Pokemon Crisis

With Misty´s birthday coming up soon, Ash and the gang take a break from the Hoenn League in order to attent. But as always, a major crisis never takes a holiday, as Ash and the others get their share of obstacles and delicate situations, coincidental aswell as planned by evil minds!

Will Misty have the best birthday of her life, or will it all crash into a major disappointment?

Chapter 1: A Brand New Day

A beautiful, sunny day in Pallet Town, as Miss Ketchum did the dishes while Mr Mime happily took out some luggage from the house, as someone came out the front door. It was Misty, drying her wet hair in the hot sun after a nice, quick shower.

She had spent the night at Miss Ketchum since she bought Misty her birthday gift in advance: A first-class package to Shinnoh, complete with flight, hotel and other added luxuries. Miss Ketchum then came out to say goodbye.

- Miss Ketchum, are you sure I should take this trip to Shinnoh to meet the gym investors before discussing it with my sisters? Maybe they would…

- Trust me dear, you deserve a break, and since it´s beautiful in Shinnoh this time of year then you can relax as well as take care of work at the same time!

- Yeah, maybe you´re right… still, in case my sisters disagree then tell them that I only acted in the best interest of the gym alright? Can you do that for me?

- Of course honey, me and Professor Oak will make sure that your sisters won´t have any trouble running the gym while you´re away. Now get going Misty!

- Oh right, the buss leaves in an hour, and I gotta get my Pokemon from Tracey, got to have them to show of my skills for the gym investors. Well, I´ll see you in a few days Miss Ketchum!

- Have fun dear, be sure to call and tell us how everything´s going alright! Take care! Ok Mr Mime, she´s on her way. Let´s call everyone and begin…

With a vicious smile on her face, Miss Ketchum ran off to the phone and rang someone. Brock answered, as Delia told him that Misty just left, and that she and Oak would prepare the surprise birthday-party while he and the rest should take care of preparing for the party at the gym. Brock understood, as he hung up and left in a hurry, as he knocked on a door. Pikachu opened the door, as Brock rushed in and saw a horrifying sight ahead of him. Brock was shocked:

Ash was sleeping, despite Brock telling him the night before that he had to wake up early. Pikachu had tried to shock Ash a little, but despite all the efforts it was clear that this ´´ Pokemon-Master´´ was indeed a master of oversleeping as well. Brock then whispered something in Ash´s ear. Suddenly Ash jumped.

- What, how can you say I forfeited my League Match!? Huh, it must have all been a bad dream… Hey, good morning Brock! What are you doing in here?! And what time is it?!

- It´s late o'clock, and your mom just called to say that Misty fell for the bait: She´s taking the buss to Saffron City and from there will take the flight to Shinnoh. You know what means Ash... you overslept!

- Yikes, that means that I´m really late. Quick Brock, go make some breakfast while I get dressed and go to the helpdesk to rearrange my matches alright?

Brock left in a hurry quickly while Ash got dressed and got all the necessary forms and papers to grant him permission to rearrange his league matches. Ash told Pikachu to stay behind in case May or Max would show up, as Ash left the trainer barracks and headed for the Pokemon Center just around the corner.

- Hi young man, how can I help you today? Want to rearrange your Pokemon line-up, maybe meet up with your next challenger in advance?

- Hi Nurse Joy. I´ve come because I would like to apply for permission to put my league tournament battles on hold, as a great friend of mine will have her birthday in a few days, so I need to head home to help arrange everything as well as find a gift. Would you please take these forms and fill them in for me?

- Of course. Let´s see… Ash Ketchum, born in Pallet Town in the Kanto region… hmm even though Kanto is quite far away you meet the necessary criteria to apply for this… alright then, I´ll postpone your matches for 3 days, but if you´re not here on time then there´s nothing I can do for you ok? Here take these certification notes, and I hope you use the given time well, and have fun!

- Thank you so much miss, I promise that I´ll be here on time, I´ll just take the flight to Saffron as soon as I´m done with my luggage. See you in a few days!

Ash, happy that he was granted permission, ran off to his place to pack everything, unaware that Team Rocket had eavesdropped on their conversation:

- Well, seems the twerp wants to postpone his matches to go to a birthday party. Well if he´s going then we´re invited aswell... the combination of Pokemon and party just screams for us to come uninvited, right James?

- Think about all the food and fun stuff there will be, and of course Team Rocket is there to make it all double... we´ll enjoy ourselves first, and at the end we´ll snatch the Pokemon! What do you say Meowth?

- As much as we want the food and all the Pokemon there, don´t forget that with him being busy it´s a perfect opportunity to grab Pikachu! We cannot fail this time! Jessie, James, lets begin our devilsh scheme-making...

May and Max waited at the check-in, as they continued to argue on who should get the window seat. Ash and Brock just arrived through the main entrance, as Brock carried the heavy luggage since all the carts were occupied, and all Fighting Pokemon were already hired by other passengers. Ash rushed to the desk.

- Hi sir, and welcome. May I suggest our first-class package: On the flight you can get unlimited services such as icecream, sodas, movies and more!

- It´s very tempting miss, but for now just 4 economy-class tickets to Saffron City at 10:30. Hope we can still catch it right since we´re here early?

- I´m sorry, but for I only have 3 tickets, and there´s little chance that a fourth may be available since Professor Elm is having a press conference there, and lots of researchers and scientists from Hoenn took this flight to arrive early and attend the conference. The next flight is tomorrow at 17:45. Shall I book you in?

Worried that there were only three tickets for the early flight, Ash talked with May, Max and Brock about who should stay behind and take the next one.

