because Ash Ketchum is my father."
"You're Flint?"
"Yeah! How did you know my name?"
"Well when you were born, Ash called me to tell me the news, but I wasn't home. I had to go to Fuschia City and the Safari Zone at the time. But when I returned a few days later, I heard the message."
"Wow."
"Speaking of Fuschia City, you must be on your way there, right?"
"Yep."
"Hey, I could give you a lift if you want. You can just hop in my truck and you'll be there in no time."
Flint looked at Ollie. "Hmm...I dunno about getting rides from strangers..." Ollie said.
"I understand. But I am who I say I am."
Shari popped up. "We'll take it!" she looked at everyone. "Aren't you all sick of walking? We could be at Fuschia in no time!"
"I don't know," Flint said. "I'm not sure if my Pokemon are ready yet for the gym leader there."
"Well, I'll help you out," Todd said.
He walked over to his truck, reached in, and took out some candy.
"Here," he said as he came back and handed Flint the candy. "This is Rock Candy. It'll boost your Pokemon's experience. I have six pieces here, so choose the Pokemon you're going to use for the Fuschia Gym.
"Hmm..." Flint thought about it. He took out his Pokeballs and called out his Pokemon. He gave a candy to six of his chosen Pokemon and then called them back.
"Chu pika ka pi!" Pikachu said as he flexed his little arms. (I feel revved up and ready to fight!)
"That's the way Pikachu!" Flint said.
"Well, let's go," Todd said as he got in his truck.
Shari and Jackie rode up front with Todd, while Flint and Ollie rode in back.
"Oh wait!" Jackie exclaimed as she hopped out.
"What?" asked Ollie.
She ran into the floral shop and came back out a few minutes with a rose.
"I'm going to need this for later," she said as she got back in.