Here's one of my new stories for the season: Escapade Bound-- MistyXAsh/PokeShipping

Last minute title I know.

But that's beside the point. As of now, I will be adding this story to my stories-to-do-and-finish list, one out of many.
I feel so disappointed at how many stories I've left unfinished ;_;

BUT if by some miracle you lovely people who read this chapter actually LIKE this chapter, please review - tell what you like, what you don't like, what you want, what you don't want, your favorite ice cream flavor, my horrible spelling errors, all that jazz.

Just let me know if you would like me to continue this one. Thank you!!

Oh, and happy spring!
Feels more like summer though. TOO HOT OUTSIDE.


"So I'm... not getting better?" I asked sadly, sitting on the medical check-up bed in the doctor's office with my grandmother. The emotion and feeling of disbelief was present in all parts of me at the moment.

The doctor shook his head sorrowfully. "I'm afraid not." He turned to my grandmother. "At this rate, she only has little time left - a month in the least."

"Oh..." I said, looking downward at my knees. One month? That was short? From a normal point of view a month seemed like a long time, but now, it seemed as short as ten minutes. Could I really live out the rest of my life within the next month?

"Are you sure there is nothing else we can do? Any medication? Any specialists we can see?" My grandma was persistent with the doctor. She was my guardian, my only caretaker.

"I'm sorry, Miss. There's nothing else we can do for your granddaughter." Silence filled the room as the doctor left and shut the door. Its silent knob click echoed throughout the despair-filled room.

"So I only have one month left?" I repeated in disbelief, looking at my hand. This illness, this weak, weak body. Within a month this hand will be pale and as cold as ice, like other dead corpses in history text books and on TV. Why me? Did I do something wrong? Was I being punished?

"No," Grandma aid sternly, making my head shoot up. She knew what was going through my mind were negative thoughts, thoughts of how it was the end of me. "We are going to make the best of these few weeks, so that there are no regrets." She smiled and took my hand. "That's what you always say, right Misty?"

I smiled as well and nodded in remembrance. "Mm."

"So, is there anywhere you want to go?" my grandmother gently asked me, trying to brighten up my mood.

I thought for a moment, long and deep. I had such a short time left, and here I was, being given the opportunity by my grandmother to do whatever I want, wherever I want. Just... what do I want?. "I want.... I want to go back to my old home..."

That night in my bedroom, I sat in my bed under the warm covers, writing in my journal discretely with a small light from my lamp.

'Dear Journal, I've just got the news from the doctor about my illness. Turns out it's a lot worse than we thought. He said I won't be getting better, and, and I've only got three months left. You wouldn't think this would happen to just anyone, so there must be a reason for this. Maybe this is a good thing? I mean, if it wasn't for my disappearing time, my grandma would've never offered me the opportunity to go back to Caden Valley and see my old friends.'

I smiled, as I went back to the first page of my journal. On it was a glue-pasted picture of me and my three friends as 4-year olds.

'You remember Ash, May, and Drew, right? Those guys, I miss them so much. I wonder if they still think of me. At least now I can see them again. Soon.' A frown appeared on my face as a strange memory returned to my conscience. 'But I also remember that lake in the forest. That strange place... I almost died if it wasn't for those strange ghosts. I remember falling into that lake, and I couldn't swim. Once I started to drown these strange things started to help me up, these ghost creatures. It was too blurry to see through the water, but it was like seeing several small animals, whatever they were. Ever since, I've been ever more curious of that forest behind the old compound. And my fear of water too...'

A yawn escaped my mouth, signaling me to go to sleep. I closed my journal and I placed it under my pillow. After turning off my lamp I pulled the covers over my shoulders. For the first time in a long time I smiled peacefully in bed, falling into a very comfortable sleep.

"That's your big surprise? Misty's coming back to Caden Valley?" Drew asked in disbelief as he and his two friends stood outside the school, all the other teens exiting the campus.

"What you guys aren't happy?" Ash asked skeptically.

"Well yeah but it's just so unexpected," May said, holding her school bag in front of her. "How long did you know?"

Ash grinned. "I got a letter from her just a few days ago. She said she was moving back here to their old complex with her grandma. She should be arriving on the train today."

