Disclaimer:

Pokemon belongs to The Pokémon company, Nintendo, Game freak. Only original characters belong to me.

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

"Look there's a sign." Ash said.

"It seems Cerulean City is near." Brock read the sign.

"What's that over here?" Misty pointed to some scribbles in the corner.

"That's my squire. He's preparing a feast fit for a king for us." Ash and Pikachu puffed their chests.

"That Gary fellow doesn't seem to like you." Brock smiled awkwardly

"Alas. He wants to be me, ouch! One more time woman and the gloves are off. It hurts more that way." Ash grinned at the now fleeing behind Brock Misty.

"I need help. Possibly from an adult." Misty shivered.

"Is this going to be a thing or?" Brock smirked at their antics.

"I'm ten." Ash quipped.

"And I'm in need of supplies so let's head down." Brock said.

"Hey guys. Can't we go to Vermillion instead?" Misty asked with awkwardness in her voice.

"Why? Wouldn't you like to see the water gym they have here? You said yourself that you want to be the best water trainer." Ash continued walking towards Cerulean.

"But Vermillion has the ocean and many possibilities for fishing." Misty tried to make them consider.

"And Cerulean is known for its lakes and rivers. The guidebook said so." Brock scrutinized the girl.

"Ok then." She huffed and followed them.

Cerulean City was a major tourist attraction with its beautiful architecture and many crossing rivers.

"So this is it, huh? I find it too flashy for my taste." Ash scrunched his nose.

"Come on Ash. It's a lovely town with even lovelier girls." Brock's eyes had hearts flashing when he saw the beautiful women of Cerulean.

"And that's your cue Misty. Hammer him up?" Ash turned around and Misty wasn't there.

"Brock where's Misty?" Ash bumped the young man's head to get his attention.

"She was here a minute ago." He rubbed his head in embarrassment.

"Well let's go the Pokémon Center first. I need to send the Zubats back home." Ash and Brock checked the guide had headed towards their destination.

"Hello sweetheart. How have you been doing?" Ash's mom asked.

"Great mom. I've sent professor Oak my Zubats. Hopefully you'll find them useful." He grinned.

"Aw. My baby boy worrys about his mom." Ash blushed.

"I'm in Cerulean City now. After this I'll head to challenge the gym leader. Do you want any souvenirs?" Ash asked.

"I wouldn't want to bother you with me." Delia acted coyly.

"It's not a problem mom. Anything for you." Ash puffed his chest.

"Is that so? Well then since you're already there could you buy..." a lond list of Cerulean specialties came out. Ash was lost after the first ten only spotted here items

"And for last I'd like the cupcakes from the famous pastry shop 'Laguna lapralis'. They're so adorable." She squealed.

"Yes mom." Ash was tired by her tangent.

"I'll send it to you tomorrow after I find everything. For now, love you mom. Keep yourself safe." Ash said.

"Of course honey. Can't wait for your next call. Bye." With a satisfied smile she ended the call.

"That was a doozy." Ash scratched his head and went to find Brock.

"Ms. Joy you dropped into my life and made it upside down." Brock was on one knee and holding the nurse's hand.

"Oh my. Aren't you a foward boy. I'm sorry but I'm already spoken for." A cracking sound reverberated through the building.

"Yep. That was our casanova's heart." Ash sighed as he pulled Brock by his legs.

"Pika pi." A sweetdrop formed from exasperation.

"This is certainly going to grow old very soon. How did I love this moments before?" Ash muttered under his nose.

"Where am I Ash? Is this the Distortion World?" Brock asked weakly.

"No, but it will be if you're not standing in 5 seconds." Ash wasn't joking.

"I'm ready." Brock quickly put himself together.

"Okay. Since we've been here for a while and Misty still hasn't come we'll go without her to the gym. I've left a memo for her at the front desk if we miss her on the way." Ash took his backpack and with Brock left.

The boys didn't have a hard time finding the gym. However they were stunned by the leaving crowd before it.

"What's going on?" Brock asked. Ash picked up a flyer from the ground.

"It seems this place also hosts swimming shows. Apparently these three girls are also the gym leaders here." Ash read.

"They can lead me anytime, ouch. Why so cruel?" Brock was on the floor patting his kicked butt.

"If you want to be a Growlithe then just say so. I'll find a nice pound for you." Ash and Pikachu smiled making the young man gulp.

"We'll have time for shenanigans later. Come on let's see what's the craze about."

Ash went to the entrance and stated his business. After checking their credentials they finally entered the gym. On their way to the battlefield they encountered the gym leaders talking happily about their performance.

"Daisy you were like fabulous out there." The blue haired sister complimented

"We were fabulous Violet. What's wrong Lily" Daisy asked with concern the pink haired sister

"I'm still bombed by the gym fight from earlier. I'd like to punch that brat in the face." She fumed.

