The Review Guy: I haven't seen anything specific that shows that Brock won't ever be interested in Misty. And until I do I don't think that I'll feel obligated to think differently. Sorry if you don't like that bit. Though, if you'd let me know where you found your evidence for that I'd be happy to look over it. I just haven't seen anything that would suggest that Brock would never be interested in Misty that way.
PichuStar: Well, I can't say much about which Bianka is the real one except that you'll just have to see which one the real one is. Although, I will tell you that neither of the Bianka's in that part are Latias. I was wondering who would guess right on who the other 'Bianka' is, but it doesn't matter really. I personally wonder if Bianka had feelings for Ash. I guess that Latias could, but it's just that at the end of the movie Pokemon Heroes, either Bianka or Latias gave Ash a good-bye kiss. I assumed that it was Bianka because Latias never wore Bianka's hat (or anything similar to it) and I think that the Bianka at that point did. I'm glad that you like this. Personally, I don't think that I'm very good at writing romances. I know that it's not because I'm male, but just because I don't really connect very well with my feelings. If you want me to elaborate on that let me know. Anyway, I agree with you that the Ash and Misty pairing is over done. It's gotten to the point where it's annoying. Though, I also have wondered about if Brock ever had feelings for Misty. I mean, he obviously is infatuated with both Jenny and Joy (or at least all of them) and whatever cute girl he meets. I haven't seen the episode where Brock meets Misty, but I'm not letting that stop me. Though, I never really thought about pairing up Ash and Latias, but I'll think about doing something like that sometime. Also, if you like other fics that don't have AAML, then I suggest you read what DJ has posted. Just a thought.
Mai Valentine: I'm glad that you like this fic. Though, I haven't heard of gymshipping. I'm glad that you like song-fics. So, would you be able to tell me what you think of how I do them? I'm just looking for an honest opinion. Though, I don't think that I do too well on romances in general. But I'm glad that you seem to be enjoying it.
Author's Notes: Well, I know that I noted that I'd finish a chapter in the other fic first, but well, I just got writer's block on that and got bored. Anyway, it seems not too many people are interested in this fic anymore. Either that or its just summer and those who have reviewed the first chapter haven't gotten around to the second chapter or they didn't really care about it in the first place. Anyway, I guess that I'll just have this go along (mostly) my original plan and not have it get any action or adventure type stuff in it. Well, I guess that's all I have to say right now.
Ash was stunned, but recovered quickly. He knew that there should be only one Bianka. He also recalled that Latias often would take Bianka's form, but Latias wouldn't have Bianka's hat. Ash extracted himself from Bianka 1's arms and moved to the point exactly between them.
"Ash, what are you doing here?" Bianka 2 asked him.
"I received a note to meet you here," Ash said, hesitantly. Not really sure of which Bianka was the real one.
Then a Latias came down by both Bianka's. Ash was even more confused. He knew that Bianka had a Latias as a very good friend, but it seems that one of the Bianka's is a very good copy of the real Bianka. "I didn't send you a note!" Bianka 2 snapped.
"Yes I did, Ashy-boy!" Bianka 1 cried.
Wait a minute, Ash thought to himself. There has only been one person who had called him that. Ash knew exactly who it was. Duplica. Ash looked over at Duplica and could instantly tell her from Bianka. He didn't understand why he didn't realize it sooner. Duplica had thicker eyebrows than Bianka and she also had a slightly different way of walking than Bianka. Ash figured that the Latias with Duplica was her Ditto. He couldn't think of what else it could be; especially since he didn't see her Ditto anywhere else. "What are you doing here, Duplica?" Ash asked bluntly.
"You know her?" Bianka asked, sounding a little confused.
Ash nods, waiting for Duplica to answer his question. "I was just wanting to talk to you," Duplica replies, quietly. Ash figured that there was something that she had wanted to talk with him about, but he wasn't certain if she would now. All he could really tell was that no matter what Duplica had to say, it would certainly make things complicated.
Misty didn't know what to say. She hadn't thought that Brock would ever think of her that way. She didn't even think that she'd consider what she felt about him. She wasn't even certain that she felt the same way. "I'm sorry, but I don't know if I feel the same way," Misty said, not sure of how she should really say it, let alone how Brock would take it.
