Hello, glad you liked the last chapter! This one is kinda cute, so you might like it! Don't own Pokemon, enjoy!

Chapter 36: Hello Pichu, Togepi's Arrival

Along the way to Cinnabar Island for her seventh gym badge, Angelina had just eaten lunch right down the street from the Pokemon Center. She was just about to leave until she heard a very recognizable voice nearby.

"Hey Brock, when do you think that egg's gonna hatch?"

"They're here?" Angelina said, holding her fourth Pokemon egg. It was sun-yellow with two brown stripes in the middle going across. She saw Ash and his companions sitting in a booth two down from where she sat.

"What? You mean you sleep with that egg?" Misty asked incredulously.

"It's the only way it'll hatch." Brock explained. "What else can I do?"

"So Brock, what kind of Pokemon is gonna hatch out of that egg?" Ash asked while Misty rolled her eyes and an incredulous expression.

"To tell you the truth Ash, I don't know." Brock said unsurely.

"You mean it might turn out to be a Tentacruel?" Misty gushed excitedly.

"It could be, Misty." Brock replied.

"Oh, I'd love a Tentacruel." Misty sighed dreamily.

"Oh, but it could even be an Aerodactyl?" Ash added with slight worry.

"That's a possibility, too." Brock agreed.

"Maybe it won't be." Ash grimaced.

"I'd like it to be a Golem." Brock said hopefully.

"Oh, imagine if it were a lovely Lapras." Misty suggested happily.

"Hope they're not disappointed when its really a Togepi." Angelina muttered, following them out of the restaurant and unlocking her shiny blue 10-speed bike. She noticed they were approached by two people wearing dutch-like dresses selling eggs. They had a whole basketful of eggs similar to the one Ash had and tried to convince them to trading or buying one of their eggs. When Ash politely refused, the egg-sellers threw all the other eggs into the air and the real one got knocked out of Brock's hand. Angelina wasn't surprised it was Team Rocket in disguise, Ash and his friends weren't even paying attention to the motto as they were on the ground looking through the eggs.

"Haha, is this what you're looking for?" Meowth laughed, holding a white egg with red and blue triangles in some places.

"That's it!" Brock gasped. "Meowth's got our egg!"

"It was." Jessie began with a grin.

"Your egg." James finished with a sneer.

"Let's beat it!" Meowth screamed, then Team Rocket disappears from sight.

"Come back you thieves!" Ash yelled.

"I can't believe they stole your egg." Angelina said, approaching the trainer. "I'd feel the same way if that happened to me. You shouldn't let them get away like that!"

For once, Brock did not flirting with the young strawberry-blonde and saw the yellow egg in her arms. "Hey Angel, your egg never hatched yet?"

"Well I've... only had it for a couple months," Angelina replied, her face turned red as the memories flooded back to her mind of the events. "Although it's been shaking alot so it should any day now. I'm pretty excited."

"You're right about the pretty part," Brock grinned, then realized he said it out loud and blushed intensely as Angelina sported the same color darker.

Although they didnt have much luck, they decided to stay overnight at the Pokemon Center and continued their egg searching the following day. They had just finished dinner and walked down the hallway to their rooms to sleep. Suddenly, Angelina cried out that made everyone stop abruptly; the egg grasped in her hands was glowing with tremendous bright light and had little cracks running up and down.

"The egg's hatching!" Ash said, watching the egg take shape into a small yellow rodent sleeping soundly. It had large triangle shaped ears, a small lightning bolt tail, and tiny hands and feet.

"Aww! It's so adorable!" Angelina exclaimed, jumping slightly and almost fell if it wasn't for Brock having his arm around her waist. She remembered the talk they had a couple months before the egg arrived. The newborn Pokemon opened its chocolate-brown eyes, and sure enough, Angelina and Brock were the first things it saw.

"Pichu?" the tiny Pokemon mumbled innocently putting a paw to its mouth.

"Hey sweetie, I'm your new trainer!" Angelina told the baby Pokemon happily. "I'll call you Cocoa because Your eyes remind me of chocolate and you're just so cute!"

Pichu looked confused, then she smiled. "Pi... Chu!" she realized who her mother was and hugged Angelina around the neck.

"Wow, it looks just like Pikachu." Ash said.

