Um, I’m back. Your guess is as good as mine as to when I will finish this series. I definitely know, though, that I will not finish all of the episodes I had planned for Season 2 by May. Thus, a majority of those episodes will be postponed until Season 3 (and Season 4, if needed). Once I decide what episodes will finish off Season 2, I’ll let you all know. Also, for anyone who remembers the Season 2 preview special from a couple of months back, this chapter ends differently than shown in one of the scenes from that special. As you know, ideas and things like that are subject to change, so please don’t be surprised if anything turns out different than it is posted when the respective episode is released. Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any of the characters presented here. The lyrics to “All We Wanna Do” are the property of their respective owners. Author’s Warning: Rated PG for sensuality and one case of profanity. ***** Friday, August 26th, Indigo Plateau Daisy: Misty! Come out here this instant! Violet: (clapping her hand over her sister’s mouth) Not so loud! You’ll get us kicked out of the building! The two Waterflower sisters, along with Ash, Brock, and Pikachu, were standing outside the room that Misty and Giselle were using. Unfortunately, Misty is still upset about her loss just hours ago. She was inside, all alone, crying her heart out. Brock: Come on, Misty! You can’t cry all night! Misty: (yelling from inside) Oh yeah? (sniffles) Watch me! Ash: (now a little angry himself) Okay, that’s it! I’m coming in whether you like it or not! Pikachu: (agreeing with Ash, fists clenched and cheeks sparking) Pika pi! Ash opens the door, and he and Pikachu walk in. Brock, Daisy, and Violet just stand there, watching. A few seconds later, they hear Misty yelling very angrily at Ash and Pikachu. Just a scant second later, the trio outside dives out of the way of a wooden chair that suddenly comes flying out. The chair hits the door of the room across the hall. Pikachu comes bounding out the door, followed by Ash, who quickly closes the door behind him. Good thing, too, because she had thrown a small wooden table at him. He was still wondering how she had managed to get from the bed to the table in such a short amount of time. Luckily, her aim was off, and it hit the door with a hard felt thud. The group then hears a clicking sound... Misty had locked the door. Ash slumps the down in front of the door, breathing heavily. Pikachu does likewise, as the others look at him. Daisy: (a little nervously) Well? Ash: (holding his head in pain) Ow... she didn’t like it. I think a piece of that chair might have gotten me. Pikachu: (shaking his head) Pika. Violet: (sighs) I guess we’d better let her cool down for a while. She’ll talk to us eventually. Ash: I hope. Brock: You’re right. There’s no use trying to talk to her now. Ash and Pikachu get up and dust themselves off. Ash just glances at the door and sighs as the others begin walking down the hallway. Ash: Misty... ****************************************************************** Adventures Series, Episode 41: “Misty’s Going for Gold,” Chapter Eight: “Eyes Set on Bronze?” Story Written by Freedom Fighter, Pre-read by Matt Lenz ****************************************************************** About a mile away, we spot Giselle and Joe leaving the nearby Pokémon Center. The two are holding hands as they walk towards her building. Joe: So, Giselle. Meet you on the practice field at ten tomorrow? Giselle: Right. I’m going to make sure that you get in the Pokémon League when you return here in six months. Joe: Oh, Giselle... you really don’t have to go through all of that. Giselle: (cuddles up next to Joe) Oh, I insist. Joe: (gulps) Oh... in that case... Daisy: (coughs) Ahem. The two look up and see Daisy and Violet standing imposingly right in front of them, both with their arms crossed over their chests. Violet: Like, get a room you two! Giselle: It’s none of your business! Joe: Giselle! Giselle: (a little innocently) But it isn’t... Ash, Brock, and Pikachu walk out of the building and spot Giselle and the others. Ash: Um... (waves nonchalantly towards Giselle) hi. Giselle looks at Ash’s pained face, turns her head away, and instantly guesses the worst. Giselle: (slowly, somewhat acting as if she is asking Ash the question directly) Misty lost, didn’t she? Ash can only reply with a simple nod. Brock: You mean you didn’t hear about it? Giselle: How could I? I was helping Joe improve his Pokémon battle techniques all day. Violet: (snickering) I don’t think that was the only thing she was helping him improve, wink, wink. Though I think most people have the decency to do it at night. Daisy: Violet! Giselle: How dare you say something like that! Brock: You can’t be serious! Ash and Joe: (simultaneously, both completely lost) What? Giselle, even though she was nine years younger as well as an entire foot shorter than Violet, stared so coldly that the purple-haired sister could have literally jumped out of her high heels. Giselle: I can’t believe you’d think that I would do something like that at my age! Violet: Ever take a look at yourself in the mirror lately? Men would do anything to get with a girl that wears revealing clothes like you do. Giselle: (a little peeved at Violet) Like you don’t go around flaunting in your spare time! Violet: Hey! I’m twenty-one, single, and drop-dead gorgeous! (proudly while pointing her finger onwards, with the Japanese flag waving in the background) Those qualifications give me the divine right to choose the guy I want to go out with, regardless of who they are! Brock: (sneaking up next to her) Does that include me too? Violet: (pushing Brock away) No. Now go away. Giselle: Hey! It’s not like I’m trying to attract attention on purpose. Violet: Ever turn around on a street to look behind you? (Giselle doesn’t respond) I didn’t think so. Giselle: What is that supposed to mean? Ash and Joe: (at the same time, again) Yeah, what IS that supposed to mean? Brock: (beginning to go into ‘explanation mode’) Well you see boys... Daisy: (interrupting Brock) Okay, I think we’ve heard enough. Number one, Ash and Joe are too young to even participate in a conversation on this topic. Ash and Joe: (in unison as fire ignites in the background) We are not too young! Daisy: (sticking two fingers in the air) Second Giselle, you don’t have the right to talk about it either since you are the same age as them. Giselle: Oh yeah? Daisy: (raises an eyebrow at Giselle) Ahem... even if you act several years more mature. (raises three fingers in the air) Third, that comment you made was absolutely inappropriate... (turns to Violet) dear sister! Violet: Oh, so I’m the bad guy now? Daisy glares at Violet. Violet: (sweatdrops, waving her arms to defend herself as if her own sister was actually using a glare attack) Okay, I’ll shut up now. Yeesh. Daisy: And fourth and finally, there’s a more pressing matter at hand than ‘who’s the hottest new couple in town.’ Ash: That’s right! Misty’s locked herself up in her room and she won’t let anyone come near her. Giselle: (more annoyed than anything) That’s what she thinks. Giselle starts stomping towards the building. A little concerned about her well-being, especially with Misty’s current condition, Ash and Brock begin to reach out to stop her. Joe decides to step in by raising his voice at them. Joe: Let Giselle go! At this, the two just stop dead in their tracks as Giselle makes it to the front door, opens it, and goes in. Daisy: Like, why did you let her go in there? Misty’s so crazy right now she’s likely to do anything. Violet: (a little frightened) Like throw a chair at her! Imagine the bruise that’s going to be on her forehead! Daisy: You were just arguing with her over her beauty and now you’re worried about it? Violet: Hey! Just because I said I don’t like her showing off all the time doesn’t mean that she deserves a trip to the emergency room! Joe: Anyway... I just have confidence that Giselle will straighten Misty out. Brock: In what way? Joe: Well, if I knew that, then I’d be her boyfriend! Daisy and Violet: (together) You ARE her boyfriend! Joe: (scratching behind his ear while his eyes are closed) I am, aren’t I? Silly me... Everyone except for Joe falls down. ====== In the meantime, Giselle had made her way up to the door outside her room. As she took her key out from her purse, she spotted the remains of the table and chair that had been thrown out of the room earlier. She had also noticed that there were a few people hiding behind their doors, which were slightly cracked open. At first she thought that they were all looking at her the way that Violet had described to her... in fact, she truly admitted to herself that she had noticed all the lookers before. But these people were staring at her as if they were frightened. Frightened of what lied behind that door. Just how far had Misty gone off the deep end? Was Giselle getting in over her head? Was there really some object beyond that door with her name on it? In other words, how was she to know that Misty wasn’t waiting for her? She was the one who gave Misty the only piece of advice she’d thought that she would need for the match. She would place all the blame on her, and then she’d really be in for it. What ever happened next would probably include a lot of police officers, an ambulance, and most likely the Pokémon League stripping Misty of her trainer’s license... permanently this time. But then again, the chance that all of that would happen was slim to none. Taking in a deep breath (as well as seeing that those who were watching her were doing the exact same thing), Giselle inserted her key into the lock. She slowly turned it to the right, and then she heard a click. She takes the key back out, puts it back into her purse, and then slowly reaches for the doorknob. Grabbing it, she turns it to the left, opening the door. Giselle saw that the lights were off in the room, and so she began to reach for the light switch. It was then that her eyes caught sight of Misty lying on her bed. Relieved that she was asleep, Giselle moved towards her side of the room when she heard a sound. Actually, it was a sob. Giselle could hear Misty sobbing, but it was barely audible because her face was pressed right against her pillow. Giselle, without another thought, rushes back over, turns on the lights, and then locks the door. Outside the room, it seemed that the onlookers were too scared to approach the door. They were afraid that it might suddenly slam wide open once again, and some other object would come flying out of it. Back inside, Giselle began to move towards Misty’s bed. Misty somehow heard her rival approaching, and decided to speak up. Misty: (defiantly through her pillow) Go away. Giselle: Make me. I’m still your roommate for another two nights at least. Misty: (still speaking through her pillow) Why don’t you go sleep with Joe? Giselle: Because I don’t want to! Now take your face out of that pillow! Misty lifts her face from the pillow, and now Giselle gets a glimpse of Misty’s face, which is full of tears. Giselle: I can’t believe you! What kind of a Pokémon trainer are you? Misty: (wiping some of the tears from her face with her hands) What is that supposed to mean? Giselle: You’re just lucky that you’re not sitting in a jail cell right now. If I had been here when you had your little temper tantrum, I would have called the police right there and then. Misty: (starting to get angry again) You don’t know what I went through! Giselle: Don’t give me any of that crap! I probably felt the same way when you beat me yesterday! But did you see me go crazy and start tearing up the place? Misty: You’ll never understand me! I’m your rival! To understand each other means that we’re friends! And trust me, we’re far from being friends. Giselle: Is that so? Then you’ll most likely expect me to do something like this! Giselle slaps Misty hard across the face. Misty naturally reacts... by slapping Giselle across the face. The two now stare angrily at each other, ready to rip each other to shreds. Misty: Oh, you’re asking for it now. Giselle: You bet I am! Let’s dance! The two prepared to pounce on each other when they heard a knock at the door. Giselle walks over to it and looks into the peephole. He sees Ash, Richie, and two Pikachu standing outside. Ash: Man, we were lucky that you passed by when you did. Richie: No problem. I was on my way towards my room to get some sleep, but I’m willing to help out a fellow trainer. Ash: I hope so. Misty’s been going crazy ever since she lost that match to you. Richie: Has she? I guess we’re going to calm her down, huh? Ash: Easier said than done... Back inside the room... Giselle: (pulls her face away from the peephole) Oh, it’s your boyfriend... and there’s that other trainer that looks like just him. Misty: (getting off of her bed while using her hands to wipe the tears from her face) What are you talking about? Ash doesn’t know anyone that looks just like him. Giselle unlocks the door and opens it before Misty tells her otherwise. Misty quickly turns away as Ash, Richie, Pikachu, and Chuchino enter the room. Ash: Misty, this has got to stop right here and now! You’re making a scene! Misty: So? Who cares? Ash was about to jump in and state that he cared about her, but Richie spoke up first. Richie: If I knew that you were this temperamental, I would have let you win the match. Misty turns to face Richie. She begins to burn with anger inside. Without thinking, she leaps at Richie, hoping to make him pay for the pain that she has suffered through over the past few years. Understandably not all from him, but a combination of the trials and tribulations of her journeys with Ash, Brock, and Pikachu, and also on her own. It’s like Richie’s presence had somehow compacted all of it into one little ball... one that she released onto him. Luckily, Giselle steps in the way. She grabs Misty’s arms and raises them to the ceiling before the punches connected with his body. Giselle then holds them there. Giselle: What are you thinking? Are you that anxious to get booted from the Pokémon League forever? Misty: (still angry) Out of my way! Misty then rears back her right leg as she prepares to kick Giselle between her legs. Luckily for Giselle, Ash decides at that moment to put his plan into action. He tackles Misty from her left side. The sudden move makes Giselle lose her grip of Misty’s arms, as