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"Austin!" She exclaimed as she got up. Okay, so it wasn't Ash, but it was fine.

"You are harder than a jack rabbit to catch Misty. I was bloody sure you wouldn't be flying around here but here you are," Austin said with a smile. "Is it okay if I sit here?" He asked pointing to a seat next to Misty.

"Absolutely," said Gloria. She reached her hand across the table. "I'm Gloria." Austin shook her hand as Phil and Janus returned with the drinks. "This is Phil and Janus. They're gym leaders too." Austin shook their hands and they sat down.

"You're a trainer right? I could have sworn I battled you. Do you have a….oh what was it… a Salamence." Phil said.

"Too right. It was a real troppo battle but I was a happy little vegemite when I won. Thanks mate." Austin said.

"Are you Australian?" Phil asked.

"Well me mum is," Austin affirmed.

"Cool," said Janus. The five of them sat there for a few seconds when another fast song came on. It was I TURN TO YOU, remixed of course.

When the world is darker than I can understand…

When nothing turns out the way I planned…

When the sky turns gray and there's no end in sight…

When I can't sleep through the lonely nights..

"Well I'm about ready to dance again. Anyone care to join me?" Gloria asked eyeing Austin. Phil noticed and stood up.

"Dance with me?" He asked Gloria. Gloria stood up and followed him to the dance floor.

"I guess we better follow suit?" Said Janus. The three of them stood up and followed the two to the middle of the dance floor. They all started dancing again. Austin too Misty's hand and twirled her into him. She laughed.

"Quite the dancer I see," she yelled above the music.

I turn to you, like a flower leaning towards the sun…

"I do the best I can," he said dipping her. She threw her head back and laughed. Being with Austin was so much…fun. She forgot about how bad she felt, she forgot about Ash. For a few minutes anyways.

I turn to you…'cuz you're the only one...

--

"No way," Brock said in disbelief. The three were still seated on the balcony.

"Who do you see?" Ash asked a little too eagerly.

"That girl is gorgeous! I have to dance with her!" Brock said pointing to a curly blonde girl wearing a black and white tube top.

"Brock you're such a playboy," May said clicking her tongue.

Ash looked down and saw the girl dancing with a gym leader he recognized from the opening ceremonies. The girl was a gym leader too.

"Why don't we all go down there?" Brock asked hopeful.

"I'd love to dance Brock. Thanks for asking," May said with annoyance.

They all went down the stairs and Brock rushed off to meet the girl of his dreams. May and Ash danced a little bit away from Brock and his mystery girl. Brock wasn't exactly dancing with the girl. He was hoping that he'd somehow end up with her if he slowly danced towards her.

--

Austin twirled Misty inwards towards him again and this time held her there. Misty circled her hands around his neck and leaned a little closer. Just a little. Not too much to give him the wrong idea. She liked being with Austin. Austin was…less complicated. He made her feel more alive than she had felt in a long time. But what about Ash? It was different with him.

I turn to you, when fear tells me to turn around…

--

Ash and May danced not really together but in the same area. Ash watched as May's eyes followed Brock getting closer and closer to the mystery girl. Brock asked her to dance but was turned down. The girl was dancing with some other guy. He came back to May and Ash.

"Ouch man. That sucks," Ash said.

"I figure I should be used to it by now but every time it still hurts," said Brock with a frown.

Suddenly, Ash saw a glint of red across the room in the crowd. 'Don't freak out Ash,' he said to himself. 'Bright red is a very common hair color,' he tried to convince himself. 'Who am I kidding?'

"Ash where are you going?" May asked as Ash tried to get through the crowd to the other side of the room. There were so many people it was hard to get anywhere.

I turn to you…to you…

--

The song ended and a slow song came on.

"Should we carry on?" Austin asked Misty.

"Sure, why not?" Misty said as Austin pulled her in closer. Misty felt an electric shock travel up her spine as her torso nestled into Austin's. She could feel his muscles moving underneath his shirt. Misty looked over Austin's shoulder and saw Gloria and Phil dancing together. Janus had found some random girl and was dancing with her. Things were pretty good until Misty heard someone nock over a table. She broke away from Austin and looked to where the table had fallen. A tall woman with long red hair, and a man with short purple hair were yelling at a waiter who had accidentally hit the table.

'No way. Could this get any more screwed up?' Misty thought to herself. "Um, Austin. I uhh have to go. Sorry, I just remembered that I had to uh…do something important."

"Do you have to be so quick smart about it?" Misty looked at Austin with a confused face. "I mean, do you have to leave so soon?" Austin corrected himself.

"Um yeah. I'm really sorry," Misty looked to where the accident had happened and she saw the two people leave the club in a hurry as the waiter muttered apologies over and over again. "I'll have to talk to you later okay?" Misty said. She started to walk towards the exit then she turned back and ran back to Austin.

"Back so soon?" He asked with a laugh. Misty stood on her toes and pecked Austin on the cheek. Then she ran out the door. Austin stood stunned and put his hand to his cheek.

Ash made it to Misty just in time to see her kiss some surfer guy on the cheek and run out the door.

--

Misty ran out of the club as quickly as possible looked around. Where had those two people gone? To her right, she saw two shadowy figures go down steps to the beach. Misty jogged quietly and followed them. She stood behind a palm tree that was growing on the beach and looked to the people.

'It IS Jesse and James!' she exclaimed in her head.

