Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon
Summary: A series of one-shots using the song "The 12 Days of Christmas" as the theme...somewhat.
Chapter Shipping: MilkShipper

The 12 Elements of Ash-Mas
One-Shot 1: Rollout Bowling

Ash and Pikachu were practicing for their next adventure with Ash's Pokémon in a far away meadow. There were sets of bowling pins standing, ready to be knocked down. Ash threw his Pokéball, releasing Phanpy, the baby blue elephant. ("Playtime!") Phanpy cheered.

"Phanpy, let's work on that Rollout!" Ash commanded. Phanpy leaped into the air before curling it's body like a wheel. Phanpy started rolling, literally, heading toward the first set of pins on the course. The first set were as big as Phanpy's floppy ears. Ash saw it but wasn't sure Phanpy was ready. "Hold on, Phanpy!" Phanpy broke out of that Rollout, skidding for feet. Finally stopped, Phanpy wondered why Ash backed out of the use of Rollout so fast. A tall tale sign was the scratching in the hair. "I didn't mean use it right away. I should have used my words a little better." Phanpy looked over to the small pins, almost bewildered at how close it came to demolishing them. "Come with us to see the course." Phanpy had to know what Ash had in store.

("Okay.") Ash, Pikachu and Phanpy toured the course of growing sets of bowling pins, twists and turns.

"You see, I wanted to check on your speed, power, accuracy and endurance. I thought about it since you've got a pretty unique Rollout attack." Ash stopped by the 5th set of pins which were about normal size for professional bowling and pointed to the two circling paths on each side. "I thought this would be a nice addition, not only to cut time but work on your turning while rolling." Where did Ash come up with such an idea? Unfortunately, the Pokémon weren't the only ones confused with this layout of an idea.

"I never knew you were into bowling, Ash," a female gawked. Ash, Pikachu and Phanpy turned, viewing a pink-haired young female in pigtails, a white button-down t-shirt and shorts. Ash hiccuped with the arrival of her.

"H-Hey, Whitney. What are you doing here instead of Goldenrod City?" The Gym Leader expected that question to come out. Obviously, she had a viable reason.

"The Pokémon League asked me to get the gym renovated so it's closed until it's complete. They always have those state-of-the-art gadgets they want to install." Renovations... Ash understood Whitney's dilemma.

"I gotcha." Whitney scanned the course over, viewing the increasing sizes of the pins.

"You couldn't stick with one size pins?" Ash had a quick explanation.

"Increase difficulty improves the strength of the attack, right?" It wasn't that Whitney didn't get it for a sweat drop. It was a different opinion altogether.

"At least your head's somewhat in the right place. However, it does put a lot of strain on the Pokémon." That's when she had an idea. "I know what we can do! Since you created this speedy bowling alley course, how about a match of your invented sport?" A match, Ash's Phanpy vs. Whitney's... what did she have?

"I get ya! Phanpy vs. Miltank!" A cheer from her confirmed the battle...until Ash thought up something. "But what's the prize for the winner? I already got your Plain Badge." That got the pink-haired female to think.

"I think I know what to give you if Phanpy wins. As well as something for you to give me for Miltank's victory..." Ash had the idea. The question now became what the prize was.

"Okay..." Ash and Whitney had gone to work replacing the pins from sets 1-4 and 6-12, 12 having no loop. Why?

"You do know about how the scoring works in bowling, right?" Ash thought about how they scored in regular bowling. Did he really know? Sure didn't look like it.

"Let's see. Two rolls to knock all ten pins per frame. Knock 'em all down in one, that's a strike and two is a spare, all counting as ten..." Whitney sighed. Ash had no clue.

"Don't tell me you never thought this through? A strike is worth ten plus the next two rolls for a maximum of 30, also known for three straight strikes as a turkey. A spare is worth ten as well plus the next roll." It just now dawned on Ash about the scoring system.

"I knew the scoring system was awkward. I just wasn't sure where." Whitney would forgive him. Finally, the course was set. It took all afternoon but they were ready. Pikachu rode on Noctowl while holding two signs: one with an "X" and another having a "/". Miltank, the pink cow, was ready to roll.

