Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the contents that belong to the creators of Pokemon. I do, however, own the creative idea behind this story and what takes place during it.

Update: Original publishing was 04/18/04, completed on 2/6/05; with 25 chapters and 35,548 words. As of 3/10/16 I decided to update every chapter; clean up the words, the paragraphs, and maybe change the content a little; to satisfy unaswered questions from the original publishing. That, and to make it more appealing to the audience. The ages were Ash (13), Misty (14), and Brock (16); however due to certain content, I am raising their ages. Ash (15), Misty (16), Brock (18). And changing the original rating from T (Teen), to M (Mature), for language, mature content, specific actions that would make this fic as it was supposed to be; dark.

Even I can agree that my original story was lame. With this revamp, you will swear it is a completely different. The original concept is still here though, just a lot more has changed since it has been well over 12 years since the original was published and my style has changed significantly.

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Chapter One: The Unexpected Expectations

A beautiful, serene, yet small waterfall is where we find our traveling trio, resting beside the pond that the water trickling from the waterfall fell into. Ash was some few feet away from the pond, leaning against a rock. Trying to cool himself as he fanned himself with his ungloved hand. His clothing was sticky with sweat; jacket curled behind his head. You could see his bare chest just past the thin material of his shirt as sweat formed against it. It was an unnaturally warm day for the middle of the night during Spring. Leaving his sack beside him, not bothering to unpack his belongings till he could cool himself off.

Brock wiped the back of his hand across his brow as he had just finished setting up the campfire and pot to begin making their dinner. The young teenager glanced up, past the pot to watch Ash fan himself. A grin tugging at his lips, when his eyes wandered to the pond they were near. A thought coming to him. He then regarded Misty, who was sitting beside the lake, her shoes and sock next to her as she dangled her feet into the soothing water. His squinted eyes studied her, Misty had taken her hair down from her high ponytail. In the time they had been travelling together, he had only ever seen her hair down a handful of times. Brock's eyes watched her closely. He had learned her tell-tales; her muscle were tensed between her shoulder blades, yet seemed to relax as she shifted her legs in the water. Brock looked away for a moment, down to the now simmering broth as if he felt she was about to turn around.

Misty was enjoying the calming water around her calves and down. Taking her hair down, about to adjust her ponytail and wipe the sweat from her neck. Though now that she was relaxing and her muscles were easing. She had been so stressed the past couple of days. It was that time of month, where her body betrayed her in ways she could hardly fathom, even after it had been going on since she had turned twelve. Her hand shifted to her stomach as a pang shot through her naval. Wincing till the pain subsided, shifting her legs to move from where she was sitting, she glanced behind her, to her companions. Ash fanning himself with his hand, her eyes scanned over his features. Noting subtle differences in his appearance from the first time she met him, when he had stolen her bicycle and caused it to get destroyed. A small smile tugging at the corners of her lips; that had been the original reason she decided to team up with; so that he could pay her back someday. She wouldn't tell him now of course, that her reasons changed. Just then, Ash had raised his eyes over to her, she had seen that he was looking elsewhere. Before she could look away, they made eye contact. She felt herself gasp and he made no intentions break the contact. Misty felt a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks. She was thankful that it was nighttime, and that the only light visible was from the small campfire, so that it looked as if the blush was a tinted reaction from the flickering flames. Before she shifted her eyes away from the young man, she could have sworn he had a small twitch in his lips.

Another swivel of pain ran through her as the smell of the stew drifted over to her. This time it wasn't behind her naval, yet farther above. Her stomach growled as the delicious smells wafted around her. Misty grabbed her socks and shoes, walking over Brock barefoot. She stood near him for a moment, the flames drying her ivory skin. She watched the flames lick the pot, charring it's outside, yet heating the content inside without burning it. Losing herself in a daze, she hadn't heard Brock speaking to her.

With his label he prodded her hip to grab her attention. Misty's cerulean eyes snapped open, whipping her head to intrusion of her space. Her eyes settled on the ladel in Brock's dark skinned hand. She calmed as she was brought back. Her eyes slid past his wrist, up his arm, until they were resting on his face, the bridge of his nose pinched in worry. "Hm?" came from her.