Brock nods. "I understand." Brock looks out the window of the lobby, not really looking at anything in particular, and sighs. "I know that it's sudden, but I only began to realize this a few weeks ago," Brock continued, looking back at Misty. "I've never expected you to return my feelings, I just wanted you to be able to be happy with whoever you wanted to be with. I mean, isn't that what someone who loves the other person should do? Be content that they're happy with whoever they choose?" Brock got up and quickly walked away before Misty could reply to that. Misty was surprised to see how much Brock had thought this through. He really does care about me deeply, Misty realized. Do I feel the same way though? Misty wondered. Misty decided to take a walk to clear her head. Too many things were going on in her life for her to think straight without taking a break of thinking about them.
Misty wandered aimlessly around the city and soon found herself in front of the museum. Misty didn't feel like going in again right now and found a place to sit and think. As she sat on the bench, Misty noticed that there were the same people go into the museum on the stick Ponytas and stick Rapidashs again. She wondered when they thought of that idea. Misty shrugged and waited for them to leave, which they did quickly. Misty smiled wryly. How easy it seemed to be distracted when she didn't want to really think about what's gone on for the past little while. Misty wanted to know why things were going the way they were, but then another part of her didn't want to know. All she really knew was that everything seemed to have become complicated.
What did she feel for Brock? Sure he was a good cook and good friend, but did that mean that she would have feelings for him? He wasn't too good at reading maps, although he was the best out of Ash, Brock, and her. But, how was he able to read the maps? Misty had to wonder. Though, he was constant at least. When he said something he stood by it unless he had good reason not to. Lie the times he volunteered to stay behind to help a Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny out, but was dragged along anyway. He was someone she knew she could count on to help her when she needed it, though she wondered if he had these feelings for a long time or if they just started to develop a few weeks ago when he stopped goggling over any pretty girl that come his way. All she could really tell was that she wasn't certain if she felt the same way for him. Maybe I should just try it out and see how I feel later on, Misty thought to herself. Misty sighs as she still couldn't make a decision of what she should really do. It's like I've never been in this kind of situation. I've always known what I've felt and. . . Misty's thoughts trailed off as she realizes that she's just never felt like someone liked her that way when she wasn't certain if she returned those feelings. Is that why Ash was like that the night I told him that I loved him? Misty sighed. At least she was getting somewhere in her thoughts.
Ash sighed. He wasn't certain of why he really listened to all of what Duplica had to say. Half of it used the exact same words as the other half. Ash figured that he did that just to be polite. He never would have guessed that Duplica had had feelings for him since she first began mimicking him. Just like I never thought that Misty would have had feelings for me, Ash thought to himself, wryly. He just seemed too dense to ever really pick up on anything that anyone felt for him. Ash remembered the time when it was either Latias or Bianka who kissed him on the cheek when he was leaving after his first visit to this city. He figured that it was Bianka because he never saw Latias look like Bianka while wearing her hat. Ash only felt obligated to accept Duplica's offer to talk with him by the soul dew at sunset because of how he hadn't realized how Duplica had felt about him and he wasn't certain how he should respond. He was even wondering if Bianka had feelings for him. Though, he wasn't certain if he should ask. He was more afraid of actually feeling something from her reaction than anything else. He was also nervous about talking with Duplica even.
Does that mean that I have feelings for both of them? Ash asked himself.
Ash shook his head and began walking along the canal. Ash he was walking, he heard someone call out, "Hey! Our order arrived!"
Ash turned to see what it was about. Apparently the Cerulean sisters were well known even here. Because the order seemed to be a cardboard cutout of all four sisters. Ash wasn't surprised to see one of Misty, mainly because before they left to come here, the Pokemon league came out with a cardboard cutout of all of the gym leaders so that they could be shown around. Apparently these guys were so desperate for dates that they needed a cardboard cutout as their dates. Ash smiled to himself, wondering what Misty would think about this. Ash continued walking and eventually came back to the pokecenter where they were staying at. What he found really surprised him. He learned that Brock had gone out on his own and Misty had left about five minutes before Brock. He had expected to find them still getting up or eating breakfast. At least Pikachu's still here; Ash consoled himself, noticing the electric rodent asleep where Ash had left Pikachu.
