Brian: Well, this fic isn't over yet so there isn't an unhappy ending, just an unhappy pause in the fic. Well, I'm sorry that you had a little trouble following the different P.O.V. changes with it in first person; I'm just not very good at that part. Though, I'll try to do better when I do first person alternating again.
Lady Ookido: Well, I'm not very certain on how I should really respond to this. I just don't care entirely for AAMRN only because the show hasn't put them together, so I don't feel obligated to keep it that way. But I'm glad that you seemed to enjoy it!
dsf: Well, I can tell that you're an AAML fan, though I also know that Who am I? is my best work so far; but in my opinion that's because I haven't really done very many fics. Though, I don't plan on writing a sequel to Who am I? but if you want to do one, let me know and I'll send you information that I forgot to put in the end of that fic.
puppyangel27: I hope you realize that this is not going to be an AAML or AAMRN. But rather something else.
PiKaBLu: Thanks for your support.
Akachi: Well I'm glad you liked it, though what does orangeshipping mean? I just haven't heard that before.
Author Notes: Well, I'm sorry to have taken so long on this chapter. I just had a little problem of knowing what I should write when I got to a certain point in this. Though, at least I have this up; right? Anyway, now that my parents have moved and so me with them and they got cable, I now can see all the old episodes that I missed and so I can add more stuff in these. (maybe) And my thought is that has anyone ever thought of the song in the song-fics don't always have to actually apply to the fic it's in? If not, then this is one! Well, I've been wondering on how I should work this chapter and this is what I came up with. Here it is!
Ash returns to the camp late. Well after Brock had cooked dinner and everyone else had eaten. Ash doesn't speak, he just walks over to his sleeping bag and goes to sleep. He doesn't even speak to his Pikachu. Misty notices this and waits until she's certain that Ash is asleep before she even thinks to speak to Brock about him. Misty can't begin to fathom why he was acting like that. She couldn't think of anything that would cause him to be so quiet. "Why do you think he was so quiet?" Misty asked.
"I think that he's keeping something to himself," Brock commented.
"What?" Misty asked, wondering if Brock might know.
"Um, I'm not certain," Brock replied, uneasily. Why does he sound nervous? Misty wondered.
"Well, I think that we should get to sleep. We still need to catch the next ferry in the morning," Misty said, picking up her Togepi and walking over to her sleeping bag, while Pikachu ran over to curl up next to Ash's head. Brock also followed suit. Soon everyone was sleeping peacefully.
Ash woke up in the night, just when night is fading into false dawn. Ash was still pondering the thoughts he had the night before. Ash slowly got out of his sleeping bag so as to not disturb his Pikachu. Ash pulled out a sketch he had of him and his Pikachu. Ash never really understood why he kept this sketch. It was done on a large piece of artist's paper and was worn from Ash having traveled around so much with it. All Ash knew was that he felt a little strange when he looked at it. It was even bad enough that the strange feeling that he would get would be that it seemed to be getting stronger, but the worst part about it was that Ash really had no clue as to why he was having that strange feeling. Ash sighed as he put it away again. He wasn't certain about how Misty or Brock would act now around him, but he knew that whatever happened, it would be for the best. Ash just hoped that the would still travel together.
One of the things that Ash was thinking of last night was how Brock seemed so concerned about Ash telling Misty that he loved her. Ash didn't think that Brock really knew what love was as he seemed to 'fall in love' with every girl that he met. The biggest part about it was that Ash couldn't help but wonder if Brock felt something deeper than what he might even be aware of; even with all his proclamations of how he loved every girl that he met. Could it be that Brock doesn't realize how different he acts or how contradictory? Ash wondered. I doubt it, Ash decided gathering up some kindling to start a fire.
When Ash had a merry campfire going, he decided to wait for Brock to get up so they could get some breakfast made. Though, Ash hardly realized that he spent that time looking at one thing. The sketching of him and his Pikachu. Ash really didn't realize it though.
When Brock stirred about ten minutes later, Ash absentmindedly put away the drawing and began to get ready to move on with their traveling. Ash even packed Misty's stuff before she woke up. By the time Ash was finished, Brock had finished making a hot breakfast and had already put the food on paper plates. Misty was then woken up by Brock as Ash took a plate of breakfast over to his Pikachu and Misty's Togepi before he got a plate for himself. While Ash ate, he kept to himself as he thought about where they should go once they caught the ferry to the port city that they were heading for.
