Disclaimer: I don't own pokémon, it belongs to Satoshi Tajiri

Authors Note:

Okay firstly, THANK YOU for the reviews ;)

They really made my day…

Now here's the next chapter

Anyways…

Ly-chan Thanks for the review =) I've always hoped she'd come back too… she better, soon… gr… I haven't watched any episodes without her…

pokemonSLR Thanks so much, and I'm glad you liked it =D Hope you like this chapter

Ah-mazed I did think of Dawn getting jealous, but I'm not a fan of pearlshipping, so I don't know whether I'll do that… but don't worry, Ash will get jealous soon, I'm thinking of re-introducing Giorgio or someone (tee hee jealous Ash is so cute) ;)

Even Angels Forsake Thanks so much for the review and the encouragement =) And yeah I guess you're right, the interjections from me are a bit overdone =S… I won't keep any in this chap now! Thanks for notifying me… Hope you like the rest.

PokeshippersShadow1 Thank you so much, my fellow pokeshipper =) AAML 4 ever!

Steve All your reviews are sooo sweet, thanks so much =DDD And, you know, when I found out about those episodes, the first thing I did was 'OMG I have to watch this too!' Haha… anyways the Brock Sick One is more of Brock, not much AAML except a scene where they sleep VERY close at night, and talk a bit.. it's called 'Sick Daze' and its ep 195, season 1 or something… I'll get back to you about the Magikarp one, but I know that's in Orange Islands…

Dramione x3 Thank you so much =D I'm kinda excited too… hee hee… just wondering, is your name a combo of Draco and Hermione?

NamioftheSea Thanks, and I hope you enjoy the rest… don't we all miss darling Misty …sigh…=/

Okay, so done with that… now to the story, and pleeeeeeease review =) Thanks a lot

xx

High Queen

The next morning, the gang was enjoying a peaceful, not too mention delicious breakfast cooked by Brock.

Brock was thankful that Ash and Misty seemed too tired to argue this early in the morning. So was Dawn, who was getting rather freaked out by their constant bickering the previous day.

"So Dawn," Misty said suddenly, looking up from her bacon. "You never told me how you met Ash!"

Dawn smiled. "Well, actually I met Pikachu first… I thought he was wild, so I sent Piplup against him, and then tried to catch him… but then Pikachu sent out a thunderbolt, kinda sizzling my bike in the process, and then-"

"Oh crap." Ash muttered under his breath, for at the word 'bike' Misty's eyes had suddenly narrowed.

"Sizzled your bike, huh, Dawn?" she asked dangerously. Ash tensed up, preparing to leap up and run away.

Dawn of course, was clueless, and therefore innocently replied, "Yeah, my bike, no need to worry about that though, it-"

Misty now finally looked at Ash, who seemed extremely interested in the ground.

"Oh, ruining people's bike is something Ash specializes in, isn't that right, Ash?" Misty said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I supposed you've paid her back for it, then?"

"Ah – heh heh, now Misty, I-" Ash had gotten up now, and was inching towards Brock, who watched the scene in amusement. Dawn was utterly flummoxed.

"Misty, that's nice of you to stick up for me, but it's alright really-" she began.

"You know Ash," Misty said, ignoring Dawn. "That sounds like a rather familiar situation… hmm, where have I heard about you wrecking someone's bike before…"

"I didn't wreck it, Pikachu did and-"

"YOU STOLE MY BIKE ASH KETCHUM!" Misty leapt up and rounded on Ash, who immediately ran behind Brock.

"I DIDN'T, I BORROWED IT!"

Brock looked exasperated. "I was wondering when you two would remember this argument."

"YOU NEVER PAID ME BACK DID YOU, BIKE-WRECKER?"

"NURSE JOY FIXED YOUR STUPID BIKE ANYWAYS!"

"STUPID BIKE! YOU LITTLE LOSER, STOP HIDING BEHIND BROCK AND BE A MAN WILL YOU!"

"YOU MEAN LIKE YOU?"

At this insult (though Ash didn't mean it, Misty was not tomboyish anymore, at least in appearance), Misty was rendered temporarily speechless due to her anger.

Ash realised his fatal mistake, but took the opportunity to escape, running into the forest. It was all in fun, of course, and Ash and Misty both knew the fight was nothing serious. Still, even after all these years, Ash found Misty rather intimidating when she was angry.

