C. Cowboy: Howdy! Well the tournament is about to begin, but with everything that's happening, is Ash's head really in it? It also seems that the League is trying something new this year! R&R!
Ash and friends finally get to the registration area. Misty and Crystal were now back at it, and Gary seemed to become cockier by the second. They had tied Team Rocket in the hotel room because before they could ask them any questions, Gary smarted off to Ash and then they both raced to register. After registration was done, they had the rest of the day to ask questions.
Ash looked at the registration desk and noticed two registration papers. One was the one he remembered from last time, the other was just like it, but it had spaces for two names instead of one. "What's this?" Ash asked the receptionist. She smiled at him, "This one is for the doubles tournament! It is basically a warm up for the main tournament. It is just like the regular tournament, but two trainers compete instead of just one, and only fifteen teams can enter. Each trainer must have six Pokemon each. If you and one of your friends want to enter, we have room for one more team!" Melody grabbed Ash and Misty's arms, "You two need to enter! The way you two blasted that Fate guy's Onix, I don't think anyone can match you guys!!"
Ash looked at Misty, "What ya think, Mist?" Misty smiled back, "Why not? It sounds like fun!" they both walked over to the registration desk and put their names on the paper. "Thank you for entering! It's a one-day event. It starts at ten o'clock in the morning. See you then and good luck!"
Ash and Misty walked outside toward the Pokemon center. When they got there they handed Nurse Joy their Pokeballs to heal their Pokemon before the tournament the next morning. When Misty gave Joy her Pokeballs and Togapi, she realized she just had five Pokemon. "Ash I-I just have five Pokemon, if I count Togapi! I can't compete tomorrow!" She said almost in tears. Ash just smiled at her, "Well, I was planning on holding this till your birthday next week, but I guess this is as good a time to give this to you as I'll ever get." Ash said as he handed her a Pokeball.
Misty looked puzzled at Ash then back at the Pokeball, "What, what is this?" Ash gave her a lopsided grin, "Well, It's called a Pokeball!" Misty playfully shoved him, "I know that, silly, what's in it?" Ash then grabbed her hand and pulled her to the fountain outside the Pokemon Center, "Go ahead, see for yourself!" Misty threw the ball out into the fountain, and tears formed in her eyes as she saw what was released. Before her floated a very healthy and strong Tentacruel. She then wrapped her arms around Ash's neck, "Oh Ash, It's what I always wanted! Thank you so much!!!" Ash just smiled at her and then they pressed their lips together.
Misty and Ash walked back to the center, Misty then proudly handed Joy the Pokeball. Ash then rubbed Pikachu's head, "You don't cause Nurse Joy any trouble, Pikachu, and rest up; we have a big day tomorrow!" Pikachu nodded as Ash and Misty walked out of the center.
A few hours later, Ash and the group asked the two-wannabe Pokemon thieves every thing they knew about the Hand Of Fate. It seemed that they didn't know anything. (Big surprise there!) Ash then looked at the clock, "WAAA! I was supposed to meet Richie ten minutes ago!" Ash then shot out the door. He had planed on taking Misty with him, but she was to busy strangling the life out of Crystal. Sure he could have pulled her off, but he didn't want another black eye!
Ash found Richie just outside of his hotel. Richie walked up to him, he was still around the same height, but a little more muscular, "I figured you'd be late! Seems something never change!!" Ash laughed and scratched the back of his head unsure what to think of that comment. The two walked to the McDonalds and set down to talk.
Ash told him about everything that had happened since they last met: All about how he and Misty finally got together, how he almost got killed by Mewtwo and the Dark Master A.K.A. Amanda, the Lost city of Avalon, how his older brother and Prof. Oak had be killed, and how he was being threatened by this Hand Of Fate. Richie smirked "Well, this Hand Of Fate doesn't know who he's messing with! I've heard a little about this guy, I have a friend who had a run in with him a year ago! He said he was extremely intimidating with that ninja suit and the gray 'R' on his chest!" Ash looked puzzled at Richie, "That's funny, Jessie and James said that no one's ever lived through a fight with Hand Of Fate." Ritchie scratched the back of his head and laughed, "You've known those two for over four years! How reliable have they been?" Ash nodded unsure. Richie then changed the subject, "Say, where's your Pikachu?" Ash looked up at him, "OH yeah! Misty and me entered that Doubles Tournament tomorrow, so we left all our Pokemon at the Pokemon center to be sure they are at 100% for the matches!"
They talked for almost an hour when Ash stood up, "Well, old buddy, It's getting late, and I have a busy day tomorrow, so I'm calling it a day." Richie stood up and shook Ash's hand, "Alright, good luck tomorrow, and congrads about you and Mist, I always thought you two would make a good couple! All I can say is, God help those other trainers in that doubles tournament, 'cause you and Mist are the perfect team!" Ash then walked back toward his hotel.
A few hours later, At the Pokemon center, Nurse Joy and her Chancey began to get drowsy and then passed out. Just then Fate jumped down out of the air vent, and pressed a button on his belt disabling the security cameras. "Piece of cake." He said as he placed a sleeping gas sprayer back on his belt. Fate walked in through the door to the treatment room. He found Pikachu in a rejuvenation chamber. He took the gas sprayer back off his belt and sprayed it into Pikachu's air vents, placing him into a deeper sleep. He then opened the chamber and pulled an injection needle from his belt. He then injected a strange liquid into both Pikachu's electric sacks. Fate then laughed to himself, "Phase one: complete."
C. Cowboy: Well technically the tournament didn't start in this one, I had planed to start it in this one but I wanted to leave it at that. If ya'all are wondering when I will work on Future Shock again, I plan to work on it some tomorrow and probably have another chapter up Sunday night or Monday morning. But back to this one, what did fate do to Pikachu? Will Misty and Ash win the doubles tournament? What else will Fate do to Ash? Find out next time! BTW, any other theories on who Fate really is?