Everyone was awake bright and early the next morning. Joy had returned to her duties and her father went to work. Although they had been through a traumatic event he decided just going back to normal was the thing he needed. Page was back to her hyperactive state trying to help with things.

"I want to feed the Pokemon!" she yelled out.

Ash chuckled. "Hey, can I help? That sounds fun."

"Hehe! Sure! You're not going to get jealous are you sis?"

Marnie rolled her eyes. "Why would I?"

"He is your boyfriend!" She dodged a pillow and ran out. Ash followed.

"She is something else huh?" Hop asked.

"She likes to get on my nerves," Marnie responded with a sigh.

"Take it from a fellow younger sibling. We do it because we love you."

As Ash and Page left a couple of girls walked up to the Pokemon center just missing them. One was a girl with red hair tied into a side ponytail with a yellow outfit on. With her was a girl with her magenta hair tied to ponytails on both sides, an Espeon following her. They walked in being greeted by Marnie.

"Welcome to our Pokemon center! My mother will be with you shortly!"

"Thanks!" The redhead said.

"Names please?"

"I'm Misty."

"My name is Sakura." the other girl said.

Marnie took it down. "Alright just take a seat."

The two took a seat and waited. Marnie went over and made sure her mother was good to go. After talking for a bit they both came out to take the girl's Pokeballs.

"This won't take too long. feel free to do whatever you want." Nurse Joy said as she walked back.

"Hey Marnie, want to train a little?" Hop said as he walked back.

"Not now. I need to help my mom." She responded heading back.

"I guess that makes sense..."

"Hello! Who are you?" Misty asked the newcomer.

"Huh? Oh! Hello! I am Hop. I'm traveling with her and another friend. We are taking on the Pokemon League. Something just happened yesterday and she wants to make sure everyone's still alright."

"I see. Well, I am Misty! Leader of the Cerulean City Gym. I decided to take the league challenge here also."

"I'm Sakura." The other said. "I'm also giving it a go."

"Well good to meet you! So why is a gym leader doing the challenge?"

"Well, I decided I want to go a bit further. I want to be a member of the Elite Four." She responded.

"Really? That's pretty wild. So you decided to take on the League challenge here?"

"She needs to get their attention," Sakura said. "We feel if she at least ranks high this will get her in."

"I guess that makes sense." He said. "But I and my friend are pretty strong you know! ... Well he is. I'm kinda new. But I am getting better."

She chuckled. "Humble, not like this guy I used to travel with."

"Who would he be?"

Before she could respond Marnie interrupted.

"Hop? Can you help please?" She asked.

"Oh! Sure!"

"Hey, can we help also?" Misty asked.

"Sure! Come with us."

Meanwhile, Ash was out with Page. The two were almost done feeding the Pokemon as most were still in hiding at the moment. Page seemed to be having fun and thankfully did not know she was tricked. It worked out though as Ash was enjoying himself also. As they got to the end Page left a few treats at a little spot free of Pokemon.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Suicune used to come here a lot. I still leave treats for when he comes back." She responded.

"Oh right, Suicune. Marnie said he doesn't show up anymore."

"He will be back! Just you wait!"

He chuckled. "Okay, got it."

He admired that she still thought he would show up. Still, he was showing up less and less before so perhaps he is elsewhere now. He looked at her as the arranged the treats in a way to look nice. He did not have the heart to try to talk her out of it. Besides, he might show up again, he doesn't know what the Pokemon is thinking.

"Hey, I think we need to head back now." He said. "We are out of treats."

"Yeah! Let's go back!" She yelled in delight.

The two started to head back. Meanwhile, Marnie was currently trying to treat one of Mistys Pokemon.

"I don't see anything wrong with this one," Marnie said to her mother.

"Indeed. It seems like just a normal Psyduck," she responded.

"I know they have chronic headaches but this one has had one for a while Maybe this one just gets more than usual?"

"Perhaps. Well, it seems fine. You're free to go!"

"Psyayaya..." It said as it hopped down and walked off.

"All that's left is your Seadra." Joy said as she walked over to it. Misty was standing with it.

"Seadra! Let's go!"

It did not listen to her. just turned away and swam to the furthest part of the tank from her.

"Still doing this?" Misty asked it.

"Is something wrong?" Marnie asked.

"Well things were fine for a bit after it evolved, but then he started to ignore me."

"I don't really get where this came from myself. Though the battle before he started to ignore her they lost. They started losing quite a bit." Sakura said.

"Were back!" Ash said as he and Page walked in.

Marnie Smiled. "Welcome back Ash!"

Misty looked shocked. "Ash!?"

"Misty?!"

Marnie looked at them. "You two know each other?"

"Yeah! We traveled together! Misty, what are you doing here?" He asked happily.

Everyone sat down and chatted. Ash and Misty were able to catch up and talk about what had been happening. Sakura caught Ash up on where she was now as well as caught her up on Marnie and Hop. He was amazed to learn that she was taking the gym challenge to expand her horizons. This meant she was now a rival he would have to face in time.

