Chapter 2
Ash honestly forgot about his travelling companions in his excitement at seeing Misty. It was so long since he saw her, and the last time they did not even get to talk really and catch up. He rushed forward to her. Right into the crowd of people seeking Nurse Joy.
It was like trying to swim in oil, by the time Ash made his way to a certain point and he looked up for Misty and Pikachu, they were gone. Ash felt his heart drop; this was not a dream was it?
“Pikapi!” Ash felt Pikachu jump on his neck and he breathed a sigh of relief. Turning he went to glance up at Misty to realise he had to look down at her; she was shorter than him now!
“Ash! Hey! Long time no see, right Pikachu?” Pikachu rubbed its cheek against Ash’s looking like it was ready to abandon him again for the favour in Misty’s arms.
“I can’t believe it’s you Mist, it’s the last place I would expect to run into you. Are you visiting someone?”
“Not exactly, Ash I’m travelling here to compete, just like you are.” The others caught up to Ash, giving Misty curious looks.
“How do you know what I’m doing Misty?”
“Ash what other reason would you come? You never were the sightseeing type especially if there was a competition around.”
“Umm, Sorry but how do you know each other?” Drew broke in before Ash could retort,
“Oh, I’m sorry; I’m Misty, Nice to meet you Drew.” Misty smiled at Drew before turning to Paul. “Nice to meet you too Paul, and you too Iris, and you too Cilian.”
“Wait how do you know who we are?” Iris asked staring at Misty “Are you psychic?”
Laughter came from behind Misty.
“She wishes she was Psychic” A really familiar voice said. “Then she would be able to figure out what her present is!” Two girls pushed through the crowd. Two very familiar girls, two co-ordinators. May and Dawn.
“It’s not your gift so just wait like normal people.” It was another familiar voice, this time Brock pushed through the crowd to join the group.
“This is getting weird.” Iris said staring at the new people.
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The group had a corner booth in the Pokemon Centre all for themselves. Dawn, May, and Brock were doing the majority of the explanations while Misty softly spoke to Pikachu who was in her lap, and Ash sat next to her quietly watching, seeming not to be paying attention.
“So after I lost the Johto grand festival I needed time to think, so I went to the Orange islands to get a whole new perspective. When I came back I ended up in Kanto and was planning to go meet up with Professor Oak. But I ran into Dawn! She had just come from Unova and was full of excitement, we decided to train and travel together when I realised how close to Misty’s gym we were.” May started
“Yea, so when May and I went to the gym, Misty wasn’t there!! Her sisters were all happy about her going out and having a life and getting a date, when we turned up since they didn’t know us they thought we wanted a battle and refused to contact her!”
Pikachu at hearing the word date had frozen on Misty’s lap and its fur crackled with electricity. Ash in the meantime narrowed his eyes at Dawn seeming to be silently urging her to continue with the information.
“So we were there trying to explain that we knew Misty and all, but all Lily would say is that they weren’t going to contact her. It’s cute now, but at the time not so much.” Dawn and May shared a laugh before Dawn continued. “At the time we were like really frustrated.”
Misty looked up blushing slightly, “Can we skip this part please? I swear you’ve been telling everyone.”
“That’s not them.” Brock cut in with a laugh. “It’s your lovely sisters. I found Geogio’s style as cool. I should use it.”
Misty rolled her eyes. “Don’t make me pull your ear Brock, come down to earth before I have to drag you back.” The table erupted into chuckles. Ash sat up and slid a little closer to Misty.
“Who is Georgio?” He whispered, but May heard it anyway.
“He is this trainer that challenged Misty before, if he won she had to go out with him, if she won then that would be that, she won the first time they met but he challenged the gym and won and instead of a badge he got to take Misty out instead. It was soo romantic!”
Drew snorted. “Talk about predictable, the guy has no style.” May glowered at him.
Ash looked sick. “What else happened Dawn?” He queried looking at the table.
“Oh, well since her sisters wouldn’t contact her, we decided to kill time and battle them. We won but they were so impressed by our techniques that we had to sit them down and explain to them about Co-ordinating.”
“Then they decided that was what they wanted to do.” May put in. “They were just amazed at the whole thing that they decided they wanted to become top co-ordinators, but since they were not that good at battling they decided to take back the gym so that they could improve their skills.”
“That was the only things good about that date.” A flushing Misty said. “I go out on a forced date, and come back to realise I can have a bit more freedom when it comes to the gym.” Misty softly rubbed Pikachu’s cheeks getting a soft squeak from the electric rodent. “Now I can travel and see new kinds of water pokemon and even improve the ones I have that need a little TLC, and in some cases, swimming lessons.” She sighed.
“No big guesses which one needs swimming lessons.” Brock said laughing. Misty glared at Brock
“Now don’t you start that again, all Psyduck needs is some tough love and understanding.”
“Don’t forget the water wings!” Brock wheezed. Misty rolled her eyes.
“Just hurry up and go back to school Brock. We don’t have time for your jokes.”
“Wait.” Iris spoke up causing the whole table to look at her. “You guys are travelling here too? All of you?”
“No I’m just here to send them off on a good note and to see whether or not it looks like they can survive on their own, but it’s just Misty, May, and Dawn. I’m training to be a pokemon doctor. So I can’t stay here with them. As much as I would like to live out the old days. Just can’t this time.”
“It’s okay Brock, there may be no cooking like yours, but we will get by, we have travelled alone before.” Misty stuck her tongue out at Brock before continuing. “I really think we would move faster without those pretty girls distracting you too.”
Another round of laughter swept the table and Ash rested his arm on the back of the booth around Misty. “Like old times right Brock?”
“Yup, minus the ear pulling of course.”
Drew and Paul shifted bring attention to them slightly. “We are travelling with Ash this time around, are you three going to as well?”
“Um, no we already have everything planned out.” Dawn said shooting a glance at May and Misty. “Our paths will cross, but I’m pretty sure you guys schedule and ours are totally different, even our ways are like so different it doesn’t make sense travelling together.”
“How do you know what our ways are like?” Paul asked speaking to the girls for the first time. Dawn flushed a little.
“We just do Paul, and this was planned as a girl journey, so as much as we would like to, we might not have this chance again so we are sticking with our plan. There is no need to worry.”
Brock, Ash, May and Misty groaned at that. “That is when I start to worry the most” Ash mumbled. “It would have been nice travelling with you again, but a promise is a promise, and I don’t mind you keeping it, once you guys promise me that you will keep in touch.”
“Sure we will.” May said reaching to her side for her bag. “We all have these now, so there is no way we will get lost or can’t reach somebody for help.” She pulled out a PokeNav, a Poketech, and a Pokegear. “We all have these so you see we are starting our journey right.”
Drew reached across and snagged May’s Pokegear. “I’ll have that June.” He said as he added a number.
“It’s May!!” May cried out before snatching back her pokegear. “Wait did you just add yourself?”
“Yea, I did, we are rivals May, good rivals keep in touch.”
Paul rolled his eyes before slumping down in his seat.