the two trainers land a couple of feet away from her. The action also knocks Misty’s Cascade Badge pin off of her shirt collar. Ash, perched right above Misty, held down her hands and feet as she struggled to get free. Ash: Misty, get a hold of yourself! This isn’t like you! Misty: Ash! I thought you’d be on my side! Mad after losing one of the most important matches of my life as a trainer. I know you’d feel the same way. Ash: (with more wisdom and maturity than most people thought he had) Maybe, but don’t you think this has gone too far? Richie beat you fair and square. Beating him up won’t do you any good. Misty: Maybe not in terms of my training record, but it will make me feel better. After all, Team Rocket put a blemish on my record when they poisoned Scyther. Even though that wasn’t my fault, incidents like that can’t be forgotten! Even if my file miraculously gets erased, every single person here will remember me for that one little fault for as long as they live. They’ll probably remember that more than for what I’m about to do to him! Misty glares at Richie. Ash: Misty, stop this nonsense! Misty: I won’t until I get a rematch and clean the floor with him! As Misty continues to struggle, Richie looks on with concern. Richie: (mumbling) This can’t be happening. I thought fighting one of those girls would have been the ultimate thrill. Oh boy, was I ever right. Giselle: Did you say something? Richie: (jumping back) Me? Of course not! Giselle: You know, you shouldn’t stand there like a target. Believe it or not, you’re the reason that my rival over there is going ballistic. Richie: (sarcastically) No kidding... Giselle: Go get a glass of water or something. Richie: (nods in agreement) Good idea. Richie runs out of the room and down the hall towards the vending machine. He then realizes something. Richie: That’s it! Richie turns around and runs back into the room. Giselle looks at him surprisingly. Misty, who had seemed to calm down, got angry again when Richie reentered the room, and Ash had to secure her limbs harder than ever. Giselle: That was quick. Say, what happened to the water? Richie: I discovered a better way to calm her down. Giselle: (with a raised eyebrow) Really? Okay wiseguy, let’s see it. Richie pulls out the Pokéball containing Happy and throws it into the air. Richie: Happy! Use sleep powder now! Happy: (comes out of the Pokéball) Freeeee! Happy flies over to Ash and Misty and drops sleep powder on them. The two of them fall asleep, with Ash on top of Misty. Giselle and Pikachu breathe a heavy sigh of relief while Richie recalls Happy. Giselle: (looking at Pikachu) Whew! For a minute there, I thought you would’ve had to get in there and break them up. Pikachu: Pika pikachu. Richie: (glancing at Misty) That girl is unbelievable. Giselle: Unbelievable is an understatement for her. (turning towards Ash and Misty’s limp bodies) Help me get Misty into her bed, and then you can take Ash out of the building. ====== After a few minutes, Giselle had Misty under the covers of her bed, and Richie was supporting the unconscious Ash on his shoulder. Chuchino and Pikachu lead the way out of the room, with Richie following, and Giselle bringing up the rear. A few people had their eyes on them the whole time, wondering if the ordeal was over or not. Giselle: (points to her left) The elevator’s that way. Just hand him over to his friends and they’ll take care of the rest. Pikachu: Pika! Chuchino: Pikachu! The two Pikachu begin to sprint towards the elevator. Giselle begins to close the door when Richie puts his foot in the way. Richie: Wait a second... Giselle: (stops) What? Richie: You know, I was wondering if you’d go on a date with me? Giselle: (smirks) A date? Richie: Yep. Giselle: Tell me, what does a guy like you see in a girl like me? Richie: (tugs at his shirt collar) Well, um... there’s your... um... and then there’s... Giselle: (rolls her eyes) Uh-huh, just as thought. You’re just like the others. Richie: What do you mean others? Giselle: (defiantly) I’m taken. Anyway, I’ll talk with Misty and see if I can get her to reconcile with you peacefully. Until then, good night! Richie: But wait a minute... Giselle closes the door in Richie’s face. ====== The following morning, Saturday, August 27th, at Indigo Stadium... Ash, Pikachu, Brock, Daisy, and Violet waited outside the stadium for Misty to arrive for her third place consolation match. But with less than ten minutes to go before the match starts, Misty had still not arrived. Daisy: Like, what if she doesn’t show? That would be totally embarrassing! Violet: Imagine what it’ll do to our family reputation. Ash: Will you two stop thinking about yourselves for once? Misty will show up. (smiles) Giselle will make sure of it. Brock: (points a finger straight ahead) Look! Here comes Misty and Giselle! The duo runs up to the group and stops right in front of them, panting heavily. Brock: Looks like you almost missed your match, Misty. Daisy: For a second there, I thought that you weren’t going to show up at all. Misty: Of course I’m going to show up. (winks) This is the Pokémon League Novice Tournament, after all. Violet: Then why are you so late? Giselle: (catching her breath) That was my fault. I forgot to set the alarm clock so we only woke up about twenty minutes ago. Daisy: Seriously? It’s almost two in the afternoon and you guys slept in? Misty: There’s no time to worry about that now. I’ve got a match to win. Misty begins walking towards the trainer’s entrance as her friends and family cheer her on. Ash: Misty, wait! Misty turns around and sees Ash running up to her. Ash: I just wanted to wish you good luck... (hands Misty her Cascade Badge pin) and give you this back. Misty: What? How did you get this? Ash: It fell off while I was wrestling you to the ground last night. Misty: Look Ash, I’m sorry for what happened. Ash: (kisses Misty on the cheek) We can talk later. Right now you have a battle to fight. Misty just stands there in shock for a few seconds before slowly backing up and away from Ash. She waves goodbye, blows him a kiss, and then walks towards the trainer’s entrance. Ash is now the one frozen in place, as he can’t believe that Misty responded that quickly. Of course, he quickly got out of that frozen state when he heard chants of ‘Ash and Misty forever’ from behind. He blushed as he turned towards the group. Ash: Oh come on, it was nothing. It was a just a spur of the moment thing. Brock, Daisy, Violet, and Giselle: (simultaneously, while trying to hold in their giggles) Sure... whatever you say. Pikachu: Pikachu chu pika pika! The foursome and Pikachu then break out in laughter as they follow Ash towards the grandstands. ====== A few minutes later, Misty and her opponent, an orange-haired guy named Spike, were standing on top of their podiums, ready to battle. Spike, on the green platform, looked like the type of a guy who could get a job as Lieutenant Surge’s stunt double, yet his outrageous hairstyle could easily identify him as a member of a local gang. Misty, on the red platform, was not intimidated by him. She felt confident that she was going to win. The flag official reached the center of the field, preparing to start the match. The whole crowd, including