Misty was glad that they actually were all together at the ferry well before it left. She couldn't help but wonder what changes had occurred in Altomare since they were last there. Misty was also glad that the ferry ride wasn't too long. She just wanted to finish the trip to Altomare already. She didn't know why, but she just wanted to get the journey over with. Misty knew she didn't feel this way yesterday. Am I being that affected by Ash's response? Misty wondered. Or is it that I only came here so that I could be near him but now that I know he won't ever return my feelings for him, I no longer want to go on this journey? Misty could not think of an answer to these questions.
Though they rented a motor boat to travel to Altomare, Misty still felt the trip there took too long. When they got to Altomare, they quickly went over to the Pokecenter so they could get a room for themselves. However, on their way, they noticed that there were free tours being conducted at the museum where the Kabuto and Aerodactyl bones were. They decided to listen to what the tour guide had to say.
First they were taken around the museum before they reached the center. Misty thought she heard a group of people start chanting something, but it was too faint and she chose to ignore it. She instead listened to the tour guide explain to all of the tourists about the machine in the center of the room that had at one point been used as the ultimate weapon by team rocket when they had first come to Altomare. Misty was just glad that they weren't here to try to use it again.
". . . was recently used, but was stopped by some trainers and Latias," Misty heard the tour guide say, but also heard the chanting grow louder into something that she could make out. "We've come to steal the machine! We've come to steal the machine!"
Misty turned around to see who it was and saw a group of people wearing clothes that seemed to have come out of a history book who were riding sticks that had synthetic Ponyta heads and Rapidash heads on the ends. There was even a person behind every stick clicking coconut shells to make a sound as if there were hoofs clopping on the stone floor.
As they neared the tour guide trailed off talking about how the machine could be activated. "My good man, we have come here in the name of the queen of Hoenn!" the one who was apparently the leader cried out.
"The queen of Hoenn!" all the others with him chorused.
Then the leader continued, "We have come to steal that machine which taken from us long ago. We will steal the machine and take it back to our queen so as to undo the damage to the machine's reputation that it was so unfairly suffered!"
The tour guide seemed a little uneasy about them and told them, "I'm glad you're having a good time, but could you keep it down? I'm in the middle of. . ."
"Help us load this machine or I'll torture you like a Linoone!" the leader interrupted as his men were already trying to take the machine apart and put it in a very small cart.
"What? Like a Linoone?" one of the men asked.
"Yes, well, Linoones are easy to torture," the leader said. Then continued, thoughtfully, "Although I did have one named Wally once?"
The tour guide seemed to really get nervous about this. Misty reached for her pokeballs as she heard the tour guide cry out, "SECURITY!"
However, she felt a hand rest on her shoulder and she turned and saw Bianka. Misty then realized that this was all a show and not thieves that had already lost their minds. "Come men!" the leader called out, starting to ride his Rapidash stick out of the museum. "We shall steal the machine tomorrow! When they're not suspecting it!"
They then began to ride off chanting, "We shall steal the machine when they are not around. We shall steal the machine when are not looking."
Their voices faded into the distance and then Misty turned to Bianka. "Thanks for not interrupting that," Bianka said to Misty. "Every now and then we get someone who attacks them, thinking that they really are serious."
"Well, I actually thought they were serious, but if you're here, then Latias probably would be around and if she wasn't stopping them, then I figured that it was all probably just an act," Misty replied.
"So, what are you three doing here?" Bianka asked.
"We just came to look around," Ash said quickly, but a little too quickly for Misty's tastes.
"Where were you planning on staying at?" Bianka asked, nodding to what Ash said.
"We were going to stay at the Pokecenter," Brock said. "We usually don't have enough money for anything else."
"Then I guess I'll be seeing you then," Bianka said, walking away.
They then walk to the Pokecenter and put their traveling things in their room and go out for something to eat. By the time they're done, the sun ahs already set and they return to the Pokecenter so they could get some rest.
Ash was the first to wake up and he decided to let everyone sleep longer, even his Pikachu, as it was just barely dawn. Ash got ready and went down to the lobby of the Pokecenter. "Oh! Ash!" the nurse Joy called out to Ash.
Ash turned and walked over to the counter. "Yeah?"
"You were left a note yesterday and I forgot to give it to you when you got back last night," Joy continued.
Joy handed Ash the message and Ash looked at it. It read:
Ash, please meet me by the soul dew tomorrow. I have something I want to talk with you about. -Bianka.
Ash thanked Joy for giving him the note and he then set out to go where he remembered the soul dew was. It took Ash a while before he could get there, mainly because he had to backtrack quite a bit as he was doing his best at remembering where he had gone when he first went to the grove where the soul dew was. When he finally made it there, it was already just after mid-morning. Ash viewed the grove. He could see Latias still asleep with several other Latias' and Latios' around. Ash was a little surprised to see so many, but he figured he could ask Bianka about that when she came by. Ash then sat down on the steps that led up to the pool where the soul dew was. Ash only had to wait about ten minutes before he heard footsteps coming.
