A/N: Once more, with feeling!
The van arrived at the Saffron City train station with a few minutes to spare. The group all pile out, stretching and yawning.
"We made it!" Ash began running toward the entrance with Pikachu following close behind. "Look Pikachu! There's the train!" He stopped and pointed up toward the track as a train was pulling in. Pikachu cried out and hopped up onto his shoulder. "Let's go!"
"Ash!" Delia called out after him, but it was too late as he'd already entered the station. "Oh, that boy. He never can sit still. He forgot his luggage."
"Don't worry, Mrs. Ketchum," Brock said, "I'll grab it. It's nothing I haven't done for him before!" At the back of the van, the girls were all fishing their packs out and making sure they had everything they needed.
"A change of clothes for the morning, toothbrush…" Dawn zipped her pack up, "All set! I'll see you guys in there!" She took off for the entrance. Misty and May were just finishing checking their packs as Brock grabbed his and Ash's. May closed hers and took off like Dawn before her.
A loud thud was heard from the station and everyone turned around. What they saw was May pressed against the glass window she had just run into. Back at the van, Misty and Brock simply stared while Delia gasped. Inside the station laughter could be heard coming from Ash who had witnessed the entire thing.
Mason slowly walked over and opened what was actually the door. "After…you…" he said, finding a lack of anything else to say. May took a step back and gave an embarrassed chuckle before stepping through. As soon as the others had finished checking everything, they joined the group inside.
"Alight kids, be careful!" Delia was seeing everyone off, "And Ash, don't forget to take a bath and brush your teeth!" Ash's face turned bright red as the girls giggled.
"Mom! I've got it! We'll be fine, don't worry!" Ash gave his mom a hug and walked away, waving goodbye. "Thanks again for the wonderful present! We'll be sure to tell you all about it!"
The group boarded the train and was shown to their cart, which to their surprise was completely empty. Ash and Pikachu ran straight to the first seat and peered out the window, where the rest of Saffron City could be seen. Misty followed close behind, taking a seat next to him.
"Hey!" Ash turned and yelled, "What's the deal! We've got an entire cart!"
Misty giggled, "Yeah, but this is my seat, see?" She held up her ticket with her seat number, which Ash checked. He then checked his own ticket and saw he was already in his own seat and sighed. "Don't worry," Misty said with a wink, "I promise to be nice." She and Ash laughed as they sat down.
Brock and Dawn put their packs in the overhead compartments and took their seats next to each other, directly behind Ash and Misty. Behind them were Mason and May, with Noone on the ground between them. The "Fasten Seat Strap" light came on and everyone buckled up as the train powered up. A deep hum was heard coming from the floor and Azurill hid in Misty's jacket.
Before they knew it the train was in motion and moving at incredible speeds. The conductor came on over the intercom: "We've just left Saffron City headed for Goldenrod City. We have an estimated travel time of only 50 minutes, so we should be arriving within the hour. Please remain seated with your belts fastened while the train is in motion. Thank you for riding the Magnet Train."
Mason looked down at Noone, who was laying on the floor resting her head on her paws. "Did you hear that? Buckle up, missy." Noone let loose an ember attack on Mason.
May giggled, "Just like my blaziken used to do as a torchic." May reached down and gave Noone a pat on the head as Noone smiled at her accomplishment. In front of them, Brock had pulled out a map of Goldenrod City and was plotting out different routes and spots for them to meet up at at certain times.
"Come on Brock! I can't see out the window!" Dawn shoved the map into Brock's lap and peered out the window, astonished to see the world go zooming by at such a fast speed.
"Excuse me, but I'm doing this work so nobody else has to." Brock leaned over the map and continued to doodle on it, his spiky hair now blocking Dawn's view. She let out a groan and slumped back in her seat, crossing her arms.
Ash was still peering out his window as the world zoomed by. "Woah…" He had his hands against the window while Pikachu watched from Ash's shoulder. "Isn't it awesome, Pikachu?" Pikachu cried out in agreement as the world whizzed past them in a flash.
"You wanna see, Azurill?" Misty opened her jacket and Azurill peeked out. He took a step forward, standing cautiously for a moment before running back into the safety of Misty's jacket. "Aw, don't worry. We'll be there before you know it!"
"I hope so!" Ash turned back and faced the front of the train, daydreaming, "There's going to be plenty of trainers to battle and pokemon to see! Maybe even some wild ones to catch! You ready, Pikachu?" Pikachu held up a fist in agreement.
Misty laughed, "Some things will never change, will they?"
"You mean like how you could never beat me?" Ash smirked.
