Ash has met a colorful cast of characters on his journey. However he's about to spend an extended period of time with somebody that neither he or Steven haven't had the friendliest relationship with. Ash will also discover a shocking secret about one of his friends, and will even make a new ally soon. *POKEMON AND STEVEN UNIVERSE ARE NOT OWNED BY ME*

The sun shone brightly on the Beach City boardwalk as Ash and Serena walked the pier to catch up with Misty at her new job working at Funland. Steven had approached Mr Smiley earlier in the week to get Misty employed as a booth operator, and seeing how Mr Smiley was the only person working at the entire amusement park, she was immediately hired.

"You doing alright?" he asked Serena as they turned the corner "we haven't really had time talk one on one until now"

"I've been doing great lately" she answered him "Lars and Sadie have been great friends, Bonnie's been getting better and Jamie's been a great roommate"

"Yeah, Jamie's a great guy" he retorted in a subtle attempt to get Serena interested in him. However he could tell it wasn't as subtle as he thought it was as she looked at him oddly.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked

"Well, i mean, he's just like a great guy. Like he's a really caring and passionate guy. I knew you two would get along great as you're both performers." he stumbled through as they walked.

"Yea i guess so" she said as they entered the gates of Funland. They looked around to see Misty running one of the prize booths, talking with a girl around her age and blushing. The two trainers looked at each other with surprise before the girl walked away leaving Misty alone at her booth.

"Hey Misty" he said approaching her booth

"Hey Ash, is this Serena?"

"Yep" she answered "you must be Misty, it's nice to meet you" she said shaking her hand "how's the job?"

"Pretty good. Met a lot of neat people"

Serena took a quick glance at her watch "aw crud, i've got to get to the Big Donut for work, i'll see you later Ash, nice to meet you Misty" she exclaimed as she turned and ran off the direction she and Ash came from.

"She's cute" Misty said

"'Yeah, speaking about cute girls, what was that all about? You were blushing as red as Garnet when you were talking to that girl. Mist, are you gay?"

Misty looked at the ground like she was upset about something before she finally looked her old friend in the eye. "Ash, shortly after i stopped traveling with you, i discovered that yes, i do like girls. But still also like boys" she confessed with a tone of sadness and her eyes starting to water "i hope this doesn't change our friendship Ash"

He placed his hand supportively on her shoulder, "Misty, you and i have been through to much together for me to end our friendship because of your sexuality. Now come on, no crying in Funland you've got customers to help"

"Thank you Ash" she said hugging him "and i'll try not to steal Lapis away from you" she joked as she returned to her job.

After his trip to Funland, Ash returned to the wash with Greg. At around 3:00, Greg suddenly ran out from the inside of the building.

"Ash listen, you got your license earlier this month right?" he asked

"Yeah why?"

"Listen, we're down to our last case of soap. I've got an order ready for pick up in Keystone state, but i can't get it because the tax collectors coming an hour. Could you possibly go to Keystone with my car and get it? I'll give you the directions to the place and even throw in some money for a motel and breakfast. I know of a great place for you to stay and eat"

"Uh, yeah sure Greg, i can do that"

"Thank you so much Ash. and don't worry if you get into any trouble, as i placed your name on the registration with mine" he said handing him an envelope full of money to pay the vendor and directions to the vendor's location as well as to a place called "The Keystone Motel"

"Not a scratch" he told Ash handing him the keys to his prized Dondai Supremo.

Before Ash drove to the next state over, he figured he would first tell Lapis about his quest and drove to the barn to request her to watch his pokemon again "i'll only be gone for a day" he told his group of roommates as he kissed Lapis goodbye "i can't possibly get into that much trouble in one day right?"