"Pi, Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded. (Yep, it sure does)

Angelina laughed, "You're very close, Ash." she took out her Pokedex.

"Pichu, the Tiny Mouse Pokemon. The Pre-evolved for of Pikachu. It is not very skilled at storing electricity and may send out a stray jolt or two when amused or startled."

"What a cutie!" Misty said, extending a finger at Pichu, and the baby responded by playing with it.

"I'm amazed how healthy it looks," Brock said. "But I'm sure if you raise it with love and care, you'll have a strong Pokemon in no time."

"Of course, no doubt about that!" Angelina said, blushing as Pichu jumped onto Brock's shoulder and rubbed their cheeks together. "How cute! Cocoa likes you!"

"Well your Pichu would if Brock's the father, right?" Misty smirked at her older friends as they blushed hard enough to make a Charmeleon look green.

"That's true since I don't want that responsibility to a certain talking Meowth." Angelina replied, while many miles away the mentioned Pokemon sneezed.

The very morning, the four travelers were eating pancakes that Nurse Joy made for breakfast. Angelina was bottle-feeding her Pichu. Since the baby Pokemon was only a day old, she wouldn't expect Cocoa to be able to eat solids right away.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu cried, jumping onto the seats and starting a conversation with Cocoa. The baby Pokemon finished every drop of milk in the bottle and started to play with Pikachu on the table.

"Ok guys, ready to go find our egg?" Ash asked. Pikachu nodded as he jumped onto his trainer's shoulder. Misty and Brock got up from the table as well, leaving the kitchen with Ash while Angelina hurriedly finished off her orange juice and caught up with them.

"Pi-chu!" Cocoa cried, smiling as she hung onto Angelina's shoulder.

"Aww, that's cute but I don't want you to fall off my shoulder!" Angelina said, taking the small Pokemon and setting her in her arms. They exited the Pokemon Center and began walking down the dirt road, searching for Team Rocket.

"Look, another egg!" Misty holds out a fake-colored egg. "If we just follow these eggs, they'll lead us all the way to Team Rocket!"

"Wow, they're pretty dumb, aren't they?" Ash laughed. "Leaving us a trail of broken eggs."

"If they're so dumb, how come they're the ones who have the egg?" Brock asked.

"I guess you have a point there." Ash sighed.

They continued down the path until Pikachu scurries ahead and spots something. "Pika! Pika-pi-ka!" points out a cabin down in a little valley.

"They must be in there!" Brock said.

Approaching the cabin, Ash and friends sneak up to a window and watch the assuming Team Rocket in the middle of breakfast. Meowth beat James over the head with a skillet for serving scrambled eggs.

"That's definitely the egg!" Brock said.

"Right!" Ash nodded. "Now's our chance!"

"Can't I help?" Angelina asked.

"No Angelina, I don't want you or Cocoa hurt." Brock told her. "Stay out here. We'll handle them."

"Okay fine." Angelina sighed, slightly understanding how Brock didn't want anything happening to them. She watched her friends sent out their Pokemon and ambush Team Rocket inside the cabin. She crept over to the window, but not seeing much except for dark purple gas and everyone rushing around and catching the egg.

"Can't see!" Ash coughed. "Pidgeotto, Gust Attack! Blow this gas away!"

Ash's Pidgeotto flapped its wings and the purple gassy smoke disappeared. Everyone gasped and Angelina assumed something happened to the egg.

"Quick, someone catch it!" Misty cried. "The egg's gonna break!"

Angelina rushes over to the opened door, standing in the doorway and saw Pikachu catch the egg just as Ash had missed catching it.

"Pika!" Pikachu holds the egg. (Got it)

Angelina was relieved, walking inside and stands next to Ash as he takes the egg from Pikachu.

"Nice catch, Pikachu!" Brock pats the Pokemon on the head.

"Pi-kachu!" Pikachu squeaks. (Aw, it was nothing)

Angelina smiled, then saw Ash staring at the egg strangely. "You okay?"

"Ash, what's wrong?" Brock asked.

"It feels like there's something moving inside." Ash said as the egg begins to glow. "Uh…."

"Oh, no way!" Angelina gasped, watching the bits of shell break off.

"It's starting to crack!" Ash cried.

"Yeah, it's about to hatch!" Brock exclaimed.