"Are you okay?" asked Brock, withdrawing the ladle, wiping it down before sticking it in the pot.

"Ah. Yes." She said, not sounding too convincing. "I suppose I am just tired. It's been a long day."

Brock took a second to look her over again, now that she was facing him. Her blue eyes did indeed seem tired. There were slight bags under her eyes. His chocolate eyes scanned her features, stayed for a lingering moment on her full rose colored lips, before quickly examining the rest of her. The flames danced across her skin in flickering motions, he noticed that she was much curvier than he remembered her being. Then again the light could have been playing tricks on his eyes. Brock took a sharp inhale of air, as Misty adjusted, leaning forward to touch their foreheads together as she had often done to see if he was feeling well. Her blue eyes peering into his own. When she pulled away, he exhaled. His eyes shot back to her lips, reading the words that came out, "you seem like you're not doing well".

His freehand had begun to react, reaching out to bring her back and quelch this new found quiver he found behind his naval. He stopped himself when he realized what he was about to do. Mentally punishing himself for his reaction. He played off his outreach to her, as if he was stretching before answering her. "I'm in the same boat. Just tired." He said, sounding sure of himself. He looked back to the stew, before his mind had wandered. Just as he was about to look down into the pot, he caught Ash's eye. He could of sworn her saw flash of jealousy cross his features during his moment with the young girl. He saw Ash rise from his spot and head toward them.

Ash has strode over to the duo by the food. Pikachu at his heel. As he approached, he studied Brock for a brief moment, before he looked over to Misty who was waying some questions on Brock to ensure that he was feeling alright.

"Maybe a towel cool water would help?" She proposed to Brock. He raised his hands up defensively, trying to calm the girl.

"Trust me, I'm just tired Misty, like we all are." He insisted.

Ash felt a tug at his heartstrings as Misty placed the back of her hand on Brock's forehead. Unsure why he felt uneasy. Just then Misty turned on him, facing Ash with wide determined eyes. "Ash! Please tell Brock that he needs to take better care of himself!" She announced, in a huff. Ash watched her carefully, there was a push behind his naval as his eyes had followed her arms to fold against her chest, a small amount of flesh pushing up from the collar of her tank top, exposing the skin that was once hidden behind the fabric. He struggled to swallow for a moment, before finally pushing the lump that formed behind his Adam's apple down.

"Misty.." he started in his usual easy going tone. "If he says he's fine, then he's fine, right?"

Misty pursed her rosy lips, and his eyes shot to them from her chest. She bit her lower lip tenderly in thought. He brought his eyes up to her eyes and noticed she was looking past him. "Fine."

Ash felt uneasy, he knew that when she often said that four letter word that it never meant what it was supposed to. Ash began to rub the back of his neck unsteadily.

The tree of them were silent for a moment. A sudden shrill of their stomachs growling in unison.

"Brock, lets eat." Ash said, walking to his other side, reaching down for a bowl. "I'm starving" He laughed casually, as if food been on his mind the entire time.

Misty had kept her eyes trained past where Ash had been standing. She felt uneasy. For a moment she thought she saw a shadowy figure lurking behind the trees to their camp, near the serene scene. She blinked warily and then studied the area again. There was no figure there, just the trees leaves dancing in the picking up breeze. Her gaze turned to her friends, accepting a bowl of stew from Brock, while sitting down on the grassy ground.

"This is good, Brock!" Announced Ash. He was scarfing the food down, as if he really had been starving for days, though they had at least two to three meals a day on a good day.

Misty smiled at the young boy, Brock had been chatting with Ash now, while while out his pokeballs to release his Pokemon, while they ate; so that they could eat as well. Even though she was watching her friends with a smile on her face, she couldn't help but be unsettled. During the past couple nights, she had this same sinking feeling that something was going to happen.

