It's been quite a while since I last wrote for this story... More than a year, in fact. I apologize. I'm a much better writer and I'm more able to finish what I started. And that is exactly what I am going to do with this story.

Also, there is a mistake in an earlier chapter… Ash still has a Treecko... I will try and fix this error within this chapter. Also, don't expect any new chapters after this for a while. I'm going on a week-long trip and I'm also working on another series.

-Kouji Tamino

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When we last left our hero, he had returned to Kanto, finally beating the Elite 4 and the champ, becoming the new Pokémon Champion of the Indigo League! And now, after 4 years, almost 10 years since he began his journey, he has once again returned to his hometown, after exploring the rest of the world. Meeting up with some old friends, he soon finds out that his mother has amnesia…

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A Series of Events… Episode 3: A New Destination and a New Mission!

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"M-mom?…" Ash began, clenching his fist. "Y-you're joking, right?"

Delia shook her head. "I'm afraid not… And why do you keep calling me that?"

"Oh, mom…." Ash fell to his knees, tears running freely down his face. "Damn it, what am I going to do?"

"I tried to warn you…" Brock muttered, walking into the room. "She's been like that since she finally woke up… I'm sorry, man…"

"It's all right, Ash…" Misty said sadly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "She'll get her memory back somehow…"

"But what if she doesn't?…" Ash said grimly.

"Ash, I…" Misty frowned, punching him in the back of the head. "Now you stop moping around this instant!" she shouted. "The Ash I know would never give up hope! He would keep trying until his goal was made!"

"You're right, Misty…" Ash said, a grin on his face. "In fact, that's my new mission: Get my mother's memory back!"

"By the way, nice haircut…" Brock said with a smirk.

"Oh, um…. Thanks…" Ash said awkwardly. "That was random…"

"And oh yeah, Gary gave you a call…" Brock quickly added. "He said to go meet you at Professor Oak's lab! He had something to show you or something…"

"Aw, okay… C'mon, Pikachu…" he called to his electric friend.

"Hey, wait up!" Brock shouted. "I wanna go, too!"

Misty nodded. "Yeah, me as well…"

"Well who will watch over my mom?" Ash asked, concerned.

"Eh, Mimie can watch her for us…" Brock said, waving his hand.

A few minutes after the group had left for the lab, a brown haired girl walked up and knocked on the door. She was dressed in a red spaghetti strap shirt, matching skirts, and red sneakers. She sighed as no one answered. "I guess that no one is home…" she gasped as a Mr. Mime opened the door. "Oh, hi Mimie! It's been a while… Look, do you know where Ash went?"

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As they arrived at the lab, they were greeted by Tracey. No longer sporting his headband, he was wearing a traditional white lab coat. "Hey! Ash, Misty! It's been a long time!"

"Ahem…" Brock said, pretending to clear his throat. "What about me?"

Tracey stared at him. "I just saw you the other day…" he then smiled, raising a hand. "But hello to you as well! Gary is in the fields out back, in case you were wondering…"

"Okay, then!" Ash replied. "Thanks, Tracey!"

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Gary, wearing a labcoat as well over a purple t-shirt and black shorts, waved as the others walked towards him. "Hey, Ash! Glad you can make it! Hello again, Brock! Misty, still as lovely as ever!"

"It's nice to see you again, Gary!" Misty greeted. Blushing at his choice of words, she giggled. "Wow, how nice of you, Gary…"

Ash glared at his former rival. "So Gary…" he began, trying to quickly divert the conversation. "What did you call us here for anyway?"

"Oh! Of course!" Rubbing his chin with a smirk on his face, he continued. "I have a little errand for you…"

"Uh oh, he's starting to sound a little like Professor Oak…" Brock muttered, jokingly.

Glaring at Brock, he continued. "Anyway, Ash. Have you ever been to the Sevii Islands?"

"No, actually... I've wanted to go, though…" Ash said admittedly.

"What are the Sevii Islands?" a female voice asked. Everyone turned around to see May. "Oh, hey guys! I knew that I'd find you here! Mimie was no help, unfortunately, but I finally found you!"

"May!" they all screamed. "What are you doing here!"

The girl huffed. "What, I'm not allowed to see my friends! It's been four years! Damn it Ash, why didn't you ever call!"

"That's just what I'd like to know…" Misty muttered, crossing her arms. "Well, Ash? We're waiting for an answer…"

"Well the thing is…" Ash began, scared out of his mind.

"May!" a boy shouted, running up to the group. He was panting heavily, hands at his knees. He had black hair and was wearing an odd looking white hat that at first glance, seemed to be his hair. Wearing a black sleeveless shirt, olive green shorts, and green sneakers, he glared at her. "Why didn't you wait up for me?"

"You're too slow…" she said plainly. "By the way… Guys, this is my friend Brendan… He's a nice guy, but a bit of a dork…"

"Hey!" Brendan shouted in protest. "I am not a dork!"

"All right, that's enough!" Gary screamed. "Let me talk!" He sweat dropped as everyone stared at him. Clearing his throat once again, he continued his explanation. "The Sevii Islands are a small chain of Seven islands that are located to the south of Kanto…"

"Oh yeah! Lorelei lives on the fourth island, Floe Island!" Misty exclaimed. "I wanna go too!"

"Sorry, but I only have one Tri-Pass and it's for Ash…" Gary explained. "But if you head over to Bill's, he can probably hook the rest of you up! When you get there, Celio will explain everything in detail… He didn't give me the details, but he said it was an emergency…"

"All right then! Guys, it's off to Bill's and then to the Sevii Islands!" Ash exclaimed. "By the way, where is Professor Oak?"

"Oh, that lazy old man is asleep…" Gary muttered, annoyed. "If it wasn't for me, this place would probably be-- Ack!" he screamed, as he was whacked in the head with a wrapped up newspaper.

