Chapter 3: An All New Journey Pt1
"Well guys our new journey starts right here, right now", said Ash as he flipped the box open after looking at his two companions.
"Great Ash I'm glad you chose the right decision, I didn't want to have to make this too difficult on you", said Cynthia as she walked back in the living room in her dark red Pokéball pajamas.
"Now I shall begin the long boring explanations of what these things do and what you will be doing on your next journey, but first I think a drink is in order", said Cynthia as she pulled a small blue bottle of pokéale and two wine glasses out of the cooler sitting next to the couch Ash was sitting on.
"I'm sorry Cynthia, but I don't drink, I may be of age but I don't even think of drinking", replied Ash regretfully as Cynthia approached him with a glass of the red wine.
"Oh come on Ash it's just one little glass, and come on, you don't know what you're missing", said Cynthia in a persuading tone of voice as she waved the glass in front of him. "Won't let you leave till you've had a least one drink", she followed up in a dry tone.
"Cynthia if the boy doesn't want any you should force it on him", blurted a strange voice coming from the door.
Three strange businessmen suddenly barged into the room.
"Oh sensei's I didn't hear you knock, please come in and take a seat, I know you must be rarin' to let our new champ know what he's in for, am I right?", questioned Cynthia in a quirky voice as she poured herself a glass and put the bottle back up in the fridge.
"Oh please Cynthia no need for formalities, we are all equal's here, anyway Mr. Ketchum it's about time you received your next journey with an all new adventure", said a tall scrawny man that appeared to be the man in charge.
"But first let us introduce ourselves, considering you probably haven't the first or even second clue as to who we are", replied the large man to the left of the scrawny guy.
"In…In…Indeed", said the third rather large gentleman and Ash simultaneously.
"We are vice-presidents of three most renowned areas of the Pokémon league, and I'm sure you already know the president of the Pokémon league Mr. Goodshow…"said the tall scrawny man.
"Oh yeah, the rather elderly stunted gentleman with the Moltres flame near his heart, I remember seeing him at all of the championships I've been to except for the orange islands", replied Ash.
"Eh…hem, I'll pretend I didn't hear that last remark, and continue with what I was going to say…", commented the tall scrawny gentleman.
"Sadly he had other business he had to attend to and couldn't join us tonight, but everything said here is on behalf of Mr. Goodshow. Now to begin our discussion let us introduce ourselves I am Mr. Firetrap, second man in charge and president of the section called strategy", said the tall scrawny gentleman as he passed the imaginary torch on to the large man to the left of him.
"I am Mr. Sandtrap, 3rd in charge and president of the section called precision, and I also maintain the finances for the company", continued the large gentleman as he passed the 'torch' to third large gentleman that had yet to take a seat next to the other vice-presidents due to his inability to stay calm for long periods of time.
"I….I….I…I a…a…am the 4th ma…ma…man I…I…I…in charge ma…ma…ma…Mr. Thundertrap, I have a st…st…stuttering pru…pru…pru…problem so if you will please forgive me, I'll let… ok Thunder sit and calm down", said Mr. Firetrap as he interrupted him before Mr. Thundertrap could finish what he was saying.
"Great man and brilliant mind just has that damn stuttering problem when he's not doing anything paper work related, I'll gladly finish what he was saying", said Mr. Firetrap in a monotone voice.
"He's basically in charge of just about everything else to do with the company, from hiring and firing to the president's schedule for the next month. And finally there's the champ of the world, he's the best of the best, has faced just about everything you can think of in some form or fashion, and sadly work has him tied up as well with the preparations to the next years company competition."
"Which brings us to our next point… and the reason you are here, Ash we would be honored if you would compete in our central island gym challenge starting in a couple of months."
"…Wait that means you are giving me a choice in the matter?", said Ash with a startled look on his face.
"Of course why wouldn't you", said Mr. Firetrap with a blank look on his face. "And of course you will still be able to keep your new Pokémon there as well."
Ash sat there with a pale face.
"What's wr… Cynthia what did you tell the boy?", replied Mr. Firetrap with a serious yet disturbed look on his face.
"I just had a little fun with the boy to set the mood, plus I was watching him as he made his decision and I was surprised what happened", said Cynthia as she explained what happened before they arrived.
"Well that is something", replied Mr. Firetrap with a blank look. (Clears Throat)". Well Mr. Ketchum seeing as to how you've already made your decision so let me welcome you to the Champions league".
"Thank you Gentlemen", said Ash as he gave a very deep bow of gratitude.
"You are most welcome as to show there's no hard feelings here are some passes for you and your companions aboard the S.S. Eclipse", replied Mr. Sandtrap. "Named and owned by one of the elite's of our island league."
"Oh wow..." said Ash as he accepted the passes and picked up the contents of the white case as well and placed them into his pockets.
"Nu…nu…now if you will ex…ex…excuse us we have to sp…sp…speak with Cyn…cyn…Cynthia alone for a few min…min…minutes", said Mr. Thundertrap as he began escorting him to the door and then the elevator.
After the door closed and Ash and Mr. Thundertrap were well enough away from the conversation.
"Cynthia…just what were you thinking?", blurted the flaring Mr. Firetrap.