"Well Misty, sense we are rivals now, how about a battle?" Ash asked.

Misty grinned. "Alright! Yeah!"

The two went out to the field and faced one another. Pikachu was already sent out and looked ready to fight. Per her request, there was a pond close by and Misty sent out Seadra. Pikachu sparked at his cheeks ready to battle. Seadra on the other hand seemed disinterested.

"An electric type won't mean you will win Ash!"

"Heh, I hope it won't be easy! Pikachu, ThunderBolt!"

The little mouse leaped into the air and let out a bolt of lightning. Seadra was able to quickly dive under and leap out avoiding the electrified water.

"Seadra! Use Ice Beam!"

Seadra however ignored her and used Hydro Pump.

"Seadra! Again?"

"Iron Tail!"

Pikachu used Iron Tail and split the water right down the center.

"Eletroweb!"

He then threw the electrified web at him trapping him in place and shocking him.

"Seadra! Don't worry! Just use Twister!"

It continued to ignore her and used Hydro Pump. However, the web messed it up and it went way off target.

"Ummm that's enough Pikachu."

Pikachu nodded and backed down.

"That was um..." Ash started.

"I know," Misty said Ash she recalled Seadra and handed it off to Marnie. "He was fine for a bit but now has just been ignoring me."

"When he was a Horsea he always seemed to really like you. Why the sudden change?"

"We don't know," Sakura said. "He just started disobeying her after a few fights."

"You didn't have a losing streak did you?" Hop asked.

"Yeah, we did. Though he was still obeying me for a while," Misty responded.

They all sat down and chatted with one another as Seadra was healed. It was clear this was weighing heavy on Misty as even her Gyarados started to listen to her fairly quick. Yet Seadra just stopped one day and there seemed like no explanation. After talking it out and trying to get some perspective on things there were no answers. Ash was interrupted when Joy came to tell him there was a call for him.

"So who is calling for me?" Ash asked.

"It is Professor Oak!" She said. "He put out a request to all Pokemon Centers to contact you."

"Professor Oak? Wounder what he needs?"

He sat at the phone and picked up the call. "Hello? Professor Oak?"

"Ash! So glad you were at a Pokemon Center!"

"So what's up?"

"I was wondering if you would be willing to take another Pokemon. Your Palpitoad has been very restless as of lately. I think he wants to get out."

"Sure! I have space. What do you say Pikachu?" The little mouse nodded and gave a happy Pika.

"I am glad to hear! Just give me a few."

A little later the Pokeball was transferred over to him. He thanked Professor Oak and retrieved the ball. It had been a long time since the two worked together in Unova. He had to get a battle in as soon as possible seeing as it sounded like he was raring to go. Perhaps a different Pokemon Misty had would be willing to go.

"Hey Misty! Want a rematch? I just got Palpitoad and he is raring for a battle."

Misty grinned. "Yeah! Let's do it!

The two stood before one another again at the same pond. Both were using water types so they had no issues. Ash sent out his Palpatoad who was very happy to get into a battle. Misty had sent out her Starmie, it had been a long time. Seadra was watching from the side.

"Use Mudshot!" Ash yelled.

"Psychic!" Misty commanded.

Palpatoad swung its toung shooting mud at the star. However, the Psychic ability moves the mud balls away from it. This was followed by a Muddy Water that Starmy was able to cut through by spinning into it. Ash quickly shifted strategy trying to get Palpatoad to be more careful with its attacks but all its moves were rather big ones and did not mesh well with precise strategy.

"Finish it off with Bubblebeam!" Misty yelled. The bubbles landed and Palpatoad could fight no more.

"Good job Palpatoad, you put up a good fight!" He walked up to Misty. "That was pretty good. Felt like your Starmie had a counter for everything."

"Heh! Thanks! I noticed you tried to change your strategy a bit. Not like the old Ash I used to know!" Misty replied.

Ash chuckled. "Yeah, I learned a lot. I thought I needed to be more precise."

"I can see he would rather use big attacks."

Sakura looked at Seadra. "Hey Misty... Look."

Misty looked to see Seadra with its eyes locked on Ash. It had been a long time since it showed really any interest in anything. The last time he seemed interested in anything was the battle before he started ignoring her. She started to wonder if it had an interest in Ash's battle style? His style did stray a lot from the full force style with him trying to shift during the battle to adapt.

"Return Palpatoad!" Ash said as he recalled it for healing.

"I got this Ash!" Marnie said as she collected the Pokeball.

Misty had a bit of an idea. "Ash, Would you mind if we traveled with you? Just to the next city?"

"Huh? Are you sure Misty? We will have to face each other at some point."

"Yeah! Besides your Palpatoad is pretty interesting. I would like to watch it for a bit."

"Well, alright then! Let me just make sure Marnie and Hop are alright with it!"

He walked off with Pikachu following to ask. Sakura walked up to her.

"I see you got the same idea." She said.

"Yeah, but we will have to see first."