Chapter 4: The Star League
As morning came, the hero's each got up when the sun hit their eyes. Eric and Dawn were the first ones to wake up since they slept on the high ground. When they saw how they slept, Dawn immediately got up, face as red as fireworks.
Eric didn't feel anything as he got up. No blush, no anything, but he did smile a bit. "Don't feel embarrassed. You were the one that offered after all." He teased.
"I know...still...it looked like I claimed you as my boyfriend or something." Dawn said, not looking at him.
"I don't think I'm exactly boyfriend material." Eric told her. "I have too much on my mind and soul to be there."
"Oh..." Dawn muttered, rather disappointed. She hoped he would have teased her some more.
Just then, three screams and lightning were seen where the others were.
"Let's head back, the others are starting to get up." Eric noticed as he began walking down the hill.
Ash, May, and Brock got up when Pikachu had a nightmare and decided to use thundershock. The pokemon's nightmare: Him getting married to Dawn's Buneary.
Ash kept shouting, "Pikachu, stop!" to no avail until the yellow mouse tired itself out. When Pikachu did stop, Ash heard laughing near them. Glaring at the offenders, he saw it was Eric and Dawn. Ash knew they had probably gotten up a bit earlier to prepare for the day ahead.
"Ha, ha." Ash said sarcastically.
"Ouch. You wound me." Eric teased. "This is coming from the man who looks like a kitchen reject?"
Ash growled a bit but let it slide. After getting everything packed up, the five travellers plus one pokemon got walking to Wildvine city.
When they got to the city, they noticed how it got its name. Vines were growing wildly everywhere! On houses and buildings, a vine could be seen somewhere. The pokemon center was covered on the sides when they entered.
"Hey Joy." Eric said as he entered the pokemon center. It was strange, that no matter how the atmosphere of the town was, the pokemon center always made you feel right at home.
"Hello there. Do your pokemon need a check-up?" Nurse Joy asked kindly. Like every other Joy in every other pokemon center, she had pink hair, pink shirt, and skirt, while wearing a nurses uniform. Unlike the other Joy's, this one had her hair down, where as the other's usually had the sides held up in a circle.
"Yeah. Me and Ash also want to register for the Star League." Eric said, before handing her his pokeballs. Ash did the same with his.
"Interesting pokeballs you have here. All the ones I've seen are red top." Joy said when she noticed that Eric's pokeballs had a blue top to them.
"I know a few people who make them. These are custom, but work the same as any other pokeball." Eric explained.
"Well, I'll do a quick check-up, let them rest, and then I'll take your ID cards so I can register you both in the Star League." Joy told them before putting the pokeballs on two trays and going into the back of the center.
"Well, what do we do now?" Ash asked.
"We ask a nearby nurse Chansey if she can lend us some room keys. I need a shower, and we never really properly brushed our teeth this morning. Just a quick fix." May told him.
"I don't know how you boys can stand it, but I need a shower too." Dawn said, quickly agreeing with May.
Ash, Brock, and Eric sighed. There was no arguing with females when you know that they're right. So going to the left of the counter, they walked down the hallway until they found a Chansey with a nurses cap on it.
"Chansey, you mind lending us 2 rooms? One for 2 girls, and one for 3 guys and one pokemon?" Ash asked.
"Chansey!" The pokemon nodded and went back to the reception counter, where she grabbed two keys and handed one to May, and the other to Ash.
"Alright, thanks a lot." Brock told the pokemon, handing her some of his original pokechow, which Chansey gratefully ate.
"Hey Eric, do you know anything about the Star League?" Ash asked as they went into their room. "You seem to already know what to expect."
Eric thought for a little while. "The Star League isn't like any other league you've been in. The badges are based off of star constellations. It's also four on four pokemon battles. I've heard that at least 3 gyms are two on two battles. All the gym leaders have their pokemon at high levels so your team needs strength and brains if you want to get anywhere. Ash, this place is take no prisoners. They are aiming to make sure you go down. Even if you were friends with them beforehand, they won't act like it on the battlefield." he explained.
Ash let all the information sink into his brain. "I'm glad my team is what I chose." He finally said.
"Balance is key. What they have one round might change the second time you decide to fight them. Remember that. Now...let's do ourselves a favour and brush our teeth properly and take a shower. The girls were right. We do need one." Eric said.
Ash did a classic anime back fall. "Agreed." He said as he got back up.
