Author's Notes.

This is a romance pokemon fanfic. I'm sticking with just Indigo league right up till Brock goes with Professor Ivy. After that I'm bringing them home and sending them to school (like all good kids should!). So if you're wondering where all the story line from the Orange islands and on went, I dropped it.

Yes, there will be original characters. No, I wont be one of them. By setting up the story the way I have, I don't have much of a choice otherwise.

I'm sending them all off to college for this story. Mostly from Misty's point of view, but I'll bounce around I'm sure. Im not very good at staying on topic.

Speaking of things I'm not good at! Grammar and Spelling! I apologize for burning your eyes ahead of time.

This is my first fanfic, so I don't know all the lingo for posting in the beginning. Sorry.

I think that covers it from now please be gentle.

Much love,

Romantic.

Edit. Apparently there was a fluke in the upload that I missed. Sorry for that, I think I fixed it.

*1*

Misty grumbled as she walked into her new dorm room balancing Togepi in one arm and a box in the other. Arriving late wasn't like her but she had already missed orientation. The only good thing out of it was she had gotten a room all to herself. Though, slowly she was starting to doubt even that blessing as she began to realize the need for human contact rising up inside her.

She turned looking through the cold empty white room. It was one large area, with a small closet and a closet like bathroom at one corner, the kitchen (If you could call it that, having a small fridge, stove top oven, and sink crunched together with an island counter walling it all together hardly made for a kitchen in her eyes.) adject from that, and a bed oddly placed next to a window with a small desk next to it for homework.

"Not even a bed in here for you guys, Togepi." Misty sighed as Togepi gave a giggling squeal for a response. "Oh well. We'll fix it up a bit. Maybe some curtains and a rug will look nice." She nodded to herself, dropping the box on the bed and flopping down next to it.

"I wish we hadn't missed the first day." She closed her eyes, remembering the chaos and cries as she tried to leave her sisters for a second time. Ever since she had filled out like her sisters had and stopped looking so tomboyish, they'd stopped picking on her. They took her more seriously. Even with new respect, having three older sisters was more than she wanted to deal with. Deciding to leave again was hard but vital. She needed to be her own person just not another famous Cerulean gym leader. So her sisters had thrown her a large surprise going away party the day she was supposed to arrive.

She watched as Togepi got up and bounced off the bed and onto the floor, exploring the new living area. "Oh, the others! Staryu, Horsea, Psyduck, come out and look around!" The college had only allowed four pokemon per student and they had to be registered at the beginning of the year. Misty had spent hours and hours looking over all her pokemon trying to decide which ones take (with Psyduck traveling along whether she liked it or not.). Misty went and filled the bathtub with water, placing Horsea inside. "There you are Horsea. I know its not much now, but after I figure out the lay out of campus, I'll bring you down to the ocean to play, alright?!" She smiled sweetly, patting Horsea on the head. Horsea didn't seemed to mind, squirting water here and there. Misty laughed.

"I guess I should look around myself. Wouldn't hurt anything, I still have another day before classes start." She nodded, decisively.

"You all behave-"Misty scolded, picking up Togepi again. "Im going to go have a look around campus."

Misty opened the door still rolling over her classes, campus and new friends in her mind. Everything was much more overwhelming than she thought it would be. She was just lucky that some of their underwater shows started bringing in enough money to pay for her classes.

Suddenly Misty bumped into someone. She fell back at the site of a man leaning against the door frame. He was tall, almost a head taller than her, with large shoulders. The brim of his hat covered most of his face as he stood in the dark hallway. Everything except a sly little smile. Jumping forward he grabbed her hand before she could fall fully over.

"What are you doing standing there like that!" Misty screamed, shaking his hand off. "You can scare a person to death standing there. You're lucky I didn't hurt myself!"

"Sorry!" He laughed rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I didn't think about that."

"Do I know you from somewhere?" She squinted, brushing her long red hair from her eyes. " You seem familiar some how."

"You better!" He stepped into the room, pushing his hat up out of his face, and twisting it backwards. "I am the greatest pokemon master ever, you know."

"Ash Ketchum! How dare you scare me like that!" A little excitement rose in her, but she suppressed it, still angry at him. How dare he scare her like that. He could have just knocked!

