Author's Notes: Well, first off I would like to announce the answer to the trivia question for two chapter's ago. It is Ho-oh. When I first saw the first Pokemon episode I recognized it as Ho-oh and was a little surprised at it. Though, I also only saw the first episode while I was still just beginning to write this fic. ^_^ Anyway, I already added the two votes to the entire poll thingy. Also, I commented that I COULD give Marin a Japanese name so that it being an AAML no matter how you looked at it really. If anyone wants me to actually come up with a name, I can come up with something. Though I already have a possible name in mind, although I got the name from Rurouni Kenshin. So, I'll put in the answers for last chapter's trivia in the next chapter(s) just so that I don't have to think about it right now. Anyway, I plan on having this my last chapter. At least before the ending. So, this is it. It's down to the wire. Who will Ash choose? Misty or Marin? Who will get (basically) dumped? Who will . . . grrk! *THE REST OF THIS IS NOW FINISHED IN DIFFERENT HANDWRITTING* I apologize for any brain cramps you may have suffered because of this incessant babbling. The person who was in charge of the author's notes segment has been sacked. There should be no more problems that we can foresee here at the computer terminal. Sorry for the inconvenience of listening (or reading) that, but the chapter will now commence!

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"I don't care anymore!" Misty cried. She was tired of Mark pestering her about her Blazeon being a chance evolution.

"But-" Mark began, but Misty cut him off immediately.

"I agree that it was a chance situation that occurred when I got my Blazeon, but I do not agree that it was a chance evolution. Not only that, but I never really cared to think about it in the first place. All I want to do right now is finish getting through Victory Road and beating the Elite Four! If you can't understand that, I don't know what you can. I think that's why Gary left us when we entered Victory Road. I think that he's just tired of listening to you ramble on about chance evolutions!" Misty snapped.

"But-" Mark tried again, but with the same result.

"That's enough! If we're not careful, we could upset some vicious wild pokemon," Misty cried, loud enough to actually disturb anything anywhere.

Mark didn't seem to notice the volume Misty used and asked, sounding a little scared, "Really?"

Misty sighed. If he was really going to be that dense, she wasn't going to stop him. At the very least, it just might get him to shut up. Misty then began walking off and heard Mark call out to her, when she was about twenty feet away, "Don't leave me!"

Misty couldn't really believe what Mark seemed to be. If Misty had met Mark here, she would have thought him just someone who talks a lot and is scared of his own shadow. Misty, however had known Mark since before they entered Victory Road and it seemed that he just had a hard time being in caves. Misty didn't know why, but he just seemed to be terrified of them. Misty and Mark traveled in the dark, their only light Misty's Blazeon which shined before them like a beacon, brighter than an Ampharos. Misty didn't see what was so scary about the cave, but figured that it was just one of those things that couldn't easily be explained like claustrophobia. Misty and Mark were both going to challenge the elite four, but after that Misty wasn't certain of what she should really do. She didn't expect her mother to be there because Misty heard about her mother opening another Pokemon orphanage in another region other than Johto.

They traveled until they felt tired and then made camp and continued until they were finally at the end. Misty was glad because she felt really different in the cave with only her Blazeon for light. To Misty it had felt like a true night had fallen. But the important piece was that they were through Victory Road. Misty smiled eagerly as she could see the Pokemon Headquarters. She was finally almost done with her journey.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Ash was tired. Not only did he have to battle to defend his title of being champion, but he also had a rough time working with Pottleti. Pottleti and Ashe don't seem to get along with each other and Ash was having a hard time putting up with it. Not only that, but Misty gave birth a healthy daughter. Ash and Misty both decided on calling her Marin. Just so that since Ash and Marin had a daughter named Misty, Ash and Misty would have a daughter named Marin.

Not only all that, but Ash was just bored. He had been waiting for any of the several challengers to appear, but there wasn't one that seemed to be making it so far. Suddenly the doors open and Ash realizes that someone must finally beaten the Elite four. Ash waited staring at the opened doors for someone to come through, but when there still wasn't anyone when the doors shut, Ash couldn't do anything other than just stare at the closed doors in shock. Why would they open the doors if no one was challenging me? Ash thought, not knowing why the doors opened and then shut without anyone walking through. Ash knew that they wouldn't open if someone wasn't continuing on to face him, but Ash was also certain that the opening mechanisms weren't malfunctioning. Ash was just completely confused about it.

About an hour after the incident of the opening and closing doors, Ash got up and left. It was obvious that he wasn't going to battle anyone here. Ash figured that they just probably didn't have as many good trainers as they usually had. Ash would usually battle at least once instead of waiting around for nothing to happen. Ash was dumbfounded on how this would happen. Since Ash had become the pokemon Master, this had only happened once before. Though, Ash didn't like it even then.

Ash then returned to his room, where he planned on sleeping. Though, before he could make it, he heard someone call his name. He turned around and saw his daughter Misty throw her arms around him, giving him a tight embrace. Ash was really surprised. He thought that she would have taken a little longer in Victory Road before she made it all the way here. When Misty released Ash, they looked at each other in the eye, at arm length for about a minute. When one of them finally spoke, it was Misty.

