Cerulean City Gym
After bidding Kaz farewell that morning and battling challengers all day, Misty is working away on her computer and filling out paperwork. "Mew. The life of a gym leader never ends." She thinks to herself. Ash hadn't visited her since that night a month and a half ago. She also has heard nothing about Dillon, but she wasn't sure if that should be a good thing because it meant he was staying out of trouble or it's a bad thing because he is in trouble. She hears the front door of the gym open. "Wow. Ash only comes late on a school night. He's never going to see his kids this way." She thinks to herself as she notices it is midnight. She should really go to sleep after she tells Ash off again. Misty hears the footsteps getting closer.
"We're closed." She yells out annoyed. The footsteps keep approaching, and she grabs Corsola's pokeball in case it's an intruder and not Ash trying to sneak up on her. "Wow. He would be playing these childish games." Misty thinks to herself. Annoyed, she calls out, "Just leave! No one wants to see you!" And just like that, she hears the footsteps stop. There is a moment of silence, but Misty doesn't hear any retreating footsteps. Still irritated, she walks out of her office. "Fucking Ash." she mumbles angrily under her breath. She sees a tall figure with long spiky hair under a baseball cap.
"I told you to leave." She says coldly and walks up to the figure. She gets ready to push him out when the moonlight hits him and she sees the diamond earrings glisten. "Dillon?" Misty asks weakly. He sniffles once and nods. She embraces her son in a tight hug. "I've been so worried about you!" she scolds him. Dillon hugs her back tightly before the two pull apart.
"C-can we talk, mom?" He asks her while keeping his gaze away. She smiles and leads him to her office. He sits down on the chair across from her and looks at his hands. Misty observes her son's nervous behavior.
"What is it, Dillon?" she asks him concerned, hoping he isn't in any sort of trouble.
He takes a shaky breath. "I'm sorry. I know it's late." He says. Misty shakes her head.
"You know I'm up late anyway. It's okay." she smiles at him.
Dillon meets her eyes and smiles back before looking away again. "Uh." he pauses. "I wanted to also apologize for the Pallet Town thing. I'll call Uncle Gary in the morning."
Misty raises an eyebrow at her son. Is this the same Dillon Ketchum who got arrested 2 months ago? "Dillon, Uncle Gary is not mad at you, but I'm sure he'd love to hear from you." She admires her son and is proud of his behavior. After a few minutes of silence, Misty says, "Go to sleep, honey. It's late."
Dillon takes another breath. "There's one more thing."
"Was it too good to be true?" Misty thinks to herself. "Yes, Dillon?" She asks him worriedly.
"I'm not in trouble!" He tells her. "At least, not that I know of... "
"Go on…" Misty pushes him on.
He looks at her identical cerulean eyes. "I'm traveling with Granite." Misty gives him a confused look and is about to open her mouth to speak when Dillon interrupts. "Yeah. Uncle Brock's and Aunt Roxanne's kid."
"Oh that's great!" Misty exclaims excitedly. It's just like when Ash, Brock, and her used to travel around together!
"And a girl." Dillon sighs and then groans while Misty raises an eyebrow at him.
Had her son found a girlfriend already? She'd have to make sure this girl was not a bad influence or anything, especially with the people Dillon usually spends his time with.
"She doesn't know who I am." he finally says. Misty continues to give her son a confused look.
"I thought everyone knows who you are? Your arrests are always on the news." She tells him.
"I know! I thought so too. But she doesn't know who I am, and she treats me like a normal person. I'm scared that if she finds out who I am, she'll start treating me differently." Dillon speaks quickly and uses a hand to rub the back of his neck.
Misty smiles at her son. She puts a hand on his other hand. "Okay, sweetie. I'll keep your secret."
Dillon looks at his mom and gives her a tired smile. "Thanks, mom."
She can't help but grin. "Okay. Let's go to sleep. We both need a break from the day." Misty laughs. Dillon agrees and they both head to the living quarters of the gym.
Outside of the gym, 3 dark figures watch from the bushes.
"I thought he was on house arrest?" A tall boy asks.
"But he was just walking from the Pokemon Center to here." the girl replies.
"Maybe he was allowed to go just this once. For his mom or something." suggests the last figure.
"No. They wouldn't let someone on house arrest around town at this time of night. He's definitely been avoiding us." The girl says angrily.
"Hey. We won't know until we ask him. And if he is avoiding us, well he knows what he needs to do to leave the gang." the tall male responds.
"Okay. Well, we've got to report this to Clark and see what he wants to do." The girl then gets up to leave. The boys follow her.