- Enjoy. Personally my favorite chapter thus far.-
Misty's alarm clock went off at 5:00 AM. She had been awake however, since 4:30. Misty felt the anxiety building within her and she just couldn't sleep anymore. She pulled back her covers and went to her dresser. She pulled out a black wetsuit with red and blue lining. The Cerulean city gym logo, a blue droplet, was imprinted on her left shoulder. She tied her short hair into a spiky ponytail and pulled on the suit. It was early, her sister would not be arriving for another four hours, but Misty couldn't wait any longer. She had to go. Misty picked up her hiking bag and a pair of blue flip flops, and went downstairs to her pokemon's pool.
"Hey guys. Wake up. We're leaving a little earlier than expected." Misty said into the darkness. She flicked a switch and soft blue lights beneath the pool dimmed on. Misty's pokemon slowly awoke. "I'll be taking a few of you to the tournament. The others have to help run the gym while I'm gone." Misty's pokemon began to drift towards the end of the pool. Misty stepped onto the steps of the pool. She pulled four pokeballs out of her backpack pocket, "Politoed, Starmie, Golduck- return. Gyrados, we'll be swimming to the Hoenn port okay? Gyrados, return." Misty then put the pokeballs back into her backpack pocket and zipped it shut. Misty then blew kisses to her other pokemon and left the room. She went to the reception area and pulled out a pen and a piece of paper.
Mara,
Please cancel all of the battles until Daisy arrives.
Left early for the tournament.
Tell Daisy to be careful and that I love her. Take care of the gym.
Misty
Misty stuck the note on Mara's computer and left the gym. She pulled out her cellphone and called a cab. Minutes later, the cab arrived.
"Isn't it kinda early to be going somewhere?" The cab driver asked.
"Isn't it kind of early to be driving a cab around?" Misty snapped back.
"Hey, money is money. Where to?"
"The Cerulean City departure port to Hoenn."
"Right on."
30 minutes later, Misty paid the driver and got out of the cab. She was at the port that headed the closest route to the Hoenn port. Misty looked at the various docks lined up on the shore and chose the longest one. Misty walked to the end and pulled Gyrados' pokeball out of her pocket. "Gyrados, it's time to go." Gyrados dove into the water and came back up with his back facing Misty. Misty ran and jumped midair onto his back. She climbed to Gyrados' head: "We're going to the Hoenn port. Take your time, we've got a lot of it." Gyrados dove into the water taking Misty with him. Gyrados emerged once again and misty tore the rubber band from her hair. She shook it out. It felt so good to be in the water. When she was in the water, Misty forgot all the pains she had been feeling. The water made her feel alive again. The trip to the Hoenn port was three hours. Misty was glad she left early. Misty would arrive at about 9:00 AM. She'd have time to do a little sight seeing before she had to meet the person who was supposed to take her to the hotel. Misty lifted her arms and the wind blew through her hair. She sighed and lowed her head to lean on Gyrados'. Misty found herself drifting into a comfortable sleep. She trusted Gyrados enough to not loose her. Two hours later, her cellphone ringing awaked Misty. She pulled it out and flipped it open.
"Hellophrr?" she mumbled.
"MISTY! YOU LEFT AND I NEVER GOT TO SEE YOU! I TOOK THE EARLY BOAT BACK AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN HERE!" Misty heard Daisy scream into the phone. Misty rubbed her eyes.
"I thought it would be good to get a head start. You know I don't like to be late." Misty said.
"You always used to be late. Argh. I guess I'll see you when you get back. Don't drop that phone into the water. I'll talk to you later. Kisses!"
"Bye Daisy," Misty mumbled.
Misty looked around. She had one hour left to go and in the distance, she could see the edge of Hoenn. "Almost there," she said aloud. Misty was finally excited about being in the competition. 'I'm going to win,' she thought to herself. "Gyrados, can you dive again?" Misty asked her pokemon. Gyrados raised it's head and dove down into the water. He came back up and misty flipped her hair over her head, loving the feel of the water.
"Early start yeah?" someone said. Misty looked around startled. There was no one in the water. All she could see were a few sailboats on the horizon and near the port. The voice laughed. "Up here." Misty looked up and saw a huge Salamence flying above her.
"Wha—" Misty started. The dragon pokemon swooped low and hovered over the water next to Gyrados.
"G'day mate, I'm Austin." The boy said sitting on the Salamence. He looked to be a year or two older than Misty. He had long, blond, surfer hair and tanned skin. He was wearing a pair of black surf shorts and a green sleeveless shirt.
"Um, I'm Misty," Misty replied cautiously.
"Yeh, you're that gym leader ain't ya?" Austin said pointing to Misty's emblem. "I heard there were a few Kangaroos loose in the top paddock gym leaders coming to the tournament this year."