"I cannot believe that we have such incompetent people working for us," Jesse said with anger.

"It really wasn't his fault Jesse. You did try to trip him," James said.

"I was TESTING him. They should be looking out for anything and everything."

Misty stepped out from behind the tree. She felt it was better to stop their scheme early rather than to wait and figure out what it was. "I can't believe you guys are still like this. You'd think that you would have grown up by now." Misty said

"Oh my, who's there?" James questioned into the darkness.

"It's one of the little dweebs! Misty darling how are you?" Jesse exclaimed giving Misty a hug.

"Um fine except for that," Misty said. "What's your worthless scheme now?"

"No scheme," Jesse said.

"We're honest people now," James finished.

"Yeah I really believe that," Misty said.

"No really! Did you notice how we didn't do the whole Team Rocket chant?" Jesse said.

"You have got to be kidding me," Misty said in disbelief.

"No joke. We own a chain of clubs now, it's GREAT money." Jesse said proudly.

"Fuego is our newest one!" James said with pride.

"Where's Meowth?" Misty asked.

"Meowth…sweet sweet friend of ours," James began.

"He dropped us, settled down, and started a family." Jesse said with penitence.

James smiled, "I still talk to him occasionally. You see, Jesse and him had this fight about—" At that point Jesse covered James' mouth.

"He's living a free life away from us now," Jesse said.

"Um…sure…" Misty said. At that moment, a voice came from the top of the stairs.

"Are those people bothering you?" Misty recognized the voice.

"No actually. We're…old friends," Misty said. She couldn't see the person's face. The person stepped out. "Oh my gosh. GARY?" Misty said in disbelief. This entire trip turned out to be the uncanniest time of her life. This was all just too coincidental.

"You're old friends with Team Rocket?" Gary asked confused.

"We're good now! We're just Jesse and James, co-owners of a very well off chain of clubs." James said defending himself. Misty nodded to Gary and he looked at them all like they were crazy.

"Um…okay," he said after a long period of silence. The four stared at each other for a long time.

Jesse interrupted the silence: "Well, we best be on our way!" She grabbed James and the two trudged off into the darkness.

Gary and Misty laughed together at what had just happened. "Well, my whole plan was to be the knight in shining armor but that didn't work out." Misty smiled. The two started walking up the stairs to the street.

"Well it was very brave of you," Misty said.

"Thanks," Gary replied. He glanced at his watch. "Wow it's getting late, do you need a ride somewhere?" He asked her.

"Yeah, kind of." Misty said.

"Sadly, I don't have a car so we both are in the same boat," Gary said.

Misty laughed again. "And I got my hopes up. I thought I'd finally get to ride in your car."

"Well I couldn't exactly bring it," Gary said. The two were walking down the street, presumably in the direction of Misty's hotel.

"What are you doing here?" Misty asked.

"I'm in the tournament. When I saw you the other day I was just going home to visit Dad and pick up a few pokemon."

"Ohhh," Misty said.

"Yeah. This year it's a bunch of newbie trainers. I'm not really that concerned." Gary said confidently.

"Really?" Misty didn't know that. Maybe she had a better chance than she thought. She felt she really needed to be training though. Tomorrow morning she would start. The beach looked like a nice place.

"Yep. What hotel are you staying in?" Gary asked.

"The Fortune," Misty answered.

"That's an odd coincidence. Me too."

"It seems like a popular place for everyone who's actually in the tournament." Misty said.

"Awesome. Hey, we're almost there." Gary said pointing down the block. Misty hadn't even noticed that they had walked that far. The two walked in pleasant silence until they reached the elevator of the hotel. They were standing in there when Gary spoke.

"Do you want to have breakfast tomorrow? I mean, to catch up and all, just as friends?" Gary asked. Misty thought. Tomorrow was way to busy to do anything with anyone.

"I'm really sorry Gary but I have this photo thing and then a press conference," Misty said. 'And I have so much training to do,' she said silently to herself.

"Right, the gym leader thing. Rain check?"

"Absolutely."

Gary got off of the elevator at floor 17 and Misty continued to her floor. Tonight was so bizarre. Two floors up the doors opened.

Misty's eyes opened wide. "OH MY GOSH," Misty said loudly. Standing in front of her was Ash Ketchum. He was carrying an ice bucket. He stood there staring at her and Misty stared back. Misty quickly pressed the close door button in the elevator and the doors closed and the elevator began to rise again.

"STUPID!" Misty yelled at herself and hit her fist on the side of the elevator. The elevator got to her floor and she pressed floor 19 and went back down. 'Why am I so stupid? Why did I do that? What is wrong with me?' she asked over and over again. The doors opened and Misty stepped out. The hall was empty and all the doors were closed. A tear slid down the side of her face. How could the sight of one person ruin an almost happy night? Misty went back into the elevator and went to her floor. She unlocked her room and threw her bag at the wall. 'I'm so stupid.' Tonight would be the second night that she would cry herself to sleep.

--

Ash had gone strait back to his room. He placed the ice bucket down on a table and crawled into his sleeping bag.

"Ash did you get the ice?" May asked. Max and Brock were sleeping soundly. The three had left the club early after Ash had started acting weird. When they asked him what happened. He just shrugged them off. 'I thought I saw someone I knew,' he told them.

Ash didn't answer May. He just turned on his side and stared at the wall. May laid down on her bed. She was so concerned for her friend.

"Ash I'm worried about you," May said as she turned off the lights.