"Alright, Miltank! Rollout!" Miltank leaped up, quite a height for a bovine to jump. Curling itself, it started to roll entering the course line. Pin set #1. BOOM! It was like a wrecking ball into a building made of toothpicks. All were knocked down. Pikachu rose the "X" sign. "Strike!" Miltank banked a right into pin set #2. It hooked a bit and seemed to favor the first two pins on the right. KAPOW! Another devastating blow and all ten pins were shaved to the dirt. Pikachu rose the "X" again. "Two strikes!" One more for a turkey. Miltank turned left to the third set. It looked on target...only favoring to the right a little more. KAPLOW! But Whitney gasped. Miltank passed the set, the two back pins still stood on the left. "Miltank, loop back around!" Ash recalled the scoring.

"Two strikes for 20 and the second of the first two rolls was eight would equal 28 for the first frame." He's finally got the system down...at least. Miltank used the right loop to swing back around. Back to the third set, it seemed dead-on. BLAM! The last two fell. Pikachu waived the"/" sign.

"Nice recovery, Miltank!" Ash knew that it was a 20 for the second set for the strike and spare. With the cross on the third frame, Ash placed a 48 in the second box. Onto set #4. Miltank was on target. POW! Nothing left. Back up was the "X." "Way to go!" Ash marked the "X" before placing 68 on Frame #3. The fifth set. Miltank was fading to the right gradually. Not good...until it corrected itself in time. BOOM! No pins stood. "X" on that scorecard. Spinning to the sixth, Miltank had to feel confident that its score was pretty good at this point. It might be a bit of a surprise if it wasn't dizzy. The sixth set fell easily on impact. Miltank got a turkey! Three straight strikes! Miltank rolled onto the seventh set with poise. Suddenly, the roller made a cut left, over-correcting the sharp 90-degree left turn. This was trouble. BOOM! Smashing into the set, Miltank seemed to recover...but left three pins, the back two on the right side and one back one on the left corner. A split? "Miltank, right loop!" Miltank listened and used the right loop to fix the mistake. "Use the right side of the path!" In a normal game of bowling, you couldn't instruct your ball to move. Miltank balanced itself on the line of the "alley."BAM! It hit the two pins on the right and one was knocked into the one on the left, flooring it. Pikachu rose the "/" once more. "That's the spirit!" Miltank converted on the right turn toward the eighth set. The roll, the pins...how many? BANG! All ten with Pikachu waiving the "X." Right turn for the ninth set. Like the Limp Bizkit song, Miltank kept on rolling. POW! Ten were up...then down. Another strike! There was a straightaway for the tenth frame, three sets on this final stretch.

"This is it!" First of the last three...BAM! All fall down. One strike and Miltank's second turkey. The middle...SMASH! All crumbled. Two strikes! The final set...CRACK! The set...Hold on! Nine fell. The leftmost pin stood. Miltank was ready to clean it up but...

"That's enough, Miltank! Good work!" Miltank broke out and stood...before stumbling onto its tail. It looked back at the last pin that stood, wishing it was also down. Whitney came over, wanting to praise the cow for its efforts. "That was a great run, Miltank!" Miltank smiled about the effort. Now came the score. Both the Gym Leader and Pokémon returned to Ash who was finishing up on the scores. "Well, Ash? What's the score?"

"Well, Whitney, Miltank scored 244. Very impressive!" 244 points...talk about a benchmark. One tough score for Ash to top. 30 minutes passed when the course was reset.

"Alright, Ash. Let's see how your Phanpy does. 244 isn't easy." Doesn't Ash know it. Nevertheless, Ash wasn't one to back down, regardless of the odds.

"244 will be a cinch! Here we go, Phanpy! Rollout!" Phanpy began the course with its Rollout.