"So, I figure that you were Yellow?" Misty asked. Ash was pleasantly surprised that she had figured out that he was her father.

"Yeah. That was a time when I didn't know who I was," Ash replied.

"But now you know who you are!" Misty cried, jubilantly.

"Uh, I guess," Ash replied, not really certain of exactly how to answer that statement.

"So, how long now has it been that you've been the Pokemon Master?" Misty asked.

"Well, it's been now about one year, but collectively, it's been quite a while," Ash replied.

They begin talking, as they move towards the nearest restaurant so they could continue their conversation in a more comfortable setting. It was there that Ash learned that Misty had beat the elite four, but chose to not try and battle him. Ash was very surprised at this.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Dark rain clouds were forming around Pallet. Threatening to rain any moment. Even with all the dark atmosphere that was around, Prof. Oak was excited. Not only was Ash and Misty bringing Ash's daughter, Misty and her friend Mark over in a helicopter, Misty was bringing her Blazeon with her. Prof. Oak wanted most to learn more about the Blazeon, although, it didn't seem like Blazeon wanted to be very far away from Misty, no matter what the circumstances.

Prof. Oak had talked with Misty and had decided that it would be best for them to wait for her to come to Pallet, before he spent more time studying Blazeon. Misty had agreed, though she seemed a little preoccupied at the moment, when she had talked with him about it. Prof. Oak was anxious to be able to study the Blazeon even more. However, when the helicopter was still about tem minutes away, Prof. Oak heard something in his lab and when he listened to try and figure out where it was coming from, he fell asleep from the sleeping gas that was being put into the lab, putting everyone and everything in it asleep.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Misty Ketchum was enjoying the ride in the helicopter. Everything was going by so quickly. She only wished that she could have ridden her water pokemon all the way from the Indigo Plateau to Pallet, but she figured that this was the next best thing to that. Misty had commented to Ash that it reminded her of the times when they traveled together when she watched how Mark and Misty C. were bickering back and forth about 'chance evolutions.' Ash didn't seem to like the comparison, but agreed nonetheless.

To Misty, it didn't seem very long until they finished the hour-long flight to Pallet. They landed then in Prof. Oak's 'Pokemon Preserve' and when they got out, Ash's Bulbasaur and Heracross greeted him warmly. They then turned their attention to walking towards Prof. Oak's lab so that they could drop off Misty's Blazeon then go over to Ash and Misty's house to put their stuff in before they go out to eat. Misty C. already has her Blazeon out, so she can leave it with Prof. Oak before she goes around the town with Ash, Misty, and Mark. As they approach the lab, Misty gets an uneasy feeling, as she doesn't really see anyone in the lab, not even a moving pokemon that may just be in there. However, before she can say anything, they all hear familiar voices call out:

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

Everyone except Mark groans, knowing who it is that's calling out.

Jessie and James jump out of the trees that they were hiding in and continued, "To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people's within our nation!"

Everyone now begins to walk around Jessie and James as they seem to be too occupied with their annoying introduction piece.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

Everyone has now made it to the lab, and Jessie and James still haven't noticed that they've lost their audience.

"Jessie!"

"James!"

Misty hears them from within the lab, although their voices are a little muffled, "Team Rocket blasting of at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight fight fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!"

Misty then begins counting down from five and when she reaches zero, she hears Jessie and James cry out in fury. Misty wasn't surprised, seeing how they didn't like to let them get away, but they always seemed to pay too much attention to their opening statement that they seldom really seem to be aware of anything else. However, when they get to the room where Prof. Oak is, they didn't expect that there would be sleeping gas in the air still. They all fall asleep, causing Team Rocket to be able to make it out with Blazeon. They didn't even know where they went. All they knew was the darkness of sleep while Team Rocket made their getaway with Blazeon.

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Author notes: So, how is this? The trivia question for this chapter won't have any effect on the poll. I figure that this will just be for fun. Anyway, the question is if a rooster lays an egg in the middle of a pointed roof, which way will the egg roll? To the left or right? Anyway, the ending will be posted a week after I post this fic (at least). That way I'll have time to think of how to end it and it can hopefully build up the suspense. Of course I also want a last minute time for any new votes or changes in the votes to have a chance to occur. Though, I seriously doubt that they tide will turn with the votes, so I'll probably just use the time to see how much AAML fans will hurt me if I choose to not have an ending with Ash and Misty together. Though the current votes are 12 ½ to 1 ½. Though, I still have to give Ash a legendary pokemon, although I still have to work that in. Though, I've noticed that Misty will like any bug pokemon if it's cute enough. I noticed in an episode when she first saw Ledyba, she wasn't freaking out, but already liked them. Even when Ash reminded her that they were bug-types. So! Who now will end up with Ash? Who will . . . grrk! *AGAIN THIS IS FINISHED IN DIFFERENT HANDWRITTING* We again apologize for any injuries you may have received while reading this segment of the Author notes. We have now sacked the people responsible for sacking the person who did this. We at the computer terminal would like to extend our sincere apologies and hope that you will read the next chapter. Thank you for being patient.