"COME BACK HERE ASH KETCHUM, DON'T THINK YOU CAN RUN AWAY FROM ME MR. WANNABE POKEMON MASTER!" Misty shrieked, running after Ash.

"BROCK! PIKACHU! DAWN! SOMEBODY HEEELP!"

Dawn looked rather afraid. "Do you think we should stop them, Brock?"

Brock just shook his head. "That's impossible. It's reached the stage where only Pikachu can stop them. Hey Pikachu, d'you think you could-"

Pikachu, however, tired of being the responsible one in the group, had retired back into his lightning-bolt covered sleeping bag.

Azurill trilled happily, amused by the spectacle.

"No need to worry, then…" Dawn muttered to herself.

A few minutes later, the tempestuous argument had fizzled away, and the gang continued in relative silence towards Hearthrome City, where Dawn hoped to enter an Ultra Rank Contest.

Misty had been rather intrigued by the concept of pokémon contests, as she asked Dawn about them.

"Well, contests are the coolest things ever! You have to show off your pokémon, make them as cute as possible, and you win ribbons! There's the appeal round and then the battle round and I've won quite a few contests and…" Dawn continued happily about one of her favorite subjects in the pokémon world.

"Hmmm…" said Misty, considering the matter. "You know the appeal thing you were talking about sounds kind of like something my sisters would love…"

"Your sisters!" Brock said, suddenly excited, as a blush rose on his cheeks. "You mean darling Daisy, vivacious Violet and lovely Lily… ah, those beautiful flowers, never have I scene such a group of such wonderful, talented-"

Ash and Misty exchanged an exasperated look at this.

"Hasn't changed a bit, has he?" Misty asked, and Ash shook his head.

"Hey Misty!" Dawn piped up suddenly. "D'you think you'd want to enter a contest! I could help you train and stuff if you wanted, I'm sure you'd be really good!"

"Uh – well…" Misty said hesitatingly. "I'm n-not too sure, all this glamourous stuff isn't really my thing, I prefer battles-"

"Yeah, see Dawn, I told you battles are cooler!" Ash said triumphantly.

"But Misty, I think you'd be great at contests!" Brock said suddenly.

"You would?" Ash and Misty asked incredulously, and Misty shot a dirty look at Ash, who stuck his tongue out at her.

"Mature, Ash, very mature." Misty growled.

"Pika!"

"Azuril!"

Pikachu and Azurill agreed with Brock, and Pikachu began to gesture something wildly to the gang, speaking excitedly in his pika-language.

"Huh – yeah so you think Misty would be good – and – wait what's that, Pikachu?" Ash said confused at what Pikachu was saying.

"Misty is – no was, a fish – a girl – no, a fish – Pikachu what are you talking about?" Ash asked, displaying his tendency to be extremely dense.

Misty suddenly went red. "Pikachu, no way…."

"I know!" Brock said. "Remember that time you were a mermaid, Misty!"

"A mermaid!" said Dawn, looking excited.

"Uh – yeah, Brock… so, Ash, have you caught any new pokémon lately?" Misty asked suddenly, trying to avoid the topic.

Ash looked a bit dazed all of a sudden, and was staring into space dreamily. ***

"Oh no, Misty, don't try changing the topic!" Brock said. "Dawn, what I'm talking about is when Misty took part in an underwater ballet at her gym, with her pokémon. She was dressed up like a mermaid, and there was an underwater battle and everything, though that was thanks to Team Rocket who interrupted-"

However at this, Brock was cut off, as Dawn suddenly squealed loudly in excitement, stars popping into her eyes.

"Oooooh, Misty, I knew you'd be perfect! You must take part with me, contests are so much fun! And if you've done an underwater ballet, then you'd know just how to be beautiful and graceful and-"

Ash snapped out of his daze at this and snorted rather contemptuously. "You think Misty is graceful?"

"Don't make me take out my mallet, Ash…" Misty said warningly and Ash immediately shut up.

"I don't know about this, Dawn…" Misty sighed.

"No need to worry!" Dawn said perkily. "We can just- AAAAAH!"

Suddenly, the ground gave away and the four humans and two pokémon tumbled into a hidden hole.

"Aaaargh! Don't tell me those three morons still haven't lost this stupid habit!" Misty fumed.