the whole gang, was on the edge of their seats, waiting for the battle to begin. Finally, the official was given the signal, and announced that the battle was starting. Misty: (tossing out a Pokéball, softball style) Misty calls Vaporeon! Spike: (toss his Pokéball as if it were a grenade) Go Jolteon! The two advanced evolutions of Eevee came out of their Pokéballs, ready to fight. Misty: (to herself) I have to remember that it’s all a mind game. Just because I have the disadvantage doesn’t mean that I’ll automatically lose. (yelling out to Vaporeon) Don’t worry Vaporeon! We can handle that Jolteon hands down! Spike: (yelling Misty’s way) We shall see what that Vaporeon can do after it gets electrocuted by my Jolteon! Flag Official: (raises both flags to the sky) Let the battle begin! ****************************************************************** Adventures Series Trivia Question # 8: Brock is well known for his tendency to flirt with every pretty girl he sees. How many lucky ladies became targets for Brock’s hobby in Season 1 (count each girl only once)? ****************************************************************** Adventures Series Trivia Question # 5: Somewhere on one of the islands of the Miners’ Archipelago, Ash mistakes his rescuer for Misty. What is the rescuer’s name (first and last name required)? Answer: Sally Highsaw. The meeting of her and Ash was made possible thanks to an injured Voltorb that was self-destructing just to protect itself. ****************************************************************** Announcer: And the match for third place has begun here at Indigo Stadium. Misty, the red trainer, has chosen Vaporeon to start, while Spike, the green trainer, has selected Jolteon. No offense, but this looks like a one-sided battle. Misty: Vaporeon, sand attack! Spike: Jolteon, thunder wave! Vaporeon strikes first, temporarily blinding Jolteon. Jolteon retaliates with the thunder wave, which paralyzes Vaporeon on the spot. Announcer: It looks like both trainers have decided to weaken their opponent’s Pokémon by lowering their ability to attack offensively. Misty: Vaporeon! Use mist to conceal yourself! Vaporeon: Por! Vaporeon became shrouded in mist. This made things even worse for Jolteon’s aim. Spike: Jolteon! Thunder! Strike that Vaporeon down! Jolteon fires the large thunder bolt at Vaporeon. He misses, as the bolt strikes the ground just inches in front of Misty’s podium. Misty: (jumps back in fright) Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! She regains her composure and then begins shaking her fist at Spike. Misty: Hey! You’re supposed to be attacking Vaporeon, not me! Spike: How am I to do that if I can’t see your Pokémon? Misty: (focusing her attention back to the battlefield) Vaporeon, aurora beam! Vaporeon fires the aurora beam at Jolteon. Jolteon takes some heavy damage, and is slowed down as a result of being hit by the beam as well. In the stands, the gang looked on as the battle continued. Ash: Wow... Misty pulled out the aurora beam pretty early. Giselle: Of course she did. She’s at a disadvantage, so she’s doing everything to weaken that Jolteon so that the battle is easier for her to win. Daisy: Like, who cares? She’s winning, and that’s all that matters. Back on the field, Spike quickly plans his next move. Spike: (to himself) That Vaporeon is still a water type, so even a normal thundershock should weaken it a lot. (to Jolteon) Jolteon! Jolteon: (looking up towards his trainer) Jolt? Spike: Thundershock! Jolteon shoots the thundershock attack straight into the mist. Miraculously, it hits Vaporeon. The mist clears, and Vaporeon appears injured after that last attack. Misty: Vaporeon! Hang in there! Spike: Jolteon! Another thundershock, now! Misty: Wha? Vaporeon, quick attack! Vaporeon attempts to use quick attack, but she is beginning to feel the effects of the thunder wave attack from earlier, as she ends up paralyzed on the spot. Vaporeon is hit by this second thundershock attack, and this time faints as a result of it. Misty: Vaporeon! Flag Official: (raising the green flag) Vaporeon is unable to continue! Round one goes to Jolteon! The first light goes out under Misty’s picture. The gang, especially Ash, look in the direction of Misty’s podium. They were hoping that Misty didn’t decide to break down right there and then and cry. But instead, she seemed unfazed by the loss of one of her most powerful Pokémon. They watched as she recalled Vaporeon and quickly reached for another Pokéball. Misty: Misty calls Scyther! Scyther: (materializing right in front of Misty’s podium) Scy-ther! Spike: So this is the Scyther that everyone’s been talking about. Announcer: And Misty calls out her Scyther, in only its second battle since it returned to full battle status earlier this week. Is Scyther ready to take on Jolteon? Misty: (thinking) Scyther’s my strongest non-water Pokémon, so I use him to take down that Jolteon. Then hopefully I’ll be able to take care of his other two Pokémon without any trouble at all. Scyther and Jolteon approach the center of the field, as the match resumes. Flag Official: (raises both flags) Begin! Spike: Jolteon, thunder wave! Misty: Scyther, agility! Scyther dodges the thunder wave attack as he increases his speed. Spike: Jolteon, quick attack! Misty: Scyther, double team! The crowd watches as Scyther splits into the three separate images of himself. Jolteon attacks one of them, only to find out that it wasn’t the real one. Misty had gotten Spike’s Jolteon to record another miss. Announcer: Another miss! Looks like Misty is still employing attacks to hurt Jolteon’s accuracy rating. Misty: (to Scyther) Use your slash attack! The real Scyther slashes at Jolteon, and connects. Jolteon kneels down and begins to favor his nose. Spike: Jolteon, don’t give up now! Use your double kick attack! Misty: Scyther, wing attack! Jolteon double kicks Scyther to the ground. Unfortunately, that Scyther is another mirage. The distraction gives the real Scyther enough time to launch his wing attack. By the time Jolteon realizes his mistake, he is hit hard by Scyther’s wings. Jolteon goes down for the count. Flag Official: (raises the red flag) Jolteon is out! Scyther is the victor! Announcer: (as the first light goes out under Spike’s picture) And this match is now tied up at one. Which Pokémon will Spike choose next? Spike: (points Jolteon’s Pokéball at his fallen Pokémon) Jolteon, return! Jolteon changes back into a red beam of light as he returns to his Pokéball. Spike then throws another Pokéball onto the field. Spike: Nidorino! Go! Nidorino appears on the field, right in front of Scyther. Immediately the two Pokémon stare each other down. They get into position as the flag official gives the signal to begin. Misty: Scyther! Focus energy! Spike: Nidorino! Horn drill! KO that Scyther before he gets the chance to attack! As Scyther begins to charge up, Nidorino attempts to horn drill Scyther... but the attack misses its intended target. Spike: (a little angry) Try again, Nidorino! Nidorino used horn drill again. Once again the attack missed. Spike: Nidorino! I know you can do it! Try one more time! Usually, a third time would be the charm, but before Nidorino can try, Scyther, now