Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me. All original characters do.

Author's note: I actually wrote this a long time ago (yes, I'm lazy, I know) so it may be slightly out of date.

Chapter Six

"I can't believe her!" Ash fumed. He stomped through the forest. "Give up Pokémon. What on earth could she be thinking?"

Brock shrugged. "She's probably just going through a phase. She sees her sisters being all pretty and ladylike and she wants to be like that too. It must've been hard living with them and being called a tomboy all your life. Now they're all big super models and she's in their shadow again. We just don't understand."
"Yeah, girls are too silly." Ash muttered. He kicked a rock in the dirt. It bounced off Pikachu's head. "Oops, sorry Pikachu."

"Pika?" he said dazed, his eyes spinning around in his head.

Brock sweat-dropped. "I think you're missing my point. What I meant was, besides the fact that we're both guys, you are an only child and I'm the oldest. We've had a lot of attention focused on us. Now, oftentimes that happens to the youngest too, but Misty's a special case. She always had the three of them ganging up on her."

Ash sighed. "Maybe you're right, Brock. But to stay there? She could've done the same things and still keep Pokémon and travel with us. What's so great about them, anyway? What do they got that I don't got?" He blushed when he realized his words. "I mean, we."

"Hmm." Brock examined him carefully.

"What's the big idea?" he asked, ducking his head to avoid Brock's intense gaze.

"You know Ash, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous."

"Jealous of who? Those freaks? No way," he denied. But he still wouldn't look at him and that only confirmed Brock's suspicions.

"Come on, admit it. You miss her."

"I DO NOT!" he protested loudly.

Brock put his fingers in his ears. "No need to yell. It's okay if you like her, Ash. It's perfectly natural for you to start getting interested in girls. You know, I was just like you when I was your age."

Ash gagged. "I am NOT going to start getting all gooey like you do. Especially not over Misty."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged. "But I don't know. I always thought she liked you." He sauntered off, smirking to himself.

Ash made an about face. "What? Why? Did she say something to you?"

"No, I just thought…"

Ash pulled him by the shirt, nearly lifting him off the ground. "Tell me!"

"Okay, okay, okay. Just put me down." Ash let him go. "Sheesh I was just going to say that when boys and girls around your age fight all the time like you do, it sometimes means that you like each other. That's what I've assumed. You guys may get on each other's nerves on the outside, but inside you two care a lot about each other."

"Well, yeah, we're friends." Ash sighed. They walked on in silence for a bit. "You really think she likes me?"

Brock nodded. "Yeah. And you like her, right?"

Ash bit his lip. "Maybe. I don't know. I'm not admitting anything, so forget it."

"Hey, I'm not the one who's supposed to know. Tell her when you figure it out, not me. Or show her at least," He strolled down the road.

"I can't believe I'm getting advice from Brock," he muttered. He surveyed the path around him and realization struck him. "Hey, where are we?"

Brock took out his map. "Well, we left from there… and we went to the right… oh, I don't know."
Ash groaned. "Oh great, now we're lost." He went to sit on a boulder, but missed and landed in the mud.

Pikachu sweat-dropped. "Pikaa."

"Now, now, don't panic," Brock said calmly. "Let's just retrace our steps.'

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He stood, ignoring the dirt on the seat of his pants.

Pikachu's ears perked up. "Pika?"
"What's the matter, Pikachu?"
"Pika-pika!" He stood up and ran the other way.

"Pikachu, come back!" Ash and Brock tore after him, deep into the forest.

* * * * * *

Misty picked up a hairbrush and looked in the mirror. She brushed listlessly. "Do you think I did the right thing, Togepi?"

"Togepi!" he replied.

Misty patted his pointy-head. "I guess you don't really care one way or the other. But you'll probably miss Pikachu, right?"

"Togepi?" he asked, looking around the room, most likely for Pikachu.

"Yeah, I'll miss them too." Misty sighed. Just then, she heard the tinkling of a bell signaling a customer. Two women in knee-length, flower-print dresses and cats-eye glasses came in carrying big pink suitcases. They looked like 60s hippies going to a disco. One had a humped back.

"May I help you?" the sisters asked in unison.

The question is," said one of them, the one with the flaming red hair, "can we help you?" She opened up her suitcase to reveal an assortment of different kinds of make-up.

The blue haired woman came over to Misty. "Why's a pretty little girl like you looking so glum for?"

"Well, I…" Misty began.

"Aw, I bet some stupid, no good jerk broke your heart, didn't he? Let me guess, a Pokemon trainer," cooed the redhead.

"Not exactly, but…"

The woman sighed. "Don't worry, it happens to the best of us, even me."

Her companion raised her eyebrow at her. "No kidding." She received a glare in return for that comment.

The other woman ignored her. "Where is this boy that did you wrong? I'll give him a piece of my mind." She looked around. "Hey, where's the twerp?"

"Excuse me?" Misty asked. Something seemed fishy about this.

"You idiot, you're going to blow our cover!" hissed a voice from the hump. And a very familiar voice it was, too.

"Hey wait a minute!" Misty exclaimed. "You're Team Rocket!"

"Meowth!" exclaimed the red head. "Prepare for trouble!" she began.

"Make it double!" The other chimed in. They pulled off their dresses to reveal their Team Rocket uniforms.

"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all people within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jesse." "James."

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light."

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight."

Meowth flipped over James and landed skillfully on his feet. "Meowth, that's right!"

"Wobbuffet!" Jesse's Wobbuffet popped out of his Pokéball.

"Get back in there!" Jesse yelled at him, returning him inside. She took out another Pokéball. "Arbok, go!"

"Victreebel!" The plant grabbed James and put him in his mouth.

"Hey, watch the hair!" came James' muffled cry.

"Now twerpette, where's the twerp and his Pikachu?"

"Not here. And even if I knew where he was, I wouldn't tell you. I choose you, Staryu!" Misty threw her Pokéball, but instead of Staryu…

"Psy?" Psyduck put his hand to his forehead. So did Misty.

I wish I had that Politoed around now, she thought to herself.

Jesse laughed. "Time for Plan B."
"What's Plan B?" James whispered to her.

"Follow my lead," she hissed. "We'll make you a little bargain. You give us Pikachu…"
"No way!" Misty cried.

"And we'll give you back your precious Togepi. Victreebel, vine whip!" He grabbed Togepi.

"Give him back, you old hag!"

"What did you call me?" Jesse growled. She took Togepi. "So, do we have a deal?"

Misty frowned. If she used one of her Pokemon, it might miss and hit Togepi. But if she didn't, they could hurt him themselves. What am I supposed to do now?

To be continued