"You mean Team Rocket?" Dawn asked, raising a hand to straighten out her hair.

"Some things never change…" Brock said.

"Owww… Misty get off me…." Ash whined.

"Oh, um – sorry Ash!" Misty said, and immediately jumped off of Ash (she had fallen right onto his back) as if scalded by a flamethrower. She blushed brightly.

"S'alright…" Ash mumbled, going a bit red.

"Pikachu…" Pikachu grumbled.

"AHAHAHAHAHA!" an all too familiar, evil, high pitched laugh filled the air.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"I was wondering when they'd start that…" Misty sighed.

"Make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!" Jessie popped her head over the hole, grinning evilly.

"To unite all people within our nation…" cames James' reply, as he too, peered into the trap.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love"

"To extend our reach to the stars above"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight, FIGHT, FIGHT!"

"Meeeeeowth, that's right!" Meowth jumped in between Jessie and James.

"You know, even after years of not hearing you, that motto is as annoying as ever" Misty said scathingly.

Jessie looked extremely affronted. "How dare you insult our motto, you little – HEY!" she cried, looking surprised.

"What?" Misty asked impatiently.

"Hey, it's the twerp's girlfriend! She came back!" James said, surprised as well.

Ash and Misty blushed and hollered instantaneously "HE/SHE'S NOT MY BOY/GIRL FRIEND!"

"Still in denial, are we twerps?" Jessie asked teasingly.

"Grrr…. Pikachu, thundershock!" Ash cried.

"Pika! PIKACHUUUU!" Pikachu unleashed a powerful thundershock attack, which however bounced off of Team Rocket's rubber suits.

"Hahahah! These suits are made of rubber! Pikachu's thundershock won't do a thing!" Jessie yelled triumphantly.

"Oh, how original..." Misty muttered sarcastically.

"Aren't we geniuses!" James cried, not quite catching her tone.

"Now hand over that Pikachu!" Jessie demanded.

"Never!" Ash cried whole-heartedly.

"You'd think they'd have learnt by now, or given up." Brock said to Misty.

"Alright! Enough is enough!" Misty yelled suddenly.

Ash and Team Rocket stared at her in surprise.

"Ash, I hate to say this, but I've kinda missed sending them blasting off… so if you don't mind, can I have this battle?" she asked sweetly.

Ash nodded. "My pleasure… go right ahead."

Misty nodded, and a glint came into her eye.

"What're you going to throw at us, twerpette?" James asked tauntingly.

Misty winked. "You'll see."

She pulled out a pokéball, bringing it to her lips, and kissed it for good luck.

"Alright!" she cried, hurling the pokéball into the air, as the others watched in suspense.

"Misty caaaaaaaaallls… GYARADOS!"

There was a deafening roar, as a huge, dragon-like pokémon emerged from her pokéball, and loomed above Team Rocket menacingly.

"Wow…." Dawn said, amazed.

James had suddenly gone all white, and he and Jessie were clutching at each other in fear.

"G-g-g-gyarados!" James stuttered.

"Alright." Jessie said, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. "Go, Sevipe-aaaah!"

Jessie's order was broken off, as James grabbed her hand, and Meowth, and ran off at top speed, screaming in fear.

Misty looked confused. "Hey, wait! Come back here! I'm not done with you yet!"

"I guess you forgot, Mist, that ever since that S. S. Anne incident, James is terrified of those things. Runs away in fear whenever one is mentioned." Ash explained.

Misty looked disappointed. "But I wanted to blast them off!" she sulked.

"You still can." Brock pointed out.

"Alright Gyarados!" Misty ordered, pointing at the diminishing silhouette off three figures in the distance.

"HYDRO PUMP!"

"RAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!"

Gyarados roared and unleashed a huge hydro pump at Team Rocket, who were flung into the air by the power of the attack.

"We're blasting off agaaaaaain!" came their cry, as they disappared into the sky.

"Great job, Gyarados!" Misty said, patting her gargantuan pokémon. "Return."

With a flash or red light, the monster disappeared.

"That was great, Misty!" Ash complimented, and Misty smiled slightly.

"Thanks, Ash."

"Seriously, that was awesome!" Dawn gushed. "I never knew you had such a powerful pokémon. You could totally win a cool contest… or a tough contest with that thing!"