Despite it only being a four hour drive, the sun was already beginning to set as he approached the soap store. After paying the vendor and packing the nearly twenty boxes of soap in the trunk, he began to drive towards the motel Greg had recommended in the night off the country road

As he passed a sign that read "Keystone Motel next exit" he saw the outline of somebody walking the side of the road with his thumb out attempting to hitchhike in the distance. He slowed the car down and began to debate in his head about picking up the stranger, but as he got closer, he saw the hitchhiker was no stranger at all, but was Stevonnie's nemesis and the teenager Ash had assaulted the day before his birthday nearly a week ago, Kevin. At this point, he was tempted to completely pass him, however Ash eventually decided it was the right thing to do and pulled over next to the teen.

Kevin opened the door and began to get in before recognizing him. He sighed in annoyance as he began to step out of the car, but then stopped to think.

"It's either you get in or you keep walking" Ash told him

After a few more seconds, he finally closed the car door and buckled his seatbelt as Ash began to drive.

There was a brief, uncomfortable silence between the two as he drove before Ash finally broke the silence

"Why were you hitchhiking? What happened to your car?"

"Got impounded" he pouted "according to the cop that took it i parked in a handicap zone and since it's my dad's car i couldn't pick it up. Now i've got to get back to Beach City on foot and can't call my parents because my phone is dead. Now i've got to depend on you, the guy who threatened me last week. I don't even know your name dude"

"It's Ash. And i know exactly who you are Kevin"

"How do you know me?"

"I'm friends with those kids who turn into that girl you antagonize" he answered him

For the next thirty minutes, there was enough tension in the car that you could cut it with a knife. It was only until Ash had turned into the parking lot of the Keystone Motel that his passenger spoke up.

"What are we doing here?" he asked with annoyance

"We're spending the night here" he answered as he parked the Dondai

"No we're not" he sternly said

"Why not?"

"Because it's a shitty, backwoods motel. Do you know the disgusting things that happen at places like these?"

"Oh, you mean like the stuff you wanted to do to my friend?" he sarcastically told him "besides, this is the only place for us to stay, and i am not driving until four in the morning. I'm staying at this motel for the night, now you can either spend the night here with me Kevin, or you can walk back to Beach City"

Kevin finally gave in and followed Ash to the check in, making sure they got a two bed room. They entered their room, Ash took a shower and changed into his undershirt as Kevin took his. After they were ready for bed, Kevin turned on the old television and the two sat on their beds watching whatever was on in silence before he turned to his companion with interest.

"Why do you bully Stevonnie like that?" he asked genuinely

"Is that what her name is?" he asked with the trainer nodding. "Well, i'm a jackass, it's what jackasses do, we antagonize people for a reaction"

"Oh is that why you were screaming like a baby back at the drag race when she didn't give you the reaction you wanted?" he asked with a smug smile

"Shut up Ash" he angrily told him, covering himself with his blanket. There was another silence in the dark room, only illuminated by the TV, before Kevin turned back to Ash.

"That uh, that girl at the donut place that you tried to beat me over, she your girl?"

"No, she's just a good friend, not my girlfriend. But i wouldn't try anything on her, because i've got a feeling that she's gonna be off the market soon, if you know what i mean"

"Who's the lucky guy?"

"My friend Jamie, he works for the post office"

"Oh so you let the freaking mailman date her but not me?"

"BECAUSE HE RESPECTS HER!" he yelled. He took a second to calm down before turning back to him. "I'm sorry. It's just that she's my oldest friend, and she's been through a lot. And her happiness means a lot to me."

"Alright well, if she's off the market, i ain't shopping for her. I don't go for taken girls"

Ash looked at him with an understanding smile "at least this prick has some morals" he thought to himself

"You got a girl Ash?" he unexpectedly heard Kevin ask from the darkness with genuine interest

"Yeah, i've got a girlfriend. And things are pretty serious to. I've been considering popping the question, i've just been waiting for the ideal moment. You can't rush this thing you know"

"Well, i guess i wish you luck with that" he said as he settled himself into his bed. "Night"

"Goodnight Kevin" he said as he closed his eyes.

