Hello everyone, and welcome back to "A Long Distance Ship!" (Now with a new cover drawn by yours truly.) Last time, Ash, May, Max, and Brock were introduced to the world of Pokemon Contests as the female may have found her calling, while Ash and Pikachu learned a new move. Meanwhile, Misty reunited with Sakura and had her first battle as a gym leader. Anyways, today Ash and his friends will arrive in Rustboro City for his first official Hoenn League Gym battle. How will it go? Well, read to find out! And stay tuned for another big announcement at the end!

ashketchum497
To: misskwaterflower049
Subject: The Pokémon Academy of Rustboro

Hey, Misty. I am sorry I am writing to you without giving you a chance to respond first, but you did it to me first, so call it "getting even". Anyways, my friends and I have officially made it to Rustboro City after traveling through the woods. After doing the best impersonation of you when encountering a wild Wurmple, she learned that it evolves into the same Pokémon she met the day before. She decided to go and catch it for herself with the help of another trainer (and without the help from Max, Brock, or me.) While May was off on her own adventure, I was introduced to double battles, a special type of Pokémon battle here in Hoenn, from a trainer who just so happens to be the brother of the trainer May was with! After May caught her Wurmple (which she told me was very hard especially since someone else wanted one, zero points for guessing who), we arrived in Rustboro City! Before heading to the gym, we did some sightseeing and met a class on a trip to the same observation tower we were in. The teacher was a woman named Roxanne, and she taught at the Pokémon Academy in Rustboro City. Max was super interested in the place, and we went right there, and stopped by Miss Roxanne's class just as she was finishing a group call with Professor Oak… and that was when I learned that she was the leader of the Rustboro Gym! We agreed to battle tomorrow (and the agreement was yesterday), and I am almost ready for it! Anyways, today we spent another day at the Pokémon Academy, where Max made friends with some of the students we met yesterday, culminating with them taking on Team Rocket's new mech with some of the school's Pokémon. It was then that I saw that Jessie also caught a Wurmple, which she didn't use, but I noticed something odd. Since Jessie and James caught Seviper and Cacnea respectively, I didn't see much of their Arbok or Weezing. And it isn't just them. A lot of Team Rocket's older Pokémon just seem to vanish out of thin air as much as new ones come. Anyways, I have to get rest before my upcoming gym battle with Roxanne. Wish me luck!

Ash

misskwaterflower049
To: ashketchum497
Subject: Pokémon Academy of Rustboro

Hey there, Ash. I'm okay with you emailing me twice without me responding, especially since I did it to you. Anyways, as you mentioned Beautifly in your emails (directly or indirectly), I almost forgot that Sakura had evolved her own Beautifly between our last two meetings (how she got a Pokémon native to Hoenn in Johto or Kanto, I don't know). Anyways, I am happy that May caught her first Pokémon after a long time (especially compared to you) and potentially found her calling in contests. And good for Max to make new friends at the Pokémon Academy. You know, if you give them a couple of years, I could potentially see them traveling together. I have been doing good as the gym season is just starting to heat up as challengers are coming to my gym. I wish you luck on your upcoming battle, Ash!

Misty

PS: And yeah, I noticed the Team Rocket Pokémon vanishings as well as early as Johto. Lickitung vanished from Jessie's team around the same time Wobbuffet appeared. And James's Victreebel seemingly devolved before re-evolving and then vanishing.

And that is it for this chapter of "A Long Distance Ship", everyone! Now, have you ever wanted a place to talk with fellow fans of the story, as well as discuss upcoming chapters of this and "The Misty Chronicles" with others? Well, I have just made the place! On Discord, The Official Long Distance Ship Fan Club server has been made for you to discuss all things "A Long Distance Ship 'Verse!" The link to join is on my Deviant Art page, or just ask me through PM to join!

And now, I would like to thank the people who were kind enough to review, favorite, and/or follow the story. First up, we have a regular reviewer, Ian, who told me it was okay for me to have a low variety of users who comment on my work, as he usually gets the same people reviewing his. Thanks for the kind words, Ian. And thanks to BrownMundee and JonyDud for choosing to follow the story, and Axel363402 for both favoriting AND following! Every favorite, follow, and review is appreciated, so make sure to do so, and have yourself a good weekend!