Ash stood up as Bianka came into view. Although she was wearing the same clothes that she wore when he first met her: a light-jade blouse, a white skirt, and a white hat. Everything seemed to be the same about her, except for the fact that she was taller than when they first met, which Ash wasn't surprised at all about. She saw him almost immediately and ran over to Ash. Ash was caught completely off guard when Bianka took him into a tight embrace. Ash didn't expect her to do that. However, when he was about to ask her what she wanted to talk to him about, he heard more footsteps and saw Bianka step out from where the Bianka that had him in the embrace came from. Ash was even more surprised at this; especially since Bianka's Latias was still asleep. To make certain that Latias was still asleep, Ash looked and saw Latias just waking up. Ash knew that something wasn't right here.
Misty woke up at about the same time as Brock and Pikachu. She was very surprised at the fact that Ash was gone, but since he had left all of his things, she figured that he would be back later on. Misty stretched and gathered her things for a shower. When she was done in the shower, dried and fully dressed, Misty went down to the lobby of the pokecenter and learned from Brock that Ash had left earlier that day. Misty and Brock then decided to just wait for him to return, unless he wasn't back by noon. They then sat in the lobby and talked. "So, why haven't you tried to go all over nurse Joy like you usually do?" Misty asked Brock, wondering why he wasn't acting the way he usually did, even when they got there, he didn't try asking nurse Joy out and Misty wanted to know why.
"Well, I, uh," Brock started, but trailed off before continuing. "I'm not really certain. I guess I just don't feel like it."
"Hmm. Well I was wondering why you were nervous that night when I asked you what you thought might be troubling Ash when he told me that he didn't have any feelings for me," Misty asked.
"I wasn't nervous," Brock replied, his hand absently moving to the magazines that were in the lobby and started reading one, or leafing through it.
"Then why are you avoiding talking with me now," Misty pressed.
Brock looked at Misty. Misty had no clue as to what he was thinking, but she could tell that it was probably something that he was just coming to terms with, but hadn't even thought of before. Misty just HAD to know what it was that Brock was keeping to himself, and not sharing with anyone. "I'm not avoiding talking with you," Brock denied. "I was just looking through," Brock paused for a moment to read what the magazine title was, "uh, 'Pokemon Breeding for Beginners.'"
Misty waited for a moment for Brock to realize his mistake and couldn't help but laugh when he threw the magazine back on the pile in a very nervous manner. "So, you were saying?" Misty asked.
"Okay, fine!" Brock exclaimed. "This is not a subject that I'd rather be talking about."
"Why? Is it that there's something more about it? Like you having feelings for someone already?" Misty teased. When Brock didn't reply, realization came to Misty. He DID have feelings for someone. "Who?" Misty asked, completely serious now.
"It doesn't matter," Brock replied. "She doesn't have feelings for me, though the one she does have feelings for, doesn't return them."
"Then why don't you tell her?" Misty asked, a little confused.
"It's just too awkward," Brock answered. "It's just, ah, complicated."
"That doesn't mean that you shouldn't tell her!" Misty cried, startling not only Brock but a few others in the Pokecenter. "Who are you interested in?"
Brock didn't reply. He just stared at Misty. Misty was begging to get a little uneasy, under his stare, but something finally occurred to her. "It's me isn't it?" Misty asked, quieter than she intended.
It was barely perceptible, but Misty was certain that Brock nodded in response. Now she knew why it was complicated and why he would feel awkward.
Author notes: So? How is it going? I'm wondering if I should put in a type of villain and a real adventure kind of fic, instead of just a regular romance. If I put it as a regular romance, this won't be all that long, as my ideas will run out quickly, but I'm not the one reading and expecting more out of this. So, please let me know about it. And please flame if you don't like it. Though, if the majority don't want me to go away at any point from this being a pure romance, I'll then just use the idea for the adventure type part for another fic. Well, please let me know what you think! Though also please let me know what you think about how I do the song-fic stuff. I didn't see any feedback on that part when I asked how people felt I did there. Though, I'm not going to be updating this fic right away, I'll be working on one of my older fics that now seems to be getting more reviews. So please be patient and let me know if you want me to e-mail you when I update the next chapter. Though if you do want me to e- mail you please make certain that I'll have access to your e-mail address as well as knowing where it is. Well please R+R even if you want to flame!