"Well you need to cue up as I'm first in line to clobber that dipshit." Ash interjected.

"And who are you?" Daisy asked.

"Never mind him. I'm Brock and lets get lost in your fantasy. I'll be good Pikachu. No need for violence." He ran away from the mouse that thought shock therapy is the way to rehabilitating him.

"Hello. I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet. I heard you were talking about some douche. I guessed it was Gary. Apparently he's still too full of himself." He apologized.

"Why a little gentleman. You don't need to apologize on his behalf. Dealing with small runts is our specialty." Violet said.

"Yeah? Then I'd like to see the definition, because you got your booty handed by one." Lily snapped.

"No need for such harsh words." Ash tried to defuse the situation.

"I hate to be that guy, but I also came here for a gym challenge." Ash scratched his head nervously.

"We'd love to but our pokémon are spent." Violent said

"But since you're so nice then here. You can have the badge." Daisy handed the cascade badge to Ash.

"Hold it right there. I object." Misty snatched the badge from Ash's hand.

"Does this count as theft?" Ash asked the fried body of Brock laying near him.

"I don't think I want to answer." Brock let out a puff of smoke from his mouth.

"Pika pi." Pikachu was giggling on Ash's shoulder.

"I'll not allow anyone to besmirch th water gym." She fumed at the nonchalant behavior of her sisters. Was this a joke to them?

"Here you are Misty. I thought you went on a journey to find new water pokémon." Violet said.

"Yeah. And to our surprise not only you didn't catch anything you needed us to send you one. How's Staryu by the way?" Lily jabbed.

"You, you!" Misty was about to burst from the disrespect.

"So this is why you didn't want to come here." Ash patted her head.

"I'm not a child." She meekly said with a blush.

"Oh my. Misty found a boyfriend." Daisy gasped. And the three sisters huddled.

"Do we like do a wedding or something?" Violet asked.

"We better do something quick before he runs away." Lily proposed.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Misty was a redhead alright. Her face bright like a strawberry.

"So cruel. How could you Mist? Did everything I've done not mean anything to you?" Ash laid on the floor with Pikachu playing a sad tune on a lute. While Brock threw white confetti to simulate the coldness of Misty's heart.

Misty froze while her sister's were drying their tears.

"We should've paid more attention to her." Lily sniffed.

"I failed you mom and dad. Now Misty will never leave home." Daisy teared up even more.

"It's like over now. And I wanted to be a cool aunt." Violet had to scrap her ideas for future presents she planned for the baby.

"I think that's enough. We've broken her." Brock waved his hand before Misty's eyes. She was unresponsive.

"Well since that's the case. I'll take that badge." Ash tried to take it but it wouldn't budge.

"Even in death she hold on to the one thing she loved the most." Daisy sighed.

"Let's wait for her to thaw out at the cafeteria." Lily said.

"And anyway we have many of those gadgets around." Violet took out another badge and gave it to Ash. This time he quickly pinned it to his vest.

"Let's see how she'll try to take it from me now." Ash grinned.

"I don't think she'll abstain from assaulting you just because of that." Brock said.

"Pika." Pikachu agreed.

"Aha. And pray tell Pikachu will you help me then or will you stay by Misty's side?" Pikachu whistled while Ash was exasperated with its twoface behavior.

The group headed towards the cafeteria and engaged in some small talk. Suddenly the doors smacked open.

"Ash Ketchum get your ass over here." Misty was mad mad.

"Hi Misty. If it's a battle you wanted you should've said so earlier. I'd love to battle with you anytime." Ash winked and made her stop in her tracks from embarrassment.

"Teacher. Take me as your student!" Brock sat in a dogeza pleading for Ash's wisdom.

Ash was amused by this development. "And who will cook for us when you get suddenly hitched?" Pikachu agreed.

"Are you going to keep me waiting." Misty tapped her foot in annoyance.

Ash stood up and walked towards her. " Ladies first." He said with a grin.

The battlefield favored the water trainers. It was a pool with a couple of white platforms floating on its surface.

"At least you won't tell me that I had the advantage." Ash smirked.

"You have flying pokémon so shove it." She grunted.

"Oh. So Pikachu is off limits?" He raised his brow.

Misty turned to the yellow mouse and made an amiable smile. "Of course you won't fight against me, right?" That almost scared the stripes off it. It quickly jumped to Daisy to hide.

Ash sighed at their shenanigans. "Brock can you judge?" He asked.

"Of course. Standard rules. Two pokémon. Challenger has the privilege to change pokémon in battle. Begin!" Brock sounded off the start of the battle.

Misty went first. "Go Staryu."

"I choose you Spearow." Ash said.

"Staryu use Bubblebeam."

"Use Agility to dodge and zone in on its gem and hit it with Fury Attack."

"Squawk" Spearow speeded down towards the the star shaped pokémon.

