Ash x Gary (Palletshipping)

So These Are Feelings?

Me: "♪ I wanna be the very best

Like Gary always was...♪"

Ash: "Those aren't the words!"

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I watch as Daddy's Ash's face slowly turns from light tan to white to green to red to purple. I gape at him. It's like watching a Kecleon!

"Teagan!" Just then, Daddy bursts into the gym, obviously distraught from having to look for me. I sigh—other kids can travel the country all by themselves when they're ten, but I have to have parental supervision. Life just isn't fair.

"She's your...daughter?!" Ash spews like the word is foreign to him. I put my hands on my hips and glare, daring him to keep talking about me like that. If only he knew exactly what Steelix is capable of...I grin at the deliciously evil thought.

"Ash, I can explain," Dad blurts. What is there to explain? Oh, hey, Ashy, you know she's my daughter, right? Well, an alien came along and artificially inseminated me by force so it's really not my fault. Uh-huh, Dad, sure.

"Are you married?!" Ash's voice rips through like three octaves, going incredibly high-pitched and squeaky. I put my hands over my ears, not sure that I, myself, am even capable of producing such sounds.

"No, no! Her mother's dead!" My mood turns a little somber, seeing how frantic Dad is to explain himself. He only ever sounds that way when he's dealing with me so I now know that Ash and I are of comparable importance to him.

"Is that supposed to be a good thing?!" You know, I don't think Ash would be getting so upset about this if he didn't care just as much as Dad. I don't know why he's really bothered by Mom, though—it's not like I ever even knew her.

"Ash, just please let me explain. I can explain, I swear!" Dad's running his hands through his hair, looking absolutely as though someone told him he has two seconds to save...Hold on, I'm having a thought here...He looks like someone told him that he has two seconds to save his lover's life...

Is that what Daddy meant by 'feelings?'

I groan and put my hand to my face. Why can't parents just speak English like the rest of us?

"Forget it, Gary. Just stay away from me. I always hated you anyways." Ash is backing away rapidly from Daddy like he's going to be burned, and I can tell that he cares: you have to care to be afraid of getting hurt.

"Really?" Dad's starting to get angry, "Even when we were kids, Ash? Are you sure?" Dad is not a fan of 'tones' or people who ignore the facts.

"Yeah! You were always just a burden, following me around like you did!"

"I'm pretty sure you've got that twisted, Ashy boy." Uh-oh, I don't think that nickname is exactly a compliment, not when Dad sneers it like that.

"Whatever, I'm done!"

"Good!"

That May lady and the Gym Leader are watching in silence as Daddy tries to rend his hair from his scalp and Ash pushes wildly at the doors. Doesn't he know they slide? Clearly, I need to intervene here.

"Ash!" I wait until I have his attention, "Daddy," I look to my father, "I'm entering Steelix and Aron in a contest. You both have to come watch, okay? And then, if you want, you can part ways and never see each other again." Dad looks like he wants to throw up at the idea of this, and my heart clenches. I really hope this works.

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Me: Okay, no more chapters from Teagan's perspective.

Teagan: But I'm EXCELLENT!

Me: Yeah, you're okay, and you're even better in the next episode, but this is about Ash and Gary, not you. I think I'm going to have to instill Gary with a little less paternal instinct in the coming chapters...

Teagan: Somebody help me!

Aron: *Spontaneously evolves into Aggron* Grrrrr...

Me: Eeeep!