Secret Shared
The gang had gotten together for a sleepover before Halloween which this year landed on a weekend Sunday much to everyone's delight. Ash and Gary had asked their parents and the other kid's parents for permission. At first, their friend's parents were not sure about it but after listening to Delia and Rosalind's assurance they let their children go to the sleepover. Leaf and Lily had agreed to watch over them, and Riley had to do a solo mission so Red had returned home for the week to join them. Sabrina had given Green a break as well, seeing how well his lessons in not only Psychic abilities but also in being a Gym Leader were going well.
Green had been delighted to be home and spend the first night cuddling with Gary and Leaf just like Red was with Ash. Their parents were however leaving for important work and left the older kids in charge. Leaf, Red and Green took Lily aside to one room and started to explain a few things about themselves much to her surprise and astonishment. She looked at the room her sister and friends were in then looked back at her three friends and nodded understanding. She would watch over them and get her sisters to watch out for them as well. Meanwhile Ash and Gary had just finished explaining their abilities and given a small demonstration.
Misty put her cup of hot chocolate down, "Do you think we could do it too?"
Chloe looked at Misty, "Do what?"
Misty looked at Ash, "Those abilities you have, do you think we could do it as well."
Ritchie's eyes twinkled, "It'll be cool, if we could."
Gary smiled softly, "You might be able to do what we can or you might be able to do something completely different from us."
Goh, "What do you mean?"
Ash finished his cup of chocolate, "What Gary means is everyone is different. Red, my big brother is what we call an Aura Guardian, Green, Gary's big brother is a Psychic User."
Goh looked at the other room that had the older kids, "What? Seriously? They don't look like they are, I mean."
Gary smiled, "Because they don't want just anyone to know. The reason the two of us are telling you this is because we trust you."
Ash nodded, "You are our friends."
Ritchie got up and hugged them, "I will not tell anyone, I promise."
Misty got up joining the hug from Gary's side, "Me too, you can count on me."
Chloe hugged them from behind, "It will be our secret."
Goh smiled hugging them from Ash's side, "No one else will know unless you tell them. It is your secret."
Ash was touched, "Thank you."
Gary moved out of the hug, "Well then, I guess it's time we showed you another secret."
Ash got up as well and giggled, "Yeah come on."
Gary turned to Ritchie, "Ritchie, your mom is a Ranger right?"
Ritchie nodded, "Yeah, why do you ask?"
Ash smiled, "Dad will probably talk to her about this as well."
Ritchie blinked before nodding, "I'm guessing Professor Oak is speaking to Professor Sakuragi then."
Gary, "Yeah Gramps is, Dad will be talking to your Dad, Misty and our Moms will be talking to Gou's parents."
Gou gave a hum, "So aside from us, our families will know about this and no one else."
Gary nodded before looking serious, "It's for all of our safety. We are here, we'll explain inside."
Ash led the way into the greenhouse or garden, "Welcome to our little magical spot. Here we grow magical flowers, fruits, plants and herbs."
Misty giggled at the dramatics, Chloe gave an amused huff, Goh laughed and Ritchie shook his head. They looked around the warm nursery noticing the moving plants in the pots. The curious looking vines that seem to be alive and the weird looking weeds in the glass aquarium. The Pokemon who had just been introduced the first time were reluctant to enter but after Pikachu and the others assured them went inside.
Misty poked the glass of one of the smaller aquarium, "What's this? I never seen this weed before."
Gary looked at where she was pointing, "That's gillyweed."
Chloe joined them, "A what weed?"
Gary took out some of the weed and placed it in a smaller glass bowl, "This is called gillyweed. If you swallow it, it'll help you grow gills that can help you breath underwater for one hour at maximum."
Gou opened his mouth then closed it, "That sounded like something from a fairytale."
Misty however was looking at it in wonder, "So that's what it looks like."
Ritchie looked at Misty, "You know about this Misty?"
Misty nodded before turning to Gary "Yeah, sort of. It was introduced to the divers last year by Professor Oak. I didn't know you guys were the ones growing them."
Gary grinned, "It was actually Ash who found them. I just helped in multiplying and growing them."
Misty held Ash's hand, her eyes sparkling with stars, "Ash, if Gary doesn't marry you, marry me. You are a hero to every Water Pokemon trainer out there. This weed helps in understanding and training water Pokemon."
Ash blushed, "Uh... Um... Sure?"
Gary squawked, "Hey, hands off."
Ritchie, Goh and Chloe laughed at the antics, while Misty blew a raspberry at Gary which Gary returned. They explained to the others the abilities and qualities of the gillyweed. Ritchie was fascinated and asked if he could get some to grow as well. Ash showed him how and what temperature is best for the weed. Ritchie grinned saying it would be no problem, as the forest near his home had a very deep lake which was always cool whole year round.
After that they moved on to the mandrakes. They were a bit confused when Gary had lectured them on keeping their hearing safe when dealing with mandrakes but went with it. Ash had handed them earmuffs to wear which they had worn reluctantly as it was quite warm inside the greenhouse. They soon understood why the earmuffs were necessary as Ash pulled an ugly screaming root from a pot and transferred it to another. When the screaming stopped Ash took off his earmuffs followed by Gary and signalled them to take theirs off too.
Misty scowled, "What in Giratina's name was that?"