"Pi-kaaa!" Pikachu awed.

"Hey! Oh, let me see!" Misty pushes the boys away, grabbing the egg.

Two small white legs popped through the bottom of the shell. Next, two teeny white arms popped through the sides. The top half of the shell began to crack. A tiny head poked out of the top of the shell. The Pokemon had triangles sticking out of the top of its head. It had two cute black eyes and a triangle-shaped mouth.

"Plee!" the Pokemon yawns, and sees Misty. "Toki!"

"Aww! It hatched, it hatched! Oh how cute! Ah-ha-ha!" Misty giggled excitedly.

"Toki?" the Pokemon blinks in confusion.

"Oh, hello to you, too!" Misty smiled.

"Plee! Toki, Toki!" the Pokemon squealed in delight.

"Oh, we're so lucky!" Misty exclaimed.

"We are!" Brock nodded.

"You're right!" Ash agreed.

"If Pikachu hadn't caught it…." Jessie added.

"That precious little Pokemon might have-" James started, but stopped.

Everyone realized what was going on. Team Rocket jumped to one side of the room while Ash and friends jumped to the other side.

"We have a battle to finish!" Jessie ordered.

"I almost forgot!" James said.

"Let's get'em!" Meowth cried.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" Ash commanded.

"Pika-chuuuuuu!" Pikachu released electricity on Team Rocket and they collapsed in hurt.

"See ya!" Misty waved, holding the new Pokemon.

"Later!" Ash followed, with Pikachu on shoulder.

"Bye!" Brock said lastly.

Angelina joins Ash and friends at a local park. She sits on a bench with Pichu on her lap while Misty sat to the right with Togepi on her lap and Pikachu perched to her left. Ash and Brock were leaning on the bench behind the girls; watching the new Pokemon mostly.

"Where am I?" Misty asked in a soft voice, covering her face with her hands. "Hi!"

"Plee! Toki, toki!" the tiny Pokemon piped.

"It's so cute!" Misty squealed.

"It sure is, Misty." Ash nodded. "But what kind of Pokemon is it?"

"Ah, good question." Brock said in wonder.

"Hey! Now that Dexter's been upgraded, maybe he'll know the answer." Ash took out his Pokedex.

"Togepi, an Egg Pokemon." Dexter said. "Specific information about this Pokemon is still unavailable."

"Well Dexter's really useful," Angelina commented. "Togepi transforms the kindness and joy of others into happiness, which it stores it in it's shell and it uses that energy to evolve."

"So, Togepi is your name." Misty smiled at the baby Pokemon. "You even sound cute!"

"Pi-kaa!" Pikachu agreed.

"Toki, toki!"

"You think so too, don't you, Pikachu?" Misty giggled.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

"Of course it's cute!" Ash rolled his eyes. "All newborns are cute."

"Well mine not cute; she's adorable!" Angelina corrected, petting Cocoa on the head.

"That's right." Brock cooed and picked up Togepi, holding it up to his face and stuck out his tongue goofily.

"Plee! Plee!" Togepi blinked, staring at the boy confused. Even Cocoa had the same expression while Angelina wondered why Brock wasn't giving any attention to her Pokemon.

"So now which one of us gets to keep Togepi?" Ash asked.

"I think I should," Brock insists. "I'm the one who incubated the egg."

"But I was the one who found it in the first place." Ash glared. "I just let you watch it for a while."

"I mothered it!" Brock yelled, forgetting he was already fathering another Pokemon.

"Well I think I should keep Togepi because it likes me best. Right, Togepi?" Misty asked, taking the Pokemon out of Brock's hands.

"Plee!" Togepi smiled.

"It's obvious," Misty said proudly. "Togepi has made the right choice."

"No fare, I found it! So it's mine." Ash protested.

"Well, maybe you should've taken better care of it." Misty said, nonchalantly.

"But you never took care of it." Ash argued.

"That's right." Brock informed. "I took care of it."

"Oh yeah?" interrupted another voice, which belonged to Team Rocket's Meowth. "I took care of it more dan all of ya put togetha!"

"Huh?" Ash and friends stared confusedly at the feline Pokemon.

"That's right. You never saw how much Meowth cared for that egg." James said, sniffling as if he were crying. "They were together when they ate, they were together when they slept. They even bathed together. It was touching."

