Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. And I alternate between using the American and British spellings of words but I do enjoy defying the orders of the almighty Microsoft Word.

Oh, and Ash doesn't actually like Erynn that way… but he does feel uncomfortable around girls in skimpy swimsuits… like me; only I feel awkward around girls in general. Unless it's my sister… then I don't really care.

Whatever it is, it's finally time for RJ to meet Ash! I'm afraid this chapter will be far more rushed than the past one; my third language lessons mean I have an hour to write this, so… this is it. Chapter 15 of Pokémon Go!

RJ knocked on the door, waiting for an answer. The numbers 137 hung over the door in a corridor filled with many such doors, all exactly the same. He was ready to turn and walk away when the door opened. It was Dave; he looked as though he'd just finished taking a shower.

"Hey, come right on in."

RJ stepped through the door, sitting in one of the black leather armchairs which, together with the table, were the only pieces of furniture in the room, apart from the beds.

"My room's actually just a short way down; room 147. Where's the trainer you said you were going to introduce me to…?"

Dave looked out the window, as though hoping that Ash and Erynn would suddenly jump through it, shouting "Surprise!" as they did.

"They should be back shortly… the sun's already going down… by the way, where's Machop…?"

RJ raised an eyebrow.

"They…?"

Dave thought for a moment, then realized what he was getting at.

"My partner's with your partner… I mean future Partner… hopefully."

RJ shrugged.

"Don't get me wrong, though; I just need a partner to get through this Gym… and then I'm off on my own."

Dave nodded.

"Understood; funnily enough, that's all he seems to want either."

"Back to your earlier question…"

RJ tapped a Pokéball attached to his waist.

"What's wrong? Plenty of Pokémon go around in Pokéballs…"

Dave shrugged sheepishly and called to Espeon, who jumped down from the upper bunk.

"Espeon's never been one to stay in a Pokéball… and Ash… your partner's Ditto, doesn't have one."

RJ looked thoughtful.

"Ash, eh…? I wonder…"

At that moment, the two trainers in question stepped into the room. Erynn wore black leather pants, and a jacket over her bikini top now; Ash looked from Dave to the newcomer with bemused interest. His eyes lingered on the boy's Pokéballs, and his spiky hairdo.

"Dave… who's this…?"

Dave quickly got up and made the introductions. Now it was RJ's turn to examine Ash, and particularly the Ditto which stood at his feet.

"Nice to meet you, Ash; I'm RJ."

Ash raised an eyebrow even as he took the proffered hand.

"RJ…? Does that stand for something, or is that really your name…?"

RJ shrugged; he didn't really care to answer that.

"Just call me RJ."

The two of them shook hands, then stepped back in customary trainer-to-trainer appraisal.

"So…" Ash started.

"Dave said you didn't have a Double Battle partner…" RJ tried.

"Great! I guess that settles it!"

At that, the two of them shook hands, grinning. Erynn looked between the two of them, more than a little confused.

"So… is that it, then? Are the two of you Double Battle partners already…?"

The two of them turned to her and nodded. Ditto bobbed its head up and down from its place on Ash's shoulder.

Eh… what…?

"Ditto… get off my shoulder! You're starting to eat into the fabric."

Reluctantly, Ditto climbed off his shoulder, making small dissatisfied noises as it did.

"It's not my fault I slime clothes up, Dit…"

RJ looked amusedly at the scene, unsure of what to say. After Ash had cleaned up the stain adequately, he turned back to RJ.

"Sorry about that… this is my Pokémon partner… Ditto."

Ditto waved hello.

RJ smiled and removed a Pokéball from his belt.

"Come on out, Machop."

The grey-green humanoid emerged from the Pokéball in a flash of red immateria. He walked up to the pink creature and greeted it in Pokémon fashion.

"Nice to meet you."

Ditto was genuinely pleased at meeting a sociable Pokémon to talk to. All Hoppip had done was sleep all day, and Espeon had seemed a little old.

"Hello. I'm Ditto and my trainer's an idiot."

Machop sweatdropped, more than a little taken aback.

"That's… interesting."

Ditto made a noise that sounded suspiciously like Erynn's humming. Then, hoping it hadn't defamed his trainer too much, he tried a compromise.

"But he really is nice at heart."