"What?" Misty asked confused.
"Sorry, me mum's Australian and me dad's Austrian. Me dad was always away on trips when I was a little jack so I learned to squawk from me mum. What I mean to say was, I heard there were some crazy gym leaders coming to the tournament this year. You don't have to do anything do you? Just participate?" Austin said.
"Yeah, that's basically it." Misty said. She ran her fingers through her wet hair, suddenly noticing how weird she must look.
"Lucky you. I was A over T working so hard to get these blimey badges. You only train water pokemon I hear?"
"It's my specialty," Misty said not really understanding anything Austin said.
"As you can see, I train dragon pokemon. The acid is that I love 'em really."
"That's cooooo—" Misty said then Gyrados got impatient and dove under the water again. Misty came back up and Salamence was flying backwards in front of Misty. Misty got a clear view of Austin and realized how good-looking he really was.
" Isn't that Adam's ale freezing?" Austin asked.
"I'm not drinking anything," Misty replied confused.
Austin laughed. "No, Adam's ale is what you normal people call water."
"Oh," Misty said suppressing a giggle. "No, I'm used to it. I practically live in the water."
"I understand that. I practically live in the sky. I love the feel of flying. It makes me feel so free. It makes me forget—"
"—all of your pains and problems." Misty finished.
Austin grinned. "Yeh, I guess you know the feeling."
"I do."
The two shared that moment and then Austin broke it. "So, which do you fancy is faster a flying pokemon or a swimming pokemon?"
"Are you challenging me?" Misty said with a coy grin.
"Maybe. You might have the advantage, Gyrados is pretty big."
"Gyrados doesn't have wings," Misty challenged back.
"Let's give it a go then. The end is the beach." Austin confirmed.
"Isn't that a bit far?" Misty asked.
"It's about a 15 minute run."
"Good," Misty said with a determined face.
"On the count of three…" Austin began, "one—"
"Go!" Misty yelled and Gyrados took off. Austin turned his Salamence around and speeded after her.
"You loopy yank! You can't do that it's cheating!" Austin yelled behind Misty.
"I can do whatever I want," Misty yelled back.
"Tell that to me at the finish line," Austin said as he passed Misty. Misty's anger flared. Who was he to beat the gym leader of the Cerulean City Gym? Misty did notlike to loose. "Come on Gyrados, speed it up." She commanded. Misty caught up to Austin and he looked down extremely surprised. The beach was about 100 feet away and was coming closer each second that passed by.
Austin pushed his Salamence harder and Misty could feel herself falling behind. "Gyrados jump!" she exclaimed. Gyrados leaped into the air pushing water into all directions. Gyrados' head landed on the edge of the beach and Misty tumbled off rolling onto the soft sand, her backpack flying off. Gyrados slipped back into deeper water and washed itself of the sand. Seconds later Austin landed with Salamence. Misty rolled onto her back and put her hands to her head. Her adrenaline had burst with that jump and she suddenly felt out of breath. She couldn't stop herself from laughing though. It had been a long time since Misty had truly laughed.
"That—was a dazzler! It could have been a real bingle but your Gyrados is incredible!" Austin exclaimed as he un-mounted Salamence and picked up Misty's backpack. He sat next to where Misty was laying. "You're pretty incredible yourself. A pokemon is only as good as it's trainer." Misty looked into Austin's amazingly green eyes.
"Thanks."
"Bluggerlugs, it was nothing. You look bushed—I mean tired. Do you have a reservation at a hotel anywhere?"
"Um…yeah I do. But I'm supposed to meet some person who is supposed to take me there here at noon. And it's…actually I don't know what time it is." Misty said. Austin looked to a silver watch on his wrist.
"It's about 8:45. Wow we made good time."
"I have three hours to waste," Misty said sitting up. Suddenly, her stomach grumbled.
"Cods wallop—looks like you're hungry. I don't live around here but my buddy, whom I swear is a dead ringer of me but of course I am much better, took a tour of here and said there are some great little stands that open real early in the morning during tournament times. We could probably find some grub on the main streets on in the plaza."
"I'm starving. That'd be great." Austin handed Misty the backpack. Misty pulled off her water shoes and shoved them in a pocket of her backpack. Out of a pocket she pulled out her black flip-flops and slipped them on. She then took out Gyrados' pokeball, "Gyrados, return." She put the pokeball back into her backpack and Austin rose to his feet. He offered Misty his hand and she took it. He helped her up but didn't let go of her hand. Realizing that, he suddenly dropped it. Austin blushed beet red.
"Easy on Austin," he mumbled to himself. Misty didn't hear. Was he feeling something for someone he barely knew? "Salamence, return." He said and Salamence was zapped back into his pokeball. Misty hoisted her backpack over her right shoulder and the two proceeded into town.