It had been a few years since he had left the Kanto region, and since Ash, Brock and Misty had all gone their separate ways. He loved his journey, and he loved his job, but the thing was even since back then he had always had a special place in his heart for that cute, bossy little redhead girl who always nagged him about that bike of hers. Ash missed her very much. He wondered how hard it would be to get in touch with her now? He couldn't very well go home yet, as he was still trying to complete his badges for the Uniova league. But then maybe he was done, the univa league will be there when he got back wouldn't it? And he really wanted to see Misty, or maybe he could call her? But did she feel the same way he did? What if to her he was just her friend, and what if she had already found a boyfriend? Ash groaned as he lay there in his sleeping bag staring up at the stars.

But as hard as he worked every star only reminded him of Misty. Misty's specialty had been in water Pokemon, and Ash recalled the pokemon she had always carried with her. There was Starmie, Staryu, Psyduck who always annoyed her by popping out of the bag without being called for, but a few times he did same the battles she had. But now the stars almost looked like Staryu, and starmies, and even goldeen. Ash finally stood up, and looked around a Iris and Cilen. And sighed maybe it would be a good idea to pay at least one visit home and find out how Misty felt as well.

For a long while Ash stared into the fire and watched it crackle unable to sleep with that face haunting his every thought. Ash had just turned seventeen today, and now all he wanted to do was tell Misty how he felt about her. He had plenty of female friends since her, but none of them made him feel the way he did for Misty.

As he sat there he heard a sound behind him, he looked up and looked directly into Iris's face.

"Can't sleep Ash?" She asked gently.

"no, I can't sleep it's no use, all I keep doing is thinking about somebody back home, somebody I haven't seen since I was eleven years old, and here I am sixteen and thinking about her. I think I am in love with her, but I have no idea how she feels and she lives way back in Cerulean city." Ash responded sadly.

Irish looked at him for a moment before saying

"you know maybe we should go and visit Kanto for a while and you can talk to this girl that you love, and you can find out how she feels, you know I don't about Cilan but I don't mind going with you there, if you want to that is, and once you figure things out we can come back. In fact It would give me an excuse to see more kanto region Pokemon!"

But Ash shook his head

"I don't know, I mean I feel like maybe this is something I need to do alone this time, I mean I will come back but I don't know exactly how long I will stay there. I know you are being nice, but I really do think I should just go alone, maybe I can start tonight, since I can't sleep you can tell Cilan in the morning that I will be back very soon. A week or two maybe at the very least."

Ash stood gathered Pikachu into his arms and headed off into the night and towards the one he loves.

"What a kid!" Iris was heard exclaiming over the way Ash was now running full on towards the Boats to get to Kanto.