Drew scoffed. "Leave it to Misty to still use letters."

May glared at the green-haired boy. "At least we know she probably hasn't changed, mister business man."

"What'd you call me?" Drew said back with a glint in his eye.

"Guys, come on," Ash sweatdrop with waving hands. Though it was no use as the hot-tempered May continued to argue with Drew. He began to speak to himself. "You'd think the news of Misty coming back would at least bring some peace between them. Looks like I thought wrong."

Meanwhile, a young 14-year old red-head sat on a train with her grandmother, traveling through the green pastures. Caden Valley was where young Misty had grown up as a child before she had to move away. And now as a teen, she was coming back. That's me.

"I wonder if any of the others still live there..." Back when I was five, I had three other best friends. But after all these years, you never know what coud've happened. Though I keep hope inside that they're still there, and that they haven't changed.

"I'm sure your friends are still there, Misty," replied my grandmother, making me look away from the train window. "I remember you kids always playing together during the spring. If your friendship is as strong now as it was so long ago I'm sure they're looking forward to your arrival."

"You think so?" I asked with a sympathetic face.

She nodded. "Especially that Ash boy. You did send him your letter didn't you? Oh I recall so many times you two would blush as children-"

"Grandma!" I said out of pure embarrassment. As the loud train pulled to a stop, I realized we had arrived at the train station. It looked different from what I remembered. "Huh? This isn't Caden Valley's Train Station," I said in realization as my grandma and I exited the train.

"This is Caden Valley's new state-of-the-art train station," said one of the workers who greeted and welcomed the new arrivals.

"New train station?" I repeated as my eyes went to explore the place. It looked so high-tech. Metal floors and electronic scanners and gates. "I wonder what happened to the old one."

"You can go look around town if you like, Misty," said my grandma. "You remember where the compound is. You won't get lost will you?"

"Grandma this is my home. Of course I won't get lost!" Oh who am I kidding? Of course I'm gonna get lost. But I'm so curious to find out where the train station is. Reckless, but I was so desperate for freedom ever since... since...

"Bye, Grandma!" I called as I ran out of the city-like train station. Thankfully back outside Caden Valley was still the same. The fresh clean air, the ever-blue skies, the old-fashioned houses and grasses and rivers. "Wow, besides the train station everything looks the same! Hm, and now to find the old one!" I took off towards where the western part of the forest area would be. That's where the old train station was, if I recall right.

Caden Valley is made up of four different places. The western part is made up mostly of forest area, if the rest of the place isn't already. The south, where we are now, is connected to the ocean where the ports are. The north is made of mountainous high areas. The High Peaks are great places to go to for relaxation and hot springs according to rumors anyway. I've never been up to the High Peaks before so I can't say if there are any hot springs. Though it's kinda dangerous so not a lot of people go there, as far as I know. And lastly, the east and center of Caden valley is made up of the town where the houses and other buildings are.

"Geez, you'd think I'd at least know where the train station is," I muttered to myself as I wandered the boundaries of town. "If I don't find that place soon I'm giving up."

"Hey little girl!" yelled a voice, making me turn around. I saw a man. Not one of the most trusting-looking people. "You new in town?"

"Who wants to know?" I said assertively with a step backwards. I found him take a step forward for each one I took back. It didn't take long for me to process this through my mind and start to run, the guy chasing after me. And I thought events like this only happened in the city, much less a little country town. Eventually I ran up all the way to the east part of the valley in the woods section. As I ran for my life, breath quickly depleted from my lungs. "Ah! This isn't how I wanted to spend my first day!"

"Misty!" shouted a familiar voice. I looked to the side and saw something running behind the trees. A boy with a cap on. I focused my eyes to see through the multiple tree trunks and recognized the boy's face.

I gasped. "Ash!"

He jumped through the trees and ended up running beside me. "Come on! We'll loose that punk!"

He took my hand and speed up on his feet, taking me with him. As we got faster lost the man who was chasing me. Made me wonder what was more surprising, seeing Ash again or having a complete and total stranger chase after me for who knows what.

"Come on, Misty!" Ash shouted, laughing now a bit. Was he enjoying this goose chase? Well, same old Ash I think. Near the boundaries of the woods we arrived in the old train station, the one made mostly of wood. No one was present, though. Was it closed down?