"I seem to recall Psyduck beating Kingler in a certain tournament held just for water pokemon."
"That was luck!"
"Imagine, the great Ash Ketchum, beaten by a girl," Misty giggled.
Dawn poked her head around to comment, "Wait, you mean you beat Ash? Wow!"
"It was pure luck!" Ash yelled, "Psyduck didn't even use a water move to beat Kingler!"
"It was your fault," Misty said, "you made Kingler use vicegrip and gave Psyduck his headache. Either way, you were eliminated," Misty stuck her tongue out at Ash who growled back.
"I still can't believe it either, beaten by a dumb Psyduck that can't even swim…"
Misty's face turned to a scowl as she turned and grabbed Ash by the collar. "My psyduck is not dumb!" She shook Ash a few times, "You're the dummy!" Dawn watched with a dumbfounded look while Brock continued fussing with his map. Further back Mason noticed the commotion.
"So…how do you all know each other again?" Mason asked May, hoping that an answer to what was going on might be in there somewhere.
"Well we're all best friends, but we know each other thanks to Ash," May started, "He wants to become a Pokemon Master and has been traveling ever since he was ten. Along the way we've all traveled with him at different times. He and Misty traveled all though Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto together. My brother and I were with him through Hoenn and the Kanto Battle Frontier. Dawn was with him throughout Sinnoh. Brock's been there since the beginning, until he recently left to study to become a Pokemon Doctor. Even though we've all been separated by such long distances, we've all been best friends since the moment we met." She smiled, remembering when she first joined Ash, back when she despised pokemon.
"So why is it that those two always seem to be duking it out?" Mason asked, looking forward again. Misty had let go of Ash's collar and they were in each others faces, arguing about a tododile.
Brock turned toward the window with his map in front of him, "You should have seen it a long time ago, when they were actually fighting. That was not something you wanted to get in the middle of."
"Well if that's not fighting…then what is it?" Mason asked, still watching the front seat.
"Well, some might call it flirting, but I think it's a bit beyond that stage by now." Brock chuckled.
"What?" May burst out, then covered her mouth, "You mean Misty and Ash? No way!"
Meanwhile Dawn had turned around and was eavesdropping and decided to add her opinion. "I think they'd be really cute! You should have seen how Ash acted when I tried to take his 'Misty Super Lure' away from him!" She giggled at the memory.
"Now that you mention it…" As May was about to finish her thought, the yelling was replaced with laughter. Everyone looked forward to see Ash and Misty giggling together. They smiled at each other for a moment in silence. Suddenly they realized that everyone was watching them. Ash's face turned red and he turned to face the window again, almost flinging Pikachu off of his shoulder. Misty turned the other way and simply looked at the floor.
Brock turned back and whispered, "See what I mean? Have faith in Brock, I know my way around the battlefield of love."
"Coming from the guy who's been rejected by every girl he's ever talked to," Dawn said, rolling her eyes. Brock's face turned sullen as he sulked down into his seat.
Mason looked forward again at Ash and Misty, who had gone back into their own little worlds, Ash admiring the passing sights and Misty comforting Azurill. Noone noticed Mason's face and sat up, nudging his leg.
"Oh shush," he said to her. He scratched her behind her ear and she started kicking her leg. Pikachu heard the commotion and remembered how Mason had pet him the day before. He hopped over Brock's seat and plopped onto Mason's lap. "Well hey there, Pikachu!" Mason cried when the mouse landed.
Ash turned to see what was happening and laughed when he saw Mason petting Pikachu. "Enjoying yourself, buddy?" He called out. Pikachu turned to give Ash a big smile.
"It's so cute to see how the pokemon act around you," May said, "almost as though you've known each other forever." She gave Pikachu a pat on the head before he hopped back over the seats to Ash. "I'm really glad you got to come on this trip with us," she said absent-mindedly.
Mason grinned, knowing she had just let something slip, "Oh, really?" Noone's ears perked up and she looked toward May. Meanwhile Brock was eavesdropping in the seat in front of them.
"Eh-I mean, the pokemon all really like you, and I'm glad they'll be able to spend some more time with you," May answered, her cheeks becoming rosy. Mason chuckled a little. Noone tilted her head to the side a bit before laying back down. Brock let out a soft chuckle before folding his map up and putting it away.
The group all settled into their seats and got comfortable for the rest of the ride. In less than an hour, they'd all be touring the grand Goldenrod City, and dreams of all of the fun they would have begun filling their heads.
17
The day wasn't going so great in other parts of the world. A small rainstorm had made its way over the southern parts of Hoenn, drenching Tyrel, Gary and Max on their way to Slateport city.
