Author's note: Thanks for all those who reviewed. Your support has been quite motivational. I'm thinking of a way to end this with those who want Ash to end up with Misty as well as those who want Ash to end up with Marin. I finally found out a really good way, but I'll announce that in the final chapters. ^_^ Also, just to let everyone know, I love to mess with people's minds. It often seems so easy. I also said that I had no intention of killing off MY characters. I did not mention any other characters, though intentions are not fact when it comes down to how things work. And if did note why I killed Delia at the end of last chapter. For those who got confused, I'm sorry. I also don't remember if I noted this before, but I just love technicalities. They are so easy to use to mess with people's minds. Also, it can be really entertaining when my reviewers get real passionate about the story. It really helps motivate me; so if you choose to do so, then that would be actually quite helpful to me. Thank you. Now, on to the seventh chapter!

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Misty Crystal is out getting some supplies for the pokemon orphanage. She goes to the Pokemart and gets what supplies her mother told her that they would need. As Misty pays for the items that she got, she notices a poster announcing the return of the missing Pokemon Master, Ash Ketchum. There was a full picture of him, but Misty couldn't help shake the feeling that she knew him somehow. Misty mentally shook her head thinking that many would at least like to know him and it must be that and nothing more.

When Misty returns to the orphanage, she grabs her pokebelt and calls out to her mother to let her know where she was going. Misty then runs down the trail to the place where the other trainers usually battle. When she gets there, there seems to be a crowd around one single trainer. Misty then moves off to where there are fewer trainers and then challenges one. But, the trainer notifies her that there is supposed to not be any battles in honor of the Pokemon Master that was lost, but returned. Misty is frustrated by this, but then goes away so she can then battle wild pokemon to get her party stronger.

Misty knows that she doesn't really need to battle regular trainers, but she finds that they give more of a challenge than the wild pokemon do. All Misty is focused on is being able to defeat all types of pokemon with whichever pokemon that she has; even if it is weaker than that type. She only wants to be the best she can no matter who it is and she really wants to get to that point as quickly as she can. Misty has gotten her mother to agree to letting her go take the league challenge, though Misty suspected that her mother had already talked with her father before he disappeared. Suddenly Misty realized the coincidence of how her father disappeared and the old Pokemon Master was found. Misty thought that it would be great if he was her father. Misty sighed as she decided that it was all coincidence and couldn't actually be possible.

When Misty was tired of battling she returned home and began helping give out the evening meal to the orphaned pokemon they had there. Misty noticed that a few pokemon were gone as they had been adopted by trainers that had come by wanting either a certain pokemon or just a new one. Misty had all the pokemon that she wanted to have and didn't plan on catching any others as she would have no place to store them. Nor could she be constantly coming back here to drop them off, and she also didn't want to try to get an account on the PC at Pokecenters as she wanted to know where the pokemon would be.

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That same day, Ash and Misty both attended a press conference to inquire about where Ash had been for the past nine years. They had to leave the conference with the press very upset as the press refused to believe that Ash had no memory of the past nine years. Ash had told the complete truth with one exception. He couldn't help but feel that there was someone else named Misty that he knew and loved with all his heart, but not in the same way as his wife.

He often thought about it, but only when he was certain that no one would think that he was thinking about the past nine years. He often thought about it when he acted like he was watching the television. Only once did he make the mistake of letting a soap opera come on while he was thinking. Luckily for Ash, it was during a time when he was the only one around the house. As Misty had gone out shopping with Pikachu and her Togetic. Just like today, Ash thought feeling lonely and wanting to just at least be around someone even if there was a very uneasy silence.

His mother's funeral had already taken place. He was pleased that he was able to have his memories back during that time as he would have felt out of place otherwise. He also would have felt awkward when he was asked to say a few words if he didn't really know what to say. Yet, since he had regained his memories, he was able to speak directly from his heart, even though he didn't know what he should say when he started.

Though, Ash was still undecided if he would challenge the current Pokemon Master without going through the elite four because of how that champion became champion only after Ash had disappeared and was presumed dead. With him alive and found, it was a popular idea for Ash to reclaim his title, but Ash was still undecided about it. He wanted the title, but he also wanted to allow others the chance for it as Ash would not allow himself to think about him being defeated ever. Ash didn't really know what to do. His Pikachu seemed to only want to battle if he was with him.

Ash decided to go over to Professor Oak's lab and see if there was anything that he could do. Ash was very bored. He didn't know what to do with his time. He only could think about his unknown past. Yet, he didn't want to think about that period. He just wanted to be rid of the feeling of emptiness that he felt whenever he thought about the last nine years that he had no memory of, but had to have made some memories otherwise, Ash didn't think that he would have the empty feeling inside.

When Ash arrived, Professor Oak was very glad to give Ash something to work on since everyone there seemed to be busy with something, but it also seemed like Oak was avoiding him. But whenever Ash asked Oak for something else to do, Oak would take the time to make certain that Ash was working well at what the task was and if he needed any help, Oak gave it to Ash before Oak returned to whatever it was he had been doing. When Ash was done, Oak told him that he had no more work to do that Ash could help with and suggested that Ash take a walk around to pass the time if he felt bored.

