Disclaimer: I don't own pokèmon!
A/N: He-he! 60 reviews! Thank you everyone! I didn't take any specific names, sorry, or I'd be writing them all down. But thanks anyway! I'm trying to get these chappies in in-between school and school work and dinner so sorry if they're a little slow in the coming (did that make sense??? Wow I'm tired.) School makes me sleepy… ::yawns:: Anyway, review please!
~ Kasagi Onaso
~! Switched !~
* Misty's Super-Brilliant Idea *
Erika and Lina made their way quickly to the Tower. As Lina approached it, with her lantern swinging dutifully in front of her, the rain seemed to subside a bit and the wind wasn't as biting or clawing at Erika's face.
"We're here," Lina said, although to Erika, this seemed a bit obvious.
"Now what do we do?"
"We have to get in." Erika looked for the Houndoom statue that Ash had used to get himself in.
"I know how," Erika said as she spotted the statue. The Houndoom dripped with rain, the drops running off their dark stone snouts and into pools without reflections. The puddles spattered over the stone stairs as Erika stepped in them, making her way up next to the statue.
"This?" asked Lina, the swinging light bouncing off her face showing doubt.
"No look," said Erika, pointing. "You put your foot here and you can get into that window." Lina lifted her lantern a little higher until the window was enveloped in its light.
"This might work," she said.
*******
The two sat in silence, listening to the rain and the hollow dripping noises echoing through the room as stray drops flew through the window and splashed into a puddle. Misty desperately tried to hold her tears back and bowed her head to hide the occasional tear. Ash watched her out of the corner of his eye, not sure what to do. A random noise flitted down the stone staircase every once in a while as Alexis moved around upstairs. But something caught his eye as he turned towards the stairs.
"Lights," hissed Ash suddenly, standing quickly.
"Nan?" whispered Misty, looking up through her eyelashes. Ash was standing still, his eyes glued on the window.
"I saw lights."
"Are…are you sure?" asked Misty, cautiously. Ash shrugged.
"Maybe, maybe not. Let's wait and see."
"You guys! You guys!" cried Alexis, bounding down the stairs. The twos' heads whipped towards Alexis as she excitedly bounced up and down. "We're saved!" she squealed.
"What? Who?" demanded Ash.
"Erika and this odd sort of girl with a lantern."
"Lina," muttered Ash. "She helped us get here in the first place. No one else would come."
"Why?" asked Misty and he caught her eyes for a brief moment before looking away.
Because of you.
"Because they were too afraid," Ash said finally, looking at Vulpix who wove itself through Alexis' ankles and stared back at him with large ebony eyes.
"Oh."
Scratching could be heard now as well as hushed voices. It was as silent as death among the three as they stared at the ground and put all their concentration into listening to the noises.
"Misty!"
"Erika!" cried Misty, staggering to her feet and racing to the bottom of the window. "Erika!"
"Misty! There you are! Lina I see them!"
"Good," said the girl, shaking her violet hair impatiently. "Do you need help getting them out?"
"Yes, please."
"All right. Scoot over." Lina slipped the hook onto one of the Houndoom's ears and climbed up beside Erika. "There's three of them," said Lina with a nod. "All right. Let's go!" Misty quickly grabbed Erika's pale hands, slick with rain, in her own.
"Ash! Help us!" Misty closed her eyes as Erika pulled her up. Her feet scraped against the wall as she tried to climb it and Ash pushed against her lower back. Soon, she was sitting on the wet window sill, the puddle soaking into the back of her jeans.
"I'm so glad to be out of there," she sighed as Lina helped her down. Her backside felt uncomfortably wet and the rain was pelting against her once-dry clothes but at least she was out of there.
Alexis, her Vulpix huddling under her shirt and against her abdomen, soon joined her and they huddled under the thundering sky, waiting for Ash. When all three crowded together as Erika and Lina jumped from the statues, they waited until Lina had recollected her lantern before they ran to the Pokecenter.
"Lights!" gasped Alexis as they entered the brightly-lit Pokecenter. Misty laughed gleefully and shook her ponytail, spattering water everywhere.
"Oh, you poor dears," said the Nurse Joy, coming out from behind the desk with jade towels at hand. "You too? Caught in the rain, no doubt. And your extra clothes must be soaked! Why don't you give them to me and I'll dry them for you."
"Thank you," said all four in unison while Lina stayed in the back.
After they had handed over their clothes, they made a circle on the carpeted floor of the lobby.
"Now we need to get on the SS Anne," said Misty, putting her head on her hand.
"You need a special ticket for that," said Lina and they looked at her with renewed attention. Lina looked slightly intimidated and cleared her throat. "They hold special parties when they open the boat and only certain trainers are invited," explained Lina. "You can't get on without a ticket."
"Where do you get these tickets?" asked Alexis.
