Welcome back to the Longest Road, everyone! Last time, Ash, Misty, and Brock got through Mt. Moon, where Ash and Brock caught a Clefable and Zubat respectively, and Misty helped get rid of the TRio with the help of Vaporeon and the villain's stupidity! And now, they are going to arrive in Cerulean City, where Ash will meet Misty's sisters and possibly challenge them to a battle for his second badge. Will Ash win the battle? Or will Daisy, Lily, and Violet be lucky enough to end their 950 plus battle losing streak? Well, it is time to find out! Time for Chapter seven of the Longest Road!
When Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, and Vaporeon finally got out of Mount Moon, it was already September 30th, 1998. The first thing Ash saw when they were out was a sign.
"Welcome to Cerulean City!" he read before finding a message in big black letters. "GARY OAK AND LEAF GREEN WERE HERE. ASH KETCHUM IS A LOSER!"
"Hey! I am not a loser! Gary might be the grandson of Prof. Oak, but that does not permit him to put it on a sign for all to see!" Ash yelled. He turned to Misty and Brock.
"You two know about Gary and Leaf, right?" Misty shook her head, but Brock nodded.
"They were the second and third to last trainers I battled before leaving with you," the squinty-eyed man said. "Gary's Squirtle utterly dominated my team with just some bubbles! And Leaf's Bulbasaur was no better for my rock type team."
"Why do you hate these two people so much?" Misty asked.
"Oh, for Gary, it is because his grandfather, the famous Prof. Oak, pays more attention to me than him. Because of this, Gary bullies me out of jealousy" Ash explained. "Also, he uses the fact that he is related to the professor to try and get everyone to fawn over him. But that was neither one of those are the main reason why I hate Gary, and Leaf just as much," He took a deep breath as he recalled those past events. "It all started six years ago when I was at summer camp…"
A six-year-old Ash was in the middle of a field at Professor Oak's Summer Camp, playing with the Pokemon that lived at the ranch. Just then, he saw Gary playing a game with a Pokemon as well as his best (human) friend, Leaf Green. Leaf was a sweet girl and was into Pokemon just as much as Ash was.
"Hey Leaf!" Ash said as he sat down next to them. Leaf and Ash had done everything together since they were four and even made a pact to travel through the regions when they both turned twelve.
"Hey Ash!" she said as she pushed a ball towards the Pokemon she and Gary were playing with before Ash arrived.
"Did you remember the pact?" he asked the girl with light brown hair.
"Yeah, about that..." Leaf said as the Pokemon passed the ball to Gary. "I am planning on traveling with another trainer in six years."
"...Oh" Ash said, looking a little sad. "Who is it?"
"You are looking right at him," Gary said as he passed the ball to Ash.
"What?!" Ash cried, shocked. He looked to Leaf. "Why are you deciding to travel with him? Gary is nothing but an egotistical jerk who only cares about being better than me, while I care for a lot more than my rivalry with him! Stuff like Pokemon! My journey in six years! And most importantly, you!"
"I am sorry, Ash. I just chose to travel with Gary because I think he can teach me more about Pokemon" Leaf said. Ash did not find that as a good enough excuse for her to travel with Gary instead of him. She also intended to say "We can still be friends, though," but Ash had already started to run into a wooded area, crying.
"Why Leaf?" Ash thought to himself. "Why did you betray our friendship for Gary Oak?"
"And since that day, Leaf and I were no longer friends," Ash said, returning to the present.
"I feel bad for you Ash" Misty said. "I could have seen Leaf traveling with a trainer like you, instead of Gary."
"The good news was that I made a new friend a couple of minutes after breaking my friendship with Leaf." the raven-haired trainer said.
"Tell us more about her, Ash," Vaporeon said.
"Yeah, Ash. Tell us more!" Pikachu responded.
"Well, the girl's name was Serena Yvonne. I helped her out while we were in the woods, and I remained good friends with her for the remainder of camp" Ash said.
"Where is Serena now?" Misty asked.
"Oh, she lives in a different region. Kalos, I believe. But we have kept in touch throughout the years with letters. I can tell that she has a crush on me, but I do not exactly feel the same way about her." Ash said as he and his friends continued into Cerulean City.
"Ash?" Misty asked.
"Yeah, Misty?" Ash responded.
"I know you have been excited to head here for the gym, but I think we should skip it." the redhead said.
"Come on, Misty! I need the badge from here if I want to challenge the Pokemon League!" Ash complained.
"Well, we can earn other badges from other places," Misty said, trying to reason with him, as she did not want her friend to continue the legacy of failure that is Cerulean City Gym.
"Just tell me why you don't want me to go to Cerulean Gym, and maybe I will consider skipping it" Ash responded.
Misty sighed. "It is my sisters. They have been running the gym since my parents died, and they have taken the gym on a nine-fifty match losing streak."
"Well, nine-fifty two if Gary and Leaf had already challenged the gym. Still, let's head there. I want to meet your sisters if that is alright with you" Ash said before Pikachu hopped on his shoulder. The ebony haired trainer made a mad dash for the gym, with Misty, Vaporeon, and Brock following right behind them.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" Ash said as he walked into the gym. Daisy walked up to him.
"Hello, you must be here to challenge me to a gym battle," she said. That was when Misty burst through the doors.
"No, he isn't!" she said. "He is just here to meet you, Lily, and Violet!" That was when Lily and Violet came into the hall.
"Oh? So you are traveling with this boy, then?" Lily asked. Misty nodded.
