Hi again, everyone! Sorry I didn't post yesterday, but I had to spend the night at a friends cause of the floods and I had lots of HW, so here is another chapter! I had pretty bad writers block for like four days, but I finally got back into it today. I'm at like Ch. 18 right now ish? Again, all of you guys are awesome and if you liked the story, drop it a favorite and a follow!

Thanks,

Court

P.S. Every time someone reviews it, I get an email and that reminds me about this, so reviews are greatly appreciated both in the sense of giving me feedback on my writing and reminding me to update some more!

P.P.S. If I get like 5 more fallows and favorites before 11 O'clock tonight, (I'm on mountain time.) I will upload the next chapter tonight!

Chapter 4

The Road Home

Day break. The sun dawned on Hearthome city, bathing the city in orange light, shining through the window on the second story of the Pokémon Center and right onto Ash's face. He grimaced at the sudden brightness. He groaned. Suddenly the shades were opened all the way, blinding him. He grunted and rolled over covering himself with the blanket. He heard giggling. Uh oh. The blanket was ripped off of him mercilessly. He looked up. Dawn stood there, blanket in hand, towering over him.

"Wakey wakey, Dusk." He groaned again. "Dawn, it's only dawn." He smiled at his wittiness.

"The meeting is today. We're all here." He rolled onto his feet.

"No you aren't, Cilan, Iris, Trip, and Cameron are arriving at noon. Brock will be there and we have a boat to catch in..." He glanced at his watch. "...4 hours."

Dawn dropped the towel. "Wait, where are we going? And why in four hours?"

Ash groaned again. "I see that Looker didn't tell you. And we have to wait for Paul, Lyra, Kenny, and some others like Leona. Now let's go get some breakfast before you ask me too many questions I have to answer for Misty and May."

He walked into the bathroom. Dawn got dressed in the room after closing the blinds. A few minutes later, they walked into the lobby of the Pokémon Center. Looker, Misty and May were sitting at a table, eating omletes. Ash noticed May watching them and blushed slightly. She looked triumphant. They sat down at the table.

"Looker, you forgot to tell them about the part where we have to leave in like 4 hours." Ash yelled at him.

Looker looked at him thoughtfully. "So I did, I apologize. I assume you told your girlfriend already, right." Ash and Dawn immedietly blush and tried to protest. "She's not my girlfriend...!" "We aren't dating...!" They angrily looked at Looker. He shrugged and May had a knowing look on her face.

(May's Point of View)

After Looker said that Dawn was dating Ash, May saw them blush. She then listened to them protest and stole a look at Misty, she was bright red. Oh dear, this just got very complicated, very fast. She was afraid that Misty still liked Ash or assumed that he still liked her. She was obviously jealous but in what way? Why am I not jealous? Five years ago, I would have been so jealous. But, I guess Drew got better. Plus it would be hard to try to take Ash from her after she confided in me, not to mention cruel. She heard Drew's name and started paying attention. "... Drew and some other people from Hoenn will be arriving at Dusk's Dawn an hour after us." Looker was saying. I would be able to see Drew? Yay! "I suggest we start packing soon if we are to leave within the hour. "An hour?!" May yelped. Everyone looked up from their plates. "I gotta go pack!" May got up and ran halfway across the room, remembered something and ran backwards back to the table. "What's Dusk's Dawn?" "Pallet Town!" Misty whispered looking around. "Weren't you listening?" May blushed and shook her head. Then everyone got up in unison and went to their rooms.

(Brock's Point of View)

I waited at the Vermillion City docks waiting for the ship from Sinnoh which carried my friends back to Pallet Town and the surprise awaiting them there. It has been so long since Ash was home. Plus, I need to tell Looker about the news concerning the rumors of new champions, but Ash will find out soon enough, what with the Court happening. I found my thoughts straying to my last adventure with Ash and Dawn. Around three-quarters of the way through the journey, they began acting differently. So, showing my concern, I asked Ash what was happening.

"So, what's up with you two?" Ash jumped, tearing his eyes away from the sleeping Dawn. He blushed.

"N-nothing." I arched an eyebrow. He seemed to blush even harder. It was a stand-off, a war of wills and I was determined to win. Finally, Ash broke. "We, uh, kinda might have possibly kissed... A lot." I grinned. Of course, why didn't I see it!

"Well, it's about time." I grunted.

Ash blushed. "Was it that obvious?"

I grinned. "From her, absolutely, but you aren't the best when it comes to girls. What are you now, like 15?" He nodded. "It's okay, Ash. You are just new to this journey because of your passion for your pokémon."

I smiled halfheartedly. "But, it seems like you've got better luck than me." He grinned.

(Looker's Point of View)

All was going according to plan. The boat had docked and I saw Brock heading towards us with a plain expression on his face. Everyone chatted happily behind me. I looked back on the incident I made earlier this morning. It was odd, Ash has mentioned that he likes Dawn during our missions together, so why was he embarrassed when I mentioned it? Ah well, suppose it doesn't matter to me, does it? I walked up to Brock and rounded up our large party. I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket. Roll call. Normally, if they can't keep up then we leave them but Professor Oak wanted them all there. I went over the list in my head Ash, check, May, check, Misty, check, Dawn, check, Kenny, check, Leona, check, Barry... Who was Barry? Oh blond kid, check, Lyra, check, and Paul, check. Brock walked up to me and handed me a slip of paper. "The plan has changed." I read the note. I nodded, sensing that the reason we came just became more enjoyable. Then we headed out, to Pallet Town.

(Ash's Point of View)

Home, and with everyone I know too, wow. But especially Dawn. It was great, walking with her on the roads of Kanto. I was pointing out the major landmarks and where things happened to me as a beginner trainer. Like she was when I first met her.

(Misty's Point of View)

This sucked. I hadn't seen Ash in forever and I wanted to talk with him, but he was so engrossed with her, I couldn't get a word in. I felt a pang of loneliness and than a twinge of anger. Why was I jealous? Why couldn't I accept that Ash found a girl? I don't know. I can see how happy they are together, the way they flirt so much, Pikachu and Buneary, everything was going great for them. I didn't love Ash, but it was hard knowing that he was able to find another girl who loved him back. I walked up to May and started gossiping with her about the cute boys that we knew and the budding romance between Dawn and Ash. When I brought that up, she looked up in surprise.

"I thought you were jealous!" She was watching them. Ash had just grabbed Dawn's hand. They smiled at each other and continued walking while holding hands.

I smiled too. "No. Not anymore. I knew he had a crush on me when we were traveling together, so it was hard accepting that he had shifted those feeling to another girl who will love him back they way he deserves."

I looked at May and she smiled back. "I had similar feelings too but Ash was always more of a brother to me. Even more than Max, at times. Then I saw those two together and I realized I want that too, but with another."

I jumped and looked at her. "Really? Who?" She looked around and whispered in my ear.

"Drew, the Hoenn Prince." I nodded right after she said it. They were perfect together. The Hoenn Prince and Princess.

"I'm happy for you, May!" She grinned back at me.

"Thanks, Misty. How about you?" I shrugged. "I don't know. I've devoted so much of my life to water pokémon, that I never really had time to travel apart from my time with Ash and Brock. Because of the Gym." May nodded. Her dad was the Leader of the Gym in Petelburg City. She knew how time consuming it was. She hugged me.

"I'm sure you will find someone, Misty!" I smiled.

"Thanks, May! Now what do you say that we get Ash and Dawn together?" She snickered.

"Oh, I don't think we need to get involved. Ash is doing fine by himself!" She pointed and I saw Ash and Dawn running off into the forest, holding hands.