"Private mail," said Lina, shrugging. "They're expensive and hard to get a hold of."
"Oh," sighed Misty, looking downcast. Suddenly, she sat a little straighter. "I know how we can get on!" she said slyly, leaning forward. Erika, Ash and Alexis leaned forward as well and Lina listened in with an eyebrow raised as Misty explained her plan.
*******
"I can't believe I'm doing this," muttered Alexis as they walked toward the dock. The rain had past for now and the sky had gone back to being its normal gloomy gray color and the lavender-tinted mist rose off the ground once more.
"You look great," reassured Misty. "Everyone got their tickets?" They raised theirs half-heartedly. Misty smiled evilly. "Are you sure these look like real tickets?"
"Look at the printout," said Erika, fiddling with hers. "I don't think this is very smart. They probably get stuff like this all the time."
"We look fancy enough to be part of the party, don't we? Look at Eevee!" Misty pointed to the pokémon perched regally in her lap. A fake velvet cape hung down her back and a gaudy diamond collar rested on her neck.
"I know…" Misty herself was looking flashy as well. She had a sleek, black, halter cocktail dress and a fake diamond bracelet. She had let her hair down and wore a hint of pearl lippy.
"I made Vulpix up pretty nice, didn't I?" asked Alexis. She was wearing a lavender spaghetti strap dress and big silver hoop earrings. She had bright silver eye shadow and claret wine lipstick on.
"Yeah," said Erika gloomily. She clutched the forged ticket in one made-up hand where a delicate silver bracelet dangled from her wrist. She had on a tea-leaf colored taffeta dress that ruffled around her thighs.
"Why'd you do your pokémon?" snorted Ash, rolling his eyes. He was wearing a newly pressed tux with a white wing-tipped shirt beneath it. His hair was combed, but still spiky though Misty had bugged him about it.
"Because it makes them look fancy," said Misty, glaring at him. Lina looked at the arguing group and chuckled.
"You shouldn't go as a group," she suggested. "You should go in groups of two if you can. That way, they won't be as suspicious."
"Good idea," said Misty and Alexis and Erika quickly scooted together. "Hey! You were together LAST time!" whined Misty, nearly stamping her high-heeled foot.
"So?" said Erika, putting her hands on her hips. "You n' Ash are closer in age, anyway." Misty pouted while Eevee brushed up against her arm in means of comfort.
"What about Alexis…?"
"Come on," said Alexis. "Let's head out. The boat leaves at eight, did you say?"
"Yeah," said Lina, looking at the clock. "It's about seven-fifteen now so that would be wise."
"Thanks again for letting us borrow these wicked costumes!" squealed Misty and Lina smiled slightly.
"You're welcome. Just make sure you bring them back, okay?"
"All right," agreed Misty and they waved good-bye as they exited through the door.
"Offer Misty your arm, Ash," said Erika. "You're going together, after all!" Misty flushed as did Ash but took the arm that was offered to her. Erika chuckled pleasantly as they approached the large white ship.
SS ANNE was painted on the side in swirled cursive and the captain waved a white-gloved hand at the people crowding on the dock. Misty quickly attached a lead to Eevee's collar as Ash pulled her away from Erika and Alexis.
"There's so many people here!" whispered Misty in Ash's ear. He nodded and smiled reassuringly.
"Let's go behind everyone else," suggested Ash and pulled her to the back of the crowd.
"Why?" hissed Misty.
"Come on."
"No. Let's try to get in first," she insisted and pulled him to the middle of the line. Eevee leapt up into her arm and she held Eevee to her.
"Watch it," Ash said softly. "You'll get hair all over your dress." She wrinkled her nose at him and clutched Eevee tighter.
"I don't want to lose her," Misty replied.
"I see."
As they approached the ticket man, Misty nervously clenched the ticket in her hand. Eevee purred and licked her collar bone and Ash squeezed the hand curling through the hook in his arm.
"You're nervous."
"Thank you for pointing that out," she near-snapped. "Yes," she said, noting the taken-back look on his face. "I am."
"Don't worry," he said and she held her breath as they handed them their phony tickets. He inspected them quickly and ushered them into the boat. Misty exhaled noisily, quickly turning it into a racking cough.
"I was so sure we'd get caught," she whispered and Ash smiled. Misty noticed that when he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkled a little bit. She shook her head, appalled at her thoughts as Ash lead her out onto the deck.
It was nearly empty because almost all the people being emitted onto the boat heading into the dining room and she and Ash leaned against the railing, watching the crowd for Erika and Alexis.
"Do you see them?" she whispered.
"No," he whispered back, squinting at the crowd for a familiar face.
"I can't find them," said Misty finally, backing away from the rail. "Maybe they're already on." Ash gave the crowd one last look before following Misty into the main hall.