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Misty woke with a start. Her heart pounding in her chest. She felt dizzy and sick. Misty took in a few breaths of air. There was this taste that lingered at the back of her mouth that the wind had been carrying. Her body was moist with sweat. She hadn't put her hair back up after dinner, she let the wind play with it before heading to bed a few short hours ago. Misty scanned her surroundings. She was the only one from her group that was awake. Her eyes landed on Brock, who was closer to the fire pit, which was now a smoldering heap of ash with red flecks painting across the greys and black wood that was once there.

Her eyes watched Brock's sleeping bag of browns and greens heave slightly from his slumber. There was a thin amount of light from the moon that now hung high above their heads, it illuminated the area for her. Typically Misty could see quite fine in the dark, thought she was often very scared of the noises that seeped from it. Next her eyes rested on Ash who was between her and Brock. Though she was the closest one to the pond, resting underneath a large willow tree. For a moment she choked back on the tangy taste of copper, after licking her lips, wetting them. Misty shifted in her sleeping bag, unzipping the top half and sliding out. She crept over to Ash to make sure he was breathing. After a quick few heaves of snuggled up form, she smiled and rose to stand over him.

Unsure why, but she felt the need to turn around, as if someone or something had been watching her and only her. As she had felt this way for the past few nights, and tonight was no different it seemed. Misty swiveled around to catch a glimpse of whatever it was, it was closer now. She was no longer under the willow where her sleeping bag and belongings were. The shadowy figure had been peering at her behind the trunk. For a brief moment she wondered how long it had been there, before the uneasy feeling returned and she felt sick. The scent on the wind came back to her. Her legs wavering, though her mind tried to steel herself to stand her ground. It felt like she had been standing there for hours, watching the figure watch her; when it shifted. She was about to move toward it, when it disappeared behind the tree.

Suddenly she felt a clammy grip around her ankle and she couldn't contain the screech that escaped her lungs. It was loud enough to wake the boys behind her. Brock was up first, pokeballs in hand, groggily preparing himself for trouble. Next was Ash who was up. Wiping the sleep from his eyes with a hand. He looked around sleepily, "what's going on Misty?" Groaning as he shifted to turn and look in her direction. His sleepy gaze following his other arm, seeing where it was. He saw, released Misty's ankle and looked up at her bashfully.

Misty was heaving with fright, which turned to anger when she realized the clammy grip had belonged to Ash. She whipped around just as he was about to let out an apology. A list of profanities crossing her lips and her highest voice as she berated him for scaring her.

Brock relaxed, easing his pokeballs back into their place. He watched Misty have one of her intense moments toward Ash, and he was about to resume his place on the ground when he heard noised come from past the willow tree. The squinted his eyes in it's direction, for a moment he thought he saw movement, but then the wisps of branches from the trees shifted in the wind. Figuring it was nothing, he settled back down into his spot.

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It wasn't until the next morning that Brock realized someone had been there afterall. He had awoken shortly after Misty and Ash had calmed down and had gone back to sleep. Ash had still been cuddled up beside Pikachu, and Misty was the same with Togepi. Brock had packed his belongings just in case they had decided to move to the next location on their journey, after the other teens had awoken. Brock felt himself walking toward the willow tree, the light that was peaking over the hills told him it was above five in the morning. With the growing light, he could see imprints on the other side of the trunk. As he got closer, he knelt down. Placing his chocolatey fingers on the imprinted grass. It was a pair of footprints. Some had been here. Brock thought, his mind distracted and he hadn't noticed of the individual rounding the tree to stand before him. His gaze started from their shoes, eyes wandering up the long slender calves and highs that were of an ivory tone, next is eyes rested on the curves of the hips covered in that familiar blue denim, next her exposed naval that had tone muscle behind the skin. Brock's eyes continued upward, until his eyes came to rest on her blue ones that held concern; not for why he was there, but her eyes were focused on the imprints. Her rosy lips he saw exhale a breath as if she had been holding it in.

"I knew it" she murmured.

Brock cocked his head to the side, "you knew what?"