"Sorry, I try to reserve the scaring for the ladies. Not tomboys like you." She punched him, marching off into her room. "Aaah.. I guess I deserved that." He laughed again. At least that much hadn't changed she thought.

"Right you did!" She calmed herself, clenching Togepi as it tried to squirm from her arms. "How did you know I was here?"

"I saw you walk past. My room is just down the hall. Brock's here too ya' know."

"Oh wow! I thought he had started a breeding center a while back. Though I had heard it was near by."

"Yeah! He did. It's about ten miles that way-" He gestured "Twenty-five if you follow the road though. I'm sure he'll tell you about it later."

Ash walked up, looming over Misty. She looked down nervously, her stomach tying up in knots. Running her fingers up and down her suspenders she had lost track of what to say next. He wasn't the awkward little boy from Pallet town anymore. Ash had grown up, and it wasn't easy to miss.

"Dropped the tiny shorts and half shirt huh?" Ash raised an eye brown, eyeing her.

She blushed, even with obvious efforts not to. "Its nice to have a varying wardrobe you know. Not so easy while traveling."

He nodded, thinking. "I better get going though. Brock and I have some um.. Socializing to do before all the classes begin." He laughed at himself, walking out the door. "Stop by sometime, Pikachu would love it." He shut the door behind him, and she collapsed to the floor.

"I wonder if just Pikachu would like to see me?" She placed Togepi down and it giggled and ran circles around her. "This is too much for my first day. Now I don't know where anything is, and Ash!" She laid out on the carpet with a sigh. After a few minutes of talking with herself she decided it was probably safe to go out now. "What do you think Togepi, ready to go?"

"Toggeeppiii." Togepi jumped in front of her and bounced.

She laughed, snatching Togepi up and grabbing a jacket. "I guess this year will be exciting after all."

The campus was huge. There was a battle ground for each pokemon's specialty. The college not only had degrees for English, history, science, math, art and music majors but also majors of the pokemon sorts. Misty was going into water based studies. Since this college was on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, it was perfect for marine studies, and water battling. Her classes this semester were English, history, math and techniques for catching water pokemon.

"Lets go check out the ocean around here Togepi. I bet Horsea would love it!" She zipped Togepi into her jacket, leaving her arms free. Togepi curled up, happy in the warmth. "It is a bit chilly out, isn't it Togepi?" The leaves were already beginning to change. Signs of an early winter were everywhere. The mountains far off in the distance were starting to peak with snow. Misty wasn't too fond of winter, it made catching the water pokemon a cold and unpleasant task. Luckily they had a warm indoor pool to go to once the snow fell. But even with an early winter, snow wasn't likely to fall till mid-December.

Misty walked, rolling over her classes in her mind. Along side the path at this section of the school was a large green house. It stretched for about half a mile, and was four stories high. "Oh, I read about this." Misty said out loud to herself. " This is where grass pokemon train and the botanist work together. I bet they have a grass pokemon battling area in there as well. Which means the cliffs shouldn't be too far away!" Misty skipped, picking up her pace some. She could already smell the sea salt from where she was. "I just love the ocean!"

Heading down the stairs towards the ocean, Misty could see other pokemon trainers having small battles and just gathering for fun. The beach stretched for miles in either direction and islands spotted the horizon. "Look at that Togepi! There's lots of different pokemon here!" Togepi squirmed, popping out the bottom of her jacket, and running off towards one of the groups having a battle. "Togepi don't! Come back!" Up ahead a large Blastoise and a Gyarados were battling. Misty screamed as she tripped over a rock and Togepi found its self in the middle of an all out battle.

Misty tried to pull herself but fell down again with a heavy pain in her ankle.

"Is this yours miss?" A young man stood, holding Togepi out to her. She cried, snatching Togepi from him.

"Togepi what were you thinking! You could have been seriously hurt out there." She hugged Togepi close, and it squirmed and giggled as if nothing had happened at all. "Thank you, Thank you so much for saving my Togepi."

"Looks like I need to save you next." He said with a charming smile. The boy was tall and slim, with short dirty blond hair and large blue eyes. "Here, let me help you up."

Misty latched on to the extended arm, allowing him to pull her up.

"Think you can stand on it?"

"I think so." She squeaked quietly, applying pressure even though she knew she shouldn't. "See just fine."