"Dive under water Staryu." Misty ordered.

In the knick of time the water pokemon escaped the now furious bird as itst it's target.

"Spearow!" It squawked in indignation. Until it started to shine.

"What's happening?" The sisters asked.

Ash was happy and concerned at the same time. Fearow are well known to be capricious pokémon. Even more so than their preevolution.

"Fearow!" The bird cried.

"Since we powered up how about we play a game of Dodge the Missile. Dive into the water with Drill Peck." The big avian plummeted into the water at high speed.

"Staryu no!" But it was to slow for the keen eye of the predator.

Fearow broke out of the water as if nothing happened while Staryu floated to the surface with a dent in the middle of the gem.

Misty hugged the fainted pokémon. "Thank you. Now you can rest." She put it back in her pokéball.

"Since Staryu was unable to battle Ash wins the first round. Please ready your next pokémon Misty." Brock announced.

"Let's see how you'll deal with this one Ash. Starmie go!" The final evolution of Staryu appeared.

"Second round start." Brock said

"Fearow surround Starmie with Double Team." Ash ordered.

"Fearow!" If one of it wasn't scary then what about a ring of them?

"Starmie use Flash!" A fierce light erupted from the red gem blinding everyone.

Seeing her chance Misty quickly ordered. "Now Starmie use Rapid Spin."

"Endure Fearow quick!" Lucky for Ash the bird evaded the brunt of the attack by slightly changing its position.

"Use Pursuit Fearow." A dark glint appeared in the eyes and on Fearow's beak.

"Starmie use Thunderbolt!" As a ball of electricity began to charge suddenly the building rumbled.

"What's going on?" The sisters were frighten. There were no earthquakes in Cerulean before.

A long nozzle appeared from the glass ceiling. A huge suction force broke out of it trying to catch water pokémon which were in a nearby tank.

"No. Who dares to break in."

"It's us. Ah crap biscuits." James said when he saw Ash and the gang.

"We're team Rocket you foo... indeed we're toast." Meowth said.

"What is taking you so long. We've practiced this many...times." Jessie finished with a gulp after seeing Ash tap his foot with annoyance.

"You do know that you could've done the same bloody thing in the ocean? Captured wild pokémon and it would've been legal? Or do you want to tell me that Seel's, Crabby's are suddenly an extinct breed of pokémon?"

"But these know to perform?" James wasn't so sure of his answer.

"Enough. We're Team Rocket meowthmit. And it's us who does the terrorizing." Meowth tried to pump up his teammates.

"That's right. We're certainly not afraid of a couple of twerps."

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt."

"Pikachu!" However the trio was prepared. They had rubber gloves.

"Ha ha ha ha. And now what twerp. We have rubber gloves and the high ground." Jessie smirked.

"My Fearow has a different opinion. Use Giga Impact!"

"Fearow!" It covered itself with a ball of swirling energy and hit the big vacuum machine.

As it exploded team Rocket once again blasted off with the speed of light.

"I think play time is over. Let's help the pokémon Misty." Ash stretched out his hand with a smile on his face.

Seeing this Misty finally let go of her indignation and with a smile shook the young man's hand.

"Since you've finally shown how good of a trainer you actually are then don't think you'll not be battling with me every single day on the road." Ash had a mischievous grin much to her chagrin.

"Yep. They're like made for eachother." Violet said.

"Two overly energetic and vindictive midgets. What can possibly go wrong." Lily sighed.

"Pikachu." It lay down in sorrow in wait of times to come.

The next day Ash and the team were up and ready to continue their journey. This time to Vermillion City.

"Thank you for your hospitality." Ash thanked the three sisters.

"It was nothing. Thank you for keeping our baby sister im check." Daisy smiled.

"I heard that." Misty fumed.

"Thank you Brock for helping us with the new recipe for our water pokémon." Lily said.

"Now our swimming performance will reach knew hights. And I can't wait for more shopping after that cash flow." Violets eyes were shining from the new possibilities.

After saying their goodbyes the trio finally reached the new route.

"How does it feel to have two badges and none of them were won honestly." Misty smirked at Ash.

"Your point being?" Ash asked without a care in the world.

Puzzeled with his nonchalant behavior she continued. "Don't you feel embarrassed or not fulfilled?"

"Life is too short to sweat the details. And who said that only by winning you can legally get the badge?"

"That's true Misty. We only give badges to those we find worthy. And that can mean a lot of things." Brock interjected.

"Pika pika." Pikachu nodded on Ash's shoulder.

"And besides. If both of you aren't content with the outcome you can take me down a peg or two with a battle." Ash grinned.

"Hmph. I'm only here to ensure you give me back my bike Ash Ketchum." She huffed.

"But I did. You just didn't like the black paint job I did on it." Ash laught and ran away from the now fuming redhead with Brock trying to keep up with the delinquent duo.