Sunrise Part 2

            Misty sat with Pikachu at the cafe.  A waiter came up to her.  "Here's your water, Miss.  Is there anything else you would like?"

            "No..." Misty grabbed the glass and began to drink.

            The waiter turned away but then sat on the chair in front of her.  When she looked up, she noticed his light brown eyes were looking at her.  The waiter was young, about 13.  He had his black hair parted down the middle and was wearing a gray yukata with black vertical stripes.  He was also wearing a slight smile that curled on his lips. "Um...what are you looking at?" Misty's tone was slightly shaken.

            "People are supposed to be happy during summer solstice, but you don't seem to feel the same.  Are you ok?" the waiter asked.

            "Not really."

            "What have you seen so far?"

            "Just the Ferris wheel," Misty said quickly.  An image of Ash holding Cordelia's hand popped in her mind.  She grew angry, pushed the image away and became sad again. 

            "Just that?  You're missing everything!  There's a great pokemon talent show, races, contests and a boat show at the lake near the Clearwave River," the waiter exclaimed.  "My shift is done so why don't I show you?"

            Anything involving pokemon or water sparked her interest.  She looked at Pikachu, who shrugged.  "Sure," she said.  "Why not?  What's your name?"

            "Kent.  And you?"

            "Misty.  And this here is Pikachu."

            "Pika!" Pikachu waved his hand. 

            "Nice to meet you both.  Why don't we all go now, ok?"

            Cordelia smiled with happiness.   "Good shot Ash!"

            "I guess throwing pokeballs everyday is a big help!" Ash laughed.  He knocked down a pile of plastic milk bottles.

            "Here you go," the vender gave her a Dragonair stuffed animal.

            "Oh thank you!" Cordelia hugged it.  She and Ash walked away from the cart and along the river fence.  As they were walking, her foot ran against a rock.  She fell and landed in Ash's arms.  She began to blush slightly.  "I'm...sorry Ash...I..." Then she noticed her Dragonair flew to the other side of the fence and into the grass and water.

            "Hmm..." Ash looked down.  He took off his yukata, revealing his black t-shirt and jean shorts under.  He took off his belt of pokeballs.  "Hold on to these.  I don't want to get these dirty."  He hopped to the other side, his feet landing on the muddy narrow ledge. 

            "Be careful Ash.  The rapids of this river are really rough," Cordelia warned. 

            Ash gingerly walked along the edge and held on to the fence.  He pulled at the toy, hoping it will get out.  He yanked at it until it was released.  By now, it was stained with grass, water and mud.  "Um...maybe I should just win you another one."

            Cordelia shook her head.  "Don't worry about it."

            Just then, Ash's hands slipped.  He fell into the river with the water blurring his screams.

            "Ash! Ash!" Cordelia called.

            Kent, Pikachu and Misty were walking back from the boat show when a girl's screams caught their attention.  They turned; Misty immediately recognized Cordelia.  "What's wrong?"

            "It's Ash..." Cordelia said, shaking.  He slipped into the river and he hasn't come out!"

            Oh no... Misty began to panic.  Then she noticed Cordelia was holding Ash's stuff.  Misty grabbed one of the pokeballs off his belt and threw it to the floor.  "Go Bulbasaur!" The pokeball popped open and Ash's Bulbasaur popped out.  "Bulbasaur, I have to go and save Ash!" She stripped down to her tank top and shorts she wore under her kimono.  "Use vine whip to hold on to me as I dive in," she ordered.

            "Bulbasaur!" the pokemon wrapped his vines around her waist and she dove in.

            Misty let herself be pulled by the current until she found Ash's body.  His legs were wrapped with weeds.  His eyes were closed and his forehead had a red bump on it.  As she pulled on the weeds, the current increased.  She grabbed a pokeball from her pocket and sent it out.  Her Staryu emerged.  She pointed tot he weeds and Staryu performed Double-edge; it spun and cut the weeds away.  Misty grabbed Ash with one arm, tugged a little on Bulbasaur's vine and held onto Staryu.  Bulbasaur pulled them up as Staryu helped them swim upstream.  Misty pulled Ash's body up and Cordelia and Kent pulled him over the fence.  When she got to the other side of the fence, she held out the two pokeballs, pointing them at the pokemon.  "Bulbasaur, Staryu: return!" A red beam touched them and they disappeared in their pokeballs.  "Thanks, you guys," she said, talking to the spheres.  "You two were a big help."  She put Staryu back in her pocket and Bulbasaur on Ash's belt.  She headed to Ash's limp body.

            "Ash...wake up..." Cordelia shook him.  No response.

            "Stay back," Misty requested. "Pikachu! Thundershock him awake!"

            Pikachu nodded.  "Pi-ka-chu!" Electric waves shot out of its body and onto Ash. Immediately, Ash's eyes shot open and he shot up.

            "OW!" Ash screamed.

            "Pika!" Pikachu jumped up and hugged him.

            "Thank god you're all right!" Misty wrapped her arms around him, hugging him.

            Confused, Ash put a hand to Misty's back.  "Uh...Misty..?"

            "You scared me..." Misty muttered.

            "Sorry..."

            Cordelia and Kent gave a glance at each other, and then looked back at the two hugging.  Cordelia looked down and smiled.

            Ash looked up and saw a new face.  "Who..?

            Misty turned around.  "Oh! That's Kent.  I met him at a restaurant; he's taking me around the festival."

            "Oh," Ash quickly got up and picked up his clothes from Cordelia.  "Well, I'll leave you guys alone." Ash walked away with Cordelia following.

            Misty got to her feet and walked over to Kent.  Pikachu walked over to Kent as he handed over her kimono. He was genuinely baffled.  "That was..."

            "He didn't even say thanks.  I'm sorry," Misty apologized.  "Ash can be stupid lots of times, and rude..."

            "Uh huh.  Is he the reason why you're so upset tonight?"

            Misty looked at him, and then looked away.  "Well, where to next?"

            "Let's head to the temple," Kent suggested.  "We need to get the solstice charms."

            "Charms?" Misty asked.

            "Pika?"

            As they walked to the temple, Kent explained to them.  "Each festival, people head to the temple to get a charm.  Our names are written on them after we receive them.  Since the festivals lasts until sunrise, you have that amount of time to give it away.  The person you give it to must be someone who is very special to you.  Only they can open it.  Inside is a blessed scroll that is supposed to give good fortune; it could be wealth, happiness, and that kind of stuff.  The giver, in act of giving the charm, is wishing them good fortune.  This tradition gives peace in Valley Summit."

            "Wow, that's neat!" Misty complimented.  They arrived at the temple and got in line to receive their charms: wooden ornaments shaped like a shrine; no bigger than the palm of a hand.  After that, they got in another line and their names were written on it in black ink.  They left the temple and continued with the festival.

            "So I can't open it?" Ash asked, making sure.

            "Yup.  It's for the person you care for, not you," Cordelia giggled.

            "Oh...so how long do I have to wait?  Anytime before sunrise?" Ash watched Cordelia nod to his question.  They were walking towards the temple as they saw 3 familiar faces heading down.  Kent, Misty and Pikachu were walking down the stairs from the shrine.  They were walking really close...Kent's hand was on Misty's back.  Ash had to make sure he wasn't snarling.  "Gee, that was quick..." he muttered under his breath.

            Cordelia looked at Ash, then a Misty.  She sighed.  "Hey Ash, let's go get some food, ok?""

            "Yah sure..." he said, continuing to glare at them...

...to be continued

Disclaimers: I do not own Pokemon blah blah