Moments Alone, Chapter 5, "Behind the Glass Doors"

By Ellie, 2001, Revised 2007

Ash and Brock neared the huge glass doors of the Mahogany complex, eyes wide with curiosity. Pikachu had taken its place on Ash's shoulder once again, a position the Pokemon took less and less often as it and its trainer got older. While Pikachu still possessed the same spunk and energy that it did when Ash was a boy, the position seemed somewhat inappropriate now that they were both older. This situation was different. It was Ash and Pikachu's last league championship, so it seemed somehow fitting for the Pokemon to be sitting on his shoulder once again. And so, the pair walked through the doors, with Brock close behind.

They found themselves in a large, bustling lobby that had elevators and doors that surely led every which way. Directly ahead of them was a long front desk, with a perky Nurse Joy standing behind it. There was a short line under the "REGISTRATION" sign that hung from the ceiling. The trio quickly moved to the end of the line. "This is it, I guess," Brock mused, looking towards the Joy behind the desk.

Ash rolled his eyes. "You're not oogling over Joy, are you? I could have sworn you told me you were over her."

Brock's head snapped back to look at Ash. "Of course I'm over Joy. Over Joy- overjoyed- ha!"

Instead of laughing, Ash merely stared back at Brock, shaking his head. "You're a helpless case, you know that?"

"I'm hopelessly devoted to Suzie, Ash. All other women pale in comparison to her."

"Well, that's nice to know." Ash looked up at the diagram that hung behind the registration desk. "Do you suppose that's a map of the complex?"

"Huh? Oh, that? Hmm," He murmured as he examined the diagram from afar. "It looks that way. Yes, I think it is. See? There are four stadiums, one for each of the Mahogany Four. There's a picture of each of them next to the corresponding stadium."

Ash nodded and examined the diagram further. They were laid out in a circle. The registration building, where they were standing at that moment, was at the bottom. Then counter-clockwise to the right was the grass stadium, then the rock stadium, the fire stadium, and lastly, the water stadium. Next to each stadium, the diagram displayed a photo of the corresponding element master, all women. The grass element master had long, wavy brown hair and an elegant face. The rock master was a short with cropped dark brown hair, and the fire master was thin with stick-straight blond hair. The picture of the water-element master threw Ash off guard.

"Brock, look at that water-element master's picture," Ash said, his voice low.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Tell me she doesn't look just like Misty."

"She doesn't look just like Misty," he said after taking a quick glance.

"Look again, Brock. You can't say she doesn't even resemble her," Ash stated.

Ash gazed at the photo. She looked to be about 20, was definitely the youngest of the four, and had fire-red hair in a sophisticated cut that reached just beyond her clavicles. Brock looked again, then sighed. "Okay, I'll admit. She does resemble her. But that's all! You haven't seen her since she was thirteen or fourteen. That was what? Seven or eight years ago?"

"It was only six years ago."

"Still, Ash, six years is a real long time," Brock said, staring at the young man. "It can't be her. What on earth would she be doing in the Mahogany League?"

"We're here, aren't we?" Ash quipped.

"Ash, being here to compete is a whole lot different than being an one of the four element masters in the Mahogany League. And besides, to be perfectly honest, I doubt Misty would be at such a high level at this point in her life that she could even be considered for a position like that. Do you know how many challenges and battles a trainer has to go through to qualify for such a status? I'm sure every one of these women trained constantly from the day they turned ten in their specified field. And I know for a fact that Misty didn't do that. She traveled around with us for like, four years or something. There's no way. She's too young."

"I guess so," Ash sighed, his ounce of hope suddenly squashed. "I didn't realize how hard it is to earn a position like that one."

"Right. And about the resembelence, she could be one of Misty's relatives. They're whole family's into the water thing, you know? She's probably an older cousin," Brock mused, hoping to come up with an answer for Ash.

"I sure wish they'd post the names under the pictures…" Ash mumbled. "Oh, and Brock? Misty only traveled around with us for two years."

"Oh, really? Seemed longer," Brock said as the person in line in front of them finished their registration and moved out of line.

Nurse Joy set her eyes on Ash and grinned. "Hello, Ash!" she exclaimed giddily.

"Uh, hi Nurse Joy," He said, confused. "How do you know my name?"

"Oh, I've heard all about you on the news! They keep doing specials on all the Pokemon trainers who have signed up for the Mahogany League. They've said more about you than the others, of course, seeing as this is your last League challenge!" She replied.

"Cool, I hope mom taped them all," Ash laughed.

Nurse Joy smiled. "Your mom sure has a nice son to be proud of," she said, her voice suddenly syrupy. Before Ash could reply, she straightened herself up and said, "Well! Let's get you registered!"

"Pika!" Pikachu said, obviously excited. It had stayed quiet during the young men's conversation, seeing as contributing was quite a hassle, because Ash had to translate every thing Pikachu said for Brock.

"I'll take your Pokedex, please," Nurse Joy said. Ash handed it to her. She slid it into the machine and Ash's profile instantly popped up. She looked up to continue. "Okay, Ash, heads or tails?"

"Huh?"

"Choose- heads or tails. The computer is going to flip a coin for you," she explained.

"Aah, okay. I get it. Um… I'd have to go with… Tails," he said finally. The virtual coin came up on the screen and began to spin rapidly. It stopped spinning on heads.

"Heads!" Nurse Joy exclaimed. "That means you'll travel around the complex counterclockwise. Now choose a number between one and four."

"Three," he said, without hesitation.

"Okay, then! You'll be starting in the Grass Stadium. Your first match will be four o' clock this afternoon. Your other matches will be determined later on, and will be dependent on which trainers win and which lose this afternoon's matches. Here's your number," she said, handing him a button displaying a number four, "and here's your Pokedex. Make sure you attend the opening ceremonies at two this afternoon."

"Wouldn't miss it," Ash smiled.

"Wonderful. If you'd like, the Pokemon center here is offering free checkups and grooming on all the Pokemon you're planning to compete with. After I'm done explaining the rules, you may leave those Pokemon with me," She explained as if she'd said it many times before. "The rules are simple- no cheating is allowed, and the Element Masters make their own separate rules. The Element Master's separate rules apply only within the stadium in which they are dictated to you, but the no cheating rule applies throughout. The Element Master will dictate the rules and what actions are considered cheating to you before the match begins, and you are expected to follow them to the letter. Do you understand these guidelines I have recited to you?"

"I do," Ash replied.

"Sign here please," Nurse Joy said, placing a document and pen in front of Ash. He signed on the dotted line.

"Thank you very much!" She said, her voice now giddy, rather than professional. "I'll take your Pokemon now, if you'd like."

"Please," He said, handing her his Pokeballs. "Pikachu, you up for a checkup and a good grooming?"

"Pikachuu!" It said happily. The Pokemon jumped off Ash's shoulders and into Nurse Joy's arms.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy!"

"You're welcome! See you this afternoon!"

They waved goodbye to the nurse and Pikachu and headed out to explore, Ash holding hopes that he'd be able to find out the name of the red-headed water Element Master…

Continued in Chapter Six!