Chloe was a little shaky, "Yeah, I could hear the horrible scream despite wearing these."
Goh who had moved back, "It was pretty ugly to look at."
Ritchie however, "That was a mandrake, wasn't it?"
Ash grinned, "Correct you are ~"
Gary grinned, "Mandrake are root plants, that are the best ingredient for making an anti - paralysis potion. It doesn't have any of the side effects like dizziness, nausea, headaches, vomiting or hallucinations that anti paralysis potion usually have on humans. Beware, while preparing it however, a young mandrake cries can turn you deaf while an adult mandrake cries can kill you."
Gou frowned but before he could say anything Scorbunny, the three Nickits, Yamper, Sparky, Zippo, Staryu and Goldeen who was being pushed in a movable tank came inside. They had heard the screams from outside when they were playing in the field and had come running worried. Scorbunny turned Gou around while the three Nickits checked him over and Yamper was asking Chloe in a worried tone if she was alright. Sparky and Zippo were looking Ritchie over while Staryu and Goldeen were with Misty.
Ash gave his Pikachu a smile, "They care about each other a lot, don't they?"
Pikachu nodded, -No doubt about that.-
Gary grinned at Eevee, "They didn't wait for you to explain, huh?"
Eevee shook his head, -They wouldn't have listened.-
Gou stopped Scorbunny, "Relax bud, relax. We are okay, Ash was just showing us the mandrakes."
Misty pat Staryu, "Yeah, you don't need to worry. We were not in danger."
Ritchie held Sparky as he calmed Zippo, "It was a loud scream so we can't blame them for being terrified."
Chloe sighed as she pat Yamper, "I guess so."
Nickit also known as Swift, -Loud and irritating.-
Nickits known as Speed, -We were scared something bad happened!-
Nickit known as Gale, -So we came running as fast as we could.-
Ash's Charmander pat their heads, -We don't blame you, the first time we heard that screech we came running as fast as we could as well.-
Litten, -We thought Gary and Ash were hurt.-
Ash looked at his friends, "They were scared you guys were hurt."
Misty smiled but before she could answer the door to the greenhouse opened again. At the door was Lily followed by Leaf, Red and Green, Lily was searching for Misty. She had heard the horrible screech as well and had come running thinking they were being attacked by a wild Pokemon or something. She stopped looking over Misty before sighing in relief.
Leaf, "I told you they were okay."
Lily, "Can you blame me for worrying?"
Red smiled, "Nor really, we can't."
Green clapped his hands, "Alright kiddos, I think you have spent enough time in the greenhouse. Let's go back inside, it may not be winter yet but the temperature has fallen in the evening a lot. Let's go yeah!"
Gary nodded, "Okay! Just let me put everything back and lock this place up."
Misty walked up to Lily, "Guess what Lily? Ash has gillyweed that grows in the aquarium here."
Lily blinked, "Aren't gillyweed costly and hard to get?"
Leaf rubbed her forehead, "Only because they are hard to cultivate. And this is the only greenhouse they grow in so far. We had too many thieves trying to steal the weed."
Red frowned, "No kidding. I hope the project Professor Ivy started succeeds."
Green sighed, "It doesn't help some of them are poachers. I don't think I have ever seen Uncle Cypress smile as sadistically as he did before when he caught them."
Leaf laughed at that, she knew how truly dangerous Cypress Ketchum was in battle. She had run into him more than once when she had unknowingly busted a poachers camp without even trying to look for them. Her little Crystalleon was the first of her kind to evolve from an Eevee, the first Jewel eeveelution. When Ash had gifted her the crystal from the Tree of Beginning she had thought it would look good on her Eevee and simple tied it around her neck with a ribbon. Who would have thought it would help her Eevee evolve into a one of a kind Eeveelution, a little canine, with a crystal on her forehead and crystal bands on paws and crystal collar. Her dark purple fur making her look like an exotic living jewel fit for royalty.
She had taken to leaving Crystalleon with her Grandpa who was more than happy to study her and protect her from the would be poachers. But it had not stopped the poachers from trying to kidnap her in the hopes of getting the Jewel eeveelution as the media had started to call Crystalleon, after her debut in Kalos. Leaf was ready to get blood on her hands and had taken to carrying an army knife around while she travelled through Kalos. Just like her younger brother she colored her hands red one day when one of the poachers attempted to rape her in order to get her Arcanine under control. She had lost her innocence to blood that day and cut her journey through Kalos short to return home.
Ash had apologized to her again and again but she had stopped him from begging forgiveness for another person's cruelty. She had then cried holding Ash and Gary that night, half way she was joined by Bill. Bill had rushed back once he found out what happened to his girlfriend and had held her close the whole night. The four of them had slept in till afternoon for a whole week before Green had enough and kicked his sister into therapy.
Leaf had attended the therapy reluctantly after her father had sat her down and told her how even he was still seeing a therapist. Blue had told her some of the things he had done as a trainer, and how he and Cypress had gotten involved with Team Rocket many years ago. It had left a mark on him, his Pokemon and his best friend. Leaf was getting better now, slowly, she is not sure she wants to return to Kalos yet but perhaps one day she will. She waited as Ash helped put the pots and plants back with Gary and Ritchie before they came out and locked the greenhouse. She announced there were more hot chocolate at home. It may not be winter yet but October nights can get chilly.