- Well, me and Max are out of the question, I promised Mom that I wouldn´t leave him alone for one sec, and he´s also too young to fly all by himself. Well Brock?

- Everything was arranged with my folks, so with them gone for a few days I have to check up on Forrest and the rest of my family. That means that…

- Sorry Ash, but it´s been settled: You´re the only one who can stay behind and wait for the next flight since you have no reason to come early!

- Ah man, why do I always end up short in these situations. Ok, it seems that I have to stay behind and wait for the next one. Now move it you guys!

Brock went to the counter and awaited the lovely services from the beautiful girl Ash talked to, as she returned and asked Brock if she could help him.

- Indeed my beautiful! Are you included in the first-class package, if so then I´ll take one for myself, if not, then surely you can give me a first-class night, with everything included, even…

- Maybe you can exclude you and your insanity from first-class! Hi miss, excuse our friend here… we´ll take the three economy tickets to Saffron City!

- Very well. I´m sorry that your friend couldn´t catch this flight, hopefully he will tomorrow. Here you go!

Max took the tickets, and said goodbye to Ash, as the three of them left for the gate. Suddenly a colleague of the girl approached Ash and told him that he had a phone call waiting for him. Ash, curious who it could be, went to the communication area and answered. It was Misty, she was already in Saffron City.

- Ash! I called the Pokemon Center, and Nurse Joy said that if it was urgent then I could try to call the local airport. What are you doing there Ash?!

- Oh yeah… well… you see… that… oh right I had to say goodbye to a guy I battled, and I followed him to the airport to wish him a safe trip!

- But didn´t you say that you have a tournament battle after lunch? Let me talk to Brock to be sure that you have the right schedule ok Ash?

- Yeah I would… but you see… Brock went out with someone he hooked up with last night. Sorry but guess you´re stuck with me heh… oh boy…

- Oh ok… well is May there, I´d like to see talk to her awhile, see how she and Max are doing…

- Sure Misty… but… May went out with Max to get some breakfast since Brock forgot to cook for us before he left. Too bad! But I´m still here!

- Wait a minute mister… you´re up to something Ash Ketchum… well whatever it is just be sure to not be late for your matches! I just called to say that my flight has been slightly delayed, so I wanted to take the opportunity and call everyone to say that I´m going away for a few days. Remember Ash to do your best, and that´s how a true winner acts! I believe in you Ash, just as Professor Oak and your Mom does. We´re all cheering for you, Pallet Town´s future Pokemon Master!

- Thanks Misty, it means a lot to me… yeah of course I´m gonna win, you know me: Nothing can get in the way of my Pokemon as well as my victory! Oh yeah, have a fun trip to Shinnoh, don´t forget to have a good time, and really impress the gym investors. I know you can do anything if you work very hard Misty!

- Wait a sec… how did you know I´m leaving for Shinnoh and to meet the gym investors… I never told you Ash, and your mom kept it a secret…

- Oh… guess I know you better than everyone! Why else would you go in such a formal outfit as well as have all your Pokemon with you right?

- Yeah… guess you´re right. Well I gotta go check when the flight´s gonna arrive, so take care Ash, say hi to the rest from me. Catch ya later!

Relieved that he was off the hook, Ash ended the call and told Pikachu that they should head back to the trainer barracks. Suddenly the desk girl announced through the airport speakers that Ash should come to her desk immediately, as she has some good news. Ash grabbed Pikachu and rushed to the desk girl.

- Glad you could make it! I just got word that there´s a flight going through Johto, and from there you can take a flight to Saffron City. It´s only a few hours apart from your original flight, and I thought the least I can do is to offer you an alternative instead of waiting a whole day for the next. What do you say?

- Oh my, that´s awesome! Thank you so much for telling me miss! Sure I´ll take it right away, can´t wait to tell the rest that I´m coming today!

As Pikachu watched over their luggage, and Ash paid for the ticket, Team Rocket were sneaking around them, trying to get closer to the desk.

- Look James, the twerp actually got a flight today. Oh Rattata, now we´ll never catch him off guard, alone and to be able to steal Pikachu from him!

-It seems that our luck left just as it came: Even if we fly in the balloon it would take an eternity to get to Saffron City. We´ll never make it in time for the party!

- Yeah, too bad we can´t get the flight, even the word money is starting to fall off my vocabulary as we rarely see it nor use it. But wait, I got an idea…

Ash left the desk, and headed with Pikachu towards his gate. After a few minutes, Ash was done with the security check-in, as he entered the airport mall: Candy, icecream, restaurants, everything possible was there to glance at, as Ash checked all his pockets for some cash to spend on food. Nothing. Ash didn't have a penny on him.

He only found a small coupon for some tea and cookies attached to his ticket, and since he could only cash it in at the end of his flight, Ash and Pikachu sat down on a chair and watched as waiters came by with delicious meals and ice-cold drinks.

Ash then remembered that May had left some extra food in Ash´s luggage in case he could get hungry. Ash´s happiness turned into disappointment, as apparently Pikachu sat down on the luggage earlier, effectively squashing the food into a crumbly, gooey substance. Pikachu, also feeling it´s stomach grumbling for food, then got a brilliant idea that could work, as it jumped up on Ash´s shoulder:

Ash listened to what Pikachu had to say, and as soon as Pikachu had explained, Ash rushed to a helpdesk and asked if there are any areas where Pokemon battles are allowed. The desk-clerk pointed Ash in the right direction, as Ash found a battle area where trainers lined up to battle.

Ash registered, and then returned to Pikachu and his luggage. Ash sat down and waited for the announcer to call out for him as soon as there´s an available challenger to battle.