"Pika!"

"Azu azu!"

A few hours and two Ash-Misty arguments later, the group had finally reached Heathrome City.

They wearily entered the pokémon centre, collapsing onto the couch.

"Hello, may I help you?" a sweet voice asked.

Brock immediately turned an interesting shade of red, and knelt down before the pink-haired lady, drooling.

"Ah, Nurse Joy, my love! You are the most beautiful nurse I have ever seen. Please, please help me, for I seem to have fallen for you and I cannot get up and-"

Misty rolled her eyes, flexing her fingers. "Guess I'll have to pull him off before he humiliates us…" she sighed, and got up towards Brock, grabbing his ear.

However, before she could do anything more, there was a sudden flash of red light, as Croagunk popped out of Brock's pokéball, jabbing him slightly, and proceeded to pull him away.

"Aaah… Nurse Joy… save me… help me…" Brock moaned, as Misty dragged him away by the ear, aided by Croagunk.

Ash snickered and Dawn giggled.

"Hey, I like this pokémon!" Misty said, grinning at Croagunk who gave her a proud croak in relpy.

"Two on one… not – fair…" Brock mumbled.

"Nurse Joy!" Dawn piped up. "Misty here, wants to enter a contest. She's not too late, is she?"

"Dawn, I-" Misty began.

"Go ahead, Misty Mermaid, are you scared you'll muck up?" Ash teased, grinning cheekily at Misty, who blushed slightly at the name but scowled at him.

"I'm not scared, Ash Ketchum! So shut up!"

"You are too…" Ash said, knowing exactly how to hype Misty up.

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Fine, prove it!" Ash grinned triumphantly, crossing his arms.

Misty glared at him. "Argh – fine, Dawn, enter me! You just wait and see Ash Ketchum!"

"You entered me in a beauty contest! Dawn?"

Dawn smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Misty, but it was the only one with vacancies!"

"B-but – I – I –" Misty stuttered.

"Yeah Dawn, how d'you think Misty's gonna win a beauty contest?" Ash said teasingly, leaning towards Misty as he stressed on the word 'beauty.'

Misty looked affronted and opened her mouth to say something, but Brock beat her to it.

"Now, Ash, don't tell me you don't find Misty pretty… from the way you were staring at her when she arrived I thought-"

"WHAT?" Ash yelled, blushing furiously. "You're crazy!"

Misty however smiled at Brock, mouthing a 'thank you.'

Ash was simmering in rage. "That's rubbish." he growled.

Brock winked at him (if that's possible for no-eyes Brock) and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'Maiden's Peak'.

"Pika pikachu!" Pikachu cried in affirmative.

"You're supposed to be on my side!" Ash snarled to Pikachu, who just gave him a happy 'Pika!' and winked.

Misty, who had a faint tinge on her cheeks, was now talking to Dawn.

"I can't enter Gyarados, he's too intimidating… I think I'll use Starmie…"

"You'll have to dress yourself up too, though. You can borrow a dress from me, I have a blue one which I think would go great with your eyes-"

Ash, who was sulking in his corner, petting Pikachu perked up considerably at this. Misty in a dress was something he'd never seen before. He'd seen her in a kimono a few times and she looked really pretty then and – no nevermind! He did NOT mean that!

Ash scowled to himself. Stupid Brock, stupid Dawn, stupid stupid stupid Misty.

"Actually, since this is a water type battlefield, I think I have another idea…" Misty replied.

Ooh Misty in a contest… what'll happen? Keep reading to find out!

I know I haven't done much with Pikachu or Azurill, particularly the latter, but its kinda annoying to keep popping them in… some of my other fics (AAML fun) have better pokémon personification though… =S

Hope you enjoyed so far! =D PLEASE REVIEW!

*** Okay, I didn't add an author's note there, but I just HAD to say, didn't you LOVE that episode. Ash was all compliment-ish, I mean even when DEWGONG beat Team Rocket he was like "All right Misty!" and before he was like "I can't wait to see Misty!" – not the show, but Misty! And at the end he was like "You were pretty amazing Misty..." Ahhhh…. my all time FAVORITE pokemon episode (other than tower of terror and maiden's peak…. sigh, sorry for that) =D For anyone who's NOT seen it, you HAVE to it's called Misty Mermaid (though practically everyone probably has seen it)