Disclaimer: Would I be writing fanfiction if I owned them? No. Am I? Yes. You work it out. (and for the dense people like Ash, I don't own them!)
Author's Notes:
"Talking"
Pokémon translation
*Thinking*
*****Change of POV*****
Friends to the End
By Ark9
Chapter Eight
After breakfast, they all decided to go to the registration building, but when they got there, the sign said that it didn't open until 2:00pm.
"That's strange," Ash said, "they won't let you register until 2:00 today, but tomorrow is when the competition starts. That means that everyone has to be registered by noon tomorrow!"
"Yeah," Misty agreed for once. She was now riding Starmie around because she didn't like to be a big bother for everyone else.
"Toge toge?" What are we going to do?
"Pika! Pikachu." Wait! Look again.
"I thought that was odd," Ash realized his mistake. "It was delayed a day because of the bad weather here. The water's field is flooding and the rock field has eroded into mud," he read.
"That's nice," he said sarcastically. "The other fields are probably messed up and being fixed, too."
"Pikachu!" it agreed.
"I wonder who's going to compete this year," Misty thought out loud.
"I don't know, but the pokémon probably need to be healed before it gets really crowded."
"Let's go!" Misty shouted as they all started towards the pokémon center
*************At the Pokémon Center*************
"Thank you, Ash. Your pokémon will be ready later this evening, okay?" Nurse Joy asked.
"Alright!" Ash said, glad that they had beaten the rush. It had been a big rush, too. They were only fourth when they came, but the line now stretched a block out of the pokémon center.
"Misty, you can pick your pokémon up then, too," she continued.
"Got it!" Misty said, leaning on the counter, out of the way for the next person.
"Looks like you have some healing of your own to do, Misty," Nurse Joy commented before
taking the next trainer's pokémon and handing them to Chansey. She had a similar conversation with each trainer.
Misty was annoyed with the fact that someone else had noticed that she couldn't move as easily. She still liked to be independent. But how was she going to go now that she was having Starmie healed. "Stupid Misty!" she thought to herself. "You didn't even think about keeping one of them!"
Ash noticed that Misty was still staring at Nurse Joy, obviously lost in thought. He walked over to her and waved his hand in front of her face.
"Wait?" she asked agitatedly.
"Hey," he laughed, trying to cheer her up. "Don't worry about it!" he said and swung her up in his arms.
"Where are you going?" Misty helplessly asked.
"Somewhere that no one will find us."
"What?" she yelled as her heart skipped a beat.
"It's a clearing in the woods," Ash said, now entering the woods on the outskirts of the pokémon league.
"Are you sure there aren't wild pokémon living there?" Misty asked with a quivering voice.
"Yeah," Ash laughed. "There are only bug pokémon that no one could get rid of in here."
"Ash!" she cried as loud as she could.
"Hey! I don't want to be deaf before I'm twenty!" Ash yelled back and then lowered his voice again. "There is repel covering the woods for five miles into it. There aren't any pokémon that are in there unless they are a trainer's pokémon." He smiled and then whispered. "Then even trainer's pokémon don't like it unless they are around the water because it smells really bad to them. I don't know about it myself, but I heard that psychic pokémon can block smell or something, so I guess maybe a psychic pokémon could possibly live there somewhere."
"Oh, Ash! Too much info!" she said sarcastically.
"That's good. I'll shut up, 'cause we're here!" he grinned and walked into the open grassy ring.
"What are we doing here, anyway?" Misty asked, even more confused than she was after Ash's explanation of why pokémon don't live in these woods; especially bug-type pokémon.
"Helping you recover."
"I'm fine, really," she said bashfully.
"How can you call not being able to walk 'fine,'" Ash asked, setting her feet back on the ground.
"I can walk!" she said defiantly. "Just not right now…" she added realizing that she wasn't as healed as she thought she was.
"Look," Ash started, "unless you want to attract attention for it, you've got to keep trying!" he joked and then actually looked concerned. "I don't mind helping, but hey! I can't have you getting depressed about it."
"All right…" Misty agreed reluctantly. She let go and tried to take and step forward, but started to fall forwards. Ash caught her before she had fallen far.
"I've got ya," Ash said encouragingly and then stood her up so that she was steady before letting her try again.
Repeatedly Misty stumbled but eventually she took a step. Then one step became two or three. Eventually she was taking several steps. Finally she walked uneasily across the clearing and fell exhausted into Ash's arms.
"Good job," he said. He realized that it was almost dark.
"I'll take you back to the hotel, okay? I'll pick up our pokémon at the pokémon and get registered," he said thoughtfully, "you just try to relax. Tomorrow we can try again if you want to."
Recollections
*************
*I had been in a daze since I stood up to recall Starmie. It just makes all of your blood swim to your head again or something. Nurse Joy took all of my pokémon to be treated. It was strange. One glance and she knew that I was struggling. But she just commented on it, knowing what kind of comment that I would spit out back at her if she said anything more. Soon she went on to her other patients.
