Disclaimer: I don't own pokèmon!

A/N: Hey~! I'll be gone for a week again (off to Colorado ^^) so there won't be many updates for a while! Thanks to all the reviewers!!!!!! Mwah!

~ Kasagi Onaso

~! Switched !~

* A Jolly Good Time in Rock Tunnel *

Misty stared at it in bewilderment and then laughed as she took Alexis' hand.

"Misty Waterflower."

"Hey Misty! Who's this?"

"This is Alexis," said Misty as Eevee rushed to brush noses with the Vuplix pup.

"Aw, look at the little Vulpix!" squealed Erika as she bent to pet the pup. "It's so small! It must be a pup or something." Alexis nodded, smiling slightly.

"She is."

"Are you heading through Rock Tunnel too?" asked Ash, cocking his head.

"I suppose," said Alexis with a small shrug. "I want to train Vulpix some. Then maybe I can start beating Gym Leaders." Misty shot her a quick look.

"Why's that?"

"I kind of want to be the Pokèmon Master," she said in a soft voice. "But I don't know." Misty smiled kindly but had nothing to say to that. She wanted to be the Pokèmon Master? Alexis blushed slightly at the silence. "Sorry," she said after a while.

"For what?" said Erika, looking up from the prancing Vuplix pup, a startled look on her face. Misty thought she knew and smiled.

"Don't worry about it Alexis. If you want, you can come with us through Rock Tunnel." Alexis grinned.

"That'd be great! Thank you!"

"No problem," said Misty, smiling. "It's late," she said, surprisingly startled at the clock. It clicked once and tolled one, three, seven, ten times before resting. "See you tomorrow, Alexis," said Misty, petting Vulpix's head and waving before leaving.

"Tomorrow," called Alexis, waving back.

"She's shy," said Ash, shaking his head.

"So?" snapped Misty, putting her hands on her hips. "Who cares? She really nice." Erika nodded.

"Once we spend some time with her I'm sure she'll become less timid. I think it's cool she wants to be a Pokèmon Breeder, ne?" Misty nodded to no one and snuggled up in the comforter as thunder rumbled outside.

* * * * *

The next morning, the sky was gray and but the sun shone through the rain clouds.

"I don't think it'll rain today," said Erika, lifting her face to the sky. "We'd better get through Rock Tunnel anyway. The weather ought to be nicer in Lavender."

"We've got to wait for Alexis," said Misty, looking around the Center.

"Whatever," grumbled Ash.

"You wanna go through the tunnel by yourself?" snapped Misty as Alexis entered the room.

"Hi," she said, smiling. "I'm ready to go."

"Good. So are we!" Alexis blushed. "What's wrong?"

"Have I been keeping you waiting?" Ash opened his mouth and Misty elbowed him swiftly in the stomach before smiling at the girl.

"No. We just got down here," Misty lied and Alexis' face relaxed.

"Good. I'd feel awful…"

"It's okay. It's a long walk. We'd better get going. Erika, did you bring Flash…?" She looked ahead. "Oh, no!"

"What is it?"

"We need Cut!" Misty pouted and crossed her arms.

"I have it. Don't worry. We can get you the HM once we get past Rock Tunnel. There's a dock in Lavender where I heard the Captain of the SS Anne will give you Cut. Go, Bellsprout!"

"Bell," said Bellsprout in its nasal-voice and began glowing. "Sprout!" Its leafs flashed violently and soon the tree was gone and Rock Tunnel loomed above them. "Bellsprout, Flash!" Bellsprout glowed vividly for a second and then began to emit a weak glow.

"Eh-heh," coughed Erika sheepishly. "It doesn't know how to use it that well so the Flash might go off every now and then. Sorry!" Misty sighed and shook her head.

"It's fine. Better than no light, anyway."

"Does anyone have a map?" asked Ash, looking up at the ceiling. "This place is huge."

"We should buddy up," said Erika, scooting towards Alexis. "I'll buddy with Alexis." Misty shot a quick look at Ash and shrugged.

"All right."

"Whatever."

"I'll lead the way since my pokèmon knows Flash," said Erika and took the lead, Alexis behind her. "You two go behind us and guard the back."

"But I don't wanna be in the back," Ash muttered.

"Scared of the bugs?" Misty teased, poking his arm. He glared at her and pulled away.

"No! There's no bugs in caves, smart one."

"How do you know?" demanded Misty, smiling evilly. "I'll bet there's mutated bugs with two heads or twenty legs."

"There's not!"

"They got that way from drinking the cave water and now they're bloodthirsty," said Misty, making her voice dramatically scary. "So they've turned into cannibals but they're tired of eating each other. They want--"

"Shut up!" Ash yelled, covering his ears. "You get the back!"