fully charged with energy, fires an energy ball at Nidorino. The blast of power knocks out Nidorino in one hit. Flag Official: (raises the red flag) Nidorino has been knocked out! Scyther wins again! Misty: (pumping her fist in the air) Yes! I knew that would work! Spike: (angry) Why doesn’t that horn drill attack work properly? Spike pulls out his own Pokédex, a yellow one, and opens it. Spike’s Pokédex: Horn drill. An attack that knocks out the opponent instantly. Please note that this attack has only a 30 percent chance of working accurately. Spike: (putting the Pokédex away) Now ya tell me. (pulls out Nidorino’s Pokéball) Nidorino, return! Misty watches from the other side of the field as Spike selects his third Pokémon. Spike: (throwing the Pokéball halfheartedly) Diglett, go! Misty: Huh? (to herself) Is that all he has left? (shakes her head in disapproval) Looks like I’ve got this battle under control. Diglett: Diglett! Scyther: (looks at the small Pokémon and then sweatdrops) Scy? Flag Official: (as the two Pokémon reach their starting positions) Ready? (raises both flags into the air) Begin! Misty: Scyther, quick attack! Scyther strikes first, hitting Diglett hard. The ground Pokémon shakes off the attack. Spike: Diglett, scratch! Diglett scratches Scyther on his right foot. The bug Pokémon doesn’t even feel the attack. Misty: Scyther, slash attack! Scyther slashes at Diglett, and this time succeeds in knocking the Pokémon out. Spike sighs as he recalls his last Pokémon. Spike: (bitter at his own mistake) That’s what I get for relying for two Pokémon throughout the whole tournament. The final light goes out under Spike’s picture before it is replaced by the word ‘Congratulations.’ The two podiums lower to the ground as the crowd cheers loudly for Misty. Misty waves to the crowd excitedly. She couldn’t believe that this was happening. Less than eight hours ago, she was in her room crying her heart out over her loss to Richie. Now, she had successfully placed third in the Pokémon League Novice Tournament. Surprisingly, she finished much better than Ash had nine months ago. As her podium reached the ground, she went over to Spike, who met her at midfield. The two shook hands and congratulated each other on a great battle. Spike then departed as Misty continued to celebrate. She saw all of her friends and family in the stands celebrating. Brock was clapping for her. Daisy and Violet were jumping up and down like crazy, screaming as loud as the rest of the crowd was altogether. Giselle simply just flashed Misty a smile... before walking towards the exit. Finally, she spotted Ash and Pikachu. Pikachu was congratulating Misty in his own way (by continuously yelling ‘pika pika’ at her). Ash looked at Misty as if he was saying something to her. She couldn’t hear him over the noise of the stadium, though. She decided that she would talk to Ash later and ask him what he was yelling at her. Waving goodbye to the crowd one more time, she heads out towards the north end of the stadium. ====== It took the whole gang about twenty minutes to work their way through the crowd and out of the stadium. It seemed that most of the crowd was staying put for the championship match, which was scheduled to begin at the top of the hour. They had decided that they would go see Misty first, and then whoever wanted to watch the match could go back into the stadium. Daisy: (happy with glee) I’m so glad that Misty won! Violet: (with her hands on her hips) I agree. Misty is so much easier to deal with when she’s happy. Ash: You know what’s so weird about this win? Daisy and Violet: What? Ash: (slowly) She ended up finishing better in the tournament than I did. Daisy: Like, no way! Violet: Does that mean that Misty’s a better trainer than her so called aspiring Pokémon Master boyfriend? Ash was getting ready to retaliate, but stopped himself for two reasons. One, it was already obvious to them all that Ash and Misty were now a couple, no matter how much they denied it. And two, it seemed that another girl, dressed in a knee length lavender dress, was approaching them. It was Marina. Brock, as usual, tries to put the moves on her... just like every girl he meets. Brock: Nice to see you again, Marina. Marina: Oh hello. Brock, right? Brock: (runs up to Marina, takes Marina’s hands in his, and gazes deeply into her eyes) Right. But you can call me anything you want. Daisy and Violet then remember that Marina is a water Pokémon trainer. They run over and push Brock out of the way. They both stand in front of Marina, staring at her with googly eyes. Daisy: Nice to see you again, Marina. Violet: How did you do in the tournament? Marina: (sadly) I lost in the quarterfinals. Daisy: (pats Marina on the back) Don’t worry. You still finished in the top eight. Everyone who makes it into the quarterfinals qualifies for the Pokémon League. Violet: So, like, stop sulking! Be happy! Marina: (looks up) I should be happy. Finishing in the top eight is a great accomplishment! (looks at the stadium) But finishing third is even better. Daisy: (putting her hands on her hips as she turns in the same direction) Sure is. I’m proud of my little sister. Violet: To think, just a year ago Daisy thought that Misty wouldn’t even make it to the Indigo Plateau. Daisy: (clasps her hand over Violet’s mouth) Will you be quiet! You don’t want Misty to know that, do you? Violet: I’m just telling Marina the truth. (Daisy pinches Violet on her left arm) Ow! Marina giggles as Daisy and Violet start up a small argument. A few feet away, Brock stands next to Ash and Pikachu, completely stunned that he was knocked away by the two Waterflower sisters. Brock: What just happened? Marina was getting ready to ask me out on a date. Ash: (sarcastically) Sure she was, Brock. Pikachu: Pika pika. (he spots Misty coming out of the tunnel) Pika pi! Pikachu! Pika! The whole group turns as Misty approaches them, happy as ever. Misty: Hi everyone! Daisy: Misty! Like, congratulations on your incredible victory! Misty: (blushes) Oh, it was nothing. Ash: I thought it was something. Misty: Ash! (she runs over and hugs him) You really think so? Ash: (pushing Misty off of him) Of course I do. Misty: By the way... what were you yelling at me after the match, anyway? Before Ash could respond, Marina interrupted the pair’s pre-romantic moment. Marina: Misty! Great match today! You really showed that other trainer who’s the boss! Misty: Marina! I thought you had left the Indigo Plateau already! Marina: (smiles) I couldn’t miss my best friend’s third place battle. (puts her arm over her shoulder) And I don’t think anyone deserves it better than you do. Misty: Although it would have been nice if I finished first. Marina: That would’ve been great, wouldn’t it? Misty: Say, why don’t we all go and get some ice cream! I’m paying! Ash: (jumps up) Ice cream? Alright! Pikachu: (does likewise) Pika! Violet: I haven’t had ice cream in ages! Marina: Let’s go! Misty leads the way towards the ice cream parlor, with Marina, Ash, Violet, and Pikachu following close behind. Daisy stands there, wondering why everyone’s leaving. Brock walks up next to her, as he has now set his sights on Daisy once again. Daisy: Hey! Where are you guys going? Brock: They’re going to the ice cream parlor. (smiles at her) Can I escort you there? Daisy: (ignoring Brock) Marina! Wait up! Daisy chases after the rest of the group. Brock, a little dejected after being ignored by Daisy yet again, follows her. ====== Meanwhile, on the east side of town, we see Joe sitting on a bench placed on the side of a busy walkway. He is drinking a can of soda. He looks to his left as he sees Giselle running towards him. Joe gets out of his seat and catches her just as she stops and falls right into his arms. Giselle: (panting) Sorry about... pant... being late. Joe: (sitting Giselle down on the bench before taking a seat next to her) Don’t worry. I know you were watching Misty’s match. Did she win? Giselle: Yep. As Giselle continued to pant, Joe hands his soda to her. Without speaking, she gently takes the can from him and gulps some of the soda down. Joe: Better? Giselle: (giving the soda can back to Joe) Yes, much better. Thanks. Joe: (shaking the can to see if it was empty) You're welcome. Giselle: I guess I should apologize for not meeting up with you at the practice field this morning, huh? By this time, Joe discovered that Giselle had left a little bit for him. He gulped down what was left of the soda, threw the can into a nearby recycling bin, and then wiped his mouth clean. He then turns to Giselle to respond to her question. Joe: (shakes his head) Don’t worry, I understand. (smiles) All that matters is that you’re here now. Giselle blushes as Joe leans towards her. The two are about to kiss when someone familiar interrupts them. Familiar Face: It’s almost been two weeks since we last saw each other Giselle. And two weeks is too long to wait for another battle with you. Giselle: (turns toward the individual) Can’t you see we’re busy here? (she then recognizes the individual) Oh, it’s you. Joe: (points to the guy) Who’s he? Giselle: His name’s Billy Bob. He was my first opponent in the tournament. She gets up and places her hands on her hips. She glares at Billy. It’s at this moment that she gets a clear picture in her mind of what he looks like. He was a black-haired boy in his late teens from America. He had a few muscles here and there, but nothing big enough to make her nervous. His plain white shirt and raggy blue jeans seemed to complement his personality... one that was always disorganized as if he never thought rationally. She was definitely annoyed that he had interrupted her romantic interlude with Joe, and she was determined to get rid this nuisance as soon as possible. Giselle: What do you want? Billy: (slowly) Revenge. Giselle: If it’s a rematch you’re looking for, then you’re out of your mind. After the poor sportsmanship you showed back at the stadium last week, you’re not worthy of another Pokémon battle with me. Billy: Oh, I didn’t come here for a simple Pokémon battle. I came here to take care of you after you humiliated me in front of thousands of people! Giselle: You were the one who humiliated yourself. All I did was made that obvious for you. Billy: When you stuck that high heel of yours into my chest, you nearly broke one of my ribs! (puts his right hand against his chest where the incident had occurred) I should have been compensated from the injury that you gave me. But who had to pay for my trip to the hospital to make sure the injury wasn’t anything serious? I did! Who had to explain to my parents why I got my butt kicked by a spoiled rich brat? I did! (begins to approach Giselle) Who had to pay for a week’s therapy to make sure that I didn’t hunt you down and personally try to strangle you to death? Giselle: (now a little nervous) Let me guess... you did? Billy: Bingo. Joe: (steps in front of Giselle) Leave my girlfriend alone! You have no reason to talk to her like that. From what she told me, you were responsible for everything that happened. Billy: (throws a Pokéball out) Machamp, go! Machamp comes out and growls angrily at Joe and Giselle. A crowd begins to form around the trio of trainers. Billy: You have no reason to interfere in this, pal. Step aside before Machamp here beats you to a pulp. Joe: No way! You’re not going to hurt Giselle! Not as long as I’m around! Giselle: (pushes Joe to her side) Joe, that’s enough! Joe: But Giselle? Giselle: I’ll handle this. There’s no reason for you to get involved. (whispers in his ear) I’ll need to borrow your Bellsprout. Joe: (whispers back) Why? Giselle: (whispers back) I have a plan. Trust me. Joe quickly pulls out Bellsprout’s Pokéball and hands it to Giselle. She then smiles as she faces Billy and her Machamp. Giselle: Usually, I wouldn’t resort fighting a trainer as low as you are. But then again, you need to be taught some manners. Billy: Is that so? We’ll see if you’re still smiling after my Machamp gets his hands on you. (to Machamp) Use submission on that girl over there. Understand? Machamp: (cracks his knuckles in anticipation) Machamp! Giselle: (throws Joe’s Pokéball to the ground, using her ballerina like pose) Go Bellsprout! Use your vine whip to overpower that Machamp! Bellsprout jumps in front of the charging Machamp. Machamp grabs for the Bellsprout. The grass Pokémon then grabs one of Machamp’s hands and begins to spin him around and around. Bellsprout finally releases and throws Machamp right at Billy. Billy ducks, but Machamp hits the building behind him. Machamp is knocked out instantly. Giselle: (smirks, then recalls Bellsprout) Satisfied now? Billy: No fair! Bellsprout aren’t even supposed to be able to lift Machamp! Besides, you used one of his Pokémon instead of yours! Giselle: It would have been too easy to use one of my Pokémon. (arrogantly) Besides, that Machamp of yours probably couldn’t beat any Pokémon that I have! Billy couldn’t take any more of Giselle’s arrogance. He erupted in a giant explosion of anger. He charges towards Giselle, looking to hurt her with his own two hands. Heck, at that moment, he probably was even thinking of killing her. Joe looks worriedly at Giselle. Joe: Giselle, look out! Billy: I’ll show you a thing or two, you little bitch! Billy tries to wrap his hands around Giselle’s neck, but she manages to dodge the attack. She then leaps into air, to the amazement of everyone. Extending her hands down to her feet so that she would look like a spinning cannonball, she jumps over Billy before he has a chance to pull her down. As she begins to descend to the ground, she quickly releases her hands from their position and reaches for a Pokéball. She throws it to the ground. She ends up landing on the Pokémon just as a Tauros comes out of the Pokéball. Giselle: Tauros, take down! Tauros leaps at Billy as he turns around. Tauros takes the young man down, as he hits the ground hard. Billy laid on the ground, breathing heavily. He was conscious but barely. Giselle smiled as she got off of Tauros. She recalled the Pokémon and then walked over to Billy’s left side. She smiled as she squatted down to make sure he heard what she was about to say next. Giselle: Luckily, I don’t have the heart to stick my heel into your chest again. But as I told you before... if you can’t be a good sport about losing, then you should starting thinking of finding another way to make it in life. She turns around to