Chapter 3 - In Love

The next day, our heroes were standing near the harbour of Two Island, where a ferry just brought them.

"Ash, I have to compliment you! Last time I saw you, you constantly got lost when you had to read maps, but on Mt. Ember, you did a nice job!" Misty said.

"Um... Thanks!" Ash muttered, not happy to hear he always messed things up when he was holding a map. However, he knew it was true.

And so, our heroes were standing in front of a pancake restaurant. However, they weren't sure if they would enter.

"Ash, I can't go for lunch, I want to train with Croconaw!" Misty said.

"But I'm hungry..." Ash moaned.

"Okay then, I'll go to the pond and train, while you stuff yourself like a Snorlax!" Misty teased. And so, when Misty ran off to the pond with her Croconaw, Ash went in the restaurant. There, he saw a familiar face.

"Hey Brock, long time no see!" Ash said to his friend. The last time they saw each other was three years ago, when Ash and Serena visited Pewter City.

"Ash, so nice to meet you! What are you doing here?" Brock asked.

"Well, Misty and I are on a treasure hunt, Professor Oak gave us this map! Do you want to join us? It'll be just like old times!" Ash asked.

"Sorry, I can't!" Brock answered. "I'm just having some lunch here before I go back to Vermilion City. Then, I'm bringing some medicine to Nurse Joy in Pewter City for an ill Clefairy she found in Mt. Moon!"

"Brock, there's something I need your help with," Ash said. "How long are you staying in this restaurant?"

"Um... About half an hour," Brock answered. "What can I help you with?"

"Yesterday, I was in the hot springs with Misty and felt a part of my body grow," Ash described. "Then, I remembered the moment you told me about what happens when you see a hot girl. Does this mean I'll become just like you around Misty?"

"Don't worry, Ash!" Brock reassured his friend. "I'm an extreme case, not every guy goes crazy like me."

"What a relief!" Ash sighed. "But I noticed I like watching her ass when she's in a tight bikini, and checked out her boobs at the hot springs... Does that mean I want sex, or am I actually in love with her?"

"Well Ash, when I travelled with you and her when you were 10, I noticed you two were already in love with each other," Brock explained. "But you two were too stubborn to admit it! I knew this day would come, I was right all along!"

"And what do I do now?" Ash asked. "I don't know anything about romance..."

"Well, now you're getting it, it's time to tell Misty how you feel," Brock replied. "Just tell her that you love her, and then you've got Misty as your new girlfriend."

"Are you really that sure?" Ash asked. "How do I know whether she likes me or not?"

"Trust me," Brock said. "Misty loves you. I noticed when travelling together and still noticed when I visited her six months ago. Just tell her that you love her, and everything will be fine."

"I don't know if I can do that..." Ash complained. "Isn't that really scary?"

"The day you tell her how you feel will be the happiest day of Misty's life," Brock said.

"Thanks, Brock!" Ash said, while giving his friend a hug. "And I've got another question for you. You remember Serena, who was with me when I visited you three years ago?"

"Yes, what about her?" Brock asked.

"Serena was acting strange around me all the time we travelled together!" Ash said. "She was a kind friend, but she was constantly touching me, trying to hug me and wanted other traveling companions to go away so she had some alone time with me. Why was she doing that?"

"Well, Serena is madly in love with you, everyone saw that!" Brock said.

"Wow... And every time I told her about Misty, or suggested visiting her, she went crazy... I don't get it, what's wrong with visiting Misty?" Ash asked.

"Well, she was jealous. She knows you love Misty, but wants you for herself," Brock explained. "She was hoping you would forget about Misty and fall for you if you wouldn't see Misty."

"What? I really didn't understand Serena was into me like that!" Ash said.

"Yeah, that's because you're the most dense person on the planet!" Brock teased. "Just like how everyone saw you and Misty are attracted to each other, but you just didn't get it until now!"

"Um... Thanks for explaining?" Ash muttered, offended by the answer, despite knowing it was true. He never understood love, and it still didn't make sense to him. However, Brock was able to at least make him realize what those strange feelings about Misty in his heart and pants meant.

"You're welcome! I have to catch a boat now, good luck with the treasure hunt!" Brock said.

And so, Ash walked out of the restaurant, hoping to catch Misty and her Croconaw. And luckily, the two weren't far away. Two Island was simply too small to get lost. In front of a big pond with a waterfall, he saw Croconaw practicing his Hydro Pump.

Then, Misty turned around. "Hey Ash, why aren't you as fat as a Snorlax after that lunch?" she teased.

"I saw Brock there," Ash answered. "I didn't end up eating after all. How is your training going?"

"Great, Croconaw knows how to use Hydro Pump now!" Misty cheered. "And what did you and Brock talk about?"

"Well, he told me to..." Ash muttered, then stopped talking. "It's top secret, I can't tell you."

"Why not? You can trust me with anything," Misty tried, but Ash refused to talk about it. He said he would tell her later on this journey, when he found the right moment.

When the two walked through the grass near the water, searching for the next treasure chest, Misty was thinking what Ash and Brock might've discussed. "Maybe Brock talked to Ash about love and sex. Oh Arceus, please let it be true..." she hoped.

Then, after a short walk upwards, the two saw a brown chest on top of a waterfall. "Hey, that one wasn't so hard to find!" Ash said. "But the current is too strong, I can't go in the water to grab it, and neither can you!"

