Why Did I Fall In Love!? (Boy x Boy Ship)

Chapter Nine: There Are Regional Forms!?

(A/N) Ok, I don't know what it is about Mondays that I keep forgetting to publish chapters until the Tuesday morning. You just have to nudge me haha. Anyway, enjoy! :) xxx

A few weeks later...

Gou is sitting at the edge of the pier, his eyes are closed, legs crossed, taking deep breaths in... And out... And in... And out...

It's so peaceful. The perfect place to clear the mind. There's the noises of Vermillion City behind him, the faint horns from passing ships out on the horizon, the cries of water and flying type Pokémon. Total Zen. Gou could sit for hours.

"Guess who!?" said a voice suddenly covering Gou's eyes.

"Ash! Stop it!" Gou complains while attempting to pull Ash's hands away from his face. Ash is laughing but isn't taking his hands away. "Ash seriously!" Gou grumbles.

"OK OK! Grumpy guts!" Ash concedes lifting his hands away before sitting down next to Gou. "What are you doing anyway?"

"Meditating, I guess." Gou responds.

"Meditating? How do you have the patience for that? I couldn't sit quietly for that long!" Ash replies.

"Try it!" Gou quirks.

Ash closes his eyes.

"Just take a deep breath in... And then out..." Gou instructs softly as he watches Ash "attempt" to meditate.

Gou observes as Ash takes deep breaths. He looks quite cute when he's attempting to concentrate. Gou instantly internally scolds himself, he can't think like that. That's a big no-no. Meanwhile, Ash is struggling to concentrate. He keeps wincing and whining quietly.

"Ah! I can't do it!" Ash finally blurts out giving up.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Gou scoffs.

"Why do you even do it?" Ash asks.

"It helps me concentrate and to bring my thoughts together." Gou responds, even though the real reason he mediates is to act as a coping mechanism for his "feelings", which has had some effect.

"I like to be moving all the time!" Ash explains.

"Oh, I know!" Gou jokes standing up. "Shall we head back?"

"It's a nice day! Let's take a walk before heading to the lab!" Ash suggests pointing towards the city centre. Gou shrugs his shoulders but decides to go along with it.

You wouldn't immediately think about it but walking through the streets of a city is a good place to observe Pokémon and people living and working in harmony. Both adapting to the surroundings. The two boys observing as they walk through Vermillion City's streets. A street grocer allowing a wild flock of Pidgey to some of his fruit and veg. An old lady sitting on a bench with her trusted Clefable, enjoying the light breeze. Police officers patrolling the streets while riding Rapidash. A group of kids playing tig with an Eevee and a Poliwag. A Seel clapping happily in the fountain while its Trainer takes pictures of it. The two boys smile at everything they observe. It shows how great life can be when people and Pokémon are in perfect harmony.

Suddenly, Ash's ears begin to twitch as he quickly looks around him as though trying to look for something.

"What is it?" Gou asks.

"There's a Pokémon battle going on!" Ash responds.

"Where? I don't hear or see anything!" Gou reacts.

"There is!" Ash says adamantly. "Come on!" He says suddenly running.

"Are you serious!?" Gou whinges. "Ash! Come on! Wait up!" Gou complains trying to catch up.

After a bit of running, Ash suddenly stops. His eyes a glow. An exhausted Gou eventually catches up. "Ash! You could've waited on me!"

"Look!" Ash says excitedly, pointing to a battle field where two trainers are having a battle.

"Now Exeggutor! Use Headbutt!" The Trainer commands as Exeggutor charges towards a Dodrio.

"Wow! That Exeggutor is huge!" Gou says with fascination.

"Oh! That's nothing! You should see the Exeggutor in Alola!" Ash responds.

"What do you mean?" Gou enquires.

"The Exeggutor in Alola are huge! They have really long necks that reach high up into the sky! And they have a head at the end of their tail!" Ash explains.

"Wow!" Gou replies completely amazed.

***********************
"Professor? What do you know about regional forms?" Gou asks.

"Well, in some regions, Pokémon have a different form as they have adapted to their environment. Some Pokémon have a different colour; are perhaps taller or shorter, and quite often they have different types." The Professor responds.

"Different types!? Really!?" Gou says in shock.

The Professor nods and starts typing on the keyboard. "Look at the screen, Gou."

*An image of a Kantonian Meowth appears on the screen*

"As you'll know, this is a Kantonian Meowth and it's a Normal type." The Professor begins...

"Yeah!" Gou confirms.

*An image of a Galarian Meowth and an Alolan Meowth appears on the screen*

"Wow!" Gou says in amazement.

"The one on the left is a Galarian Meowth, a steel type, and the one on the right is an Alolan Meowth, which is a dark type." The Professor explains.

*An image of a Kantonian Vulpix and an Alolan Vulpix appear on the screen*

"Amazing!" Gou shrieks.

"A Kantonian Vulpix, a fire type and an Alolan Vulpix, which is an ice type." The Professor continues.

"This is absolutely incredible!" Gou cheers.

"Show him the Alolan Exeggutor, Professor!" Ash requests.

"You know what? Instead of looking at images on a screen, I think it would be better if you two head to the Alola region and do a little research into regional forms of Pokémon." The Professor suggests. "Don't you know people in Alola, Ash?"

"Yeah! That would be awesome!" Ash cheers. "I'll contact Professor Kukui! I loved living in Alola!"

"Ash will be able to show you around then, Gou!" The Professor says.

"Yeah! I'll be your personal guide!" Ash responds with pride.

"That'll be so cool! I can't wait!" Gou replies.

Our pair scatter in excitement. Ash is eager to be reunited with his friends in Alola and Gou is eager to see these regional forms for himself. This trip will be a good test for his new coping mechanism.

It'll help with bringing his feelings under control.

Hopefully for good.....