walk away, but she stops after a few steps. She turns her head Billy’s way once more. Giselle: Oh, and one more thing. Call me a bitch one more time and I won’t be so unforgiving. An Officer Jenny bursts her way through the crowd and spots the nearly unconscious Billy on the ground. Indigo Jenny: You again? Don’t you ever stay out of trouble? She took out a pair of handcuffs and placed them on Billy’s wrists. A few other Officer Jennys showed up to break up the crowd. As Giselle looks on, Joe runs over to her. Joe: Where did you learn a move like that? Giselle: Oh, let’s just say I picked up a few hobbies while you were away... such as gymnastics. Joe: Amazing! Giselle: (yawns) Not really. I know a friend who’s much better at it then I am. Joe: You mean like with you, Misty, and Pokémon training? Giselle: Hey! Are you implying that Misty’s better than me? Whose side are you on, anyway? Joe, not wanting to answer her question, begins running down the street. He giggles as Giselle begins to chase him playfully. ====== Later that night, Misty, Giselle, Joe, and Marina lined up with the hundreds of other competing trainers from the tournament at the Closing Ceremonies. Ash, Pikachu, Brock, Daisy, and Violet were sitting in the stands, cheering them on with the rest of the crowd. It seemed that the crowd would only get louder when the top three trainers were awarded for their efforts. Misty received a bronze Indigo Plateau badge for finishing in third place. As she stood there, waving to the crowd, she began to think of all of the memories of the tournament that she’d remember forever. Her wild ride with Giselle up to the Indigo Plateau. Her surprise when she found out that Duplica was competing as well. Her dismay when it seemed that Scyther was uncontrollable. Her rivalry with Giselle, which escalated to new heights after two tournament battles. Her disbelief when she discovered that Duplica’s boyfriend, who was on the way here to see her compete, passed away in a plane crash. Her thoughts of fear when Team Rocket attempted to kill her. Her inability to think rationally when she broke down after losing to Richie in the semifinals. All of those memories were great... okay, most of them were, but there was only one that really stood out in her mind. Those of the one named Ash. In the one moment that she had lost her sanity, Ash was the one who tried to bring her back to reality. Sure, Giselle might have made the first move towards doing so, but it wasn’t until Ash jumped on her and tried to knock some sense into her that she finally realized how wrong she acted. And in front of the trainer she was actually mad at, no doubt. She would never forget that night for the rest of her life. That got Misty to think about her relationship with Ash to date. She knew that it wasn’t about the bike anymore. Heck, he had replaced it. They were in love, although they would never openly admit it to anyone. Why would they anyway? As far as Misty knew, every single family member, friend, and Pokémon that they had become acquainted with in the past two years had been pointing out the obvious all this time. That Ash and Misty would be together forever. And that was one piece of destiny that wasn’t going to change, no matter if Ash succeeds in becoming a Pokémon Master or not. Her thoughts were interrupted when Richie, the champion of the tournament, tapped her on the shoulder. Richie: Hi there! Feeling better, I hope? Misty: (turns towards Richie and smiles) Much better. (sympathetically) Look, I’m sorry for my behavior last night... Richie: (stops Misty in mid-speech) Forget it. Misty opens her eyes wide in surprise. Richie: We all feel like beating someone up after we lose a Pokémon battle... especially after losing one at this level of competition. So just forget it. Instead, let’s start anew. Richie sticks out his hand towards Misty in a friendly gesture. Richie: My name’s Richie Sparky. Misty: (sticks her hand out to meet Richie’s) Mine’s Misty Waterflower. Pleased to meet you. The two shake hands and then hug as the audience applauds as if they had heard the whole exchange between the two trainers. Ash, though, seemed a little irate. Ash: (yelling at Richie) Hey! Get your hands off of Misty! Brock: Chill out, Ash. They’re just getting to know each other better. After all, they didn’t get a chance to after their battle yesterday, did they? Ash: I guess you’re right. Misty deserves that much. Violet: (begins making kissy faces at Ash) I think she deserves much more than that, hint, hint! Ash, Brock, Daisy, and Pikachu: (simultaneously) Violet! [Chu!] Violet: (sweatdrops) Okay, okay! I’m just kidding! Back on the field, Misty and Richie had just finished congratulating each other on a great semifinal battle, and now they joined the rest of the trainers in one final salute as the Closing Ceremonies came to a close. ====== Early the next morning, somewhere along Route 23... Jessie, James, and Persian are walking slowly down the road, away from the Indigo Plateau. They are obviously tired after all that they have gone through. They were not happy with their performance in their past mission, and were now in fear for their lives. Who knows what Giovanni would do to them when he found out that they failed? They begin to ponder this thought as they continued to trot along. Persian: I can’t believe it. We were so close. James: But we kept getting screwed by that brat and his Pikachu! Persian: Not to mention you, James. James: What is that supposed to mean? Persian: Jessie could of killed the twerp and his girlfriend, but you had to go and stop her! James: I had to! I don’t feel comfortable about first degree murder! I can deal with stealing Pokémon and other things, but not killing anybody. Jessie: Forget about it. We have more important things to worry about right now. Persian: (nervously) Like what will happen if da boss finds out we failed... again. James: (matter of factly) Chances are that he already knows. (cries) It’s only a matter of time before he finds us, and then we’re dead! Jessie: (grabs James and slaps him across the face) James! Pull yourself together! This is far from over! Persian: (not convinced) It isn’t? Jessie: There’s no use going back to headquarters... if we want to stay alive, that is. Our best bet is to find a place to lay low. Then we’ll figure out what to do. James: What about all our stuff there? What about all of our friends? What about the twerps? Jessie: What friends? Besides, if you had anything worth owning, would you be part of Team Rocket? As for the brats, we’ve spent nearly two years attempting to capture that twerp’s Pikachu. I don’t think they’re exactly going to welcome us with open arms. Persian: You mean no more battles with that Pikachu? James: You can’t be serious! Jessie: I didn’t say stop permanently. Just for a little while. Besides, what’s more important to you two... that Pikachu or your life? James and Persian: (after thinking for a second or two) Okay, we’ll go into hiding. Jessie: I knew you’d see it my way. James: It’s not like we have any better ideas. (gets hit in the face with a fan) Ouch! Jessie returns her fan to its hiding place. The trio continues heading down Route 23, as they try to decide on a good place to hide. ====== (Play music - “All We Wanna Do”) Meanwhile, Ash, Brock, Pikachu, Daisy, and Violet were waiting at Indigo Plateau National Airport. Misty, Giselle, and Joe walk up to them. Daisy: Ready Misty? Misty: Yep. I just said goodbye to Marina. (holds up a folded piece of paper) She gave me her address, phone number, and e-mail so that we can keep in touch. She sees Brock starting to inch his way over to Misty. Misty: And no Brock, you can’t have them. Brock sulks and goes back to standing next to Daisy. Giselle begins inching slowly towards one of the boarding gates. The sign above the gate says ‘To Celadon City.’ Giselle: Well, I’d like to stay and chat, but Joe and I have a flight to catch. Misty: (walks over and unexpectedly gives Giselle a hug) Good luck on your journey. Giselle: (moves away from Misty) Are you okay? You just hugged me! Misty: What’s wrong with a friendly hug between rivals? Ash: (butting in) Tell that to Gary why don’t ya? Joe: It was nice to see you guys again. I hope we meet again soon. Ash: No problem, Joe. Brock: Make sure you watch out for each other, okay? (winks at Joe) We wouldn’t want anything bad happening to either of you, now would we? Joe: Trust me, Giselle will make sure that I’ll never get hurt. Giselle: What is that supposed to mean, Joe? That I’m going to be your personal nurse that will heal whatever ails you, is that it? Joe: Well, not exactly... Daisy: Good luck on your journey, you two. Drop by the Cerulean gym if you’re ever in the neighborhood. And tell Erika that I said hi! She looks over at Violet, who has her head turned away from Giselle. Daisy elbows her lightly in the stomach. Violet: Oh, um, yeah. Drop by anytime... (under her breath) little arrogant primadonna... Misty: ‘Til we meet again? Giselle: You can bet your Golduck we’ll meet again! Misty: Just checking. Giselle and Joe pick up their bags and start heading towards one of the gates. They wave goodbye to the group as they depart. Misty: Giselle! Giselle: (turns around and looks at Misty) What? Misty: You’d better be prepared to battle next time! Giselle smirks as she turns back around to follow Joe towards their plane. Ash and Misty then turn towards each other... and nearly bump heads in the process. They weren’t expecting the other to turn their way. Ash and Misty: (both blushing as they talk) Ash/Misty, I have a confession to make. Huh? (pointing towards each other) You have a confession to make? Pikachu: Pika? Brock: (coughs) Ahem. Ash: Oh, um, you first, Misty. Misty: No, you first. I insist. Ash: You first! Misty: No, you go first! Ash: You! Misty: You! Pikachu: (thundershocking both of them) Pika! Ash and Misty: (in pain) Ouch... Brock: Will one of you just say something so we can get this over with? Ash: Okay, I’ll go first. Misty, I know we’ve had a couple of good weeks together recently, especially after being apart from each other for so long. Unfortunately, I can’t make the trip back to Cerulean with you. I’m staying an extra day here before heading off to Crimson City for a Pokémon League tournament next week. Misty: Really? (a little disappointed) Gee, then I guess you’ll be going on the road alone again. Just you and Pikachu. Ash: (sighs) Yep, just the two of us, since Brock is going back home to look after his family. Misty: Wow... I guess I didn’t expect you to say that. I thought I was the one that was going to be giving the bad news about splitting up. Ash: Huh? Misty: Ash. You know that pin of mine that you gave back to me yesterday? (Ash nods) Well, it happens to be a gym leader identification pin. Ash: You mean? Misty: Yep. When I get back to Cerulean, my sisters are going to train me to become a gym leader. Ash: I was wondering what the letters GL meant. Wow, Misty! That’s not bad news! That’s great news! I’d do anything to be a gym leader. Brock: I thought you’d do anything to be a Pokémon Master! Ash: (laughs and puts a hand behind his head) Well yeah, that too. Misty: Ash... I’m going to be unavailable for three months. Ash: (slowly) Three months? Misty: That’s how long the training’s supposed to last. The two stand in place silently for what seems like an eternity. Finally, Misty speaks up. Misty: Well, I guess this is goodbye for now. Ash: Yes. But we’ll see each other again, right? Misty: Of course. Misty kisses Ash on the cheek, causing the boy to blush. Misty: (whispers in Ash’s ear) That’s payback for the kiss you gave me yesterday. Now go catch your plane before Brock or my sisters start talking about us again. Misty kneels down and picks Pikachu up off of the ground. Misty: Bye Pikachu! I’ll miss you! Pikachu: Pika pikachu, kachu! Misty puts Pikachu down as Ash turns around and prepares to leave. Pikachu jumps up onto Ash’s shoulder as he starts to walk away. Ash: I’ll see you around, Misty. Misty: You too, Ash. Ash: Bye Brock! Nice seeing you again, Daisy and Violet! Daisy: Good luck! Violet: Call us whenever you get back to Cerulean! Brock: I’ll be waiting to go on another journey when you get back! The gang waves goodbye as Ash and Pikachu depart. Now, only Misty, Daisy, Violet, and Brock are left. They pick up their bags and prepare to leave. Daisy: Well, I guess that’s that. It’s time to go home. Violet: Lily’s going to be surprised at all the souvenirs we brought back! Brock: I just can’t wait to get on the plane. Misty: It’s too bad that there wasn’t a direct flight available to Pewter City. (smiles) Looks like you’ll be traveling with us on your way home. Daisy and Violet: Come again? Brock: (stepping in between the two of them) By the way, which one of you lovely ladies would like to sit next to me? Daisy and Violet stop dead in their tracks. They glance at each other, then at Brock, and then back at each other again. They knew that they were thinking the exact same thing. The two sisters start running towards their gate, hoping that they could avoid sitting by Brock by getting a pair of seats for themselves. Brock realizes this and gives chase. Not wanting to be left behind, Misty runs after the trio. But not before looking back down the hall one last time, and wishing that Ash would have stayed just a minute longer. So she could express just how much he loved him... [All we wanna do is have a good time Having lots of fun with all these friends of mine All we wanna do is celebrate Every time we’ve been together it’s been great Looking for adventure big and small Being with friends like you is all we want to] (Music ends here) “The Adventures Series” - Season 2 To be continued... Finally! It took six months to cover the first eight episodes! Unbelievable... I’d like to apologize for taking so long to finish this first mini-series, but I hope to pick up the pace. I’m already debating what to do for the remainder of Season 2, and how to break it up. More details forthcoming soon. Comments are recommended! E-mail me at jgg121@yahoo.com. Copyright Date: 2/27/01 Next up... guess who’s back! Arius and Cassie, that’s who! This time around, they’re infiltrating Team Rocket Headquarters to dig up some dirt. Like how cross-bred Pokémon are created. How the honeymoon of a certain couple went. And especially why TJ’s life was cut tragically short. It’s “A Blast from the Past,” in Episode 42!