"This is a job for our Pokemon!" Misty said, while sending out her Vaporeon. The Water type dove in the river, grabbing the chest and handing it over to her trainer.

After thanking her Vaporeon and calling her back into her Poke Ball, Misty opened the chest. "Hmmm... This seems like an actual treasure!" she cheered, showing two odd costumes to her friend. There was a note saying 'Ye Olde Costume Store', an old-fashioned hat with a feather, a blue medieval-looking shirt, white trousers and brown boots. There was another costume thrown in for women: long red boots, a short red skirt and a very short red crop top, with big blades covering the shoulders.

"Sweet!" Ash said. "Old medieval clothes, I'm curious why we need those!"

"I have no idea," Misty said. "I suppose they're worth a lot of money, but the prophecy said we need to wait until we found the sixth treasure and then use it for something." Then, she turned to her friend. "Where is the next treasure chest?"

"On the treasure map, I see this place called Berry Forest. It's on Three Island, it's not that far away!" Ash answered. "If we get the boat, we can be there by tomorrow!"

The next day, our heroes were walking down the grassy road, on their way to Berry Forest.

"Ash, by the way, Professor Oak told me May and Drew finally got together last month!" Misty said. "Maybe he gets the hint and confesses his feelings... At least, I hope Brock talked to him about love and sex..."

"You mean they teamed up for a Contest? I didn't know there were tag team Contests!" Ash replied.

"No, I mean they are officially a couple now! They confessed their feelings to each other!" Misty explained. "Seriously, I know Ash isn't the smartest guy around, but this is extreme... Just like when Totodile used Attract against Danny's Nidoqueen..."

"Oh, that's cool, nice for them! But that doesn't help us find the treasure..." Ash moaned. Even though he finally understood romance a little bit better than before, he still didn't know what Misty was hinting at.

Then, Misty saw a familiar face on the bridge near Berry Forest's entrance. A brown-haired young man threw his fishing rod into the water. The red-haired girl gasped and hid between Ash.

"Why are you hiding, Misty? I wanna challenge him to a battle!" Ash said, while Misty moved her head further behind her friend's back.

Then, Misty moved her lips to his ear. "That's Georgio! That guy was my secret admirer when I just returned to the Gym eight years ago... I don't want him to hit on me again, he was so annoying!"

"Now I wanna battle that dick for sure!" Ash said. Then, he walked up to Georgio, much to Misty's dismay. "Hey you, you look like I can beat you with ease! You wanna battle?"

"Me? Weak? Why?" Georgio asked. "I don't even know you!"

Then, the young man noticed Misty hiding behind her friend's back. "Hey, Misty, long time no see!" he said. "You still look as hot as eight years ago, my date offer from back then still stands!"

"Sorry, but I just don't have any feelings for you," Misty said. "You're a nice guy, but just not in that way!"

"Oh, I see. I guess you're with him now... But is this really what you want? He's so rude... Come on, I'll treat you like a lady!" Georgio suggested.

"Me? With him? Why in the world would I date such a baby like Ash?" Misty tried, but the blush on her face made sure there was no way she could hide her true feelings from Georgio.

"Well, it sure looks like you like him to me..." Georgio said. Then, he looked at Ash. "And you're on! After this battle, you'll realize that you're the weakling here!" He hurled his Poke Ball, causing a red and white bird to appear.

"A Delibird, huh?" Ash said. "I can beat that... Bayleef, I choose you!" Instead of getting a battle-ready Pokemon, the Grass type used her Body Slam on her trainer in an attempt to cuddle! "Bay Bay!"

"Not now, Bayleef!" Ash said. "We can cuddle when you defeated Delibird! Now use your Headbutt!" The sauropod-like Pokemon smashed the Flying-type, causing a great deal of pain.

"Delibird, are you okay?" Georgio asked, while Ash was laughing at his helpless opponent.

Then, Misty was thinking about what was happening right before her eyes. "Wow, Ash wasn't very nice to Georgio... But I can't deny it, it's so hot when he acts cocky and too confident!"

However, Delibird was still able to battle. "Use your Quick Attack!" the bad flirter commanded. His Pokemon flew at Bayleef at high speed, striking the opponent. However, Bayleef barely seemed to care about the attack she had to suffer.

After that weak attack, Ash suddenly knew how to win for sure. "Bayleef, grab Delibird with your Vine Whip and then start charging up your Solarbeam!" And so, the bird was incapable of flying or walking anywhere, as it was stuck in the vines. A few seconds later, a strong beam with the power of sunlight struck down the Ice-type, rendering it impossible to continue battling.

"Delibird, no!" Georgio muttered, while returning his Pokemon to his Poke Ball. Then, he thanked the bird for his efforts. Meanwhile, he saw Ash giving Bayleef the hug he promised her.

Then, the trainer from Pallet Town walked up to his opponent. "I said I'd beat you, and I did!"

"You might be a better trainer than me, but you're a dick. You don't deserve Misty!" Georgio snapped, before he ran off to the Pokemon Center.

"Wow, that kid is no better than you, Ash!" Misty said.

"Yeah, I'm a much stronger trainer than him, I beat him with ease despite the type disadvantage!" Ash agreed.

"Um... Yeah," Misty said, even though she was referring to Georgio's possessive behaviour. Then, our heroes walked into the Berry Forest, on their way to the third treasure chest.