"Probably what, my dear grandson…" the elder Oak asked.

"G-grandpa!" Gary shouted. He began to stutter. "Um, I was just kidding around!"

"Professor Oak!" Ash said, greeting the man happily. "You're looking well!"

"I'm not dead yet!" he replied, smiling cheerfully. "I'm guessing that Gary has already told you about the Sevii islands?"

"Yep, and we were just on our way to Bill's to see if he could get the rest of us some Tri-Passes so we could go there with Ash!" May explained.

"Grandpa, your tea is ready!" a woman with brown hair and a green dress said, walking over with a cup of tea. She looked over and smiled. "Oh, Ash! What a pleasant surprise! Would you and your friends like some tea, too?"

"Oh, wow…" Brock said wistfully, staring at the woman in joy as he ran up to her. "What a beauty! Miss, would you please give me the honor of knowing your name? And perhaps your phone number as well?" He screamed out as Misty grabbed him by the ear and dragged away from her.

"Not today, lover boy…" she muttered in annoyance. "Besides, we're in a hurry…"

"Yeah, sorry Daisy…" Ash apologized. "We'll have to pass up that offer. Maybe next time?"

"Oh, I see…" she said in disappointment. "Well then, I guess that I see you later, then! Please come over for a cup of tea or two sometime! Gary and Grandpa are barely home these days and it gets lonely drinking tea alone!"

"Seeya later guys!" Gary yelled after them as they left, waving. "And good luck with whatever it is you're supposed to do!"

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"Who was that, anyway?" May asked as they walked through a wide field.

Ash shrugged. "Oh, that was just Daisy, Gary's older sister… So Brendan…" the young man began, as the group continued to walk through the field. "You're from Hoenn like May is, right? What kind of Pokémon do you have?"

"Who, me?" Brendan asked back, pointing to himself. He grabbed his Pokéballs and opened them all up to reveal a Sceptile, Mightyena, Heracross, Swellow, Gyarados, and Gardevoir. "Guys, meet my new friends!"

"Wow, you had a Treecko too?" Opening up one of his Pokéballs, he revealed his Treecko. "This Treecko is actually the son of my old Treecko, which has since evolved as well. He's almost just like his father, right down to the twig in his mouth…"

A few hours later, they were just arriving in Viridian City, where they decided to take a rest at the local Pokémon Center. "Good grief, isn't there an easier way to get to Bill's!" Misty whined, taking off her shoes and rubbing her feet. "I haven't walked this much in ages and it's killing my feet!"

"Well, if we had enough flying Pokémon than we could all just fly there…" Ash muttered, getting annoyed. "But we don't, so you'll just have to deal with it!"

"…I can't believe you!" she screamed, raising her arms and stomping around. "Here I thought that you had changed, when it's clear to me that you're still that bratty little kid I met years ago!"

Ash growled. "Oh yeah? Well you're still a whiny, bitchy, annoying tag-along! The only reason you followed me around was so you could get damn bike back!"

Misty's eyes widened in shock after hearing him say that. She tried to hold back her tears, slapping him in the face. "You… asshole! You don't understand how I feel at all!" She ran out of the Pokémon Center, crying freely as tears ran down her face.

"Misty, wait!" he shouted after her. "I didn't mean it, really! I was just…" he stared at the ground sadly. "…upset, that's all…"

"Well don't just stand there!" Brock shouted. "Go after her!"

"Right!" Ash shouted, running out the door after her.

"But Ash…" May whined, frowning as he left. "Aww…"

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"Misty!" Ash yelled after her. "Wait up, damn it!" He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "Geez, for someone who claimed to be tired of walking, you sure are running a lot…" Suddenly, an idea came to mind. "Oh, that's it!" Reaching into his bag, he pulled out another pair of shoes. Taking the ones he was wearing off, he put on the new pair and put the old ones away before bursting off in a sprint after the girl. "Misty! Get back here and stop acting like a little kid!" Catching up with her, he grabbed her around the waist and stopped. "Now stop! I said I'm sorry, so let's go back to the others!"

"Let me go, you pervert!" she screamed, swinging her arms around wildly. "I hate you! I hate you!" she then succeeded in whacking Ash square in the face, knocking him backwards onto the ground. "Oh my god! Ash, are you okay!" she asked in concern, her expression softening as she turned around to face him. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-- Oh no, you're bleeding!"

"I am?…" Ash asked as he slowly stood up. He put a hand to under his nose, which seemed to be dripping, and pulled it back to see a red and sticky fluid on it. "Oh shit, I am…"

"Here, let me help you…" Misty said softly, taking a yellow handkerchief out of her pocket and putting it to his nose. "Here, keep your nose pinched…"

Ash frowned, trying to back away. "But Misty… Your handkerchief will get stained…"

"Oh no you don't!" she shouted, quickly dragging him over. "Look, it's my fault that you're like this… Just let me help you out this once, okay?"

"Fine, fine…" Ash muttered. "Ow, ow! Careful, though!"

"Oops! Sorry…" she said sheepishly, lessening her grip on his nose.

From behind some bushes, the others watched in interest. "My my, how romantic…" Brock whispered, teasingly. He began to cry out in realization. "Damn it, I'm so jealous! Damn you Ash, always getting the girls without even doing anything!"

"Waaah, it's just not fair…" May whimpered, biting into her own handkerchief in distress. "Ash…"

"Yeah sure, act like I don't exist…" Brendan muttered, sitting with his back towards the bush with his arms crossed.

And so, our reunited heroes are on a new journey, with new friends as well! What other new faces and new places will they see? What new dangers will they face? And will the relationship of two certain people finally get somewhere? Keep tuning in to find out!

To Be Continued… And the events roll on…