"I thought the boat we were going to take was going to be a bit bigger…" Max said. The three of them were on a small motorboat speeding down the river. Tyrel had made arrangements with the owner to take it to Slateport, where he would dock it for the owner to pick up when he returned from Kanto.
"It's what we've got, so we've got to make it work," Tyrel said. He was manning the rudder, though the path was a pretty straight one.
"This rain isn't helping at all…" Gary was holding his pack over his head, though the wind was still blowing the rain into his face. "Are you sure this way is faster?"
"Would you rather be walking right now?" Tyrel asked. Gary simply grunted and tried his best to keep himself dry. Max had put the PokeNav into a plastic bag and stored it in his pack.
The three of them had been riding in the boat for the past half hour, and it had only just started raining. Luckily for them, Slateport wasn't too much further ahead. In only a few minutes, they arrived and docked the small boat, stepping out to re-acquire their land-legs.
"What a relief!" Max cried as he stretched. The three of them were in the local pokemon center, drying off. "When does the ferry leave?"
"Twenty minutes, so we don't have much time," Gary said as he came out of the hallway, already dressed in dry clothes. "Hurry up and get changed or we might miss it."
The other boys took off to the dressing rooms and emerged a few minutes later. With only a few minutes to go, they hurried to the ferry.
"Tickets please," The man standing in front of the bridge to the ferry said in a scruffy voice.
"Wait!" Max yelled, struck by an epiphany, "I don't have a ticket! Oh noooo!" Max slapped himself in the head and leaned back, hating himself for making such a stupid mistake.
"Yes you do." Tyrel reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to Max. "The professor gave me a ticket after I had already bought mine, so you can have the extra."
Max took the ticket with a smile. "Wow! Thanks a lot!" He proudly presented his ticket to the man who tore it in half and handed one of the halves back to Max. Gary and Tyrel followed behind him. Stewardesses were present to help direct passengers to their rooms.
"May I see your ticket stub, sir?" She asked Tyrel. He handed her the stub and she pointed straight down the hallway behind her. "Your room will be about halfway down on the left, room number 155. Thank you for riding the S.S. Cloud! Next please!"
Max approached and handed her his stub. "You'll be on the second floor, take the stairs straight ahead and ask one of the stewardesses down there. Thank you for riding the S.S. Cloud! Next please!"
Gary did the same as the two before him. "You'll be on the second floor as well, sir. Just take the stairs and one of the stewardesses down there will assist you. Thank you for riding the S.S. Cloud! Next please!"
The three of them grouped up before going their separate ways. "Alright, the Deck is closed for the rain," Tyrel explained, "but the Dining Hall is still open to passengers throughout the trip." He looked at his watch. "How about we meet up there in two hours when the show starts? I need some time to go over my findings, and maybe get a nap in."
"Sounds like a plan, see you there!" Gary took off down the stairs.
"See you!" Max said and started to leave. Tyrel grabbed his arm.
"Wait." Max turned and faced him. "I know you're allowed to go around and do whatever you want, but be sure to stay out of trouble. There are a lot of trainers on these rides and not all of them are friendly."
"I won't wander too much! Promise!" Max took off again down the stairs. Tyrel made his way to his room (which was much larger than he had anticipated) and unpacked everything. He sat at the desk they provided and laid out the notes he'd been taking over the last few weeks. Once it was all laid out and ready, he set about the tedious task of organizing it all.
On the floor below, the stewardesses sent Gary and Max down separate hallways to their rooms. Max's was nearly all the way at the end of his hallway, with only two rooms beyond his before the stairwell. He opened the door and was surprised to see how much space he had all to himself. He threw his backpack on the ground and ran to check the small kitchen they had given him for food. The cupboards and refrigerator were all empty, most likely just used for putting leftovers, he figured.
Gary made his way to his room and set his pack down. Umbreon went straight for the bed, jumping up and curling into a ball towards the end. "Yeah, I hear ya." Gary laid back, avoiding setting his feet on Umbreon, and closed his eyes.
A loud horn sounded and the motors started turning. The ship began slicing through the water and heading for Kanto.
18
On the magnet train, everyone had been enjoying the short ride to Goldenrod. Ash and Pikachu continued to stare out the window and watch the world pass them by while Misty had finally convinced Azurill to come out and enjoy the ride. Brock had fallen asleep and was snoring. Mason and May had played a game of Monkey in the Middle with a crumpled piece of Paper and Noone in the middle trying to snap it out of the air.