"Just hearing it brings tears to my eyes." Jessie dabs a handkerchief to her eyes.

"I never knew you were so sensitive." Ash said.

"Save your pity." Meowth snapped. "All I want from you is my Togepi."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh." Jessie and James nodded.

"Team Rocket is acting almost human." Misty said, blinking in shock.

"That's nothing if you ask me," Angelina said. "Meowth is the natural father of Cocoa, but do you think he actually remembers? Certainly not from what I'm seeing."

Meowth saw the electric Pokemon in Angelina's arms and laughed. "So dat's my kid? It looks like da twerp's Pikachu!"

Angelina's eyebrow began twitching, "Just an FYI, Meowth. This Pokemon is the pre-evolved form of Pikachu." she informed. "She hatched from the egg that my Raichu had from your late night rendezvous many months ago."

Meowth blushed shamefully, "Oh dat's right. Heh, well you keep it, sweet-cheeks. I'd rather father Togepi den ur pip-squeak Pichu."

Angelina smiled calmly, controlling her temper. "At least Brock wants to have responsibility."

"Makes sense if you're planning for da future." Meowth smirked, which made Angelina blush. Even Misty was grinning and nudged Brock, but his warning glare kept her quiet fast.

"All right, the only way to decide this is through a Pokemon battle." Ash recommended.

"A Pokemon battle?" Meowth asked.

"That's right," Ash said. "We'll have a tournament and whoever wins gets to keep Togepi. Are you in or are you out?"

Meowth discusses whether to battle, asking Jessie and James in the meantime. "Count me in!"

The group makes their way over to a half-shelled theater-like arena where they arranged to have their tournament.

"We'll need an impartial judge." Brock stated.

"I'll do it, only because I want you all to fight fairly over Togepi." Angelina said. "So is this a six way tournament?"

"Not exactly, these two have no right to participate." Meowth said, refering to Jessie and James which they glared angrily at their team-mate. "They never performed a single act to assist Togepi."

"I can't believe you're being so selfish!" Jessie yelled.

"What about Team Rocket?" James asked.

Angelina rolled her eyes, she knew they just wanted Togepi because it was a rare Pokemon more deserving for their Boss. "Then just the remaining four will battle." she pinned up a tournament chart on the wall.

"Let's make it a sudden death battle by just using one Pokemon each," Ash suggested.

"Okay," Brock said.

"Let's do it!" Misty cheered.

"Fine by me!" Meowth pipped.

Jessie and James were sitting in the stands while Angelina leaned against the wall watching her friends search through their bags for what Pokemon they were using for their battle. Cocoa was peacefully napping in Angelina's arms while Pikachu played with Togepi. Meowth panics because he has no Pokémon and goes and asks Jessie and James for theirs. They refuse as he didn't let them participate, Meowth then remembers that he is a Pokémon and decides to battle for himself.

"Think I got a winner here," Brock said excitedly, holding up Pokeball. "Meowth is a Normal-type Pokemon and its attacks have no affect on Rock-type Pokemon like my Onix."

Angelina laughs, some-what impressed. "Well, maybe you'll win if Meowth forfeits the battle."

"You think it'd happen?" Brock grins hopefully, moving his face closer to hers. "So, how bout a kiss for good luck?"

"Um, well I think you'll be just fine," Angelina said, her face turning red as she moved away from the guy. "Get going or I'm disqualifying you."

"Right, sorry," Brock sheepishly takes his position for his battle. "Go Onix!" he throws out his Pokeball that reveals the giagantic rock-snake Pokemon.

"Go Meowth! Scratch Attack!" Meowth commanded and jumps out to battle, but the attack hast no affect on Onix.

"Your Scratch Attack can't do anything against Onix's rock-stone body." Brock laughs. "Onix, Rock Throw now!"

Onix roars and launches itself at Meowth whom cries and barely dodges the attack.

Angelina kept her eyes on the feline Pokemon, she was shocked that he turned two buckets of water for a makeshift Water Gun. Then he runs forward and repeatedly scrathes Onix with his glowing claws. The ground shook as Onix fell unconscious.

"I didn't know Meowth had it in him." Ash remarked.