'Phanpy's Rollout is half as big as Miltank's. The impact won't be as impressive...but we'll find out if size is just size.' Phanpy reached the first set, hooking inside. BOOM! Phanpy passed the first set, not one pin left standing. "Strike one!" Ash, this is bowling, not baseball. Phanpy rolled toward the second set, on target. PLOW! The second set stood no chance. Pikachu rose the "X" again. "Strike two! One more and that's the turkey!" At least his head's getting in the right place again, much to Whitney's sighing fluster. The third set was next...and Phanpy was right there to knock 'em down. BASH! Looked promising but as Phanpy passed, three pins on the left stood in a triangle. Whitney's Miltank had an issue but Phanpy had it worse...not by much though. "Right loop!" Phanpy rolled around the right loop, circling back around. This time, cleanup should be a breeze. BAM! Knock down! Pikachu rose the "/" sign, a spare scored. Speeding along, Pin sets #4-6 were no match to Phanpy's calculated Rollout strikes, scoring that elusive turkey. Pin set #7 was up.

"Phanpy's reached the set where Miltank had that split," Whitney recalled her round. Phanpy bashed right through the seventh set...with one pin remaining, far left corner. Ash was quick with his roundabout.

"Right loop again!" Phanpy used the loop which helped it clean up the third set. This time was no different. It kissed the lone standing pin enough to level it, another spare scored. Pin sets #8 and #9 were grounded, strikes tallied and heading toward the home stretch. Who would win? "This is it, Phanpy! Rollout with all your might!" The first pin set...CRACK! Down and out! Strike! The second pin set...BOOM! Strike two! The final pin set...BANG! Phanpy broke out after slamming into the last set, dizzy and winded...as two pins wobbled, trying to recover. Could it? The pins...stood upright! Man, that hurt him with the 7-10 split. Ash and Whitney raced over to the baby elephant to see if it was okay. "Phanpy, you good?" Phanpy whimpered but smiled. That course and pins took quite a toll.

"That was impressive. I think this gonna be close." Whitney began to record the scores...and was surprised. Ash and Pikachu wondered about the final.

"What is it?" Whitney gave the scorecard to Ash.

"Phanpy scored a 244! It's a tie!" A tie? Was there going to be a tiebreaker?

"244-244..." How were they going to determine the winner of the inaugural Rollout Bowling Contest? "You were awesome, Phanpy." Now came the spoils.

"Well, Ash, I think a tie's good. Not to mention that the sport of Rollout Bowling may catch on." No regrets to either side of the spectrum.

"Yeah, that's actually a really good round we did. Phanpy and Miltank are really great Rollout Pokémon." Phanpy and Miltank cheered their well deserved praise. Suddenly, Whitney's cheeks bled red, not because of injury.

"Ash, is it okay if I ask you something?" Ash swung his head to Whitney, wondering what was on her mind.

"Yeah..." Whitney seemed hesitant to ask...but it's a safe bet that it would involve her and him.

"I know the Silver Conference isn't for another month but would you like to go out sometime in the near future?" That was a request for a date? Ash balked for an answer. Pikachu had a feeling about this. Why else would Whitney come to Ash? At least that's what Pikachu's thinking.

("I think Whitney wants you to date her,") he clarified. Ash heard his partner but still wasn't sure about an answer. He did have this to say.

"I'm surprised she would want me instead of Brock," he stammered quietly. Finally with a sigh, Ash caved to her. "I don't necessarily see a problem." A clap of the hands was a good thing.

"Great! I'll see you after you beat Clair, deal?" Ash bobbed a nod, sealing his fate...or a spot on his schedule. Speaking of seals, Whitney leaned down and...SMOOCH! Wow. That kiss was pretty friendly. Whitney licked her lips now that she had a taste of Ash...and wasn't satisfied. "Hold on...one more." SMOOCH! We've heard of liking something a little bit more but this was ridiculous. "J-Just a little more." SMOOCH! Someone save Ash before Whitney sucks all the love...and consciousness out of him. A hand extended and snagged Whitney...by the ear. It was Misty and she began to drag the kissing farm girl/Gym Leader from the sight while holding Togepi. "OW! OW! OW!"

"I'd better roll you out of here!" she scowled while Togepi shrilled in enjoyment. This was a bit much for Ash to absorb...and it might have been too late to save him. POOF! He fainted. Pikachu saw his love struck friend...but instead of Thunder Shock to revive him, all he did was sigh in relief. Thanks, No-Help!

THE END of NORMAL

(Which element would you like me to do next? Leave your choice with your review.)