"Well, can we expect to hear wedding bells soon?" Violet said.
"Hey! We are just friends! Nothing more!" Misty protested, her face flushed.
Daisy just laughed. "Aaaw, but you two are, like, totally adorable together!" she purred. Misty then began to chase her oldest sister through the gym. It ended when Daisy made a turn near the pool, which Misty fell into it. Luckily, Ash fished her out.
"Thanks, Ash," the redhead said to her friend.
"Were your sisters always like this, Misty?" the trainer from Pallet Town asked.
"Pretty much," Misty said. "All they care about is their water show, which makes up most of Cerulean City's tourism industry- and seeing other boys."
"So that explains why they were happy to see that you finally got a boyfriend," Ash said. Misty nodded.
"How would you like it if we spent the night here and you watch me challenge one of your sisters in a gym battle tomorrow?" The black haired trainer asked.
"Uh…" Misty said.
"Great!" Ash shouted before he went up to Daisy and asked her if he and his friends could spend the night in the gym.
"That is fine with me, although we only have one guest room. One of you is going to have to share a room with Misty" Daisy responded. She turned to her youngest sister, who was walking into the hall.
"Misty? Do you mind if you share your room with Ash tonight?" Daisy asked her sister.
"Sure!" Misty said proudly to Daisy, even though she did not want her or Lily or Violet to challenge Ash tomorrow.
It was late at night, and Misty looked down at Ash from her bed. Pikachu and Vaporeon were in the corner of the room, sleeping close together to keep warm. The red-haired girl could not sleep, afraid that her sisters would do just as bad against Ash tomorrow as they did the previous nine hundred and fifty-two trainers that challenged them.
"Ash?" she asked. Ash stirred and eventually woke up.
"Huh? What is it Misty?" the trainer from Pallet asked his friend.
"It is about your gym battle tomorrow."
"What about my gym battle, Misty?"
"Since my sisters are not exactly the best trainers in the world, with them having a constant losing streak since getting the gym leader's duties, do you think you can go easy on them tomorrow?"
"Misty, if you are worried about them, how about if I just challenge you instead?"
"I... I need to check if I can, but I if I can, I will be your opponent tomorrow!"
"Alright. Goodnight, Misty" Ash said as he fell back asleep. Misty thought about what she said, and if it was a good idea before falling asleep.
Early the next morning, October 1st, 1998, Ash was ready as ever for his gym battle. He arrived with Pikachu at the main battlefield of the gym, the pool, before anyone else did. The next person to enter was Daisy, who took the opposite side of the battlefield that Ash was on. Next were Lily, Violet, and Brock, who went to sit and watch the battle from the bleachers. After the referee arrived, Ash was ready for the gym battle.
"Alright! I think we are all set!" the trainer said.
"Wait, Ash. Where is Misty?" Daisy said, worried about the sister.
"She is not the one he is battling, Daisy!" Lily shouted from the stands.
"Yeah! Let's start the battle without her!" Violet said, agreeing. Daisy turned to the zebra.
"Alright, I am ready to battle, Ash," the blonde woman said. The ref nodded.
"This battle will be a three on three battle between one of Cerulean City's gym leaders, Daisy Waterflower, and the challenger, Ash Ketchum! Substitutions are only allowed when the current Pokemon on one side has fainted, and the last trainer who still has," the referee started to explain before being stopped by a loud "WAIT!"
Everyone turned to see Misty running onto Ash's side of the gym with Vaporeon right beside her. She then went up to the ref and started to have a quiet conversation with him. He nodded, understanding that the gym leader's sister did not want for her to continue the losing streak.
"Change in plans! Now, this battle will be a three on three battle between the sister of the Cerulean Gym leaders, Misty Waterflower, and the challenger, Ash Ketchum! Substitutions are only allowed when the current Pokemon on one side of the battlefield has fainted, and the last trainer with remaining Pokemon will be declared the winner!" the ref shouted. "Misty, take your side of the battlefield so that we can begin the battle!"
Misty went up to Daisy. "Since you are not going to battle Ash, how about if you go and watch me battle for you from the stands?" the redhead said to her sister. Daisy nodded before going to join her sisters and Brock.
"Trainers, send out your first Pokemon!" the ref shouted. Misty threw one of her Pokeballs onto the watery battlefield, and out came Staryu.
"Alright, Pikachu, are you ready to do this?" Ash asked.
"I am as ready as you are!" Pikachu said to his trainer.
Ash nodded. "Alright then. In that case, I CHOOSE YOU!"
And we end Chapter Seven with the battle for Ash's second badge just beginning! Now, I promised you guys that the fight would happen THIS chapter, but with me deciding to expand the section to include more info on Ash's life before he met Pikachu, I had to cut the battle out. But do not worry, I promise that the gym battle will be the bulk of the next chapter! And since I mentioned that Leaf was traveling with Gary, expect her to appear when Gary does in later sections of the story.
Another goodthing I did in this chapter that the anime did not even bother to do was mention Ash and Serena's history as childhood friends before the Kalos Saga! That was one thing that bugged me about Amourshipping, and now I have gotten that off my back (well, at least for now). Anyways, big thank you to EUREKA STRIKER ALPHA, kjede, Nicolas Maximiliano Baez, and Royal Panda for favoriting this story. Remember to favorite, follow, and review if you have not done so already! I will see you next time, it's supposed to snow in the wintertime, not in April, and dare to Pokeship!