She bit her lower lip for a moment, deciding on how much to tell him. Biting a little harder now, the choice weighing on her. She released her lip to speak, he bite had left a dent in her pretty young lips. "I knew someone... Or something, was here last night. I felt them watching." She admitted. Her cerulean eyes shooting from the ground to his.

Unsure of what to say at first, the worry evident in her expression, her brow furrowed and her nosed wrinkled up in frustration.

She continued, "I have been feeling this presence, for lack of a better word for days now. I am not sure when it started, but every so often I felt as if someone was watching us... Me." Letting out a strangled sigh.

Brock rose from where he was and instinctively reached out to her, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her into a tight hug. Soothing her. "we will find out who this is sooner or later. Hopefully sooner." He was stroking the back of her head, as she wrapped her arms around his torso, when Ash had walked around the tree to see the spectacle.

His eyes wide, unsure of how to perceive the situation. Brock raised his hands defensively, before Ash could say a word. "Hey Ash! It's not what it looks like!" Announcing so Misty would know who joined them.

Misty released Brock slowly, she would have jumped with a start and begun denying anything and everything, but the look on Ash's face stopped her. There were mixed emotions there. She could see it as plain as day. His face scrutinized from anguish, to jealousy, to anger, to sadness again. Misty sucked in the air around her, snapping Ash's attention back. "Look whatever you're thinking, it's wrong."

Ash snapped back with that comment and he looked up at her. "Why do you always think I'm wrong?" He questioned, getting defensive.

"Because that is just how you are." She said flatly.

"What am I supposed to think, when I see two of my best friends hiding behind a tree and hugging in private?" He sounded annoyed now.

Misty paused, thinking, when Brock butted in. "Look man, Misty was worrying about her family and had a nightmare, I was just comforting her like I do with my kid siblings when they're having a rough night."

Misty raised her brow, but recovered when she realized that Ash had bought it. The guilty look was evident across his features. "Oh." She heard him say. Embarrassed now. "My bad..."

Ash rubbed the back of his head nervously, thought he felt as though they had been hiding something from.

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A few hours later...

Misty had been walking around the pond, heading toward the waterfall, to get her mind off of that mornings events. She felt weird confessing to Brock about her insecurities of the presence that had been there for the past couple of nights. After Ash had gone for a walk to clear his head, no doubt extremely embarrassed for acting like a child seeing another kid playing with his toy. For a moment, Misty paused, an irritated blush creeping up on her cheeks. His? No, there's no way he could... Misty trailed off resuming her walking before she gave way to yelp as she slipped and splashed into too warm water. After surfacing, she glanced around, she had not been paying attention to her surroundings and discovered that she had walked straight into a cave past the waterfall.

She shifted in the water, moving toward where she had fallen from. After pulling herself from the water, she saw that there were various large puddles in the cavern, most had steam coming off of them. A smile spread across her lips, though it faltered when she saw the shadow once more. Shocked she hadn't noticed it before. It was so close. Her eyes darted to it. It was about twenty feet away, her heart thumped against her ribcage. Unsure of what to do. So she scrambled to her feet, after putting pressure on her feet for her to turn and run the direction came, a surge of pain erupted from her ankle, the same on that Ash had grabbed and startled her the night before. She glanced down at it, saw the swelling begin to form. She must have sprained it during fall into the hot spring.

Misty's eyes darted from her ankle to the figure coming toward, when the figure was close enough to touch her, she covered her eyes and braced herself.

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A/N: This chapter is obviously ten time different from the original. The first three chapters of the original story were super short and the grammar, punctuation and all of those horrible fractured sentences that wanted to make your eyes bleed are now gone! Some fractured sentences exist still, I can never seem to get past those. I sincerely hope you like what I've done with the changes.

Obviously the chapter lengths will differ. I honestly have no idea what caused me to write the original and have the gall to publish it when it was so, so bad. I had a recent review to this story, and after reading some other fanfictions, I decided I would revamp this story, because lets face it. I am not proud of this one. My best fanfiction I have ever written is Promoting Peace an ATLA fic, that I am super proud of.

As always, I look forward to your reviews and your opinions.

Regards,

wolf-girl87