Ash and RJ watched the conversation with interest; neither had any idea what either was saying, though. Erynn let out a little laugh as Ditto spoke again.

"It's not saying much nice about you, Ash…"

Ash turned to Erynn, curious.

"How did you know that…?"

She shrugged.

"From Ditto's body language, it's fairly obvious…"

She looked to the other two boys in the room; none of them seemed to believe it for a minute.

"I'm not lying," she said flatly.

"Right… then…" Ash collapsed into the chair next to RJ. Erynn sighed and gathered up her things to go take a shower. Dave shrugged and returned to his preparing his items for the trip to Lake Baria he'd planned the next day.

RJ looked to Ash. Ash looked to RJ. Neither of them knew what to say.

"We should try at least one Double Battle before we challenge the gym…" this from RJ.

Ash nodded slowly; he hadn't actually thought of that, surprisingly.

"We could go try and find some trainers to battle tomorrow…"

RJ shook his head; his eyes gleamed with the spark of an idea.

"Better. Tomorrow we can visit the Trainer's Square."

Clueless, Ash motioned for him to continue. This boy looked younger than he was, and his haircut might have seemed a tad over the top, but he was definitely a lot better informed than he was.

"Every Sunday, trainers from all over the city turn up in the city's center to test their Pokémon against one another. No prizes, but it's the best place to go if you want a challenge. I've heard some of the other cities, specifically Magnes and Gold, hold these weekly events as well."

Dave had finished with his packing, and now came over to listen.

"How do you know all of this…?"

RJ shrugged.

"Experience. And a good Trainer's Handbook always helps."

"I think maybe I'd like to go too…"

RJ shrugged.

"Sure; the more the merrier, I always say."

Ash stared at him a moment.

"Do you?"

Caught by this abrupt question, RJ answered, obviously amused.

"Well… frankly no. But I always did want to."

He lay awake in his bed; he couldn't sleep. Something nagged at him, something he thought he needed to do. The bunk under his was occupied by Dave and a very restless Espeon, while Ditto lay in Erynn's bunk over at the other end. For some reason the little pink squirt had developed a bond with the purple-and-black girl.

The night was quiet, apart from a soft whirring sound that was the Pokémon Recovery Machine which was the centerpiece of every Pokémon Centre. RJ was back in his own room, while the gentle breathing of the room's four other occupants was all that disturbed the silence, with an occasional snortle from Ditto.

At the foot of his bed he felt the weight of six or seven shopping bags; Erynn's purchases had been unable to fit in the tiny cupboard they'd been given; their bags were already inside. He squirmed in his bed, restlessly trying to find his own way to the Land of Nod.

He remembered the day's events as though they were a passing dream. Dave's waking him up… then Erynn's beating him up. Her dragging of his reluctant body to the first shop, and his subsequent submission (not the Pokémon attack); the breakfast they'd had of two salads and skimmed MooMoo Milk. He grimaced as he remembered how she'd tried to force him onto a vegetarian diet.

More shopping; he subconsciously balled his hands into a fist to remember the torture it'd been to carry all her purchases; even now he still felt a twinge of fatigue.

Funny; the fatigue should've put me to sleep already… yet…

He remembered lunch; it hadn't been especially fulfilling. He'd practically flown at his sandwich; he remembered her tiny bites… slowly; far slower than he'd have thought possible. And he remembered the café with its frilly parasols; so wonderfully unromantic in its proliferation.

He remembered how she'd brought him to that strange, out-of-place store, where she'd bought that ridiculously skimpy outfit. He tried not to remember how she looked in it. He remembered, too, the PokéNav and the email message he'd received. Softly he remembered his parents, and the faith they had in him.

He remembered the joint apology the two of them had made; it seemed like a milestone in them getting to know each other, at any rate. He remembered RJ, and that it would have been nice had he also remembered to thank Dave for helping him find a partner. He remembered what they had planned; that the four of them would visit the Trainer's Square together… and because of that he remembered what it was he truly wanted on this journey, and how it seemed to be working out just fine.

He remembered… and then he fell asleep.

A/N: It's the end of another chapter! I hope you enjoyed it because I'm half an hour late for bed and I've got to go to sleep and all so have a nice day and good night!

I have classes till late on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I'm sorry if this comes out a little rushed. Have a nice day all and, as again, good night!