"Well I was thinking of chunking the boy his first test, to see if he really was ready to face him…" replied Cynthia before she was interrupted.
"Shhhhhhh…you know good and well we are not to discuss classified matters outside a secure location and besides what would you have done if he left the Pokéball…" (Shifts head left to right) "You know who left for him", returned Mr. Sandtrap with a scared look on his face.
"Well to make sure that would not happen I spoke to his partner Pikachu regarding the matter before the meeting ever started", said Cynthia with the trademark I'm a badass grin.
"I spoke to him just before I had given the Pokéball to Ash and as he was giving his speech to the crowd, that's the reason you never saw Pikachu on his shoulder or in the back with the other Pokémon because Pikachu never participated in the final match with me due to the semi-finals."
"Plus it gave you a better opportunity the give him the tickets…am I right?", replied Cynthia as she made her way back to the kitchen for a drink.
"Ummmm….sorry Cynthia you've always been so great at deception even in Pokémon battles, again I am sorry I snapped at you", said Mr. Firetrap with the said puppy face look.
Meanwhile… back at the festival.
"Ash? Ash?", repeated Brock and Misty back and forth as they walked through the festivities.
"He's nowhere to be found…", cried Misty as she took a depressed sigh.
"Don't worry he's got to be around here somewhere", replied Brock with a sympathetic voice.
"Ash? Ash?", recommenced Brock, and Misty as they continued searching for their friend.
As they began passing the Sinnoh Now hotel still calling for him, Misty saw Ash inside talking with someone whom she had never even seen before.
She stopped dead in her tracks, as Brock was still calling for Ash until he finally noticed she stopped, and jogged back up to her and said, "Hey Misty what's up we still have to find Ash, this is no time for daydreaming".
Her zombie like body lifted an arm pointing inside the hotel at Ash, and before Brock could even begin speaking again Misty charged in at Ash like a Rapidash on a race track.
Seconds later Pikachu noticed something charging at them and decided to leap down from Ash's shoulder and pull Rilou off to the side out of the way to not become road kill.
And before Ash could realize what had happened he was already being held in a tight grasp by someone against a wall not too far from where he and Mr. Thundertrap were standing, and unprepared as to what was going to happen next.
"ASH KETCHUM! You are going to be in a world of pain right now, if you don't tell me what you are doing here this instant!", blurted Misty so that even the high heavens could feel her wrath.
But before he could even say anything in response, Misty began releasing her grip a bit and weeping in his shoulder almost immediately.
"I…I…I…was so worried about you I…I…I…I thought I…I lost you again…", she cried as Ash slowly placed his arms around her head and held her tightly, if only he could stop her crying. Then a thought clicked…
"Misty…", he said quietly, as she looked up at him with her teary eyed face, "I love you." He had confessed to her even after everything he had put her through, all the pain and anguish, not to mention all the idiot things he had done since he had met her and he still confessed his true feelings for her. He then began to lean towards her and slowly, ever so slowly landed a tender kiss upon her soft pale pink lips.
All of a sudden her emotions took control and she felt into the kiss and begun to completely release her clutches on his shirt.
Mr. Thundertrap had realized what was going on, took a piece of paper out of his pocket folded and handed it to Pikachu and explained to him to make sure Ash gets this.
Pikachu gave a sign of approval and Mr. Thundertrap returned to the nearby elevator.
Brock stood at the entrance to the hotel staring, thinking… "It's about time…" as he approached the new young couple startling them to no end and saying, "Hey Ash…Misty."
They quickly realized where they were and what they were doing and broke apart as if the other had been infected or something. Misty slowly running her hands over her lips still fresh from the intimate encounter.
Simultaneously they say almost in unison…, "I…I…", then Misty cuts him off and says, "You have a lot of explaining to do, but first we need to meet up with everyone else to let them know you are ok." "And don't even think you are off the hook from what you were doing here we will want a full explanation for your reason for being here."
"I'm…I'm…I'm sorry ," replied Ash in a very low voice.
Misty then turned around mumbling to herself as she stormed out of the hotel, and began making her way back to the cabin that had been rented out to them.
Brock then approached and gave his friend a pat on the back and cried out loud, "Why must the blossoms of love evade me so?"
As Mr. Thundertrap rode the elevator back to the top he pulled a little device out of his pocket, turned it on and placed it in his ear. After the acknowledgement that he was connected he simple spoke into the device almost inaudible at first then slowly audible "…2:35:43 A.M., Stage 5 complete…"
Moments later Ash and Brock finally caught up with Misty and continued making their way back to the cabin. As the door opened their stood Mrs. Ketchum, Professor Oak and the rest of the gang waiting for their return. Next thing we know Ash is trying struggling to breathe because his mother's worried hug had literally blown the wind from his lungs.
"Ash darling I was so worried when you didn't return I…I…I…I thought I had lost you just like your father all those years ago…", cried out Mrs. Ketchum as she bear hugged her son almost to death.
Pikachu and Rilou standing at Ash's feet both gave out a deep depressed sigh.
"Ok…ok…mom I get it, I'm sorry and I'm prepared to explain myself if you all will hear me out", replied Ash as he slipped out of the stranglehold of his mothers hug.