"Onix! You okay?" Brock rushes to his injured Pokemon, then glares at Meowth. "Hey, throwing water is cheating!"

"I am merely a parent fighting for it's child." Meowth replies, then winks. "And I'm gonna win this tournament!"

Angelina rolled her eyes, "Yeah, keep dreaming that." she felt bad for Brock and he stood nearby with his head down in defeat. She rubbed his back and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry, I thought you were great."

Brock's face turned red as he straightened up. "Thanks. I tried even if luck wasn't on my side."

"There ya go. All that matters." Angelina said, smiling. "Okay, next up is Ash versus Misty." The bell rings, Ash sends out Bulbasaur and Misty was about to send out Starmie when Psyduck appeared.

"Quick, get back in the ball!" Misty shouted.

"Sorry Misty, this is a one Pokemon only battle. Psyduck is on the field so he must battle." Angelina ruled.

"Alright, Bulbasaur aim for Psyduck's head!" Misty shouted.

"You really think I'm that dense?" Ash asked.

"No, but you're very close!" Angelina shouted as Ash commanded Bulbasaur to lick Psyduck on the head. Then a tickle attack. Psyduck took itself out of the battle because of the tickle torture. "The battle is over! Ash and Bulbasaur win! The final battle will determine who gets Togepi!"

"All right, I choose Pikachu!" Ash said.

"In dat case I choose Meowth!" the feline Pokemon jumped forward. "Ready!" he growls at Pikachu, then looks determined to win after he takes a final look at Togepi just as the bell rings. "Alright Meowth, use your Fury Swipes." he commanded himself, but before he could do anything Pikachu put his tail to the feline's head and let loose a mighty Thunderbolt.

"I worked so fast, I'm a little shocked..." Meowth coughed, it's body chared and fell back in defeat.

"I declare Ash Ketchum the winner of this tournament!" Angelina shouted.

Ash jumps and cheers while Jessie and James drag their Pokemon companion away.

"Togepi, you're mine now!" Ash exclaimed happily, but Togepi stared on emotionlessly. "Uh, what's wrong?"

"Togepi, hey!" Brock snapped his fingers in front of the tiny Pokemon, but it didn't notice. "It's no good."

"I told you, but you didn't want to believe me." Misty replied, slightly frowning.

Togepi turned to Misty, smiling. "Toki, toki!"

"Look, it doesn't wanna go to anyone else but me now!" Misty giggled.

"Huh?" Brock and Ash are confused, they watch Togepi waddle to Misty and she picked it up.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Ash asked, taking out his Pokedex.

"Togepi is imprinted with the image of the first thing it sees after it hatches, thinking this is its mother." Dexter explained.

"Yea, that explains it!" Brock said. "When Togepi hatched, Misty was the first thing it saw!"

"I knew it!" Misty smiled. "Togepi likes me because it thinks I'm its mother! Right, Togepi?"

"Pleee! Toki-toki-toki-toki-toki-toki!" Togepi chants, following Misty.

Misty giggles and picks up the baby Pokemon, "I'll love you just like a mother would." She turns to Pikachu. "You'll help me take care of Togepi, won't you Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded.

Angelina felt bad for Brock and Ash; they were looking at the ground dejectedly. So Togepi now belonged to Misty, seemingly this new Pokemon was the real winner. Don't you think?

§To Be Continued§

*This chapter is based from the 50th episode, "Who Gets To Keep Togepi?"
*Ash gets his Pokedex upgraded and the egg that Ash found hatches into Togepi.
*The egg from Angelina's Raichu hatches into a Pichu, which thinks Angelina is the mother and has a special liking for Brock.
*Team Rocket wear dutch egg-sellers and steal the Togepi egg from Ash.
*Meowth is the natural father of Pichu, but wants to father Togepi after caring for it as an egg.
*Ash, Misty, Brock, and Meowth have a tournament to see who keeps Togepi.
*Brock's Onix knows Rock Throw and Geodude knows Tackle.
*Ash wins the tournament but Togepi chooses to go with Misty.
*Even though it was implied a few times in the episode and this chapter that Brock knew the concepts of breeding/raising Pokémon eggs, he didn't seem to know about imprinting until after Dexter revealed why Togepi wanted to go to Misty.

Thanks for reading, next chapter on the way!