A voice came on over the intercom: "If you look out to the west you will see Goldenrod City as we make our approach. Please remain seated and buckled as the train comes to a halt. We will inform you when it is safe to exit your carts. Welcome to Goldenrod City, please enjoy your time in Johto and thank you for riding the Magnet Train."
Everyone began whooping and hollering as Goldenrod came into view. "Now listen, guys," Brock instructed everyone, "when we get off the train, everybody stay together and meet up right outside the station, got it?" Everyone nodded or yelled in agreement.
The train came to a complete stop and the "Fasten Seat Strap" light flicked off. The group all shot out of their seats and ran toward the doors. The train station was filled with people, both boarding and exiting the train. The group did as Brock instructed and stayed together, making their way to the exit.
Everyone stepped outside and gasped as the sights.
"It's just like I remember it!" Misty said as she twirled, looking at all of the skyscrapers.
"I remember Whitney getting us lost on the way to her own gym," Ash muttered. No one seemed to catch his comment or care one way or the other. Everyone was lost in thought, bursting with excitement as they prepared for a day of shopping and fun.
"Alright, listen up!" Brock held his hand up and everyone turned and circled around him. He pulled out his map and held it in the middle of the circle for everyone to see. "As you all know, there's plenty to do here in Goldenrod, but we need to stay in contact." He pointed to a spot on the map with an "x" over it. "This is where we'll be meeting for lunch in one hour! So don't go too far!" He folded up the map and put it away again. "I'll explain everything else over lunch. For now, we all have our PokeGears, right?"
"Yep!" Ash held his up.
"Roger!" Misty flashed a peace sign.
"Yes sir!" May showed hers.
"Right here!" Dawn fished hers out of her pocket.
"Nope." Mason said simply. "Never had one. Never needed one, really…"
"Er…Well that's fine. How about you just pair up with someone?" Brock suggested.
"Hey! Why don't you come with me!" Ash turned to face Mason, "We'll visit all the trainer stores and probably get some battles in!"
Mason looked at Noone, "You up for it?" Noone smiled and nodded. "Sure, we're game!"
"Alright everyone, remember, one hour!" Brock yelled as everyone split up. Soon they were all off, enjoying their own slice of paradise in Goldenrod City.
19
In a very small town in Hoenn, former Team Magma member Butler stared out of his window. There in their garden was Diane, his life-long partner and newlywed wife. The two of them had been through very trying times only a few years back as Butler attempted to use the powers of Jirachi to create a Groudon. After seeing the purity of the wish granting pokemon and those who helped him, he decided to reform his life and take care of the things most important to him. For the past year he and Diane had lived in solitude far from the fast life of the big city, enjoying every day as its own miracle.
As he watched Diane a smile formed on his face. He was thankful once again for the way things had turned out, knowing full well that he wasn't deserving of a second chance, especially not one with Diane.
The smile vanished almost instantly when a familiar car pulled up beside Diane. Before the passengers could even step out of the car, Butler came bursting out of the house.
"Diane, go inside, now." His face was blank and his voice stern. Diane didn't think twice as she rushed indoors. She ran to the kitchen window to watch everything unfold. As she watched, a man exited the car, leaving it running, and approached Butler.
The man began to talk, "Old friend! How's-"
"What do you want from me, Richard?" Butler interrupted him, his face still emotionless.
"What? I can't show up to surprise a long-lost friend with a visit?" Butler remained silent. "Er...I guess it's right down to business then."
"You and Team Magma have no business here." Butler pointed to the car. "Leave."
"Somehow I knew it was going to go like this...I'm really sorry, old friend..." Richard waved his hand and the door to the house flew open. Two men emerged with Diane contained, ropes tied around her wrists and ankles.
"Butler, what's going on?" She cries.
"Diane!" He let out a growl as he turned back to Richard. "That's just like you, Richard. Just like Team Magma."
"Well, if we fought fair, we'd all be out of business wouldn't we?" Richard gave a hearty laugh. Butler winced as he heard the man he had once befriended find humor in a situation that was destroying everything he'd fought for. "Now, you'll need to come with us. We've found some old technology that has your name all over it, and we need to make it run again."
Butler growled again, knowing he was in no position to refuse. "Fine, but Diane stays. Alone."
"Done and done." He waved his hand again and the men released Diane. One of them fished a knife out of its holster and cut the ropes restraining her. Richard and Butler walked to the car. Butler paused before entering and turned to Diane.
"I'll be back, I promise. I love you." Before she could protest, he ducked into the car. A few seconds later they were speeding back the way they came with Diane yelling after them. She collapsed to the ground once the car was out of sight and wept. The only thing she could do now was pray that her husband returned.
A/N: Until next time. =]