"What happened to this place?" I asked curiously as we walked up the five stairs and onto the platform to catch our breaths.

"They closed this one not to long ago and reopened the new one near the ports," Ash informed me. "Hey at least we can come here without being chased out by security guards."

I chuckled and turned around. "It's great to see you again, Ash."

"You to Misty," Ash smiled. He still had that goofy grin he was trying to hide.

"Hey, you've gotten taller," I said to start conversation, measuring our height with my hand.

Ash scoffed and turned away with crossed arms. "I've always been taller than you."

"Right," I said sarcastically with a smile. I felt this fuzzy feeling inside me. That was a phrase people said, 'fuzzy'. I never quite caught on with what that meant, but I knew I had it.

"Ah shut up," Ash laughed to my sarcastic remark, kiddingly punching my arm. We walked to the edge of the train station platform and Ash jumped off, his dirty sneakers landing on the dirt ground of the woods. He helped me down as well and with that we ran off back to town, hopefully with no more creeps around the corner.

"So how old are you now, 14?" Ash asked with his arms crossed behind his head in a carefree manner.

"Duh we're the same age remember?" I reminded as we walked through Caden Valley. The north paths were lines with grass, and there was a blue flowing river at the side. It wouldn't be long until we wandered into the valley's town.

"I remember. But you're two months older than me so I just wanna make sure," Ash said as he adjusted his cap.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. So how are May and Drew? They're still here, right?"

"Yup. Lucky for us spring vacation's just started, so now we can all catch up without the nuisance of homework or tests."

My lips formed into a small reminicing smile. "I don't know about you, but I kinda miss school."

"Oh man you're a book worm now?" Ash asked jokingly.

"Very funny. And no. It's just... it's been a while since I went to school."

Ash blinked in confusion. "Hm? Why? Were you on vacation, too?"

I shouldn't tell him. "Yeah... A real long vacation."

"Huh?? Lucky!" Ash said with a blissful pout. I only chuckled at his expression. It was nice to be happy, even if it would only be for a little while. If only he knew... No. It's best no one knew.

However our conversation was cut short when we saw something in the distance. There was a boy and a girl near a small ice cream parlor, sitting at a white table under one of those huge sun umbrellas. They were eating ice cream with each other and conversing with each other.

"They look so familiar," I said out loud.

"Who?" Ash asked before following my his eye widened in gleeful happiness. "Hey it's May and Drew! Come on!" Ash and I ran towards the ice cream parlor and the two teens at the table looked up, seeing us. Were they really May and Drew? They've changed a lot, in appearance at least.

"Misty is that you?" May asked in disbelief as Ash and I arrived at their table from where they sat.

I put up a smile to hide my tiredness from the previous running. "Yup. Hi May."

"Oh my gosh it's really you!" May squealed from her seat, still holding her ice cream cone.

"I found her at the old train station," Ash informed the group.

"That old place?" Drew asked. "Wow, that'd be the last place I'd ever look. No one ever goes into the forest, especially now that the train station's closed."

"People still think the forest is haunted?" I asked, remembering old childhood ghost stories.

May, Drew, and Ash nodded their heads. From my past here I remembered that not a lot of residents from Caden Valley went to the forest because there's been reports of 'ghostly or spiritual' presences. Whether to believe them or not was up to us, but i had much doubt the place was haunted. The only real reason residents ever went out there was because of transpiration form the old train.

"So, are you guys on a date?" Ash interrogated with a suspicious face as he eyed May and Drew, making my eyebrows raise. They were dating? However that thought was cut short when May threw her ice cream cone at Ash's face, surprising me.

"Don't think so idiotically!" May snapped, standing with her fists as Drew and I blinked. But I couldn't help but notice a small tint of red on Drew's face, as well as May.

Drew recovered first with an embarrassed sigh. "Sorry Misty for this. Ash can be a bit of a moron every now and then."

"Then I guess some things are still the same then after all," I said with a smile.

"H-Hey!" Ash snapped at me with a fist, only making us all laugh as Ash continued to scold us, or at least try to scold us. But this laughter, exactly how long would it last?