An unknown amount of time passed as he slept, but he was awoken by a bright light. "Kevin what are you?" he asked as he opened his eyes. But he quickly saw that he was no longer in the motel room, but was now standing in a brightly lit room with odd items around it. He saw a long table in the center of the room with a familiar face lying down on it on his back.

"CLEMONT!" he shouted as he ran to his friend on the table. "Clemont i'm here i'm gonna get you out of here" he began to try to remove the latches around his wrists and ankles that bound him to the table, but they wouldn't budge.

"Clemont i need your help to get these off you" he pleaded, but got no response as the Lumiose City gym leader simply stared at the ceiling of the room.

"Clemont?" he asked again before he heard the door open.

Before he had the chance to hide, a Peridot with her gem on her wrist entered the room, taller than his friend as she was wearing a set of limb enhancers. To his surprise the Homeworld gem walked straight past him as she approached the table. It was then he realized that he wasn't really on Homeworld, he could only watch and couldn't do anything.

"This will hopefully cause you to remember your place in the Diamond authority" the Peridot said intimidatingly as her gravity-defying fingers turned to a series of surgical instruments. A look of pure fear and resentment appeared on his friend's face as she came closer.

Ash closed his eyes and looked away before the procedure began. As Clemont began to scream in agony, his vision returned to blackness, and then he woke up to Kevin shaking him awake.

"Ash? Ash!?" he said with a look of concern as he shook him back to reality.

"Kevin? What are you doing?"

"You started screaming some guy's name and thrashing around"

"Sorry" he said as they both returned to sleep

The next morning he and Kevin left to eat breakfast at the dinner that Greg recommended and took their seats at The Best Dinner in the World, or so it was called.

"So, last night you seemed pretty worried about me" Ash remarked after they received their breakfast.

"Well yeah, you were screaming and i couldn't get my beauty sleep" he said with a slip of his coffee

"Sorry about that again. Hey can i ask you something?"

"You're buying me breakfast and a motel room, so i don't see why not. Go ahead"

"What were you even doing in Keystone?"

"Keystone Central Mall is the only place i buy my designer shoes from, then officer pig comes in and takes my car away, leaving me to hitchhike back to Beach City after my phone died" he then turned his head to something behind Ash "speaking of officers" he remarked

Ash turned around to see two police officers were talking to the hostess. However, she unexpectedly pointed at both him and Kevin, and the officers approached their booth.

"Son, is that your 1996 Dondai Supremo?" one of the officers asked Ash

"Uh, yeah, is there a problem officer?"

"Son, your car's plate number matches that of a Supremo that resisted arrest and ran several red lights outside Beach City Delmarva four weeks ago." they stood the two teens up and began to lead them both outside, as they put handcuffs on Ash's wrists and began to read him his rights.

"What do we have here?" the other officer asked Kevin as he removed a set of brass knuckles from Kevin's pocket. "Son, are you aware that these are illegal to own here?" he asked as he also placed Kevin in handcuffs and pushed the two into the back of the squad car

"Oh my god my dad's gonna kill me" Kevin cried

"This makes no sense, why would Greg do something like this?" he thought to himself. But then he remembered the officer said that the crime occurred around four weeks ago, around the time Pearl, Amethyst, and Steven borrowed the car to go to the concert. And from what Amethyst had told him, Pearl had driven extremely recklessly in order to impress a girl. He was being arrested for Pearl's actions.

After both were booked and their bail was set at $10,000 each, the duo were lead to the lobby of the police station, where they were given their one phone call.

"Alright, we should call my employer Greg," he suggested reaching for the phone. But Kevin grabbed the phone right out of Ash's hand with a look of determination

"No, i can get my dad to get us out. Just trust me Ash, he'll get us out of here. Just give me a few minutes and we'll be home free"

Ash looked him in the eye to see Kevin had a look of sincerity, besides Ash didn't really want to call Greg for bail money and explain how he lost Greg's prized car because of Pearl's mistake. He noticed that Greg and Pearl had lately begun a newfound friendship after apparently years of harsh feelings about Rose, he didn't want to destroy that rekindled friendship with his arrest because of Pearl . "Alright, i'm gonna trust you"

After Kevin made the call, the two were lead to the large holding cell with the other prisoners. The two found a corner in the crowded cell and sat down waiting for Kevin's father to post their bail.