He laughed. It was a loud, happy laugh. "You're a funny girl. Hold on tight to that Togepi." He reached down, scooping her up. "Obviously to proud to say you're hurt. I'll bring you over to those benches to sit for a while. I need to finish my battle at least." He turned, facing his Gyarados. "Gyarados you can take it from here! I know you can do it." The Gyarados roared, and the battle continued.

"Your Gyarados battles without your instruction?" Misty was shocked and impressed all at once.

"Gyarados and I are so close, he usually knows what I'm going to say before I do. It's just easier to let him handle it himself at times like this. Sometimes I wonder if I'm really the trainer at all." That laugh again. Misty was awe struck. Gently he set her down on the bench. "Hold on to that Togepi while I finish this please. I don't really like jumping into the middle of a battle more than once a day." He chuckled, then ran back to his battle.

"Please take you're time, I'll be just fine!" Misty watched as the man and his Gyarados beat consistently and almost wordlessly one opponent after the next. He handled each battle with poise and knowledge she never expected.

As it started getting dark, and the beach became flickered with bonfires, the man ran back to her. "Feeling any better?"

"Much!" She said happily. "You're an amazing trainer. I can't believe how quickly you beat everyone." He blushed and she smiled at it. Humility wasn't something she was used to.

"No, no. I'm not all that great. I just have a fantastic Gyarados is all."

Misty smiled, and let Togepi down. Now that the battles were dispersing she wasn't too worried about the baby pokemon so much. "Oh!" Misty realized. "I never asked your name."

"Alex." He replied, extended a hand out.

"Misty." She shook his hand, butterflies fluttering excitingly in her stomach. "I appreciate all the help today. You're quite the Knight in shining armor."

"Anything for a lady in need." He bowed from his seat. "Mind if the Knight take the Princess back to her castle?"

"As long as the Knight can help capture the Princess' pokemon for her." She gestured towards Togepi who managed to climb half way up Gyarados. "I don't know how Togepi manages to get into these things sometimes.

"Togepi's fearless. Gyarados return." He held the pokeball up with one hand, catching Togepi as it fell with the other.

"You don't know the half of it." She exclaimed with a sigh, slowly easing herself onto her leg. She winced, but only slightly and tested her abilities slowly. It seemed she could walk, slowly and with a heavy limp.

"Need any help?" Alex held the squirming Togepi in one arm, offering his other to Misty. "As a Knight I must always be available to assist you."

She laughed, latching graciously onto his arm. "So, my knight. Is this your first year in college?"

"Yes, in fact it is. I don't know if I can get used to having a roommate though." He shrugged. "The one I have is bearable, but kind of an oddball."

"Oh? I didn't get a roommate. I guess it gives my pokemon more room though."

"Your keeping yours in your room? Most people leave theirs in one of the holding areas that match their type. Like my Gyarados is much too big for my room. So I can either keep him in the holding area, and pick it up whenever I want, or keep him in his pokeball. I think a natural habitat would keep it much healthier than it its pokeball."

Misty imagined trying to drop Togepi or Psyduck off anywhere and felt a small headache coming on. "No, my pokemon are small enough. I think I'll keep them with me. Without a roommate there shouldn't be much complaints." Misty sighed, realizing what kind of blessing she'd received by not having a roommate.

They chatted as they walked, with hardly any silence along the way. Misty hardly noticed the ache in her ankle or the time that had passed until she finally reached the door to her room. Misty was surprised at his knowledge of water pokemon, and about the college campus. She hadn't even thought of reading up on it so extensively before applying, just happy that there was such a nice college that would except her.

"What time is your first class tomorrow my Princess? I'd like to make sure you're still alright tomorrow morning."

" I don't know if you wanna be up that early. Nine am tomorrow, English room 311 in the main building."

He laughed, and grinned widely to her. "Looks like I'll be able to see you again after all. We have English together. Also, my rooms at the end of this hall." He motioned down past her room, to the end of the hall. "Last one on the left. If you need anything, ever. Please ask. For now, good night. I'll see you tomorrow morning." He winked and bowed and she giggled despite herself.

"Yes, my knight. Tomorrow it is." She curtsied then closed the door slowly. Walking to the bed she found all of her pokemon asleep already. Horsea and Staryu in the tub, Psyduck on the floor next to the tub. Misty shook her head and dropped onto the bed. She almost couldn't sleep at the excitement of a new day, but managed to anyway.