"I don't like this!" Ash hopped from one foot to the other anxiously. "It's like being in a rodeo as one of the horses! Why do they have to use lassoes, Brock?" He grabbed handfuls of Brock's shirt. "WHY?"

"Hey, calm down, Ash." Brock brushed away the younger boy's hands. "It's not the end of the world, you know. So you might have to go on a date with some girl. It's not like you have to kiss her or anything..."

"Attention, please!" Officer Jenny's voice said over the loudspeaker. "One of our contestants has requested that we add something to the terms of the race. If captured, the male will now have to take the female to the ball and finish the evening off with a goodnight kiss. Punishment of the female's choice will be given to any male refusing to go along."

"Oh joy!" Brock exulted.

"Oh NO!" Ash wailed, in horror.

"The race will now begin!" Jenny continued. The gates leading to the racing area creaked open. "Males have a thirty-second head start! GO!"

The crowd started to move. Ash tried to get to the side as everyone started to split up. Maybe if I just stick close to Brock... Brock? The older trainer had disappeared.

"Brock?" Ash called, but he could hardly hear himself over other people's yells. Aaa.. no time for that! Gotta run!

Heart pounding, the young Pokemon trainer joined a few others in heading for a wooded area off to one side. Let's just hope Misty was right and none of the girls want to catch me!

His hopes were to go unfounded. Even at that moment, a pair of feminine eyes followed his every move. Beneath those eyes, the girl's lips curled in a wicked smile.

Ash blundered through the trees. All right, he told himself. I'll bet I can hide somewhere in here! Maybe after a while, everyone else will get caught and the race will end! Then I can...

"Attention, everyone!" Officer Jenny's voice announced. "The girls may begin their chase... NOW!"

"GA-AH!" Ash dove for the bushes, picturing a herd of girls coming straight for him. "C'mon, Pikachuu!" he yelled, running for all he was worth. "We can't let anyone catch us!"

The smile of earlier grew into a smug little smirk, and sharp eyes caught on Ash's retreating figure. The girl followed, twirling her lassoe around her fingers in anticipation.

If I can just find a good hiding place, Ash reasoned, Then I can wait until the race ends and come out after! He grinned to himself. Then I won't have to go to that dumb ball!

It seemed like a flawless plan.

"I'd... better find... a really good hiding place... huh... Pikachuu?" he panted, still running.

"Pika," Pikachuu agreed, running beside him.

"Look for a cave or a tall tree!" Ash shouted, eyes darting about. "We need a place to sit this one out!"

"Pikapi! Pika pika chuu!"

"Huh? Where?" Ash followed Pikachuu as his Pokemon started off in a different direction. His face lit up. "A cave! Good work, Pikachuu!"

"Pikachuu!"

Ash dove into the cave opening, pulling the rest of his body inside and crouching near the entrance. "Whew!" He beamed. "We made it, Pikachuu! Now all we've gotta do is wait for the race to end, and we can get out of here without having to worry."

"Kaa!" Pikachuu nodded agreement.

Ash grinned, congratulating himself on a successful escape. Outside, he heard shouts and laughter and all kinds of squealing and scuffling sounds in the distance. Boy, he thought. It's a good thing I'm not out there! As the minutes ticked by, though, the noise from outside started to grow fainter.

"I wonder how long the race lasts," Ash mused. "Hmm..." He thought for a minute. "Pikachuu, can you check and see if it's safe for me to come out?"

"Pika." Pikachuu hopped outside. A few seconds later, Ash heard it call back, "Chuu!"

"Is it safe?" he asked.

"Kaa!"

"OK." Ash rose. "I'm coming out." I hope the race is over, he thought, heading out of the cave and back into the forest. I wonder if Brock's been caught yet. Or if Misty's caught anyo --

"HAH!" Ash felt rather than heard the word, in the form of a rope clenching around his arms and upper body. The rope tightened, and Ash, too stunned to resist, fell into a sitting position with a 'thump'.

"Wha... AAAAGGGHHH!!!" Ash yelled. "No way! Let go! Hey!" He struggled uselessly against his bonds, and felt himself being dragged backwards.

"I don't wanna go to any dumb ball!" Ash wailed, twisting around to get a look at his captor. She was just a slender, shadowy form from his position. "Aaaa... let go!"

One large tug pulled him back to where his assailant stood, now fully visible. Ash gasped, and his eyes went wide.

"Misty!?"

"Gotcha," she announced smugly, her superior grin just as infuriorating as ever under the playful blue eyes and brilliant orange hair.

"Misty?" Ash said again, incredulously. He blinked -- once, twice, then several times in a row. "B-but I thought..." he stuttered weakly.

"Well, you thought wrong," she announced cheerfully, still grinning from ear to ear. "And now you're caught. That's tough, huh, Ash? Better luck next time." She laughed.

"GAH... no fair!" he wailed. "This wasn't supposed to happen! I should be safe and the race should be over and you should be..." He blinked again. "Well, somewhere else!"

"Well, you're not, it's not and I'm not." Misty grinned wickedly at him. "Now, are you going to walk or am I going to have to drag you all the way there?"

Ash pictured himself being dragged to the finish line with Gary and all the other guys laughing at him. "Ahh... I guess I'll walk," he said in a defeated voice. Standing, he let Misty lead him away.

* * *

"Hey Ashy-boy!" Gary smirked as they approached. He was already being held, with a lassoe identical to that one imprisoning Ash wrapped around his chest and arms. One of his many cheerleaders held the other end, looking pleased with herself. "Looks like you got caught after all!"

"So did you!" Ash shot back, irritated.

Gary's smirk, if anything, only grew more infuriorating. "I knew she'd be the one leading you back here," he snickered. "One of these days, she had to catch you."

Ash moaned. The was a nightmare. Could it get any worse?

"Hey Ash!" Brock was led in beside him by a tall, brown-haired girl. He was grinning like crazy. "I sure am lucky, huh? Hey..." He grinned. "So you got caught by Misty. Well, well, well."

Ash closed his eyes, fervently wishing the ground would somehow open up and swallow him. "What'd I ever do to deserve this?" he muttered, under his breath.

"Everybody listen up!" Officer Jenny announced. "Don't any of you forget to pick up your coupons that insure you a free dress or tuxedo rental. And girls, if any of these guys refuse to follow through with their obligation, come see me and I'll straighten them out for you!"

"Pikachuu!" Pikachuu added firmly, waving one tiny finger at Ash.

"Whose side are you on, anyway?" Ash demanded, but Misty yanked on the rope and led him away before he could get an answer.

Ash sighed and resigned himself to his fate.