Ash decided to take that walk and thanked the professor. Soon Ash was out in the surrounding forest. He enjoyed his walk, though he only realized how late it was getting when the light started to fail. Ash then realized with a start that the sun was setting. Ash then decided to start heading back to Pallet, though he knew that it would be well after dark before he got back.

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Gary was becoming impatient. It was difficult to organize this 'welcome back' party without Ash to realize what was going on. If Gary hadn't thought to use some of his pokemon to spy on Ash so that they would be able to keep this party as a surprise. Ash had almost found out about the party when he came over to the lab obviously bored. Gary had been in a panic of what to do and so his grandfather had told him to take a break. When Gary had calmed down, he noticed that his grandfather had given Ash some work for the party that could easily have been for something else. Even though Gary had thought of the idea for the party, his grandfather was the one who was making all of the arrangements and making certain that everyone was doing something for it and keeping Ash from knowing what was going on when he did happen by.

Gary looked at his watch. He hoped that Ash would return from the walk that they had planned. Misty had come to the house earlier to get Ash away, but finding him still gone, she had called everyone over and everything was set up very quickly. That was at least two hours ago. Ash must really have gone quite a ways with his walk, Gary thought, noting when Ash had gone on his walk. Soon, if Ash didn't return they would need to pick another night to have this party. Misty was in the house, acting like she was doing a regular activity, but she in fact was waiting for Ash so that she could be the bait to get him in the back yard where everyone was waiting for the cue to call out the surprise. Brock was in control of the lights and would turn them on when the door opened to the back yard.

Come on! Gary thought, wanting to stop waiting, as he was getting really bored. If he had to be in a place where he had to wait like this, he at least would like to work with his pokemon, but if he did that, he could easily give the surprise away. If only gramps hadn't suggested that walk, Gary thought again, this time even more bitterly than all the times that he had before. But that's the downside of a surprise party, the one who is going to be surprised doesn't know when to show up because they don't even know about it in the first place so they can't arrive 'on time' except for when they do actually arrive.

Suddenly they all heard the front door open and shut. Then they hear muffled voices as Ash and Misty greeted each other however they were doing it where no one in the back could see. Soon the back door was being opened as the voices had been getting louder for a moment. When the door was open, Brock turned on the light and everyone in the backyard cried out, "SURPRISE!"

Gary was near the front and could see that Ash was very surprised and it seemed that he was embarrassed as his face was getting a very bright shade of red. Gary was thinking that Ash might decide to bolt into the house, but was relieved when Ash stepped out in the back. Gary was really glad that the wait was finally over. Now he could get to doing something instead of waiting quietly in the dark not knowing when the wait would be over.

Gary began to mingle with everyone there. He was particularly interested in talking with Ash where he had been during the time that he had been on his walk. Ash then began trying to figure out who had set this up without him knowing about it, when Gary had found out all that he wanted to know about Ash's walk. Gary just smiled and replied that it was all orchestrated by an unknown person. Of course Ash didn't believe Gary, but he could disprove what Gary said, so he couldn't press the subject very much.

Gary also noticed that Misty and Brock were enjoying themselves too. Gary walked over to Misty and asked her something that he had been wondering for a while now, "How did you get all the stuff that we needed for this party?"

"Well, I first needed to get Ash to know that I'd be gone then, I had to make certain that the cover story would have an easy and believable excuse before I could go," Misty replied.

"What was that excuse?" Gary asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

Misty ignored Gary's reaction and answered, "I told him the truth. I was going shopping. He had no reason to question why I would be going shopping. I made the shopping trips when we needed something from the store and then I'd also get items that we'd need for the party. For all the stuff that I'd need to keep refrigerated, your grandfather told me that I could use the refrigerator at his lab so that Ash wouldn't question why those items were in there. I was able to regulate the shopping trips so that I could get everything we needed and have plenty of time before the party."

Towards the middle of the party, Ash called everyone's attention and began, "I would like to thank whoever set this up as I still am unable to get anyone to admit or tell me who got this all set up; but I do have my suspicions." There was a collective laughter roll throughout the crowd. "Also, I would like to announce my decision of whether or not to return being the Pokemon Master. I have thought about this thoroughly while I was walking this afternoon by Professor Oak's suggestion, which places him high on my list of suspects." Another laugh rolled through the crowd. "My decision about that is."

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Author's Note: I'm sorry to end this chapter this way, but I couldn't decide what Ash should do. I'm pretty much in the middle on this one. I don't know what I should have Ash do. So I'm taking another vote in addition to the other vote that I'm having along here. I'll also list the scores and everything else pertaining to the votes for whichever vote I'm doing. Currently the score for who ends up with Ash is Misty: 2 and Marin: 1. Please note that all endings will come in whichever order I have the score. Personally, I couldn't care what Ash decides, but I know that that would be an important event and so I would need to add that. What does everyone think about if Ash should go for the championship or just let the current one go. I don't care if you don't care about that. In those cases, I'll put down those as half points for both sides. So either way, if you mention this then a vote is added regardless. I will collect the votes from the next few days to determine which choice to make with Ash going for or not the Pokemon Master title. Please look forward to the eighth chapter.