Ash told me not to worry about it. He had been especially nice since I was hurt. He even carried me through the woods to a clearing away from everyone. Why did he do it? To help me.
I was surprised and didn't want him to feel sorry for me and told him that I was fine. He knew the truth, though. I think this is the only time I am glad that he is so stubborn all of the time. He put me down in there. I wonder if he was doing it as a reaction to me getting hurt, or because he really does care? But he tried to make sure I was fairly steady and then took a step away.
I didn't want him to let go of me, but I knew it was the best for now. I tried to take a step towards him but my knees buckled and I couldn't support my own weight. He caught me and stood me back up to try again. It was hard, but how could I throw an opportunity like that away? It was a good solution. It was just really frustrating for me and made me get incredibly dizzy.
After a while I started to take a few steps before my legs gave out. But he wouldn't let me give up and made me keeping trying again. I thought the world had ended and the ground crumpled beneath it.
Eventually I realized that he had led me to the edge of the clearing. Was it all over? I wondered. I half-wished that it was over so that I could stop but half-wished that it wasn't because I still wasn't self-reliant.
But he wasn't done. No, he started a couple of steps in front of me, and then took a step back every time that I took a step forward. I kept trying to retrieve whatever fight I still had to keep going. I had to make it tonight. After that he would probably be too wrapped up in the pokémon league competition to help.
I was making it! Sure enough, I was almost to the other side. Finally he stopped backing away and I continued to come forward until I reached him. I made it! I rejoiced inside and hugged him, feeling every bit like a little kid who just learned how to do something, or, with Ash, one of his pokémon that has made it through the fight. Well, I did feel like that. I was always jealous of the attention he gave his pokémon. I guess that I can't be jealous anymore.
'Good Job,' he said.
Then he explained what he was doing next. If only I could have stopped the swirls in my head long enough to calm it and the buzzing and listen to what he was saying. I was really dazed at that point and accepted him carrying me back, even if it normally would have hurt my pride.
I just wish that I had listened and knew where he was…* Misty thought as she fell back into a peaceful sleep.
*************
Ash was waiting out the last few minutes before his pokémon where healed. *I wonder if I did the right thing. Maybe I was too hard on her.
She just looked like she would die if she couldn't walk. Carrying her was no problem. She was always scrawny before and now she must have kept the same weight as when she was or something. I guess that was one of the nice things because the clearing I knew of was deep into the woods.
Misty used to always be someone with a bad temper and would kick or punch you if you did anything at all to annoy her. Maybe that was just with Brock or me, though. But how could her energy just disappear like that? Maybe I did it because it was so unlike her or maybe Nurse Joy was right, and I did care about Misty, but whatever the reason, I was going to do anything that I could to help her get better.
She stumbled but I would make sure that she didn't fall. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her to have to go through all of this, but something made me keep going. Soon she could take a few steps and I decided that I would only have her do one more thing to challenge her before we left today.
I started her at the other end of the clearing. She seemed to be more determined in this somehow and she kept taking one step after another, following after me. I kept staying a little bit in front of her until I reached the end of the clearing. Eventually she made it there and fell into my arms. I could tell how tired she was and that made me feel a little bad about making her do it, but maybe it would give her some satisfaction in herself and keep trying.
'Good job' was all that I could say at first, and then I realized that it was already getting dark. I explained what I was going to do, but I don't think she really heard me. She seemed lost in her own world. Poor Misty. That was at seven o'clock. Now it's seven thirty.*
"Nurse Joy, are my pokémon healed yet?" I nervously asked.
"I just got finished with them, Ash. Is Misty coming for hers soon or do you want to take them because they are ready, too," Nurse Joy asked. I always thought that she sounded too cheerful for what she did every day.
"I'll take them," I answered and put my pokéballs on my belt. Pikachu was sitting on the counter before and now ran up my arm and climbed onto my hat.
"Here they are," Nurse Joy said while handing Misty's pokémon to me. "Good luck in the pokémon league, Ash!"
"Thanks," I said and forced a smile. Then I ran to the registration building. It was finally cleared out again.
I walked into the building and couldn't believe who was checking everyone in. I was too surprised to move. She giggled. I think that makes me right.
"Ash, right?" she asked.
"Uh, yeah," I finally managed to say. "So is this why you're here, Casey?" She just laughed some more. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that she was laughing at Pikachu.
"Well, no. I came with Brock. I just decided to volunteer to work here so that I would have something to do while he is running around everywhere, chasing every girl he sees. It's pretty funny," she said in a tone that I still resented. "Looks like you and Pikachu have finally realized how much you love each other."
I sweat-dropped and I think Pikachu did too. I knew that it was probably frowning and a few seconds later there were tiny stray sparks tickling my hair.