"Hey you, you look familiar" they heard a female voice say from the opposite side of the cell. A tall, well built woman walked over to them, Kevin looked nervously at the butch, pink haired girl as she sat down next to Ash.

"I think i met you at Mike Krol's party a few weeks ago. You bumped into me?"

Ash took a second before he finally recognized the pink haired woman as the girl who gave Pearl her phone number.

"Oh hey, sorry i didn't remember you, i'm Ash and this my" he found himself stopping to think of how he was going to describe his relationship with Kevin, but then he decided "this is my friend Kevin"

"Hey" his companion said

"Nice to meet you Ash, Kevin, they call me S. So, what are you in for?"

"Arrested for your girlfriend's crime" he sarcastically told her

"Girlfriend?"

"That skinny girl who was wearing my jacket. She's a friend of mine"

"Oh yeah, saw that girl running from the cops, she seemed pretty badass. Shame she never called me i was really looking forward to talking to her. I got busted shoplifting by the way before you ask" she said with a wink

"Pearl didn't call you? Well i'll tell her to if i don't strangle her for what she did" he angrily said before placing his hand over his mouth after realizing he shouldn't have said that in a police station. Around three hours passed as Ash, Kevin and S talked, with S protecting them from the other prisoners as she was the most intimidating person in the holding cell before an officer entered the room.

"Ash! Kevin! Your bails been paid!" the officer shouted as he opened the cell door

"I'll get Pearl to call you S. Good luck" Ash said shaking the woman's hand

"Good to see you again Ash"

"Where's my dad?" Kevin asked as they were given their belongings back, with the exception of Kevin's illegal brass knuckles.

"He left as soon as he paid your bail. He told me to give this to you" the officer said handing him a letter

Kevin skimmed over the letter before turning back to Ash, "looks like my dad's getting my car. i'm gonna need you to drive me to a gas station where he'll meet me. Can i ask you for one last ride Ash?" he explained with a trusting smile

The two returned to the car and drove to the aforementioned gas station, Kevin sat on the bench inside as Ash went to the bathroom. After Ash was finished, he turned to his companion

"So, i guess this is it huh?" he asked "didn't expect this to happen on a simple errand. Never thought the guy who bullies one of my closest friends would be posting my bail"

"And i never thought the guy who assaulted me would help me so greatly. I think it's alright for me to call you my friend?"

"I think that can be confirmed to be true" he said shaking the teen's hand

"Oh yeah, i got you a gift, for that girl of yours" he said with an evil smile as he handed a small, blue box to Ash.

Looking down at the "gift", he saw the familiar Trojan warrior helmet on the box and laughed sarcastically as he put the box of condoms in his back pocket before turning back to the car and driving away.

As he pulled up to the car wash, Ash had a hard time explaining to Greg how he was arrested for Pearl's actions.

"So Pearl used my car and you got arrested for her mistake?" he asked as they finished unloading the soap

"Sorry Greg"

"It's no problem Ash, it's not your fault. I'm just glad your friend was nice enough to pay your bail, i should send him a fruit basket or something"

After the soap was done being unloaded, Ash began to make his way to the Temple to give Pearl a piece of his mind and tell her to man up and call S

"Steven's gonna kill me" he said to himself as he approached the door to see the shadows of Steven, James, Bonnie and another figure Ash assumed was Pearl, through the closed blinds.

"Pearl! I'm gonna!" he exclaimed as he opened the door. Only to see Steven, James, and Bonnie were all sitting in the living room with a hideous, human like creature with a beak, a single green eye and a long, flowing white mane. The green bodied monster looked at him and screeched as Ash screamed in fear.