"Fine," Misty said, sniggering. "At least I'm not a sissy." Ash froze.

"I am NOT a sissy!"

"I'd get moving (coughsissycough) before we lose them!" Misty snapped. "I can hardly see they're so far up."

"Don't call me a sissy!"

"Sissy!"

"I am not!"

"You are so!"

"NOT!"

"SO!"

"AMNOTAMNOTAMNOT!"

"ARESOARESOARESO!" Misty's yell echoed off the slimy walls until the only sound was the two breathing. "I think they left us," said Misty.

"Misty?" she thought she heard Erika call. "Ash?"

"Oh, no," groaned Misty. "How are we going to find them in the dark?"

"This is all your fault," snapped Ash and he blindly pushed past Misty.

"My fault?" shouted Misty. "Where're you going?"

"I'm going to find my way out."

"Wait for me! We're supposed to be using the effing buddy system!" Misty yelled and heard him stop. "Jeez," she mumbled as she held stretched her arms to feel around blindly. "It wasn't my fault, anyway."

"It was so. Where are you?"

"I dunno. Where are you?"

"Right here." Ash stretched his arm out and swung it around, sensing for Misty, when he smacked her in the arm.

"Ouch! Watch it! That was the arm that had all the splinters in it!"

"Oh, you're welcome," Ash said sarcastically.

"Sorry," Misty snapped. "Stop walking so fast. I can't see you. Ash!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her up beside him.

"There," he said roughly and Misty was silent.

"Thanks," she said timidly. "How was it my fault?" she said suddenly and Ash groaned. "You were the one who wouldn't go in the back 'cause you're scared of bugs."

"I am NOT scared of bugs!"

"You are so!"

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Well you're the one who was talking about mutated bugs!" he said and his grip on her hand tightened in what was it…anger? Fear? Misty squinted, trying to see his face.

"I didn't expect you to be afraid!"

"I wasn't!"

"You were!"

"Then you called me a sissy!"

"Well you are," said Misty as their footsteps echoed off the walls. Her eyes were becoming slightly used to their surroundings and she could make out a bridge in front of them.

"Am not."

"Are so!"

"Whatever!" They were both silent, and Misty looked towards the ebony ground. "Watch out," Ash said curtly and her foot bumped against something as they stepped on the first plank on the bridge.

"This doesn't look very stable," said Misty, suddenly stopping. Ash tugged her hand.

"Come on! Erika and Alexis went over it!"

"But they had Flash! I can't even see where I'm going!" But Ash tugged her hand harder and forced her to take a step. She winced as the bridge swayed.

"Who's being a sissy now?" Ash snapped.

"I am not!" Misty retorted and took another step. "I'm scared of falling," she whispered as the bridge swung again.

"We'll never get out of here if we don't cross this, Misty," Ash said. His voice was firm but softened considerably.

"I know."

"Come on." He tugged gently on her hand and she followed him across the bridge. Misty looked down at the worm-eaten planks and shivered. Ash noticed this and squeezed her hand. She smiled in the dark, but it soon faded as she realized just how long the bridge was.

"It's so long," she whispered.

"I know. Keep moving. Uh-oh, watch that plank."

"What plank?" asked Misty, eyes searching the upcoming planks.

"That one! The one with the big hole in it!"

"What big hole!?" Misty stopped. She felt Ash jump forward and saw a huge gap in the bridge. "Oh, God," Misty gulped.

"Jump!" Ash tugged on her hand. She backed away, squeezing his hand tightly.

"Come back over! I don't wanna jump! I'll fall!"

"No you won't!"

"Do you SEE the size of that hole? If I don't jump high enough…or far enough…or wide enough…"

"Or if the world stops spinning and we all die 'cause the sun goes out," Ash said sarcastically. "If you don't jump over, I'm going to pull you."

"No!" Misty yelled but she didn't let go of his hand. Something moved behind Ash and she froze. "Omigawd. Ash! Don't turn around! I'm jumping!" Ash's eyes flickered behind him as Misty jumped.

"GYAH!" Misty grabbed air as Ash let go of her hand. "Mutated bug!" She reached out to the side on reflex and grabbed the knotted rope holding the bridge together with her good arm. She dangled uselessly and closed her eyes.

"Ash!" she yelled. "Help!"

"Oh, God, oh, God," she heard him muttering as he made his way over to where she held on to the rope.

"It's just a Caterpie!" she yelled in frustration. "Ash!" Suddenly, she felt his hand slip onto her wrist and begin to pull up. She reluctantly let go of the rope. "Don't let me fall," she whispered.

'I won't," Ash whispered. Misty could see, every now and then, Ash's eyes would flicker behind him. "Oh, God…" The Caterpie waddled up to Ash's arm and its antennae began rubbing against the skin.