"You have a wild imagination," I said defiantly and she started laughing evilly. "Stop, Pikachu!" I said, thinking—knowing—that it was going to shock all of us if this kept up much longer.
"You don't know the half of it," she said and raised her eyebrows. "Okay, now push the button, and if you get on the ground field, then I'm gonna laugh because you won't use your lover, Pikachu!"
"Take that back!" I yelled. I bet I am blushing. Oh! This is so embarrassing! Who in the world, falls in love with a Pikachu? I wonder what Brock thinks about this… I pushed the button and landed on the water drop picture.
"You are on the water field first. Your opponent, once again will be Mandy the Magnificent. Be back for your match at 3:45pm, tomorrow, okay?" she asked, calming down slightly.
"Got it!" I yelled and then hurried away. She must be insane!
*************
Ash walked in his hotel room and put his backpack on the table. He decided to check on Misty and give her back her pokémon.
He knocked on the door before calling, "Misty? Are you awake?" He got no answer so he opened the door to her room and put her pokéballs on the table.
"Come on, Pikachu. Let's go to sleep."
"Pikachu," it agreed.
Back to Normal?
*************The Next Morning*************
Misty woke up and looked at the clock. It would still be at least another hour before Ash usually woke up. Misty liked that. She tried to stand up and found that she could support herself but could feel that dull ache that comes from working out pressing strongly against her legs.
She walked to the other side of the room where her suitcase and mirror were. She got ready and then walked across the room again and sat down on her bed. Togepi was still sleeping. She was just starting to wonder what she should do next when the phone rang in her room.
"Hello?" she asked curiously picking up the phone.
"Hello, Misty. This is Victoria. Nurse joy called and said that she'd like to talk to you as soon as possible."
"Okay. Thank you," Misty said.
"'Bye!" Victoria said and hung up the phone.
Misty hung up the phone on her end and wondered what Nurse Joy would want. She decided to bring Staryu with her just in case she started to feel dizzy again when she went to the Pokémon Center.
At the Pokémon Center, she realized that she was beginning to see slight differences in the Joys running around. As could have been predicted, there was Brock hovering around the center with Casey sitting back in a corner, munching on some popcorn and laughing her head off.
*He'll never learn!* Misty thought.
"Misty, come here!" a voice called.
Misty ran over to the one who called her name. Suddenly she realized that it was the one from Cerulean City.
"You're here, too?" Misty asked, surprised.
"Yes. I'm glad you made it here, too, Misty. I didn't think that your sisters would let you come, but I'm glad that they did."
"Well…they were not happy about it. That's for sure," Misty answered nervously.
"Have you found Ash, yet?"
"Huh?!…yeah. Actually, he was the one who brought me here."
"Ah! Have you told him yet?"
"Told him what?"
"That you like him!"
"What makes you think that I would say something like that? What makes you think that I even like him?"
"But you do. Why not tell him so?"
"Because…um…" Misty thought, looking around the room frantically as if the answer was written there somewhere.
"You don't know if he likes you?"
"Yeah. Well, sort of. I know he is my friend and everything, but I don't know how much he does just because he is my friend and how much would make me sure that it isn't just because we're friends."
"Hm…I have a plan if you would like," she paused and waited until Misty nodded to continue. "I think if you want to find out for yourself, then you could…"
(I can't tell you what that is yet or else it will ruin it later! Sorry! Bwa ha ha!)
"Okay," Misty said, trying to digest the idea and check for problems. "Do you really think that it would work?"
"Sure! Hurry along now! Good luck!"
*That was weird,* Misty thought. Then she heard a familiar voice from the restaurant next door.
"Our foods not bad, at least not the worst."
"So stop right in here for a bite."
"We're open all day, we're open all night."
"What are you three up to this time?" Misty demanded, walking through the doors.
"We're trying to open a restaurant instead of stealing pokémon," Meowth said, "then they can buy rare pokémon at the pokémon game corner in Celadon City later!" he finished triumphantly.
"Meowth!" Jesse shouted, "We aren't buying pokémon! We quit Team Rocket to open this thing!"
"If you still want to help Team Rocket, go find someone else to fail with," James added in annoyance.
All of the other customers were shocked when they heard that the managers of the restaurant they were eating in were former members of Team Rocket. They all started to dash out the door as fast as they could.
"Come back!" James wailed. "You always ruin everything! We were actually being good for once!"
"Well…almost," Jesse added.
"Yeah, right!" Misty shouted. She smirked and ran out of the door. *Time for action!* she thought to herself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I got my twenty-five reviews! *grins really big* Thanks, everybody! See how long I can write if you review?
Now I will say as for Jamie C. and anyone else who was wondering, the dream will come back…eventually. I have it all planned out, but it probably won't be for a few chapters. I don't know exactly how many 'cause I haven't typed it out yet.
Misty's plan is coming in the next part! Review! Please?