Ash sighed. He wondered if there was something going on between Misty and Brock that he wasn't aware of. Of course he knew that many thought that he was dense and he would admit it to a certain extent, but there were things that he just didn't understand, but some things he just didn't want to let on about. He felt that he was someone who noticed a lot of things, but he did often forget that he seldom actually took notice of things when his attention was on other things.
Ash decided to risk waking Pikachu and going to get something to eat at a restaurant nearby. Of course when Ash woke Pikachu up he was electrocuted. Ash was really surprised to find that he was barely affected by the electricity that just coursed through his body. Ash figured that he was just becoming immune to it, but he couldn't help but wonder if that was a good thing or not. After that, Ash was able to go eat with Pikachu.
Bianka had thought that she had really gotten over Ash. She didn't even feel anything when she saw him at the museum. She was really surprised to feel various feelings for Ash when she saw him with Duplica. Bianka felt anger and fear but what really surprised her, and scared her, was that she felt jealous. Of course when Bianka first saw them, she wasn't certain if the one embracing Ash was her Latias, but that wasn't the point. She could tell that she still had feelings for Ash just like she did when he first was at Altomare. Even after he had left Altomare she had feelings for him that she tried her best to get over. She wasn't certain if she could just leave it with a good-bye kiss on the cheek this time. Bianka sighed. She knew her Latias would want to comfort her, but it wouldn't do any good, because her Latias wouldn't be able to help her out in this situation.
A sudden thought crossed her mind, causing Bianka to smile. She wondered if her Latias had tried to play matchmaker with them when Latias had first led Ash to the grove where the soul dew was. Although, the thought was ignored with the thought that Latias was probably just wanting to only play with her new friend at that time and nothing else; although Bianka couldn't help but admit that it was possible that that's why Latias had originally brought Ash to the grove.
Bianka sighed. She wasn't certain of what she should do. She wanted to tell Ash, but she first wanted to see what happened with Ash's meeting with Duplica later. Then if Ash didn't return her feelings, Bianka knew that she could then tell Ash how she felt about him. Bianka was afraid to think past that point. She didn't want to get her hopes up only to have them dashed with two different possible outcomes, but she wanted to make certain that she was ready for what ever happened.
Brock was tired. He had walked quite a bit, but was still wanting to walk more, but also wanted to rest for a minute. He decided that he could take a break at a restaurant as he hadn't eaten anything yet. He wasn't even certain why he wanted to go on a walk in the first place. He just accepted the impulse to go walking, but never really thought as to why he wanted to in the first place. As he was entering the restaurant, he saw Misty sitting down at a table. He figured that they could then talk a bit while they ate. Brock walked over and asked, "Mind if I join you?"
Misty doesn't say anything. She just nods and Brock sits across from her. They both sit in silence for a few minutes. A waitress comes by and takes their orders, but then the silence picks up again. After a little longer Brock decides to try and say something. So he takes a deep breath and begins, "I guess that I was just hoping for too much when I said that this morning. I understand if you don't feel anything towards me. I guess that I was just hoping for. . ."
"It's not that," Misty interrupts Brock. "I don't really know what I feel. Yeah, I was upset about Ash not returning my feelings, but I know that he was honest. I think that I'd like to see if I feel anything after trying to make some."
Brock can hardly believe what he's hearing. "Do you mean it?"
Misty nods, smiling brightly. Brock is then content to just sit in silence with Misty, but they then begin to talk about what they would like to do together while they're in Altomare.
Author's Notes: Well, I think that I'm going to take a break from writing for a little bit. It's just that I've had a little difficulty just writing in general lately and I think that if I stop for a little bit then when I come back to it, then I'll have a fresh mind and won't have so many problems with my writing. Anyway, I'm sorry that this chapter is shorter than the others, but I figure that this was a good place to stop. Also, does anyone know what the character with the Wailmer from the movie Pokemon Heroes? I think his English name was Ross, but I'm not certain. If anyone knows it, please let me know. Also, what does everyone think about the way I do song-fics? I'd just like your opinion.