An orchestra belting B.B. King welcomed them as they opened the white doors into the dining room. A fountain of Goldeen glistened in the center, among countless white tables nearly filled with people. Everyone was wearing their Sunday best, real diamonds and precious jewels winking from the necks and arms and ears of the women.
"Wow," whispered Ash and Misty gabbed his arm.
"I don't wanna get lost," she said, hugging Eevee close to her.
"You won't," assured Ash as he searched the crowd.
"Did you notice," said Misty as they began to walk through the swarms of people. "That almost everyone here is older than us?"
"I know. Jeez." Ash chuckled slightly. "Do you see them?"
"Maybe we could get someone to announce it over the speakers."
"Not yet. You go check the bathrooms and I'll keep checking the room."
"But I don't want to…?" Ash looked at her sternly and she slowly and reluctantly slid her hand from his arm. "All right."
"Meet me by the fountain, okay?" Misty nodded and set Eevee down.
"Let's go Eevee," she murmured before straightening and they began their search.
*******
"What? This is a real ticket!" said Alexis. Erika was hyperventilating behind her, her face red and breathing short and shallow.
"I know what a real ticket looks like," said the man, wagging the ticket in front of her face. "And this isn't one."
"We got it from our friends!" said Alexis and Vulpix growled at her feet.
"Listen, ma'am, just stand over there and maybe we can talk it out. But right now, I need to get everyone else onboard. So go over by the anchor rope…there's a good girl…"
"I'm not a pet!" Alexis yelled, nearly breathing fire. Erika looked at her in surprise. "I demand to see your boss! This is an insult!"
"Please, miss, before I am forced to call security into this."
"Come on Alexis," said Erika softly, pulling the red-faced girl over to the anchor rope.
"Was it the hair?" Alexis asked tearfully, suddenly shy again.
"No, Alexis. Don't worry. See if you can find Ash and Misty."
"I think they got onto the boat," said Alexis fearfully. "Oh, wait. Look! There they are!"
"Where?" gasped Erika, rolling onto her toes and searching the crowd.
"No! Up there!" She pointed to the deck of the boat. Erika looked up, up, up, up, up and there they were, two small ant-like humans leaning on the bar. "They're looking for us. Wave!" Alexis began to wave wildly but Erika pulled her arm down as people stared at her.
"No! We'll get on, okay? This boat may be the biggest boat in Kanto but they'll probably only be in one place."
"But…?" Erika shoot her head and Alexis sighed. "All right. No waving."
"Thank you," Erika sighed.
They waited there for the man to come and check their tickets until everyone else had emptied from the dock and onto the ship.
"Whoops," said the man, peeking though the crack in the door. "I'm sorry misses. There's not enough room on this ship for you lot. Please wait until the next ship comes."
"Wait! Our friend are on that ship!" shouted Alex as he slammed the door shut.
"Oh, no," wailed Erika, her face growing pale in the moonlight. "What do we do now?" The anchor rope slowly began lurching up as they hoisted the anchor up.
"I don't know," sighed Alexis, sitting on the dock and pulling off her lavender high-heels before reluctantly dipping her feet in the water.
"Ash and Misty don't know we're here. Where does the SS Anne go, anyway?"
"Like I've ever been on one," said Alexis sadly. Erika sighed and sat next to Alexis and they both watched the SS Anne shoot smoke into the air and set sail.
*******
"Erika!" called Misty, her voice echoing off the pile-tiled room. "Alexis?" She bent over and looked under the bathroom doors for feet and was rather relieved and anxious to find no one in the stalls. "Where could they be, Eevee?" The pokémon pounced from the waiting room outside and shrugged, looked dejected.
Misty walked outside and sat heavily on one of the couches.
"They're not in here, that's for sure. I wonder if Ash found them yet? I had better get to the fountain. That's where he said to wait, right?"
"Vee."
"Okay. Let's go." Misty slumped over and dragged her pointed shoe-tip along the carpet as she approached the fountain. She sat on the cold stone, some water spraying her bare back slightly, and crossed her leg to wait for Ash.
After about ten minutes of waiting, he suddenly appeared, panting hard and looking forlorn.
"I'm guessing you didn't find them," she said softly and he slowly shook his head. She stood as he approached her and he stuck his hands in his pockets, looking to the side.
"Where could they be?" Misty's eyes widened.
"If they're not on the boat," she said shakily. "Then they must be at the dock! Oh, they were caught! We have to get off!" And she turned and began rushing through the crowd.
Tee-hee! What do you think? Make sure to review and tell me ^.^ they make me happy-banana especially after an exhausting day of math class (I HATE MATH! DIE!) School is so tiring hehe but I'll live fortunately. This is probably one of the longer chappies. Poor Erika and Alexis! But knowing them, they'll probably find some way to get to the SS Anne. Or Misty and Ash will find some way to get back to the dock. And how about some AAMRN along the way…? 65 reviews please!!!
~ Kasagi Onaso