"Don't drop me!"

"I'm trying not to! Go away, stupid bug…" Ash tried to kick at it and almost dropped Misty in the process. She whimpered. "Sorry…" He backed up, pulling her slowly up. She winced as her arm scraped along the side of the plank but kept quiet and still.

"Bugger! Stupid ole gel!" she heard a metallic voice chuckle. "Oh, well. Down the hatch, laddie!" Ash yelled as he was pushed forward. Misty swiped the rope with her bad hand, Ash dangling from her arm. "Tsk, tsk," she heard Abra say. "Can't have that." Misty's hand glowed purple and she unwillingly let go of the rope. For a moment, she and Ash were suspended in the air, surrounded in a purple aura. "Cheers," Abra said brightly, wiggling its gold fingers. Misty screamed as they hurtled downwards.

"Do something!" she heard Ash scream.

"What?"

"Use Pidgeotto!" It took Misty a moment to realize what that meant. She pushed through mists of panic and fear and gripped Pidgeotto's pokèball.

"Go!" Pidgeotto swooped under them and they floated to the bottom. "Thanks Pidgeotto," Misty said, returning the pokèmon. "What do we do now? I wonder where this goes…" Misty looked up and could see the sides of the crevasse sloping up more than twenty feet. It was darker now as well, Misty realized as the land above looked flushed with light.

"I don't know," Ash said. "Pidgeotto couldn't fly us around?"

"She could," said Misty. "But she wouldn't know where to go."

"Use a Zubat," said Ash.

"What?"

"Their radar."

"I don't want a Zubat," said Misty, wrinkling her nose. "But I'll catch one." Misty sat on the ground and waited until a screech could be heard. "There! Go, Pidgeotto! Gust!" Soon the Zubat was caught and Misty clutched it to her. "Great! Come on!" She grabbed Ash's wrist and pulled him behind her on Pidgeotto.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" asked Ash as Pidgeotto lifted off the ground. Misty reached behind her and grabbed his hands, pulling them around her waist.

"Hold on tight," was all she said. Ash nervously clasped his hands as Pidgeotto rocketed through the crevasse, Zubat at its ear and using its echolocation to guide it. Ash's arms tightened around Misty's waist as Pidgeotto took a sharp turn.

"Do you know where we're going?" Ash whispered in her ear. Misty shook her hand.

"Pidgeotto does."

"That's what I was afraid of." Misty shivered, Ash's breath tickling her neck.

"Don't worry," she whispered back, trying to keep her voice steady. "We'll be fine." Ash said nothing to this as Pidgeotto swooped up. "Look!" A faint light could be seen from where they were hovering, just above the wall. "Moonstone!" Misty reached out and grabbed a couple pieces. "Want some?"

"Thanks," Ash mumbled and took a piece of the glowing rock.

"I thought it was Erika's Bellsprout at first," admitted Misty into the darkness. She felt Ash nod against her shoulder.

"Me too," he said in her ear. She shivered slightly when she heard talking.

"Hold up, Pidgeotto," she whispered in the bird's ear. It cooed softly and hovered. "ERIKA-A-A!" she yelled and Ash winced.

"MISTY-Y-Y!"

"We found you!" Misty cried delightedly. Erika and Alexis rushed into the chamber as Ash and Misty climbed off Pidgeotto. Bellsprout waddled slowly behind them.

"Bell, bell, bell," it huffed.

"Where did you go? We lost you!" cried Alexis.

"We looked everywhere!" Misty and Ash told the story, interrupting each other the whole time. "Amazing," said Erika, shaking her head. "They're murderers."

"I know," said Ash solemnly.

"We found the exit," Erika said brightly. "I hope that makes your day."

"Say it again," said Misty, winking. "It makes me feel all fuzzy inside." Erika chuckled and shook her head.

"Come on. This way. Then it should only be a small hike until we reach Lavender Town."

"I don't think I could walk anymore. Carry me?" Erika pushed her away, laughing.

"Oh, shut up. Alexis will show you the way. Come on." Misty smiled as the two trailed up the walk. Ash came up from behind her and squeezed her hand. She looked at him with surprise.

"That was fun," he whispered and she smiled.

"Yeah." And they walked behind Erika and Alexis, hand in hand.

Viola~! Another bit of bloody AAML! HAHAHA! Did you like it? I was in a goodish sort of mood when I wrote this part so ta-da! Wah! So sorry to say that the next chappie might take some time to come out because I had written this and the fourth chappie at the same time so it was already prepared! I'm so behind schedule @_@ So sorry again! Très, très! Anyway, how about 45 reviews? Please? Arigato, minna!!!

~ Kasagi Onaso